Shokunin

Our guests are everything! To all of our new friends thanks for the overwhelming support! Happy Lunar New Year!

Spring menu testing! Charashi! Is coming along nicely @chefdarrenmaclean

7th Annual Plate Swap in support of #BB4CK at Model Milk on January 23, 2019. The event has raised over $88,000 for Calgary kids, and we hope to push it to over $100,000 this year!
https://www.btcalgary.ca/videos/7th-annua l-plate-swap/

Mark your calendars! Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019. #PlateSwap
https://www.avenuecalgary.com/…/Plate-S wap-Calgary-Brown-B…/

WALK INS WELCOME! Come hang with this guy any night We will be leaving our Bar and Lounge opens for walk in dining! Reservations can still be made for our dining room! Once again Thank you for all your support and making us so busy! Photo @outlierimagery

Shokunin's Chef Darren MacLean named as one out of 20 inspiring and compelling Calgarians of 2019!
https://calgaryherald.com/tag/2019-compel ling-calgarians

Who binge watched #TheFinalTable over the holidays?
Chef Darren MacLean chatted with CBC's Doug Dirks about the behind the scenes experience of being on the show.
https://www.cbc.ca/listen/…/the-homestr etch/segment/15657179

NYE2018 20 seats @8pm due to demand as 6pm and 7pm are SOLDOUT highlights include this beautiful dry aged bonito toro paired with @domperignonofficial we shaving fresh truffles and serving Northern Divine Aquafarms Ltd caviar! These are the last 20 seats! So for you last minute types call soon! @ Shokunin

Hey we’re open for one last night before the holidays so happy holidays from our family to yours !!!

This is Joon! We have had of amazing yakitori chefs but not a single one to date has taken to the grill with such ease and focus! It’s manic watching him work! Make a reso and check out our grill bar to see what we’re talking about!

Join us for an exclusive New Years Eve dinner at Shokunin curated by Chef Darren MacLean, a finalist on Netflix’s newest cooking competition, The Final Table. Ring in the New Year with a glass of Dom Perignon and the menu listed below for $200 pp.
Limited spots are available, so please reserve your table by calling: (403) 229-3444
Tables are booked for a maximum of 2 hour time slots.
... We hope you can join us!
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https://etcanada.com/…/1…/darren-macl ean-on-the-final-table/
Chef Darren MacLean chats #TheFinalTable with Entertainment Tonight! Watch the interview below.

NEW YEARS EVE 🥂 Ring in the New Year with us on Monday, Dec. 31. . Enjoy a five-course family style meal with champagne for $200 per person (does not include tax or grat). . Two hour seatings only - Call 403-229-3444 to reserve your spot!... . #newyearseve #shokuninyyc #yycevents #yycdrinks #yyceats #chefdarrenmaclean
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Shokunin will be closed this evening to host our amazing friends from @knifewear for their Christmas event! Happy holidays!

We’re so excited by all our new freinds! Make sure to book your table soon as we are now booking 3 weeks out :)

Chef Darren MacLean says it’s time the world recognizes Calgary as the next foodie hot spot in The Toronto Star
https://www.thestar.com/…/calgary-chef- darren-maclean-gets-…

The "Netflix and chill" cocktail inspired by the #FinalTable journey. It combines a buttered popcorn infused bourbon, @suntorywhisky with amaro, sparkling wine and honey. Come visit @shokuninyyc to try it out after watching the show and say hi to @witchbehindthebar . . #chefdarrenmaclean #netflixchefs #thefinaltable #yycdrinks

We love technique and incredible fish! This is why our list is small and sustainably sourced as much as possible!

Amazing feature sold out ! This is @yugyeongkim2 and her first special! Gochujang and red miso buttered YUGI wings! Nice work YUG’s

Wow! The quality of service, knowledge and food was amazing. I have wanted to try Shokunin since last April and it sure didn't disappoint. I think my friend and I have found our new let's treat ourselves spot. We sat by the chefs bar and the knowledge and passion shared with us was incredible. They are artists.

We had the good fortune of experiencing the omakase dinner at Shokunin tonight. This was our second time here-the first was a slightly rocky BigTaste lunch, but after tonight, our image of this restaurant has completely changed, and for the better! We were treated to a vast array of delicious food, including super fresh sushi and sashimi, flavourful miso broth, tasty skewers, interesting hot dishes, and finishing with luscious desserts. The most memorable courses were the miso sablefish sushi (so buttery and melt in your mouth-I was thrilled to learn that this will be a regular sushi addition to the menu), the bone marrow and escargot (rich, but it was an interesting alternative to a more common escargot preparation), and the scallops-so beautifully presented on their shells on a small charcoal burner. A shout out and thank you to chef and owner, Darren, and his team for this memorable meal-we are delighted to consider Shokunin as one of our top go-to Japanese restaurants in town now. What a great introduction of the omakase experience to this city!



*Regretfully, we did not remember the name of our waitress, but she definitely contributed to our wonderful evening. She was fantastic-genuine, efficient, friendly, and so good with our one year old! Thank you!

Visited for the first time today during the Lilac Fest, and I can’t believe that living in the area for many years, it took me this long to try it out.

I was not too hungry as I had filled up on junk, but we decided to stop in and have a drink. Upon reading the menu I HAD to try something Ended up with the corn and shrimp fritter and the eggplant stuffed with goat cheese.

I will be back again for a proper dinner, I just don’t know what I would choose.

Had a brief encounter with the Chef/owner Darren, and I could tell how passionate he was about his place, and reading other reviews I can tell it isn’t just a one time thing!

Will give another update when I go back.

Un real food and atmosphere

This was probably the most interestingly flavored food I’ve ever had so far. Everything was delicious, but my favorites were by far the chicken ass skewer and the shishito peppers! We got the peppers per our server’s recommendation, and they were amazing. The server was attentive and lovely. I will definitely return to try more items on the menu.

This place is exceptional, the owner is the head chef so the quality of the food that leaves the kitchen is not only plated beautifully, it is also finished to the finest detail with wondering balance in flavor that makes every bite enjoyable which leave me wanting more. I had to stop myself from ordering seconds.



The restaurant isn't a big place and does get fairly busy, but it is a very trendy environment which is great for casual occasions, not a place for serious conversation nor quiet privacy.



For people who loves food, this place is a must visit :)

The service is exceptional. The staff remember me and my severe shellfish allergy, particular Darren, the owner. I feel taken care of. The food is amazing with unique yakatori. The fish is fresh. Their ramen is worth the wait until 10pm. He makes a non shellfish one too. They make the best cocktails. Cosmos are done to perfection. Great selection of sake. Bubbly sake is so good. Overall, I can't think of a better place to dine!

The pork is succulent. Every dish is made authentically and with the best treatment of ingredients. The flavour of the dishes and their appeal are like parties in your mouth - and you are the VIP. The staff are knowledgeable with paring and gauging customer palate so to enhance your experience with their carefully selected sake list. Is it possible to give 6 stars? I hear their ramen is life changing. Reserve me a seat please.

The food and the service were fantastic here last night. Really unique cocktails, the trout sashimi was amazing.

Will definitely be coming back. It was so nice to have a server that was engaged in conversation and was able to answer our questions and was passionate about his job!

Staff are friendly and informative and knew the menu inside out. They provided many great recommendations for us and we tried pretty much all of them! Every dish we had was unique and delicious. The same goes for the cocktails! Also they had a great soundtrack...90's hip hop and r&b playing in the background was the cherry on top of our dining experience here. Will for sure be back!

Sat at the Chefs bar and got to chat with the chef and owner - he is super passionate about the food, and the sake. We let him guide our meal and it was amazing.

My favorite of this year!!



First of all, I've waited 4 weeks before writing this review. I was so excited after my visit that I would have given 50 stars. I'm starting to consider myself a foodie as I hit 50+ restaurants on the top 100 in Canada for the first two years of the list and on my way to a third year. I just came back form Italy to eat at Massimo Bottura's table. Enough bragging! SHOKUNIN is definitely exceptional. I sat at the counter and ate close to the serving pass where the chef is located. He took the time to explain every dish and got me excited every time. It is an adventure where you can find things you've never seen before but you'll want more at the end of the night. Every bite was different and delicious. The Chef is accessible and generous. He is also training his staff very seriously. This is a table worth a detour and by detour I mean a flight from Montreal like I did. Let's make this Chef wealthy so he opens more restaurants :D.



Chef Darren, you are the incarnation of what a Chef should be and thank you for a perfect evening and for your crazy good Sake!



Mark

from Montreal

My boyfriend and I set out on a quest a few months ago to find the best ramen in Calgary. We've been to 15 or more places, and hands down Shokunin takes the cake. The owner, Darren is incredibly knowledgeable and very dedicated to his restaurant, which just adds to the amazingness that is Shokunin's food. Expect to leave taken care of and full! We've been back time and time again, and will be back time and time again.

If you want authentic Japanese food this is the place to go! The food is all so amazing and only overshadowed by the amazing atmosphere and staff. I go once a week now. Highly recommend the ramen and all skewers. Thanks Darren!

Great place for a business lunch. Excellent food and atmosphere. Rightfully named one of the top 50 restaurants in Canada.

Great atmosphere, wonderful waitress, delicious ramen and unique sake. Chef has sourced local food for the menu and Shokunin is open late, which for a ramen place in Calgary is rare - definitely my favourite in #yyc and will be back soon.

Exceeded my expectations. Outstanding service, they explained the dishes very well and mad me feel at ease for my first visit. Good wine list.

Everything was so good!!! Radim's service was top notch!!



Have to try the cabbage, chicken skins and the shiitakes but all amazing!!



Oh and the beer on draft is pretty damn good too!!

The food tasted different from the last time we went. The broth was a little bit salty. The waiter was annoyed coz we wanted to split the bill depending on what we ordered and not equally...emphasizing that we are making it difficult for everybody there after he added the tip on each of our tabs. well, the skewers were great though!

Wow! The quality of service, knowledge and food was amazing. I have wanted to try Shokunin since last April and it sure didn't disappoint. I think my friend and I have found our new let's treat ourselves spot. We sat by the chefs bar and the knowledge and passion shared with us was incredible. They are artists.

We had the good fortune of experiencing the omakase dinner at Shokunin tonight. This was our second time here-the first was a slightly rocky BigTaste lunch, but after tonight, our image of this restaurant has completely changed, and for the better! We were treated to a vast array of delicious food, including super fresh sushi and sashimi, flavourful miso broth, tasty skewers, interesting hot dishes, and finishing with luscious desserts. The most memorable courses were the miso sablefish sushi (so buttery and melt in your mouth-I was thrilled to learn that this will be a regular sushi addition to the menu), the bone marrow and escargot (rich, but it was an interesting alternative to a more common escargot preparation), and the scallops-so beautifully presented on their shells on a small charcoal burner. A shout out and thank you to chef and owner, Darren, and his team for this memorable meal-we are delighted to consider Shokunin as one of our top go-to Japanese restaurants in town now. What a great introduction of the omakase experience to this city!



*Regretfully, we did not remember the name of our waitress, but she definitely contributed to our wonderful evening. She was fantastic-genuine, efficient, friendly, and so good with our one year old! Thank you!

Visited for the first time today during the Lilac Fest, and I can’t believe that living in the area for many years, it took me this long to try it out.

I was not too hungry as I had filled up on junk, but we decided to stop in and have a drink. Upon reading the menu I HAD to try something Ended up with the corn and shrimp fritter and the eggplant stuffed with goat cheese.

I will be back again for a proper dinner, I just don’t know what I would choose.

Had a brief encounter with the Chef/owner Darren, and I could tell how passionate he was about his place, and reading other reviews I can tell it isn’t just a one time thing!

Will give another update when I go back.

Un real food and atmosphere

This was probably the most interestingly flavored food I’ve ever had so far. Everything was delicious, but my favorites were by far the chicken ass skewer and the shishito peppers! We got the peppers per our server’s recommendation, and they were amazing. The server was attentive and lovely. I will definitely return to try more items on the menu.

This place is exceptional, the owner is the head chef so the quality of the food that leaves the kitchen is not only plated beautifully, it is also finished to the finest detail with wondering balance in flavor that makes every bite enjoyable which leave me wanting more. I had to stop myself from ordering seconds.



The restaurant isn't a big place and does get fairly busy, but it is a very trendy environment which is great for casual occasions, not a place for serious conversation nor quiet privacy.



For people who loves food, this place is a must visit :)

The service is exceptional. The staff remember me and my severe shellfish allergy, particular Darren, the owner. I feel taken care of. The food is amazing with unique yakatori. The fish is fresh. Their ramen is worth the wait until 10pm. He makes a non shellfish one too. They make the best cocktails. Cosmos are done to perfection. Great selection of sake. Bubbly sake is so good. Overall, I can't think of a better place to dine!

The pork is succulent. Every dish is made authentically and with the best treatment of ingredients. The flavour of the dishes and their appeal are like parties in your mouth - and you are the VIP. The staff are knowledgeable with paring and gauging customer palate so to enhance your experience with their carefully selected sake list. Is it possible to give 6 stars? I hear their ramen is life changing. Reserve me a seat please.

The food and the service were fantastic here last night. Really unique cocktails, the trout sashimi was amazing.

Will definitely be coming back. It was so nice to have a server that was engaged in conversation and was able to answer our questions and was passionate about his job!

Staff are friendly and informative and knew the menu inside out. They provided many great recommendations for us and we tried pretty much all of them! Every dish we had was unique and delicious. The same goes for the cocktails! Also they had a great soundtrack...90's hip hop and r&b playing in the background was the cherry on top of our dining experience here. Will for sure be back!

Sat at the Chefs bar and got to chat with the chef and owner - he is super passionate about the food, and the sake. We let him guide our meal and it was amazing.

My favorite of this year!!



First of all, I've waited 4 weeks before writing this review. I was so excited after my visit that I would have given 50 stars. I'm starting to consider myself a foodie as I hit 50+ restaurants on the top 100 in Canada for the first two years of the list and on my way to a third year. I just came back form Italy to eat at Massimo Bottura's table. Enough bragging! SHOKUNIN is definitely exceptional. I sat at the counter and ate close to the serving pass where the chef is located. He took the time to explain every dish and got me excited every time. It is an adventure where you can find things you've never seen before but you'll want more at the end of the night. Every bite was different and delicious. The Chef is accessible and generous. He is also training his staff very seriously. This is a table worth a detour and by detour I mean a flight from Montreal like I did. Let's make this Chef wealthy so he opens more restaurants :D.



Chef Darren, you are the incarnation of what a Chef should be and thank you for a perfect evening and for your crazy good Sake!



Mark

from Montreal

My boyfriend and I set out on a quest a few months ago to find the best ramen in Calgary. We've been to 15 or more places, and hands down Shokunin takes the cake. The owner, Darren is incredibly knowledgeable and very dedicated to his restaurant, which just adds to the amazingness that is Shokunin's food. Expect to leave taken care of and full! We've been back time and time again, and will be back time and time again.

If you want authentic Japanese food this is the place to go! The food is all so amazing and only overshadowed by the amazing atmosphere and staff. I go once a week now. Highly recommend the ramen and all skewers. Thanks Darren!

Great place for a business lunch. Excellent food and atmosphere. Rightfully named one of the top 50 restaurants in Canada.

Great atmosphere, wonderful waitress, delicious ramen and unique sake. Chef has sourced local food for the menu and Shokunin is open late, which for a ramen place in Calgary is rare - definitely my favourite in #yyc and will be back soon.

Exceeded my expectations. Outstanding service, they explained the dishes very well and mad me feel at ease for my first visit. Good wine list.

Everything was so good!!! Radim's service was top notch!!



Have to try the cabbage, chicken skins and the shiitakes but all amazing!!



Oh and the beer on draft is pretty damn good too!!

The food tasted different from the last time we went. The broth was a little bit salty. The waiter was annoyed coz we wanted to split the bill depending on what we ordered and not equally...emphasizing that we are making it difficult for everybody there after he added the tip on each of our tabs. well, the skewers were great though!