Located in the heart of the plateau in Montreal, Kitano Shokudo is a cozy and delightful Japanese restaurant that serves you quality handmade dishes, amazing unique sakes and wines as well remarkable service. This amazing bistro gives you a Japanese experience that you won’t want to miss!
At Chef Hiroshi Kitano’s Plateau restaurant, precise technique meets inventive twists on classic Japanese dishes. Made with top-tier local and Japanese ingredients, the fresh fish donburi and chirashi bowls stand out as some of the city's finest, while dishes like the uni carbonara, which weave in French and Italian influences, leave a lasting impression.
Patrons describe Kitano Shokudo as a tiny, intimate spot with a warm, minimalist vibe where fresh sashimi and carefully executed Japanese dishes take center stage. Standout items include duck mazemen, uni mezemen, chirashi and miso bowls, with sashimi praised for exceptional freshness, though some feel the ramen is overpriced and the broth underwhelming for the price. The two person operation can make service feel uneven or a little distant, even as when staff are present the service is friendly and attentive. Despite this, it is hailed by many as one of the best Japanese spots in Montreal outside Japan, thanks to quality, presentation and a lively atmosphere. Reservations are recommended because the space is tiny, and the overall tone is that the food justifies a visit for those seeking authentic, ingredient driven Japanese cuisine.
One of the best meals I had in Montreal! Kitano Shokudo brings a taste of Japan directly to the Québécois. You should definitely make a reservation as the table & bar seating is quite limited. The restaurant has lots of cute decorations & a simple aesthetic.
The menu isn't too large, but they also offer specials of the day. We started with the bouillon au poisson & the kaarage. The broth was very comforting & seasoned well. It went well with the spicy chili crisp. The kaarage pieces were really big, so juicy, & the batter wasn't too heavy. Dipped into the yuzu mayo, the citrusy acidity contrasted perfectly with the crispy, savory chicken.
For our mains, we shared the hotaru ika mazemen & the Hokkaido uni mazemen. The ramen noodles were cooked just right in both dishes, & the seafood tasted unbelievably fresh. The firefly squid was chewy yet tender, & the noodles were seasoned lightly overall, which allowed the quality of the ingredients to shine. The sea urchin was creamy & melted in your mouth smoothly. The salmon eggs provided a salty pop along with crispy fried shallots. The flavor profiles of these two noodle dishes kept the meal interesting & varied with each consecutive bite.
If you find yourself craving authentic Japanese cuisine in Montreal, Kitano Shokudo should definitely be on your hit list!
Kitano Shokudo is a true gem in Montreal. The food is authentically Japanese, beautifully executed, & paired with a fun, lively vibe. Sitting at the bar made the experience even better. The menu strikes a great balance between excellent sushi & Japanese dishes. The duck was outstanding, the fried chicken & Brussels sprouts were addictive, & the saki was great. An all around great night with great food & energy. Can't wait to go back.
Jan 25, 2026
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I honestly enjoyed my evening at this restaurant. It's been on my list for a while & I don't regret it. The fish was extremely fresh. Dishes were well balanced & flavorful. We took the charimi, Brussels sprouts, ramen & octopus salad. The total was about 100$ & worth every penny. I can't wait to bring other people here. If you enjoy authentic Japanese food focused on quality ingredients - this is your spot.
The best Japanese food we've had outside Japan! Everything was 10/10. The restaurant is a two man show - don't know how they do it but they pull it off well.
We ordered:
- Miso soup
- Crab Mazemen (explosion of flavour)
- Chirashi
- Maguro Don (the tuna was literally melt in your mouth)
- Dessert Pudding
This restaurant has a casual but intimate vibe, with really excellent fish-forward dishes. Reservations are highly recommended, as it's in-demand & tiny - about 9 bar seats plus a few tables for small groups. The sole server accommodated folks without reservations as able, but those with reservations were given priority & generally had a less rushed experience. Service was attentive & efficient.
Exceptional high-quality dishes. The sashimi melts in your mouth, the gizzards are tender & "earthy". Really appreciated the originality of the ground boar+tofu dish - nicely spicy with strong lemongrass-y aftertaste. They didn't have matcha tiramisu so had to settle with the custard which was nice & silky, but just not that special. Will be back!
One of the best Japanese restaurants I've had in quite a while, although the amazingly high quality of ingredients & cooking techniques (for all traditional Japanese, fusion, & entirely Western dishes) were beset by the rather small portion sizes. The stars of the show were both the chirashi & à la carte sashimi orders. Every slice was decently thick, at a suitable cool temperature, & was cleaned appropriately with not a single bone or fish scale in sight. The short-grain rice was perfectly executed, al dente & seasoned just right. Would highly recommend the chu-toro tuna belly, rich but delicate & melt-in-your-mouth. The sudachi lime, shiso leaf & shiso microgreens were a nice touch for the sashimi, & so were the crisp nori laver squares for the chirashi. The sea urchin & salmon roe mazemen (which I assume is part of a limited time-only special menu) was delightfully creamy, & while the sea urchin was not raw (& appeared to be either cooked or tinned), it paired surprisingly well with the springy alkaline noodles coated in a carbonara-esque sauce that was not too heavy. The confit duck (?) gizzards (also part of the special menu) were remarkably well-done. Tender but not overcooked, fully immersed with herby undertones, & the parmesan on top was balanced by a refreshing zing of lemon. The seasoning elevated the natural umami of the gizzards while not masking it entirely. I finished every single drop of the remaining emulsified sauces at the bottom of the plate. The waiter was very helpful & attentive, & made me feel at home. Service was understandably a bit slow as it was only one person servicing a fully-packed room, but the food arrived at the right temperature & at acceptable intervals.
Dec 31, 2024
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Very cozy & small restaurant with a chill vibe. Service was on the slower side as there was only one waiter. The food was however pretty good. My favourite dishes were the duck mazeman & the crab mazeman. The duck was very crispy & fall off the bone tender. The noodles mixed with the egg made it very rich & delicious. The crab mazeman had a hint of spicy & the ikura complimented the dish well. It tasted very seafoody & it was a generous portion of crab. Was dissaponted with the chicken wings as it tasted pretty bland (special of the week). The Brussels sprouts were good but nothing out of the ordinary. Would come again for the mazeman & to try out their chirashi.
All the ingredients are very fresh which makes every bite an incredible experience. Definitely on the more expensive side & a bit of a wait between dishes, but it attests to the detail & care they put into their food. Great service as well. Personally wasn't a huge fan of the eggplant but the rest was top tier. I will definitely be back to relive some of the great bites, & discover new ones.
Best Japanese restaurant in town! The menu is ver well curated & all ofthe dishes are absolutely delicious. The quality of fish is perfect & their dishes with sea urchin are the most special. I really recommend this place
A truly authentic Japanese experience in the heart of Plateau. Having been to Japan, we were pleasantly surprised by the food. The menu is not extensive with rotating dishes of the day. The staff is extremely friendly!
