Introduction – All Credits go to ChatGPT
Located in the heart of Gastown, Oku Izakaya immediately won us over with its warm, energetic staff and modern twist on classic Japanese comfort food. From bold flavours to creative cocktails, everything feels familiar yet elevated, making it a cozy spot for anyone looking to enjoy a fresh take on izakaya dining in Vancouver.
@eatswithwendy ✨ Oku Izakaya in Gastown — a surprising new fave ✨ Dropped by Oku Izakaya and honestly… they impressed us more than we expected 👇 🍲 Agedashi Tofu Huge bowl, bold flavors, and way different from the usual version — in a good way. 🐟 Kama King (Salmon Head) Smoky, perfectly grilled, no fishy taste at all. 🍸 Creamy Matcha Cocktail Probably the most actual matcha-tasting drink we’ve had in the Lower Mainland. 🍸 Oku’s Sake-tini Refreshing twist on a martini. Would love it even more with a smoother extract instead of the minced leaf. 🍤 Shrimp Karaage Super crunchy — basically a Chinese-style deep-fried shrimp done right. 🍣 Sashimi & MK Handrolls Fresh, clean, simple. The Zuke and Aji especially were solid bites. Friendly team, cozy Gastown vibes, and punchy flavors — Oku’s definitely worth a stop 🍶✨
♬ original sound – eatswithwendy
Our Visits (Click the links below for more details)
Visit #1 – Saturday, September 27, 2025 @ 8:00 PM
Menu and Review – Starred = Tried/Reviewed
Creamy Matcha Cocktail (Left)
Oku’s Sake-tini (Right)
King Salmon Kama
Ube Matcha (Left)
Premium Sashimi
Shrimp Karaage
Zuke Aji & Ebi Tamaki
Tofu Agedashi
Fun Facts / Things to Know
None so far
Saturday, September 27, 2025 @ 8:00 PM | Oku Izakaya Bar
- Fun and casual vibe.
- We find the chefs’ uniforms interesting and playful
- Super friendly staff and we were greeted with a hand-written thank you card which was nice.
Full Reviews
Creamy Matcha Cocktail (Left)
- It’s funny but this is the most matcha-like drink we have tasted in Lower Mainland and that says a lot because we tried almost all matcha places in town.
Oku’s Sake-tini (Right)
- Best new way to make martini. It was so refreshing.
- One suggestion I would make is they can do an extract instead of using minced leaf in the drink.
- It’s just a matter of visual and texture. The flavor wont change.
King Salmon Kama
- Grilled Salmon Head. You can taste the smokiness and it was grilled to perfection.
- Not too mushy but enough to get rid of the fishy smell
Premium Sashimi
- Super fresh. Otherwise it’s just sashimi, the fresher the better.
Shrimp Karaage
- This is just a Chinese dish. Deep fried Shrimp and shaken up with salt.
Tofu Agedashi
- We were caught offguard with how big this bowl is.
- This is also our first time havingg agedashi tofu like this. Usually it’s just a deep fried tofu with some grated agedashi on top.
- Here they make it into a soup like bowl and the flavors were punchy and on the saltier side.
Zuke Aji & Ebi Tamaki
- This is my favorite type of tacos now.
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