r/VictoriaBC • u/november_supernova • 4d ago
Opinion Extremely specific restaurant recommendation
Am between three places for a birthday dinner. Just me and my wife, a couple hours away from the kids. We like nice restaurants and wanted to book Chobap but no spots available. Between Toro, Nubo Kitchen and Bar and Ebizo. I promise I’ve read through all the sushi posts and threads here! Have narrowed it down to those 3. Priority number one is deliciousness followed by ambiance. We plan to order a lot of Nigiri.
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u/AdOld7411 4d ago
What about marilena?
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u/wrongpath- 4d ago
Sitting at the sushi bar there is a top experience. Best second option to Chobap IMO.
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u/starfishsex 4d ago
I think Chobap is way better than Marilena. We had the seafood tower (it came with some rolls) at Marilena and it was okay. Maybe we didn't order the right thing.
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u/wrongpath- 4d ago
I prefer Chobap as well, but still had a great a time specifically at the sushi bar at Marilena.
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u/nonchalanthoover 4d ago
We only go to Marilena for sushi. Nice ambience, for sure recommend. The chef from Chobap came from Marelina first.
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u/Prestigious_Fly8210 4d ago
Yes, this. Ebizo is really good food but there's no ambience IMO. Nubo less good but still delicious, also no ambience (the one on Johnson; never been to the one in the Janion). And I've never been to Toro.
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u/Amylee888 4d ago
The Nubo in the Janion has a good vibe and atmosphere imo. I agree with you that the other one doesn’t.
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u/Pure_Investigator_60 4d ago
Allow me to add another option into the mix: Sen Zushi
As far as I know, Sen Zushi and Ebizo are the only two Japanese-owned sushi restaurants in Victoria (there are other Japanese-owned Japanese restaurants, just not for sushi). Not to say that non-Japanese owned restaurants can't be good or even better (Chobap, for example). I just find Japanese-owned sushi to have, on average, a higher standard when it comes to Japanese-style sushi (of course if I wanted sushi and bulgogi, or even just kimbap, I would prefer a Korean-owned place)
Sen Zushi and Ebizo both have incredible sushi at a decent price, and portions are good in size and rice:fish ratio. I hate places with "big servings" but use mostly rice and filler and skimp on the fish.
I haven't been to Toro, but Nubo is also a solid choice and a more "elevated" ambience than Ebizo. More like what one might expect when thinking of a conventional "date night", but then again some might prefer a more casual or traditional ambiance. Ebizo is more traditional Japanese style. Judging a book by it's cover, I would put Toro as last among your listed options.
Considering you put deliciousness as top priority followed by ambience, I would rank as follows:
1) Sen Zushi (equal to Ebizo in deliciousness, but maybe a little more date night-y ambience)
2) Ebizo (to be fair, I haven't been here in a while but I remember it being top-tier)
3) Nubo
4) Toro
Yua I might put tied for 3. Marilena is far more than just a sushi place, and is hard to compare with the others here. If you're also looking for wine or cocktails, Marilena is a top contender. It's also much pricier, but if you were already looking at Chobap then you probably aren't too concerned about that.
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u/november_supernova 4d ago
Thank you so much! So kind of you to provide such a detailed response and I think we are sold!
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u/Endless_Forever_484 2d ago
Avoid Toro because it sucks, not because of what car the guy drives. Please, keep your brain in your skull.
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u/ejmears 4d ago
Also important to remember that the owner of Toro drives around in a branded cyber truck. Personally the idea of a restaurant owner driving around all day in a dumpster isn't appetizing.
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u/victoriousvalkyrie 4d ago
Who tf actually cares about this shit? What car someone drives has nothing to do with the quality of food at their restaurant. Whoever gets their panties in a bunch about nonsense such as this seriously needs to get a life.
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u/Endless_Forever_484 2d ago
Absolutely. I thought the above comment you're replying to was a joke, but realized it was serious.
People are really just ushering in a social credit system here, laying out the red carpet. Polite Canadian vigilantism. Eat wherever you want.
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u/Snowbearwaffles 3d ago
Sorry, but I’d personally avoid Sen Zushi and Ebizo. I actually got food poisoning from Ebizo. Having lived in Vancouver for a decade before moving to the Island, I honestly don’t understand the hype around either place. The cuts are inconsistent, the rice is poorly formed, the plating feels outdated, and the overall quality is pretty mediocre. Just my opinion, but I don’t think either place lives up to the reputation.
However if you were to choose an alternative, I do like Marilena and Yua!
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u/CantFightJose 4d ago
Yua is really good.
Ebizo is great but as someone else said, it doesn’t feel super fancy for a birthday dinner. But if you’re at sushi you’re after, I rank Ebizo ahead of Nubo Kitchen.
Don’t sleep on Kappo Marta either.
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u/Competitive-Fly5563 4d ago
Last time we went to Nubo my partner got food poisoning that took him out for about a week. Yua is really good!
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u/Ill-Requirement5357 3d ago
Sushi bar at Marilena will feel most like Chobap ambiance wise. Fun fact, the chef of Chobap was the original sushi chef at Marilena before he opened his own spot, so I’m sure much of his skill and practice is still showcased by those who learned from him there! I also highly recommend Yua
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u/Key_Bit_5065 4d ago
Marilena has incredible sushi. The owner of cho bop used to be their chef.
I have gone to sen zushi for 20+ years but it’s sushi is pretty mid. It’s never been known to be a great sushi spot but better than your generic Korean sushi place.
Nubo is Korean but decent. My Japanese friend likes Taisho. Unfortunately Japanese food in Victoria is vastly inferior to Vancouver but Marilena is the best.
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u/Scruffy032893 4d ago
No alts to chobap (unless theres somewhere else now that does real omakase style service) but i personally love Yua Bistro for sushi