Shiro

Added May 29, 2009 by aaoyama of vancouver (1 Reviews)

Authentic Japanese Cuisine
Unlike a lot of so-called "Japanese" or "sushi" restaurants around, this place is run by a Japanese family making traditional Japanese foods.
Their sushi is top-notch, with just the right seasoning and the best quality fish. No, they're not a discount sushi shop slapping huge chunks of fish on the rice but using excellent cuts in appropriate sizes.
Not nearly as high-priced as other hyped shops around town, Shiro consistently puts out excellent traditionally-prepared Japanese food for reasonable prices.
They're my first choice for Japanese cuisine.
It's almost always busy and they're not set up for groups larger than 6 or 8. But they're well worth the wait.

Added Mar 16, 2009 by quittheband of Vancouver (4 Reviews)

Decent sushi
Decent sushi-centric Japanese restaurant. Japanese staff, both front and back of house.

The atmosphere and decor was a little bit tattered. Not great, but not terrible enough to ruin the meal. There are 2 TVs. I always felt that TVs in a restaurant bring everything down a notch. Keep the TVs in sports bars please.
The bathroom was pretty gross. There's a bucket right in the middle of the room (to collect water from a leak in the ceiling I suppose - although it wasn't leaking when I was in there- weird).
Also, its a pretty small space with a lot of seats crammed in there. Keep in mind that getting a seat at the sushi bar is alot better than getting a table right in front of the door (especially when its busy and people are lining up inside and outside. Peering over your shoulder eyeing your food).


Service was good as it was prompt and attentive. Efficiency is the name of the game here so you're not be schmoozed by the waitstaff - which is a predominantly good thing.

Food was good. Not mindblowing, but decent value for the money.
Tuna sashimi was delicious, melt-in-your-mouth. The salmon sashimi appeared to be wild salmon as it was a deeper red color.

Ordering tempura is a great litmus test to gauge the authenticity of a Japanese restaurant. Alot of 'fake' Japanese restaurants run by Chinese and Korean people make tempura which is really cake-y and/or intensely yellow in color.
I was slightly disappointed with the tempura at Shiro given that it is an authentic Japanese joint. The batter was slightly 'wet' and 'heavy', and yes, this was before I put it in the sauce.
Also, the flavouring of the tempura sauce was off target. It was missing the sweet aftertaste that its supposed to have. It was also not salty enough, and the darkness of the sauce belied its lack of saltiness.

The rice was properly cooked. Another reliable indicator of a good Japanese restaurant.

Overall, a nice decent sushi place. A little tattered, a little crowded.

Added Mar 1, 2009 by freshandtasty of Burnaby (4 Reviews)

Favourite Sushi Restaurant
I enjoy the experience and the food at this small sushi restaurant. It staff are welcoming and the sushi is fresh and delicious. My favourites are the salmon sashimi and No. 18 roll (deep-fried rolls). You can either sit at the bar or in one of the tables. I like to sit at the bar and watch the sushi being made.

Added Jan 21, 2009 by nquan of South Vancouver (3 Reviews)

what happened?
I've been here many times and all times have been good until recently. I'm not sure what happened but the last few times that I have gone, the rice was wet, and seafood was fishy or slimy. I thought they were just having a bad day that one time, so I went back to test it out one last time, and it is the same. The last two times I have gone have resulted in bad stomach aches. I think they need to fix their refrigerator or something. I don't think I'll be going back for a while.

Added Nov 11, 2008 by mountpleasant_b of vancouver (9 Reviews)

top-notch sushi
shiro has been a neighbourhood favourite of mine for quite some time now. the sashimi is always fresh and tasty, and the real crab california rolls are some of the best in the city. if you want to try something new, try the chawan mushi, which takes about 20 minutes to come out, but is well worth the wait. unlike some japanese retaurants, shiro is consistantly good, which always keeps me comin' back during a sushi-craving. the service is prompt and friendly, and the pocky sticks served with the bill are an original touch.

Added Aug 28, 2008 by papercut11 of vancouver (12 Reviews)

Sushi lover-first time experience
This restaurant is run by a Japanese couple. They know what they're doing and are friendly. We've been to many Japanese places so it's nice to compare. Some things were different. The tempera looked yellowish, but still was delicious. We had sashimi and the pieces were huge. The server was very nice and offered us tea refills without having to ask. We went for lunch and didn't have to deal with any line up issues. The only thing lacking is the ambiance. You could see cardboard boxes everywhere and the place looks like it needs some new decorating. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves.

Added Aug 17, 2008 by diningRL of East Vancouver (52 Reviews)

One of the Best in the City
Very good authentic Japanese sushi.

To me, this place is definitely up there along with Toshi's (have yet to visit but hear it's awesome), Seto in Richmond (a must visit in my opinion), and Tojo's (really expensive, but I'm going by pure quality score here).

Seto in Richmond is still my favorite Japanese sushi restaurant in the GRVD (taking Tojo's out of the picture). Shiro, however, is quite strong with its staple rolls and fresh sashimi and nigiri. You just can't compare these places to the AYCE restaurants around. You probably end up paying a little more than at AYCE restaurants, but for the quality, it's definitely worth it.

Even with the Cambie construction, you will most definitely have to wait in line. Lots of loyal customers frequent this establishment and the fact that it's really small doesn't help the line. It's worth the wait though.

Recommendation: Very High.

Added Aug 11, 2008 by tastethehappy of Vancouver (2 Reviews)

Mmm Shiro
I'm not so good at writing reviews, but I just wanted to say that Shiro is probably one of the best sushi houses in town. The food is tasty, though maybe ever so slightly more expensive than your average sushi place. But a plus is that it's actually handled with care, and I think that makes the experience all the better.

The service has so far always been friendly, you're greeted just like you would be in Japan. One time I was there, one of the staff (possibly on his break maybe?) was just hanging around the dining area and when a group of guests were leaving, he pretended to leave with them, saying goodbye and thanks to the rest of the staff. It was quite funny.

And at the end you get a small packet of Pocky. Overall, a very nice small restaurant. Just get there with time to spare during dinner times.

Added Jul 14, 2008 by gloriasit of vancouver (38 Reviews)

Real Wasabi Found!
Went to dine here after reading many interviews about leaving with a package of pocky, so I gave it a try.
I went with my relatives and 2 of them were vegetarian so we ordered a lot of noodles and vegetarian appetizers.
Service: good service, constant tea refills, kitchen and sushi bar staff were fast and efficient.
Ambiance: Decor is kind of outdated but many customers seem to be regulars, so no change is good.
Food: excellent, cannot be better. I've been trying to search for a place that serves real wasabi for the longest time and I've found it! Not only that, their sushi were nice and fresh, the way it should be. Only one thing I have to complain was their tofu steak, it was rather on the dry side.
Price: for 5 people, the bill came up to about 65 incld tip, but we did have a few vegetarians so we didn't order any sashimi.

They're closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and they close at 9:30 on Wed, Thurs, Sun and 10:30 on Fri and Sat. I'll definitely drop by again soon.

Added Feb 8, 2008 by Trevor of Vancouver (63 Reviews)

One of the best in town
I've been going to this little joint for the last few years. Altho they seem to have suffered a bit b/c of the Cambie Street construction, the fact that they're still up and running tells you that they're doing something right.

On my last visit, I ordered a variety of nigiri sushi and an udon. Their salmon sushi is SOO good--they use sockeye salmon whereas most others use atlantic/coho. Their sushi is fresh. The udon was piping hot, noodles weren't overcooked and the broth was flavourful. My friends enjoyed their food too--beef teriyaki donburi and one of their special combos. Foodwise, I would rank it 2nd on my list, right behind Toshi.

Service is consistent. Polite, fairly quick. My only gripe is that they don't refill your tea often enough.

The look is that of a typical Japanese restaurant. Decor and furnishing is in need of an update. It's a little cramped, tables are fairly close together. Washrooms could be a bit cleaner.

The difference with this one is that it's Japanese-run... most importantly, the chef is Japanese. Great food, good service. Go support these guys, I'd hate to see them shut down like so many other businesses on Cambie.

Added Jan 7, 2008 by trenzy of Vancouver (36 Reviews)

Our neighborhood Sushi choice.
Living in the Cambie area, there's really only two choices for high quality sushi (Shijo and Toshi's). While both are quite strong, Shiro excels in service, and wait times. Due to the construction, it's been slower as of late, but still consistently busy. The service of the sushi chef and all the waitresses is quite strong.

The Wild Salmon and Fresh Crab in the California rolls is a nice change from the run of the mill restaurants in the area. The price is a step up from those places but still grounded in reality. The shiro roll (a jumbo roll i imagine pieced together with the leftover bits of all the fish on the chef's table) was fantastic... it was huge and hard to each but the flavor was very good. Different from other house rolls, the flavors seem to blend rather than just being a miss match of whatever is lying around.

You won't be upset by this place.

Added Dec 30, 2007 by imac of vancouver (7 Reviews)

melts in your mouth
The sushi and sashimi assorted plates were reasonably priced. The meat was fresh and melted in your mouth; the experience was sublime. The quality:price ratio was tops. Service was friendly and prompt. The place was small and clean and full of good cheer. The restaurant was bustling on a Sunday evening; by the time we finished, a queue had formed to outside the door. Across the street, another restaurant sat almost empty. What more can we say!

Added Dec 15, 2007 by badgerbalm of pretentious yaletown (40 Reviews)

best Japanese in town
Over the last 10 years, I've taken all my friends to Shiro to have them experience real Japanese food, not one of those pretend ones that are on every corner selling 200 pieces for $5.99.

you may not get quantity here, but you certainly get quality.

When people say they don't like sushi, it's because they haven't had real sushi. Real maki isn't supposed to be the size of donuts, they're supposed to be bite-sized without choking or looking like an oaf. Real sushi joints wouldn't serve farmed salmon, either, and that's why I love shiro for using wild-caught salmon.

There isn't a whole lot I can say that's bad about this place. They do get busy, and sometimes the service may not be so doting, but you'll understand when you see the girls running off their feet.

This place is as close to home for me (I'm originally from Japan). Go there for great food, and also go there to support those poor Cambie stree merchants.

Added Oct 17, 2007 by Pica of Richmond (12 Reviews)

Reasonably priced GOOD sushi!
The prices at Shiro are very reasonable. When I was there a couple of weeks ago there was a notice to customers saying they will increase their prices slightly in the future.

But all in all, a sushi appetizer (1 pc each of tuna, sockeye salmon, cooked prawn sushi + 1 tuna sushi roll = 9 pieces in total) was merely $5.5 for the longest time. They only use sockeye salmon, noneo f that farmed salmon that are carcinogenic are served here. Their real crab rolls are also excellent. Wasabi is fresh - none of that cheap wasabi made strictly from powder. They use fresh udons, which are very tangy and tasty, in their soups. The soup stock was tasty and flavourful without MSG!

This place is run by japanese chef - none of that non-authentic sushi with lots of rice here! Highly recommended!

Added Apr 5, 2007 by Chris81 of South Cambie, Vancouver (6 Reviews)

One of the best reasonably priced sushi places in town
One of the finest quality sushi restaurants you will find without entering the territory of such upscale establishments like Tojo's or Yoshi's.

The fish is fresh and of very high quality. It is one of the few sushi restaurants where I will order scallops with confidence (those of you who enjoy raw scallops know that they are one of the first things to be compromised in quality at mediocre sushi restaurants!). Overall, the menu is quite extensive, and highlighted by the availability of wild sockeye, real crab, fresh wasabi, as well as less commonly found dishes like chawan-mushi and sanma. Sushi is prepared at the bar by Japanese chefs who show all the signs of being professionally trained. Donburi dishes are competently prepared but nothing to write home about.

Service is friendly and fairly consistent. Atmosphere is homey and decor is tasteful and as good as anyone would expect from a small restaurant located in a strip mall.

It is also worth noting that they seem to have a decent selection of sake and shochu, which I have not sampled, though I notice this is becoming more common in licensed japanese restaurants these days.

Added Dec 1, 2006 by Dagwood of North Shore (39 Reviews)

Good, but...
...nothing special.

Excellent miso soup. Agedashi tofu was on the oily side. Real crab Cali roll was good and salmon very fresh. Very reasonable prices, Service was very friendly but quite slow.

Added Jul 16, 2006 by cfoodfem of East vancouver (5 Reviews)

Favourite Sushi restaurant
Great sashimi. The wild salmon sashimi is the best! If you want quality sushi, this is the place to go. We no longer live near by but will do the drive. Always recommend Shiro to anyone looking for a good sushi restaurant.

Added Sep 17, 2005 by sgtoca of Kitsilano, Vancouver (85 Reviews)

There are better places
Initially I used to love this place but then I started to notice how the lady owner Mrs. Shiro tends to pretend to get really stressed or let her anxiety show by rushing her wait staff and then make the dining in experience rather unpleasant. Its not a good place to relax and enjoy good fish and sake. Even if you intend to only stay for some grub and run, the owner's stressful demeanor makes it unpleasant. I find a far better sushi place to go in Kits and have decided that this place is really not worth my drive to. The food is good but not outstanding. Having a basic command of Japanese, I can tell the lady owner is often rushing her staff to literally run to the various tables so it makes the restaurant look bustling. Not pleasant dining experience. Take out ok.

Added Jun 30, 2005 by Tuzio of Vancouver (14 Reviews)

Real Japanese People - Bonus!
I always prefer restaurants that are Japanese owned. I am a food racist but I believe that it helps in the authenticity of the food. Anyways, my wife and I have been going to Shiro over the years and it has never let me down. The wasabi is freshly ground as you can taste the 'kick' it has compared to the paste wasabi and their ginger seems to be freshly pickled. The suishi is decent but we mainly go for the fresh wasabi - I don't know of any other place in town with this.

Added Jun 15, 2005 by rachiebean of Vancouver (7 Reviews)

Yummy Sushi
I seriously consider this one of the best sushi houses in Vancouver.

Added Feb 26, 2005 by thecritic of East Side (173 Reviews)

Japanese Staples
Shiro serves up sushi and Japanese classics and they do it well. Everything we tried was good. The chopped scallop cones were well prepared: fresh scallops, not too much mayo and the the seawead was crisp and not too chewy. The yakisoba was nice and light and had a tasty sauce. My only complaint was that the tuna sashimi was a little frozen in the middle, but leaving it sit on the plate for a few minutes fixed the problem. When I am in the mood for classic Japanese, I will be back.