Take Sushi

So sad that Takesushi is closed! I frequent this Front Street location due to proximity from work and Union Station. They are merging with Nami @ 55 Adelaide E.

Best sushi in the core. Fish is very fresh. Rice is fresh. Sushi has wasabi in it already which I love. Even the rolls are good. But would recommend the sushi or sashimi dishes.

Had lunch here after a less than satisfying dinner the evening before at Edo in Markham. The lunch special was really good – very fresh fish, just the right amount of spice. Miso soup was some of the best I’ve had outside of Japan, with lots of goodies in addition to a very flavorable broth. The special included about 6 pieces of regular nigiri, plus a couple of large specialty roll pieces (not sure what they were but they were really yummy), two pieces of California roll, plus a really large spicy tuna hand roll. Oh, and salad was also included – just a plain lettuce with ginger dressing.
A couple of coworkers got the Chirashi (sashimi over rice) which they also raved about.
If you’re looking for a really good sushi restaurant within a stone’s throw of CN tower, look no further than Take. Highly recommended!

If I could eat at one restaurant (in Toronto) everyday for the rest of my life, this would be it. The quality of the fish is the FRESHEST you’ll find in Toronto. I like to order sushi and sashimi at this restaurant because it’s one of the few places in the city that offers high-​quality fish. The sushi chef is knowledgeable and friendly. As others have mentioned, this place is authentic. The sea urchin here is the best place to eat it — also a great place to try sea urchin for your first time.

It is a downtown core Japanese restaurant. The lunch special is $ 23+. It is almost full at noon hour. As the location is for business people, I don’t think they care too much of the price. The environment is nicely decorated with bamboo sticks around as separator.
The Sushi Special has assortment of sushi and rolls that exhibited on the table by the entrance. The sushi is fresh but its temperature can be a little colder
Another Combo has Salmon teriyaki, shrimp and vegetable tempuras.
Overall the restaurant is nice and good but not outstanding.

I’ve only been here for lunch but man they have the best lunch specials ever ($ 24) and the friendliest hostesses/​servers in the world. Food comes really quick and everything, and I mean everythingggg is SO FRESH. Sashimi melts in your mouth. Incredible.

Warning, some may get offended with this review. My wife and I went here today for lunch. We went a little crazy ordering $ 110 worth of food. We started with a $ 17 soft shell crab appetizer, the most expensive we ever paid anywhere; it was good and larger then most sushi restaurants hence the price I guess. I had the lunch special $ 20 for rice noodle soup, grilled steak and 3 pieces of California rolls and 2 pieces of special maki roll. Great taste and excellent value. My wife went a la carte nigiri sushi and ordered, giant clams (geoduck) $ 10 per piece, surf clams, snow crab legs, tako, scallops and octopus sushi. She described it as the best sushi she had in a long time. Both our meals came with salad and miso soup.
Restaurant was packed with suits from the surrounding office towers. Extra busy because of the coming holidays. Service was discrete and efficient.
We eat a lot of sushi and why this restaurant is extra special because the owners and all wait staff and most important the sushi chefs are Japanese. Ta Ke is one of only a few Japanese own and run Sushi restaurants in Toronto.
Toronto has become saturated with Sushi restaurants, most are not authentic and run by Chinese and Koreans. I am Asian and we can tell the difference. Now having said this there are some good Korean run sushi restaurants, MiNe Sushi in Aurora is very good.
The best Italian, Chinese, Mexican or Thai restaurants are own and run by people from their specific ethnic groups. So if you want great authentic Sushi go to Ta Ke and please remember to not mix wasabi into your soya sauce.

While I agree with my fellow Unilocalers that Take Sushi provides some great Sushi, I certainly don’t think it’s Toronto’s best or 5 star worthy based on my experiences (no disrespect to my fellow Unilocal reviewers).
Service was excellent both visits but the restaurant was nearly empty both times. In fairness, this could be due to the construction mess in front of the restaurant on Front street. The décor is somewhat dated and crowded — a little disappointing at this price level and location.
I tried two different appetizers: 1) Atlantic shrimp tempura, a daily special — this was really disappointing — nothing special about the shrimp, average Tempura and a fairly small portion. 2) My friend ordered the Dynamite roll — one of the worst I tried.
I’m willing to forget the appetizers, I was really here for the Sushi! I ordered the Sushi deluxe set for $ 35. You get 11 pieces of sushi and 6 rolls. A number of my favourite sushi restaurants are in the area and at the exact same price point — so my expectations are high.
— Although less important in the combo, the 6 rolls were nothing special — 3 basic California rolls and 3 tuna maki. They were fine but at this price point, I would expect something a little more unique (i.e. the spicy rolls in the deluxe set at Yuzu).
— The 11 pieces (or 10 of them anyway) were easily the standout of the evening. The fish was incredibly fresh with a nice variety of fish /​textures (although the Ebi is a disappointment in a «deluxe» set). One of my selections was some kind of a raw crab roll that I really disliked. My first thought was that it wasn’t fresh but given the high quality of the other pieces, maybe it’s just not my thing.
I struggled with this rating — 3 or 4 star rating? If I step back and fairly compare vs. similarly priced deluxe sushi /​sashimi sets at Yuzu or Jabistro (both in the area), I’m forced to go with 3 stars. Factoring in décor only makes the decision easier. Certainly not a contender to take the *best Toronto sushi* title from «Sushi Kaji».
BK

Came to Take based on other Unilocalers reviews of the place. So many people raved about it, and it was within walking distance of our hotel.
Really nice place! We ordered a few orders of sashimi and rolls, as well as beef teriyaki. It was a lot of food, and really tasty. It wasn’t out of this world fresh and fantastic but was a nice night and hit the spot of our sushi craving in Toronto. Would recommend it to others visiting the area.

Sashimi was okay. This place is nothing special (although the fish tasted pretty fresh). The cocktails were terrible and the service could definitely use improvement.

OKAY. so my 5 star is because of:
— seaweed salad (now my favourite in Toronto)
— sea urchin sashimi (also my favourite in Toronto)
— soft shell crab is THE ENTIRE CRAB
— good service
Here we go!
So we had a lunch here, definitely an expensive lunch. But I must mention that this was a company lunch so my meal was paid for (tehehe).
======We started with two bowls of Kaiso Salad (the seaweed salad) $ 13:
Three different kinds of seaweed served with your choice of chef’s dressing or sesami dressing.
THREE DIFF KINDS. And this is actually one huge bowl of seaweed salad! I’m going to attempt to explain this because I do love it: (1) YOU: google image search «White Seaweed» (2) Disregard the usual seaweed salad you get (the typical green one), this is totally different (3) This salad has white seaweed, red seaweed, and thicker green seaweed (4) This salad is dryer than the typical seaweed salad you get.
So hmm. dry seaweed. White seaweed (white ones were thin)? That was new to me. Also FYI I LOVE seaweed! So this salad –YES. IT WAS AMAZING. Fresh seaweed, tasted so different, very very crunchy/​chewy? seaweed. Those two bowls were able to feed our table of 5.
I’d say… if you don’t like vegetables or if seaweed is gross to you, you should probably just skip it.
======Soft Shell Crab $ 17:
Deep fried Soft Shell Crab served with ponzu sauce.
This was also new to me: the entire soft-​shell crab. just… laying there! Body + legs, everything! This was real cool. Definitely worth getting! RECOMMEND.
======Uni /​Sea Urchin sushi or sashimi $ 12
We ordered the sea urchin sashimi. This came in a little bowl the size of a pudding cup, with LOTS of pieces of sea urchin. Lots (5)!! Generous? Or was the urchin REAL big?
This was the freshest sea urchin taste EVER. You cannot really credit their kitchen if it was just luck to have a good shipment of yummy fat urchins, but this was really really delicious. I think $ 12 is totally worth the price for this! I finished my cup happily, and then I saw that the other cup wasn’t being eaten… I took it too.
======Great sushi we had, here are their prices:
— Ikura /​Salmon Roe sushi $ 7
— Spicy salmon roll (6 pcs) $ 9
— Spider roll (8 pcs) $ 20
============CONCLUSION============
My favourite sushi restaurant at the moment. The sushi is fresh, amazing presentation of food, good staff. Nice décor, lunch hour –not too busy. The above dishes impressed me a lot, especially the soft shell crab! WHAT!

I’ve been to Take Sushi my past two trips to Toronto and am looking forward to stopping by on my next visit. Everything was very fresh, tasty, and presented nicely. The service has always been great.

Hands down, the best sushi place in Toronto. The interior may not appear as fancy-​schmancy as their other store, Nami, and the waitresses may not be wearing kimonos, but the chefs here make one hell of a presentation in their omakase set menus.
Omakase Menu:
Three options — $ 80 (A), $ 100 (B) or $ 120 (C)
With Omakase C, there was approximately 14 dishes. We were so stuffed, we had to pack some food to take home.
1. Appetizer Box — This intricate box, is filled with bite sized samples including, egg roll wrapped around eel, grilled eggplant, shrimp, smoked salmon, roasted chestnut and smoked duck breast. Oh em gee, everything in this box was delicious.
2. Clear Broth — I think the purpose of this soup is to wash away the taste of the previous dish, so it was A-​OK. The broth consisted of Japanese mushrooms and a shrimp paste ball.
3. Cholesterol in a Shell — an oyster topped with uni (sea urchin) and quail egg yolk. Take this as a shot, and you won’t be disappointed.
4. Fluke Sashimi Platter — Thinly sliced and dipped in special soy sauce.
5. Mackerel Sashimi — Beautiful presentation and very very fresh. You won’t like this dish if you don’t like overly fishy taste.
6. Lobster Sashimi — Two large pieces of raw lobster with an edible purple flower on top, simmered in sesame sauce. Yum.
7. Black Cod and Tiger Prawn — This is my favourite. The cod was so effing good, the skin was nice and crispy and the meat so tender. gosh I want one right now. The ginger is extremely salty for some reason, so you’ve been warned.
8. Beef Sashimi Wrap — This dish was A-​OK. The beef was a bit tough, and the onions and shallots inside didn’t really hit the spot for me.
9. Toro (Fatty Tuna) Sashimi — Two pieces of melt-​in-​your-​mouth awesomeness. Use minimal soy sauce to get the whole experience, I loved this!
10. Deep Fried Rainbow Trout — The fish bones are fried as well, you can eat it like chips! The trout is very tender and goes well with the ponzu sauce. They gave us 3 servings of this for 6 people, we had to take some home.
11. Steamed Egg w/​Uni — This custard is served cold in a small cup. You’ll find the sea urchin near the bottom!
12. Nigiri Platter — By this point I was already so full, but I must try everything! This platter is beautifully presented with the most delicious salmon I’ve tasted, and tuna sashimi, king prawn, and hamachi egg roll. LOVED this.
13. Lobster Paper Pot — WHAT?! More food? This paper pot is boiled at the table, and you get to pick the remaining meat and brains of the lobster your lobster sashimi came from. No food wasted!
14. Dessert: Sake/​Chocolate Mousse cake — The sake mousse on top is subtly sweet with a distinct taste of the sake. The blueberry and strawberry were really fresh and sweet as well!
The service is also top-​notch! I have no complaints at all! Our waitress was Yuko, and her smile is so genuine that you’re bound to enjoy your meal!
Time to save up for my next visit! The cheaper Omakases will have less dishes, and will not include certain sashimi like toro.
Tip: They will validate your ticket if you park underground at Brookfield Place!

I ordered takeout from here last night after reading many positive reviews. I have to say, this was the freshest fish I’ve had in Toronto in a very long time! Too many places freeze their fish. Not Take Sushi.
I ordered:
the Deluxe sushi $ 34 — 11 pieces of sushi and 6 small pieces of sushi rolls
The sushi roll set $ 20 — 3 rolls, 6 pieces each.
Both came with miso soup, a good amount of food for 2 people. $ 60
The rolls were nothing special. Like NOTHING SPECIAL. But Take Sushi gets a 4 star review because of the freshness of the fish.
I ordered take out, but would definitely return and order the deluxe sushi again and one of the sashimi platters.
Also. the miso soup was tastier than at most places. I highly recommend Take Sushi to real sushi lovers!

Enjoyed lunch specials here — pricey but very good. It was $ 20ish for a udon soup noodles + katsu + sushi roll, and $ 20ish for a sushi special. Both dishes were excellent quality. Especially enjoyed the black sesame ice cream — would return just to have this again. Parking in the attached Brookfield Place was expensive, we paid $ 34 for a few hours, as the restaurant only validates after 5pm.

1. Overpriced for the standard fare. $ 20 for a bento box.
2. Yet, there’s value on the special items, such as Toro Sushi. $ 18 dollars for an order. Expensive! But it was very fresh and the best quality I’ve had in Toronto.
3. Not much of an ambiance, the décor isn’t very nice, especially for a restaurant that charges in this price range.
4. Ultimately this place caters to the business lunches and meetings that occur in this area.

How do YOU pronounce it? …
My husband jokingly calls it «TAKE» as in «They TAKE your money (for udon)»!
Yet, we’ve come here several more times for their sushi and sashimi — which is as GOOD as it gets! THEN, one day, we decided to switch things up! OOPS! One cold blistering winter day, we went in for UDON instead …
The Nabeyaki Udon Soup is $ 22 per person. It comes with shrimp tempura (check), egg (check), chicken (disappointed with the few small pieces), assorted mushrooms (only oyster ‘shrooms I see), and vegetables (there are veggies in here? I fish around. No greens, only onions). The udon noodles were firm and chewy and delish, and the broth very flavorful. For $ 22, they need to add more meat & actual «veggies».
Our bill for 2 udon soups ONLY, (no drinks — because green tea is complimentary), with tax & tip was $ 60. For 2 soups, yes!
I think that price is fitting for FINE sushi & sashimi, which they do have here!
TIP: The winner here is the awesome sushi & sashimi! Fresh and tasty fish and the rice on the sushi is made with perfection!
Perhaps go elsewhere for udon soup! Unless they have more add-​ons!

Decided to go through w a recommendation to eat here.
It’s very unassuming so it might be hard to find. Inside you’ll find a small dining room w a sushi bar.
Food was fab.
We started w Nasu Dengaku (eggplant w miso paste). They’re delish, but avoid stuffing it into your mouth in one go. I burned the roof of my mouth and I’m paying for it now.
My DC had the ‘Regular’ sushi set; nothing was regular about it. A generous portion of an assortment of nigiri sushi, you get to enjoy the variety. I had the Rock Lobster Teriyaki; not your typical Japanese fare, but I really enjoyed it! The teriyaki glazed lobster pieces came with heaps of veggies and it was very filling.
To end our meal, we had a glass of yuzu infused sake … it was sweet and super strong (win-​win).
Service was excellent. ‘Sayaka’ was at our table often and we never felt that we were being neglected by our server.
FYI
After 5 PM, parking is free.
I’m a fan !

Finally! A place to get tasty, fresh, well-​portioned sashimi in Toronto!
It has been a long search, but I’ve finally found it.
The ambiance is fair, with your typical traditional Japanese decore. The service was very good; the waitress was accommodating and was able to explain dishes very well. Although not cheap, the cost is not as extravagant as the more posh places like Ki, and the quality of sushi is much better.
I enjoyed the Kaiso Salad with sesame seed dressing, which was very light and tasty. However, make sure that you can stomach the various forms of seaweed before ordering this.
Finally, the Deluxe Sashimi was to die for. They had the more common pieces including salmon, tuna, and octopus, but also had other cuts that are less common in a basic sashimi platter including butter fish (I normally have to order this on the side), fatty tuna, and ocean trout. Not only are you able to sample 9 types of fish, but the cuts are very generous and you leave completely satisfied.
I hope to return soon!

Solid Japanese restaurant — consistent quality, excellent service, nice, quiet ambiance. They have been in business for over 20 years, which says something. This place isn’t trendy like Guu or flashy like Ki, but they do Japanese food right.
Takesushi caters mostly to the business lunch crowd, so it is usually calm and quiet during the evenings and weekends. It’s a reliable choice if you are going to a show at the Sony Centre or sports game. They are affiliated with Nami (
), another good choice in the Financial District.
Décor is understated and elegant, with large origami cranes on each table. Music is unobtrusive. I think I recognized the theme from some Hayao Miyakazi movie. In any case, it’s mostly instrumental and low-​key. They have a few sushi chefs, at least one of which is female. Way to be progressive, Takesushi! (Traditionally, sushi making is a male dominated field because it is believed that women’s hands are too warm and that hormonal changes interfere with the flavours. Riiight…). The menu features daily specials and there is also an omakase option.
I have tried a few of their dishes. The eggplant dengaku appetizer is a favourite. The teriyaki dinners come with a side of yakisoba with mixed vegetables in a buttery sauce that is amazing. Portions for the teriyaki dishes are huge, so be prepared. I don’t eat sashimi, but have gone with people who do who say it is very fresh and good quality. For vegetarians, they have a good selection of rolls. Presentation is lovely. Tempura could be a bit lighter and more crispy. Their green tea is really good.
I give this place 3 stars instead of 4, because it is a bit pricey for what you are getting. $ 14 for a tempura appetizer? $ 20 for the vegetarian sushi set? Even the noodle bowls aren’t that cheap.
But overall, this is definitely one of the better Japanese restaurants in the downtown area.