it's honestly so good, every dish i tried, i thoroughly enjoyed. i need to go back and try everything on their menu, but it'll be hard because i want to re-order everything i had

New Retro is truly a hidden gem. It's one of those places that you want to tell everyone about but also keep a secret. Toni, the head chef is born and trained in Japan and consistently crafts some of the most creative dishes in the city. His rotating menu is tight and purposeful, often reflective of seasonal flavours with much of the ingredients coming directly from Japan, through one of Toni's trusted purveyors based in the land of the rising sun. From fresh sashimi, to a tomato and truffle based dashi broth with thin somen noodles and expertly cooked duck breast, to amazing sushi, Toni doesn't miss. Did I mention that everything is prepared and cooked in front of you? I visit New Retro often - sometimes for a set menu, or just some sake and a snack or a full omakase experience. It's a neighbourhood restaurant - welcoming and warm. It's dimly lit with funky soul, jazz or reggae tunes played on an excellent sound system. The bar is traditionally Japanese; made of solid wood and the best place to sit. I'm privileged to have such an amazing restaurant in my neighbourhood. I hope you get a chance to visit soon.

Food and drinks (not pictured; though it was just beer and plum sake) were great. I would come back and start with the Cha-One-Mushi. Then, pair the Beef Tartare with the Uni Butter. After, have the Roasted Duck with their Japanese fried rice (not ordered). Personally, I would skip the Dashi Maki. The service for food started slow but once the dishes came out, the pace was good. The ambiance was intimate, cozy, and good mood lighting. Definitely worth coming back to. Also, they supposedly change their menu every two weeks.

I discovered this hidden gem in downtown Toronto and I am so glad I did! Everything here is amazing - the food tastes so authentic it's as if we are back in Japan! We ordered tasting menu for one person and added a bunch of other stuff so that we can try everything. I'm very happy to learn that not everyone in the group has to order the tasting menu if only certain people want to (it's not something you can do in Japan, so I'm very glad they offer that flexibility). The drinks are also very unique and Japanese. The service here is great, and the waitress introduces every dish. It certainly gives you a fine dining experience even though this is a izakaya. They change their menu every two weeks (including the drink menu), and it gives us more reason to keep coming back! Highly recommended!!

Great food and drinks, and the servers are so attentive. I got the sour plum cocktail and berry mojito and they were both great. Recommend the ebi mayo (shrimp in mayo and tomato sauce) and roasted duck.

I had a wonderful night at NEW RETRO! The staff were extremely professional, helpful, and observant. We ordered noodles to share, and they impressively distributed them into three bowls before serving. As it was a birthday dinner, they also went above and beyond by helping with storing the birthday cake we prepared, lighting it with candles, and playing the birthday song as background music. Highly recommend for their exceptional service!

New Retro Japanese restaurant is located in the Cabbagetown South neighborhood, in Toronto, Ontario. It's hidden in a basement, underneath the Zakkushi on Carlton Japanese Izakaya. Amazing food, great atmosphere and very friendly and interactive staff. Discovered this little gem completely by chance, while dining at a restaurant located right above it. The menu boasts a wide variety of Sakes, delicious cocktails and highly refined, amazing dishes. Every single dish was an explosion of flavours. Ended up trying almost the entire menu, and everything was on point. (Had 4 dinners at this place in a span of 3 nights). Can't recommend this place enough. If you have a chance, definitely grab a spot at their beautiful bar, if you'd like to interact with the team for a highly immersive experience. On the menu: • Thailandaise Seared Mackerel: Vinegared mackerel, cilantro, pine nuts, sansho, house made sauce with mustard, saikyo miso, sesame, soy sauce. • Potato Salad: Potato, shuto, bacon jam, parmesan cheese. • Stewed Oxtail: Stewed oxtail with potherb veggies, hatcho miso, red wine, served with grilled seasonal veggies. • Roasted duck: Roasted confit duck, balsamic vinegar, garlic teriyaki sauce, duxelle paste, blue cheese sauce. • Chicken Nanban • Grilled & Steamed Sablefish: Black cod marinated in sake kasu, saikyo miso. • Dashi maki: Rolled omlette, soy sauce, kombu & bonito dashi stock. • Obanzai: Chef's assorted sampler. • Ryu Kyu: Chef's choice of sashimi marinated in sweet soy sauce, sesame, shiso basil. • A couple of off the menu items ;) Dessert: • Yuzu Semifreddo Instagram: newretro_b1_193carlton

New Retro is a basement bar flooded with divine dishes. Loved how a tiny menu could offer such an outsized variety of tastes. Plates are small-ish, flavours are big, and would suggest sharing to maximize the experience. Went here for dinner and got: - Stewed Oxtail: Superb fall-of-the-bone oxtail with a rich thick sauce. You believe it when they say this was cooked for five days in hatcho miso and red wine because it tastes that way. - Sea's Harvest: Raw spot prawn that is really juicy. Side crab and uni miso sauces were excellent counterbalances to the raw freshness. Afterwards, they deep fried the leftover heads, and it came out really tasty and crunchy. - Thailandaise Seared Mackarel: The rich fishy-ness of the mackerel was balanced nicely by a generous amount of cilantro and sauce. My wife doesn't usually like mackarel and she loved this dish. - Kaisen Don: If you're on the hungrier side, get this dish. It's your standard chirashi bowl but with uni! - Smoked Katsuo Tataki: Came with the theatrical smoke bowl. The sear on the tataki was spot on. - Dashi Maki: Rolled omelette which was traditional in its delicacy of taste and consistency. After the strong flavours across the dishes, this was almost like a palette cleanser. - Yuzu Sorbet: Looked like a mess, tasted like the absolute best yuzu sorbet I've had in the city. - Salty Lychee: Refreshing cocktail that tones down the sweet soho lychee with some rum, lemon juice and salt. Everything is pricey but the quality makes it worth the treat. Service is top-noth: informative, welcoming, efficient. Overall vibe is casually energetic. New Retro will easily be one of those (literal) underground places that everyone talks about because it is that good.