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Big Tuna
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
39409 10th St WSte A
Palmdale, CA 93551
(661) 273-9966
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
58 reviews for Big Tuna
Review Highlights
"The sushi chefs were awesome."
(in 17 reviews)
"My favorite is the "MAINE ROLL."
(in 2 reviews)
"Their green dragon roll is the best in Southern California."
(in 2 reviews)
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58 reviews in English
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Review from Scott G.
Palmdale, CA
1/30/2012
I love this place! Food was awesome and fresh. All you can sushi is an option at the sushi bar and it was great! The employees are friendly and sushi chefs were great!
All and all.... Big Tuna is deserving of 5 stars. Much, much better than Goldfish or Love Sushi....if you are looking for great sushi and friendly people...dine in!
The only negative I can come up with is the restaurant is on the small side and a little cramped when it's busy BUT it doesn't take away from the nice atmosphere, or the great food!
My favs.... The striped bass and red snapper sushi.... -
Review from angela k.
Littlerock, CA
12/24/2011
FYI: My review might be TMI, so read at your own discretion.
In my humble opinion, this place is for novice sushi eaters, for those who do not know or smell the difference between good and bad quality fish. Novice sushi-ers would probably be looking for Americanized sushi called rolls and getting bang for the buck. Bad fish smell might be masked by the sauce a restaurant uses. Big Tuna is the perfect example of a bad quality sushi joint. LovesToTravel M. has it right: "Big Tuna is what taco bell is to mexican food." I might add that food poisoning from seafood is THE WORST.
I'm fairly new to the AV area and have been craving sushi for so long. I was really hesitant to try sushi in the AV area but my boyfriend convinced me to try Big Tuna because of the yelp review. I have been reluctant to trust any sushi joints located in a desert but decided to give it a shot anyway. My boyfriend and I gambled our healths and we lost big time.
We ordered the maine roll, which had lukewarm topping that didn't seem warmed up all the way. The rice in the roll was cold and this was the worst lobster roll I've ever eaten. We also ordered different types of sashimi and nigiri including yellowtail, tuna, salmon, shrimp, etc. I could tell by smelling the fish that it was NOT FRESH and have not been handled correctly. I confirmed this with my tastebuds. If it even slightly smells fishy, then the fish is not fresh. You shouldn't risk getting yourself sick with this sushi like we did.
Since having Big Tuna on Sunday, I've been having the runs since Monday. It's Saturday now and I'm still not recovered. On Monday, I started to have a huge headache and chills and thought I was getting a cold. That night, I had episodes of stuff spewing out of me through both ends of my body. It was so horrible. The throwing up finally subsided Wednesday morning but I still have the runs. I was like peeing out of my bumhole everytime I went to the bathroom. It was really horrible. It still is!! not to mention that tomorrow is xmas ;(
If it was just me suffereing, then my suspicions about Big Tuna may be doubtful. But my boyfriend, came to visit me from LA only that Sunday and had Big Tuna with me before going back. He also got sick on Monday and had to leave work early. He couldn't go to work on Tuesday either. He also had fever and chills and kept throwing up. His condition confirms, in my opinion, that it was Big Tuna's food that got us sick.
I really don't understand why this place has 4 stars other than the fact that their happy hour is 50% off beer Sunday-Thurs, 3pm-close. A large sapporo was $3.25 and a large house sake was $3.50. Also They also have ayce sushi for $45 pp including any rolls on their menu; This sounds like a good deal but NOT WORTH IT if you get food poisoning from bad fish, which will damage you internally forever. No cheap sushi is ever worth messing up my health. I probably will try to contact the public health department to come out to reinspect their kitchen, bathroom, and food handling of all the chefs and line cooks.
I'm really not trying to be this crazy person but I thought my fellow yelpers would like to know before giving this place a try. Please eat at this place at your discretion and caution. I don't want anyone else to go through the same painful thing I did. If you are a sushi connoisseur, I highly do not recommend Big Tuna.
PS. The sushi chefs were talking in Korean about MJ. They said the word in Korean and the other non-korean chefs seemed to understand as well. One of them also complained to the Korean host across the room in Korean out loud that he wish they could close up shop and go home now. They should do this in private not shout across the restaurant since there may be a customer who may understand the language...Listed in: AV Eats: The Good & The Bad
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Review from Earlene C.
East Bay, CA
Best made to order, all you can eat sushi!!!
I have friends who have raved about this place for years and we finally got to taste its hype.
Yes, its worth it. Sit at the bar and you'll have the best service ever. We had a party of 7 and not once did we sit there waiting for food.
The roll selection is pretty vast. A lot of cooked rolls, but If you like it raw like me baby, there is also a nigiri menu.
Quality of fish was fresh. My favorite roll was the Hawaiian. -
Review from James L.
Beverly Hills, CA
12/29/2011
Food poisoning! Beware!
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Review from C S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
The lunch deal for $7.95 or $8.95 was great for the portion size and extras that came with it, but the individual pieces of sushi were not that large. It was okay sushi, but not the best sushi I've ever had.
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Review from Iris R.
Anaheim, CA
I love Big Tuna. In my opinion, the best sushi in AV valley! I'm a regular here and comes at least once a week.
Pros:
- AYCE Sushi
- Delicious Food
- Quality sushi
- Little to no waiting
- Fast service
- Friendly Chefs & Staff ( expect to be greeted upon entering and leaving!)
Cons:
- A little pricey but then again you get what you pay for.
My Personal Recommendations:
- 'Spicy Tuna Salad' is the best! I tried their spicy tuna salad and I became instantly addicted. It is one of the best spicy tuna salad and trust me I have tried many. It is my usual order whenever I'm at a Japanese restaurant.
- Their 'Combo Bento' is also a great deal as it comes with 3 meal choices, side salad, miso soup and ice cream for dessert. Their teriyaki chicken or steak bowl is superb and comes in decent proportion.
- 911 roll, if you like a bit of spicy in your sushi.
Bottomline: Overall, I will keep coming back to Big Tuna! -
Review from Hanika F.
Palmdale, CA
4/20/2011
I have been here a few times especially when I used to work right next door.
The place itself is a bit small and crowded. When the restaurant is full you feel like your bumping people all the time or about to anyways.
The sushi chefs seem friendly enough although i have never sat at the bar. The sushi itself is pretty decent but however this place is a little pricey it seems
They have some good lunch deals if i remember correctly . They do have a few really good rolls that I liked but this definitely isnt a place you want to bring a big group into .
I like to go out with a big group of friends when I go out to eat sushi and this place is too small to bring them all here. Also their all you can eat is a little more expensive as well.
Honestly before Harbour opened up this was my favorite place but I would only come if it was just myself or i was only bringing one other person.
Having found something better Im giving big tuna a 3. while the service is good, the place is too small and a little too pricey for my wallet. -
Review from Jen E.
Palmdale, CA
8/21/2011
Big Tuna has completely made it impossible for me to eat a California Roll from any other sushi place in the world because there is no way that you could ever find one that tastes as good as it does here.
The fish is so fresh here, it is worth the little extra that you have to pay.
They have a ridiculous lunch special, I recommend the teriyaki beef, it is so tender and flavorful. -
Review from Jessica S.
Palmdale, CA
9/7/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Ok I love big tuna, just not this one. They have TRASHY workers. Seriously. Their quality of food changed at this location. I had about a quarter sized amount of rice on my plate (eatting all you can eat) and the worker told me if I did that again they would charge me extra. WTF. Honestly Go to the LANCASTER location, or Goldfish. I highly suggest not going to this specific one.
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Review from Jacob B.
Hayward, CA
12/30/2010
Great place for Sushi.
It's all about the all you can eat sushi at the bar. You can try half rolls or easy rice if you want to try a variety of sushi. The sushi chefs are entertaining and everything is made to order.
They also have real ginger as compared to some places.
I've tried their other menu which isn't bad but i really can't get enough of the all you can eat sushi bar. -
Review from Michael R.
San Antonio, TX
9/10/2011
Had been here a couple of times before at this location, but it was my first time to sit at the bar. Sitting at the bar is definitely the way to go because you can get all you can eat for under $25. They also will make half rolls for you so that way you can try more. The standouts for me were the origami roll: tuna with shrimp tempura, and lettuce hand rolled in soy paper; and the Hawaiian roll: a spicy tuna roll with tuna on the topof it. As usual their regularspicy tuna rolls are great too. There's also a wonderful selection of nigri, the tuna and yellow tail are my two faves there. Definitely the best wat to satisfy a sushi jones locally!
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Review from Cheryl E.
Irvine, CA
1/27/2011
The BEST sushi place I have ever been to! I have been to many sushi restaurants and I have never been as satisfied as I have been with Big Tuna. I used to live in Palmdale and would come here all the time. Now that I live in Orange County nothing compares to Big Tuna. Every chance I get I go! The chefs are super friendly and entertaining which just makes the experience even better. Prices are fair and I always do all-you-can-eat! Delish!!!!!
White tuna- Amazing
Crunch Roll- My favorite
Dyanamite- Love it! -
Review from Reptar R.
Tehachapi, CA
1/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
What can be said about Big Tuna that hasn't been said by any of the other reviewers? Not a whole lot but let me say it in my way; If you're looking for some kind simple traditional quiet Sushi place where tiny Asian girls giggle with embarrassment when they hand your perfectly plated cuisine, that when you receive it you feel like you're an ultra intellectual foodie that deserves his/her own the food network show.. then this place isn't going to sparkle with you.
If on the other hand you want a fun place to eat really good sushi, loudish music, and funny fish carvers then get prepared to feel at home. Now I'm not some food expert, I eat at taco bell from time to time, I don't have a tongue that's insured for a million dollars. But everything here tastes pretty damned good to me that pretty much sums up how this place is good. I'm sure there exists some little authentic sushi place found quaintly on the side of a hill that only you know about that kicks this places ass and that's fine but this is good, and defininatly recommendation worthy.
My Personal recommendation:
Islander roll
palmdale
rolls Roy
green dragon
red snapper
uni
oysters
Eat and be merry. -
Review from Mitchell L.
Anaheim, CA
9/28/2010
Who would have thought that there would be a good sushi restaurant in the middle of the desert. Anyways, I used to come here almost every time I would visit my ex. The sushi is pretty fresh for what it is, an AYCE sushi place. What impressed me the most was the hospitality of the sushi chefs. I've been to a ton of AYCE sushi restaurants and a lot of them started to give me attitude since I'm a guy with a bottomless stomach when it comes to sushi. At Big Tuna, the sushi chefs literally just stood by their stations and kept asking us to order!
Most importantly, this is the sushi restaurant where I ate 69 pieces of salmon sushi + around 35-40 pieces of assorted sushi and sushi roll pieces. One of my proudest moments :) -
Review from Derek D.
Los Angeles, CA
10/6/2010
I've always heard about how good big tuna was but I heard it was pretty pricey. So I went on a limb and went and boy was I surprised! Me and my friend I had here enjoyed everything we got. The all you can eat bar was the best decision we made. We tried anything and everything we could get.
The person making us the sushi tho I had a hard time understanding him but that was ok, he pretty much was like "OH YOU LIKE THIS? HERE TRY THIS"
Pretty legit place. $30 for all you can eat is pretty awesome in my book.
Friday nights are pretty packed though. -
Review from Maria A.
Lakewood, CA
11/20/2010
If you love sushi you MUST go to Big Tuna! I was introduced to it by my boyfriend sister and Oooh my god delish! they have all you can eat for two people is about $55 is so worth it. I'm not available to recommend you a specific roll because they are all good!
They are super friendly, the cheffs are always in such a good mood, they sing, they talk to you, they joke around with you. Their main focus is for you to enjoy their food as well as to have an great time!
Big Tuna is the PERFECT place to enjoy amazing sushi as well as to have an amazing time!
You have to go!!!
I went yesterday :) a 45 drive is so worth it ;) -
Review from Angela M.
Palmdale, CA
Updated - 9/26/2010
Well I came back here Friday night as I got back from happy hour and was craving sushi, this place was open until 10:30 and I had about an hour so I jetted over there and saw spots open at the sushi bar. The very confused and distracted waiter took about 5 minutes to figure out after I told him a few times that I wanted to sit there and opt for the all you can eat option, they had a birthday party going on and it seemed like there is generally a more party type atmosphere here.
I decided to try a bottle of the unfiltered cold sake which was $12 and way to big for me to finish, I probably finished a little more than half. What was nice about the AYCE option is that you can get half rolls or easy rice so you don't get stuffed and can try more of their menu.
The menu itself was nothing special at all and there were quite a few reappearing things in the same rolls, they had quite a few fried and cooked rolls which I do not like getting and they even had a chicken and beef roll I think. If you are a beginner sushi eater this would be a good place to start and for $24.95 AYCE it's a fair option, they also have AYCE sashimi for about $44....I am not sure if I could ever eat that much raw fish for it to be worth it but it's nice to have the option I guess. They also had a few appetizers on the AYCE menu but I did not want to get filled up on them but that is also nice that they offer it for the price.
There were two dudes sitting to my right that seemed to come there frequently and while I was not up for conversation with random strangers that night I did get in a few recommendations. He recommended the 911 roll and a lobster hand roll, I do not like hand rolls either but I did get the 911 roll which was a spicy tuna, cucumber avocado with sesame oil and chili paste I believe and a half of a rainbow roll --- both of them weren't to bad. I got mostly sushi pieces, pretty much everything they had on their sushi menu...the sushi pieces were on the smaller side and the rice was OK....everything seemed like it was fresh enough.
If you are with a group of friends this is a fun place to go especially if you can squeeze in at the sushi counter just dont expect anything super authentic and you wont be disappointed.Listed in: Sushi Anyone?
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/10/2010
It was kind of late and I needed to finish moving into my apartment, still had to hit up the grocery… Read more »
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Review from Ricardo M.
Glendora, CA
9/1/2011
We live pretty far from here, but I often work in Palmdale and Lancaster. My Japanophile daughter (a teen still in school) won't talk to me for a week if I go there without her - and since I go often when she's in school the house is pretty quiet. Pretty odd for a teenager my friends tell me. No really, she's a good tamago.
Great sushi. How good? One coworker, you know the one with the psychosomatic allergy to any out of the ordinary food (whatever that means in southern California), swore he would NEVER touch raw fishy foodstuffs. I got him addicted to this place via the gateway Yummy Crunch - best we've ever had. So try this place, onegai itashimasu! -
Review from Sari S.
Lancaster, CA
8/21/2011
Sushi was not bad but prices were a bit high for what we are used to.
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Review from LovesToTravel M.
Palmdale, CA
12/14/2008
Big Tuna is to sushi is what Taco Bell is to mexican food.
I am so over this place. I've given Big Tuna my money for the last time. How hard is it to use rice that doesn't fall apart when you pick up your sushi.This has happened the last four times that I have been there. Is rice not , like, Sushi 101? I'm sick and tired of thinking that I need a spoon to eat my sushi.
Every time I go there the pieces of fish get smaller and smaller. With a place like Love Sushi so close and so delicious, I can't imagine Big Tuna being able to keep up with the competition. This place just sucks. -
Review from Daniel R.
Los Angeles, CA
10/1/2010
I can't walk after I commit to an all-you-can-eat fest at Big Tuna.
The use of avocado seems overdone on many of the rolls, but overall this is a great value for the amount of sushi you can consume for $30.
If you stick to simple preparations, you can explore many offerings that you might not order a la carte elsewhere. It's always clean and the staff is always kind and courteous. -
Review from adam C.
Lancaster, CA
4/25/2011
I love Big Tuna. We don't often do the all you can eat Sushi and we still get excellent service for the sushi we order. Dragon Eggs and 911 rolls are by the best! All of the servers are very personable and most of the reason we go to Palmdale Big Tuna even though we live in Lancaster.
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Review from K V.
Hayward, CA
10/30/2007
This place is packed on the weekends, just like my favorite sushi house in the bay.
SERVICE: was attentive, i sure don't have any complaints
FOOD:sushi was outstanding for the price you pay
PRICE: reasonable for sushi
I will recommend to anyone in the area who loves sushi and i would definitely go back for more. -
Review from Rachel B.
La Mesa, CA
1/5/2011 2 photos
Love this place and cannot wait to go back. Sushi is very fresh, the chef was quick and friendly, always asking what we wanted next, even after we had ordered 2 or 3 more rolls. All you can eat for $22.99 for lunch. We liked everything we tried. Great sushi place in the middle of the desert.
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Review from Willie L.
San Diego, CA
11/12/2007
Big Tuna is one of few sushi restaurants in the area. We went in there wanting to sit at the bar, but it was full and didn't seem like anyone wanted to leave, being that it's all you can eat. We took a table and ordered rolls instead, so I can only comment on that. The sushi bar seems very popular, so I will update my review if I get a seat at the bar next time.
We went around 6pm. The wait for our meal was really long, probably because they were too busy serving the all-you-can-eat-patrons. Nonetheless, we were hungry and definitely annoyed.
The rolls, in my opinion, were average. The "fishiness" of the fish is overpowered by the sauce; either that, or there wasn't much fishiness to begin with. For spicy tuna fans, I would recommend the 911 and the Bo Ha rolls. The sauce used in those rolls were pretty good. The Eel Special tasted like sauce poured on something mushy. That leads me to question the freshness of their ingredients.
Despite all that, Big Tuna priced everything affordably. I would go back again and hope this bad experience was only the result of a lapse in quality due what looks like a very busy day for them. -
Review from Ira L.
Rosamond, CA
3/27/2009
I've been to most of the sushi places in the AV and this place is most definitely the worst. No atmosphere. Tiny bar. Horrible service. We never even ate the food!
First time my wife and I went was because I won a coupon for Big Tuna the week before. After sitting at the bar, I handed the coupon to the sushi chef who muttered something to the lead (?) waitress who abruptly handed the coupon back to us stating "We don't take these anymore"! After showing her the expiration date was in the future, she simply repeated the denial then walked away. Well, so did we.
A few weeks later, after a respected friend told us to give it another try, we had to wait for them outside to open for lunch even though it was past the opening time on their window. The waitress sat some folks ahead of us in order at the bar. IN ORDER was apparently the modus operandi. The nice lady in front of us brought her two (2) baby carriers (I assume containing one baby each ;) and put them at her feet at the bar. When we asked the waitress if we could sit at another place at the bar, she refused! "No! Sit here!" Of all the--well, as we again started to walk out, the waitress changed her mind and tried to sit us at a table. "No worries, we'll never come back." And we never have.
(But we may try the newer Lancaster one ;)
Check out Miso, Ginza and Hiro for your sushi cravings. Hey, try Tokyo Steak, too! -
Review from Mandie A.
Palmdale, CA
6/1/2011
Big Tuna is AWESOME. If you go there you have to go for the bar. The sushi there is really what it's about. They have some other non-sushi choices on the menu but it's really better to sit at the bar and try all the different rolls they make. It's delicious and a very nice atmosphere. It's all very clean and friendly.
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Review from Heather N.
Los Angeles, CA
9/3/2007
Good sushi in Palmdale?! You betcha!
Great beef teriyaki bowls and fresh sushi. So fresh the shrimp are still moving when it hits the plate. And the service spectacular! Our waitress Kety... one of the best. If you get a chance to go to this place ask for Kety. Saturday nights are WILD... we had a great time sitting at the sushi bar taking shots with the sushi chef. Good times! -
Review from Robin C.
Pearblossom, CA
4/15/2008
I'm yer basic bonafide sushi freak, let's get that outa the way upfront. I've spent a lot of money on sushi over the years, and I make it at home too (it's fun, sort of like an art project that you get to eat, and plus it's a great 'excuse' to drink sake). BigTuna is not the best sushi out there but it's p.d.g. (purdy dern good) especially for Palmdale, which, as everyone seems to believe, is in the 'middle of nowhere.'
I usually prefer the raw stuff, but ironically my favorite at this place is the Good Choice Handroll, which is made with baked scallops and rice and served in SOY PAPER - this is perfect, because they don't use the highest-quality nori (if you want to start making sushi at home with nori, I recommend Yama Moto Yama Gold and nothing else), and the soy paper is soft and delicious. The scallops and rice filling is quite simply INCREDIBLE. I make sure I have one - or two - every time I visit.
They don't use the highest quality fish, that has to be mentioned; this isn't exactly (yeah, yeah, I'm gonna namedrop) Katsuya, Nobu, Asanebo, Sushi Roku, Matsuhisa or my L.A. favorite, Blowfish Sushi To Die For, but it's not terrible either. The ahi sashimi is really good, the salmon is good, especially in the Philadelphia Roll, and their miso soup is excellent. They also have ankimo on the menu - this is monkfish pate (liver), and it's very hard to find, even in some of the L.A. places. I love it, always have an order of that when I'm partaking as well.
The bottom line : BigTuna will most definitely satisfy your sushi fix if you absolutely haveta have one. Works for me. -
Review from Sergio N.
Palmdale, CA
2/27/2011
I took my wife to eat here on date night. The staff is really nice and the sushi chefs sing to get this-Ricky Martin's "Living La Vida Loca?" Well, it made me laugh. We decided not to eat at the sushi bar even though $25 for all can eat sounds good. Instead, we ordered some sashimi with some rolls, and a large hot sake and the price was reasonable and under the $50 we would have spent as all you can eat customers. We were full and the sushi was delicious.
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Review from Melris C.
Daly City, CA
6/23/2010
Writing this review for the lunch time all-you-can-eat
The place isn't bad. They have certain menu items that are available as part of the all-you-can-eat special. Some of my favorites were the:
-salmon crunch roll
-maine roll
-crazy special (I think) roll
-baked green mussel for appetizers
Make sure to ask for 1/2 rolls so you can try more and not get too full at the same time.
Like I said, the place isn't bad...it's average, could be better but it wasn't horrible. I guess I can say I would come back to dine in and not get the all-you-can-eat special. -
Review from Tim C.
Palmdale, CA
9/14/2011
Big tuna is no joke. I have talked to several people who make the trek up from LA to come to Palmdale of all places in the world, JUST for the sushi. This place has all the nigiri sushi you can think of and they arent stingy if you want a couple order of sweet shrimp, or Uni, or unagi, and even have tuna and yellowtail belly sometimes, just ask for it, they may have it. They also have like 30 rolls, and 3 or so hand rolls and you may also make just about any roll they serve into a hand roll. My favorite rolls are the 911, the albacore delight spicy, shrimp tempura roll, the philadelphia and the good choice hand roll. The origami hand roll is good too! You may also load up on appetizers, like shumai, edamame, miso soup, deep fried gyozas and something called yummy crunch which is ooh soo yummy. To top it off, their oyster are usually top notch as well so for the price it costs for the AYCE, you can spring for a sapporo, asahi or a hot sake to wash it down. :)
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Review from Sean K.
Los Angeles, CA
2/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Where else can you get AYCE sushi for $25 bucks that doesn't skimp on the fish? I went yesterday with a few friends from LA and damn the drive was long but it was well worth it. We arrived at around seven and we were seated within a few minutes. One of the server ladies asked a customer if he'd be willing to move aside a seat and then BAM! seating for five at the bar.
I ate soo much. I didn't pace myself and I just ate everything in front of me which sucked cause I wanted to try everything on the menu. I'd recommend ordering half rolls and going easy on the rice and asking how many pieces the appetizers come in because one order of say baked mussels are 5 pieces whereas one order of sushi is two, etc. you don't want to fill up on any one specific thing (unless you want to) but rather try a little bit of everything until you find your favorites.
I'd say bring a pencil and a notepad to jot down what you get and what you like so the next time you come (there definitely will be a next time) you can go straight to your favorites.
You can also get chef specials if you talk to them and they like you (results may vary). We told one of the sushi chefs that we came from la to eat there and he seemed to be grateful. he made us some cerviche and also a raw shrimp body with fried shrimp head dish that was pretty weird but good.
come hungry, be friendly, enjoy yourself and maybe you'll get a treat! -
Review from S U.
San Jose, CA
6/18/2009
Ok WOW! I love this place! Whenever I'm in town, I try to go here with my family. As far as I know, there's nothing like this in San Jose.
So last time I went, it was $25 per person for all you can eat sushi! I love how they make the sushi right in front of you as you order! Can't get any better than that! And I also love how they don't over do it with the rice so you don't get full fast!
Make sure you get there early so that you can reserve a seat! -
Review from Matthew C.
Fullerton, CA
12/21/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Love this place! They have a huge selection of creative rolls, thick cuts of nigiri and sashimi, and a reasonable all you can eat. Pair that with great sushi chefs and a quick and responsive wait staff and you have a great experience. Talk to your sushi chef if you sit at the bar and he'll make the experience even better with recommendations and samples to try.
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Review from Lauren H.
8/4/2009
I don't understand all of the hype surrounding this place. The only time I go is when my friends really want to get together for All You Can Eat Sushi. I usually opt out of that and just buy myself one simple roll, because I don't want to spend $30 for greasy sushi. You have to take into account that I am not a big fan of the baked sushi, or any sushi covered in mayo and a bunch of sauce (is that even authentic?).. it makes me gag, and that is pretty much the only selection you get here if you want to try something with a lot of flavor. I usually feel sick after eating here.
Yeah, the atmosphere is pretty fun if you go at night and the sushi chefs hit on you and joke around with you, but that's about all you can expect for your $30 bucks.
As for the rest of the food, I ordered Miso soup once and it was completely ice cold and didn't even taste good. Way too salty. Yuck. I never get their tempura because they obviously don't know how to make it. There is way too much batter on it and the batter isn't even made properly.
Oh, and you usually have to wait forever to get in, and there is almost nowhere to sit.. You have to sit outside, and this is not fun if it's cold outside.
So if you're looking for a fun place to go with your friends for All You Can Eat, try it out. Maybe I am just the exception to the rule, but I really don't like this place. If you're looking for fantastic, authentic, fresh sushi, try Shogun on 6th. -
Review from Nick C.
San Fernando, CA
3/25/2010
So I've been to BigTuna 2 times thus far. I am basing this off of both experiences as one.
Walk in and it's your nice new sushi spot. Bar in the middle while the windows are lined with tables. Cool little feel it has when you're in there.
Upon arriving here at 9:00pm there was a 10min wait which took about a little over 15 minutes. I don't blame Big Tuna it's just that the people were just sitting there having a good time. So I felt kind of 'left out'. After being sat down (AYCE BAR ONLY) at the bar the chef Suki took care of us.
The menu is simple. All regular / normal fish you would find at all sushi spots. Rolls are all varieations of spicy tuna and crab mixes. All in all really good. Oragami roll, Rolls Roy and the Palmdale roll are really really good. Oh No! roll is also a good choice. Suki was keeping up with the frantic pace of orders that came in before the spot closed down. So hats off to him. Some sushi orders got forgotten but they made up for it for the pace of the service. Miso soup was bland. Ono was tasty. I was disappointed with the cajun tuna. It's just Tuna sushi with some chili powder sprikled on top. Nothing special.
If it wasn't for the wait in the begining or bland miso plus the shady cajun tuna this place would be a great 4 star. But I have to rate it a 3.5 for sure. All sushi taste good here and it's just like Midori sushi out in Encino. I would pick either or... but Midori gets the nod over bigtuna.
Also they don't pack in the rice here like they do at midori. So 3.65 :) -
Review from Paul S.
Las Vegas, NV
3/31/2009
By far the best sushi place my wife and I have ever been to. We always go for the all-you-can-eat and take full advantage of it! Sushi arrives fresh and still cool (I can't stand room-temp sushi, ick!) and the menu has an awesome selection. The lunch menu is a bit shorter than the dinner menu, but I haven't had a time where they have refused to make something off the current menu. My personal favorite is the cajun tuna, gives a nice little kick that makes my taste buds begging for more. My wife's favorite is a toss up between the origami hand roll and the baked green mussels (both are excellent).
Something that I absolutely love about this place compared to most other sushi places in the AV... bottomless sodas. When you order the all-you-can-eat at a lot of places they give you a can... pfft, like that does you any good! This place keeps it coming, I don't think I've ever had an empty glass here for more than 60 seconds.
Service is excellent, the location in Lancaster is spotless and roomy (the Palmdale one is good food and service, but TINY!), and both locations are quite friendly I have found. Since moving to Las Vegas my wife and I have yet to find a place that truely compares to Big Tuna and every time we come back to the Valley this place is on the top of our places to go out to eat! -
Review from rob l.
Woodland Hills, CA
9/1/2009
Is it sad that the best sushi rolls** I've ever had were in the middle of the fucking desert?
Their green dragon roll is the best in Southern California.
** Sushi rolls counts for sushi rolls and only rolls. Nigiri, hand rolls, and sashimi not included. -
Review from Tyler M.
Garden Grove, CA
1/14/2010
Not much I can say about this place. We went here and took the cousin out for his birthday. We went at around 430 or 5 on a Sunday afternoon, and sat down almost instantly at the sushi bar. The baked rolls were definitly greasy, and sometimes not even baked completly. I ordered the mix tempura, and by the time I was able to eat it since it was so hot, it was only just vegetables with no breading. How do you have a sushi spot and mess up tempura? The crunch rolls were good, and there were a few others that were pretty tasty.
I was not thrilled by the sushi chefs, they did the best they could to be smart asses and playful. But that's about all they were - smart asses not even funny. There was a sushi chef in front of me standing there the whole time just watching. The guy next to him would take my order and then he would hand it to the other people in my party to have them pass it down to me. He wouldn't even walk the 4-6 feet to hand it to me, or he wouldn't even ask the chef standing there to make it for me.
Atmosphere wise.... the place is cool. Definitly feelin' most of the waitresses, and if I were a single man I would frequent there more often for them. The bathroom was nice, it would almost have to be since you would spend most of your time in there from the greasy sushi. It gets 3 stars for being a cool a little spot. Worth the looking in to if you are ever trapped in desert hell and want some fish.
