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"maybe it is because I came in with a regular but I love this place. They are really nice. Here is my run down. $30 for my dinner. I got…" read more »
Oh Em Gee.
Seriously, I'd forgotten about this place. You'd think that there'd be better sushi places in Monterey, but Samurai takes the cake!
I went there for the first time two years ago(?) for a friend's/my birthday. My friend's twin brothers have been ranting and raving about it. How it was SO good. They were right. Coming from Monterey all the way to Salinas? Yes! I think so! It's most def worth the drive. The rolls were huge! Creative and cheap too.
However, there's nothing better than seeing the Summer's boys food challenges! Oh yeah...
WARNING: Yet another imitated Japanese restaurant. This is a Korean-owned Japanese place. Don't expect authentic Japanese food. They miss the details all over the place.
The misspellings on the menu were my first clue, then I asked the waitress. The albacore tataki was tasteless (probably frozen too long) and there was no momijioroshi on it (another detail), the sauce for the tataki and the gyoza were the same and the waitress couldn't tell me what it was, just "sauce".
The rice under the nigiri-sushi was too large, a common mistake when one wants the food to look bigger.
Pricing was also not cheap!
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I have been here many times and i am impressed by their rolls. they have a plethora of new and interestingly named suhi concoctions.
I went today and had the TNT roll (spicy tuna and cream cheese in a deep fried roll) the tuna was not that spicy though. And i also had a pink lady roll (tempura shrimp with raw salmon and tuna and avocado and cream cheese on top). There was bit too much cream cheese on it tho. I am a little cream cheesed out.
Go here if you want fun and creative suhi rolls.
Best sushi in Salinas! Really fresh and selection is huge. The owner is so nice, always greeting customers and making sure the waitresses are attending to every need.
I love their spicy tuna rolls with the bits of jalapenos inside. The tempura is also good.
A great find in Salinas for Sushi, prices are as good as the Sushi taste, good service and friendly employees
Good morning.. is that the name of the sushi chef? It is huh?
This place is great because the sushi chef staff is quite social!
I dig their hand rolls. Personally, there was nothing here, that I found as being hands down great, apart from the rest of Salinas sushi....my daughter and i both liked their udon. the flavoring is a touch different than others... but enough to notice and come back again. :)
michi moved to marina - shogun - great sukiyaki, ikebana - karaoke in the back room -- pretty appetizers... kokoro -- bento box deals... they all shine in their own way. :)
Been coming here for years. It's The Spot. Hands down, my favorite Sushi place.
"WHY?" you ask?
Because the service is great. Feels like home! The sushi chefs are loud and friendly. The servers know me by now and the little things I like to have with my sushi - I don't even have to ask anymore; they just bring it. AWESOMENESS. The food is delightful and the prices are super reasonable. What more do you need?
If you're thinking about it, you're taking too long. Hurry up and try it. It's bomb.
the sushi here is really good! and the staff is really nice, the only thing is that it can get a bit pricey but after all its in Salinas, great place to hang out and have great sushi!
Honestly this is one of the better Japanese restaurants in Salinas. This reveiw is based on Salinas standards. This place is pretty small and gets pretty packed so expect to wait during dinner time. The sushi chefs are very welcoming and they offer a good amount of fresh sushi as well as elaborate rolls. They offer happy hour and its hand rolls for two pieces at five dollars at 4-7pm as well as cheap sake, but forgot the prices.
As for appetizers I would go for the fried oysters or the baked mussels. Typically I order the chirashi here, i think its one of the better ones I've had. I have the sushi chef take out certain pieces out and they replace it with something else. As for entrees, I like having the Saba (broiled mackerel) its a big size piece of fish and its really good.
The really nice thing about this restaurant is that they have pictures of the rolls and a bunch of special rolls on the wall, but do not have pictures =( for those.
Overall, this is one of the best Japanese restaurants in town and would choose this place over any other Japanese restaurant in Salinas.
so so soooo delicious! everyone is so friendly there! Just try to leave without the sushi chef's screaming and waving 'goodbye thank you for coming'
it's a pretty small place, but the service is always good and the food is always just right.
My favorite thing to order is the American Roll. It sounds a bit scary when you read the description-- macedamia nut, shrimp tempura, cream cheese, beef, and avacado if I'm correct--but it's the best thing in the world of japanese food! also, its huge! if you're into saving some money but still want good food, I'd split that with a soup and salad. very filling! my friend and i usually go and split that. the 49er roll is also really good.
Best sushi in salinas. Check out the board out front for some great deals.
I'm sure their sushi is awesome, which I still have yet to try. But how many other japanese places can you say make the best Udon Soup?! This one does for sure!! Its quite different from all the other places I've tried. I am definitely coming back to try some of their unique rolls.
Update: Yeah I came back another time and I was suprised by all the different rolls they had on their walls. I ordered this one roll called the "Mortal Kombat" roll? lol still really good!
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you guys are fuckin sad, it's not that good. Well maybe because you guys are trapped in Salinas, trust me I know exactly how that's like.
This place is ok, for the quality you get the price is too high. Can't complain about that though, it's Salinas the demand isn;t that high over there.
Just make sure you move the hell outta there when you get to college, if youre a food lover you'll thank me.
People thought this was:
Currently my favorite Sushi joint in the area. I've been slowly testing the waters at a bunch of local places (this is my first Salinas Sushi venture though) and must say that Samuai is a winner. They have totally creative rolls with wonderfully indulgent combinations.
Mad props for the picture menu, everything's better with pictures!
Prices seem a bit high at first.. until you realize how big, and filling the rolls are.
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This is my favorite sushi joint in Salinas! It would rank five stars but for the challenging restroom, and the lovely, sweet, cute but slightly inattentive waitresses. That being said, use the bathroom before you go here, and be OK with jumping up to snag a waitress when needed because this is an awesome Japanese restaurant!
When I go with the old man, we go right after work, and launch into the happy hour specials which are beer, sake, and hand rolls. Yummo! We usually get a sashimi special which is around $12, and a roll, and escape with a bill including tip and drinks around $25.
When I go for lunch with the girls, we usually get misos, salads, and three rolls. Lunch is a little more expensive since you can't take advantage of the happy hour specials, but we can still leave with a bill around $50.
The freshness of the fish is exquisite, and the people are friendly. A great restaurant!
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my husband had been going down the road to ikebana for a while at least twice a week, i finally went with him one night and said "there has to be a better place in salinas for sushi than this". the food was just alright and it was pricey. we found samurai and now we won't go anywhere else! like the other reviews stated, the staff is super friendly (i think the one guy's name is pete?) and the rolls were really great. our favorite was the crazy horse roll....can't wait to go back again and try something new...after reading other reviews i'm thinking the udon noodles!
this place is awesome!
for you bay area kids, it's reminiscent of sushi house in alameda without the long ass wait to get a table, horrible service, and hoards of AZNs. they have a picture menu with lots of very creative and well priced rolls... so far, i haven't tried one that i didn't like. my favorites are the deep fried ones... yum!
the only sad part is that the restaurant overlooks the building that used to be an arby's. a little part of me dies every time i look out the window.
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A surprising find in Salinas. Prob the best place for rolls in the area, there fish doesn't seem to be as top notch as other places in Monterey and Carmel. And defintely not thing exciting like fatty tuna or albalone on the menu. Just really really good rolls. Better than rolls at much terndier/pricy restuarants in a lot of other bigger cities.
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just had a light dinner with my brother and sister. we went during happy hour to take advantage of their 2/$5 handrolls and small sake for $3...which my brother had. my sister ordered a spider roll and i ordered a salmon skin roll. the rest of the order was to go: 4 pc nigiri, chirashi, and a dinner special. we were given a bowl of complimentary edamame while waiting. my entire family are repeat customers and even have rolls catered by them during get togethers. overall, decent japanese food at a decent price for our little town. i just wish they deliver.
I have to say best Sushi joint in Salinas. The other spot down the street WAS the best until it switched owners and dumbed down their rolls. Mr. Lee is by far the best sushi chef in town and his side kick rocks as well. My only recommendation is GO EARLY! These little mom and pop type places dont believe in hiring the extra help so staff on site are usually working their butts off. They mean well but when it gets busy you can easily get lost in the crowd. They have an awesome selection of unique sushi rolls but my favorite is the sashimi special. 12 piece assortment of nicely cut ahi, sake & hamachi.
Salinas, CA
Category: Japanese
Salinas, CA
Category: Japanese
Marina, CA
Category: Japanese
Salinas, CA
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Salinas, CA
Category: Sushi Bars
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