Review-Onigiri Shop Monkland Ave, Montreal

Today was my first visit to the Onigiri Shop. Since its opening, I have passed by this restaurant a few times and did not get the chance to visit it until today.

The Onigiri Shop is located at 5600 Monkland Ave., adjacent to Sushi Sama. This Japanese sushi shop is about a 5-minute walk from Metro Villa Maria. They are the newest attraction on Monkland Ave., and from what I heard, they are a must-try. Check out my detailed visits below, comment, and tell me your favorite onigiri on their menu.

“The Onigiri Shop is very busy; arrive early to beat the wait times.”

I arrived today after 1 p.m., and wait times to enter the restaurant were around 20 minutes. Once you step in, the menu is conveniently located at the door and near the cash register. It lists all of the items along with the ingredients. The onigiri is broken down into three categories: classics, fusions, and chef choices. The prices are also listed via item.

To add to your meal, tea, soup, and desserts are available for an additional cost. This restaurant is very affordable, as prices for their items start at $2.99 and up.

Once my order was placed, I got a buzzer and sat at one of the bar stools. Due to the high volume of orders, my food took around 20 minutes to arrive and had to be picked up at the counter.

Onigiri Shop Montreal Menu

“Each onigiri has the ingredients listed and is numbered for easy ordering.”

My first impression was to give the presentation a 10/10. The wooden plates were simple and clean, and the food was prepared well.

I tried the (C7) salmon-tuna onigiri first, and it was amazing. The rice was warm and cooked perfectly. The filling of tuna and salmon was nicely prepared and not soggy or salty at all. This was a solid 8/10 for me.

I then tried the (No. 8) Onigiri Korean Fried Chicken, and this one blew me away. The chicken was cooked in a nice sweet and savory sauce. It was a little spicy, but not too overbearing. I took my time to enjoy this one, as it was just that good. The chicken was cut into bite-sized cubes and cooked to perfection. I give this one a solid and honest 10/10.

Day 1-My order

1. No. 8 (Onigiri Korean Fried Chicken) $3.99

2. No. C7 (Salmon-Tuna-Cooked): $5.25

3. 1 green tea, $2.50

4. 1. Doroyaki Redbean $2.99

I enjoyed the Onigiri Shop so much that I went back again to try more items on their menu. This time, I spent a total of $12.91, tax included. Let me start by saying that I did not enjoy the food as much as I did the first time.

The first item I tried was the miso soup; it was lukewarm and a little too salty for my taste. I did, however, like the large chunks of tofu, shredded carrots, and seaweed. Will I order this again? probably not. The second item I then tried was the tuna-mayo onigiri. I'm not sure what happened today, but I ran into the same issue; it was a little too salty. If you have a palate for the saltier things in life, then you will enjoy these two items.

Last but not least, I tried the veggie mix onigiri, and I will say that this was the best so far. The warm rice and seaweed paired perfectly with the fresh veggies. To my surprise, there was a tinge of sweet sauce in the mix that enhanced the flavor.

Day 2-My order

1. No. 4 Tuna Mayo (cooked): $3.99

2. No. 12 Veggie Mix, $3.99

3. 1 miso soup, $3.25

“Time For Dessert
Doroyaki Redbean”

If you know me, then you know I love a great dessert to finish my meals. At the time, the only two desserts available were the Japanese cheesecake and the Doroyaki Redbean.

I ended up trying the Doroyaki Redbean to keep my meal on day one under $20. I am a lover of red beans, but I did not like this dessert too much. I found that the cake portion was too sweet, and it nulled out the taste of the red bean, which is also sweet. Perhaps it would have been best to try this with a cup of hot coffee, but it did not go well with the green tea that I ordered.

Onigiri Shop is a great place to go and enjoy. Even though I did not enjoy a few items that I ordered, the visits over the past two days were a success. ‘ My favorite items were the veggie mix and the Korean fried chicken onigiri. Will I ever go back? Yes, 100%. Each restaurant caters to different tastes, and there is an audience for everything. I also enjoyed my interactions with the staff; they were super friendly and open to questions.

I will visit again to explore more of their menu in the future, and I can't wait to see what other menu items get added. I give Onigiri Shop a very solid 8/10 for their food and service.

When visiting this restaurant, please arrive early, as they are very busy during the weekends and space is limited. Please feel free to share your favorite onigiri with me in the comments below.

“Specialties: Onigiri, Japanese Almond Tofu, Miso Soup, and Green Tea”

Update 3-23-2024

Hi folks, I recently visited the Onigiri Shop and had to update you! This time, I ordered the K-POP Onigiri. It was a total of $6.99 before taxes and can be found via the "Chef Special" section.

It arrived on a beautiful plate, topped with a slice of grilled cheese, kimchi, and Korean fried chicken. The taste was different—a blend of sweet, spicy, and a hint of saltiness. It is worth trying. If you like this update and would like to see more, please visit my Instagram page for more!