Red Ember Japanese Cuisine

Amazing experience at Red Ember. Walked in at 830pm on a Friday night with a friend. We were greeted immediately and seated shortly even without reservations. The ambience and décor is warm and with hints of red in line with its name. The facilities looked clean and tidy. We ordered 3 regular rolls (dynamite, Philadelphia, and crispy California roll) and 1 signature roll (tiger eye). All came out in a serving platter with beautiful presentation, and were absolutely delicious and fresh tasting! We also ordered a green salad and edamame beans to share. Green salad had a wicked dressing that made the standard greens a delight to have. Throughout the night the server made sure our water cups were always filled, which was a very noticeable and appreciated part of the service. The servers were pleasant and prompt in our requests. I really enjoyed my experience and meal here and will be certain to come back! I’ll try take out next time — saw quite a number of guests come by the course of my meal to order or pick up take out, so seems like a popular option!

On the evening I picked for date night, I’m glad I made reservations. We had a lovely table by the window, and everything we ordered was delicious and beautifully presented. Hint: this isn’t just the plum wine talking, because I’m writing my review well after its effect has worn off and just the memory remains. My wife and I wanted to experience a quieter, cozier Japanese dining ambiance, and they made it happen.

Sushi Club used to be my favourite place in the city but when it shut down, I was left without a place to call the best. After a friend told me about Red Ember, I’ve been a few times and without a doubt, it’s become my new favourite. The food is delicious, it’s never super busy and the staff is friendly. The only issue is parking (you have to park in behind, using the alley) but other than that, it’s super delicious :)

First of all, the restaurant is located on the ground floor of an office building. This was previously a Japanese restaurant as well. The on-​site parking lot is paid parking operated by Impark, so you have to pay even if it is at night. This is a distinct disadvantage when compared to other restaurants in the area, as evident by only a few customers on a weeknight.

As for the food, the tempera was very well done and the salmon was very fresh. However, other than that, it is nothing special in a market that is saturated with sushi restaurants. I had higher expectations with the reviews I have read. The sashimi for example is normally accompanied by daikon garnish that is edible in other restaurants is absent here… definitely unusual. The sushi rice was nothing special… good nigiri sushi is defined by the rice. Service is good and we were looked after well. All in all this is a decent choice for sushi but there are better ones out there in the market. Solid 3.5 Stars out of 5.

Really as good as it gets. The sashimi was as good as I have had. Thick slices, great chefs selection served over a bed of ice. Also had a rainbow roll, which was equally good.
For the appetizers we had miso black cod. It was juicy, flavorful and cooked to perfection. The place was quiet and you could easily carry on a conversation.

Why has it taken me so long to discover this amazing spot?! Some of the freshest sashimi I’ve had was here at Red Ember. The Bluefin Tuna is a memory I’ll be salivating and savouring for some time. Generous chunks of hamachi perfectly cut. The presentation all around is something to come for, you will be very impressed. The service is top notch as well. Each server came to our table and was extremely attentive, upbeat and helpful. Will be back as soon as possible!

Das beste Sushi, dass ich bisher in Calgary hatte! Super lecker! Sehr große Fischstücke auf den Nigiri, wenig Reis der auch nicht zu salzig ist und alles sehr frisch. Der Service ist freundlich und sehr zuvorkommend! Man bekommen eine kleinen Gruß aus der Küche während man auf sein essen wartet. Die Einrichtung ist gemütlich und es gibt auch Tische für größere Gruppen. Die geben sich wirklich viel Mühe um das Essen sowohl ansehnlich als auch schmackhaft zu machen. Absolut empfehlenswert! Das Restaurant hat einen eigenen Parkplatz, Zugang ist links vom Restaurant.

I enjoyed every bite of my sushi here, prices are very decent and the service is very good.

We go to this place on a fairly regular basis as it’s the best sushi in Calgary we’ve found so far. The fish quality and rolls rarely disappoint and the black cod appetizer is particularly tasty. Also a good selection of cooked foods if you’re dining with people who don’t like raw.
Two things to note: they only have one highchair (!) so call ahead to ensure it’s available if you’re depending on it, and the restaurant parking advertised on the sandwich board out front refers to the space immediately to the right of the front door. An employee’s yellow Porsche is usually parked there but one can shoehorn next to it instead of paying in the building’s parkade.

Large and high quality servings of sushi and consistently well done tempura (never soggy in several visits) make this place a winner in my books. Not cheap, but you get what you pay for.

I’ve been going here for about a year now and it is still the best sushi place I’ve been too. The staff is always friendly and accommodating and the food is amazing. I suggest trying the Mexican rolls, they are my all time favorite. The only thing they are missing is bottled water.

Somehow I missed this place but am so FREAKING happy to have found a Vancouver quality sushi spot. This gets a five out of five for Calgary sushi because it laps any other sushi place in this city. The avacado yam tempura roll was delicious and the Mexican roll was a spicy delight. Can’t wait to go back

Popped in here for a quick lunch with the bf the other day. I enjoyed the experience quite a bit.
I was very tempted to get the chirashi don here, but the value of the lunch combos caught my eye first. We got two of their lunch combos; Sushi and Teriyaki Chicken with Dynamite Roll Lunch Combo & Sashimi and Tempura Lunch Combo.
Both the combos came with soup and salad. I was surprised by their salad dressing, it was very thick and creamy, I felt that it was a bit heavy for the salad that they provided. Their sushi and sashimi was top notch, they tasted fresh, and the cuts were a great size. The rice provided with the meals were a bit on the hard side, but still tasted good mixed with the miso soup and the teriyaki chicken sauce. It’s very rare for me to eat tempura shrimp. The coating on the tempura was not too thick, and I loved the shrimp itself, it was sweet and the texture wasn’t rough at all.
I’m excited to go back to try more items from them. It’s just a stones throw away from work, so I might try their take out as well J they seem to have great reviews for that too.

I love the Sushi and Sashimi here (although let’s face it, it’s still Sushi and Sashimi in Calgary and not some coastal city like Vancouver, but I digress…) — It remains one of my favorites, and the fact that it is a short walk north of Kensington on the west side of 14^th doesn’t hurt! The lunch specials provide excellent value for money, and won’t leave you feeling hungry at the end of the meal.
I find that for many restaurant it is difficult to be good with both take-​out and eat-​in. This especially applies to Japanese cuisine where care must be taken in the presentation in the dining area, but separate but equally important steps must be taken to ensure that your take-​out items maintain their quality when you wish to consume it at a later point in time. Many take-​out oriented sushi joints are, to be frank, a little light in the ambiance department. Red Ember does a great job on both counts, something that I have grown to appreciate.
Tucked away in an unassuming red brick building, there is parking for those who have to take more than a walk to get here…

Get your seductive reading voice out — It’s time for:
50 Shades of Sushi
It’s been over a year since Red Ember and I had our first encounter. It was love where you least expect it. It was fresh, and it was raw. (See what I did there?).
Red is the kind of place I foolishly drove past without consideration. Too consumed in my own world to notice, never even considering «what could be.» That is, until one of my more, shall we say «experienced» friends suggested we meet up.
«Really? You think we would hit it off?» I asked her. «Isn’t Red a little, you know… ‘dirty?»
«I know Red’s not much to look at, but once you’ve been inside her/​him, Red’s the only one who can satisfy you…»
It was true — Red wasn’t much to look at. She/​He didn’t hang out with the other ‘trendy’ sushi joints down town, instead choosing to make her/​his home on a lonely spot along 14^th Ave. Red stands alone in a crowd of cars. Speeding toward their 9−5s, I’m not the only one who passed Red without noticing. If anyone took things a little slower, going by foot, they would see her/​his beauty. Sadly, foot traffic is difficult to come by in Red’s part of town.
Even if Red is open to having you, she/​he can be very unapproachable. Red’s Ember is by no means easy to experience. If you want to get inside Red, you need to go south, if you know what I mean… (Seriously, there’s a divider. Head south on 14^th Street. Red Ember is on the right.)
When you’re close, just take a breath and slow down. Red’s parking lot comes fast and is very tight. So tight you might not even fit. If that happens, just go a little further… You’re very close. With the right moves (seriously, turn right) you might find the space to fit in Red’s rear.
I sat down, nervous and excited. Encouraged by my friend who had been with Red Ember before and wanted to be with me for my first time. She guided me slowly and methodically through Red’s menu. I slid my fingertip lightly along the text as Red’s menu teased me with what I would soon put my lips around. — tempura… nigiri…sashimi. Red knew what I liked. I slowly scanned his/​her numbers and I checked Red’s boxes in all the right places. I knew if I put my time in with Red at the beginning, Red would return the favour.
I’m lucky, you know… I’m a sushi cowboy who can’t slow down. I loved Red, but that didn’t stop me from leaving. Once I had Red I craved more and more. Some Unagi here, some Ebi there… I’ve been around. I’ve even gone «all-​you-​can-​eat» just to taste some toro.
Red doesn’t mind. Red’s with many people every single night and always welcomes me back when I want it good.

Ate here about 30 minutes before closing. Decorations were nice but I was disappointed by the paper liner. The menu is literally paper that’s clearly been wet before. Ordered this scallop with tuna roll which was very satisfying and the price was justified. Friend ordered teriyaki beef bowl which was also very good. Lastly, ordered chicken kaarage which was different from what I usually see. Service was decent at most. Could have been four stars if it wasn’t for the paper liner. I only expect that out of cheap Chinese restaurants but I guess I was wrong. Would come back again.

Quality sushi and generous portions. Appreciate the presentation of the sushi and can tell the chef really cares about his food. We ordered assorted tempura, salmon sashimi, special scallop sushi, salmon aburi, the flames roll and the volcano roll. With tax and tip for two people it came out to $ 34/​each which I would say is on par with other sushi restaurants. We went on a Friday night and every table was reserved. You could tell as people came in that they were regulars and the staff treated them as if they were family. Great place and would definitely recommend to friends and family!

Finally, my first true sushi meal that I’ve been content with, since my time in Calgary recently.
Ordered the red dragon roll: avocado, japeleno, imitation crab meat and spicy mayo. It’s a winner! very fresh, avocado sliced generously.
Yam tempura roll, with more avocado: quite thick so great if you’re hungry, a bit less taste but healthier nonetheless.
both rolls come w/​8 pieces each, no wonder I’m still stuffed, that was over 2 hours ago lol.
Really modern, chic décor, lots of red (hence the name). Kinda in the middle of nowhere, where it’s on a main road without any retail stores/​businesses around it, though behind their block, there’s some residential and then some busy main roads leading to somewhere…
Called in for pickup, real nice service and friendly.

This place is the Calgary wow factor for me up to now! The food was so fresh! Parking was only 2 $/​h. Great atmosphere, Thomas did an amazing customer service,. I will totally come back and bring everyone i know! They even gave me a free chef appetizer. ! They say heaven has no taste … Well yea this sushi little place was heaven to me for an Hour.
Another thing: this place is clean freak. ! Very well designed and furnished in style.

Just plain good– no complaints whatsoever. Wish they did brown rice rolls though!
I would say it is one of the better Sushi restaurants I have visited in Calgary but to date I have only had about 4 different rolls on the menu.
A free dynamite or california roll is available for take out over $ 20 once you ask for the special.
Only thing to note: The parking height is deceiving as there are lowered ceilings on the 1^st level so although I cleared the entrance, I hit the roof during parking so for vehicles over 6’2″ be careful!

November Challenge — ²⁴⁄₃₀
What a great place to pick up some noms on the way to Chris’ Cat Paradise! Generous portions and sensible prices, I really loved their Yam Tempura Roll and their Veggie Tempura was scrumtralescent. Each roll comes with six pieces, so between the four of us it came to about $ 20 each for some cozy fatassery.
We only got takeout, but from the looks of it, we’ll have to come back for a proper sit-​down dinner! Elegant décor, friendly staff that were super diligent about making sure my veggie rolls were separate from the seafood, not too long of a wait, and they made sure Sabz and I were comfy and hydrated while we waited for our noms.
Sushigiving!
Hi-​five, Red Ember!