Banzai Sushi
Category: Sushi Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: Southeast6655 Leetsdale Dr
Denver, CO 80238 (303) 329-3366
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
28 Reviews for Banzai Sushi
Banzai is very yummy. The service is outstanding, compared to other sushi places in this area. The meals are a bit pricey. It can get crowded, it's very popular, they have a lot of regulars. They are only open for dinner. Sometimes there is a line of people waiting to get in. Once you get in you'll be glad you waited. The atmosphere is very comfortable (although small) but not pretentious. They have taken the time and care to make the atmosphere appealing to guests. It's not fancy but certainly not super casual. The menu is amazing and the sushi chefs are too. All of the staff is very polite, even the sushi chefs will stop what they are doing, crowded or not, and greet you and say good night. It's a fun, special place to go occasionally.
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Cool (1)
Decent food. Overcrowded. Ghastly service.
Checked out Banzai for the first time a couple months ago. I've had more than my fair share of sushi through a handful of states in the US - from coast to coast - and i gotta say, most uncomfortable atmosphere of any sushi place I've tried.
Very little seating room and amazingly slow service hindered my enjoyment of their surprisingly good rolls. We were a party of 6, making for a large order of sushi with good variety from the menu. All the excitement about our selections from the menu had faded by the time the food FINALLY arrived at our table, courtesy of our scowling beast of a waitress.
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Useful (3)
Mediocre sushi with terrible service and some things that were just wrong.
It's difficult to say a Japanese restaurant was good when the only possible redeeming factor is their wide selection of rolls. My friends and I had to wait for nearly an hour and a half to get seated and get appetizers, with reservations. Lucky for them, I was under the influence, so I forgave them when they charged us for the miso soup they forgot to serve.
One thing the alcohol couldn't help me disregard was seeing TRINOBLE Rolls on the menu! What kind of heartless moron came up with that?! I'm glad my Ukranian roommate still enjoys Japanese food because one can only imagine how messed up and awkward that was for him.
Oh, and watch out for the bulldog that buses your table. She's one of the older, mean, heavy-set waitresses who doesn't f** around (chou kowaii~) - I can relate to another yelper who described a waitress who refused to bring more sake because the bottle wasn't empty. I'm shocked and hope she was just having two bad days.
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This place has 100 rolls, very good selection to choose from but it's very tiny and their service is pretty bad overall. Some of the rolls are very tasty but we had to wait 45 minutes to see any of them. I would say the quality of fish is very good overall but be prepared to wait and be squeezed into a very small restaurant.
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Useful (3)
This is the sad. My brother and I first visited Banzai about two and a half years ago and had a great experience. Service was great, food was great, parking was great, etc.
We returned this past weekend to celebrate my brother's birthday. Since we had two kids under the age of one with us, we went right at 5pm, when they opened.
That place gets packed FAST.
Our service was bad. I mean, wow. Bad. The waitress seemed perturbed when my brother asked for suggestions on which sake to try. She was generally absent for the majority of the meal, and it took a serious effort just to get her to bring the check.
And the sushi? Well, it was pulled from a very expansive menu - I'll give them credit for that aspect. However, some of it just seemed to be too much. My brother and I selected four rolls to split and it was waaaaaaaay too much food. And they're enormous rolls, too.
I dunno, maybe I'm just a sushi minimalist or something, but eel wrapped in tuna that's then fried and topped with cream cheese and roe and set on fire while Vivaldi's Four Seasons plays...it got to be just a bit too much. It's like those breakfast places that offer 800 varieties of omelets. Sure, I could put peanut butter and jelly in an omelet, but why?
I'm rambling. Point is, if you want to eat funky rolls, feel free to go here, but don't expect service that warrants any sort of valid gratuity.
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Just came back from Banzai, which was very good! I usually pass by driving at least 4 days a week, and everytime I think to myself if this place is good or not.
The variety of rolls they serve is really incredible! All kinds of rolls. I didn't have any rolls, (not a fan of rolls), instead I'd ordered a Chirashi, which was really good, it was great!
Prices are good. I would give 5 stars if they served Ankimo. But overall, service was great and fish was really fresh.
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My friend heard a lot of good things about Banzai and suggested we meet there for dinner. I arrived earlier than she but was promptly seated. Water, plates and cups for soy sauce were quickly brought to the table. I killed some time by looking at the menu which is extensive and explains the differences between rolls--a great way to help out a novice sushi eater. I found my vegetable rolls on the order sheet so I didn't worry about the menu.
My friend arrived but she wasn't offered anything to drink for at least five minutes. I understand service can get busy but it helps to stay in touch with your tables when you're working the room. We both grew impatient so she grabbed the first person walking past and asked if someone would take our order. I like to think of this as the ramp-up period: expect to wait in the beginning, it's best to order drinks as soon as possible.
Once the food arrived all was forgiven: the rolls were beautifully crafted and presented, with large offerings without a lot of rice. The owner of the restaurant stopped by our table to ask how we were enjoying our meals and wanted my opinion about how to offer more options for veg*ns. THAT impressed me and my friend immensely. He chatted with every table in the house, but not in an invasive way. His manner was friendly and open, altogether refreshing.
The place will quickly fill to capacity which might overwhelm the wait staff at first. Once people have their drinks and food, everyone is in a groove and the staff are working in better harmony. Just bring a little more patience than usual and you'll do all right here.
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The good:
Very intense selection of rolls. Great mix of flavors and the portions were amazing.
The bad:
The service was horrendous. Three of us were sharing saki and when we tried to order a refill the server actually picked up our container [shook it] and said, "finish this one first". Well, as long as it took us to get that one, we were trying to get a head start...but last time I checked, my mom wasn't working the dining room, so, get my saki.
Then...we waited a half hour after finishing our sushi to get our appetizer.
It was a hot mess.
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I just dined last week again at this quaint little sushi restaurant and it reminded me of home. I cannot believe that when I came to review the restaurant how harsh some of the people were. This restaurant has a heart and soul and these ladies were so nice and kind. I do not like restaurants with an attitude and I never found that there.
My waitress was Kimi and she's 79 y/o and just as sweet as can be. I love her.
The food was great and sushi was fresh. The rolls are creative and I cannot wait to return to try some different rolls. I had the Dominic 2, and Monday nite, yum. As for the owner, I think it is great he offers customers "FREE" tasting of sakes to educate them. I do not know much about sake but I like trying them none the less. Cheers to you Banzai, don't let these people get you down.
All I can say is, if you want attitude go somewhere else. If you want great sushi in a small neighborhood setting, Banzai is for you.
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Useful (3)
City search said this place was great and I see a lot of folks on Yelp have said the same.
The Service here is horrible. It's slow and very discourteous. I would never go there again for that very reason.
It's also laughable how the host/maitre d' (sp) brings out the unfiltered Saki that's in the green bottle and serves it like it is a fine wine and is $100+/bottle...and the custs just eat it up. No telling how much they pay for those little glasses of sake and it's hilarious how they swish it and examine it like it is some rare fine wine.
I'm not knocking that particular sake, because it is very good... We used to buy it by the bottle (for about $20) when we went to Arikato in CA but I think it's ridiculous how they are making a killing off of it just because people don't know the difference.
Anyway...now onto the sushi. Not bad. Large selection of rolls, which were mostly ok. I'm also not big on the seating in this place. We had reservations but they were full. We didn't have to wait long because they went to another table and made the people move to a smaller table so we could have the larger one....which was pretty messed up. Of course none of that would have been an issue if the reservation would have been correct. We made a reservation for 6 and they somehow got 4 out of it?
I most likely won't go back to this place again. The overall experience was pretty bad. I have been to 2 sushi places her and haven't been impressed. I'm not big on the sushi chefs not even looking at you if you are at sushi bar. I am used to talking with the chef, ordering rolls/sushi on the spot, buying him drinks, etc.
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Banzai definitely has a great, creative sushi menu-that said, the freshness of the sushi left a lot to be desired the night we were there, so I feel like there are other places in Denver you can go for less creativity but much better product. Also, the service is a big drawback-we waited for everything from being greeted to ordering to getting our check, and looking around the restaurant,it seemed everyone was getting the same service. I think they have a lot of potential, so perhaps someday I will try the place again.
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Excellent, reasonably priced sushi in a cozy little shop off Leetsdale. I was impressed by their large (100 rolls) selection and the hospitable atmosphere. A very good place to try new items. Just make reservations!
Pros: great fresh food, great price,
Cons: location, very small dining area.
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Oh Yelpers, this is the first time you've led me astray. I am a bit of a sushi whore, and after reading all these reviews I couldn't contain my excitement and rushed directly to Banzai. It was a long drive, but all of the 5-star reviews assured me it would be well worth my time.
Man, were you guys wrong. I have eaten sushi just about everywhere in the metro area, plus in Seattle, and Banzai was hands down The. Worst. We tried 5 different rolls and only one was something I would ever eat again (that would be the Domenick 2). The other 4 were mediocre at best. One was almost inedible due to the massive amounts of lemon.
Lemon? In sushi? Yes. Lemon in sushi. Sick and wrong.
See, sushi depends on two things: delicacy in all of the individual flavors and fresh fish. Banzai does not have fresh fish, which pretty much ruins everything else. But even if I could get past the non-freshness, I can not fathom why Banzai tries to stuff so much crap into their rolls. I understand that this is their "thing". They're like "Hey, here we are in a crappy location, so let's draw people in by having a million rolls on the menu." I get it. Unfortunately, they have sacrificed flavor. They indiscriminately shove crap like the afore-mentioned lemons, terriyaki chicken, uncooked carrots, and lord knows what else into overcooked rice and call it some ridiculous name and TA-DAH!
I'm still wallowing in my disappointment. You don't need to spend a lot of money to have good sushi. Sushi Den is not the be-all, end-all. Try Japango or Sonoda's. Similar prices, much better rolls and much better service (yes, this sucked as well, but I won't even dwell on it). Plus you won't wait an hour for your food! Good times.
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This place is delicious! I've tried several sushi joints in Denver, and this rates up there with Hibachi in Westminster. It's reasonably priced (for sushi prices anyway), its quaint, good service, and their rolls are extremely tasty. Try their Monday Nite rolls, friggin delicious. If you are going on a weekend , you probably want to make reservations for a large group or arrive early, they have a very small dining area.
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I have to agree that this is the best sushi place in town. I drive 20 miles to eat here and pass many more trendy sushi restaurants along the way. Sure the rolls are amazing but the fish is outstanding too. Probably the best bang for your buck for Sushi in Denver too. If you get there before 7 you usually wont have to wait. The Dennis Roll is my favorite.
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I've been going to Banzai for 15 years and I've never had a bad experience. The only thing I'd change are the seats---- the cushions are wearing a bit thin these days, otherwise, it's fabulous!
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The ONLY place I go for raw fish. Trendy sushi restaurants beware - Banzai is the best! Definately want to get their early - they fill up quick - usually people waiting in their cars for the doors to open.
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aren't banzai trees those trees you cut into artwork? This sushi is like artwork that you don't have to create yourself, and that you can eat.
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This place probably has the largest selection of rolls in Denver. Its a nice little place nothing fancy when you get inside just some traditional Japanese style decorations. Ive only eaten here twice and the rolls weren't bad but they didn't keep me coming back for more. I never had any problems with service as both times our wait staff was very friendly.
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I love this place. I think I got food-poisoned once, but I still come there. i would commit seppuku if they ever got rid of this place.
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BANZAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
eating sushi here is the next best thing to actually being in Japan. and you dont even have to deal with Pokemon or ridiculous TV shows!
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I'm almost a sushi virgin, unless you count the grocery store sushi in those black plastic party trays. I didn't even know sushi besides rolls existed until I saw a few mild gripes here about the lack of non-roll sushi at Banzai!
My incompetence aside, this was delicious. I had a few of the fully cooked selections, including some of the chicken and beef rolls- thank you, Banzai, for the sushi virgin-friendly choices on your menu. The spiciness was just right on each roll I tried- I've had cheap sushi where the wasabi flavor makes me want to irrigate my mouth with one of those high pressure pipettes dentists use for about half an hour. The seaweed was also crisp but flexible and delicious- oddball that I am, I even like those sheets of plain seaweed, well, plain, so that's important for me.
If you're a sushi fan with sushi virgin friends like me, I strongly suggest taking them here- unless they are vegetarian, since as another Yelper noted, there are few menu options for veg eaters.
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I'd agree that this might be the best sushi in Denver with the least hype. They have a massive selection of really creative rolls, especially of ones incorporating some sort of tempura (mmmmmmmmmm), and I absolutely loved everything I had here. It is indeed small and not overly fancy, but if you're craving the sushi without the sit-down they make take-out easy.
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Open the door to find a comfortable, clean interior cram packed with people. We were lucky enough to get our own 4 top, but there is a long row of tables pushed together where you might get to eat elbow to elbow with prom goers or other folks.
An enormous menu of my favorite, rolls. However, my companions always like to order a couple of vegetarian rolls, and we could only find one on all four pages. The slight fishy smell might have made them even more adamant about trying to find something without fish.
And if you're looking for anything but rolls, there's not much else to choose from.
Our server was a nice enough lady who had way too much on her plate. They could have used at least one other server and probably two bussers. Everything took a very very long time. The manager was really sociable in a sort of cheesy way.
When finally our rolls did arrive, they were bigger than is my preference. I like bite size pieces, if it takes me three bites per piece I make a mess of myself. They were good, if not the absolute freshest.
I'll try to return on a slower evening to try one of the multitude of yummy looking rolls, but I can't take my usual companions because of the veggie roll thing. I just hope I don't get a seat at the mega table in the middle. The perfect strangers flanking me will probably not like the shemozzle that ensues from my trying to eat those huge pieces... Be forewarned, yelpers!
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This is my favorite place for rolls. It's very nice and cozy and they have over a hundred rolls. My favorites are Monday Night (#48) and Suzy. Portions are good. Quality is excellent. Rolls are inventive. And it's a great place to have sushi in Denver. Definitely worth it. I always go back whenever I'm in town. Highly recommend this place.
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http://www.100rolls.com/
the BEST sushi in denver! my wife and i love going here. the rolls are unique, the sushi quality is excellent, the waitresses are these charming ladies, they make good drinks (although i usually have asahi myself).
i STRONGLY suggest the snyder roll, it's my favorite.
the place is small, so i'd suggest going a bit early or bringing something to read :-) i dont believe they take reservations either.
it's small and not too fancy, but trust me - worth it! also, the owner is often here, mingling and chatting, he's very nice and will answer questions and make suggestions for you.
all my friends who i've reco'ed it - love me for it.
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this place makes me feel like God walked down to earth, walked into an empty building, performed some biblical wonderment and created THE BEST SUCHI PLACE IN EXISTENCE.
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This place is pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, good place to eat
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