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This is probably my favorite Japanese restaurant in Cleveland... possibly anywhere! The selection of sushi is vast and reasonably priced considering the quality.
Not only do they have Japanese cuisine, but Malay, too. This is one of the highlights, as it turns an already vast menu into a truly limitless one. There's something for everyone here: surf/turf, meaty/vegetarian, heavy/light. Everything.
They also have a great selection of bubble teas, as well as tempura and curry. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a place with so many kinds of tempura, everything from okra to taro, sweet potato to Pacific jumbo oyster, and more!
The location is great, too. Located right on the Coventry strip, you can stop at a number of stores after you're done eating.
The service is good and the wait staff is always in a good mood. The decor is very... blue.. which fits the whole 'Pacific' thing, I'd say. Not too dressy, but nice enough to take visiting friends or family.
One more thing... COCONUT RICE.
Not sure why anyone likes this restaurant. Eaten there twice and terrible both times. (Had to try it a second time to see if first was a fluke.) Food lacked flavor, wait staff not friendly. There's much better Asian close by on Coventry. Dont waste your time at this one.
My boy toy and I came here on a Thursday night. It was a lot busier than we expected, since we assumed everyone would be at Sushi Rock. First, the menu is very extensive. It has everything from a la carte yakatori to tempera to soba. We order 3 rolls-- spicy tuna, green dragon and spider rolls. We also tried something from the Mongolian menu-- pan fried beef noodles. Overall, rolls were fresh and proportional.. didn't have to pinch off the rice. I def wanna try sashmi next time. However, the noodles fell short. Totally bland, lifeless, flatlined.
Server was very attentive. May stick to the jap menu.
Not too impress with Pacific East. The place does have a bad smell when you first walk in.
Order toro they do give you a big piece but it is not very good! My kid order Udon which was just ok.
Both of my kids get sick at night,both of them have to miss school today!!
This is the real deal. Having lived in Japan for over 4 years, and having eaten my share of sushi while I was there, I can honestly say this is very good quality. I had some of the tough stuff: Uni, Ikura, Toro, Unagi. All great. Even better, they had tako wasabi (octopus with wasabi). And if it helps... this place had more Japanese people in it than I thought lived in all of greater Cleveland, a sure sign of its quality. Best sushi yet!
So they've expanded their Malaysian Cuisine... for those of you that haven't eaten a tonne of Malaysian food, it's essentially fusion cuisine from the 1500's. A combination of Polynesian/Malay, Indian, Chinese and a bit of Arab fare, there are spices that you don't associate with Far East Asia... unless you grew up in Indonesia, Singapore or Malaysia...
So, the usual suspects are on the menu: Roti Cennai (As in, Madras), Nasi and Mie Goreng, Rendang, Char Kwey Teow ... Hainanese Chicken Rice... And more...
A lot of the Malaysian Standards... particularly Malay Chinese standards... I just got back from Singapore 3 months ago, so my comparisons are still pretty accurate, I think.
So... Rendang (Beef), literally curry beef. Too sweet for my tastes, but a good effort. Not spicy enough -- I guess they didn't believe that I REALLY ate spicy.
Roti Cennai. The effort was okay. Curry was still too sweet, not enough coconut for my tastes. Consistency was a bit clumpy for me. The Roti was a bit more like chinese chive pancakes in consistency, rather than the flaky, doughy Roti that we know and love.
Cocunut Rice. MMMMMMMMM. :)
Char Kway Teow. This was good. Best of the things we got. Well prepared and flavourful. Not too oily and fresh consistency to the flat noodles. Excellent.
If I were to put this restaurant in a place with a lot of Malay, I think it'd get a 3 from my book. But, I think it's completely alone in Cleveland -- that might be enough to get a 4 from me!
I'm currently recalibrating my review scales. Having just moved from DC to Cleveland (and eating… Read more »
Great place for sushi. The rolls are very large and the price is great. For $3-4 you get 6 very large pieces. The service is pretty good.
If you love Japanese food this is mos-def the place to go. Not only can you enjoy some of the best Sushi I've every eaten but the culture of the wonderful street Coventry.But if your not willing to spend $20-30 dollars then don't sweat it. It's the perfect place to take a date because on a night when it's not to buzy it really cozy. My friends have Wooed a couple of girls by bringing them here. The smoothie are Awesome!! If you want you can bring a huge group to share Sushi that is in a huge wooden boat.
~*~ Unagi Warning ~*~
Guys please be careful not to order dishes with Unagi=eel might make you a little HOT or depending on how the night is going you might want to try some Ichiban which is my fav Maki Roll. Don't worry ladies the Unagi has no effect on you. Lol. Could just be a myth but my friend told me he got kinda hot.
~*~Sushi Lesson For those who have never eaten Sushi~*~
If you don't know what to get you can never go wrong with California Rolls.But here is a list of good Maki Rolls to try and what they have in them.Note this list contains some of my favs. ^.^
*California Roll
Cucumber,Smoke Salmon, Avocado,
*Ichiban
Eel,Smoke Salmon, Cucumber, Avocado, Yummy Tempura Sauce
*Shrimp Tempura
Breaded Shrimp, Cucumber, Avocado, Yummy Tempura Sauce
*Salmon Roll kinda simple Smoke Salmon lol.
If your not into Sushi you must try one of their delicious Teriyaki Dishes or a Noodle bowl.But I'll tell you now Pacific East is not for the faint of heart who is afraid and shake in their boots at the idea of eating raw or semi-cooked seafood.
Mata ne Readers!!
Dear Cleveland Sushi Fan,
I would be interested to know if there are places in Clev-o that serve better sushi than Pacific East. Really. I was pleasantly surprised by this spot. I am simply wondering if someone else can offer an alternative?
Thank you,
Curious
I like heading out to Pacific East with one other friend or date. It is very homey and unpretentious. It is the perfect atmosphere to let your guard down and get to know another person. They also have a nice selection of what I consider "gateway sushi" or "comfort food of sushi" (such as the Boston Roll). I don't know why, but I love to go there on rainy days. There is something moody about watching the rain through their front windows.
When you are finished, you can always window shop on Coventry.
This is one of the best places, if not the best place, to get sushi in Cleveland. It's been my consistent experience that the fish is fresh--near perfect--and the craft is solid. It also happens to be a pretty good value for money.
There are a lot of reviews here casting a negative light on Pacific East relative to restaurants in U.S. costal cities (NY, CA, etc.). I've had sushi in Tokyo, Kyoto, NY, SF, Chicago, and many other American cities. I've had both stellar and less than impressive sushi in all these places. (Well, not Kyoto--I must admit that everything I've eaten in Kyoto has been near-perfect.) The fact is that the sushi at Pacific East is good by any standard. As fresh as you get in Tokyo straight that morning from Tsukiji? Of course not. But about as close as you can get given the ship-to location. The people at Pacific East love what they do, and they're good at it.
Anyone who bashes this place with one or two stars is either (a) an ignorant poseur or (b) a lying poseur. People love to jump on the 'you can't get good sushi in Cleveland' bandwagon, in a lame attempt at geographical and/or culinary superiority. To all the reviewers in this category: You have exposed yourselves as fakes. You apparently taste your food with a map instead of your tongue.
And by the way, the smell inside Pacific East (on which some like to comment) is more nori than fish, since many of you obviously have trouble telling the difference.
In short, relax and enjoy the food. It's hard to go wrong at this place.
This is definitely a contender for best Sushi in Cleveland. Wonderful, fresh sushi, delicious miso… Read more »
Yes, yes, yes. So far the best sushi in Cleveland (I'm cautious to input a 5 as I've only eaten at two other sushi spots, Sushi Rock (no good) and Ra (comparable if I remember correctly)). For the price, yes. For the service, yes, and the selection, yes. Very tasty and the added caviar on every roll - yummy. First time I've had the bubble tea and a very pleasing experience it twas! I'm not into the norm- Cali or Philly rolls, but my friend couldn't palate the Nigiri or Shashimi unfortunately, so these, including the soft shell crab were very good for what they are. I want to add that I believe Pacific East does not cushion their Maki rolls with loads of rice, as I remember Sushi Rock does. In this respect, you get a more distinguished and balanced taste of the core ingredients that make sushi what it is.
For the record - I don't eat raw fish, or most sushi. So I am not judging this place for its sushi quality. Maybe it's really the best in Cleveland. They certainly have a vast array of choices, which is nice. Especially for veggies - they have more than one obligatory "veggie" roll. I find that refreshing. And actually I have no complaints with the veggie rolls, they are solid. However, I do have complaints with:
1. The smell. This place reeks of seafood. And since I'm pretty sure seafood shouldn't reek if it's fresh, I don't understand how their raw sushi could be so good. Either way, the odor makes dining there unpleasant.
2. The decor. It's tacky. Maybe some people find that charming. I find it tacky.
3. The tempura. Again, I love that you get so many a la carte options. Build your own tempura dinner. But the batter to subject ratio is way off; you just end up eating copious amount of breading. And the flavor is completely lacking. No salt even, just plain bread. The pieces are massive and difficult to maneuver. The sauce is also bland, not even salty.
4. The service. This is why I'm yelping now. We went there recently on a weeknight. It was 9:35pm. Most other eating establishments in Coventry were already closed, which I found shocking and sad. It was only 9:35pm! Pacific East is open until 10pm, according to the sign, so we were relieved. When we were seated, we were informed immediately that they closed at 10, and that the last call for food was 9:45pm. We said fine, no worries. Because the menu is massive, we needed a few minutes to peruse. In the course of the next 5 minutes, the servers came over literally four times to see if we were ready. Despite the fact that we were poring over the menu, and could easily have looked up as soon as we were ready. Then, our food was served all at once, and a check immediately placed on the table. They also started collecting items (like the soy sauce bottle) OFF the table. While we were eating. Then they came over asking us to pay the bill, even though we were still eating, because the cash register allegedly got turned off at 9:50. As if it was not within their control. The magical cash register gods just turn it off. So we scarfed down our food, paid, and got the hell out of there. It was extremely unpleasant. These folks seem to think that being open until 10:00pm means having every single patron out of the restaurant by then. When it reality it usually means you serve food until then.
Again, not hating on this place for cheap sushi, and a way to please different levels of sushi and non-sushi lovers. But I feel no need to return.
Tried the sushi here, it isnt even pedestrian. Freshness is questionable and quality is definitely lacking. Sadly I was excited to try this place because it is the only place I have found that serves ramen in Cleveland.
The ramen is a crime upon humanity. The "broth" is diluted chicken stock rather than a rich savory soy, shio, or miso base. The "chashu" is a leathery slab of meat that seems like it has been cooking for weeks. The noodles are limp and soft and(I know this sounds vague) lack character. Lastly the egg is like rubber. Hands down the worst ramen I have ever had the misfortune to look at let alone eat.
This is probably one of the top 5 worst places I have eaten in my life.
The sushi here is great. Very fresh and flavorful. They have a good selection of maki rolls and they are generously sized. I always get the yellow tail with scallions roll; the tuna is a good color and not fatty, but sometimes lacks flavor; the shrimp tempura roll is also good, but sometimes is a tad limp. Overall, you can't beat the freshness or scrumptious simplicity. There is no ocean nearby, afterall. Pacific East is a neighborhood gem.
For lunch, the maki combos can't be beat for value. I get one for lunch more often than I'd like to admit!
After a long break from Yelp, I'm back. And had some of the best sushi in Cleveland here. i would say that between this Pacific East and Parallax you'll find the best sushi in Cleveland. Pacific East is much more along the lines of traditional Japanese cuisine. The sushi is not Americanized but it is extremely fresh and you can tell from the first bite, Sushi Rock, Shuhei or really no other sushi place i've been to in Cleveland. I ordered the 18 piece deluxe sashimi combo. I'm actually not sure what all it came with, I know there was some Tuna, and Salmon but i couldn't recognize any of the other fish but it was all very fresh, cold, meaty and tasty, no fishy smell or taste. I also had a spicy salmon hand roll, this was my first hand roll and hopefully I'm not spoiled now because if every handroll tastes as good as the spicy salmon did I will likely not be eating any maki rolls anytime soon. This is a must try if you enjoy sushi and happen to be in the Coventry area. I want to say i have been to the other Pacific East on Chagrin Blvd and was not nearly as impressed, I need to go back to give it a second chance since I was there close to when it initially opened. So given the choice make the trip to Coventry.
To be honest, we live in Cleveland, and Asian food is more of a luxury then a norm, I mean Chinatown is more like China block, this Sushi place if where in a bigger city like New york would go out of business, but hey, for Cleveland it's not that bad, it's not exactly that fresh but not rotten, and you can get good bubble tea, also Fried Banana is not bad, but they usually serve it with Whipped Cream, I recommend getting it with vanilla ice cream, so overall OK to eat not good for Sushi Experts or Natives from Japan but my friend from Japan said it wasn't that bad, he wasn't sure what a Philadelphia roll was through...
Good lunch specials, plus they have takoyaki! I had the oyako don, which they give you huge amounts of, but is sadly lacking in some flavor. Additionally, as I ate more of the rice bowl, I crunched on a few bits of eggshell that they didn't get out of the dish. Yuck. The takoyaki itself though was alright and had a good crispy outside.
Edit 4-22-08: Came here to eat for dinner, and I got some sushi rolls and some deep fried ice cream. The rolls were reasonably priced ($4.50 for spicy yellowtail roll and other similar rolls) and fresh. They put a good amount of fish and don't skimp on the avocado if you get a roll with avocado in it. The deep fried ice cream was really good. They have a choice of green tea, mango, and vanilla. I'm bumping up my review a star because their dinners are really tasty.
We've just fallen in love with sushi and made it a mission to try everyplace in town. We started with Sushi Rock, moved on to Sumo and just the other night tried Pacific East.
So far, this place is my 2nd favorite. The food is reasonably priced and tasty. The service was attentive and our meals arrived surprisingly quickly (for a sushi place). We'll definitely be going back.
That being said, I still like Sushi Rock better.
A couple years ago, my friend Danielle and I would come here quite often. We would order a bottle of sake, a couple large Sopporos a piece, and a truckload of sushi to help the alcohol go down. Well, actually she was a wimp and ordered teriyaki instead, but still the food and atmosphere of this place, half a block from the college sports bars, is quite good.
I have not tried enough sushi in Cleveland to know if this is the best because, quite frankly, getting sushi so far away from the Pacific Ocean scares me. And, it is difficult to give out five stars for sushi when one has lived in San Francisco for so long. However, this is definitely worth a visit, and you should not be ashamed to take people here that live on the west coast.
The fact that this place averages 4 stars kills me.
I'd rather eat cup ramen anyday over anything here. I nearly had a heart attack when I noticed they were opening another restaurant in Eton. One "pacific east" is already one too many.
To be fair, many people love this place. I don't know why; maybe I'm missing something. But you couldn't pay me to eat here again. Awful. Just awful.
I was not impressed with the Japanese food here (sushi and udon), but I found the Malaysian food to be tasty.
I had high expectations for this place - it looked promising on the outside, but once I walked in it sort of felt like any other Japanese restaurant you could find in a strip mall. The sushi was okay, but did not feel very authentic. Also had the sukiyaki which again was okay, but nothing amazing. The waiters/waitresses put in a good effort, but fail to truly deliver. It took me a while to request a spoon so we can share the sukiyaki, and they looked at me like no one has ever requested for a spoon before. The language barrier probably didn't help......
not very good japanese food.
smelly.
pricy.
meh!
The sushi here is the best I've found in Cleveland. If you have a group, get a boat- they are just so cool and overflowing with food. The miso soup and spicy tuna rolls are great.
The restaurant is actually the best sushi restaurant in Cleveland. They have the freshest fish and good selections. If you compare it to other cities, its probably just average. Everyone have touched on their sushi and bubble tea already. I will say the other items on the menu is pretty good. They have a very good udon selection and a one of the kind Malaysian menu. If you tired of sushi, give those selections a try.
I think there used to be an Indian Restaurant in this spot. I had Sushi here before, and it was really tastey. Had good choices for Sake, not just the crappy hot Sake most places serve. They even gave us a tasting of plumb wine. I hope it gets more business then the last time I was there.
Probably the best sushi in Cleveland, but, as it has become more popular, it has also become more crowded. Sushi is still very good quality. And the environment is much more low-key than Sushi Rock.
In my opinion, this is the best place for sushi in Cleveland. Pacific East offers really tasty sushi at decent prices and a very chill peaceful atmosphere. The restaurant is entirely blue with blue walls, ceiling, and carpet that gives an immediate feeling of serenity. Normal sushi rolls such as spicy tuna or california are around 4 dollars. Try the special rolls, they cost more, but they are really really tasty. Also, if you want a better deal, going for lunch is much cheaper (soup, salad, 2 rolls for 7 dollars). The service is decent, but the staff occasionally have trouble with English.
bearly ok
Beachwood, OH
Category: Restaurants
Cleveland, OH
Category: Sushi Bars
Cleveland Heights, OH
Category: Japanese
Cleveland, OH
Category: Chinese
Cleveland, OH
Category: Japanese
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