“ We visited on a weekday evening, and luckily it wasn’t too busy at the time. We were seated at a lovely patio table, which made the whole dining experience even more enjoyable. The staff was friendly and informed us that they recently updated their menu and are now offering a Happy Hour from 4 PM to 10 PM. We started with the Beef Tataki appetizer. The sauce was more generous than what we saw in the photos—similar to a vinaigrette, refreshing and light, almost like a salad. The Tako Wasabi was a unique surprise—the raw octopus had a fresh, slightly chewy texture with a noticeable garlic kick, and pairing it with the crispy wasabi seaweed added a fun twist. The Crispy Rice Kaisen Oshi was absolutely delicious! The fried rice had a great crunch and aroma, and each piece topped with seafood felt luxurious and well-balanced. The Honjin Dragon Roll was also a highlight—the salmon and avocado complemented each other perfectly, and I loved the contrast between the creamy shredded filling and the green crunch layer. From the Happy Hour menu, we tried the Burger Nugget. The patty was juicy, and the crispy coating locked in the flavor, definitely best enjoyed hot! The Jumbo Chicken Karaage was generously portioned, though a couple of pieces were slightly dry. For drinks, we ordered Calamansi Rise, a kumquat flavor sake cocktail and a Yuzu Cha Cha with mango and whiskey. Both were refreshing and very well-crafted. Overall, a great spot for a casual yet flavorful night out! ”

“ My boyfriend and I love coming here for their 1.5 oysters and beef tataki every now and then! The other food is always so yummy and the price reflects the quality. - The service is always super nice and attentive! ”

“ Place was absolutely stunning. Ambience felt fancy as heck but sort of cozy at the same time. Lots of drinks on display. I like how the skewers came 1 by 1 so I could try the one I liked most. Chicken heart and lobster rolls were divine. Oysters were fresh too with a nice selection of sauces. Literally all the staff were friendly and had a sort of grace about them. Beer was good, service was quick, and they have quite a variety of food and drinks. Definitely would recommend. ”

“ Was recommended to try Izakaya, and it did not disappoint! It's a seat yourself environment and you go up to the counter to order your food. They have plenty of additional options in the coolers in front of the till with sushi & desserts on top of their regular menu. We tried the Red Ramen (Delxue) and the BBQ Chicken Donbari with the side of Takoyaki and Beef Gyoza. Both were very delicious meals, I would love to come back and try more of their items! ”

“ First time going and I was VERY impressed. Their oysters were excellent. My fiance and I had these rolls: somewhere over the rainbow, seared BC salmon, honjin dragon roll, truffle prawn and we got the seared scallop sushi / nigiri. All were incredible. This is one of the best sushi spots I’ve tried in Calgary thus far. ”

“ A wonderful place with delicious food — the ramen is incredible! I’m so glad I finally found a spot like this in Calgary. I especially loved that they didn’t skip on the traditional dishware — it really adds to the atmosphere ”

“ My husband and I went to Honjin Izakaya for our Valentine’s Day dinner, and it was an amazing experience from start to finish. The restaurant has a very authentic Japanese atmosphere, which makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a little piece of Japan. From the moment you’re seated, they do a special shout-out to welcome you, which adds such a fun and unique touch! The service was outstanding—the waitstaff were incredibly attentive, always making sure every table had everything they needed. They were so friendly and made us feel truly special on our date night. The food was just as impressive. The sushi was absolutely delicious, and the presentation of each dish was beautiful. Every plate looked like a work of art! Overall, it was a perfect dining experience, and I would totally recommend Honjin Izakaya to anyone looking for great Japanese food and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. We’ll definitely be back! ”

“ We tried this Japanese restaurant for the first time with friends, and it was a great experience! It's best to make a reservation for the weekend since it can get pretty crowded. The food was delicious and reasonably priced, and the service was excellent. The shishamo karaage was just okay and tasted bland. We loved the sashimi and the unique rolls that came with garlic bread instead of sushi rice, definitely worth a try. We'll absolutely be coming back! ”