Vancouver: Juno Vancouver Sushi Bistro

Ikura from Juno in Vancouver (with a chopped scallop roll behind)

As loyal Happy Sushi Belly readers probably know, Connie and I recently took a trip to Vancouver, and amoung other things, enjoyed some delicious (and much less expensive than Calgary!) sushi!

Juno was just one of the many places we visited, and I thought I’d share with you some of our experiences.

Located on Davie Street in Yaletown, Juno Vancouver Sushi Bistro (let’s just call it Juno for short…) is a tiny little sliver of a restaurant in a neighbourhood filled with coffee shops, a lovely little park, and towering apartments. Not far from our hotel, it was a great stop as I was heading back from Granville Island and Connie was heading out to meet up with friends.

Tuna sashimi from Juno in Vancouver, BC.

I’ve loaded up photos of the menu below, but when I entered I slid into a tiny, tight-fitting booth to be joined by Connie a bit later. I ordered an order of tuna sashimi (lately I’ve been much more fond of tuna than salmon) which came with a bit of green decoration – including the seaweed salad at the bottom of the plate. I’ve had this once that I enjoyed, and every other time I’ve hated it… this was one of those later times so although I nibbled on the grated daikon, I had one bite of the seaweed and skipped the rest. Ew.  (Does anyone like seaweed salad? Let us know in the comments below – what’s the trick to this?)

Tuna sashimi from Juno in Vancouver, BC.

Although the seaweed didn’t appeal to me, the tuna was delicious. It tasted fresh and fleshy, but super tender and flavourful too. Fantastic!

On the menu was also “live uni” (sea urchin).  I was curious – but almost every time I’ve had sea urchin I’ve been discussed by it (not just the flavour but more so the after-taste) so I wasn’t willing to wreck an otherwise wonderful meal just to satisfy curiosity…

Ikura from Juno in Vancouver

I also ordered two pieces of Ikura (my beloved salmon roe) which was firm and tasty, though honestly it wasn’t anything super special. On the other hand.. the scallop roll was fantastic – so good that when I still had a sushi-shaped hole left to fill (oh sure, I could have looked for a dessert place, but what would be the fun in that?) I opted for a second!

Juno’s chopped scallop roll (I asked them to hold the cucumber though!)

I asked for no cucumber in my scallop roll (I find it overpowers the delicate flavour of the scallop) and it was perfect – with lovely tasting scallop and perfectly sized sushi bites. I’m getting hungry for good Vancouver sushi just writing about it!

Other thoughts

If you haven’t already picked up the impression, Juno is a super-tiny spot. It’s a squeeze to get into a seat, and an even tighter squeeze to use the restroom. If you have mobility challenges or just are feeling a little bit claustrophobic, you might want to opt for take-out or another local sushi place instead of taking a seat.

The service was prompt and efficient, but not super friendly. The reviews on Urban Spoon seem to be mixed, but we had a good time and enjoyed the food; just not the cramped-feeling atmosphere.

A few more photos
I took a few more photos with my iPhone – take a look! You can see any of the photos larger by clicking them.

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Not far from Juno is The Elbow Room, a neat diner that I’ll be blogging about in a week or so… stay tuned, or click the Vancouver Tag to see all of our posts from our favorite (and forgetable) places to eat in Vancouver.

Have your own thoughts about Juno? Add them to the comments below!