Let's Try Daimanya: The Best AYCE Sushi in the Greater Vancouver?

Let's eat some all-you-can-eat sushi at Daimanya. Is it possible to have both quantity and quality for AYCE sushi? All you can eat sushi is a bit of a mixed bag here in Vancouver; there's not a lot of options here, and the ones that we have tend to be hit or miss or very expensive for what you order. Richmond Sushi Ninkazu and Shabusen are popular options, but Daimanya positions themselves as a premium experience with better offerings at a higher price.

We made a reservation and ate on a weekday afternoon, around a 5:00 PM reservation. Daimanya has a wide range of hot and cold items, from your typical sashimi, to rolls and unique hot dishes like A5 Miyazaki Hot Pot, wagyu beef fried rice, and lobster with truffle sauce.

Everything we tried was fresh, tasty, and prepared well. We ordered a mix of rolls, grilled and fried items, and their premium A5 wagyu hotpot. The food came promptly as we dined at a off-peak time to take advantage of their price discounts. 

The menu items we tried were very luxurious for an all you can eat. Yes we did pay more, at $68 a person, but this was more of an experience too getting to try items not normally available on a typical Japanese restaurant. The normal price of ayce is $88 on weekends and $78 on weekdays with a limit of 2 hours. However, if you dine and leave before 7PM, you get a $10 discount per person. If you have a birthday, the meal is free with a minimum of 4 people dining in. We felt $68 a person was great value for what we ordered.

Not only did the food look great, but it tasted fresh - something quite rare for an all you can eat. So it was quite interesting to see a focus on premium seafood in an all-you-can eat environment. We got to try scallops, oysters, and even aburi sushi. The lobster was our favourite dish as well as the oysters.

The decor was also modern and sleek, which made the restaurant very inviting. It is a smaller restaurant, so you need to make a reservation if you want to secure your spot. Compared to similar premium dining options in Vancouver, Daimanya is a hit. For the food that we ate at that price, it was much more worth it than going to a high-end restaurant with a set 3 course menu and small portions. I would definitely return and preferably on a birthday for their complementary special or a weekday for their happy hour pricing before 7PM. 

Hits: 

• AYCE Premium selection of fresh seafood and dishes, including the sashimi
• High-end options available, not just rolls, rice, and noodles
• Get to try unique, quality cuts of meat and seafood at a more accessible price

Misses:

• Stay away from the basic items like takoyaki and some of the basic rolls (go for the more unique options you can't get elsewhere)
• Parking situation is challenging, all paid parking
• Need to eat with a good appetite or you'll just throw money down the drain

Rating: 4.75/5 - great selection for sushi and all you can eat, much better than alternatives and worth the visit once in a while for a treat. What's next in our food adventures?