Hajime Japanese Restaurant

What is Hajime Japanese Restaurant? Occupying a storefront at 2209 Queen Street East in The Beach, Hajime Japanese Restaurant provides a dependable neighborhood haven for unpretentious Japanese cooking. The dining room keeps things straightforward with warm wood tables, understated lighting, and a relaxed, low-key setting suited for casual weeknight meals. Seating is cozy and confined indoors, functioning as a sit-down dining spot and an essential takeout counter for east-end locals.

Hajime Japanese Restaurant Menu & What to Order The kitchen turns out a versatile lineup spanning flame-seared pressed sushi, comforting donburi bowls, and hearty katsu curry platters. Start with the crunchy tori karaage and gyoza before moving to the salmon oshi sushi, which arrives nicely torched with spicy mayo and house garnish. For comfort fare, order the thick katsu curry over rice or the loaded Hajime signature sashimi don, while vegetarians can lean on avocado maki, seaweed salad, and crispy battered tofu.

Know Before You Go Tables operate on a walk-in basis, and while wait times are rarely prohibitive, the dining room fills quickly during peak weekend dinner hours. The 501 Queen streetcar stops right nearby, making transit simple, whereas Queen Street East street parking fills fast on sunny summer days. Hajime is closed on Tuesdays, operating from noon until 9:00 p.m. with last call for food at 8:30 p.m.