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Sakana Sushi & Grill
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Seafood Japanese, Sushi Bars, Seafood [Edit]
5061 E Elliot RdPhoenix, AZ 85044
(480) 598-0506
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 2 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
102 reviews for Sakana Sushi & Grill
Review Highlights
"Order the baked scallop roll and the ahi salad - you will..."
(in 4 reviews)
"Their sashimi melts in your mouth."
(in 20 reviews)
"This is still my all time favorite sushi place."
(in 8 reviews)
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102 reviews in English
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Review from Emily M.
Scottsdale, AZ
2/2/2012
I went to Sakana for the first time this week and had a great experience!
Decided to sit at the sushi bar, and quickly ordered my 3 favorite sushi items. The rolls were HUGE! So delicious and everything was really fresh. Our waitress was nice... I told her I wanted a nice glass of white wine and, ironically, she ended up bringing me my favorite white wine of all time - Kim Crawford Sav. Blanc. Perfect! I love when restaurants have that on their menu.
The sushi chefs were fun and entertaining, and even handed us some fun, new, off-menu stuff to try.
The food and service was great. I'll be back again! -
Review from Brie C.
1/6/2012
I was disappointed in Sakana, mainly because of the service.
The food was excellent, and wonderfully priced. I think I ate a week's worth of sushi for $25. But the service!
It took us a while to be seated. When we were seated, it took several minutes for us to get drinks. I ordered edamame and the waitress forgot about it. After 25 minutes, I had to remind her. She apologized and brought the appetizer and THEN got our order. We waited another 45 minutes to get our sushi. When the sushi arrived, it was incorrect. She had brought another table our order and their order to our table. Another 15 minutes of waiting to get our order re-made, and we finally got to eat. We arrived at 7pm and left around 9:30pm.
Again, the quality of the sushi was great. I enjoyed the rolls and the prices were excellent.
I'd give Sakana another chance, in hopes that the waitress was new or training. -
Review from Stacy M.
Phoenix, AZ
12/10/2011
Food - okay, the sashimi didn't seem fresh, but I liked the fried sushi rolls. Spicy Tuna roll tasted okay.
Atmosphere - there was a weird, fishy smell in the air. Maybe its because they are cutting SO much raw fish, but it smelled like the seafood section of asian grocery stores, not appetizing.
Service - it was fine -
Review from cuba l.
Phoenix, AZ
2/9/2012
Not recommended for take-out.
Stopped by there during lunch to order food to go and was told by the hostess that their specials are not available for carry out which was kind of a bummer. They also add a 10% automatic surcharge to take-out orders which I thought was unusual. I ordered a $9.00 calamari salad and when they handed me the to-go bag it weighed almost nothing!.. very small meal and I had to eat lunch again 2 hours later. Would recommend for dining in only. -
Review from Angie M.
Mesa, AZ
1/29/2012
This place is so BAD!! Seated right away, with reservations, poor quality of food and the service matched. Such a let down...chef had zero personality and the food matched. Cheap drinks and appetizers was all that was a positive.
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Review from Anthony D.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 10/10/2011
......and still, the best sushi I've ever had AND they always have cute friendly waitresses taking care of business. Desiree has spectacular eyes and a warm smile!
Lunch today was deelish and I'll be going back a few more times before heading back to the bay. New partner in crime will try it this weekend and I'm sure she gonna rike it.
Arigato guey!!2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/10/2010
Still the best sushi I've ever had. Partner in crime and other Cali friends agreed with my… Read more »
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Review from Megan P.
Mesa, AZ
10/9/2011
I wanted to like this place, but honestly only because of the sushi chef Ramon, who was flirting with me while I was dining solo after work and even tried to give me free food (cooked salmon ribs). Unfortunately, I got puking sick immediately after leaving this place and considering I only had 2 drinks and I'm not a lightweight, I can only blame the sushi. I suppose I should have known something was up when the yellowtail didn't have that signature taste I love so much and the salmon seemed to have a filmy texture but as I said, Ramon made me want to like this place. The portions were huge but in addition to my horrible aftermath, I found the selection of fish and rolls to be limited (no bluefin toro or shiro maguro) and my waitress was very inattentive.
I'm sorry Ramon but I will not be coming back to see you. -
Review from Stephanie D.
San Pablo, CA
8/29/2011
Coming from California you can feel my snub towards desert sushi. Also while visiting Arizona a while back was the first time I've ever had BAD sushi. BUT-how much longer could I have avoided such sushi cravings I've been having since I moved here? I need sushi in my life...
AMBIANCE:
Its interesting how sushi houses in Phoenix take orders by having a paper menu which the party can mark themselves. (Highly efficient btw.)
Located in a random shopping center, Sakana has a comfortable atmosphere with a little more real estate than you would figure this spot to be from the outside. Family & hip(ster-ish) oriented (patrons & servers alike) instead of the familiar K-pop cover ballads they played some 90's pop hits from MJ to Prince. Nothing like your 'HE HEEE'S!' & purple rain while you're scarfing down some good fish. Its casual.
SUSHI & SERVICE:
I went with a party of 5 on a Sunday with most of the tables occupied. Even so I was surprised we got our drinks & smoked salmon sashimi within 5 minutes. We sampled 6 different rolls-from baked scallop to the tootsie roll to the fried Californian. All which I should say is pretty LEGIT. Not the straight out the water fresh but the THIS-IS-AS-GOOD-AS-IT-CAN-GET-SUSHI- WISE-OUT-HERE fresh. Which is all I can ask for! Really, it was DELICIOSO.
-The rolls are your standard size for (Americanized) sushi about 4-6 pieces.
-If you ever order the baked scallop roll they bless it with an abundance of crab meat/chopped up scallops & topped off with sprinkled fish eggs-no room for dissapointment here.
Though Sakana has 2 other locations in the valley it does not have the flavor of 'chain' sushi. Also they mixed up an order of a massive sushi plater & placed it on our table then had to quickly take it back right when my cousin was about to pinch one with her chopsticks. Well 2 minutes later we were served a plate of another Vegas roll-on the house. To compensate for the possible emotional distress you may have caused taking away that triple roll platter-compensate you did. NOTED.
BRAVO Sakana for your timely & friendly service, being open on sunday & the complimentary sushi. I shall return to this sushi house in the desert! Finally a place for my sushi fix. -
Review from Sam A.
East Lansing, MI
1/10/2012
Meh. Service was not very quick but it was friendly. The sushi was decently priced but seemed uninspired and was not particularly fresh. The spring rolls were strange to say the least, mushy inside with a fried doughy shell instead of the usual flaky shell. Not worth the trip in our opinion.
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Review from sophia c.
7/19/2011
Sakana I heart you.
Your great sushi and great price.
And your staff is friendly and nice.
Where can you go and eat till you're stuff and only $30 for two people!
I can't wait to try rest of your locations. -
Review from Dana N.
Mesa, AZ
8/13/2011
I'll say it off the bat, I work here so I may be a bit biased. BUT, I know that they only serve their freshest cuts of fish and don't even bother serving anything below par to customers!
Their rolls are obviously not genuinely Japanese, but they have specials everyday of their newest incoming fish for those that want "real Japanese food". The chefs are very flexible and friendly and are able to make any suggestions necessary as long as you ask politely. Happy hour Sunday-Thursday and beer specials with discounted apps every day! Very affordable and tasty, they have something for everyone. Still have yet to try their teppanyaki, but I've never heard any complaints.
The baked scallop roll and Fiji Tiger roll are a must have!
PS- be nice to servers, we make less than minimum wage and more than half of the income comes from tips. We try the best we can! -
Review from Bob L.
La Jolla, CA
11/20/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Best sushi in Phoenix, not much else to say. Fish is so fresh, and portion are large, just a great value. They also serve tapanyaki which is really good. Just wish they were open for lunch on weekends.
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Review from Ken F.
Casa Grande, AZ
11/19/2011
My wife and I stopped in for some delicious sushi before attending an event in Phoenix. The sushi was delicious. My wife, who typically doesn't like tuna LOVED our spicy tuna role. Everything was so fresh. The service was outstanding and fast! Great experience!
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Review from eric l.
Tempe, AZ
9/26/2011
One might call me a "sushi whore." So it's safe to say, "If there's good Sushi in town, it's been in my mouth." I'm from southern California where the sushi is plentiful and the quality is world-class. SAKANA is by FAR, my favorite sushi spot in the valley. The atmosphere lovely, the sushi unparalleled,
They have customer appreciation Monday-Thursday for all you penny pinchers and starving college students out there. Equally as notable, if you buy a large Kirin, you get a .50 cent appetizer; so "bottoms up" to the ultimate place to grab a cold one.
Oh, and Keep this under your hats, but here's a little insider tip for all you "rock stars from Mars": If you're looking to have some real fun- SUSHI BAR. These guys are bitchin. (If you want to find out just how "bitchin" they are, grab a seat and prepare to get swash buckled)...
"Meh"- Teppanyaki is decent, but EVERY sushi item is Perfection for the taste buds. They offer daily roll-specials so make sure to check em out when you arrive. Eat well, live well and surround yourselves with ones who do. - Cheers. -
Review from Michael W.
Kirkland, WA
6/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We went for the lunch special. Most of it is premade and sits behind the chefs. Its all very rice heavy so I suggest the sashimi instead if you want to get your fish on.
Its fair and the price isn't bad and the staff is very friendly and attentive.
I recommend driving down to Mido Sushi for the all you can eat special. -
Review from Glexi G.
Tempe, AZ
8/4/2011
What can I say, it's a tasty local sushi joint. I'm not a huge fan of the Kona Grills of the world, so I can appreciate a nice individually owned sushi spot.
I had the Squid Salad, a Rainbow Roll, Las Vegas Roll, Ahi Tuna... all were pretty tasty and not too pricey at ALL! -
Review from Ian B.
Phoenix, AZ
5/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is another one of those places that I really want to like. My lady friend likes this place a lot, and on previous visits this place was pretty okay. However, this last time I have to say I was really unimpressed.
One tradition I know from Japanese culture is that its considered amazingly rude to eat before the other members of your party. Mind you, this is not totally your fault if your food comes out 20 MINUTES before your date's, but none the less, its bad karma.
The service here was HORRIBLE. Our food came out 20 minutes apart for our entrees. The girls serving were way more interested in chatting with their friends then they were in doing their jobs.
I get it, you're 18, its important to sit and gab with your friends.
BUT NOT ON MY TIME! Do your goddamn job. I was mortified that my girl tipped on the check. Normally I just write "learn to do your job and tips will come" or "tips are: To Insure Proper Service" but I think she felt bad.
I won't be going back any time soon. I'm all for jailbait eyecandy, but I'd much rather get my food brought out at the right time... -
Review from Joey W.
5/16/2011 16 Check-ins Here
I have been a loyal customer of Sakana for some time now, and have made converts of many other people as well. Every single visit is a great experience; the staff is fast and friendly, the sushi chefs are artists of their craft, and the food is amazing!
The fish they get is some of the freshest I have ever eaten, and they get some amazing variety as well! The whiteboard up behind the sushi bar is always listing their latest specials, and that's usually where I do most of my ordering from. Of course, if I can't decide what to eat, the sushi chefs are always more than willing to make some creative suggestions. -
Review from J. T.
Phoenix, AZ
10/23/2011
I'm always satisfied when I leave Sakana. I've tried various dishes and each of them tasted fresh, delicious and was of sufficient portion size. Although the servers aren't necessarily full of personality and don't tempt me to kick back for a few drinks after my meal, they are usually polite and efficient. After all, I go out to eat to sample tasty dishes not to get friendly with the staff. I'm craving sushi now; I'll have to hit up Sakana very soon!
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Review from Priscilla B.
Phoenix, AZ
10/2/2011
Wow. We'd eaten here before and enjoyed the food (my husband's a Japanese American from California--i.e., he knows his sushi). However, we went last night and, frankly, I don't want to go back. The **servers** were very attentive, however, the teppanyaki chef left something to be desired.
I had not eaten teppanyaki before, so did not know what to expect. The others had eaten it elsewhere before and said that it was supposed to be a really interactive experience. The food was very nicely cooked, and he was "ok" in terms of his enthusiasm (a couple of tricks), but not overly friendly. So, that was not great, but good enough.
So why the 2 stars?
OK, so THE PLACE CLOSES AT 10:30 (this is important).
We were enjoying some standard banter after the meal. However, at around 9:20-9:30 we noticed that the staff began to hang out, goof off, turn off some of the lights, etc.
At 9:50 the chef came over to our table with something of a scowl and, without so much as looking at us, grabbed a sponge and bucket of grey water and scrubbed down the grill. I asked him about the closing time. Without apology he said "we usually close at 10:30, but it is not busy tonight, so we are closing at 10:00."
We, of course, left and laughed in absolute disbelief. This was not the first time that we felt rushed out of the place, but this was over-the-top. At least we'll add it to our pile of humorous stories. My husband is sad b/c he loves the sushi. -
Review from Jared R.
10/8/2010 8 Check-ins Here
Sakana is not gonna amaze you with fancy rolls or the freshest fish in the world but they combine some solid combos with a great price and solid service.
I come to Sakana on a semi-regular basis for lunch because it is rare that you can find a $10-12 sushi lunch that won't leave you disgusted or with stomach problems later. Sakana has the wonderful Sakana lunch which is $10 comes with miso soup, small salad, a crunchy california roll thing, like 6 different nigiri pieces, and a spicy crab jalepeno popper thing. Yeah you read that right all of that for $10 at lunch time. I am a hungry dude and it's rare that i can finish all that food because there is so much. They also have a very good sashimi lunch special that is miso soup, 4 pieces of 4 different fishes, bowl of rice all for $11 and again very good.
The fish quality while not gonna make you mistake it for fresh catch or the best california or Seattle sushi joints is still fresh and tastes like it should and not like its been sitting for days or gonna be confused with the stuff sitting for hours on end at Fry's. I actually think it's pretty good and they do a good job at switching up what is in the lunch specials for what is in season and fresh so you do get good stuff and not just plain stuff as they mix in stuff like blue fin tuna or toro belly. I like the sashimi because usually it is Tuna, Salmon and 2 other fresh catches that rotate.
Also try the scallop dinamite as it is pretty good for cheap at lunch.
Like i said though don't expect to be wowed as it won't happen but you want a good lunch for cheap this place is as solid as you can get.Listed in: Bang for the college buck
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Review from Tonia B.
1/1/2011 5 Check-ins Here
I love sushi. I love Sakana. First off, their sushi is typically on point. I've only ever had one item I disliked and that's the seabass. Not a fan. One item that's a must have is their house smoked salmon nigiri. Holy effing awesome. I always want to eat like a dozen orders of that stuff.
The best reason of all for Sakana though, is that they are open on Sundays and have a happy hour. For some reason I am always craving sushi on Sundays and there is a huge lack of good places open. Sakana saved me and I will return the favor by telling of its awesome. -
Review from Maritza T.
Maricopa, AZ
1/24/2011
Good sushi.. we order las vegas roll, mexican caliente roll, spicy tuna.
Sakana rolls are huge, they offer $4.00 specials with lots of variate of rolls/maki to choose.
Drink, SKY maitai my favorite...
One of my best places for sushi in ahwatukee -
Review from Holly G.
Chandler, AZ
9/2/2011
My fav new sushi place. Screw the Ra's and Kona Grill's...ick. All the specialty rolls are amazing. I also order the baked mussels and squid salad. Great service, great wine and friendly enviornment. Being a massive 80's music fan...they play tons of it and it makes me very happy as I eat...haa :) I would say this is the best sushi I have had since Kyoto's in Scottsdale. Also their specialty drinks are awesome and pretty big as well. This is a must! :)
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Review from Brian T.
Tempe, AZ
9/4/2011 3 Check-ins Here
By far my favorite sushi place!
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Review from Demitalia F.
Phoenix, AZ
7/21/2010
I think I would like to try the Sakana that everyone else is reviewing because I surely could not have been at the same place...
Finding high quality sushi in the Phoenix area has been a challenge for me as most of the places I get referred to are a bit too "Americanized" for my liking. Sakana is thou the worst offender of doing this. My husband and I went the other evening and ordered what we thought were 7 different rolls...nope-they all tasted the same.
Fake "krab" minced up and doused in mayo- minced tuna..again doused in mayo-and what didn't have mayo had cream cheese or was deep fried-ick.
Even when asking the waitress what was in the rolls (we like to try different things) she at no time said "krab salad"-she just said crab...so when I get rolls that have this stick all minced up with mayo you can certainly understand my frustration. The head chef came over and apologized-however stated that it was their "style" and that's how most of the rolls are.
Dinner was atrocious and you leave here with your clothes reeking of oil due to the teppan bar that they have. So money wasted on something I could have done myself with a jar of Hellmans and a package of VandDeKamp Krab and additional money wasted on a dry cleaning bill.
Save your palette and your money and go elsewhere if you are looking for good, clean, sushi. If you like all the mayo & cream cheese rolls then this is your spot. -
Review from Mihio M.
Tempe, AZ
1/25/2011 4 photos
Yeah man,...I don't really know all that much about sushi or sashimi. The things I order are bastardized American versions of a long forgotten cuisine steeped in traditional intricacies and guided by the hand of custom.
But I don't mind. I like it.
And when my wife wants to go out and have something nice, it really looks like I did my homework if (and when) I take her to sushi.
"Oh my gosh, I love sushi."
Yeah baby, we're gonna wasabi this shizz up.
So it was Saturday and we were invited to a birthday party at a lounge where $250 dollar bottles of vodka were awaiting us in cozy confines of some random V.I.P. area where hundreds before us have made it rain on hostesses spilling out of their corsets while working that bottleservice.
What could be better than to segue into our night's exploits with a little sushi and where better than Sakana? I'm not sure the answer to that question but since I live in Tempe this place was the ace up my sleeve.
We didn't want to get too full but we wanted to eat. I was hungry but cautious. So we ordered accordingly.
"My wife will have the house martini and I'll just have water (ahem). We'll have the Rainbow Roll, the Lobster Tempura Roll and the Gyoza appetizer."
The inside of Sakana is pretty dark at night and I like that aside from have to hold the menu closer to my face to read it. Our waitress was competent enough to bring the food quickly but not enough to get my wife's drink order correct. It's alright.
We were hungry and we ate and we didn't get too full but definitely were satisfied. I know my wife won't let me pass this place up again. -
Review from L L.
Chandler, AZ
7/15/2011
Best value sushi in town.
Very good, very fresh.
Nice prices. Not over priced like RA and Roka Akor etc.. -
Review from Judy F.
3/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place gets packed for lunch to get there before noon! We were quickly seated and then our server got our drink orders. The green ice tea is right on. The real stuff!! I got the #4 Chicken Cutlet (Panko Fried Chicken with Tonkatsu sauce). Most lunches are served with Miso soup, salad and rice. I got everything of the lunch except for the rice. I thought the lunch did not come with rice so I just eat what I got, until I looked it up on the website. HUM? Either way, the service was great, food was great, and the prices are reasonable!!!
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Review from kiel o.
Tempe, AZ
5/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
We had a great time.. Tommy proved to be excellent chef and great fun. We'll be asking for him next time come here.
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Review from Aileen B.
2/19/2010
I could've sworn I've written and updated reviews of this place. Where did they go? Sakana is my favorite sushi restaurant. If it weren't for the fact that I've developed allergies to rice and most white fish and certain shellfish (I pretty much stick to wild fish now, and you know how rare it is to find, and how expensive it can get!), I'd eat sushi and sashimi everyday! (Well, OK, every OTHER day, for I also can eat THAI FOOD everyday!)
Lunch combos are great! In taste and in price. We would always order the baked mussels. Loved the spider and crunch eel rolls. I honestly can't remember disliking anything we've tried here. It's been awhile since I last visited, so I may update my review soon!Listed in: Ooh... Ahh... Ooh... Ahh, Where I go for sushi and…
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Review from Dottsy Z.
9/10/2008
I don't understand how this rates so high.
As other reviewers have said, this is not good sushi. It's edible (thus the 2 star rating), but it's not great. I have been to this restaurant 3 times to make sure I wasn't missing anything, and each time I've been only mildly satisfied. They do not serve real crab, their rolls fall apart, and the service is not that great. Maybe I'm going at the wrong time? I have been there during lunch time each time I've gone and have not been impressed at all. On the 3rd try, my friend and I decided that we would not be returning any more.Listed in: Boo...*yawn*
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Review from Jennifer F.
Phoenix, AZ
7/24/2011
I have not found better sushi in all of az. Sakana rocks! Fresh, fun, friendly. Prices are good and lunch specials even better. I am a loyal customer.
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Review from Eugene T.
Livermore, CA
7/19/2008
Totally good! Tasty food. Great unobtrusive service. 50c appetizer if you buy a Kirian beer. Very, very good overall!
Minus one * for way too kiddy atmosphere. They were EVERYWHERE!! Like OMFG, just keep families with children in like one side of the restaurant or something. -
Review from Donna F.
Mesa, AZ
10/30/2010
Why, oh, why is Teppanyaki such a challenge!?! It is the ultimate in party cuisine and a great experience, plus the food seems that much better cooked in front of you. Somehow though Phoenix remains without a great Teppan restaurant.
My nephew is an Asian food junkie and loves Teppan, so for his birthday we really wanted to give him a great experience and Sakana remained one of two places in town we have not tried so onward...
We were sat immediately about 15 minutes prior to our reservation and quickly ordered drinks and sushi. After reading other reviews I walked over to the sushi bar and looked at the day's specials. We ordered two types of Nigiri off the special board and then Uni and Spicy Scallops. For my nephew we got a spicy tuna roll. There was nothing wrong with any of it. The sushi had a clean taste and was very good. It was a pleasant surprise.
The teppan started with a decent soup and salad. The show itself was good, not great. The portions of the meats were astonishing, absolutely huge. Same with the veggies. The rice was good and came in the standard cup. A little odd was that the rice and veggies were an add on for an additional $3. Not a big deal but just different. Overall all the meats and the shrimp were okay. I took a piece of my husband's steak as Teppan steak I always feel has the best flavor for steak from my perspective as a non steak eater, and it tasted like typical steak.
So basically the whole food experience was a standard. Nothing really standing out, nothing bad. On the other side was the service. Lackadaisical is the word that comes to mind. My sister said she felt she bussed our table. Since our party of 4 was alone at the teppan table we kept passing her our dishes to put on the other end as not one thing was removed from the table. Think about the number of items I mentioned having and how many dishes that means! I had to ask to get water and tea refills and my glasses were removed and returned in the most bizarre way. A pitcher could have been so much simpler. It took a good 15 minutes for my sister's beverage to come from the bar. It was almost an hour before the teppan chef came over.
The server though was personable enough that the non-service service was less irritating than it might have been in other circumstances. I doubt I will be back, but it wasn't a bad experience and for someone in the Ahwatukee area i would say if they have time and don't have a ton of money to spend on Teppan or sushi it is not a bad choice. -
Review from Sarah H.
Updated - 4/2/2008
I agree with Dan.
I'm not a fan.
This maybe a good place for a sushi novice, as many of their rolls to contain Krab!Listed in: Places that make me want to…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/9/2008
I found this sushi to be painfully mediocre.
Standard menu with average roll options... quality was… Read more »
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Review from Daisy W.
Chandler, AZ
10/12/2010
Co-worker says 'Let me take you to my favorite sushi place - it's a secret!'
Sushi says I? I'm in!!!
So they dragged me here! If 4 stars means I'm a fan - then I am. Great prices and my old favorites were not screwed up. I kept thinking "it must be double roll" day because I ordered 2 rolls ... but some how ended up with closer to 20 slices. Is that real? I mean ... the value would be hard to beat. Especially since I went to sushi lunch the week before and spent almost 4 times as much for the same amount of food. I liked it. Will definitely go back. But ... it's a secret so you can't hang out in my joint.
Would be interested in their teppan grill -- looks very intimate over there. -
Review from Sarah G.
11/11/2009 1 Check-in Here
I have been here once before today and thought it was OK.
Knowing that have a huge daily special for only $10 I thought it would be perfect to share with my daughter, I think it comes with 5 pieces of assorted sushi fish, a crunchy California roll, crab tempura and a stuffed shrimp egg roll thing plus soup and salad, definitely a lot of food!
That's what we planned on ordering until we sat down at the sushi bar and saw them pre-making the CA rolls and setting them off to the side on a large tray...UGH you know how I HATE pre made stuff!
I decided on a tuna/avocado roll and Val got a shrimp tempura roll, I also ordered a cucumber salad.
Well I'm much more for quality over quantity and Sakana seems to be the other way around, yeah they give you a lot but it's really not that great.
My tuna roll was OK, the Shrimp tempura roll was filled with an enormous amount of mayonnaisey Krab meat and my cucumber salad was a giant bowl, probably 3 cucumbers worth, of just plain cucumbers WTH?
I tried to explain to the guy making the sushi but he didn't understand my English because he spoke mainly Spanish and I don't think the waitress understood to clearly either when she returned to me with another bowl of less amount and less fresh cucumbers, plain again but with a drizzle of something foul.
There is much much better sushi to be had and I'm more than happy to pay for it elsewhere because Sakana's sushi isn't quality sushi to my standards.
But if your looking to fill up on mediocrity by all means pull up a chair. -
Review from Amber L.
Tempe, AZ
10/27/2011
Great service and food! I ordered salmon sashimi, and it must have been the thickest slices of sashimi I've ever gotten! I also ordered a spicy tuna roll at the happy hour pricing, and it had a decent amount of fish. I would definitely return.
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Review from Maurice G.
Austin, TX
2/6/2008
I'll say it.
There is "sushi".
And then there is "SUSHI"
What most people consider sushi is some form of rice-rolled fish in a seaweed wrapper. Maybe some cucumber rolled in if you're feeling inventive.
But what Sakana serves is so far beyond what I've had anywhere else, its almost sad for them to have to downgrade themselves as serving the same cuisine as some other throwaway joints around town and hell, around the country.
When you find your favorite sushi spot, you just 'know it'. Its like reading your car manual and discovering you have a sweet feature you haven't even been utilizing. Then you abuse the fuck out of it.
I want to abuse the fuck out of the Sakana yellowtail, both in Nigiri and Maki form. It is the freshest I've had anywhere, and (pardon the name dropping) but I've eaten at Koi in LA and Miko in Vancouver. How they do it in a land-locked dustbowl is a mystery to me. Whatever magic they use works, which they also must use to enlarge the rolls because they are a GREAT size. Not too big so you can't get em in one bite, but almost. For their size, the prices are VERY reasonable.
Go here for your every-day-sushi and stop throwing it away at shi-shi celeb ventures like SeaSaw and Stingray (disclaimer: There is CERTAINLY a time for celebrity sushi, but IMO, not appropriate for everyday dine-out sushi)Listed in: Phoenix Dining
