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Crystal Bonsai Sushi
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
553 23rd St SArlington, VA 22202
(703) 553-7723
- Nearest Transit:
-
Crystal City Metro Station (Blue, Yellow)
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
About This Business:
When the people of this area stop and think about who bakes the finest bakery products around, they're probably thinking of Dama Bakery/Dama Pastry & Cafe
55 reviews for Crystal Bonsai Sushi
Review Highlights
"The Early Bird Special is one of the best bargains in town."
(in 6 reviews)
"...any entree you get miso soup, salad with peanut dressing..."
(in 17 reviews)
"Salmon was incredible and so was the White Tuna."
(in 4 reviews)
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55 reviews in English
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Review from Kerianne K.
Arlington, VA
9/24/2011
I have been to dozens and dozens of sushi restaurants in the No. VA area- eat sushi close to 3 times a week, and I have to say that this is my favorite. This is my boyfriend and I's "go-to" sushi restaurant or just when we want to eat out. This place is fantastic!
Pros-
-Reasonably priced rolls- not the cheapest I have seen, but definitly not the most expensive in the DC area- and its good quality fish and ingredients.
-Quick service- Usually you are in-and-out for dinner in about 45 minutes. I have never had to wait longer
-Free!- dinners come with soup/salad/fish appetizer automatically with your dinner purchase no matter what you get- which is a nice touch since many other restaurants make you pay for that.
-Friendly- If you come mor than 2-3 times the staff remembers you, and my boyfriend has actually had them make a specialty roll for him and each time the waitress remembers and automatically adds it.
-To go- they will also do all sushi (with the soup and salad!) to go as well.
-Parking- free parking which none of the other restaurants have- there is only a couple of spots but there is ample street parking.
Cons-
-There is no atmosphere, this is true, it is more of a 'hole in the wall" but its extremely clean and has a little outdoor porch area next to the other Crystal City restaurants. I personally think the taste of the food is more important than the atmosphere. I have never noticed a smell as some other people have stated. -
Review from Jeremy R.
Woodbridge, VA
1/14/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Had the early bird special. I was impressed at the amount of food. I got two rolls and a noodle dish for 15 bucks. Most places charge you that for the two rolls.
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Review from Angelica R.
Washington, DC
10/1/2011
Best sushi I've had in the DMV area. Food & service was good, will definitely go back.
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Review from David K.
Arlington, VA
8/9/2011
Anyone that thinks the quality of fish here is bad is SADLY mistaken. I have been to a million sushi restaurants around the US and this restaurant ranks WITH THE BEST! I have never had a bad meal, as a matter of fact, they have been all EXCELLENT!
Why three stars?? The service is fair, and there is 0, and I mean 0, atmosphere in this place. One of my pet peeves is a sushi chef(s) that just sit there like a bump on a log and don't engage the customers (sitting at the sushi bar of course.) This place is definitely no exception to that rule.
All in all, this place is an outstanding place for a MEAL, but not a good place for a NIGHT OUT. -
Review from Cassie C.
Washington, DC
7/12/2011
The food is just okay here. The sushi is comparable to mall sushi.
The miso soup is good.
Atmosphere is okay.
They have a happy hour special before 6:30, and parking is free.
This place is okay if you are nearby, but otherwise I would skip it. -
Review from Eric W.
Alexandria, VA
10/2/2011
Salmon box was good. Early bird special is a nice deal.
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Review from Chris D.
Arlington, VA
5/3/2011
Whoa!!
I totally dont understand any of the bad reviews. I LOVE this place. The fish is always fresh and the rice is to die for. My favorite thing on the menu is the Chirashi. For only $18 you get a heaping bowl of fresh, thick cut nigiri on a bed of rice (usually my husband and I will get this and a roll and split them). There are no thin sliced sashimi here! And if you are a fan of white tuna.... well then, you are in heaven.
With any entree you get miso soup, salad with peanut dressing, and they usually bring out random selections of fish or other appetizers (small portions).
Give me some Saporo and their Salmon and Tuna any day. You cannot beat the price, and you CANNOT beat the quaility. -
Review from Greg W.
Arlington, VA
5/26/2011 1 photo
Came here for dinner on Thursday night around 7:30. They have only about 3 parking spaces next to the building. If those are taken, I think you'll have to find parking on the street (it's plentiful though).
It wasn't too crowded at that time but restaurant was full within half an hour.
Our group of 4 sat inside the dining room area. Not sure what other yelpers were talking about regarding the restaurant having an odor as it smelled perfectly fine.
The service was prompt and attentive. We ordered only sushi and they gave us complimentary appetizers of miso soup, a small fish dish, salad with a peanut sauce dressing, and edamame.
The sashimi and the rolls were delicious! The fish on the sashimi were big in size and very fresh. The rolls were very flavorful. Favorites being the spicy tuna and fish, the eel rolls, and the spider rolls.
Prices were very reasonable for the sushi. Basic sashimi for about $5 for 2 pieces, basic rolls for about $5-6. And specialty rolls for about $10.
Definitely plan on coming again for good sushi! -
Review from Mel G.
San Francisco, CA
9/10/2011
I never knew about this fun strip of bars and restaurants in Crystal City, and I overall really like that. It was a hop, skip, and a jump away from where I was staying (the Hyatt down the street). It was nice and quiet, and I ordered the tuna and salmon sashimi, both of which were pretty good, and what would have made it great is if they put them on a bed of ice -- didn't taste super chilled, which is what I usually like.
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Review from Isabel B.
San Jose, CA
10/31/2010
I must say, the only reason we went to Bonsai for lunch was because it is one of the few places in Crystal City with its own free parking space (only two spots, but still). Except for two tables outside, the place was empty around 11:30 am, but it still took the waitress a long time to acknowledge us, which is especially annoying given the fact that the place is tiny. By the time she finally got to us, we were ready to order. I got the seaweed salad ($4.75) and the vegetarian Ume Maki roll (plum paste and cucumber, $3.50). My friend got the Gyoza appetizer ($4.25) and the salmon roll.
My salad was very small and not delicious. I couldn't tell what the "special sauce" was, but either way, I didn't love it. The roll was forgettable, nothing special about it at all either.
My friend didn't like the fact that they put shrimp in the gyoza, but said that the roll was ok.
Probably won't be coming back here. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. Oh well, at least parking was free. -
Review from Liz G.
La Plata, MD
11/16/2010
Everytime I visit this place, the food is exceptionally fresh! The Chirashi bowl is a great price and pilled high with very tasty and fresh fish.
Great hole in the wall sushi resturant and they have a few free parking spaces. -
Review from Michelle S.
Folsom, CA
8/18/2011
Best sushi in VA/DC area. Incredibly fresh and delicious! This is the place to go if you want authentic sushi- plain, simple, fresh- the way they serve it in Japan. :) YUM!
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Review from Eliza B.
Arlington, VA
1/30/2011
I very rarely give scathing reviews, but this place is awful. It smells terrible, like moth balls. So pungent that the food is tainted.
My husband and I decided to try it out this fall. We sat outside. As soon as the waitress opened the door, I thought something smelled funny. We ordered water and a few rolls. Both the water and sushi were inedible because the moth ball smell had seeped into the food. It was disgusting.
They were very nice when I told them that we couldnt eat the food and didnt want to be charged for it. I am surprised that they stay in business with this problem. -
Review from Michelle M.
Redwood City, CA
4/23/2011
This is a great place for simple, fresh sushi. I got the Salmon/Tuna combo and you get miso soup and a salad with it for 20 bucks. The pieces of fish are really big. The entree could really be split between two people. Super good! Will definitely go back!
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Review from Natasha S.
Washington, DC
5/24/2010
This is a quaint spot that doesn't have too much to offer in atmosphere or interior design, however it does have a front patio to sit in. Which on a nice day, is always my favorite. The service was decent, and the prices are average.
We ordered some appetizers, like the age-tofu and the gyozas. Nothing to cry about, but the sushi was better than average! Although the rice was a tad overcooked, it wasn't rolled too thick. I love sushi that doesn't have more rice than fish, and I felt the fish to rice ratio was on point here. It was authentic. Additionally, the fish was extremely soft and fresh. Well worth the visit. -
Review from Michelle L.
Arlington, VA
2/18/2010
While the decor of this place isn't much to write about, the sushi sure is. Bonsai offers a wide variety of sushi choices and rolls all prepared with super fresh fish. My favorite roll is the soft shell crab roll. Now normally you wouldn't think of cooked soft shell crab in a sushi roll but it was beyond yummers and it gave the sushi roll an extra crunch.
Presentation was also amazing and service was top notch. I guess the bottom line is come here for a cozy dinner/lunch in a spot that offers fresh sushi and decent prices. They also have Bento Boxes available. -
Review from Julie J.
Arlington, VA
6/3/2010
I ate at Bonsai Sushi last night and was very disappointed. Even considering the relatively cheap pricetag, the food was not good. They have an early bird special if you arrive between 4:30 and 6:30pm during the week, but I definitely don't recommend it.
The "atmosphere" is nothing to write home about, but I don't mind that much... especially for cheapish sushi, but the tofu was disgusting and the sushi wasn't much better. The tempura looked to be southern fried--not the light breading and frying you expect from a Japanese restaurant.
I have eaten here before and had the chicken dinner box is not horrible, but nothing to write home about. I would avoid the sushi... seriously. Also, the service is not good. Our waitress was not even close to friendly. -
Review from James L.
8/17/2009 1 photo
Take a stroll along 23rd street in Arlington, aka Crystal City's Restaurant Row, and one can find just about any type of cuisine. Ethiopian, Thai, Italian, are all represented here. I was in the area this past weekend and at the suggestion of my dining companion, we hit Bonsai Sushi since she had been once before for lunch. Sadly we arrived after they had stopped offering their "Early Bird" dinner special which is a real bargain at $14.95 since it couples a sushi item along with a hot item and is served with a side salad and a miso soup.
Walking up to the establishment, I found it very clever how the quaint outdoor seating area was segregated from the next restaurant with a sheet of plexi-glass preventing conversation spill-over. The interior is long and narrow to maximize the number of patrons it can accommodate into this small space. We were seated toward the back and got a good view of the extremely busy kitchen. I can understand why this place is popular since looking over the menu, the prices for the sushi/sashimi either a la carte or in a platter are very reasonable, not to mention that most orders are accompanied by a complimentary miso soup and house salad with peanut dressing.
Her Chirashi sashimi platter contained very generous cuts of colorful sashimi served neatly in a bowl. The fish appeared fresh and was tender enough to be cut with a fork. I ordered the Japanese lasagna, spicy tuna, and a spider roll. The best version of Japanese lasagna I've had is still at Matsu Sushi (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) since the entire roll is toasted enough for the cheese mixture to drizzle over the sides with Italian seasoning sprinkled on top for garnish. Bonsai's version "features" small clumps of American cheese (almost tasting like Velveeta) melted on top of a cold roll creating a very uneven taste in the mouth. The spicy tuna was remarkably not spicy, and the deep fried soft shell crab for my spider roll was soggy. I will add, however, that the fish did taste very fresh and she concurred that her sashimi was very good.
For the price Bonsai Sushi is hard to beat and I'll probably be back to take advantage of the Early Bird dinner special. But for really excellent sushi, I'd drive a few more miles and dine at Momo in Old Town.Listed in: SUSHI
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Review from laura w.
Carrboro, NC
4/19/2008
-Soup and salad are included free of charge w/ meal, as well as a salmon appetizer when I went
-Salad dressing was yummy
-Rainbow roll = delicious, with a good variety of other specialty rolls for reasonable prices
-Made substitutions to sushi combo platter with no extra charge
-friendly service
-very casual/small restaurant (not fancy and overdone like some sushi restaurants)
-close to lots of other restaurants like the sports pub (fun for playing pool)Listed in: Sushi Soliciting
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Review from Karman L.
Boston, MA
3/18/2007 2 photos
This is one of the restaurant along 23rd Street (Restaurant Row) in Crystal City.
Service was a little slow, but food was good, price is fairly decent.
I had the Tuna and Salmon Combo (7 pcs Salmon Sashimi, 5 pcs Tuna Sushi, 1 Spicy Tuna Roll) for $18.95. YUMMY!!! Sashimi and Sushi are fresh and thick sliced, Spicy Tuna wasn't too spicy (good for me).
FYI - They have an Early Bird Special (mon - fri 4-6:30pm, sat-sun 12pm-5:30pm) for $13.95 - which includes one item for sushi bar (i.e. sashimi sampler - 12 pcs) and one item from kitchen (i.e. scallop tempura), and served with soup, salad, and steamed rice. -
Review from Nicole L.
1/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
We wanted something quick - the name Bonsai just made me want to eat there. Haha. The restaurant was not crowded but we decided to sit at the sushi bar. I ordered a seaweed salad, a spider roll, fatty yellowtail and escolar nigiri. We were served complimentary miso soup and three pieces of grilled snapper. It was quite nice and tasty. The seaweed salad was slimy, it was not prepared properly. We saw the sushi chef preparing our platter but noticed a unagi roll (dragon roll) it looked fantastic but we didnt order it. It turned out my 1 stroke for spider roll went over and the waitress took it as an order for the dragon roll. After we clarified, they graciously removed the roll without charging us. That was nice. I was very impressed with the fatty yellowtail and the escolar, they were of great quality, cut flat and long, the cut provided a great surface area for tasting.
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Review from Michele D.
Sterling, VA
Updated - 9/16/2009
No, no, no. Not anymore.
Since the time I met my girl Karman there, I've returned on two different occasions. Once a few months ago with a colleague from work and then again last night with a friend. The visit a few months ago was when I realized the quality of the food was not quite as good as it was on my first visit. I had the dinner special with the tuna sushi and chicken yakisoba. The work colleague tried a sample of the yakisoba and thought it was ok. I thought it was meh, and even the sushi was meh.
Last night's visit was just off. I arrived first and walked into the restaurant. I immediately detected a unique smell that made me ask for an outdoor table (there are a few tables on the patio).
I went for the same thing: special with tuna sushi, but this time, since I knew I didn't care for the yakisoba, I went with the udon. My dining companion ordered the chicken yakisoba. This time the sushi went from meh to yuk. I didn't even finish it. The udon was not bad, but really, how can you mess that up? My friend wasn't too hungry, but said that the yakisoba was ok.
We were finished with our meals and our plates were sitting in front of us for a while. When our server came out, I let her know we were done. She took his plate, but not mine. My friend had arrived with a gift for me, so I really wanted to have some space in front of me so I could open it. We saw her come back out to the patio a couple more times, still not taking my stuff, so finally my friend got her attention and told her to take the plates away.
Needless to say, he didn't leave much of a tip.
Unfortunately, with so many other better dining choices in the area, I doubt I will be back.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/18/2009
A very big shout out to my girl Karman L. for introducing me to this place!
We made plans to meet for… Read more »
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Review from Kathy D.
Alexandria, VA
9/19/2008
I've been going here for a few years for some excellent sushi and they are a really delightful sushi bar. Decent priced, good selection and great location. You have to like that you get soup and salad with your meal no matter what. They are super friendly too!
So, I have a story. I was here a few months ago with my boyfriend and some friends and it totally started pouring outside. It was later, we had finished our meal, paid our bill and had no umbrellas. We're a smart crowd, right? The folks at Bonsai were clearly wrapping up their evening as well, but I guess felt our pain and came over with some edamame and took our drink order. They told us to stay until the rain passed, which it did in about 30 minutes. During that time the karaoke at Freddie's started kicking in. To this day me and my friends can't help but giggle when we hear "It's raining men" on Karaoke. -
Review from Josh S.
8/25/2010
My apartment was out of power and electricy due to thunderstorm and it was way too hot to stay inside without anything to do. Since I live so close to 23rd St., my roommate and I decide to go for some eats and stay cool under A/C. We ended up coming to this little Sushi restaurant for dinner.
From outside looking in, it's a small, tiny, but cozy little restaurant. They do have few outside seatings for nice cool summer outings. When we got there, it wasn't all that crowded, few tables occupied, few servers greeted us.
I ordered a Japanese noodle soul called 'Udon' and my roommate got a sushi entree. The entire menu seemed bit overpriced even for a Sushi place. Maybe I was expected to be cheap judging on the interior design of the restaurant. After we ordered our meals, the waitress quickly brough Miso Soup and Ginger Salad. My roommate wanted to know whether this will be on our bills or not and they weren't. I guess those are equivalent to bread & salad you get from Olive Gardens. The waitress' service was good too - fast and efficient.
The entrees came out and my Udon was bigger than I expected. His sushi even looked great and fresh. We enjoyed our meals and it was delicious - he thought it's still overpriced for what he got.
I think this is more suited for family-oriented restaurant than Happy-Hour like for young professional want to grab few bites of Sushi and drink up. There are plenty ot fhose trendy, overpriced a la carte, and crowded Japanese restaurants in the city. This isn't one of them.
I'd personally come back again, but only if I had to like power outage event. I do believe the price is bit hige for what you'd get but wouldn't complain too much. -
Review from brad j.
Fort Belvoir, VA
2/1/2008
My sushi was squishy. It made it hard to pick up with chopsticks, and by the time I got all the green stuff and pink stuff and black stuff on it, it was dang near mutilated. Maybe I am a yokel but I wouldn't say that there was a good reason to choose this place over another. I suppose it is better than the ones at the Japanese steakhouses...
When we went in, there was one other person there. It took at least 10 minutes before the lady took our order. Then, when we were finished, she waited another 10 minutes, gabbing with the chef, with the check already prepared and AFTER taking away our empty plates to bring the check. We finally had to ask for it -- again.
Is this a DC thing? Why is it that waiters and waitress refuse to give me the bill????????? -
Review from Mike S.
Haddon Heights, NJ
6/29/2008 1 Check-in Here
This was a great little find in Crystal City's Restaurant Row!
I took advantage of the Early Special and ordered a Tuna roll/California roll combo and an order of shrimp shumai. The Miso soup was excellent (I'm not usually a fan but this was great) and the salad with ginger dressing was just fine. After these courses, the main plate was brought out with the rolls and dumplings, and a side of steamed white rice. The sushi was extremely fresh and delicious. And the shrimp shumai was by far the best I've ever enjoyed. Tender and sweet, it was cooked to perfection.
An excellent spot and I will be definitely heading there again. Next time, though, I will be taking advantage of their reserved parking spots right next to the restaurant. I didn't see them today and ended up parking down the street.Listed in: When I'm in DC
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Review from Tara L.
Washington, DC
2/13/2011
A lot of sushi around DC is catered towards the professional on the go and therefore isn't the best quality rice or fish. Bonsai is different.
I've been there twice and the fish has been extremely fresh. My only complaint is that the rolls fall apart easily (maybe it has something to do with the rice) but that's really the only bad part.
Both times the food has been made quickly.
Major plus: They have parking next door to the restaurant. It's a difficult lot to back out of but parking is often difficult on 23rd St. -
Review from Nancy K.
Arlington, VA
7/1/2010
I first went to Bonsai Sushi in Crystal City about six years ago. It was my first time in DC and while the meal was ok, it wasn't anything to fawn over so it wasn't my "go to" spot.
A few days ago my friend and I decided to try out Bonsai once more. Upon arriving and sitting for what must have been 15-20 minutes, the waitress finally came by to get our drink order. I did try to give her the benefit of the doubt because she looked swamped so I won't hold that against Bonsai.
As for the sushi and sashimi that we ordered, I was less than impressed. The sashimi appeared in chunks that needed to be sliced a little further to be edible. As for the sushi, I think the fish was minced to the part it was mush and not tasty. For me, and maybe this is a preference, I would enjoy sushi when you can see what type of sushi is rolled (eg tuna vs yellowtail) instead of playing the guessing game.
I am not sure if I would try Bonsai again. If I do, I may have to test out their Tonkatsu or Katsu Don but as for the sushi, I think I'll pass. -
Review from Dian C.
Arlington, VA
10/1/2007
Great sushi for the price. I would stick to the sushi as the fish is very fresh. I wasn't impressed with the one or two of the cooked dishes I've had there.
The service is very slow, especially when the place is packed, and you can easily expect to wait 20 min just for the server to come buy your table. -
Review from Marcelo B.
Arlington, VA
12/3/2010
I've eaten at this place twice now. The first time, the gf and I were craving some sushi, we had walked past this place a bunch of times and thought it looked simple and kind of charming, so we decided to check it out.
First thing I noticed walking in was definitely the smell. It's true, it does smell like moth balls. At that point I was kind of worried to be honest. As the meal went on, though, there were a few pleasant surprises: the miso soup and salad were complimentary, can't think of the last sushi place I've been to that did this. The sushi rolls were fantastic! The fish tasted fresh and the portions are VERY generous. Definitely some of the better sushi I've had in the neighborhood (I'd tried Bonsai in Shirlington and another place on Columbia Pike, and both were just okay).
The not-so-good surprise was the service. Friendly enough, but very slow and inattentive. At one point we were the only people left at the restaurant, kept trying for a while to make eye contact or flag someone down and they were just doing other stuff and even walking past our table like we weren't even there.
Long story short, food = awesome, dining experience = not so much. So now we'll be happy to get food from there, but probably only for take-out. Hey, good food and good value are still a win in my book. -
Review from Angelinaaah h.
Los Angeles, CA
10/21/2008
Honestly, this place really isn't that spectacular... but it's pretty good for the area. I'll give this place 2 stars b/c I honestly haven't had very good sushi in the DC/ NOVA area. And I've been looking!
I do have to say that the $14.95 Early Bird Special is a pretty good deal. I got to pick one thing from the sushi bar ( 12 piece sashimi) and one thing from the kitchen (shrimp/veggie tempura) and I thought it was a pretty good deal. -
Review from M l.
Arlington, VA
11/16/2009
The food here is ok and good for a sushi fix. The service was quick and polite and the atmosphere typical for a sit / takeout place.
We started with miso soup, tempora, and then several types of rolls. The miso and tempora was typical sushi quality and fare. The rolls were also done well. The rice was soft and stuck nicely. The fish and other ingredients tasted fresh. The entire meal was about $30 for two.
What keeps this restaurant from a 4 or higher star is that the food doesn't break away from the norm. It's good, but not much different from any other sushi place.
The inside is typical for for a take out / sit down sushi place with a rather small, rectangular length-wise seating area. There is an small covered sitting area outside with three tables or so if you want to people watch on 23rd st.
All in all, the food was good but unmemorable. -
Review from mehmet i.
Arlington, VA
2/28/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Not bad for a quick bite. They have items that are really good and some not. Don't get a sushi here, not that fresh, some rolls are good though.
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Review from Soo W.
Alexandria, VA
10/13/2010
Went for an office lunch. Food was very fresh, customer service was good as well as the place was very clean. Nice variety also. Good value for the money.
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Review from Lia D.
Long Island, NY
12/18/2008
OK, NO.
Just when you think you found a good sushi joint, you AND your date get food poisoning. I don't get it. Ordered the sushi combo platter, which was tuna, cali, and salmon rolls. The price was right and the stuff tasted fine, but apparently it was full of bacteria. Gross. -
Review from Natasha K.
Long Beach, CA
4/30/2009
I checked out Bonsai Grill on a Wednesday night, because my friend lived a block away. I typically like hole in the wall places for my sushi...but I might have to think twice after this experience.
I ordered the Yellow Tail (spicy) and the Tuna Roll (spicy).
They earned 1 star for upholding the traditional complimentary bowl of miso soup with the meal, but it was downhill from there.
The Yellow Tail and Tuna Roll didn't even taste like real fish. It tasted sweet, blended, and old. Like they took random tuna parts sitting around for weeks and processed it and put it in the roll, parts of the tuna even looked darker than the rest.
Also, there was nothing spicy about the rolls. My friend who had eaten there before said her orders before were much more spicy. I know its a recession, but you gotta have higher standards when you are serving people raw fish.
I should only get 1 star for finishing my rolls. I of course got a severe tummy ache after dinner.
If you want to waste $10 bucks Definitely eat here. -
Review from Keith R.
Arlington, VA
8/15/2010
This isn't a retaliatory spiteful review, just honest: Our experience here was quite negative. Example: Hotategai nigiri to me is a good measure of iemasu competence. A good sushi chef has selected a great scallop, knows how to present it... it's a benchmark. Mine arrived greasily pan-seared a bit with some odd panko-like topping. It was not a great grade scallop to begin with, and was unpleasant to eat. We also ordered hamachi - again, oddly greasy, which baffles me - and an eel and avocado roll that was acceptable, but not particularly exciting. I can deal with hole-in-the-wall ambiance, but the food's got to be good. This wasnt. If you like good sushi, this isn't it. Those citing the seafood as "fresh" and "high quality" clearly had a fundamentally different experience than we did. We won't be returning.
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Review from Sully M.
San Diego, CA
3/9/2010
Great Sushi.
Simple, quaint little spot.
No flash, great prices, service that was ready every time I turned around.
Salmon was incredible and so was the White Tuna.
On my first trip there (and I am from out of town), they befriended me within 10 minutes and by the end I was sad I had to leave.
Great spot, I would recommend it again and again -
Review from Allison S.
Washington, DC
8/30/2010
I usually only write reviews for places that I feel pretty strongly about, and I am shocked that Bonsai Grill has any ratings higher than 2 stars.
I've been to Bonsai three times, once for lunch and twice for dinner. These visits have all been within the past 6 months, so perhaps prior to that the food and odor was better. The inside of the restaurant smells like moth balls. Each time, my group has chosen to sit outside because of the smell, and each time, my food has slightly tasted like moth balls. The stench aside, the food was just okay. The miso soup is decent, but the sushi doesn't seem as fresh as other places (Sushi Ko, Sushi Taro) that I have visited. On the occasion that I visited for lunch I had the chicken Bento box which offered variety but also offered the lingering taste of moth balls.
The prices are good and the service is okay, buteven writing this review reminds me of the moth ball odor that permeated the food and beverages. -
Review from Jack F.
10/29/2008
Come for the Early Bird Specials*
Once again, many thanks to Karman L. and PC W. for dragging me across the Potomac for my first Crystal City adventure. Crystal Bonsai Sushi is one of Karman L.'s favorite spots along the 23rd Street Restaurant Row and I can see why.
The Early Bird Special is one of the best bargains in town. In addition to miso soup, salad, and steamed rice, you get to pick one item from the sushi bar and one item from the kitchen. Your selections from the sushi bar include a variety of sushi combinations and samplers. This works best if you're a avid sashimi diner because you get 12 slices (3 tuna, 3 salmon, 3 white tuna, and 4 or 5 thinner slices of yellowtail). By itself, a comparable order of a 12-pc sashimi tray is typically between $12 and $18. If you're here for the early bird special, pick the sashimi sampler because any other selection would reduce the value of this bargain. These are thick (1/4" to 1/2"), neat (no jagged or shredded edges) and clean cuts of fresh fish (no unusual odor or discoloration). Also, the fish for the nigri were also thick, large pieces that overlapped the rice beneath (a good sign). The kitchen selection includes a variety of dumplings, tempuras, and noodles.
I've seen a lot of bad sushi bars that attempt to capitalize on the sushi trend (e.g. Suki Asia http://www.yelp.com/bi... or Temple Lounge http://www.yelp.com/bi...). The end result is generally cheap ingredients but high price tags. Sushi, after all, is not something that chefs can just slop together. Karman L. told me how they were served warm rice at another restaurant and the server had the audacity to tell them that was ordinary. As much as I talk about the quality of the fish (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), its also important not to forget about the quality of the rice. Does it fall about because its too dry? (It should be sticky). Does its taste bland? (It should have a nice sweet and sour balance because of the rice vinegar and sugar). But I digress - again.
3.5 Stars - Overall, Crystal Bonsai is definitely one of the better sushi restaurants that I've visited. Unfortunately, it's not quite on par with Sushi-Ko (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) or Current (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) but its still a decedent sushi bar. My only hesitation is that I question whether Crystal Bonsai would still be a superb value if not for the early bird special. If I had ordered from its normal menu, I wonder whether the price-to-quality perception would shift against Crystal Bonsai's favor.
*Early Bird Special is Mondays through Fridays from 4pm to 6pm and Saturday and Sundays from 12pm to 5pm.
