The Shozan Room

What is The Shozan Room? Anchoring the lower stretch of Ossington Avenue in Trinity Bellwoods, The Shozan Room (also known as Bar Shozan) is a moody, two-storey Japanese drinking den and izakaya helmed by Chef Kohei Matsuyama. The narrow interior features a snug ground-floor bar counter, a roomier upstairs dining space with ambient lighting, and seasonal patio seating out front.

The Shozan Room Menu & What to Order Matsuyama champions a "new-wave Japanese" tapas philosophy centered around stove-smoked seafood and elevated bar snacks. The Sashimi No. 7 is essential, presenting cured and smoked cuts of maguro, salmon, and botan ebi meant to be savoured without soy sauce. Order the pounded-to-order duck pastrami wraps finished with miso-red wine glaze and cacao nibs alongside crispy chicken tebasaki wings, then pair them with small-batch sake or shochu cocktails.

Know Before You Go Online reservations carry a 90-minute dining window, though walk-ins can often find a bar seat if arriving right at the 5:30 p.m. opening or later in the evening. Street parking along Ossington is scarce, so taking the 501 Queen streetcar or the 63 Ossington bus is the easiest route. The kitchen operates for dinner Wednesday through Sunday and remains closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.