Kazu is an institution. This always-packed Japanese eatery in Shaughnessy Village has been serving some of the city’s most sought-after Japanese comfort food since 2010. Chef Kazuo Akutsu, trained in hotel kitchens and shaped by family recipes, runs this no-frills, all-flavour bistro with the kind of efficiency that keeps the kitchen humming and the line out the door.

Inside, it’s a whirlwind—servers navigating tables, customers scanning the wallpapered yellow notes listing specials, and the kitchen crew churning out smoky grilled meats, delicate sashimi bowls, and ramen so rich it could double as currency. The homemade shrimp burger, BBQ beef ribs, and Chirashi-zushi (a rice bowl topped with tuna and salmon sashimi) are menu staples, but anything on the day’s specials is worth the gamble—especially if it involves salmon belly or lamb belly.

Eating at Kazu isn’t a leisurely affair. You’ll likely wait 30 minutes to eat in 20, but that’s part of the ritual. No reservations, no lingering, no fuss—just bold, soulful Japanese cooking that’s always worth the squeeze.