For a person who had been living in Vancouver for the past 15 years, Guu is the place to visit in Vancouver. When I moved to Toronto a year and half ago, I was amazed that Guu has migrated to Toronto. Being that it is one of my favourite hang out place in Vancouver, it became a must for me to check out the establishment in a different city.
Short Version? Excellent food as alway. However, Noisy. Noisy and Noisy!
Unbridged Version:
My friend and I arrived at Guu around 6 pm on a Tuesday night. We didn't make a reservation as we assumed that it won't be busy at 6 pm. We were led to the table right beside the door (there were quite a few empty tables around: only one with *reservation* sign on top) - not a good start.
Second thing I noticed, long communal-tables (quite a few of them)... another thumb down. Is Toronto's real estate so expensive that restaurants cannot afford a more intimate dining experience? Or is this just how Japanese Tapas supposed to be like (this is certainly not the case in Vancouver).
Third, noise, oh the noise. They cannot stop screaming. From customers arriving to leaving the restaurant, everyone who worked there seemed to have unlimited energy in greeting every customer. It is SO LOUD that my friend and I had to communicate through text messages throughout most of the evening. I suppose I am being a snob when comparing this experience with the Guu in Vancouver, but boy was it loud.
Don't get me wrong, the food was great. From the black-cod to the tori-karaage, they were all prepared to perfection. The gigantic Sapporo mugs - Love it (had two of them)!
All in all, if what you are looking for is an amazing Japanese Tapas experience that emphasize on the food, you can do no wrong visiting Guu. However, if you want an experience where you also take ambience into consideration, this may not be the place for you - unless you are ready to shout to your dining partner all night long.