Shokunin

We did the yakatori omakase and it did not disappoint. The scallop was the best I’ve ever had and coming from someone who grew up and still lives on the shore in the northeast of America I think that says a lot. The bluefin tuna hand roll was also exceptional. Our server and the head chef did an excellent job of explaining everything to us and keeping us engaged. Also by far the best quality sake I’ve ever had.

After watching The Final Table years ago and consistently rewatching, I finally got the opportunity to try Shokunin by Chef Darren Maclean 🤤 Cold Shucked Scallops 💕 Bison Tataki 💕 Salmon Aburi 👌 Butterfish Aburi 💕 Bluefin Tuna Sushi 💕 Sesame Kale Salad 👌 Buttermilk Chicken Karaage 💕 Eggplant & Goat Cheese Tempura 💕 Chicken skewers: Skin on Breast, Thigh, Oyster 💕 Hanetsuki Braised Beef Gyoza 👌 The absolute best raw scallops I've ever had 🤤 amazing melt in your mouth aburis & sushi, and the most flavourful karaage, eggplant cheese tempura and skewers 💕 a must try for everyone in Calgary! Our server was the best, one of the best service we ever received even over many fine dining establishments.

My photos don’t do justice for how good this place is! We really wanted to dine here because I’ve watched The Final Table and a big fan of Chef Darren! I still believe he should’ve won that though lol. And as expected… this restaurant truly satisfied me as a customer! This is the best sushi I’ve ever had! And that wagyu… oh my… we had to get seconds! The flavours just explode in your tongue after that first bite. I think we spent over $260 just for 2 people but it was honestly worth it! I do wish that it was more spacious and brighter there though.

A favorite among a select few top-notch restaurants in Calgary. If you come, be sure to try the scallops appetizer; it's to die for. The skewers are also great, but you have to arrive early or risk the kitchen running out; which happened to us. Bustling place, we quite enjoy the atmosphere!

I’m actually disappointed. The restaurant was on my list for quite sometime before I had a chance to come in today. I was more excited to try Shokunin because it made the Top 100 Restaurants in Canada. The food portion was super small, and the skewers quality wasn’t the best. To be honest, I can make skewers like that at home. In addition, the wing flaps were unbelievably salty, we needed to chug our drinks right after that. Cocktails were ok, not “Oooo I need to come back here for this” kinda feeling. With the prices I did expect something more than that. The place is tiny but has an ok layout with overlooking kitchen and bar. Other tables don’t seem very comfortable. Staff are all nice and professional. Not worth the price.

We came in on Sept. 26th to celebrate my birthday. Last time I ate at this restaurant was kn 2016, had very good first impression of the place all around. I read the reviews a noticed a lot of people complain about food and the service. Them being rushed through the dinner and so on. I got a little worried as I talked this place up a lot to my gf, so then I started to give myself anxiety. On top of it, the traffic was so bad I was 45 minutes lates to my own dinner. My gf got there 5 min lates only and got our table. Not only were we Not rushed to finish our food, our server was very friendly and explained the menus perfectly. We still had full two hours to eat and enjoy the drinks. Music was a bit loud, but definitely not too loud where you couldn't hear each other. Everyone seemed very friendly and polite. No one gave me a hard time for running late or mentioned anything about the time frame. It was an absolutely great dining experience, so when you read reviews, take it with a grain. Its like someone saying the movie they just seen is bad and then you go and like it. I think a lot of it depends on the attitude a client brings through the door as well. Its a Lil on a pricey side and portions are small, but the quality speaks for itself and in my understanding, Japanese people dont eat a lot and portions are always smaller than what north Americans are use to. Definitely try it out if you havent and experience some cool flavor profiles!

Shokunin delivered a fantastic dining experience from start to finish. We ordered a variety of dishes, and everything was packed with bold, balanced flavours. The Chicken Yakitori skewers were grilled nicely, and the Sesame Kale Salad was excellent. Ramen was great. The Beef Gyoza had a tender filling with a crisp, golden crunch. But the standout of the night was the Eggplant & Goat Cheese Tempura—a perfect mix of creamy, crispy, and savoury. Absolutely delicious. Creative dishes, great service, and a lively atmosphere. Highly recommend for anyone looking for an elevated Japanese-inspired cuisine in Calgary.

We did the chef's plating, which only has a couple settings a night. Unfortunately the group head of us was very late which meant our rezo for 730 didn't start until 830. But we didn't mind as the atmosphere was great, the staff more than made up for it with free add-ons (above and beyond!!!) And the meal was incredible. This may have been my favourite dining experience of all time. The staff and chef were so friendly and welcoming, and we shut the place down and didn't feel any kind of rush to get out :p If you have the opportunity to try Shokinin out, you absolutely should!

damn. i feel like it would be a crime to rate this joint anything less than a 5. i was that impressed. we came here after a long weekend at banff and just wanted to relax. didn't think we'd find some bomb ass japanese fusion food in the middle of calgary. nice atmosphere and service was top notch. i believe this place has seasonal food, and when we went, we were lucky enough to enjoy a meal prepared in collaboration with a chef from overseas. its been a while since i've been here, but if there was one thing i remember, it was that their scallops were devine. legit tasted like they were picked right from heaven. never had anything like it and i would honestly fly to calgary again just to taste it once more.

My friend picked Shokunin because the executive chef was featured on Netflix's final table. The restaurant also had good reviews that made us eager to check it out. Shokunin had a fun vibe upon entering. The staff were friendly and knew the menu. I thought food was a bit underwhelming. Nigiri were decent - some tasted better than others. Yakitori took a long time to make and were salty. Kale salad was the most disappointing bc I was told that it's refreshing and a fan favorite. The dressing was creamy and heavy, and the kale were whole bunches and not chopped up for ease of eating. Cocktail was also very mid and I had no desire to order a second one.

I don't recommend coming here if you're hungry because although the food was great, it took a really long time to be served. Each skewer came out one by one and we were at the restaurant for over an hour waiting for the food. The servers were really nice and knowledgeable about the menu and food. It was pretty dark inside and we had to use our phone flashlight to see the menu and we couldn't really see what we were eating.

Wowowowow. We did the Omakase and omg. This meal was freaking fantastic. We got seated at the bar with one other couple and had great service all night. We did the drink pairing which was a must, it was so cool. I'm not a huge seafood eater but won't say no to specialty items. The starter was an imported scallop and omg it melted in my mouth. Every single course was explained so well and so tasty and full of flavor. I wish I could eat this meal every night. Literally a perfect dinner. Highly, highly recommend.

Stopped by for a late night bite after dinner since there was a wait around 8pm. Ambiance is quick and modern, food is WELL DONE. Skewers were cooked perfectly, including drummette and skin on chicken breast. They run out of many different chicken pieces so come early if you are hoping to try something in particular. Sushi was also very good, we got the sablefish, salmon belly, and hand cut scallop with nuoc cham as recommended by our server. Sushi was torched so it was nice, fatty, melt in your mouth. Scallop was AMAZING with bright lime, vinegar, sugar, fish sauce-based sauce on top. Everything was delicious but a bit pricy since you order everything by the piece. Our server and host were the sweetest. I would definitely come back just be prepared to spend a bit to really enjoy what they have to offer!

We had the pleasure of celebrating my partner's birthday at this incredible restaurant. We sat at the bar, where V was our server and bartender. She was fantastic--her dinner recommendations were spot on, and every dish was bursting with flavor. Not a single suggestion from V disappointed. We highly recommend Shokunin for dinner. And if you're lucky enough to sit at the bar with V, be sure to ask for her recommendations. Thank you, V! We'll definitely be back Andy and Samantha

Excellent in every way. I had the omakase menu with drink pairings. More food than I'd imagined but with a great view of the kitchen and such high quality ingredients and cooking I enjoyed the experience very much. Recommended for anyone

The best Japanese Yakitori place hands down in Calgary. Sashimi and Sushi are arguably, among the top 5 here. Modern chic with traditional nuances of traditional Japanese cuisine around kitchen. Incredible art and hip hop culture common in Japan displayed. The chefs and kitchen staff are exceptionally trained. They masterfully handle my shellfish allergy from the moment I inform the waiter. They selections, cuts, texture, flavouring, and grilling of chicken Yakitori are to perfection. It's an art to do Yakitori well. Those are understand Japanese Yakitori can appreciate this. The sushi and sashimi are melt in your mouth and beautifully flavoured. It's important not dunk them in soy sauce and wasabi in order to truly experience this. Masterfully done Chefs. Drink selection is amazing. Top notch sake and old fashion. Uniquely created and designed by their mixologists. Tip: Amazing place for social dining. On a date or with a friend, I might request to get a seat where I can sit side by side. Ask the staff and they will be happy to bring down the music volume if you want. The staff are amazing. Chef Darren MacLean is masterclass.

We loved this place so much! We come from out of the country but this is a go to for us when visiting Calagery! This time, the robata was a little salty but I do love my salt Honestly the sushi could be worth a meal by itself but if raw fish isn't your thing (like our calgarian friends) you can get a comple meal from the robata! Love this place

Our first meal after landing was shokunin-- we came straight here and it did not disappoint The staff were sweet and was able to take our luggage away for us while we dined Everything we had was top notch. Every dish was well seasoned and the combinations were great. I wish we came here earlier in the day as lots of the chicken skewers we wanted were gone. Will definitely be back. Some highlights: - drinks 5/5 - nigiri 5/5 - skewers 5/5 Some lowlights: -Broccolini 3.5/5, a bit dry and burnt - rice/beef fat and eggs 3.5/5 a bit underwhelming

I didn't have much hopes coming out to Calgary for dinning. Decided on this place bc of reviews and Japanese food. Well worth the experience. I see the menu they do a little play on parts of chicken, i didn't have a ton of expectations. I figure it was more of a trendy establishment for cocktails. Yakatori probably some of the best I've had. Nothing In LA was this good. That oyster meat with part of the skin, juicy hot and tender (still reminiscing). Next was the Ass I mean who doesn't love some Ass the butt meat. That's what all the free range running is for. Bison takaki is lean like beef jerky definitely good texture. As for the Wagyu Sando as described aged and smoked than grilled, packed with flavor feels like pastrami but all wagyu. If you can't decide when you're in town, this is probably a must

Sushi and sashimi are very tasty and fresh. I ordered Miso Gindara Roll and Salmon Belly Nigiri. They were awesome. Service was great. I sat in the bar, they were quick. This restaurant is little bit pricey, but other than that everything was great.

I am a super fan of the show Final Table and was so excited to finally try Chef Darren's restaurant. To begin I must say I saw him working in the kitchen and requested a photo with him through a server at the end of my meal. Unfortunately he declined to take a picture which left a sour taste in my mouth. After all I booked a reservation 4-6 weeks in advance and flew from out of town! Now on to the food! The scallop was delicious as a starter! Very fresh and all the flavors were incredible together. I got the small sashimi platter which was $42. A great price especially for how fresh the fish was. The sable fish sushi pcs was also a major hit across the table! I got a variety of yakatori which were delightful, unfortunately they were sold out of the most popular ones such as the chicken ass and oyster. I did get the rice ball as a side which was underwhelming as it was very burnt and under-seasoned. I advised the waitress who mentioned it was cooked on a charcoal grill. Regardless, I know it was well overdone. Overall I think I hyped myself up for the restaurant. The food was good but if you're hoping to get greeted by chef Darren don't bet on it.

I haven't had the chance to visit Calgary much yet, but Shokunin is definitely one of my favorites so far. It has stood out as a gastronomic high point from the city. I had already anticipated a good experience from Shokunin since we knew about the famous chef/owner from The Final Table (Darren Maclean) going in, as well as its numerous esteemed reviews. Our dinner still blew me away, which is not an easy accomplishment when entering with such lofty expectations. Darren wasn't present the day of our visit since he probably had important things to tend to (being famous now and all that), but his chefs still delivered a near-perfect meal. I'm unable to pinpoint individual standouts from the dinner since everything we ordered was just so good... and we ordered a lot. All I can say is, you can't go wrong with their famous dishes (e.g., yakitori and beef gyoza), but even the lesser known items, such as cold shucked scallop, were outstanding. Everything was cooked on point; the flavour combinations and refinement were exceptional. We also loved their cocktails. The Sunny D is SO dangerous! I could have easily chugged ten of them... and then would've passed out. I also have to give a very special thank you to our server, Antar, who was so personable and kind. He provided one of the best dinner services ever, which will be difficult to beat in the future. In combination with the food, this is an experience I'll never forget. Such a wonderful meal and can't wait to go back!

Shokunin is a restaurant I'd been highly anticipating for a few reasons - The biggest one being that the owner and creator of Shokunin, Darren Maclean actually dined at a popular Japanese restaurant that I work at and I heard from the server that he was keen on comparing our sources of ingredients and basically hyped up his own restaurant. Given that he was a finalist on the Netflix competition show (The Final Table), I was intrigued with his talent and super excited to try this restaurant especially since I love Japanese food. First and foremost, service and ambiance was amazing. Our server was really sweet and gave us a full explanation of the menu and food all came promptly with full descriptions of the food. Now onto the food...I really want to give the benefit of the doubt because I do know that the menu tends to change routinely so maybe we just didn't catch it at a good time. The friends I had dined with last night said the first time they went they had a good time. However this time, we all thought it just wasn't the best. Buttermilk chicken kaarage - Crispy texture was there but it was way too salty, the shredded daikon (?) on the side was good and it was the only thing that made this dish slightly better. Charred avocado - My mom had this dish and she said it had good texture especially the nori chip, but in terms of the flavour of the avocado it was slightly lacking. Yakitori - I tried the beef tongue and skin on thigh (not pictured) and it was quite good (smoky flavour and juicy texture) but just a tad small. Ora king salmon nigiri - This one was amazing and very on par with sushi in Vancouver. Rich fatty texture that just melts in your mouth but still with a slight chew. 10/10! Salmon tartar roll - Hmmmm, taste was good but it wasn't anything special and I felt a lot of Korean flavour profiles with this roll...Felt like I was eating at Gami Sushi (all my Richmond locals know this) except the quality of fish was better. Braised yakiniku style pork belly - This dish was tasty but I was very confused with where the style was going. There was gochujang and pickled vegetable that basically tasted like kimchi on the side but there was also miso butter corn (this was fire btw) and lettuce and rice??? It didn't feel put together well. Pork belly had good flavour but was slightly dry. Tokyo Bellini - (sorry no pic) My friend has this bellini and it was lovely! He said the flavours of sweetness, peach and Prosecco were perfectly balanced and very enjoyable. Overall, I'm a bit sad that the restaurant didn't live up to my expectations but maybe next time I'm in town, I'll give it another chance.

This became the reason for my road trip from Vancouver. Originally had planned to go to the Stampede, but that didn't happen for obvious reasons. Then I decided to try as many restaurants on the Canada 100 Best list (#1 in Calgary) and I knew about the chef from "Final Table" on Netflix (he was robbed, IMHO) Chef Darren and his staff are attentive and approachable. They know their menu intricately and the passion shows in both the service and the food. I sat at the bar where I could see the kitchen working in perfect harmony producing delicious works of art to guests. I'm not kidding when I say I felt like a guest at someone's house - the vibe is comfortable with 90s and 00s hip hop on the playlist, audible even on the patio on the way in. I'd talk about the food, but words will fail to describe the seemingly endless supply of soul in each bite. Definitely worth the long drive from Vancouver! I'll be back with everyone I know!

Shokunin is perfection, in my eyes. The service is impeccable, the sushi & oysters are so fresh Great atmosphere too. Wonderful for a date night

I'm from out of town & was last here about 3 yrs ago for an amazing meal and have been dreaming about returning to this place ever since. Finally made it back to YYC and I had to go back. So glad to see they thrived through this crazy pandemic. This place is like a Japanese tapas restaurant so be prepared to be wowed in a big way with small dishes meant to share. Got the best seat in the house beside the kitchen & expedite station. The owner, Chef Darren, was working tonite and the kitchen was running like a well oiled machine. We started with amazing cocktails, mine was a light refreshing one with lime & ginger. You have to try everything you can that comes grilled. When a chef can elevate a simple avocado to perfection by grilling it and pairing with unique flavours, you know he's super talented. The grilled broccolini was a delightful way to get your veggies. We also had some amazing unique sushi with sea bass & sablefish and griiled yellowfin. There are many cuts of chicken you can get skewered & charbroiled. Get the crispy thighs, oyster & ass. Don't question...just do it. I need to come back just to try every single cut of chicken skewered & grilled. The braised beef gyoza is also another popular item they have managed make a thing of beauty and to elevate to a new height. The eggplant & goat cheese tempura was divine and it took real restraint not to get another order. The bone marrow & escargot are two things you'd never see together but OMG they complimented each other so well. But what they do with wagyu beef is unbelievable and was our absolute favourite. It involves smoking & then 3 days of sousvide. The wagyu pastrami sando had us totally bowled over. The beef was melting in our mouths like butter. It's kind of like a square slider on grilled milk bread, if the slider was made in heaven. (See pic and menu description). Finished off with the miso creme brûlée for dessert...it's one of their specialties and perfect for sharing. Seriously, we were there for 3 hours and tried almost everything on the menu. We weren't leaving the tiniest bit of empty space in our tummies. Both of us have been in the food & beverage industry for 20 yrs so it takes a lot to surprise us with something unique but we were blown away how such an amazing restaurant we previously can now be further elevated to be so incredibly epic. We've had many great meals in many different cities but my 6 hr commute to YYC was worth it just for this meal. Bravo Chef Darren...you are a culinary genius and know that your staff are so awesome too. Get out and support local talent like this. And get a seat at the chefs table so you can drool firsthand over every dish you see them put out. You can interact with a rockstar chef & owner if you are lucky to be there at the right time.

Every single bite was entirely enjoyable. We started with the cold shucked oyster which is pure perfection from the acidity to the mouth feel. Some other favorites include the gyoza, the avocado, and of course the yakitori.

As soon as I knew I was moving to Calgary, I had to look up must visit restaurants and Shokunin always showed up on the lists! So I went to shokunin to celebrate my first weekend of Calgary and it was worth it! The place was busy but the service was still very fast and the staff checked in on us often. The menu is small as they have their specialities but almost every single thing we tried was incredible. My favourites: The fresh sushi they offer is incredible, you must try it. The salmon belly was my favourite, we had to order a second round. The braised beef gyoza, sweetbread, shoulder blade, chicken hearts, and shiitake skewers, ruri nasu (eggplant) and sake tiramisu were to die for. The cocktails were refreshing and complimented the food well. Wouldn't order again: the only thing we ordered and did not like were the miso tenders yakitori, it was dry. I would skip that and stick to organ meats next time. The portions are small ofcourse, but we were still full at the end of everything. I can't wait to go to shokunin again to try their ramen and other yakitori offerings!

I mainly came here not for the sushi - Calgary doesnt scream "sushi" to me. Instead, I tried the other items on the menu. The bone marrow was the best - I'd say order this! The textures and flavors were amazing. I'm not a bone marrow fan but I would order and recc this to others again. I also tried the beef tataki. If you like ponzu sauce, go for it. I think the ponzu was a bit overwhelming so that's all I tasted. There were toppings on it to add texture so I appreciated that. I dont think I'd get this one again. I did order two pieces of the albacore sushi and that was really good. If I wasnt eating two dinners tonight, I would have tried more sushi Skewers were solid. They give you a ponzu/yolk sauce that compliments it well. I tried the heart, oysters, and skin on thigh. Skin is always yummy hah Service was amazing. I dined on my own so they really made you feel welcomed. They also want you to experience the meal well so they will explain everything and reccomend different items. Cocktails were solid. The chef is also cooking in front of everyone so you can see him in action I'm probably biased due to ny prices but it was cheap for me here.

A hippy izakaya with great atmosphere and staff. * * * EXPERIENCE * * * Walk-in on a Wednesday night at around 7pm, almost full house but I came alone and fortunately there's the last open seat at the counter! I was impressed by the friendliness of the staff I encountered, my server really took his time explaining the menu and his personal recommendations. Not to mention they serve great cocktail as well, just tell them what you like and they make something great out of what they have. It's not one of those traditional izakayas so do expect some western influence on dishes. * * * FOOD * * * Cold Shucked Scallop: A- The presentation was wonderful - the scallop meat was arranged into a flower shape, I was told to use the back of a spoon to press from the top, once I did that the scallop dipped into the onion + olive oil dressing, crunchy (not the fried type) mouth feeling, sour and sweet, very refreshing. If they added a bit salt it would be even better. Gindara (Aburi) Nigiri: A+ The fish skin was grilled, again looking very pretty, and they added some miso and soy sauce before serving. Charcoal smell. The meat was soooo fatty, instantly melt in mouth. The rice was grilled too which as a result gave a more complete feeling to the whole thing. Ruri Nasu (Eggplant): A+ One of the best I have ever had, the amount of miso added was perfect, not too salty or oily, the eggplant skin was perfectly intact, not too mushy neither. Saba Nigiri: A A lot of times Saba would come with some ocean taste but I couldn't taste it here, and there is more fat than other Saba I usually eat. Egg yolk in soy sauce: A This is a dipping sauce for the yakitori, it really helped adding another dimension to the grilled food coming later on, and balanced out the charcoal flavor as well. Mushroom/Knee/Neck yakitori: A Perfectly grilled, they were all a bit saltier than what I usually have from other yakitori places but because of the egg yolk dipping sauce it turned out they complemented each other's existence which was a wonderful sensation. Bone Marrow: A Smelt garlic-y, looked wonderful, did not taste too salty or rich, the arugula added offered good balance to the gamey marrow, eating together it's almost like a hot salad. I'm usually not a bone marrow fan but all those elements blended together really well. There was also escargot added and they tasted perfect too. What a great find of izakaya in the area, never expected I could have such good Japanese food in Calgary. Will definitely come back again when I am in town!

Shokunin was amazing. In the span of 4 weeks I visited 3 times. And each time I found new amazing things to try as well. Service was top notch and fast, never once was I left wanting a drink or another bite to eat. Stunning food and amazing cocktails. Highlights for me were were the entire menu. But some cannot miss items are the Yakitori for sure. It seems overwhelming at first but pick a couple things and it's all delicious cooked over the charcoal fire. Cold shucked scallops, it just falls apart in your mouth(I could eat 5 of these easily). Eggplant & goat cheese tempura, I could live off of these!! Doesn't matter what your looking for they have something to satisfy. 100% will be going back when I'm in Calgary. Can't wait!

We learned about Shokunin through "The Final Table". Alex,my partner, chose The SHOKUNIN YAKITORI OMAKASE EXPERIENCE tonight, on his birthday! We were seated at the Chef's Bar located right in front of the grill. This restaurant offers a Japanese-influenced cuisine. Alex is a very good chef himself and he thinks the restaurant offers excellent service and fabulous food. We would like to thank Chef Leroy and Adam for making this special day more special. We give 5 stars to Chef Leroy and Adam for being the hospitable hosts, such delicious food and beautiful presentation! We will be back!

Had an awesome time at Shokunin during our visit to Calgary. We made reservations for dinner for four and booked about a month ahead of time as it gets booked up quickly. Shokunin offers creative cocktails and tapas style share plates. We ended up ordering 7 dishes to share. Highly recommend trying their chicken skewers esp the oysters and ass. So tender and delicious and comes with a tasty soy-yolk dipping sauce. The buttermilk karaage is lightly fried and delicious with a squeeze of lemon juice. We also tried their ramen and sushi roll which was tasty and the miso crème brulee for dessert, not too sweet and a perfect ending to the meal. Definitely visit Shokunin if you're in Calgary!

This restaurant was pretty good. They specialize in their skewers and they are quite small. So, when ordering make sure you order a few because it does take them awhile to cook. Everything in their menu is sharable and their sushi is quite good as well. Make sure you make reservations well in advance because they get booked up quite quickly.

Excellent service. Everyone went out of their way to explain the menu and the food as they brought it to our table. I had seen chef Darren on Final table on Netflix and made it a point to visit. Can't say enough about the food. Try this place and the others that the chef has on the Calgary area. Loved everything we ordered and the miso creme brûlée for dessert was outstanding.

From 10 to 0. I've dined here many times and referred many friends to Shokunin for 7 years but I will never go back. First time I've not tipped (I always tip 20-25%) that's how bad it was. How many other 1star reviewers have to reference the tall, young man with dreadlocks who's apparently worked there since 2017 or other rude "dude" servers which, surprisingly, was my first time encountering them. OMG, where to start? Loud, bad rap music (and we love rap) dropping f bombs every 2nd word is not cool in this style of restaurant. Neither is loudly smashing wine bottles and martini shakers into the sink 1' in front of us (we were bar seated) - it's like they were ill behaved teenage boys trying to show off and had just watched Tom Cruise in Cocktail. They kept coughing, not covering their coughs and definitely did not wash their hands before touching our glassware and plates. It got worse as the night progressed as obviously trying to politely ignore them didn't work. The topper for me was when one balding dude server came and propped his body against my bar stool to yuk it up with a young patron and I couldn't sit back in my stool without touching him. Creepy. Invasive. I got up immediately at which point, unbelievably, he down sat in my barstool. So we immediately paid and left. After snapping a pic of said server having taken over my stool. What a shame as it was an incredibly special night (we had picked up engagement rings and wanted to celebrate at the restaurant we met at and have returned to often). I politely told the hostess this and requested to be relocated to one of the many empty tables where we normally sit. 3 times I politely asked her to be relocated. Nope. So, nope, never coming back. One dish was good; 4-5 were okay; 1 was inedible. Never seen it before at Shokunin but the presentation on a few dishes was thoughtless and the order of service bad (sorry, I don't want my only carb, an overcharred, dry, rice ball with literally a handful of chopped green onions tossed on top served as the last dish when I've eaten everything else and am almost full). We ordered many of the same dishes we always do and someone has modified what was once excellent food. Clearly, management has left, the chef has left and Shokunkin needs to be removed from top restaurant charts for foodies.

We stopped by here because we were driving through and the service here is so good. Our waiter (I wish I remembered her name) was awesome. So kind, explained everything and checked on us! Our favorite thing was the confet chicken wings- it was soooo good. We good other skewers- which was good also. The drinks were yummy and we were quite happy. Would come back again!

A huge shout out to Chelsey who guided is through the menu made recommendations to us a couple who were a little lost on our first visit. Also highlighted the chefs bar menu. Very busy places means its good ! very vibrant great ambiance Oh food was excellent a little small but combined filled us up.

The food here is good but its very expensive and the portion is really really small. For two people we ordered 6 dishes and the prices was $113 before tip. I was not like super full here. I walked in but luckily I got a table quickly. Everyone who walks through the door has a reservation (in my opinion). So we ordered 6 dishes. Namerou Tartare ($17) Sashimi - Small ($24) Sweet Corn Kakiage ($10) Kara-age ($14) Short Rib ($27) Broxburn Tomato Salad ($16) Total $108 plus tax = $113.40 I was not really full full. The food here is very pricy but it was good compared to Calgary Sushi standard. The tartare was good but the crispy chip got soggy really quickly. The sashimi was fresh and its funny how the plate is so big and there are only 5 pieces of tiny shrimps, 4 pieces of fish. Sweet corn Kakiage is unique and I have to admit this is my first time trying the sweet corn dish. It was good. Kara-age was not bad. I did find it a bit salty. Short Rib was delicious but I did noticed there were a lot of burn parts but I am ok with it. The Broxburn Tomato salad is a bit upsetting. Its basically flavor from the tomato and not any other flavor. Would be nice if there are other things in that dish other then tomato. Décor was nice. The restaurant is very small. Right now they are doing a $35 special course dinner. But of course its a small version of what is on the regular menu. Not sure if its a good deal to order this. But to get it everyone at the table has to order. Overall not bad.

The staff at Shokunin is top notch. One of our favorite restaurants in the city. The new Omakase menu is definitely worth checking out.

Location/Service Not too familiar around Calgary, but restaurant is within downtown area and walkable if you're near the Calgary Tower. I saw there's street parking available if you're driving. Restaurant itself is pretty easy to spot. Inside decor has a vibrant izakaya vibe, with bar seating and high tables for the dining area. It was pretty hot inside the restaurant as they kept doing a lot of the grilling of the skewers. Booked this restaurant around 2 weeks ahead of time. Easy to use online reservation service. Staff were friendly and nice in general - I liked my waiter (Benjamin, believe that's his name), made a few recommendations and made sure everything was doing alright. Food Know more for their yakitori and small plate sharing - like the idea of incorporating local ingredients mixing with Japanese style eating. Some dishes I tried included - Sushi (Nigiri Ora King Salmon, Nigiri Gindara). Salmon was a little bland/generic to me, I felt the quality wasn't as nice. But the Gindara was really good, loved it was slightly grilled that captures the juices and freshness. They already provided soy sauce and wasabi, so you don't need to do anything extra but enjoy. Price wise, you have to order minimum 2 pieces, ranging from $4 to $6 per piece. - Shokunin Ramen ($18). Need a little carb, so tried in-style ramen. Didn't expect ramen to be good, and it was what I expected. The noodles were a little tough for my personal taste. Although the chashu was thick and fatty, but it was also little touch to chew. The broth and egg though was good. I like the broth wasn't as fatty due to the XO sauce and the egg was done to the right level. - Yakitori (Heart, Thigh, Skin of Breast, Rib). All of the yakitori skewers were pretty good. Each one were a little juicy and meat was tender and easy to chew/taste. I personally liked thigh and skin on breast (a little typical). But the heart and rib were interesting to taste as well. They ran out of the oyster and ass by the time I went (tip - to really go early if you want to try, cause they are limited). They also give you a housemade sauce, which has a raw egg yolk - and you gotta make it well and dip it with the skewer if you like. Each yakitori, depending on the part, can range from $3 to $6. Overall I enjoyed my experience here. Would be great if I had a bigger party to share a few more items, I heard great things about the cabbage and their dessert. Also had the chance to meet Darren, he was very friendly and would come talk to you - nice to know he's still very humble and hardworking to make sure everything is executed well for every customer.

Every Calgary trip, I try to get in a bowl of ramen. With so many options as of late, it's easy to try a new spot. I came in on a late Thursday evening and the only place that I could think of that serves late night ramen was Shokunin. It's usually only available Friday and Saturday's after 10:00pm. Their hours are great. Open late till 1:00am except Sunday (10:00pm). The inside is cool, hip, moody and modern. It was just me so I grabbed a seat at the bar and got lucky; I was seated right at the yakitori grill so I got to see the chefs work their magic all night long. The decor is chic with an anime mural of a bad ass chick giving off some intense attitude. Did I mention the beats? Old school r&b/hip hop had me in my happy place. Great vibes. Nice touch that they give you a warm towel to wipe your hands with when you first sit down. Service was excellent and it was nice to see chef/co-owner Darren MacLean educating his staff and controlling the kitchen like a wizard. - YYC ramen ($16.00) - I recall the waiter telling me that their broth is a mix of chicken and pork. The cha shu starts on the yakitori grill then is transferred and finished off in the oven. The miso cured egg was legit, broth was clean tasting with a nice layer of depth but the noodles could use some work. I'll be back to try out their specialty charred yakitori skewers. 3.5 stars.

Go check this place out if you ever visit Calgary. Don't expect it to be big plates. It's tapas style, so portions are little. Don't be scared of ordering multiple dishes, you will be ok. The yakitori skewers are great, but my favorite was the cabbage and the karage chicken. If you want to prepare before going to the restaurant check out The Final table on Netflix. I would recommend making a reservation before heading over here that way you just sit down when you get there. Service was excellent and they constantly kept on checking on us. I will also 100% recommend some nigiri and sushi. Fish is super fresh and you can taste the difference. The sushi takes longer than the small plates, but it's worth the wait

Experience is one thing you can't get for nothing. And eating the best of the best ain't cheap. So if you are the type that equates large quantity and cheapness to a good meal, I'd skip Shokunin. This place isn't for you. Since the owner/chef Darren MacLean competed on The Final Table (Nextflix), his restaurant is packed, packed, packed. Make a reservation. I love the new fatty yellow chicken he uses for his yakitori. The yellow chicken has more flavour and is so tender. There's now more cuts and the option for skin on breast and thighs. I like the skin on as I can taste even more of the charcoal flavour. One of my favourite dishes is the duck breast udon. The duck is sliced thin, rare and so silky and juicy. The noodles are fat and chewy. The broth is delicate with a touch of sweetness. And the egg is flavourful and velvety. I'm sorry to see the eggplant dish is not on the menu anymore or the potato salad with pickled onions. But at least he kept the chicken karrage and squid tempura.

This place was so interesting - can't say I have ever even dreamt of eating things like chicken heart, ass or oyster (fancy name for balls) before so it was a fun surprise when these all were in the menu! So fun haha! Anyway my friend made me a try a bunch of things outside my comfort zone including chicken heart, oyster, thyroid and beef tongue and I have to say it was not bad! This just goes to show how anything can be made to taste good if you fry it haha I liked the beef tongue the best personally - check it out for yourself. Apparently the chicken ass was super popular the night I went because it actually got sold out! I also tried their pork belly which was sooo good! Super soft meat with pickles and a few veggies on the side. I also liked their shokunin ramen which was not the usual miso or tonkotsu flavour but much lighter. Everything was tapas style so my friend and I just picked a bunch of things and shared it all. The skewers are all about $5 each and the ramen and pork belly are around $20. It's pretty small portions though so be prepared to either spend a lot or check out another restaurant after for some more food haha I liked it! Would recommend everyone checking it out at least once and also showing it to your friends who are visiting Calgary because the chef is a big deal and on a good show on Netflix so they will definitely be impressed.

Coming from Houston, I fell I have a fairly high standard for what I call exceptional food. This place had the BEST sashimi I have ever had! The duck tongue skewers were great, and drinks and service were top notch. One of the most enjoyable dining experiences I have ever had!

Was told by quite a few friends to check out this restaurant because the owner was on a show. Figured I'd give it a shot and was definitely not disappointed! Personally, I'm not a huge fan of seafood but am a big fan of yakitori so I mostly ordered the grilled skewers. I had chicken wings, miso tenders, heart, wing flap, beef tongue and grilled rice ball. All these items were similar in flavour but they were still very good. Everything was cooked well and evenly flavoured and had a great charred/grill taste. The chicken wings, wing flap and beef tongue were my top 3. On top of that, I also ordered the gyoza upon a friend's recommendation. They were good, but not sure if I can fully appreciate the fusion spin as I grew up eating traditional gyoza/dumplings and the filling of these were quite different. Good and a safe choice but.... Not sure if it was worth the price for me personally. Lastly, I have to say that the service was great. I sat at the bar and got tended to by a few different staff members but they were all very attentive and pleasant to deal with!

Disappointing ... food wasn't great and service was meh Ambiance is nice which is why I give it 2 stars but food wasn't great

Came all the way from Vancouver to try out this restaurant.. and was honestly was not impressed. We made reservations at 8PM. We got placed next to the bathroom (and what seemed to be the staff's locker room?) and had super shoddy service. The music was so loud, that it seemed that our waiter could not hear anything we said... so inevitably the waiter got our order wrong. But I'm usually okay with slow and shoddy service, but what made things worse was the overhyped food. I may be biased and spoiled with Vancoucer Japanese fusion food... but I honestly had higher expectations from a Final Table finalist. 1) Zucchini Tempura - 1/10. Waitress told us about this special and we had to try it. If you ever want thick ass Zucchini with tasteless sauce... this is the perfect dish for you! 2) Sausage of Doom - 3/10. Batter was decent, but I didn't know if you added KewPie mayo and bonito flakes to a frozen corndog... you could call it "Japanese Fusion" and charge $12. 3) Beef Tataki - 7/10. Similar to beef tartar. Other comments mentioned a very strong yuzu taste, but not that strong. Worth trying once, but would not get again. 4) Yakitori - 7/10. I could tell the meat was fresh and well done. Neck and duck heart was quite good. Just pricey and the miso based one was bland and the knee. 5) Chicken Skin - 8/10. Quite a unique dish, but was drenched in KewPie and once again Bonito flakes. But crispy and good proportion size. TL;DR : had high expectations, but was let down. Be prepared for everything to have KewPie Mayo, Okonomi Sauce and Bonito Flakes!!! Skewers were good.

Never been disappointed here, food is absolutely delicious no matter what you order. Service is excellent and they are very knowledgeable and helpful. Love the beef tataki along with many other menu items. Wish they were open for lunch. The cuisine here is a culinary delight. Your tastebuds are in for a real treat!!!

Had to get a proper Izakaya spot in during my trip to Calgary so it was very important to pick the right one and I'm glad I picked the right place! It's small and cozy and the decor had a nice Japanese fusion twist to it. The owner is very welcoming and sat us to our seats while offering his opinions on what he recommends which is nice to see. I started off with a Park Hyatt in the Mist while my girlfriend ordered a Kiiro. As we wanted to try a little bit of everything, we had some nigiri (sawara and hira aji), chicken skin chips, scallop isoyaki, saba kama and some yakitori (shiitake, beef tongue, chicken ass and chicken oyster). You can't go wrong with any of the stuff we ordered as they were all great. I can see why this place was voted top 50 places in Canada and I would definitely come back! Hopefully we will see chef in Vancouver for one of his collaborations in the near future :)

We heard this restaurant from the Netflix TV show-"the final table", We drive all the way from Regina to Calgary to try it, it is very good, their dipping sauce is very special,their Sushi is very creative and delicious, Yakitori and tempura also amazing!

We have been regulars since returning to Calgary and the food and overall experience of dining at Shokunin never disappoints. A great selection of food with some if the freshest and most interesting sashimi supported by an eclectic selection of cooked dishes. Going back soon.

Probably like lots of people have, I came here to meet chef Darren MacLean after watching Final Table. Seeing his passion for what he does and dedication to his craft during the show was super inspirational! Well, we had a Banff trip planned and I figured why not try to meet the infamous Darren while we're in the area!? So I asked the hostess if Darren was in, and sure enough he was! It was a Monday night and we had reservations already set so there was no wait. We decided to do omekase (chef's choice) as we were all pretty much in awe and undecided for what we wanted. There's just no way to describe the amazing experience, and the well balanced dishes Chef Darren and his team created. I cannot recall every dish that came out, the sourcing and the preparations of them (despite his team described it very well prior to setting out our plates), but everything was just so good. My favorite was the cold scallop ($16 CAD for a pair), which was was full of flavor, and so well balanced with the right amount of acidity, juice and texture to it. The sauce ignites a rush of saliva as the scallop touches and melts onto your tongue. Like drops of heaven. The fish plates were SO good and the freshness was outstanding. We had the beef tataki as well, which had a fantastic reduction on a perfectly cooked platter of medium rare sliced beef. We also ordered a bottle of sake, which unfortunately they ran out of, but Chef Darren came over to remedy the situation and gave us a much better bottle that was similar to the dryness of the sake we initially ordered. Not only that, but he also joined us for kanpai! We had maybe 10-12 courses of plates, and it was SUPER affordable given the high quality, intricate and attention-to-detail plates that were put in front of us. In total, including the drinks, our bill came out to about $415 CAD before gratuity for 5 people, which I felt was reasonable. The service was phenomenal and the team clearly was ensuring we had a great time. All in all, I HIGHLY recommend Shokunin for anyone in the area, living here, traveling, etc. I also thought it was super awesome that Chef Darren knew we (read: I) was excited to meet him, and he waited for our table to finish to take a picture together outside (I think he had already finished his shift). Super cool. I have no doubt I will be coming back to Shokunin when I'm in the area again for Banff/Jasper. Next up: visiting Chef Darren's Final Table partner, Tim in LA!

Excellent sashimi, yakitori, and cocktails. Get the Park Hyatt in the Mist cocktail with tea smoke. If you're feeling splurgy get the wagyu beef with bone marrow - it was beyond amazing. I personally loved the beef tataki. My friend was happy to see sparkling sake on the menu, too. Given the quality of the food I thought the prices weren't unreasonable.

Classic that won't stop impressing us. Food is amazing, especially their seafood, sushis, sashimi options. When you visit, make sure to book in advance (2-4 weeks) and to sit at the bar as the kitchen staff loves sharing and make you taste stuff :) Thank you everyone, the service was perfect and you made my birthday even better!

5/5 We went back to give Shokunin another shot outside the Big Taste Calgary event and were really impressed with the food and service! First off, thank you to Darren and staff for the fabulous dinner! The service and ambience were both great. We could talk without having to yell and we were well taken care of at the kitchen bar. Darren was kind enough to take us through our meal and through the ingredients and their sourcing. The course he had set out for us was well balanced and the seasonings were on point. The ingredient quality was also very good, especially by Calgary standards. Ahem... and here comes the slew of delicious food! The courses came as follows: King crab miso soup - the shells were used in the stock which made a beautiful rich and flavorful soup. If you're here on a cold day, definitely have some miso soup to warm up. Sashimi - shima aji, hiramasa, albacore tuna, tai, coho salmon and smoked trout roe. The hiramasa and shima aji were my favourites! Good fish quality Bison tataki - this was beautiful and the flavours were bold! The acidity and citrus from the yuzu pickled onions and the crispy fried garlic bits came together well to match the soft but rich bison which was lean and sliced to a good thinness Aburi style gindara - I am a total sucker for black cod, also known as sablefish or butterfish. This aburi nigiri was melt in my mouth delicious with a mayo, miso sauce complimenting the buttery flavour of the fish and the delicate texture. If you ever want to woo me with food, this right here is the way to do it! Grilled cabbage - we love grilling leafy greens at home and this grilled napa cabbage was no exception! It came with kimizu sauce which I learned today is a Japanese sauce similar to a dairy free hollandaise that I must now go dig up a recipe for! This sauce along with the fried garlic, pickled onion, scallions and what tasted like nori powder made for a dish I could have eaten pile of! Scallop and uni nigiri straight from Hokkaido and never frozen! It's been a while since I've had seafood this good! The last time I had uni this good was IN Hokkaido lol! The scallop was also amazing and I'm wondering how Darren managed to pick all my favourite nigiri choices :P The only thing missing from my top 3 list was ikura with uzura! Clam fritter - sweet clam fritters made with sweet potato and drizzled with honey. The oil had been drained well so it was nice and crispy without being too heavy. All the flavours melded well and the clam flavour isn't overly prevalent... perhaps a good gateway into shellfish if someone isn't familiar and isn't feeling too adventurous. Pickled eggplant - this was another fabulous light dish with pickled eggplant in a sweet dashi soy based sauce. Very similar sauce to that used for agadashi tofu which really complimented the pickled eggplant. Bison gyoza - served with Serrano pepper sauce. I really enjoyed this gyoza and the sauce had an acidic ponzu type base that, along with the spicy kick, cut nicely through the rich bison Yakitori time! Served with a soy based egg yolk dip. There were chicken hearts, ass, and oysters, wagyu beef, and beef tongue. The chicken hearts had good texture and the ass and oysters were tender and rich. Wagyu was tender and done medium rare which was perfect for us. The beef tongue was stellar with the length of the tongue shaved and folded to ensure a wonderful texture that used both the fatty and leaner parts. Finished with a miso creme brulee. I'm not an expert on brulees but this tasted great! Also, i can't recommend the Kiiro cocktail enough! Refreshing and a great match for the sashimi and nigiri! Thank you to Shokunin for a great dinner and I encourage everyone to buy the kitchen a six pack for all their hard work! I would definitely recommend you check this izakaya out! I'll be back to try more, including the ramen!