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!
Beware of'authentic'. The service is light-years away from any joint in Japan - no complimentary snack with your drink, ages between ordering & being served. The ramen is an exercise in blandness. Textures might be fine yet flavour is totally absent. For a fraction of the price, in Japan, a bowl of ramen is a trip though layers of different tastes. I'll surely won't come back.
Mar 19, 2026
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Nothing really special with their overpriced ramen. Broth was so mid & tasted like water with just MSG. There were only 2 people working at that time (1 as cook & 1 as host) so service & food was mid as hell.
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.
I made sure this spot was on our list for the trip, & we're so glad we went. We got to try their maguro futomaki, fresh, rich, perfectly seasoned, with tuna that melts in your mouth. The ramen was flavourful with a refreshing hint of yuzu. The karaage was golden & crisp on the outside, juicy & tender on the inside, just perfect. Service was friendly & attentive.
We had a wonderful experience & will definitely return the next time we visit!
Very disappointed about it. We had high expectations because of its high rating on Google, but a $78 sashimi set, the most expensive sashimi set on the menu is so tiny portion that even for me, a New Yorker would find it unreasonably priced. The chirashi bowl, which was ordered by our neighbor desk & is only half of the price, has no significantly less quantity of fish. The marinated spotted prawn tastes good, but one shrimp is not as fresh as it should be. The only reasonably priced maybe the ramen. We eventually paired over $80 person with stomach half full.
May 27, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
The Chirashi bowl was lovely (fatty tuna ftw & how was the rice so impossibly perfect), the soy sauce/balsamic vinegar fried brussel sprouts were a revelation... the bechamel-infused cod croquettes? Delightful. The duck magret finale elevated simple ramen to special place. Ise City native Hiroshi Kitano runs a tight kitchen & he singlehandedly makes this small resto shine. Now for the sigh. I was so excited to try the Japanese crab egg dish & patiently waited 15ish minutes when the server took the order of people who arrived easily 10-15 minutes after us first & I lost my chance (he crossed out the crab on our menu as soon as he took the late-comers' order, I accidentally let out an audible "noooo!"). My dining partner had to finally flag the server down for our order after he went to take care of yet another later-arrived table even though we were sitting right at the bar in front of him. (We were able to place our sake order as soon as we walked in though; it was placing the food order that took a while). At first, I thought, well things happen, but then the server religiously poured & repoured the duo's water & libations beside us but he didn't do that for us. Still gave him a good tip. Is spending $180 for 2 not enough to warrant the same level of service as the others? Ever notice that it's a big club & you ain't in it? I was excited to come here for weeks only to leave feeling deflated.
The best meal I had in Montreal. We couldn't get reservations online so showed up when they opened & were able to get seats, it filled up soon after. We got the ramen, curry & a salad & even though it sounds simple, the flavors were so balanced & delicious. It's not a super fancy place but the quality of the ingredients & food was on par with or better than a lot of fine dining places. So happy to have tried this place!
Jul 14, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
This is in my Top 3 favorite restaurants in Montreal. I can just go here & chill, grab my favorite ramen (Ikura Mazimen) & a Shrimp Burger with Japanese Sea Urchin sauce. I've tried most things on the menu & they're all good, but those 2 are my favorite. Can't go wrong with any of the desserts either- from the sorbet to the chocolate ice cream to the cookie to the thai black tea ice cream... last time I literally got both ice creams & the chocolate chip cookie- I was dipping the cookie in both ice creams & enjoying them. Hiroshi is a fantastic chef, one of a kind. I pretty much feel like I'm going to a friend's house & they're just cooking me up whatever they have in the kitchen. Alongside Moccione, this is my fav restaurant.
Oh my goodness, let me just tell you about my experience at this restaurant! So, I went there with a friend for the first time on Tuesday, & it was absolutely incredible. We were greeted by Sam, who made us feel so welcome. He recommended this delicious blond Japanese imported beer for me, & my friend had Sake, & let me tell you, they paired perfectly with everything we ordered. Speaking of the food, it was out of this world. We had the Tako Salad, Uni & bone marrow mezamen, the snow crab mezamen, & the Shoyu Ramen. Each dish was so exciting & incredibly delicious. The ingredients were all perfectly balanced & you could really taste each individual flavor. & let's talk about the ambiance - the musique, vibe, & overall ambiance were just spot on. It felt like I was visiting a dear friend. The service was impeccable, & I felt so at ease. As someone who's a bit of an introvert & can be shy, it's not always easy for me to feel comfortable everywhere, but this place just had such a cozy & welcoming atmosphere. Now, here's the best part - I loved it so much that I went back solo on Thursday. I actually booked a table just an hour after I left on Tuesday, that's how much I was daydreaming about going back. & let me tell you, it did not disappoint. This time, I sat at the bar & had the pleasure of chatting with the person sitting next to me. He had actually traveled all the way from the Laurentide just to dine here, & I totally get why. It's just that amazing. So yeah, needless to say, I'm one happy customer & I can't wait to go back again & again.
May 4, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
