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Category: Sushi Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: EdgewoodInman Park-Reynoldstown (North-South, Northeast-South, East-West, Proctor Creek)
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My friends raved about RuSan's, so I was excited to go. (I guess I should have read the reviews here, first.) The menu is extensive and there were a lot of good vegetarian options. The prices are really good, but the sushi was really just so-so.
It was nice to try a wide variety of rolls and walk away not having spent very much, but the quality just wasn't what I would hope for.
I was really excited to find a natto roll on a menu this side of the Pacific, but the natto was really awful. (I've had it before, but I just found theirs to be pretty gross.)
Also, service was kind of unfriendly, and the music drove me nuts!
Meh, is right.
I totally don't get the appeal. I used to end up at the Ansley location occasionally for someones birthday celebration or whatever. Always really crowded and not a great set up for large parties (big long straight table with no real ability to mingle). And no real lounge or bar area to wait for a table.
So anywho, I wasn't super excited when they opened up a location in the Edgewood Retail District (ie, The Erd).
Exact same atmosphere - WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP techno cranked up to 11. I swear, I think they do it to keep a quick turnover?
And their eight zillion page, four section menu is too overwhelming for me.
The sake bomb shenanigans can be fun. And if it's your birthday or whatever they make this little naked man out of an orange peel - do they only do that for the ladies?
I'll take Sushi Avenue over RuSan's any day.
I know the economy is bad but I want no mo just rice in the rolls and no mo rice in the sushi. PERIOD. I could pick up the actual slice or whatever you call it, of fish, with tweezers...
Oh, I know the Lite soy is no lite s0y, yosoman, you giving me other regular soy but with three drops of water to dilute, i see you!
Me no go here again, you hear!!
I enjoy this particular Rusan location and the one up GA 400. The food is descent for someone like me, not a big sushi experienced person so Rusans is pretty good starter. Also it doesn't break the bank and it fills me up.
So I get why a sushi buffet would not appeal to everyone. But come on...it's RuSans! If you're expecting a 5-star meal, please do not even take up one of the very valuable parking spaces with your Acura, Audi, or Lexus. Leave those 4 spots for those of us who appreciate what we're getting: decent sushi that won't break the bank. And who said you had to order from the buffet? There are 173 pages of menu items you can choose from, including fare for the non-sushi eaters (BTW - why are you at a sushi restaurant if you don't like raw fish and rice??).
Parking - sparse
Service - inconsistent, but when it's good, it's very good
Food - it's raw fish...aren't you already taking a chance? Then live with it and enjoy the bargain.
Music - you can make a game out of guessing what song used to live and breathe behind that techno beat. Go there often enough and if the radio isn't working, you'll feel like something is missing but you just can't put your finger on it.
Recommendations: Japanese bagel, unagi, rising sun maki, Dr. Zhivago
RuSans is the fast food of the sushi world.
When i go to Wendy's or McDonalds I don't expect to get a great steak or killer steak sandwich. The same goes for RuSans, i don't go the for a top notch sushi dinner I go for fast food sushi. It's cheap, it's filling and it's ok.
one recommendation is the Hamachi-kama, it's actually really good.
I could do without the loud techno but whatever thats their thing.
If you expect more out of this place you will be sorely disappointed.
You cannot go to RuSan's after you've recently been to MF Sushi. "No, No, No" she says, walking away whistling with her head down.
The great thing about RuSan's is the ability to have really fine-grained portion control in your meal. With lots of 1-2 dollar nigiri options and three-piece rolls available, you can get exactly the right amount of food for your needs. This is my idea of fast food: order just what you want, get it in five minutes or so. (At least when you're at the sushi bar.)
That said, it's definitely not the place for a relaxed meal or a big group outing. The music would be annoying if you were trying to have a real conversation. But for a quick yet tasty meal, it's definitely a winner.
So, here's the thing.....
I have been a little hesitant to have sushi in Atlanta, mostly because I wasn't sure if I could trust it, I'm sorry Atlanta, don't hate me.
That being said, after hitting up Star Trek at Atlantic Station with all the Yelpers, two plus hours of standing in line and chatting with my fellow nerds left me starving with a hunger that stale popcorn and skittles could not cure. So, we high tailed it out of the theater and headed towards Thai, we call, Thai is closed, so, we head to RuSan's.
In retrospect I'm very glad we ended up at RuSan's, while I almost got clipped by a woman in a Honda civic who left her car running, windows down, and small child strapped into a car seat while she ran in for take out(Mother of the year I tell you), I was still stoked to be filling my tummy with food of the sushi variety and imagined all the wonderful rolls that would soon meet their demise in my tummy as we headed up the stairs.
As we head into the restaurant everything inside kind of seems like a blur, at 11 pm there is a full sushi bar, a huge group of young college kids, I'd say about 15 deep, and most of the booths are full, as we sit down, a power mix of Madonna's "Beautiful Stranger" starts to thump in my ears, I unfold the menu and my eyes start to twitch. I'm experiencing sensory overload......
Sweet jebus........RuSan's menu is fucking massive, they even have a section of vegetarian sushi, and from a few offerings on the menu I can tell that like all my fave sushi joints in Los Angeles, this Japanese sushi establishment is owned by Koreans. After 3 minutes our waitress heads back over, I have no idea how one would be able to maneuver through such a massive menu in 3 minutes, any who, after a brief moment I have made my decisions.
Creme Cheese Maki, Fried Garlic Maki, 1 order of Scallop Tempura.
The large group next to us drops two sake bombs while chanting "WHEN I SAY SAKE, YOU SAY BOMB" "SAKE!!" "BOMB" "SAKE" "BOMB" and then our food has arrived, and wow, I'm impressed. One bite of the tight little rolls of cubed creme cheese wrapped in seaweed and sticky sushi rice and I had a foodgasm all over RuSan's. The mix of the wasabi and soy dipping sauce paired with the creme cheese was absolutely what I was looking for.
When the Fried Garlic Sushi came I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but there, in the middle of the plate were whole golden brown cloves of garlic, sammiched inside nori and sushi rice. It sounds crazy, but honestly, the texture of the garlic and the delicate flavor of the sushi rice and the mellow fried garlic, it was simply perfection.
My only gripe was the tempura scallops, two itty bitty scallops, tempura-ed, and deep fried. My PIC's tempura had a little more of the textural profile I was looking for, mine was a little less crispy and cruncy than I'm used to, but it was all good.
The grand total for the evening, $7.02, with tax! I cant believe I managed to have sushi for under 40 bucks. Yes, I have "veggie" sushi now, but still, the price cant be beat. My last gripe with RuSan's is that the place isn't horribly clean and tidy like most sushi joints, there were straw wrappers and napkins all over the floor, I'll let it slide but it defiantly garners 3.5 star review.
I'm going to be back to have the kimche sushi and sake bombs. "WHEN I SAY SAKE YOU SAY BOMB!!!!!"
Score! I took the day off today and was absolutely ravenous by noon. I kept trying to think of places I could grab a bite, when it suddenly hit me "SUSHI"! RuSans recently got back in my good graces after a 2 year boycott (won't detail previous experience, but I would rate it a 1 star). On my drive over, I had my mind set that I would order the Katsu California Roll, which always seems consistent. However, when I got there, I noticed there was an all you can eat Sushi bar for $9.95. Woohoo!!! Yes, yes, yes!!! The only downside is I had no idea what kind of Sushi I was piling on my plate, but honestly, I didn't care nor did I have any complaints. They had plenty of variety and it was well worth the price. Included with the bar is miso soup (I declined), cucumber salad, chicken fried rice, vegetable tempura, some other stuff I have no idea about, and also miniature cream puffs that I wasn't in the mood for, but tried anyway (too sweet). Just note that if you go for lunch, get there early. I arrived around 12:15 and most of the tables were full, but there was plenty of room at the bar. By 12:30, the place was jamming and in a frenzy, with customers waiting.
There's no question that RuSans is fast food Sushi, but it's decent and reasonably priced and met my craving. Now must go rub tummy.
Sushi: Good Service: BAD. In a nutshell:
We make a reservation for 13 three days before the event .
We arrive at Rusan's for said event at the right time.
We ask lady at the desk if we can sit down because it is the time of our reservation.
Mean lady at the desk tells us (very harshly) that there are no tables and we have to be patient.
We patiently wait outside for 20 minutes.
We go back inside and ask the mean lady at the desk how long she thinks it will take. Gives us a glares that scares us more than Saw II.
We scurry back outside and wait for another 20 minutes.
Go back inside, and, more sternly, ask her when we will be able to eat.
Tells us 2 minutes.
Go outside and wait ANOTHER 20 minutes.
Finally mean lady comes out and tells us that we can sit down.
We sit down at a table that was obviously many different shaped tables pushed together, so we are all at various awkward levels.
We order.
First order comes out in 20 minutes. But the last order? 45 minutes.
We eat.
We like the sushi.
We leave.
We decide to never come to this place on a Friday night again.
Time & money waster. Please do yourself a favor and walk in the other direction.
If the idea of eating in an Abercrombie & Fitch or Holister sounds like your idea of a good time; then RuSan's may be your favorite restaurant in the world! Expect to eat in the midst of bad techno remixes and to deal with a waitstaff where your order comes second to their personal conversation
On top of the horrible ambiance and service the sushi is average and the Teryaki & Udon were just plain horrible. Bad, bland, bland, and blander, and expensive! $40 down the drain for an order of spider rolls, chicken udon, and chicken teryaki. When nothing is good, $40 makes you feel sucked dry.
What people seem to forget about sushi is it was originally conceived as cheap street food for poor people, using ingredients not fit for the palates of emperors. Therefore, a moniker like "sushi snob" is kind of an oxymoron. In this respect, perhaps Ru San's has some of the most authentic sushi, because it only serves two purposes: 1. filling your stomach, and 2. not emptying your wallet. You don't pay for five-star chefs or ostentatious plate art. Sure, you can go anywhere else in the city and pay $10 for a tuna roll if you reeeally want to, but why do that when Ru San's only charges a dollar? The fish isn't stellar, but it never tastes funky. I've been to many fancy-pants Japanese restaurants with below average quality fish. In a worst case scenario, at least you only paid a dollar.
Two WordS: Food Poisoning!!! They covered up their sickly fish with sauces, and caused me a week of discomfort and doctor visits! I will never ever go there to eat sushi again!
Odd vibe at this location...I have gone to other Ru Sans locations (usually the Piedmont Road location) periodically over the last 15 years or so. My visit to this location left me with a very mediocre impression. I notice that Ru Sans overall quality has faltered in recent years, but I still pop in when its convenient hoping for better experiences. I just won't choose this location again for a few reasons.
(1) The parking in this huge shopping center is a pain since Ru Sans is in a small rear corner with fewer spots nearby.
(2) The decor is nothing special, but even the faux finishing on the walls appears unfinished at the top and sloppily done. It feels very "thrown together" in many ways (not just aesthetically), and it still has a haphazard vibe even after being open for quite a while now.
(3) The food was not as good as other locations...and the fish was borderline in quality. The rolls were thrown together and falling apart. Yet the place was less busy than I have ever seen any Ru Sans location.
I can taste when the quality is lacking. You get what you pay for here...but just barely. Their rolls may be plentiful and cheap if you order from the $1 menu...but layer on the sauces, try to cover up the flavor and hope for the best!
I am sticking to cooked rolls from now on when I go to Ru Sans. They have some really tasty options like Jana Moon and Godzilla Rolls which are rolled in macadamia nuts. Those are typically good choices that I have found to be reliably appetizing, at least at the Piedmont location which I prefer. If you are stuck in that shopping center and craving quick, cheap sushi, then this place may be acceptable to you.
I was definitely hesitant to visit this place with a friend the other day but I didn't want to be "difficult" since I'm normally pretty picky when going out with people and normally weasel others into going to my restaurant of choice. Blame it on me being an honorary "only child" since my siblings are all 10 years older than me lol
RuSan's was a pleasant surprise and I'm glad my friend decided to take me to one of his favorite inexpensive eateries. The sushi was small and cheap and therefore not outstanding. True. But the restaurant was clean, the atmosphere was relaxing, the service was fast and my total bill came to $10. This included 5 orders of sushi (3 pieces) and a Plum Wine Sake. There was a great mix of people there - groups, couples on dates, girls having a night out and solo diners at the sushi bar.
The highlight of my dining experience there? Dipping my sushi into a dot of Sriarcha sauce I squirted on my plate. I love Sriarcha and can't believe I never tried it on my sushi until eating at RuSan's.
Now maybe I'll try the location near my house ...
A decent and accurately priced Sushi establishment. The prices are very good for average Sushi, and they charge you accordingly.
I go here frequently for their dollar sushi nigiri pieces and every ones and awhile for the buffet.
As far as great sushi goes there are definitely other places in town but Ru sans is decent food and wont kill your wallet.
(2.5 stars, for the record) I've learned to like (not love) Ru San's after a few visits and understanding where they stand in my Atlanta sushi arsenal. Don't ever go to Ru San's for a delicate, thoughtful, and luxurious dining experience. Ru San's is more like a sushi diner for quick and inexpensive sushi.
Service is typically prompt, but borderline rushed. If it's a busy day, it is definitely rushed. I wouldn't be surprised if the server asked you to stand up, after seeing a few empty plates, so he could access your credit card. Don't go expecting anything less than prompt to rushed service. Timing and meal experience are foreign ideas to the service staff, regardless of how much you spend with a server.
The food is hit or miss. I've had a very satisfying meal with good food, but I've also had a borderline gagging experience. Don't ever order anything high-end. I ordered Toro (fatty tuna) and it was horrible, unbelievably horrible, it was partially frozen and unbelievably fatty. I don't expect the world when I order Toro as it is the lower end of the often prized fatty tuna (otoro and chutoro being more highly priced), but the piece I ordered was DISGUSTING!!! Me, nor my guest, will ever forget the low quality of the meat, nor will we ever trust Ru San's for quality or luxury.
Back to my intro. Nowadays, I only go to Ru San's at 11:00 a.m. for their buffet for a $9.99 buffet of mostly fresh fish and some of their premium rolls. At the beginning of the buffet (11:00 - 11:15 a.m.) my experiences have always been positive. After, I've left without having a bite of meat/fish (if you can picture a roughed up sushi bar with old fish sitting and spicy mayo). They also have decent fried rice, calamari, and other non sushi/sashimi dishes.
If you treat Ru San's as an inexpensive place to get some tuna, salmon, or specialty rolls in a rush and at a very low cost it's great, you should be reasonably satisfied. If you try to compare it to higher quality sushi restaurants, you will be sorely disappointed or, possibly, utterly disgusted. For the record, Ru San's has never claimed to be fine dining; it really tries to be hip, fun, and inexpensive.
I would give this place 2 1/2 stars but I can't so I went with 2. The atmosphere is terrible and it is extremely loud (awful techno music). The service was not so hot either. However, the sushi i had was really good and my g/f loves their chicken teriyaki. Honestly, I probably won't go back just because of the atmosphere.
Mein Gott im Himmel. My roommate and I wanted to try the ramen -- fortunately the server warned us in advance that they served the ramen that you find in individual packets at grocery stores. No thanks.
I had the chicken yakisoba instead, which was vegetables and chicken, apparently wok-tossed with some sauce and oil. The wok did not have enough heat; the noodles were covered with oil and by the time I got tired of my dish there was a neat pool of oily sauce sitting in my dish. It was edible at the time, but it didn't taste particularly amazing and I certainly didn't finish my plate.
I also had a tuna nigiri, and it wasn't awful, but it was exactly what you expect to get in Atlanta for a dollar. Tokyo this ain't.
I'm burping now and tasting something remarkably unpleasant, as if the dish I just ate finished dying in my stomach. The restaurant does have a 95% health rating, so I'm not sure what's up.
I'm not going back ever, and I think that's what a 1/5 is supposed to indicate.
I really like this place contrary to some of the reviews I read. I'm not a big fan of sushi so my date and I just ate some regular dishes. I had some type of noodles, similar to lo mein, and chicken. It was great and they give you a lot for only $7 or $8. I left nice and full. The service is also really good which I love. I definitely recommend this restaurant.
It's hard to justify eating at other Sushi places when Ru Sans is so consistent, so easy and so cheap. Two of us spent $45 tonight and just pigged out. I love the seaweed salad and the Miso soup is a great start on a cold night.
Go early; by the time we left there were at least 20 people in line on this Saturday night.
This location has one disappointment. The sushi bar doesn't allow a view of the rest of the dining room and it's difficult to watch the chefs as well. The Morningside location is much better in that respect.
I give in every time to their lunch buffet, and then after 5 minute I always regret it. 30 minutes later when I my stomach hurts, I really regret it.
Rusan's lunch buffet consists of some nigri, your typical sushi rolls, and lots of randomly fried rolls. It's the randomly fried rolls that make you queasy. Tuna + carrot + cream cheese + avocado +salmon skin fried tempura style and then covered in spicy mayo, may seem interesting or even appetizing at first, but is not, I swear, especially when it has been sitting out for a while.
Aside from the buffet, Rusan's is okay. It satisfies a sushi craving is you only have $5 in your pocket and drinks are cheap. But if you have 6 dollars and are looking for for something better, I'd go to Yami Sushi.
You kind of have to take RuSan's for what it is. It's plentiful cheap sushi, and it's very very Americanized sushi at that (above and beyond the "there's a ton of it and it's cheap" aspect). If you've ever wanted to try catfish and okra sushi, this is the place to go. If you're wanting the super authentic Japanese experience of being served by a surly old dude who doesn't even want your filthy round-eyed ass in his store, go somewhere else.
I've had the lunch buffet all of once, and it wasn't bad, but I prefer the big fat stinkin' dinner menu, full of crazy stuff like sweet potato sushi. You don't go here for SERIOUS BUSINESS, you go here for ridiculous cheap sushi and sakebomb good times. What were you expecting in the middle of Edgewood?
There are definitely better places to go in town for sushi, but you're not going to get cancer from eating here, either.
You look across the room and see an exotic beauty. A pearl of the Orient, her long, black hair shines with luxuriousness. You notice the manga she's holding and you nod approvingly. She notices you staring and slips you a sly smile. She waves you over and you coyly introduce yourself.
"Oh, your name is RuSan, you say? That's very exotic. Where are you from?" You expect her to answer something like Kyoto or Hokkaido. You find out she's from Carrollton.
Turns out that this exotic beauty was born at Northside General and has only been outside of Georgia a couple of times, once to visit some friends in Tennessee and another time when the Marching Trojans played in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade when she played flute. She learned about manga from her older brother. Heck, her parents aren't even Japanese, but Korean. But she's pleasant enough and okay to spend time with. She even did a couple of sake bombs with you.
OK, so she's not quite authentically Japanese, but she's okay. You might call her again, particularly when the sake bombs start falling.
I've been here a handful of times, and this location is much like the other locations. Yes - in case you didn't know, there are MANY locations. At any rate, the squished tables, the loud techo music, the poor wait staff, the identical art... it's all part of the experience!
The sushi is amazing, and the menu has something for everything -- even the douche who "doesn't eat sushi". Ugh. You make me sick. They have fried rice, tempura, yakatori... seriously. I think the only thing that they DON'T do is hibachi. And thank jebus they don't!
So... here's my personal favs: the punk rock and roll (#1 all time fav), the california sunset, the summer roll, the japanese tempura bagel maki, the candy maki, the gone with the wind roll (which is GIGANTIC) and... obviously anything in sashimi form. MMmmmm!
They say open later than any other sushi place around - which is great for college kids who are pulling all-nighters and suddenly realize that they need food to continue thinking. And yes, these afore mentioned college kids do make up something like 90% of their clientele. If you don't like it - leave.
During the week days they are open until 11pm, and the weekends... I'm not sure, but I know even later than that. Maybe midnight. I don't know if Thursday's are still "Ladies Night", but they used to be. I don't know what that entitles you to... I think I once got a free roll. Meh - I'm not there for that specific gimmick. ;)
All in all - one of my standard stops... at least twice (usually more) a month.
Every time I step into an Asian restaurant, I expect to see Asian people. When there's not many sitting around, I become weary about how the food will taste. And the food doesn't taste that great.
I've got to RuSan's so many times for friends birthdays. Birthday parties and sake bombs is what RuSan's known for. I just don't care for their sushi. Ok, maybe the Gone with the Wind. But nothing else. And the thought of a sushi buffet? That's gross. Sneeze guards don't work!
If you want good sushi, I recommend you dine at Starfish. RuSan's may be cheaper, but you get what you pay for, right?
Sake, BOMB! Sake, BOMB! Sake, BOMB! Bottom's up! I heard this at least 10 times while eating at Ru Sans. Maybe that's why everyone was in such a great mood. Sake Bombs were being downed at every table, even ours. The birthday girl had one...she sipped on it, it was too funny.
The sushi here isn't that great. It's actually pretty bad. It's cheap and I think that's a major draw for a lot of people. Like Naoya said, "Cheap and Sushi should not be used in the same sentence." You get what you pay for here. I spent 3 bucks and the sushi reflected that.
I'm not sure anyone goes to Ru Sans expecting fantastic sushi but you probably will have a good time and meet some of your neighbors because the place is always crowded!
I have only one statement to make of this place. "Cheap" and "sushi" should not be used in the same sentence. Anytime when it comes to raw seafood, you shouldn't be looking for deals or buffets, etc.
Quality over quantity people!
I'm curious as to just why all the self proclaimed "sushi snobs" are getting their sushi fix here?? I mean come on - that's like stopping by the McDonalds on ponce for a burger - instead of going to the vortex - then b itching because you ended up with a McDonalds burger. So that said...
Ru Sans is the McDonalds of sushi. It's fast and consistently well um...consistent.
I usually hit the lunch buffet with a coworker once a month. I go after the tuna plates like a shark in chum. They set the tuna plate down and I am on it. I'm a wuss about buffet sushi. This is not the place I am going to do any experimenting. The calamari which if it's hot -while it's not like restaurant clamari - is crunchy and delicious. They have some other tempura things besides the squid - but I loathe yams and i think it's maybe zucchini - my friend think they're tasty though. The salad - it's a salad with ginger dressing.
I've ordered off the menu a few times and I don't know I always end up with some crazy stuff. It can be sneaky expensive. I walked out of here once with a bill for $70 bucks and I didn't even have wine. I was just filling out the sheet happy as a clam then bam. Yikes!
This place in my mind is not a date place. All Ru Sans are noisy and loud - did I say noisy?. If a guy offered to take me here on a date - there wouldn't be a date most likely ever. This is a place you take your girlfirend way down the line after the woooing is done and you're just grabbing a bite.
Service is attentive. They sometimes well usually get lost with your bill. Just flag them down and you're cool.
With several excellent options for sushi in this city - I cannot find a single reason why anyone would recommend this. The menu is not just extensive, it's huge. To the point where differentiation is near impossible and you feel overwhelmed. The concoctions are totally off the wall - and not in the creative, experimental sort of way. It seems that the chef's at Ru San throw anything and everything together regardless of texture, taste, and consistency. The quality of the fish is beyond sub-par. This is a fast food version of the cuisine and I don't think anyone should eat here - even if starving. A reluctant 1/5 from me. I feel guilty even writing about this place it's so bad.
Good for kids...hmmm.... not if you value their lives.
Yeah I agree this place is pretty polarizing. And you may or may not like the decor and constant techno music, but this place is still near and dear to me. You can get sushi from countless numbers of places around the city. You can pay anywhere from a dollar to four dollars a piece. You can get it at swanky place in midtown and feel like you are eating a piece of art or in a quick takeout from a grocery store. But how many places can you get all-you-can-eat sushi?
Exactly... That is the beauty of Ru Sans. If you are like me and cannot afford to pay for all the sushi you can eat (35+ pieces of Maguro Tuna), then there is no greater mecca of sushi craving than the lunch buffet a Ru Sans. Any day of the week, and sometimes saturdays, you can pay around $11 and get let loose on all the sushi you can handle. Now if you only like certain types of sushi and like to know what you are eating, then this may not be the place for you. (They never have labels) But if you are like me, and just love eating all kinds of sushi and need a fix for raw fish, then you will never complain about this place. You can keep your ambiance-over-priced sushi, i just want mass quantites of the good stuff. And don't let them catch you not eating the rice, you may never be let in again.
Is it mackerel or is it tilapia?
My neighborhood RuSan's was recently busted for switching the more expensive fish to cheaper varieties. God bless my mom cause I don't have allergies & might be pissed if I started to swell up from my mackerel, but not mackerel allergy.
I like Rusan's (except for the too loud pop/club music that accompanies every meal).
Cheap sushi on my budget is pretty faboo. I am not a daring sushi- eating eater (unagi is the foulest junk I have had the misfortune to put in my piehole), so the more Americanized (I don't think I can eat raw fish without cream cheese) works for me.
Again, I am not a sushi purist. I am also not of a crazy expendable income or I'd be at Harry & Sons far more often than I am at RuSan's.
The most controversial sushi place in town. People either love (come to me, my little cheap sushi. mmm.) or hate it (are you kidding me? that buffet sushi's been sitting out, like, forever!).
Ru San's to me means happy chefs, a brightly lit interior and a craving that hits at least once a month. Whenever my boyfriend and I go, there's not much talking because he's trying to beat his record of eating 30 pieces of tuna.
All the locations throughout the city are a little bit different. The Edgewood one obviously gets bonus points from me as the closest one, but moreso for the lunch buffet. Oh, the beautiful lunch buffet. It's got sushi that you'd never dream of ordering but given the opportunity to get just one piece, it's cool to try the fried ones, and the occasional ones that have crazy fruit or veggies inside.
The buffet also usually has fried rice, soup and salad, calamari . . . and it costs $9.50.
I just went and missed the lunch buffet by minutes (nooooo!) so I had to order off the menu. Definitely my first time straying from the sneeze guard protected sushi, but I was surprised to see the selection of other lunch options. I got the gyoza lunch, which was exactly what I wanted... soup, salad, rice and dumplings.
Final verdict: if you've never been, it's worth going - if only to see if Ru San's makes your heart beat a little faster, or if it makes you want to warn others about the perils of buffet sushi.
I'm surprised to see so many bad reviews on Ru San's! I've never had a bad meal here, but then again, I'm vegan, so how badly can someone mess up an avocado roll?
I love the many vegetarian options they have on their extremely long menu- there aren't a lof of sushi bars that offer such a range for people like me who want to go for sushi with their friends but don't want to eat cucumber rolls all night.
The staff can be slow at this location- there have been many afternoons where I will go in and be pretty much the only customer there, but still wait 30 minutes for my sushi to arrive to my tummy.
But I love this new location (since I can walk there from my house), and there isn't another sushi place for miles, so I have very little to complain about.
The newest RuSan's location is a bit smaller than the others, but they manage to pack in as many customers as humanly possible. There aren't a ton of sushi options in the L5P and EAV area, so RuSan's brings in a big crowd, especially on the weekend. This location doesn't have the TV screens with anime or the cool neon lighting, but the food is dead on even with the other RuSan's locations around town. Which apparently people either love or hate.
The manager here is the former manager of the Piedmont location, I think his name is Tim. He's fun to watch whether he's working the floor or behind the bar making orders. A truly infectious laugh...
Sushi purists will slam RuSan's and talk about how sushi should never be on a buffet and that it's inferior quality. People who appreciate sushi on a budget will rave about RuSan's and the fun items on the menu. Is it the best sushi in Atlanta? Nope. But it's pretty cheap and it's not like they're putting canned tuna on rice in front of you. Not every meal can be a supreme gourmet experience, but you can still enjoy it...much like I enjoy the sushi at RuSan's.
Deanna and everyone are right, you either love it or hate it.
Let's just say I hate it.
The sushi is... dry? Not all of them ofcourse. There's some that leak with special sauce (mayo?). It's chewy, and cheap, and a little funny. The beef carpaccio at the Edgewood location is my best example. Why is that on the menu?? I had to get it! Sure enough, it's a culinary oddity that makes me laugh out loud because I have no idea what it is. But it's definitely more like huge chunks of cooked meat with a bunch of random veggies piled on top than it is a lightly covered oil or mustard sauce over paper thin slices of RAW beef. For another exasperated giggle, try the Gone With the WInd roll. First of all, what's with the crazy names for sushi rolls? Secondly, why would anyone want a roll that is 6 inches across and has five little individual rolls stacked inside it? It's hilariously large. A true test for the chopstick master.
As for non-sushi, I think I had a noodle dish there once and it came out in this huge huge salad bowl. I couldn't make a dent in it, and felt bad about wasting 89 pounds of food. Ridiculous portion sizes are my pet peeve. It was not a sharing dish either.
I guess though it would only be fair to say that I do like their ginger salad. And since I have no expectations for an all-you-can-eat sushi lunch buffet, I guess that's pretty good too. I mean soup, salad, and california rolls for ten bucks doesn't sound like such a bad lunch to me.
Ahhh....you people are killing me!!!
I guess you do either love or hate Ru San's. Who knew? I've always loved the place. Started eating at the Midtown location 8 years ago and have been a loyal customer of the franchise ever since.
I've eaten at the Edgewood location several times and really....it's about what you order. I love the Godzilla Roll and the Big Eye Appetizer. There are several great rolls on the menu!!
AVOID THE BUFFET!!! It's gross. I've done it...and really regretted it. Stick with the menu.
Try the following:
Summer Roll
America Re-Rising Roll
Crunchy Muy Bueno Maki
Godzilla Roll
Big Eye Appetizer
My review of this RuSan's is a study in social abuse.
You know the kind, you find a cool bar/restaurant...have fun, return, have more fun, return even more fun... the laughs never seem to end, you pick up Tech girls, have one on each side, one feeding you drinks, the other feeding you sushi....yadda, yadda, ya.
Then the thrill is gone. You look down at was once decent rolls and see rolled slop. The cries for "saki bombs" seem like the chant of the unknowing.
The thrill is gone.
You try it again. But you get there sorta late, and hey, your mate gets sick all over the side of your shiny rice burner.
"We won't be fooled again." Still hope for the Buckhead location...its clientle's is a bit more shiny so their product has to be a bit more up to snuff.
Better yet ditch the has been sushi house and rediscover "taking a chance."
This is definitely a lively place to eat. They have good music and a cool atmospher. A friend and I have been here. He likes the $1 sushi (can't beat that price anywhere!!!). I am not a big fan os sushi, so I stayed with my usual fried rice and the $1 sticks of beef, chicken and pork. Make sure you know how to eat with chopsticks!!! It took me a few mins but I finally got the hang of it. This place can get crowed pretty quick, so its a good idea to go a little early.
Neighborhood: Morningside / Lenox Park
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Morningside / Lenox Park
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Buckhead
Category: Sushi Bars
Decatur, GA
Category: Japanese
Atlanta, GA
Category: Sushi Bars
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