The Best Japanese Restaurants in North York, Compared: Ramen, Izakaya, Katsu and Aburi Sushi

The Yonge Street corridor through Willowdale is one of the best places in the city for Japanese food, and the options range from a quick bento to a clam-broth ramen worth queuing for. This guide compares the standouts named in recent North York restaurant roundups so you can match the place to the occasion.

Ramen: Konjiki vs. Kinton

Konjiki Ramen (5051 Yonge Street) is known for its signature Clam Intense Shoyu Ramen, built on a clam broth with pork chashu and a truffle sauce. It is the pick if you want a bowl that tastes distinctly different from the standard tonkotsu. Kinton Ramen (5165 Yonge Street) is described as a staple of North York for ramen lovers, with the Gekikara chilli ramen and a vegetarian spicy garlic ramen among its popular orders. Choose Konjiki for a signature bowl, and Kinton for a dependable, customizable one with a vegetarian option.

Izakaya: Nomé

Nomé Izakaya (4848 Yonge Street and 4 O'Neill Road) is the place for sharing. Its menu runs from oysters and fried chicken to Japanese-style burgers, seared salmon and bulgogi tacos, which makes it a good fit for groups who want to order many small plates.

Katsu: Katsuya

Katsuya (6048 Yonge Street, with a second location at Yorkdale) built its name on breaded cutlets: the original chicken katsu, pork loin katsu and a cheese crabmeat croquette. It is a hearty, filling lunch or dinner rather than a delicate one.

Aburi and Oshi Sushi: PROJECT:FISH and TORA

For flame-seared sushi, PROJECT:FISH (16 Park Home Avenue) specializes in oshi, or pressed, sushi and aburi selections. TORA, at Yorkdale Mall, serves EdoPrime tuna nigiri, aburi toro nigiri and a signature oshi trio. Both are better suited to a sushi-focused meal than a full spread, and TORA is convenient if you are already shopping at Yorkdale.

Fast and Casual on Yonge

A Ritual guide to Willowdale restaurants (April 2024) lists several quick options on the same strip: Tokyo Grill (5175 Yonge Street), which is known for saba mackerel and chicken bento boxes, and Sushi-Q (4841 Yonge Street), noted for sushi rolls, ramen and daily specials. These are the choices for a fast weeknight meal or takeout.

How to Choose

For a destination ramen bowl, go to Konjiki; for a repeatable ramen fix, Kinton. For a group dinner with drinks, book Nomé. For something crunchy and filling, Katsuya. For sushi with a flame-seared finish, PROJECT:FISH or TORA. For a cheap, quick bento, try Tokyo Grill or Sushi-Q. Many of these sit within a short walk of the Yonge subway line, so you can compare more than one in a single evening. Always confirm hours and menus before you go, since popular spots can have lines at peak times.