Review: EBISU on Robson

[Ronin]

Deon...

You got a PM, buddy.

[Obsideon]

Yeah I got it, a lil' late buddy I'm totally slammed tonight. I got 300+ people booked up already. Damn can't even squeeze a mouse in here tonight

[Kaiten]

Hey I checked it out with my girlfriend last week; I like it a lot! I had no idea the boss was on RS. You can expect that I'll be back. Btw, you wouldn't be looking for a part-timer would you?

[Ronin]

Originally posted by AznSiR
Yeah I got it, a lil' late buddy I'm totally slammed tonight. I got 300+ people booked up already. Damn can't even squeeze a mouse in here tonight

Nah, my friends had a good time 'cept one appetizer order that was messed up. Thanks for squeezing them in at the last minute.

[kurayami]

Yo Deon, is Ebisu in Richmond the same company? Cause one of the waiters that work there said it is a totally different company... Holy... it sucks ass compared to the one on Robson.

[arsenic]

Yes, I have to agree that the Richmond location is not as good. The Richmond location is more like a "regular restaurant" compared to a "hang out joint" like the Downtown one, which isn't what I was expecting when I went there. Also, some of the must-have menu items are missing like the fish tacos and thunderfries (the mini ones with the other sauce just don't cut it for me!). The Richmond one is good if you're just looking to get a meal, but not really chill with friends .

[Jackygor]

Ebisu is the best!

Me and my friends have made it our dt dinner spot, if we are going to the clubs that night, we go to Ebisu for dinner!

Both food and price is decent, love the environment!

[evilrose]

went there last nite for a party....much better than the first time i was there. good job! i haven't been able to go to the restaurant as often as i want

[wahyinghung]

Will be hitting up there tonight for my fifth visit @ the DT location been pretty satisfied every time. I haven't been to the Richmond Location but friends that have been there told me to steer clear away from that location.

[stuff99]

your restaurant sounds awesome. I wanna pop by soon!

[K-Dub]

Do you have a semi-private area for like 30-40 people? Or is that...a bit too much?

Thinking of coming here for a big holiday/christmas dinner with a bunch of my friends...

[Obsideon]

I just held one for 55+ (Althought it felt like a LOT MORE Cman!) this weekend so 30-40 shouldn't be a problem Just remember to call ahead!

[jlo mein]

Went to the Robson location this past weekend for a small birthday group, and I found it to be a very good night. The Ika Meshi (grilled squid stuffed with unagi/salmon/shittake sushi) was unbelievably tender and tasty, I've never had anything like it. I've had similar sushi compared to the Mango Paradise roll (california roll topped with smoked salmon and mango), but the salty smoked salmon makes this version the most appealing.

Some items were disappointing. The soft shell crab dish was soaked in a vinegarette that made it unpleasant, so I couldn't taste the crab. The Hamachi Inferno was disappointing, since the fish was sliced so thinly it had no taste or texture. Others at the table ordered more items and commented that too many of the dishes/sushi came with mayo/cream sauce.

I was driving so I didn't order any drinks. However I noticed the bartender was pouring cocktails filled with cubed ice, and he was free pouring. No jigger, no consistent speed pour spouts, not even pouring into an empty glass and then adding cubed ice after. I doubt his drinks have any measurable consistency at all.

One thing of note is that the restaurant seemed to be packed with a very young crowd, like underage drinking young. There were very few tables with the 20's and 30's crowd. I don't know if this reflects positively or negatively on the restaurant, just an observation.

Overall I was impressed by Ebisu. It is definitely a place I would go back to, especially on a hockey night with the huge projection they have setup on a wall. It's not a restaurant without it's faults, but it's decent. I would choose it over Hapa Izakaya simply because of service and the fact that Ebisu takes reservations. I would say Ebisu also has an edge on Guu based on location and value. (note: I know Ebisu is not an izakaya, but the format and menu are similar).

BTW: I'd really like to see nachos and taco rice removed from the menu lol...but if people like it, all the power to you.

[K-Dub]

Originally posted by AznSiR
I just held one for 55+ (Althought it felt like a LOT MORE Cman!) this weekend so 30-40 shouldn't be a problem Just remember to call ahead!

Alright, I'll keep that in mind.

[Obsideon]

Originally posted by jlo mein
Went to the Robson location this past weekend for a small birthday group, and I found it to be a very good night. The Ika Meshi (grilled squid stuffed with unagi/salmon/shittake sushi) was unbelievably tender and tasty, I've never had anything like it. I've had similar sushi compared to the Mango Paradise roll (california roll topped with smoked salmon and mango), but the salty smoked salmon makes this version the most appealing.

Some items were disappointing. The soft shell crab dish was soaked in a vinegarette that made it unpleasant, so I couldn't taste the crab. The Hamachi Inferno was disappointing, since the fish was sliced so thinly it had no taste or texture. Others at the table ordered more items and commented that too many of the dishes/sushi came with mayo/cream sauce.

I was driving so I didn't order any drinks. However I noticed the bartender was pouring cocktails filled with cubed ice, and he was free pouring. No jigger, no consistent speed pour spouts, not even pouring into an empty glass and then adding cubed ice after. I doubt his drinks have any measurable consistency at all.

One thing of note is that the restaurant seemed to be packed with a very young crowd, like underage drinking young. There were very few tables with the 20's and 30's crowd. I don't know if this reflects positively or negatively on the restaurant, just an observation.

Overall I was impressed by Ebisu. It is definitely a place I would go back to, especially on a hockey night with the huge projection they have setup on a wall. It's not a restaurant without it's faults, but it's decent. I would choose it over Hapa Izakaya simply because of service and the fact that Ebisu takes reservations. I would say Ebisu also has an edge on Guu based on location and value. (note: I know Ebisu is not an izakaya, but the format and menu are similar).

BTW: I'd really like to see nachos and taco rice removed from the menu lol...but if people like it, all the power to you.

Hey jlo,
Very insightful review and I appreciate it a lot, so first off thanks!

- I will make of a note of the less positive dishes that you mentioned!
- All bartenders have been trained and a couple of them have won bartending championships in Japan and the US so I have confidence in their consistency, give or take a few mL. All the bottles have spouts on them I forbid free-pour so the liquids you must have seen that he was pouring into the drinks were probably juices/syrup, they pour those into Absolut/Gin and other bottles for easier access rather than use juice boxes and jugs. I will still give it a double check though =)
- We always check the ID's of people that appear to be underage, most of the crowd are easily in the mid-late 20's. You know how asians are, always look young haha.

I'm glad you enjoyed your visit and I hope I can make your future visits better!

~ Deon

[Shun Izaki]

Originally posted by arsenic
Yes, I have to agree that the Richmond location is not as good. The Richmond location is more like a "regular restaurant" compared to a "hang out joint" like the Downtown one, which isn't what I was expecting when I went there. Also, some of the must-have menu items are missing like the fish tacos and thunderfries (the mini ones with the other sauce just don't cut it for me!). The Richmond one is good if you're just looking to get a meal, but not really chill with friends .

I'm not at the very least amused by the richmond location. It tends to be blatently playing off the name, as I was expecting it to be the same consistency and quality I've come to expect from DT ebisu.

I've been to the DT one many times, and have always had a fun time, with some bumpin music, awesome drinks, good atmosphere.

Went to the Richmond one, on a Saturday, or was it a Friday... and it was absolutely dead, not one person, nothing really playing on the TVs, all of 1 waitress and 1 waiter that seemed like they didn't want to be there.

When I asked for the drinks, they said they only had straight up vodka, and stuff like that. I was expecting to at least be able to order shots and so forth...

Arsenic is right, without normal thunder fries... it just ruined my night. At least she was there to cheer me up, and Mr. Daniels

[Peanut Butter Jelly Time!]

first of all, were you guys short staffed tonight? if so.. then please completely disregard this post... if not... then continue reading

the food was awesome. loved the sashimi advenuture...the yellow tail n the mackerel (sp?) was heavenly.... but sadly the service was quite disappointing. i've been to your joint a few times beforehand and didn't really have any complaints until now, perhaps it may have been because my friend and i were next to a large group, and stuck in a corner, but i must say, during our 2 hourish stay, we were checked on maybe 3 times, if not less. i was left without anything to drink for quite sometime, as well it took over 1/2 an hour for us to get our bill, and have it brought back to us. please feel free to PM if you need any further info. =)

[Jet]

I'm actually going to dinner tomorrow night at the downtown one and I just came by to see if anyone has some opinions on the place ... a friend wanted to try it out so its a nice surprise that its a revscener who owns it ... now I'm looking forward to eating there since it sounds like a great place ...

[princeroy]

I went there last friday night.

not satisfied.

Ocean Red sushi's price wasn't correct cuz website says it's 7.71.

I paid more than 12 $ for this roll.

I ordered 2 sushi rolls and 1 hot sake and 1 sashimi n paid $ 50 for 2.

Food wan't enough for 2 . and quality wasn't very good compare to the price of it.

But mood was good. and I liked lunch menu.

[Obsideon]

Originally posted by princeroy
I went there last friday night.

not satisfied.

Ocean Red sushi's price wasn't correct cuz website says it's 7.71.

I paid more than 12 $ for this roll.

I ordered 2 sushi rolls and 1 hot sake and 1 sashimi n paid $ 50 for 2.

Food wan't enough for 2 . and quality wasn't very good compare to the price of it.

But mood was good. and I liked lunch menu.

The ocean red is $7.71 ... unless it's mixed up with another roll? That's impossible.. you can bring me back the bill next time and we can figure it out? We also use Wild Sockeye salmon to wrap the roll and that's not cheap yet it's 7 bucks. The other rolls like the Samurai Power, Ebisu Spiral, those are around $10-$12 but they are also bigger than the Ocean Red and various stuffing (BBQ, Eel, Tiger Prawns, etc).
Which sashimi did you order? The Sashimi Adventure? That's about $17 for Toro, Hamachi, Seared Beef, Salmon and other high-end fish.
I really do feel it's quite reasonable considering the location in central downtown Robson. I always check prices of all the other places in the area and we're quite competitive in terms of quality to prices. I'm not sure what you mean exactly by the quality we have pretty high turnover for food so we order fresh supplies daily but I'll have to look into that if you can be more specific. Thanks!
You should have tried some of the highly popular Thunder Fries, Tiger Mayo, Chicken Kaarage, etc. You ordered sashimi seafood and sake. I would still be hungry too! There are many other dishes that are lower prices that fill you up and taste good!
Also not every item is marked up the exact same way. Like example, a full dozen - 12 fresh oysters for 12 bucks?! ... super value right there considering Joe Fortes would be like $18 for HALF a dozen. It's the same oyster too it's not like they get it from the Moon eh? Most other Jap places go for about roughly $2/pc.

Food for thought.

[Shun Izaki]

Originally posted by Kurostar

The ocean red is $7.71 ... unless it's mixed up with another roll? That's impossible.. you can bring me back the bill next time and we can figure it out? We also use Wild Sockeye salmon to wrap the roll and that's not cheap yet it's 7 bucks. The other rolls like the Samurai Power, Ebisu Spiral, those are around $10-$12 but they are also bigger than the Ocean Red and various stuffing (BBQ, Eel, Tiger Prawns, etc).
Which sashimi did you order? The Sashimi Adventure? That's about $17 for Toro, Hamachi, Seared Beef, Salmon and other high-end fish.
I really do feel it's quite reasonable considering the location in central downtown Robson. I always check prices of all the other places in the area and we're quite competitive in terms of quality to prices. I'm not sure what you mean exactly by the quality we have pretty high turnover for food so we order fresh supplies daily but I'll have to look into that if you can be more specific. Thanks!
You should have tried some of the highly popular Thunder Fries, Tiger Mayo, Chicken Kaarage, etc. You ordered sashimi seafood and sake. I would still be hungry too! There are many other dishes that are lower prices that fill you up and taste good!
Also not every item is marked up the exact same way. Like example, a full dozen - 12 fresh oysters for 12 bucks?! ... super value right there considering Joe Fortes would be like $18 for HALF a dozen. It's the same oyster too it's not like they get it from the Moon eh? Most other Jap places go for about roughly $2/pc.

Food for thought.

The best rebuttle for value in a restaurant ever. Deon, you have yet to get onto my Richmond experience!

[Obsideon]

Originally posted by [AOW]DIGGY
I'm not at the very least amused by the richmond location. It tends to be blatently playing off the name, as I was expecting it to be the same consistency and quality I've come to expect from DT ebisu.

I've been to the DT one many times, and have always had a fun time, with some bumpin music, awesome drinks, good atmosphere.

Went to the Richmond one, on a Saturday, or was it a Friday... and it was absolutely dead, not one person, nothing really playing on the TVs, all of 1 waitress and 1 waiter that seemed like they didn't want to be there.

When I asked for the drinks, they said they only had straight up vodka, and stuff like that. I was expecting to at least be able to order shots and so forth...

Arsenic is right, without normal thunder fries... it just ruined my night. At least she was there to cheer me up, and Mr. Daniels

Ah ok my bad haha let me see here..
Yeah I have to agree with you on some of the points there Diggy.
I didn't know the weekends were that bad hmm I might have to go there more often... and talk to the manager there ... ugh
Plus I am not there that much myself. Maybe like once every few weeks.
The Richmond location is made to look more like a restaurant than a lounge due to the Richmond Police being super uptight.

- If it LOOKS like people drink there, the cops will ride my ass raw. Look at all those drinking lounges that have been shutdown. Better safe than sorry. Since I'm not there to moniter the drinking that often.
- Plus too many gangster-wannabe trouble makers in Richmond so I don't want any problems.

Some of those issues regarding quality and service there will be addressed but for a fun time and partying just take the trip to Downtown and visit me!

Some people like the Richmond one simply for a good dinner and cheap beer but they don't like the D/T location because it's too rowdy for them. I know of a few regulars that go to the Richmond location for Canucks games too. So it's whatever you feeling you can go to either of them?

Hope that helps, and thanks for your guys feedback. It's always appreciated and I'll do everything to my ability to make improvements!

~ D

[mako]

hey deon ... the richmond one shows all the canucks games? ppv?

[Obsideon]

Yeap both locations show every game single game including PPV.

[mako]

sweet, thats good to know

could you leave my vip card at the ricmond location?
so i can pick it up