Okonomi House Restaurant

Reviews

• Lambert P.

  star star star star star_border 6 June 2026

  Okonomi House is located at the south west corner of Charles and St. Nicholas, just a block west of Yonge.
  
  I've literally been eating the food from this place for years.  My sister used to live on St. Joseph and Yonge and used to get the food here and that's how I've gotten to know this place.  The restaurant itself is in plain sight but it's on a smaller corner as part of a residential building's ground floor.
  
  The space is tight with a small handful of 4 and 2 seat tables.  The cold drinks are stored at the front near the cash in a fridge as the kitchen is right there when you enter to the right.  There's s single chair for waiting and let me just say that a single seat is not enough.  The place packs in fast and with people waiting for seating in a place that is first come first serve with no reservations taken it's still a busy place to this day.  
  
  Not much has really changed inside.  The lighting is dim if not red at times.  It sort of feels like a dark room for photography at times and the place has a cozy feel if that with a bit of a divey feel.  The ambiance is pretty much the same after all these years.  
  
  Speaking of after all these years, mains can be ordered like beef or bacon okonomiyaki that's priced under 9 bucks pretax.  Rice on the side is another 1.75 but you can get a nice sit down meal with a beer here for under 20 bucks.  For those that don't know Okonomiyaki is like a pancake/omelet type dish topped with a variety of things as well as a mayo type sauce.
  
  We ended up as a group getting 3 okonomiyaki plates each.  We shared the seafood, a bacon and a beef and I had ordered a beer and a couple large sakes to share.
  
  For the amount of alcohol I had ordered (a large can of Sapporo and 2 large sakes) along with my meal the bill was just over 50 bucks for my share.  The pricing here is so reasonable for what you get.
  
  For as busy as this place was they do their best to make sure everybody gets seating that they ask for even if it's more than 4.  
  
  The food here has pretty much been the same after all these years and it's still as good as it was back then.

• Paulina And Sam C.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 1 June 2026

  Rating: 2/5
  
  Circa $14 per person
  
  Summary:
  For a restaurant that specializes in Okonomiyaki, we expected the Okonomiyaki to be quite good. We went in filled with excitement and left with disappointment. It was like spending 200 dollars on shoes you bought online, only to find out upon arrival that the shoes don't make you look all that good. But you already spent the money so you wear those crappy shoes you bought anyway. This was how we felt about the food. In other words, we merely finished the food because we paid for it.
  
  Description of the food:
  Okonomiyaki is a Japanese dish that consists of eggs, cabbage, and flour. It could draw parallels to a Japanese pancake or omelet.
  
  The restaurant offers a simple menu focused on Okonomiyaki. We got two (each with different protein options)-- one with shrimp and one with bacon and pork.
  
  Food and Atmosphere:
  To start, the Okonomiyaki batter that coats the protein (the vessel) is definitely the most boring part of the dish. It was bland to the point where the protein and the kewpie mayo dolloped on top became absolutely necessary for the dish to be palatable. Now, we don't hold a Ph.D. in Okonomiyaki tasting, but it seems rather concerning if an everyday simple ingredient such as bacon is carrying the dish. Now don't get us wrong, bacon is awesome and all that, but the familiar taste of bacon should not be the only reason the dish is worth eating. If that were the case, then they should just call it the "bacon with some other stuff I don't care about" on the menu.
  
  We would like to point out two quick points. First, the vessel is so bland that we felt compelled to salt it. We feel strongly feel that when one finds it imperative to salt the majority of their dish, it's generally not a good sign. Second, the proteins, which are absolutely crucial for the success of the dish, are rarities. Finding one is like winning the fu**ing lottery.
  
  Lastly, we were unsatisfied with the atmosphere as the tables were in close proximity, and the subpar food definitely did not help take our minds off the uncomfortable setting.
  
  Conclusion:
  This is rated as a 4.4/5 on Google reviews, but we would have to strongly disagree and give this a 2/5. We don't think the restaurant is worth a visit because we think we definitely could be having better food. However, if you are a huge Okonomiyaki fan, do give it a try and let us know what you think!
  
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• Baris L.

  star star star star_border star_border 30 May 2026

  Came here after work on a weekend to try their okonomiyaki. If you're coming with a party of 6 or more, they automatically charge a 15% tip and will not split the bill. Just something to keep in mind... Also there is no reservations, so come earlier as it is a small restaurant!
  
  I decided to try the chicken and bacon (adding an additional ingredient costs $2 extra) okonomiyaki, which is essentially a Japanese style pancake. The Okonomiyaki was saucey and filling - a good amount for one.
  
  For a party of 6+ however, it came to about $15 for an okonomiyaki with two ingredients.. I would recommend it for the taste, but not sure if you're getting the best value for money.

• Jasmine L.

  star star star star star_border 26 May 2026

  Okonomiyaki means 'what you like, cooked' in Japanese...and at Okonomi House, that's exactly what you get. I came for their okonomiyakis and they've got a decent selection of proteins, a vegetarian option, and the choice of combining ingredients for $2 extra.
  
  I ordered their Seafood Deluxe and Chicken. I liked the Chicken better since it had loads of teriyaki seasoned chicken chunks. The Seafood deluxe was the priciest option, it was also packed with seafood. The blandest component was the imitation crab, while the tiger shrimp was the tastiest. Overall, their okonomiyaki was very filling and tasty. They definitely use more flour than egg in their batter, which makes most of the flavours coming from the Bonito flakes, Japanese mayo & brown glazed sauce, and of course the meat ingredients. I also tried their Sunomono Salad which could've used more of the plum vinegar flavour it's known for, otherwise it was refreshing. For dessert, I had their house-made Custard Pudding, it was perfectly sweet and smooth! So fun to jiggle too hehe
  
  Altogether, it's a no frills spot that takes you back in time with its retro red lanterns and open kitchen where the smoky food aromas soak into your clothes. There's only one chef cooking the food to order on the grill and 2 servers that are very polite. I could tell they were Japanese and didn't speak too much English (signs of a genuine Japanese spot!).
  
  NOTE: For 5 or more people, they charge only 1 bill & 15% gratuity.

• Karen T.

  star star star star_border star_border 14 May 2026

  I love okonomiyaki and yaki soba so I was super excited to try this place out. Unfortunately, I have also eaten Michelin starred okonomiyaki right in Osaka, the birthplace of okonomiyaki, and as a result this restaurant paled in comparison.
  
  I had a shrimp okonomiyaki which was a little bland and slightly too mushy, and the sauce on top just didn't have enough tang/acidity to cut through the richness of the pancake. Also the katsuobashi (smoked bonito flakes) and aonori (seaweed flakes) are extra and come only on the side, and both of them tasted old and stale. The yakisoba noodles weren't traditional, a little too thick, and it didn't come with the traditional toppings of aonori nor pickled ginger to add complexity of flavour. I was sadly disappointed. Onwards in my hunt for good okonomiyaki and yakisoba...