Having only been to 9 of the 12 Michelin-starred restaurants in Vancouver, Colin and I realized we had some critical catching up to do. Recently, a friend (hi, Ruth!) indicated that she had an amazing meal at Sushi Hyun in the West End. We were very pleased to get back to the serious task of ranking the ranked.
Sushi Hyun received its Michelin Star in October of 2025. It was also at that time that their chef, Ju Hyun Lee, received the Best Young Chef Award.
Chef Lee has created an intimate dining omakase experience for 8 guests. Upon arrival, each guest is ushered to their seat at the sushi bar, which consists of a silky-smooth, flaxen counter that we are proudly told has been fashioned from a single, unblemished piece of 200-year-old Japanese Hinoki wood. The décor is the typical minimalist, neutral palette of earthy tones and natural materials that the Japanese are known for. Even the tile on the wall has been imported directly from Japan.
We sat directly in front of the chef, giving us an enviable vantage point. Chef Lee was meticulous in his expert preparation of 18 different “courses” – usually consisting of 1 piece of Edomae style sushi. Edomae is a traditional Japanese method of preparing nigiri that dates back to the early 1800’s. Special treatment of the various fish includes marinating, curing, simmering and wrapping fish in kelp. The delectable seafood was imported from the Toyosu Market in Tokyo.
All the usual superlative descriptions apply here – melt-in -your-mouth, umami, decadent, mouth-watering, etc. The flawlessly prepared fish included: sea bream, sardine, goldeneye snapper, bluefin tuna, tilefish, sweet shrimp, mackerel, sea urchin and sea eel.
By the end of the meal, finishing up with Kuromitsu Kinako ice cream and melon we were nicely satiated and feeling very special for having gotten to experience this culinary treat.
We ordered a robust, slightly sweet cold sake and also enjoyed a superb white wine. Your reservation is guaranteed with a $300-per-person deposit, which is refunded to your credit card when you arrive. With taxes, beverages and tip, the total came to around $900 for the two of us.
Rather than debate the merits of spending such sums on a 2 ½ hour dining experience, I will just say that these extravagant ventures fall under “the finer things in life”.
For us, Sushi Hyun scores a near-perfect 9.5/10.
Restaurant Details – Sushi Hyun
- Chef: Ju Hyun Lee (Vancouver Young Chef Award 2025)
- Location: 795 Jervis Street, Vancouver, BC
- Style: Intimate omakase experience focused on meticulous Japanese culinary traditions
- Reservations only through TOCK.
Read about our other Michelin-star Experiences:
iDen & Quanjude Beijing Duck House (Vancouver, BC)
Barbara Restaurant (Vancouver, BC)
Burdock & Company (Vancouver, BC)
Levadura de Olla (Oaxaca, Mexico)
Okeya Kyujiro (Vancouver, BC)
Lars (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Kissa Tanto (Vancouver, BC)
Wild Honey (London, England)
St Lawrence (Vancouver, BC)
Cranes (Washington, DC)
AnnaLena (Vancouver, BC)
Masayoshi (Vancouver, BC)
Published on Main (Vancouver, BC)
And THESE restaurants don’t have a Michelin Star – but definitely should! (In our opinion.)
Pluvio (Ucluelet, BC)
The Palm Court (London, England)