sen zushi

never disappointed!. this is the place i never get disappointed.

people are sogreatand reminds me of japan and how high quality japanese customer service is. although i order exactly the same things, it's alwaysgreatand consistent.

sushi is very fresh. i love bbq eel sushi and i can taste the freshness, not like frozen one at fake japanese restaurants in downtown.

only thing they can improve is waiting time. sometimes it takes quite long to be served, but it's not a really big deal because i know it's worth waiting:)

we love senzushi! i believe this is the only real japanese restaurant in victoria. don't waste money going to the fake one!

it was "ok" but hardly worth a like.. i saw on google that this place was gettinggreatreviews so i thought i would try it....i did, and i won't be back.
the food was fresh but notgreatand the prices are too high.
they even charged me for spicy mayo...really restaurants should never do that.
the chairs were very uncomfortable as well.
shizen has far better food that is better tasting.

past glories can't keep working. sen zushi was possibly the best sushi in victoria before a kitchen fire forced them to renovate and relocate. i happily recommended it, and it was first recommended to me by my japanese professor.

but since opening their new location, they've been forced into a new business model. smaller location, less atmosphere, poorer product. we went for the first time since they re-opened a couple weeks ago, and they used imitation crab meat, lacked some victoria staples like salmon & avocado rolls, and charged 40-50 cents more per roll than the now-nearby shizen sushi.

what was kind of sad to me was that the chef is still the same, and i could tell the care put into each dish. perhaps it wasn't the best day for ingredients, but the imitation crab begs to differ. cuts were thin with slight gristle. everything was still fine, good even. but no longer better than other options. and at inflated prices, not worth recommending.

a sad day. i hope they can go back to their former business model of a semi-formal atmosphere with a dimly light dining room, larger space, and a push for the same quality they once had.


-----20 jul, 2014-----

best sushi in victoria, and i don't say that lightly. i've tried almost every place in town, and i have 3 places i would recommend. ebizo, shizen and senzushi. by and far, senzushi is consistently the tastiest, the freshest, and the most enjoyable sushi in town. they also have agreatvariety of hot food for non-sushi eaters, and probably the best oyako don in town to boot. but almost everything here is just awesome from their salmon to their unagi. the only reason i don't go here all the time is because it is a tad bit pricier than other places. but the quality is well worth it. i was enthralled to hear they've re-opened at a temporary new location after the devastating kitchen fire in april 2014. if you're looking for a nice dining experience with a group of friends or just a significant other, senzu is agreatplace to go.


-----10 aug, 2010-----

i'm writing this review to dispell the myth that the last two built. i was recommended sen by my japanese teacher back in the day, and it's been a regular evening out whenever we go for sushi. tonight we have visited to confirm it's state, and the chefs are still here. the sushi is wonderful and though a little more expensive, well worth it. though i'll admit the service has always been a little slow. overall, highly recommended.

good sushi, surprisingly traditional. we chose sen zushi based on several reviews and blogs listing it as victoria's best sushi. made a reservation in advance for a saturday evening. based on reviews, we had incorrectly expected a more contemporary atmosphere. it was very traditional japanese, decor reminiscent of 20 or more years ago, but the food was solid. we were told it was japanese owned and operated. (other reviews note that the sushi chefs trained in japan. only place i've ever been with an anglo female behind the sushi bar, but the results were excellent, just an amusing observation.)

it was crowded when we arrived at 7:30pm, but had cleared out in about 45 minutes. it closes at 9pm, and the kitchen made last call at least 30 minutes in advance, so plan to go early. we were tourists in victoria, but, in general, we were surprised at how early people ate and restaurants closed.

the menu was not sushi focused, with lots of traditional main courses, appetizers, etc. that said, the sushi was quite good, with a wide variety of options, many contemporary specials. some of our crowd needed some quick calories, so we started with both pork and prawn gyoza (pan fried dumplings), which were excellent. one in our crowd went traditional and had a braised beef donburi dish with egg, she said it was quite good. the rest of us ate sushi, all were pleased. we focused on sockeye salmon, given the region and time of year. traditional nygeri sushi and sashimi were both quite good, larger than the normal pieces we were accustomed to, but who's complaining? a nice variety of rolls, and they volunteered to customize, since i don't like cucumbers. quality of fish was excellent and preparation showed attention to detail.

service was not polished, but trying hard, willing, with agreatattitude.

wine list is very limited, but focus was on premium sakes, so we drank the recommended bottle. i'm not experienced enough to provide an informed review, but we enjoyed it.

i would recommend this restaurant without reservation. willing service and sound cooking/food preparation, quality ingredients.

victoria's best choice for japanese. my wife and i love japanese food. we have tried just about every japanese restaurant in victoria, and it's our humble opinion that no one does it better than sen zushi.

we have dined there more times than we can count, and have never left disappointed. some of their menu's highlights include- the spicy tuna roll, kitsune udon, chicken tatsuta-age, and if you're lucky, a sweet and spicy crispy halibut dish that's on the occasional "special" menu, which is one of the tastiest dishes i've ever had. even a simple salad or miso soup are delicious options.

friendly staff, excellent service,greatprices, and most importantly, amazing food!

best in town!.greatin all categories, my favourites are the sashimi plates, bite size, not 1/2 bite size, beautifully arranged so you just want to look at your plate for a few moments first, you know? rolls are great. agedashi and tempura not the best in town, but decent enough. really love the ambience and staff are cheerful, though sometimes take awhile, and sometimes a wait at the front. it's well worth the wait. if you're a sushi fan, this is a must do!

wow!. i just came across this photo i'd taken last year when having lunch at sen zushi, so, i thought i'd share the artistry they used to present my sashimi. it was a truly beautiful presentation, and it tasted better than it looked!


-----10 dec, 2009-----

excellent!. love this place, i've been coming here for years. fantastic quality,greatdecor, friendly service, plus sapporo on tap.

they have the best unagi i've ever tasted.

one of the best sushi places i've been to outside of asia. i did enjoy the atmosphere better when they were completely authentic(no california rolls) but they are still doing agreatjob. keep up the good work.

menu reminds me of the eatery in vancouver...i love the west coast play on unique rolls. very fresh food,greatservice,greatprices, nice decor,greatlarge menu, let us take leftovers and i thought the female sushi chef was great. perfect tempura too.