Karasu brings a 14-course yakitori omakase with Latin flavours to Adelaide Street West

Toronto has another yakitori counter. Karasu, a new restaurant on Adelaide Street West, made the list of new openings that Streets of Toronto published on November 5, 2026. It serves a chicken-focused omakase grilled over binchotan charcoal, with Latin American flavours added to Japanese technique.

We already covered Yakitori Momiji in Yorkville, so here is what is known about Karasu, how the two compare, and what is still unconfirmed.

What the reports say about Karasu

Streets of Toronto says Karasu serves a 14-course omakase built around chicken grilled over binchotan, with Japanese techniques meeting Latin flavours. Seating is a chef's counter with only 14 places, so diners watch the skewers cook. According to the same piece, the courses include specialty cuts and offal, plus seasonal vegetables and signature dishes. It also reports that the chicken is prepared in-house every day.

Foodservice and Hospitality describes the space as an upstairs room on Adelaide West. It says the menu is "rooted in the traditions of Japanese yakitori" and inspired by Latin techniques and flavours. The trade magazine adds that every ingredient is prepared in-house and grilled over binchotan.

Streets of Toronto gives the address as 495 Adelaide St. W. A listing on AAA adds that the restaurant is on the second floor and has the postal code M5V 1T4. The Instagram post embedded in the Streets of Toronto round-up comes from an account called Karasu Toronto (@karasu.to).

Price: $175 now, $198 later

The two reports give slightly different prices. Streets of Toronto says the soft-opening menu costs $175 per person, and that the price will then go up to $198. Foodservice and Hospitality lists only the $198 price for the 14-course menu.

Our reading is that $198 is the regular price and $175 is a soft-opening rate. Neither report says how long the soft opening will last. Neither says whether drinks, tax or gratuity are included either. If the lower price matters to you, ask the restaurant before you book.

Karasu and Yakitori Momiji side by side

In the same round-up, Streets of Toronto also listed Yakitori Momiji in Yorkville. That restaurant comes from chef Masaki Saito, the chef behind Sushi Masaki Saito, together with chef Takuma Mukouzaka. Here is how the two compare, based on what has been reported:

On its own website, Momiji calls itself Toronto's first dedicated yakitori counter. Its chicken is sourced from a farm about a 1.5-hour drive away.

In our view, the two restaurants go in different directions. Momiji highlights its Japanese roots and where its chicken comes from. Karasu is openly a fusion. For readers who know yakitori from Japan, that difference is probably the main thing to consider when choosing.

Some background on yakitori and omakase

According to a Taste Toronto guide, yakitori is chicken on a bamboo skewer, slowly cooked over charcoal and finished with salt or tare, a thick, sweet soy-based sauce. The same guide notes that in Japan some yakitori chefs spend their whole careers on this one craft.

Toronto has long had casual yakitori izakayas. Counters like Karasu and Momiji turn skewers into a set tasting menu instead.

What we couldn't confirm

The sources we checked do not name Karasu's chef or owners. They also do not give an exact opening date. We could not confirm any of this directly from the restaurant, so the restaurant's own social media is the best place to check before you go.

Karasu also appears to be hiring. An Indeed listing shows front-of-house and kitchen jobs at 495 Adelaide Street West. It says experience in Japanese restaurants, omakase, sushi or izakaya is "a strong asset." If you work in Japanese food in Toronto, you can also browse DOJI's job listings.

Share what you find

Have you been to Karasu or Momiji, or do you have a favourite yakitori spot in the GTA? Tell other Japanese speakers in Canada in the DOJI community, where readers share local tips and questions.