At Honō, it happens in the gestures, and in the consistency of these gestures. As newcomers to the community, it is with respect that we make our place. Saint-Roch is like a team: we wear it proudly on our jersey, and when there are players who fall, we are there to reach out to them.
Speaking of respect: for us, respect is measured by the sum of the parts to which we decide to apply it, and this is what makes our integrity. Here there is no discrimination. Respect is applied everywhere: to traditions, to food, to customers and to their experience. Fla-fla in our decor, we don't want it. We do not try to influence the client by anything other than our thirst to perfect the fusion of Japanese and Quebec cultures.
Details
Our Specialties
Yakitoris (small skewers grilled on our Japanese grill)
Tempura and fried dishes
Sake and cocktails
Hono Izakaya provides an exceptional dining experience that frequently earns praise for its authentic Japanese small plates, expertly grilled yakitori, and vibrant atmosphere. Guests consistently highlight the quality and creative preparation of the dishes, with standout items such as the tender pork belly, marinated quail eggs, and flavorful ramen often receiving special mention. While the popular venue can be bustling and reservations are strongly recommended to secure a spot, the attentive and knowledgeable staff work hard to ensure a welcoming environment. Whether visitors are enjoying cocktails at the bar or sharing a variety of flavorful tapas, the combination of professional service, delicious food, and a warm, inviting setting makes it a highly regarded destination in Québec City.
We had a mixed experience at this restaurant. The food itself was generally good; we especially enjoyed the yakitori king eryngii (grilled mushroom) & the vegetable okonomiyaki. The momo chicken thigh yakitori, wagyu & fish temaki were just okay.
Where the experience unfortunately fell apart was with the dessert of the season & the way the situation was handled. It was described as a Black Forest-inspired dessert with chocolate cake, berry & chocolate sauces, & whipped cream. When the dessert arrived, we identified a very strong taste of alcohol & immediately asked the waiter about the alcohol content, as one of us is pregnant.
He initially told us the cake batter contained beer but insisted it was safe to eat because it was baked. When we asked if the berry sauce might also have alcohol, as the taste was too strong to come only from the cake, he went to check with the kitchen. He returned & confirmed that alcohol was also used in the chocolate sauce, & again reassured us it was safe. Unfortunately, this reflects a common myth: alcohol does NOT fully disappear when cooked or baked.
Alcohol should always be disclosed, as it affects people who are pregnant, medically restricted, avoiding alcohol for religious reasons, or in recovery. The dessert was removed from the bill, which we appreciated, but the interaction left a negative impression.
The staff would benefit from doing proper research on cooking with alcohol & ensuring full ingredient transparency.
This was the best meal we had in Quebec City this visit, & one place we went to was $600 for two. Hono Izakaya was 170 for two before gratuity, including a few unique cocktails & we had a lot of food. So it is saying something. The food here is very good & it has good vibes & service. Standouts were the miso salmon & mono yakitoris, & the crème brûlée, but everything was good. Fair warning the okonomiyaki were pretty huge so don't order both if there are only two of you (lesson learned haha), also the meat one has very strong smoked fish flakes on it that was not our cup of tea but can understand some people may love it if smoke fish is your thing. Anyhoo thank you Hono Izakaya for restoring my faith in the Quebec food scene 🙏 I will go here again! Side note it's across from a big Eglise de Scientologie which is also a bit of a novelty to see for those of us that are small town folk at heart.
The reviews certainly weren't lying when they said this is one of the best Japanese restaurants around.
Coming from Toronto where I've had many great Japanese meals, I wasn't sure where this restaurant would rank. After dining there, it's definitely one of the top Japanese restaurants I've been to in Canada! The highlights for us were the edamame, sashimi, & all of the skewers (standout was the pork belly, but the others were all amazing as well). For us personally, the curry karaage & rice bowls were not as impressive, though still great. If I had the chance to come back, I'd treat this as purely an appetizer & yakitori restaurant, because those aspects were extremely delicious & reasonably priced.
Service was also great & attentive, which is important in a place where you will (likely) be ordering multiple times due to the small size of the tables. Hopefully we have the opportunity to try their ramen restaurant next time!
Sep 26, 2025
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Outstanding service, menu, cocktails, design. We were thrilled to find this restaurant in Quebec City. We love Japanese food & Hono Izakaya did not disappoint. Our waiter, Alex, was attentive, knowledgeable, friendly, & calm despite the large number of people he was serving. The cocktails were creative & delicious, the yakitori were perfectly cooked & delicious, especially the duck heart. Their take on the classic agedashi is light & flavorful, with a darker, umami-full dashi. We hope to return soon!
Très belle expérience dans ce restaurant japonais ! Ambiance épurée & chaleureuse, accueil souriant, nous avons vite été à l'aise. Les cocktails sont très élaborés & la nourriture délicieuse, mention spéciale pour les yakitoris. A noter egalement le prix doux. Nous recommandons fortement cet endroit si vous cherchez un restaurant gastronomique japonais dans une ambiance chaleureuse.
Small & cozy restaurant. Food is excellent. Pork belly, fried chicken, salmon yakitori were stand outs, everything was good. Great friendly service. Pricing is reasonable . Highly recommend.
Merveilleuse expérience culinaire.
Accueil & service impeccable. très bonne limonade au Yuza pour les amateurs de boissons citronné. La nourriture était excellente, particulièrement les Yakitoris Momo (brochettes de poulet) & le Karrage de poulet (poulet frit).
Nous avons pris aussi Shashimi, Tataki de boeuf, Dumpling de porc Nagano & bol de riz avec porc.
Miam miam, nous reviendrons lors de notre prochain passage à Québec
My boyfriend & I went to dinner at this restaurant a week & a half ago. The food was so fantastic, especially the yakitori & tataki (definitely get this if you are going). If we lived locally we definitely be enjoying this restaurant often.
I contacted the office later as my boyfriend left his sunglasses behind & we had left town back to Toronto. The manager mailed them back to us! I'm so impressed by this entire experience.
Definitely come & try it out if you are in Quebec!
Three Stars of Confusion & Karaage Glory
Let's start with the pickled vegetables, which felt like a random game of fridge roulette. Who knew disappointment could come in so many vinegary shades?
Then came the yakitoris. The salmon belly? Imagine two sad little pizza slices whispering about the idea of salmon. Salty enough to pickle your soul, & priced like we were buying tickets to a live fish opera. The other yakitori, lovingly(?) named'momi,' had the texture of melted glue sticks & the testosterone level of a tofu yoga retreat. Japan is fire & grit-this was more like a wet napkin in cosplay.
& then, the karaage arrived. Golden. Glorious. Crispy. The sauce? A power move. It slapped harder than a kung fu grandma. We considered ordering 12 more, but our own'nature' stopped us.
Hope flickered again with the wagyu tartare, only to be swiftly extinguished. Served with ancient potato chips that tasted like air's last breath. The tartare itself was the culinary equivalent of a bad haiku-sad, cold, & vaguely existential.
Last came the beef tataki, starring flavorless beef & tomatoes so watery they could've cried themselves onto the plate. If you've ever wanted to taste the absence of excitement, this is your moment.
The staff? Absolute legends. Smiling, helpful, & seemingly aware of the food's emotional rollercoaster. They alone earn this place its three stars.
The BEST okonomiyaki I have ever had! I hate when people say that, but it's really true for me this time. I have tried this in numerous restaurants across the US (we have not yet made it to Japan, but it's on our short list) & these guys nailed it! It was actually a pancake, & it was fluffy, & filled with scallions & flavor. The pork belly melted in your mouth. Every other dish we had was also lip-smacking delicious. We've never had marinated quail eggs, & we swooned over these. The asparagus yakitori was beautifully charred, & the tempura shitakes were creamy goodness. Just wow! Service was attentive & fast. If we make it back to Quebec, we'll definitely return here. Also, what a great value!
