Sushi Kaji

A 4.8 on 694 reviews tells you something real about Sushi Kaji

That score, sustained over hundreds of visits, is the clearest signal that this Etobicoke counter delivers consistently — not just on opening-night buzz. Ranked #395 in North America by Opinionated About Dining in 2024 and climbing to a recommended listing since 2023, Sushi Kaji has earned its place among the city's serious Japanese restaurants without the marketing apparatus of a downtown address. If you are visiting Toronto for the first time and want one omakase meal, this is a credible answer to that question.

What to expect on your first visit

Sushi Kaji sits at 860 The Queensway in Etobicoke, west of downtown Toronto — not the neighbourhood you would expect for a room with this reputation. That location is part of the logic: chef Mitsuhiro Kaji has operated here long enough that the address is the credential. The room runs dinner-only, Wednesday through Sunday from 6 to 10:30 pm, the format is omakase, meaning the kitchen decides what you eat based on what is sourcing well that day. For a first-timer, that is actually the right format, you are not expected to know the menu, because there is no menu to know.

The ambient feel here is quiet and focused, closer to a Japanese counter experience than a buzzy downtown dining room. That matters for your decision: if you are looking for a celebratory room with noise and energy, this is not the right call. If you want to sit at a counter, eat precisely executed nigiri, have the room's attention on the food rather than the scene, Kaji is well-matched to that evening. For comparison, Sushi Masaki Saito skews more theatrical and commands a higher price point; Kaji reads as more restrained and more accessible for a first omakase experience in the city.

Sourcing as the price justification

The editorial angle that matters most at Kaji is sourcing. Omakase as a format only works when the chef controls what comes through the door, which means the nightly selection is determined by what fish is worth serving, not what is easiest to maintain on a standing menu. That is the operating principle behind the format, it is why Opinionated About Dining, one of the more credible crowd-sourced ranking systems for serious restaurants, has tracked this venue upward across three consecutive years. For context, OAD rankings weight repeat visits from food-literate diners heavily, a #395 North America ranking is not a one-time citation. Compare this to Aburi Hana, which takes a kaiseki approach to Japanese cuisine in Toronto, or Yasu for a shorter, faster omakase format if your group wants less commitment. Kaji sits between those two in formality and length.

For international reference points, the sourcing-led omakase model Kaji follows is the same discipline practiced at counters like Harutaka in Tokyo and Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong, both of which operate at higher price points with Michelin recognition. Given the OAD ranking and limited weekly service (five nights, dinner only), expect seats to fill 2 to 4 weeks out, especially on Fridays and Saturdays. Booking difficulty is rated Easy by Pearl, which suggests availability is more forgiving than Toronto's hardest tables, but do not leave it to the week of. Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 6–10:30 pm; closed Monday and Tuesday. Budget: Price range is not published in our data, contact the venue directly for current omakase pricing. Expect the $$$$ tier typical of serious omakase counters in North America. Address: 860 The Queensway, Etobicoke, plan for transit or drive; parking is available in the area. Dress: Smart casual is appropriate for the format; nothing in the record specifies a code.

How It Compares

Pearl Picks, If Sushi Kaji does not fit

If the Etobicoke location does not work for your trip, or if you want to compare formats before committing, here are the closest alternatives worth considering in Toronto: Sushi Masaki Saito for a more premium, theatrical omakase; Yasu for a shorter and more accessible counter format; Aburi Hana if you want kaiseki structure rather than nigiri-led omakase. For non-Japanese fine dining, Alo is the benchmark contemporary tasting menu in the city, DaNico offers a different price-to-quality proposition in the Italian register.

Further afield in Canada, serious diners worth noting include Kissa Tanto in Vancouver, Tanière³ in Quebec City, and Jérôme Ferrer - Europea in Montreal. For Ontario day-trip options, Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Lincoln and The Pine in Creemore are worth knowing. See our full Toronto restaurants guide, Toronto hotels guide, Toronto bars guide, Toronto wineries guide, and Toronto experiences guide for broader planning.