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Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Asian Fusion [Edit]
355 Santana RowMon-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
"Seriously, I can't get enough of this place. It gets five stars just for the Roti Canai alone. It's not a good sign when you suggest this…" read more »
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I have been coming to Sushi Blowfish in their various locations for years now. The location here at Santana Row is my least favorite, mainly due to the decor and needlessly snotty and often inattentive service. On the other hand, these guys do sushi right. I am a HUGE fan of the Ritsu roll and super dynamite roll. I am getting hungry even now. Mmmm.
For an extra treat, I have found that the super dynamite made extra spicy will blow your mind. Ask for it and strap yourself in.
Prices are still high and they never seem to have any price specials, so most people I know eat at more reasonably priced sushi spots. Still, for a quality night out with extra low boredom potential, Sushi Blowfish has to rise to the top of the list.
This review is for their night life.
Granted I haven't been to all of Santana Row's bars/lounges, Blowfish has a young crowd. That means no cougars. Somehow I always end up here and not at Sino, Vbar, or Straights.
My drink of choice is always a large carafe of flavored sake. It's good for sharing shots with friends. Sake is such a creeper, too. I'm good after 2 shots. :D
If not to stare at Blowfish's patrons (last week it was Kris Letang of the Pens) or to hang out with friends, I can lounge and watch clips of sports highlights, anime, and Kill Bill.
I came here for lunch with a friend last weekend and I must admit this place served really good and creative sushi!! (+ star)
I've seen so many complaints about its price, and I'm not sure how much my lunch was because my friend paid for it but the menu certainly got me goose bumps when I looked at it. I know the restaurant is on Santana Row and it's SUSHI but it shouldn't be that expensive.
I'm not a fan of Anime and in fact I sometimes find it a little overrated (sorry fans) but that's just me. So seeing them showing Animees on all of the screens placed on the walls gave me the irritation, and again...I apologize to its fans.
The service was excellent even if it was kind of crowded when we came. The meals were made fast, the servants treated us good, and they politely cleaned up the plates right after we'd just finished. (+ another star)
I didn't try the cocktails or any special drinks they offered there and now I sort of regret not doing so since I can see most of the people who gave one more star for their reviews on this restaurant just because of the drinks, so it deserves another star. (+ star)
So overall, this place isn't a bad idea for Sushi, I really liked it. If I was rich, I'd definitely come back for at least another roll and of course, I wouldn't miss the cocktails either. :]
*Dedicated to South Plainsfield, NJ*
FOR...
...the blaring music
...the anime/movies that are projected onto a wall that put you in a trance
...the couches that force the person next to you to be your friend
...the bathrooms that are sometimes flooded
...the girliest drinks EVER
...the servers that forget to check back on us
But most of all, for...
...making my JERSEY KIDS happy :D
I give Blowfish 5 stars.
Number 55. OUT!
Blows goats. Gotta love corporate sushi restaurants! This place is a joke. In fact, Santana Row is a joke. If I had a nickel for every cool high school kid or greasy guido thinking this is the place to be, I'd be a wealthy hobo.
The best part about coming to places like this, is getting to wear sunglasses while I watch the people and think of all the creative ways to drown a cat.
Not the best - not the worst.
Its that PYRAMID OF TAR TAR that keeps me coming back.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
I used to go to this place when it was on Sunset Blvd in LA. Then they went out of business and I discovered it in SJ. If I owned this place I would make the waitress dress up like the anime characters that are playing on the flat screens on the walls...like a slutty Sailor Moon or one of those bondage chicks with the crazy blue hair. Or I would make them dress like the crazy chicks in the Harajuku district of Tokyo. The guys I would make look like the Dragon Ball Z characters with huge hair and funny outfits. But they would have to be buff like the DZ guys. Maybe I would call it blowjob sushi. The ambiance at Blowfish is hip and trendy and fun in that cartoony Japanese way - it's way more LA or Vegas than SJ. There are cool rolls named Godzilla and Buddha. There is a real cool sushi pyramid. Service is good. Food is good. Desserts are to die for.
A Ok....
Only been here once... We went with a small group for halloween....
Ordered sake, drinks, and a lot of sushi...
Service was fine... Filled the water, replaced the plates, brought fresh napkins.... Food came out at a good pace...
The place wasn't completely filled.... It seems like they might be having hard times financially...
Overall, it was pricey for what we got....
I think we might go here again.... if it is still open...
Why would you want to die for sushi? This name distresses me. The Bay Area is so infested with both sushi restaurants and food service laws that there is no reason to sacrifice one's life for an overpriced plate of artfully arranged fish flesh.
Anyway, I sat at the bar. The bar stools are shaped like cubes. The sake cocktails are quite tasty and refreshing (despite the stray ice chip in my second glass), but the service is cold, stagnant, and glassy-eyed. Like a dead fish.
For the nightlife and sushi combo!
NOT TO DIE FOR, just to have sushi at santana row and check out the scene, sometimes it gets really load in there, give MIZU a shot its new. Don't be weirded out by the valet service although it is weird.
I think a lot of people don't understand that the reason they have "sushi to die for" in their title is because blowfish is extremely poisonous! So actually, their title makes perfect sense. I don't know if they sell blowfish there but that'd be cool if they did....I wouldn't try it though with the price tag on it and the chance of dying if the fish isn't prepared right.
Anyway, went here for drinks one time and found it too be too small. There's a little area where I people were dancing, but it held no more than 15 people. I sat on one of the couches around a coffee table and saw a disgusting show of hideous cougars lap dancing men who looked around in pure boredom. It was quite funny actually, and I felt sorry for the men. It totally took the class of the place down a notch. Wouldn't go back.
Blowfish is a nice place to eat sushi if you have no idea of what an authentic Japanese restaurant that serves wonderful sushi should look like. The atmosphere is sooo corporate/fusion eating...perfect for Santana Row. I will admit , though that the few times I have eaten here, the sushi wasn't bad the atmosphere is cool and they do have a bar so that's a plus. I think eating here can be a little overpriced but you kind of expect that in a place like this...consider your surroundings. In addition to my experiences here, the staff was polite and all and the food looked fine but that's pretty much it. I've tried a couple of their specialty rolls and they didn't taste bad. Personally, I still prefer the more traditional style Japanese restaurants or simple sushi bars over this place anytime. If you have never been here, try it out...you'[ll probably agree with me...
I've come here for Happy Hour a few times. Lots of mixed drink choices which is nice. Sushi rolls are $5 each, which I think is kinda expensive considering that it's only a 6 pc roll. Service during Happy Hour is not too great either. The servers seem like they're just trying to get the work done. Not friendly at all. We asked for photos to be taken and I could tell she was just wanting to get it over with.
Dinner has been a better experience for me. I like the pyramid tartar and sashimi dinner. This isn't my first choice place for Japanese food or sushi, but I don't mind eating here once in awhile. The only bad thing is that the place can be really loud with the music that it's hard to conversate with people.
Dude serious!!!!! This place sucks and is overpriced, but if you need to be 'scene' go here. If you want good quality and gas money to get home without the techno crap, try elsewhere!
Ehhh....
I would not order the rolls here cause I think they're gross. Each and every time the rice has been too hard.
I will eat the sashimi and my ultimate fav is the TUNA TarTar. That's why I give them 2 stars. The bartender Eri over there is off the hook, too. She's the best! But since the review is on the food... they still just get 2 stars.
Happy Hour
I've never been to Blowfish for happy hour until last night. A few coworkers decided we would celebrate my bday @ happy hour. It was good not too crowded and drinks priced $5 bucks. I had the mango mojito and lemon drop which were both yummy. We ordered the $5 rolls and it was good not bad. We enjoyed the complimentary edamame nice and salty. I think the drinks could of used more alcohol after 3 drinks I wasn't feeling anything.
OK OK, so the name is full of lies. It's not "sushi to DIE for". In fact, there are plenty of other places out there that serve tastier and cheaper sushi, but let's talk about the good stuff - drinks and appetizers. I've been here on a few separate occasions and the drinks have yet to disappoint me. I hate over-the-top sugary mojitos where you can't taste the rum, and this place does a good job not making the list of "bars that serve crappy mojitos". My favorite drink here is the Plum Wine Spritzer - refreshing, sweet, and the kick is kind of a creeper. Come during happy hour from 5-7pm and it's only $5!
Another signature dish that I always come to order is the Pyramid Of Tartar - thick lumpy layers of tuna, salmon, & avocado w/ a side of sweet ginger soy sauce & honey tartar. Though not an attractive visual piece when everything is mixed together, the combined flavors create such a sweet succulent sensation, presentation becomes meaningless. My mouth is salivating just thinking about it! The best part of this delectable mini-mountain of goodness are the potato waffle chips. I could eat those forever and a day. Unfortunately, other than making your own sushi roll for $5 (which I would totally suggest passing on), there are no other happy hour deals on the food. Just $5 sakes and $2 off specialty cocktails. The bar/lounge area fills up quick, so get there early if you wanna grab a seat.
The ambiance is definitely cool and chic, but being an anime-lover myself, it's really distracting watching all the little flat screens placed all around the dining room. The service here isn't top notch either, but hopefully they pick up on that soon if they wish to retain any customers. Prices can be a bit extreme, so it's smart to order a bunch of appetizers and then eating family style if you want to sample a lil bit of everything without raping your credit card.
Regardless of the loud music, expensive menu, and somewhat rambunctious drunken crowd in the wee hours of the evening, it's still one of the better places to hang out at in Santana Row.
i love the super dynamite rolls! i try to get other restaurants to make something similar, but it never compares... the hot sauce on top is so good too! it comes in 6 smaller rolls for i think $10 or $11. so be aware they are a bit pricy, but everything on the menu kinda is.
My husband and I always go here for a few drinks and to listen to house music, as this is the only place in Santana Row that plays any (the rest play hip-hop and popular music on Fri/Sat nights). Unfortunately, their music has gotten worse over the last six months- they keep inviting DJs that it seems just learned how to mix in their basement (or are using this joint for their first performance). But, [sigh] I can't be too upset because at least they play house. And their drinks are not bad.
For those of you who decide to actually try the sushi of "blowfish sushi..."
8$ = 1/2 a bite of normal sushi, cut up into 5 "slices" arranged around a martini glass of dipping sauce. Tasted great- but seriously, I inhaled and it disappeared.
Don't go here hungry.
Happy Hour = $2 off cocktails. Cucumber Spritzer was supposed to be $9 according to the menu but I was charged $5. SWEET! It came in a huge glass, although I could barely taste the alcohol (maybe because it was sake). Very refreshing. I love cucumber drinks.
Make your own sushi for $5. NOT WORTH IT. Don't do it don't do it don't do it. 6 fairly bland pieces of sushi you can make at home, no thank you.
Pyramid of Tartare was pretty delicious. Wouldn't be able to eat it on my own, for it is very rich. I loved the waffle potato chips you eat it with. Avocado, tuna, and salmon all mashed up with honey tartare sauce is yummers in my tummers. Too bad they don't have a happy hour deal on it.
The ambiance is not bad, however I did not like our waiter. He was aloof and not friendly at all.
I am a sushi snob. And Blowfish is one of the places that I will go to when I'm in the area. I've eaten at almost all the places on Santana Row and Blowfish would have to be in my top 3 list.
Order off the menu. Ask the waitress what she recommends. We had the King Riffi. You just have to try it--and you won't be disappointed. Their sashimi was fresh and the blow fish eye which consists of tuna, crispy tempura flakes, cucumber and wasabi tobiko...that was good also.
Basically you can't go wrong with what you order from my experience. If you want fresh sushi and you're at the mall, hop over to Santana Row. It also turns into a lounge like most of the restaurants in the area at night. Have dinner, then have some drinks, you can't beat that now.
For nightlife...
DRINKS:
I remember from another time I was here, that the drinks were pretty weak...
ATMOSPHERE:
Half the room has tables to sit at. The other half has loungey seating, but it gets crowded bc that's where the bar it. Sometimes ppl dance (attempt to dance) in that corner near the DJ haha...
CROWD:
Santana Row crowd (a lot of them are tall!), young 20's all the way to 30's. Few 40 yr olds. Mixed crowd with a little more asians than the other bars on the Row. Most business men looking. But still got your regular hooligans. Those whom you can take them out of the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of them, so to speak. Such as last night there was actually a brawl next to the bar. But at least they have 3-4 big security guys intervene right away. And they have an area in the front to hang/smoke outside, but only two out door tables.
DRESS:
Ranges from super casual, like I saw a guy in cargo shorts and slippers... to nice dress shirts... and to females (cougars) in complete clubby attire
MUSIC:
Pretty loud rave, trance, club music. Pretty awkward watching ppl dance to it.
FOOD:
1.) Sushi Rolls = Philadelphia roll, probably Dragon and California roll too. Not good at all,…
Read more »
I think whoever named this place had a typo. Its not Blowfish Sushi to Die For...It's actually Blowfish Sushi Kill Me Now. Went here for drinks looking for a good time on a Saturday night...
Overrated....
Overpriced.....
Overcrowded......
Over Blowfish........
Didn't get any rolls, but I imagine if they are half as bad as most of these reviews claim they are, I probably would be just as stoked about them as I am to go back to this place...
2 Stars for my well made Kamikaze, playing house and not top40s, and no cover.
My first experience was poor because I was a sushi purist. If you are too, then this place will take getting used to. But if you give it a chance, the innovative rolls are a lot of fun, provide variety, and are perfectly in character with the venue and location. Fish quality is excellent. I'm now a convert.
OVERPRICED SUSHI!!!
If you wanna drop big bucks for average sushi... come here! The only reason why this place deserves a 2 star is because of their green tea cheesecake! It's to die for! It's like having an orgasm in your mouth! If you come here, you MUST try the green tea cheesecake. Oh, lord... very dainty!
I don't know about the food , but if you're here for the nightlife, look elsewhere. It's the kind of place you take a really good looking date that's GREAT to look at, but torture to talk to. The music is so loud you can't hear each other, even if you wanted to. Our group had to cup our hands around our mouths and YELL at each other to be heard.
The only thing I DID like was the round of Surfer on Acid (my fave!) that came to our table, which really has nothing to do w/ the restaurant, but just an awesome choice by my friend's bf. It's weird how I always have to explain what it is when I order in LA, but here in the Bay, everyone seems to know what SoA is. Just another reason to heart the Bay. =)
This review has been "incomplete" for a long time. I finally decided to finish and submit my review today.
I tried to think of something good to write. I tried to think of something bad to write. I couldn't really think of anything to write about this place. I could describe their service: B. I could describe their decor: C. I could describe their happy hour: C. I could describe their food: C. But I can't find anything of substance to write about this place.
Therefore all I can write is this place must not have impressed me all that much. Blowfish Sushi is just that... Neither excellent, nor terribly bad. It is just AVERAGE!
Wow! I was a bit of a snob before and didn't think the sushi was that great here for some reason... but I've changed my mind .. it's not that great but still very decent and there are many other creative dishes.
I love the Ritsu roll appetizer. 2 types of tuna, avocado, wrapped in seaweed *without* rice! Cute presentation.
The Ostrich Portobello was surprisingly good. Thin slices of ostrich meat, a bit medium rare, over thin tempura portobello mushrooms and string beans. Yum! I could taste the meat a lot better than when I had it at La Fondue.
I'm excited to try the other dishes here. The fish is fresh as the sushi chef has about 5 different wholesalers he gets it from. The salmon practically melted in my mouth.
Came here for happy hour. Slow service. Since I am not a rich male willing to tip cocktail… Read more »
Blowfish is sadly, one of the only places open late (1:30 am) at Santana Row on a Saturday night. The line was loooong and sloooow (though no cover is nice), and the trio in front of us got turned down, which sucks for them. No clue why, especially since the males inside took unattractive and awkward to a whole new level.
At least the ones on the dance floor. Let me generalize a bit. They lacked (not in the order of importance) 1) youth 2) style 3) dancing skillz 4) social abilities 5) looks. Oh boy oh boy. One older man pretty much did all the moves in Wii Fit. Arms on the hips, legs wide apart, wiggle those hips purposefully side to side. The hula hoop. Then he did this wave thing with his arms. On second thought, I kind of adored him.
The creepers of the night, on the other hand, were downright repulsive. It's not even as if they were particularly ugly, but their mannerisms were. One white guy asked me where I was from. "Here," I replied. Then he asked me what my name was. "Karen," I said. Then he asked me what my "real" name was. "You know, the one that your parents call you?"
Another guy asked me if I wanted to dance with him, and got me to agree to one song. Man, he busted out some crazy ass moves...scared me right back to my girls...I didn't want him to accidentally hit me with his flailing arms or something.
But all this was okay, because I came here with female friends and I don't think we were looking to take anyone home anyway. I loved the music...unique electronica/techno mixes, some of which were made from popular songs (Lady Gaga) and some of which were made from 80s songs (Yay!!), but most of which I did not recognize. The screens played crazy and sometimes gory anime.
They really need to do something about the little chairs all around though. The dance floor is small enough as it is; it kinda hurts to bump into furniture.
Oh and the manager was super nice! He wanted to buy all four of us shots before the night ended, but...I drove. Don't drink and drive, my friends!
Between 2-3 stars.
I don't think anyone expects authenticity from places with names that include "express," "wok," or "to die for." This is just a fun place that you can meet your friends after window-shopping the nice stores in Santana Row, and have a few drinks and some wacky rolls. The service was attentive, then again that could be related to the bad economy, or because it was a smart cute guy who knew how to work us gals for good tips. The rolls weren't bad, although I felt icky after the not-so-fresh, tri-colored tartare plate. The cocktails were a bit weak and I could barely taste the alcohol (and I hardly drink!).
Denno if I'm ever going to sign a waiver to eat some blowfish,
but...
BEST wasabi tobiko I've ever had!
...and that is just about it!
A flashy place for people who want to hang out and feel hip on Friday & Saturday nights, but not a place for people (like me) who simply want good Japanese food.
Everything is obviously overpriced here but it's understandable. However, it's not understandable when the quality is sucky at the price they charge. Tiny pathetic looking oysters and sad unoriginal sushi rolls at a To Die For price?! Thanks, but no thanks.
On the plus side, food does start to taste better after you spend a fortune on alcohol.
The sushi is good but everything else leave a lot more to be desired.
The decor is sophisticated but a bit too overwhelming. I like the anime theme but the LCDs could be too distracting at times. The service is okay. Pretty much what you would expect with the price you are paying for. Many of their rolls are pretty good. (Think fusion and not authentic sushi)
I love the fact that this place open till late. It is also an okay spot to dance/mingle with friends. They have live DJs every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The line could get really long though. This place could be rather noisy. If you want a cool place to just chill and hang out with a small group of friends, look somewhere else.
This is for the bar, as I haven't been here for dinner in almost three years.
BAR:
Fabulous! We had this awesome waitress serve us quick, and she made me the strongest vodka martini that I had to ask for 4 olives to finish half! When I couldn't finish the other half, she mixed it for me, free of charge. TOO SWEET. I will def be back here for her.
Bad part: The line and the wait for drinks is absolutely horrendous. They should've fashioned the bar positioning in their restaurant better.
FYI: Hearing the reviews scares me. Blowfish 3-4 years ago had amazing chefs and food. There was once a man who walked in, sat next to us, and ordered "THE BEST THING YOU'VE GOT." He was served a special off-the-menu meal. To go from cater-to-your-needs amazing to flat-on-your-back disgusting is sad. I mourn for this place! I will try it soon in order to accept the facts.
expensive and overrated.
1 star for being located close to the hot dog stand outside of urban outfitters! yum!
I'm going to go out on a limb here, but I thought place deserved at least 3.5 stars, rounded up.
I came in here knowing that this place was a shi-shi Japanese fusion hoo-ha place, and I enjoyed most of the appetizer dishes we ate. Here's the break down:
Pyramid of tartar: I was surprised, yes I was. We mixed and smashed it until it wasn't a pyramid anymore. I felt like godzilla in Egypt afterwards. Hah, Japanese restaurant. Get it?
Luck Duck: They totally got this wrong. In every imaginable way. They should not be serving this dish. I think this is what gave me the runs. I pooped, and I continued to poop after I got home. I walked funny, like, a duck... until I got to the toilet. Maybe that was the whole point.
Oyster shooters: The quail egg did everything for this. There is someone out there; someone out of their minds. That person decided that one day, they would put a quail egg with an oyster, into a shot glass, with alcohol; and serve it.
Ritsu roll: Forgettable, but wasn't bad by any stretch. What did I eat again? Oh yeah, it was tuna. Or something.
Ostrich Portabello: I've never had ostrich. After eating it for the first time here, I consider it a cross between beef and chicken. I prefer it over its odd-eats cousin the kangaroo, which tasted.. well I don't know what to make of it. I just decided eating cute fluffy animals was not OK, and that eating huge gigantic, flightless birds was way more awesome.
I approve.
Try the Godzilla, my favorite! Not too crazy otherwise for this place and their menu. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit here.
Also, the nightlife here is lame. Itty bitty dance floor by the bar... actually I don't think it's even a dance floor.
I've been about 4 times or so once on a "date" if you'll call it that and it was so hard to hear each other. The other times were with a group and once for take out.
All of my experiences have been pleasant, but there is just something lacking.
This definitely deserves a 3.5
This place is very nice.
They have a bouncer at the front door checking I.D.'s
I like the anime you can watch all over the place. Like seriously you come here you see hella anime. Just for those people who don't know! When they first opened they had anime playing on the huge screen outside. [Right before you came in that huge glass in front] Now the reason why they don't show it anymore was because the anime almost revealed just too much sexuality that dumb people called it hentai when it wasn't. Oki done with that story.
The sushi I will admit is pricey but it is so good. They display it very pretty (not like traditional place) and everything is just so awesome.
The service here though is not so awesome. But then again I went when it was packed.
They do open late. Their desserts are awesome, A MUST TRY.
But yea I feel like I really need to be dressed up o_O.
-SN
PS This is the place where I am going to get my last meal from because Blowfish is very dangerous to eat. They even have a description of it in the menu.
If you want to try eating Blowfish you need to call them in advance, sign a waiver before eating it. 2 weeks tops.
This place sucks!! This is an America sushi place, the portions are so small ! It is completely overpriced! The place was so loud, it's a pub, half of the menu are drinks. to die for I don't think so. the waitress didn't know anything about sushi. menu said baked Alaskan salmon but the roll only torched on top of the cheese. The worst sushi I HAVE EVER HAD. VERY BAD. maybe go there have a drink but not for sushi.
I love this place. I don't see how many people give it weak reviews... maybe I'm not as picky as you, who knows. The sushi is fantastic here. They have a wide variety of sushi rolls (California rolls are NOT sushi, by the way... so if you order those and say you like sushi, shame on you).
If you head to the bar area, they have a nice drink menu as well. Different flavors of sake. Excellent!
For people complaining about the decor... calm down. It is all about the food and drinks here for me and I think they are great. I actually have no problem with the decor as it is a nice change of pace from places I usually go to.
Complaining about the price here doesn't make any sense.... I mean, Hello, it is Santana Row. What did you expect?
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