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.
The Brussels sprouts were the best thing I've ever eaten. The bluefin tuna was the freshest fish I've ever had. The sommelier was very helpful in choosing a wine & sake. The yuzu tarte for dessert was divine. Overall, a perfect experience with friendly, efficient service.
Incredible in all of the ways.
The miso was a hearty blend of seaweed & enoki, the brussel sprouts were super tasty, & the assorted sashimi was perfection. The yuzu tart was divinely decadent, & the sake recommendations fit beautifully in between it all. Fantastic service & atmosphere; such a gem
Dec 19, 2025
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Incroyable resto. J'y suis allée plusieurs fois & jamais déçue. Un petit local (une vingtaine de places), plein de personnalité, avec de la bonne musique & un bon système de son (!!) un service courtois & efficace, des plats incroyables & une belle liste de saké a découvrir. J'irais chaque semaine si c'était pas un peu pricey...la qualité de paie évidemment. Pour donner une idée on a pris 2 bières, 3 petites entrées, deux plats & une demi bouteille de saké pour 235$ taxes & pourboire inclus. Pour l'excellence de l'ensemble de l'oeuvre c'est un très bon prix que j'ai paye avec plaisir. Merci!!
Vibes: Live dj by the front window playing the smoothest mix of jazz & soul among plants & textiles. Intimate & homey decor. Four tables & a packed izakaya bar.
Food: the FOOD!!
The duck mazumen is decadent yall. Could have eaten a bowl of the noodles alone, so simply but richly seasoned with scallions, egg, onion. That duck skin is so fkn good I saved pieces for my last bite.
Tamago gohan (egg rice) was everything I needed. If you love egg rice or congee, this is an elevated must-get. Listed as'hotate ikura tamago ankake gohan' on the specials menu, it is fluffy rice nestled in a layer of pillowy dashi broth (more a sauce than a soup) with scallops, salmon roe, & the fluffiest scrambled egg. After days of traveling & rich food, this felt like a gift. Goes well with the phenomenal sake.
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.
Kitano Shokudo is truly one of the best in Montreal. This two man show restaurant takes great care in the quality of their ingredients. The sake selection is also on par with the food & they know to recommend what would fit best with your meal or your preferences. I usualy get their sushi or sashimi since the quality is not something you find on every corner in Montreal but everything is excellent. The staff is impossible to dislike as well as their food. Do yourself a favor & go try this Japanese restaurant for a traditional japanese taste with a twist.
Petit restaurant de l'avenue Mont-Royal très sympathique. Nourriture exceptionnelle, dont un pétoncle que je me souviendrait toute ma vie. Belle sélection de saké & bon conseil de notre serveuse. N'oubliez pas de réserver à l'avance, car c'est toujours plein.
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
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The food was incredible. We had the cod croquette, maguro don, duck mazemen & pudding with a bit of sake. Everything was delicious, better than any croquette, duck or tuna we've ever had before. I just can't possibly emphasize enough how much I recommend it. The atmosphere was nice, pretty chill, the tables were quite close to each other but it's pretty common in such restaurants. No loud music which we really appreciated. The service was nice although they lacked professionalism. For example, they'll let you wait more than 10min (without apologizing for the wait) if you're polite & wait in the entrance to get seated, even if they saw you. I learnt from the people who came after us that you have to come in & stand in the middle of the way, only then will they happily seat you right away..
This is a simple establishment focused on the food where the food has never disappointed. A creative Japanese menu with the highest fish quality. One person cooking, one person serving. The fried foods are perfect, the beer is as it should be--served in frosted glasses--& the sake list is of interest.
