Kerrisdale Nakamura

Reviews

• Remy S.

  star star star star star_border 7 June 2026

  Conveniently located in the center of Kerrisdale, Nakamura is a true hidden gem in my opinion. The moment I opened the door it felt like I walked into a Murakami scene. Maybe it was the 60s jazz music playing or maybe it was the typical Japanese interior. Not gimmicky to make it feel Japanese, but truly Japanese. Tidy and organized, but yet with a very warm and welcoming feel.
  
  We were welcomed by the warm smile of the hostess. Both times I've been here there was the same hostess and same chef, I assume they are a married couple who operate the restaurant together. While the wife lead us to our table, the husband was entertaining customers in the bar seats with his stories.
  
  We ordered the homemade gyoza, karaage, assorted sushi, and cold soba that comes with tempura and paired this with a glass of umeshu.
  
  I really like the homemade gyoza. The sautéed outside gives it a crispy bite And adds depth to the flavor. Personally I wasn't a big fan of the karaage. I prefer my karaage juicy and tender whereas this one felt a bit like chicken jerky. However, my friend really liked it, so it really depends on your preference. The assorted sushi was good. The fish was fresh and we were served a good variety. We finished with the cold soba. This is one of my favorite summer dishes and didn't disappoint. The portion was quite large with the tempura added. The tempura was great. Fluffy but crunchy and the vegetables were well cooked.
  
  The food is very decently priced considering the effort and detail is put in it. As the restaurant is not very large and not loud at all, it's a perfect place to catch up with someone or for a date night.
  
  To me it's a surprise this place isn't busier. I would go here any day instead of waiting for over an hour at the sushi place at the other side of the street. The owners really make you feel like you are part of their family the moment you walk in. I would say, give Nakamura a try and you might be entertained by the stories of the chef or receive a warm smile of the hostess.

• Teresa V.

  star star star star star_border 6 June 2026

  Came across this place and decided to dine in for dinner. It's one of the cutest Japanese restaurants I've been to. The service was amazing and the food was great. Fresh tasting! The only thing I felt was off was the rice was a bit over cooked. But with that being said I still enjoyed my meal! Will be back for sure.

• Ceci C.

  star star star star star_border 5 June 2026

  Nakamura is a small restaurant with seating for 25 people maximum. When we arrived we managed to snag one of the very last tables.
  
  We decided to go with the Tasting Course Dinner ($38.00 per person). The tasting course consists of gomae, sashimi, baked seafood, tempura, sunomono, chicken teriyaki and sushi).
  
  The gomae was standard, and the sesame sauce was very fragrant.
  
  The cuts of sashimi were on the smaller side but each piece was very fresh.
  
  The baked shrimp and scallop with miso mayonnaise was one of my favourite parts of the dinner. The presentation was cute, being served in a scallop shell, and there was plenty of seafood in this. The miso mayonnaise didn't overwhelm the seafood and I would have ordered more if I had the stomach space!
  
  The sunomono was refreshing with a strong vinegar bite. The octopus was fresh and went well with the seaweed and cucumber.
  
  The teriyaki was standard, a good filler. I wish it came with rice as the sauce was on the saltier side.
  
  The tempura was light and the portion was generous. There was two shrimp, sweet potato, green bean, eggplant and kabocha. My favourite was the kabocha.
  
  Our meal finished with a a five piece nigiri set. Each piece was delicately made and the rice portion was very small in comparison to the sashimi. I really enjoyed this plate, and I think the next time I visit I will try more of their sushi and sashimi offerings.
  
  Overall I felt quite full after this tasting course. Service was on the slower side, but that was to be expected as I think this was a husband and wife team (husband was the sushi chef and wife was the waitress) who ran the entire restaurant.
  
  Everything was fresh and delicious, and I would love to come back again to try more dishes!

• Lalit S.

  star star star star star 1 June 2026

  Really amazing traditional Japanese food. Everything they make here is very fresh and great quality. Best sushi I've had in Vancouver so far! Tempura and edamame is amazing as well.

• C. G.

  star star star star star 26 May 2026

  Great - tiny sushi spot.
  Took three hungry young adults with us and we all were thrilled. Lots of variety in the dishes and good quality. Won't set your wallet on fire either. Very dedicated and conscientious service. We came very close to closing time and they were most kind to welcome us. Recommend!