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Aloha Sushi
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
12 reviews for Aloha Sushi
I spent a little time reading other peoples' reviews of this place.. And some of the stuff they mention as negatives (dark, quiet, kind of empty forlorn 'deserted-casino' feel to it)... Those things are all positives to me.
First, I'll address the service. It's usually relatively empty in there when we go in, so the service is FAST (PLUS) and the chef isn't dividing his attention between 14 people so you get your orders quickly. (PLUS).
Next, mussels are included with the lunch buffet, and they are quite good. Broiled ( I think), not steamed, so instead of having the typical slimy-ish texture, they are a bit drier and tougher on the the outside. They have dabs of tasty hot sauce on each one. (PLUS).
Like I mentioned, the place is usually relatively empty. So you don't have to worry about sitting next to some stranger who is halfway in your lap trying to make awkward forced conversation. (PLUS) I've read on other sushi joint reviews, some people seem to think that striking up conversations with strangers is half the fun of going. Um, what? Yeah, not so much pal. How about you shut the f**k up, mind your own business and let me eat in peace. I don't go to sushi places to talk to strangers--I go to eat, (and talk to friends if I didn't come alone). But like I said, the place is usually empty, so I've never had to deal with "that guy". If you read this and you disagree with the whole talking-to-strangers-thing... Guess what? YOU'RE "that guy". Seek professional help, because you're kind of creepy.
It's usually extremely quiet in there too. They have a few TV's, usually tuned to the news or to movie channels, and the volume is usually pretty low. On a separate note: If there are other people in there and they seem pretentious or high strung, I like to have fun with them. I'll just break into... "weird" conversations with my friends, and watch the other parties squirm uncomfortably. (DOUBLE PLUS GOOD) .
The chefs here don't talk much (where DO they talk much?), but they roll pretty well. If I have ever taken issue with something they made, it was because I was trying something new and didn't really know what to expect, NOT because they made it wrong or it wasn't fresh. (PLUS)
I've never had any A/C issues (too hot, way too cold) in the past year that I've been going, so I don't really know what that other reviewer was talking about.
I haven't seen into the kitchen, so I can't address the splatter and grease stains back there.
They have also recently introduced a 9.95 lunch or dinner special that includes several different kinds of rolls. Seems like a pretty damn good deal to me. I snapped a picture of that special menu and I'll be uploading it as soon as I'm done writing this :)
So in summation: 1. fast service. 2. good food. 3. good prices 4. "that guy" doesn't bother me whilst eating 5. quiet.
Seems to me that this place is better than average, so I'll give a better than average score.
Four shiny orange stars for you, Aloha Sushi!
Ok, just ate here, and after my friend replied to me (in the middle of eating there) "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwww i ate there and got sick", I just had to look on yelp. So here's my attempt at an un-biased review.
Building: The location is pretty bad for the type of food sold (raw fish), and the outside is very cluttered. I was unsure at first as to where the entrance was. The windows are all black (asian massage parlour style). When I entered, I was surprised at how large the place was, and how dark it was inside. The walls are indeed a lime green colour and all the furniture seems as though it was purchased new in 1982. It was very spacious and seemed empty. I arrived around 12:30pm and there were 3 other people at the bar. I was quickly greeted by an Asian lady (assumed to be owner) and seated promptly.
Food: Because it was pretty dead, the chef got to work on my food right away. The raw fish/scallops seemed to be very fresh and tasty. I eat sushi at many different places all over the world, and I can say that the fish didn't taste that bad (not the best in the world though). The rolls were put together well and weren't sloppy or anything. My only complaint with the menu was the smaller selection of raw fish and that several of the "good" rolls were only available for the $17.95 dinner.
Of the entire time there, the only thing that I would say is considerably bad was the hostess (owner lady)- I would compare her service to that of a traditional chinese restaurant in chinatown. The kind where if you're not asian, you get mediocre service. When I went to pay, she was YELLING into the phone about how she would pay rent later that night and that her business was going slow. Not good customer image, but it did make me feel bad for her.
Anyway, I would come back for the $9.99 deal, however, at $12.95 regularly, there are several other sushi restaurants with a more exciting ambiance around.
This place takes First Place for being the dirtiest Sushi Restaurant in Reno. Makes Sushi Pier 2 look clean.
There is nasty grease and splatter stains all over the walls behind the sushi chefs . The walls haven't been painted in years and are so speckled with grime and grease you can practically watch them drip. The sushi stations and crud I have seen behind the bar will make you gag. Don't look at the floor and food particles in the floor mat.
I don't know why the Health Department hasn't closed this place down?
If you are after pure gluttony and low cost, too lazy to drive somewhere else or drunk as a monkey and don't mind the grimey walls or risking a case of the runs this is your spot.
I've eaten from street food vendors in South America that were cleaner than this.
DON'T, DON'T DON'T GO INTO THE BATHROOM!
Funny because years ago it was a decent place. The talented chefs have moved on long long ago and are scattered around town doing a good job.
I say burn it to the ground for the insurance and start over. Just make sure you sprinkle some lye in the ashes before you start building.
When the kitchen help comes out from the back with your order of mussles and the doors are swingin, try and get a glimpse inside the kitchen.
Scary scary place.
Used to go here in the past, but it has gone downhill. First, they painted the place a couple years ago (must have been overnight, and the hardware store wasn't open to purchase a drop-cloth). The lime green they painted it is everywhere, carpet, wainscot, bathroom sink, chef stations! The fish is ho-hum (never got sick), but no one-of-a-kind rolls pop into mind. A lot of chefs that worked here are now gone.
Dark atmosphere, no windows, AC seemsed to always be cranking or broken.
There are a bunch of other sushi places in Reno to try.
Dark, grimy, creepy.
All the good chefs defected to either Sushi Pier or Sushi Time, so I did the same!
Aloha Sushi is a little...off. There's not anything wrong with it, per se, it's just slightly strange in there, in a way that makes me not want to go there if I don't have to.
To begin with, the tables and sushi bars (there are multiple) don't adequately fill up the room, so it has a kind of forlorn, huddled look. The building is just too big for a sushi bar, so it ends up feeling cavernous and dark inside, and the placement of the foyer and entrance feels awkward.
The multi-bar approach is apparently designed to improve customer traffic, but it's never been more than half-full when I was there, so maybe they just like the way it looks. Multiple bars don't mean more room for you to stretch out, though - the barstools are still jammed together tightly.
The sushi is adequate, but the fish isn't as fresh or flavorful as other places around town. The presentation isn't great, either - often the fish slices will be kind of ragged-looking, or the fish-to-rice ratio is all screwed up.
The last time I ate there, a guy sitting next to us kept whipping out a red penlight (the kind that kids point at movie screens to be annoying) and running the little red light all over his food, water, etc. I am a seasoned Nevadan and refused to take the bait, but soon enough some chump asked, "What are you doing?" Which was all the guy needed to launch into a big sales pitch about how he was "altering the molecular structure" of his sushi to improve its health benefits, and how anyone could do the same (and live longer and healthier!) with one of these gadgets, which were only $299, here, take a business card!
You see? Aloha Sushi is so weird that its weirdness attracts weirdoes. And that is why sane people eat at Sushi Club.
I love sushi. I mean really really love sushi. If I could afford it, I would eat sushi every single day. The sad thing is, I spent a good chunk of my life thinking I hated sushi because my very first time eating it was at Aloha. Yes, at the tender age of 15, having never had sushi, a "Friend" decides I have to try it and takes me to Aloha of all places.
First of all, the atmosphere sucks. I completely agree that the place feels like a deserted casino. It's way too dark and there's something sort of eerily cavernous about the whole place. Our sushi chef was nice enough, but it took me a solid fifteen minutes to get someone to bring me a water. Seeing as how it was my first time, we decided to forego the all you can eat and just order a couple of items.
My friend got two long rolls and I got two hand rolls. I can't recall the names, but they were all mostly crab or crystal shrimp (the safest things for a newbie). My hand rolls had some nauseating sweet sauce on them that tasted like mayonaisse and sugar. I've had my fair share of interesting aiolis in my time, but this was just plain gross. My friend devoured both her long rolls, and seemed to enjoy them, but I was feeling sick so I didn't even want to try them.
So, all in all, it was two years before I got brave enough to try sushi again, and now I realize it's the most amazing food on earth. I'm very angry at Aloha for taking two years off my sushi-eating life.
The owner of this place must have lots of money. Worst service and worst Sushi in Reno. Worst Teppanaki also. Ever since they changed owners a few years back, this place has gone down hill and the owner is too ignorant to notice. Can't wait for this place to go out of business so hopefully it will be replaced by a better restaurant or owner.
This place is disgusting. I ate lunch here with a group of friends. I was half way through a long roll when I found a RUBBER BAND sticking out of it!! I quite possibly might have eaten rubber band. When our table alerted the staff to the problem they danced around a bit and then came back and told me that they wouldn't charge me for the cost of that roll since I was the only one who wasn't doing all you can eat. Like we wanted to keep eating their food!!! This was not an adequate solution for me. I will never go back, nor will anyone I know, we call the place Rubber Band Sushi.
How can you screw up a cucumber roll??? It's cucumber and rice with a seaweed wrap... period!!! For an extra treat, some places will sprinkle on a few toasted sesame seeds, but that's a bonus. So, back to my question... The answer: Ask Aloha Sushi!!!
I was all excited for some sushi and I have many food allergies including seafood so I have to stick to vegetable rolls. Anyway, my husband brings home some of my beloved crisp, refreshing, tangy cucumber rolls (this time from Aloha) and THERE YOU HAVE IT... they put MAYONNAISE in my roll!!! It was a big ole sloppy mess of mayonnaise! I've been eating these rolls for longer than many Yelpers have been alive and NEVER have I seen such an atrocity! I called them to ask why this was done and they said plainly, "That's how they're made." ONLY at Aloha are they made this way! They then asked if we ordered the "Spicy Cucumber Roll" to which I told them, "NO! Just a plain cucumber roll." They offered nothing in reparation - not even an apology for the inconvenience. (We drove 40 miles round trip!!!) Needless to say, it was neither spicy nor plain - just a big ole nauseating mayonnaise mess.
Now this was my 2nd experience there - and a definite deal-breaker. My first visit, I sat at the bar and the guy actually made my roll correctly (a real shocker in retrospect) and it wasn't THAT bad. Again, it's a cucumber roll - not a real culinary challenge. The bad part was the atmosphere and the lack of service. I couldn't get a drink to save my life! The waitress/hostess disappeared for over 30 minutes and the sushi chef was unable to take my drink order. The restaurant itself looks like a converted old casino. Or, the recipient of hand-me-down carpet and decor of a casino.
After that visit, take-out seemed like a better option. Sure... only better if you want to go out of your way, pay money, come home, throw the crap away, and eat toast for dinner. Damn good toast though.
P.S. I want my 1-star back. They don't even deserve that!
hmm, how should I say this? ..YUCK. Everything about my experience here just grossed me out. The fish was not fresh AT ALL, my tuna was CHEWY and the muscles were shriveled to the size of a nickel and tasted ...well, like burnt poop. (not that I've personally tasted burnt poop before, but I could imagine..) The atmosphere was soo dead when we got there and after "eating", I understood why it was.
I went once and wont go back. Nothing was absolutely terrible about this place, but it wasnt very good. They packed their rolls with rice and lacked personality.
