Photo by Felipe Sena on Google Reviews (August, 2025)
Going into Hanmoto is like those secret hideaway places you see in the movies. It’s hidden in the centre of Little Portugal in Toronto. There’s no signage, just a plain exterior and a subtle glow just to spark your curiosity about what’s inside. Upon entry, your expectations would have been deemed right; it’s a small but lively area that’s surrounded by antiques with hints of industrial elements and dark lighting.
I really liked my experience with Hanmoto! Even though it’s small, the noise level was surprisingly comfortable—you can still have a conversation without shouting—and the room is snug yet poorly illuminated. To be honest, I was mistaken to think the servings of the food would be little. The portions of each dish were enough and ideal for two people to share. I ordered their miso ice cream, moto bun, and enoki mushrooms. Even though I’ve never been a big fan of enoki mushrooms, I was actually shocked by how tasty these were. Another standout item was the Moto Bun, which was flavourful, rich, and crispy. The miso ice cream has the ideal ratio of salt to sweetness to cap off the evening.
Darren Calabrese wrote in The Globe and Mail, “We had the sweet miso ice cream for dessert; it is dense and rich (it’s done kulfi-style with condensed milk, frozen in blocks instead of churned). It comes dusted with nori powder. The flavour and texture are reminiscent of cheese as much as of ice cream. It’s delicious stuff, though far too savoury for more than four bites. A slap of acidity would make it a knockout dish.” I agree with what he said about the miso ice cream being quite fulfilling for its taste; I personally believe that it should be adjusted at some point.
world_traveller_MC on TripAdvisor stated, “Food is decent, but service is terrible. Came here on a Friday night with a group of five; it was a busy spot, which was a good sign. We were told the wait would be an hour, so we left our name and went to grab a drink. Came back 1.5 hours later, and they said the table should be ready shortly.” I would highly recommend going to this place early, especially on weekdays since it is their busiest day. There are no reservations here; it’s basically just a first-come, first-served type of restaurant.
Hanmoto is definitely worth checking out if you’re wanting authentic Japanese flavours but want something aside from sushi and ramen. The prices lean a little higher, but they seem reasonable given the quality and serving sizes. It’s one of those places where you start thinking about your future trip as soon as you leave.
