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Interior - Guu Original Thurlow, Vancouver, BC

Guu Original Thurlow

4.6 (404)
CAN$30 and under
Japanese
838 Thurlow Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 1W2

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A photo of Guu Original Thurlow restaurant

Guu Original Thurlow

4.6
CAN$30 and under
Japanese
Downtown

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 9 times today

About this restaurant

  • Lively
  • Good for groups
  • Hot spot
*Please note that our patio is not allowed to serve any alcoholic drinks due to the license we have.

Guu Original on Thurlow is where the Izakaya boom started. It’s not only the first Guu to open, but is the very first Izakaya in Vancouver.

Established in 1993 as “Raku” & changed to “Guu” in 2000, this Guu offers the most authentic Izakaya experience, offering classic dishes like Yaki Udon & Oden. This is as close you’ll get to the real deal….unless you fly to Japan.


We keep seats for walk-in customers as well. No available seats on OpenTable do not mean we are fully booked. Please be aware that the time-limited per table is two hours during peak hours.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    CAN$30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Japanese, Tapas / Small Plates, Fusion / Eclectic
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 am–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am Lunch Daily 11:30 am–2:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Cross street
    Robson
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Canada Line: get off at Vancouver City Center station and 10 min walk Sky Train: get off at Burrard station and 8 min walk #005 bus, the closest stop is Robson + Thurlow
  • Additional
    Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Wine

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Guu Original Thurlow.

4.6

4.6
(404)
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Vancouver

    Lively

404 Reviews
  1. Vivian Gold

    Vancouver3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on October 24, 2026

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Honestly, this place is usually a hit. I loveee coming here but yesterday it was just bad service, and mediocre food. Im not sure what happened but this isnt the Guu I know.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Gloria

    Vancouver1 review

    5.0

    Dined on October 22, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great atmosphere and affordable lunch options. Every dish is always cooked to perfection and the quality is sublime.

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  3. Doug

    Toronto1 review

    5.0

    Dined on October 22, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great location and great vibes - great authentic food taken up a notch! Mecha oishiiiiiii!!!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Paul

    Vancouver20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 11, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Guu Original is our favourite. The daily special menu always has something interesting to try, and the regular menu has great items to choose from too. I like to sit at the counter to watch them prepare the meals, treated with the occasional flare up from the wok. This last time we had a funny interaction with the staff. I have learned the Hiragana alphabet and pointed out a slight error in the English translation. Their translation came out a very funny error. The correct English was shishito peppers, their translation was "shishit". I suggested they might not sell of much of that that evening.

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  5. RAFFAELE Gold

    Vancouver4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on August 26, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of Vancouver’s best...if not the absolute best Japanese Izakaya restaurants delivers an unforgettable culinary experience with delicious dishes, a daily osusume, and an authentic atmosphere. The friendly, all-Japanese staff create the feeling of being right in Japan. It’s also perfect for spontaneous visits and an easygoing night out, making it a go-to spot for both solo and shared experience

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  6. Sherry

    Detroit1 review

    5.0

    Dined on July 4, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very authentic izakaya experience in Downtown Vancouver! The sashimi were very fresh and atmosphere/vibe is vibrant and lively with high energy staff that are welcoming and friendly.

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  7. Ernest Gold

    San Francisco55 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 22, 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Food is good though on the pricer side. Appetizers are unique and tasty, though they could use larger portions, especially for their entrees.

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  8. Joseph

    Seattle10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 20, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of our favorite places to eat when visiting Vancouver.

    Is this helpful?

  9. yuyan

    Vancouver1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    good service and energetic staff. food is so good.

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  10. Paul

    Vancouver20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 7, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Of all the Guu locations, we love original Guu the most. It reminds us of our trips to Japan.

    Is this helpful?

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    CAN$30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Japanese, Tapas / Small Plates, Fusion / Eclectic
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 am–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am Lunch Daily 11:30 am–2:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Cross street
    Robson
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Canada Line: get off at Vancouver City Center station and 10 min walk Sky Train: get off at Burrard station and 8 min walk #005 bus, the closest stop is Robson + Thurlow
  • Additional
    Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Wine

FAQs

Private dining isn't part of Guu Original Thurlow's offering, the focus is on the open, convivial dining room, though there are two back-room tables used for slightly larger groups.

Casual dress, comfortable, informal clothing is appropriate; nothing formal is required.

Portions at Guu Original Thurlow tend to be generous, guests often praise hearty dishes like the karaage and fried rice as filling and satisfying.

Guu Original Thurlow has a main dining room with a lively bar and counter overlooking the kitchen, a small back room with two tables for slightly larger groups, and an outdoor patio.

Yes, Guu Original Thurlow is often chosen for celebrations and intimate meals, with guests praising anniversary and birthday visits and enjoying its warm, lively izakaya atmosphere.

Friday nights are a lovely pick, guests call it a "perfect Friday night meal" for the lively izakaya vibe; if you prefer an easier seat, one guest noted they could be seated quickly on a Thursday evening.

Guu Original Thurlow is frequently busy, reviewers describe it as packed and often fully reserved, so booking is recommended; Thursday early evenings (example: 6:30 p.m.) have had immediate seating.

Yes, families dine here comfortably: reviewers report bringing young children, note the high booth seats (no boosters needed), and describe relaxed family visits.

Guu Original Thurlow feels like an authentic, high-energy izakaya, vibrant staff greet you, and cozy bar seating gives a front-row view of the cooks at work.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. Canada
  3. Vancouver / British Columbia
  4. Vancouver
  5. Downtown

Make a reservation

A photo of Guu Original Thurlow restaurant

Guu Original Thurlow

4.6
CAN$30 and under
Japanese
Downtown

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 9 times today
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