Osamu Sushi

I wish there was a tinder for sushi. If there was a tinder for sushi I would get lucky every single day. With no tinder for sushi I get so-​so sushi most of the time. So much so I gave up on sushi.
Somehow my wife found Osamu. It’s in the suburbs near Coquitlam Centre. It’s my wife’s BD and we came up here to visit my folks so we could have a quiet dinner, just us two. We were like «oh non what are we gonna do it’s Coquitlam»? It’s gonna be bad.
So my wife finds Osamu and I check out the next best thing to Sushi Tinder,
. I had an inkling we’d be in for good times.
First thing you notice Osamu is in a tiny strip mall thingy. Lots of parking. We walk into a very welcoming Welcome. We were seated in a very large booth that was both private and comfy.
We told our server we would be ordering very slowly, and to check up on us as we were finishing our current order. We had the best paced, slow paced dining experience ever.
First course: Aburri roll minus the cream cheese: A powerhouse of a roll — not too overpowering or saucy, yet delightfully flavour-​FULL.
Next course Karaage: crsip, light and steaming hot. Went well with the leftover sauce from the Aburri roll.
Next up: Sushi. It’s really hard to find really, really good sushi in Vancouver. Usually it is hack job chucks of stinky fish. This sushi was crafted by a master.
Finally: more sushi and the British Roll… This roll is a deep fried masterpiece that won’t leave you greasy.
OSamu is a master at his art. The staff were delightful. The beer cold, crisp and fresh.
I know we will be back. I must say love, love love this place.
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I have had the pleasure of have osamu as my sushi go to spot for 19 years. Yes 19 years. From back In the day when sushi just got on the map. Is says wonders for a restaurant to be open and run by the same owners for that long. That in its own should be a reason to make this your spot to eat sushi. This is not a pop up follow the leader sushi this is the original that those try to emulate. Always fresh, always friendly. Every sushi establishment I have tried from Vegas, California, Toronto, Chicago, DT Vancouver, … does not compare. It just doesn’t.
Try the volcano roll or spicy prawn dish. Amazing.

Was craving japanese food and decided to try Osamu Sushi for the first time. We arrived at 8pm Last friday and upon entering was confused whether or not we entered the wrong door. The décor was not that of a japanese restaurant but more like a bar and lounge type of place and was immediately put off. We were seated in a booth located in a dark corner and it took 15 mins after being seated to be brought our menus. Another 10 minutes passed before we were served water and tea. Upon looking over the menu which now 25 minutes have passed after we were seated I asked the waitress if there was a dinner menu because the menu brought to us had a majority of lunch specials and combos. She said no, so I asked if the lunch combos and specials like the bento box was available for dinner to a astonding NO! okay. fine… no big deal… another few minutes passed and I asked the waitress what type of oysters they had to which she replied she did not know and she had to go check… 10 minutes passed when she returned with simply the answer… «fresh». to which I asked from what area? another 10 minutes passed before she returned with the answer «BC»… okay… well health canada issued a statement saying no consumption of raw west coast oysters are suggested because of the recent algae bloom which makes you violently ill. so I steered clear of that… good to know that the staff here have proper knowledge or their menu items let alone know what they are doing…
We decided to order the Tuna fritters, chicken terriyaki, chirashi, house special roll and a ginger ale after nearly an hour has passed since we first seated. It was not particularly busy with only 4 visible tables of parties of 2 – 3 people.
We recieve the Tuna Fritters first, at first it sounded appetizing. Fresh tuna lightly coated with tempura bits and a special sauce. What we recieved was far from that. I immediately knew this was going to be a failure because of the colour of the «tempura bits» It was a dark brown which indicated it was burnt and overcooked and the special sauce was a small plate of bbq sauce with a dallop of mayonaise in the middle… Not so special. Upon biting into this thing, it had the texture of chicken and was dry and tough… definitely not the «fresh» as they so advertised, more of a cheap imitation fish & chips. My dining guests even thought this was deep fried chicken balls… we each had 1 piece. or I should say a bite of 1 piece and was done with the rest… but I still gave them the benefit of the doubt and hoped for a more appealing entrée.
We recieved the terriyaki chicken next. The terriyaki chicken came on a hot plate and was not the usual chicken terriyaki that most japanese places would serve you. The chicken looked like packaged chicken breast from any supermarket and contained little to no terriyaki sauce on top. The terriyaki sauce that was evident was not the typical terriyaki sauce you would expect, but a gelatenous light brown tasteless sauce that was far from terriyaki and mostly composed of water. The vegetables that came with the dish were tasteless and undercooked and still hard and raw as if it was quickly blanched and served. Absolutely not worth the money let alone baffled how something like this could be served.
Next came the chirashi which is a blend of «fresh» seafood ontop of a bed of rice. What we got was far from fresh, The thinly sliced «sockeye» salmon was a pale orange with brown bits as opposed to the deep reddish orange we are use to. There was more brown in this salmon than orange and was so thin you would confuse it with a tataki or carpaccio. They somehow managed to get the albacore tuna correct, and it was accompanied with hokkigai which is a surf clam, tamago which is a japanese egg sushi, tako which is octopus and ebi which is a cooked prawn. Garnished with what I could only describe as a pickled brown raddish or vegetable that was unappetizing to taste let alone look at. The rice it was ontop of was cold and sour as if left in the fridge for a few days… a overall very unappetizing and unsatisfying entrée.
We then recieved the house special roll… there was absolutely nothing special about this let alone even worth remembering, again definitely not worth the money…
The ginger ale was the highlight of the evening and they some how even managed to get THAT wrong… the ginger ale came in a glass of ice and was watered down which im sure they will claim it was from the melting ice… and had a 90% ice 10% ginger ale ratio which is a tactic practiced in only the shadiest of places to further scam the customer of their hard earned money.
I definitely will NOT be returning and do not wish for anyone to waste their hard earned money on this over-​priced, over-​rated, establishment. For the money that you pay you are definitely better off going to find a better japanese restaurant with better quality and satisfaction. I was still hungry at the end… FAIL.

Best sushi in Town!!! Have to try this place!

With the recent rash of Sushi restaurant mishaps in Coqutilam, a good sushi restaurant is getting difficult to find.
Tonight I decided give Osamu a try again since we haven’t been there for about 15 years! Osamu, the owner/​sushi chef is of Japanese descent — can’t go wrong!
When we made our reservations for a party of 6 for 6:00p, we were explicitly told that the same table was booked by another group for 8:00pm. We were still there at 8:15pm with lots for empty tables — 60% empty. As to someone having the table booked at 8:00p…its more of a strategic ploy to get you out of the restaurant within 2 hours! …basically a polite way to tell you there is a 2 hour limit per table!
The restaurant has definitely changed with the bar as the main focal point and the mini sushi bar off in the right corner. Yup, the bar is bigger and grander than the sushi bar! Great atmosphere… but that’s where it all stops.
We ordered the Tuna Poke and to my disappointment, we were served Tuna Tataki! I brought it up with our waitress and she INSISTED it was poke.
«tataki» method, the meat or fish is seared very briefly over a hot flame or in a pan
«poke» typically consists of cubed raw ahi (yellowfin tuna) marinated with sea salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, limu seaweed, and chopped chili pepper
Yes, the tuna in my Tuna Poke was seared… the word seared only shows up in the tataki definition but NOT the poke definition.
Guess the waitress felt she knows better because she works there!
I also order 3 raw oysters on the half shell. ALL 3 of the oysters were served in a small bowl with ice but the oysters were room temperature and NOT cold. Keeping my fingers crossed that I don’t wake up in the middle of the night with food poisoning! For safety reasons, raw oysters on the half shell are always kept and served chilled.
The Tuna Poke and raw oysters were ordered as appetizers and everything which came after was horrible. Probably horrible because of the waitress’ ‘know it all’ attitude!
Service sucked. The waitress only came back once in the 2 hours we were there to top off our tea cups!
Menus looked well used with the corners and edges tattered. The printed menus items in the menu were ‘smeared’ inside the plastic covers with the pages being very difficult to turn. Selection was very limited — no dinner bento boxes or samplers!
All the waitresses were walking around scratching and rubbing their noses. …YES, these are the very same waitress which handle the food. IMO, not very food safe!
…perhaps, I’ll need to wait another 15 years before I go back to Osamu. There are definitely other Japanese restaurants in the Tri-​Cities area which is run by a Japanese sushi chef which offer better quality sushi. If Osamu closes, I will definitely NOT miss it!

So my husband and I ordered take out for the second time from Osamu sushi; just as before the staff was courteous and the most of the food was absolutely ridonkulously delish! The aburi roll (lobster, cream cheese, mango) is why we came back! The gomae is the best I have tasted and the tuna tataki was delicious. HOWEVER, my husband not wanting a full order of tuna/​salmon sashimi requested a half order (full is 13.95, we were charged 10.50) being regular orderers of take out sushi from other restaurants, this seemed pricey as I usually pay 9.99−11.99 for a full order… but we were prepared pay good money for good quality. When we got the sashimi, it was sliced so thinly (3−4mm tops) that when you picked them up, they were folding over the chopsticks like meat in Phở soup. Due to being sliced so thinly; by the time we got the order home, a 10min drive, the sashimi had lost the beautiful integrity of fresh fish that we were craving. My husband was righteously outraged at the ridiculous cheapness of it, especially after paying $ 74(+$ 6tip). Also, the pork Gyoza was bland and I would have enjoyed the frozen or hot ones from T&T supermarket more. Delicious food, provided you know what to order and aren’t too worried about how much your bill comes to…

We’ve been to Osamu 3 times over the last couple years and every experience has been great. The food is fresh and tasty, and they have some great specialty rolls.
The ambience is a bit different than your usual Japanese restaurant with some jazz in the background and somewhat trendy décor.

I am suprised that coquitlam has super duper good sushi like this. You can tell their sushi is authentic and the servers are friendly /​nice. Only thing is the price. I wish they lowered their price, so i could afford to eat here everyday lol

This is more of a higher-​end sushi place here in Coquitlam. There’s been some comparisons between this and Matoi Sushi, but to be honest, the reason this place is more expensive, is because the quality of the food is a slightly higher, the atmosphere and ambiance is clearly meant to be a more upscale setting, with service to reflect that.
That said, the sushi here was outstanding. I would say more of a place to take your date to, or for a special occasion. But otherwise if you’re looking for something that isn’t fancy, with frantic, almost cacophony level of service, then there’s always Matoi Sushi.

Hidden little gem. Who would’ve known its been around for 15+ yrs! One waitress was excellent while the other was slacking. Luckily the food was great and authentic Japanese with one korean assistant. Must try the spicy shrimp, Boston roll and spicy tuna roll! Udon is a pass.

It’s OK sushi, not the best. I can get better and cheaper sushi at the nearby Matoi. After trying Osamu, I would rather stick with Matoi.

This restaurant is a hidden gem! You step inside and automatically feel the ambiance. With Jazz music playing seductively in the background, one of their charismatic servers greets you and sits you at a comfortable corner booth (or room if you’re lucky/​smart enough to make a reservation). I’ve been here several times and Osamu never disappoints. Even more reassuring is seeing Osamu, himself, rolling your sushi and slicing your sashimi at the sushi bar! My favorite dish is the Spicy Agedashi — deep fried tofu with lightly battered veggies and Osamu’s famous spicy sauce and mayo, it’s not on the menu but they will gladly make it for you. Amazing! My favorite sushi bar dish is the Toro sashimi… And the Beef Tataki… And the salmon carpaccio… But also the Rainbow roll. It’s too hard to pick favorites!!! They even have Sangria, but not just any Sangria, THE BEST! Nothing else like it, and the perfect summer drink. Be careful tho, the sangria packs a punch. This restaurant is definitely a step above your typical sushi joint. A great date night spot, Friday night drinks, family dinner, or even lunch meeting place. Everyone must try this restaurant, even if you aren’t a sushi lover, you will love it. Unbelievable experience!

Wow I thought I had the best sushi place by my house (as I’ve been comparing everything else to it), but this place is fantastic too.
Some of the rolls were too big (tricky to eat graciously on a date) but they were delicious.
Somehow even a common dynamite roll was more delicious than normal.
Can’t wait to go back!
Next meeting day in Coquitlam it’s on!

Who would’ve thought that one of the best sushi places in the whole Lower Mainland would be in Coquitlam and on the Lougheed Highway? Everything is fresh and just plain tasty. Very friendly and helpful staff. I’ve been there several times and have never been disappointed.

not your average sushi joint.
And what a crazy stretch of Barnet, with 2 other sushi places within a few blocks
I really enjoyed a recent visit. I had a delicious spicy tempura prawn mixed with beans, red pepper and mushrooms. and very enjoyable ebi sunomon, unagi nigiri, and dynamite roll.
If I were hyper critical, I would say the soy was to salty and the dynamite too creamy and the unagi a litttle charred. It was not unenjoyable, but noticeable.
Nice soft jazz playing in the background.

This restaurant proved to me that you *could* get good, authentic sushi in the suburbs. The Ahi Poke is delicious and makes a fabulous shared appetizer. The Spicy Prawns appetizer is addictive — I could drink the spicy sauce that’s drizzled over the dish. The nigiri are decent, as are the rolls, and all the seafood is fresh. If you find yourself in Coquitlam and in need of a sushi fix, try this place.

Simply awesome!
While we were visitng Vancouver, friends recommended we go check out Osamu… rather they insited we just couldn’t miss it!
As a sushi rookie, (my husband loves it) I didn’t know what to expect. It was a great all around experience. Great décor and fantastic service to start… and then there is the food!
We visited twice and tried a variety of dishes on both visits, (edamame, gobo chips, gyoza, tempura, spicy tuna and a variety of rolls. Our favourite roll was the spicy tuna tempura). Everything was fabulous and delicious! My husband said it is the best sushi he has ever had. Feeling adventurous I even tried spicy tuna myself for the first time, and some rolls that weren’t just vegetarian! I loved it all. Not sure having sushi anywhere else will ever be the same. We’ll be back for sure anytime we are in the area.
Go check it out!!!

A while ago, we went to Osamu for dinner and the five of us ordered a wide selection of maki sushi, nigiri sushi, chirashi and spicy tekka. It was excellent and we ordered a second round.
I went back again with my friends last Saturday and we had their special lunch bento set. I selected the seafood bento, come with white fish, shashimi salmon and tuna. I went on empty stomach and I ate everything. Unfortunately when I went home I had tummy upset, dang.

I had totally forgotten that this place was only a block away from my office until a co-​worker ordered take-​out from here last week. As soon as I remembered this hidden gem on Barnet Highway I knew I would be satiating my next Japanese food craving here!
I ordered the Nabeyaki Udon from them and it was ready and waiting for me in the promised twenty minutes. I had a nice surprise when I discovered several delicious and perfectly cooked clams in my soup, and I liked that they packaged my tempura pramwns separately, rather than throwing them all on top of the soup and producing soggy tempura goop.
The sushi here is great, but their hot kitchen food is the real star. I will definitely be back again soon!

I cannot believe that this restaurant had not be rated. Well I’m happy to be the first!
I’m a bit of a sushi nut and have even learned to use chopsticks with much practice: o)
Osamu is by far, the freshest sushi I have ever had and trust me, I’ve been around. I continue to try new places and find Osamu superior by far.
Staff are helpful, friendly and service is prompt. My go to sushi place!