Osmo X Marusan is described as a visually striking, club‑like cafe that blends Japanese inspired sandos, curry bowls and drinks with a strong coffee and matcha scene, attracting a young, studious crowd and often becoming a lively, crowded space. The atmosphere is frequently praised for its architecture, skylights and terrace, sometimes with a DJ or vinyl vibe, but the overall level of noise and activity can make it hard to study or have a quiet meal. The menu features crowd favorites like tamago sando, karaage sando and katsu curry, with matcha and hojicha drinks earning consistent praise, though some reviews note small portions, bland elements or variable quality and long waits during peak times. Service quality ranges from friendly and attentive to slow or uneven, contributing to mixed overall impressions. Taken together, the place shines for its unique vibe, drinks and creative sandwiches and is often recommended for a social visit or a first experience, while not being ideal for those seeking a quiet, quick meal or a predictable cafe routine.
We had heard about @osmo_x_marusan for years-whispered recommendations, glowing hype, forced influncer stories. A reputation that promises revelation. So when we finally went, our first thought was genuinely:'Did we even go to the right place?'
It quickly became clear that this is a café people come to experience, not necessarily to eat. The hipster-industrial aesthetic is immaculate, concrete, like you're going to a café in that club scene from'The Matrix.' It feels engineered more for Instagram stories & long study sessions than for anyone in pursuit of a truly satisfying meal. The space seems tailored to university students with laptops & deadlines, not diners with expectations.
The food, unfortunately, didn't rise to the myth. The tamago sando came with a strange, béchamel-adjacent sauce that felt both unnecessary & confusing. The karaage leaned heavily into grease without the payoff of crispness or depth, & the bread-for both sandwiches-was simply wrong, missing that soft, pillowy integrity you hope for. The yuzu lemonade? Perfectly fine-but unmistakably just lemonade, not even sure why they use the word'Yuzu.' Not even a faint taste of it.
Ironically, the most enjoyable part of the visit was the Osmo fog-visually delightful, theatrically effective, & perhaps the clearest expression of what this place does best.
We left full, yes, but not satisfied. At all.
@osmo_x_marusan is a café where the vibe works overtime, while the food quietly clocks out early. A place worth seeing once-but hard to crave again, once the fog clears.
Un très beau café au design unique, avec un menu d'inspiration japonaise qui se démarque. L'endroit est populaire auprès des étudiants, donc ce n'est pas l'adresse idéale si on cherche un moment calme.
Nous avons pris un matcha & un osmo fog, tous deux bien exécutés. Les sando étaient bons, mais manquaient un peu de saveur selon moi.
Malgré tout, l'expérience globale reste plaisante & je retournerai chez Osmo x Marusan sans hésiter.
Came here with my boyfriend on a Thursday afternoon & it was super packed with people studying but they were able to clear a seat for us to eat. 10/10 service for that!
We got the Karaage Sando & Tamago Sando. We found the tamago sando a bit plain, wish it had a bit more salt or maybe chili crisp 🤔🤔🤔. However, the karaage was delicious. We also shared a Hojicha Latte which was suuuper yummy, definitely recommend that.
We tried the Tamago Sando with the smoked salmon added & the Katsu Sando - both were good! The tamago was super flavourful & the salmon added the perfect touch. The katsu was a standout for us; the pork was incredibly tender & juicy. It's a very busy spot, but the food is definitely worth it.
Nov 18, 2025
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Cute little hidden next an old building & its underground. They have good music sometimes a bit loud but someone went to adjust the sound. Food was delicious. I really recommend the Tamago Sando egg sandwich. The sauce inside with the eggs were a great combination. Keep napkins near, it's a bit messy.
Came here for the first time & ordered the Katsu Sando, Tamago Sando. I had to come a second day as they sold out on the weekend around 2pm. Sandos were tasty, juicy & very good for value. A lot of people look like they're studying/doing work but I feel the music that plays in the background is a little too loud for that kind of environment. I do appreciate the decibel meter tho!
Oct 21, 2025
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Absolutely loved my experience at OSMO X MARUSAN!! A friend & I visited MTL for a few days & had breakfast twice at this cafe. We got the matcha latte (hot & cold) & both were great. We tried two breakfast sandos: the tamago (8/10) & the katsu (9/10). There was a bit of a line up & waited after ordering but the atmosphere was great & staff were very kind so the wait was not bad. I would definitely make another visit during my next trip to MTL!
i got the tamago sando which looked better than it tasted. 😆 it was just mayo & salt, which was a bit plain for me. the flat white was also just okay.
the café was super busy even on a tuesday afternoon, probably because it's close to McGill, with lots of students on laptops. It was also pretty noisy, but the space itself was well designed & very aesthetically pleasing.
i grabbed a bag of coffee beans before leaving & was pleasantly surprised that it came with a free coffee. i went with an americano & it was excellent! very nutty & enjoyable. would def come back for it!
Malgré le décor mignon & la nourriture bonne (nous avons essayé des cafés, matchas, tamago sando & karaage sando), nous avons vraiment eu un service vraiment désolant qui nous a donné une expérience négative au total. Lors d'une erreur faite par le staff (matcha chaud au lieu de glacé, matcha sans sirop au lieu de matcha érable), nous nous sommes faites blâmées pour cette erreur & on s'est fait addressées vraiment bêtement, de manière borderline passive-aggressive & impolie même si on a mentionné l'erreur gentiment. Même plus tard, on s'est faites servir avec attitude & & on s'est faites dévisager lorsque l'on a demandé pour une boîte à emporter. C'est réelleement dommage de se faire servir ainsi quand on paye à l'avant & on donne un pourboire même avant d'évaluer la qualité du service. Je travaille en restauration & jamais je traiterais des clients de la sorte, qu'il s'agisse de leur erreur ou de la mienne.
Had the Tomago Sando which was really good & also tried the hojicha latte & yuzu lemonade. The lemonade was sour & not too sweet in the best way. I would recommend all of these items. It is a unique space that is well decorated. When we visited on a Saturday afternoon it was busy & there was a dj playing, so it was pretty loud. It doesn't have the relaxing atmosphere I would usually enjoy at a café.
Sep 9, 2025
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didn't expect the food to be that good. it was full but my katsu sando was ready within less than 10 minutes. seems like a cool place to go & chill listening to some nice music.
Le OXM se cache sous terre dans un véritable espace hors du commun en plein coeur de Montréal. Il se définit comme étant un club social mêlant culture, café & nourriture japonaise. Si vous vous retrouvez dans cette description alors vous allez adorer le lieu & son ambiance. Mention spéciale pour le tamago sando & le osmo fog.
My family came in August 2024 as we were craving Japanese egg sandos. To our surprise, the katsu sando was even better than the egg sando. The fillings were plentiful & flavourful, & we recommended this place to friends as well.
We passed by Montréal again on a road trip & stopped for a quick bite. Our second visit was still good, but the katsus were much thinner than the year prior (as evidenced in the attached photos). That said, I'd still recommend this place for anyone who wants to try authentic Japanese egg or katsu sandos.
