"The bi bim bap is good on a cold day, and the seafood udon is ALWAYS good."
(in 6 reviews)
"We also got a spicy tuna roll, rainbow roll, and spider roll."
(in 7 reviews)
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Suishaya
Rating Details »
Categories: Korean, Sushi Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: Chinatown2 Tyler St
(between Beach St & Kneeland St)
Boston, MA 02111
(617) 423-3848
- Nearest Transit:
-
Chinatown (Orange, Silver)
Boylston (Green, Silver)
Downtown Crossing (Orange, Silver, Red)
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
66 reviews for Suishaya
Review Highlights
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Anytime I go for sushi with Sara S, I know its going to be good. Suishaya was fabulous!!
This was my first real "Chinatown" sushi experience. I went in very hungry from a brisk work day. I was ready to fill my belly with some good sushi. I chose the crazy maki, philly maki and a unagi (eel) nigiri. On the side I had a the sake which was excellent. A couple small pots is enough to get a good buzz going.
Sara got a spicy tuna roll, tuna and cucumber makis. I tried the spicy tuna roll. It was delicious. The tuna was chopped up finely then mixed with the mayo. I actually prefer it that way over in big pieces.
Our server was very prompt. She was ready to come back if we needed more time with the menu as we started catching up and not sure what we wanted. We placed our order and the food came out within 15 minutes.
The crazy maki was one of their jumbo rolls. It was wider then most makis but still easy to eat. It had a nice coating of tobiko on it along with shrimp tempura, avocado and cucumber filling. Delicious!
The philly maki was yummy too. The salmon had a smokey flavor that went well with the cream cheese and cucumber. Both pieces were very well put together.
My warm eel on the side was just right. The sauce on top was sweet. Everything was presented creatively.
The bill was very inexpensive. The maki rolls were between $5-$7. There were some temping designer maki's in the $10-$12 range . The kind I had was simple and very satisfying.
The restaurant was small with a few seats and the sushi bar. Servers were very friendly. The sushi bar was well stocked. All the pieces were super fresh. I would choose this place the next time I want sushi in Chinatown or if I'm up for some late night sushi! 5 stars for Suishaya!
Maybe I went into Suishaya with expectations that were a bit too high, because I was expecting to be blown away. Instead of a tempest of sushi awesomeness, all I got was a stiff breeze.
Don't get me wrong; we didn't have a bad meal. The waitress was very attentive (borderline over attentive, actually). The food came out quickly, and was pretty good.
The sashimi was decent, generous cuts of fish and reasonably fresh. The tako was actually some of the best I've had in a while.
The maki was hit or miss. The yellowtail in the BBQ Yellowtail roll was painfully overcooked, to the point where it completely ruined the roll. The Patriot maki, while wonderfully delicious and very creative (it was topped with a slice of lime and a dab of chili sauce, and drizzled with blueberry sauce) was compromised, in my opinion, because they didn't cut the rind off the lime.
I also wasn't thrilled at the limited beverage selection: no iced tea, canned soda and a waitress that kept pushing wine and beer.
In the end, I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Suishaya, but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to visit. I give them 3 1/2 stars.
I love the food here! I would eat here everyday if I could!
The kimchi Jagea is great. Bim bim bap is excellent. Also a seafood noodle soup ( cannot remember the name) but it was the best I've ever had. The perfect combo of seafood, noodle's and spice!
Love it!
The cost is pretty reasonable. You also get 4 side dishes for free!
DELICIOUS and CHEAP!!! I meet my friends here all the time to get a bite to eat. They City Lite Roll (veggie tempura), avacado and spinach roll are amazing! Whenever we go, it's always a good time and the food is always delicious.
My friend and I always come here for our midnight run. We always sit in the same spot!! The service is good and welcoming.
I usually get the N2 Udon Noodles. I've tried the Beef and the Spicy Pork and I prefer the Spicy Pork more than the beef. The Spicy Pork has a lot more flavor and it just makes the dish 100% YUMM!
My friend get his usual Sushi Box with a side of Sashimi Eel. The box is delicious and the eel is a delight.
The service is FAST too might I add.
I'm going to miss this place when I go back home to Arizona.
My boyfriend took me here one day for lunch, and I'm glad he did. It isn't a really big restaurant, but the service was fairly quick. I ordered the spicy pork bulgogi, and I also had my first taste of kimchi! Everything was delicious and the portions for the bulgogi were big enough that it was a struggle to finish. The food was yummy enough that I'll definitely try to convince my friends to come back here soon.
Found this cute little place on YELP when we were craving Korean food, but didn't want to travel out of the city. It was the middle of the afternoon and there were only a couple others in the restaurant. Nevertheless, they had my favorites, veggie bimbimbap and dukbogi. My friend got the udon soup with meat in it, it was piping hot, but he totally enjoyed it. The panchan were decent, the 2 best being the spicy green beans and kimchi, they actually got tastier after we ordered 2 more. The dukbogi was delicious and very generous, but we started to slow down and had to pack most of it to go. The service was quick and this was a nice treat after a long day of shopping.
Ok, so I found this place a few years with a group of friends. It instantly became a favorite spot to take care of our ever-so-common sushi cravings. Their Spicy Tuna Maki are great, and specialty rolls such as the Crispy Tuna Spider Maki, though pricey (around $12), are worth it. Appetizers, such as mandu (korean dumplings) aren't bad, though I've had better. The banchan (little side-dishes) served with any entrée is a nice addition, and the kimchi, and even the kimchi jjigae are delicious. I've come to like Suishaya so much so that I frequent it once about every two weeks, even though I don't live in the city and have to go far out of my way to do so.
Despite my unwavering love for Suishaya, I feel obliged to give it 4 stars for a few reasons.
1.) It is small and a little cramped. Being seated is a difficult task in its own. I love the atmosphere (though not really authentic Asian with Kiss 108 playing in the background), but it isn't for everyone.
2.) The waitresses are very nice and accommodating, but are sometimes hard to flag down, though this has gotten better more recently.
3.) While some things on the menu are a great deal, and truly outstanding, others are over priced ($5.75 for a small side of kimchi?... really?).
4.) No dessert =(
Overall, I adore this place! It's perfect for my friends and myself, being college students. But it certainly isn't for people looking for a particular sort of dining experience that doesn't compute with the fun yet slightly disorganized setting of this little corner restaurant in Chinatown.
Let me tell you my experience.
My bf and I went in, there were 2 tables filled with people, and only 1 waiter, he noticed us coming in, it's only him so I understood that It would take a bit long for him to serve us. We sat down for around 7, or 8 minutes, no menu, no tea nor water on our table, I told my bf that I'll give him 5 more minutes, if the waiter still hasnt come, we'll leave. 5 minutes went by, we ended up leaving, he said "sorry"....for what? you saw us but still ignore??....I just looked straight and walk out.
Im done with this place, even if there food are the best in the world, I'd refused to come back with the service like this.
Sushi is very good and consistent here.
The only complaint I have is that you can come into Suishaya and be out in 45 minutes or you can some in and be out in an hour and a half. And, when you get an hour for lunch this can really be aggrevating. Also, the food doesn't always come out at the same time. One time I got my lunch almost 20 minutes before my friend got hers.
The staff seems to be very relaxed and nonchalant about the service. If you come here for take out you can't lose, but if promptness is an issue for you, you may become aggrevated with your service.
This is a downgrade and it's been coming for a long time.
First let me say I'm not a fan of Korean Sushi I only eat Korean food here.
The quality of the Korean food has slipped and the sides that go with a meal are almost non existent. Once again I had to ask for them and they brought only 3 side dishes, kimichi, fermented beans and past their expiration date-bean sprouts. They continue to dumb down the Korean menu, the latest casualty the Soon Dae! NOooooooo! After patronizing this place for double digit years, I'm not sure I will ever go back.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/28/2007
I have been going here since... probably since they opened a long time ago. It used to be just a… Read more »
I only ever come here late at night when I'm drunk out of my mind and don't know any better. I go when I can barely read the menu and say to the waitress: "Excuse me, what does this say? I can't read Korean." And she'll come over and say: "Uh...that's in English." And I'll giggle loudly the way I do when I'm drunk and then wave my hand in a duh kind of way and knock over two soy sauces and three waters. It's only in that state of mind that I come to Suishaya.
They're definitely an upgrade to the corner sub shop where I pick up a slice of cold pizza that's been waiting since midnight for me to pick up. So I always get their sushi and sometimes, if I start to taste the food, I ask for a hot sake. It's the only way to go. Yum.
I must say, it's pretty cheap sushi (ha, that's a hell of an oxymoron). But I can get a roll for $5 where it may be $6 or $7 for the same roll at other places. I must say though, if I'm sober, I'd rather throw down that extra dollar for a better quality in taste.
Their kimchi is weak. Overly sweet and barely spicy and a lack, if at all existent, of tartness. I'm kind of fond of their fermented beans as it's a good contrast to the sushi. Sushi rice lacks in rice wine vinegar.
Like said, this place is awesome for a drunken night, but trust me, I wouldn't be caught dead here sober.
This place was forgettable.
Service -- We ordered at three on the nose, and they wouldn't let us order off the lunch menu that ends at 3, which I thought unforgiving. Service was prompt and friendly, though, and the owner came to say hi.
Food -- Hamachi in the negihama roll was mushy, and the spicy tuna mix was overwhelmed by mayonnaise and chilli. Where's the tuna? Pork bulgogi was extremely salty, sizzling in a burnt glaze that glued half the meat to the pan.
I can't imagine coming back here unless it was late at night.
I had no idea this place served "Korean Sushi" and I'm still not sure what that means, but onwards and upwards. Went here for lunch yesterday with my friend who had been before. Chinatown is the last place I'd think to find sushi, but I guess I was being ig-nant.
The place is tiny, and it was crowded last time my friend was there, but 1 pm on a Thursday? Only two other tables were occupied. There was a cute little boy running around with his toys, the waitresses were very attentive, and the sushi chef was fun to watch. If you sit by the big window you can people-watch for hours.
I got the Eel-Avocado-Cucumber Maki and the Grilled Vegetable Maki and both were delicious. My only complaint is that the Eel Maki was tiny while the veggie maki was GIGANTIC. I looked like a fool waving my chopsticks around trying to eat with dignity, but that's probably my problem and not theirs. The sushi is cheap here too, and all in all I spent $15 with tip and an order of edamame.
And if you remember anything from this review, REMEMBER THE EDAMAME. They give you a huge bowl for cheap, and they've never tasted better. I could've just ordered that and been satisfied for lunch.
I love Korean but almost everyone I know doesn't. So, it's a great because we all get what we want Korean AND sushi. Talk about killing two birds with one stone.
If you come during lunch, they have really fun lunch boxes aka a tray with a variety of yummy treats but it's also busier during this time. I prefer going for a dinner. There's always a wait but it has always been worth it. I love, love, love their friend dumplings (mandu) and ok dol bi bam bamp (a rice dish served in a steam pot). The waiters and waitresses are nice and will remember a familiar face.
Well... when you are in the mood for some authentic Korean food, this is small Chinatown corner-store restaurant is the shiz-Nit!!! I will admit, I was hesitant for a moment when looking at it's size, and from the outside it looks like your everyday 'Chinese' takeout joint. Needless to say... we were pleasantly surprised.
-) The seating is limited; maybe about... oh I don't know, eight or nine tables, a few booths, and a small sitting Sushi bar. The Sushi bar was fully stocked with a wide variety of fresh catch, and Spring-rolls. The Sushi prices were comparable to the city atmosphere; a bit hefty!
-) The menu had a wide array of traditional Oriental food, with one section dedicated to the Korean culture. The do serve Oriental beer, but that's it.
-) The food was excellent; traditional, unique, and spicy!!! Yuumm! Most of the Korean dishes are served in an authentic hot stone pot. (keeps the dish warm throughout the entire meal). The beef and seafood on top of veggies, and rice was a spicy treat to satisfy anyone in the mood the authenticity.
-) Service was friendly, and although mostly in broken English, it was very good. I did however ask for a Sprite, and was brought a dish of Pinto-Beans. Lol. But it's all good!
Overall a very good experience! Please check it out! Awesome place to eat, and a big, big verity!
Laaaaaate night!
Spicy Tuna Roll and Shrimp Tempura Roll, served with miso soup. Around $10/$11 off their lunch/late night menu, served until 1AM. YES!!! I may start going out really early JUST so I can make it to Suishaya for late-night sushi. The sushi is unbelievable normally, but as a late-night craving... WOW.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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8/10/2008
Just came back from another amazing meal at Suishaya.
Seaweed Salad- generous portion topped with… Read more »
I love sushi. I dream about sushi. It's been a fantasy of mine to be stuffed with rice, wrapped in nori, and slathered in wasabi. Curiously, I can find no one to satisfy that desire ...
Sushi is not hard to come by in Boston, which is shocking, Land of the Baked Bean and Fried Clam Strip. Sushi ranges from lavish and expensive (Oishii, O Ya, FuGakYu, their ilk) to cheap standards (Shino Express, if you can stand the wait.) Suishaya rests somewhere in the middle.
We found it by accident, tucked somewhere in Chinatown, freshman year. We had grown weary of dining hall foodstuffs, late-night runs to NY Pizza, where pizza goes to die. I couldn't even force Subway down my throat at this point, so we ventured out in the night (midnight) to Chinatown, and found this little Korean/Japanese joint.
The sushi is quite good. I wouldn't say brilliant, as it's not inventive, but it's certainly fresh, delicious, and well-presented. Their "designer" rolls are a bit more creative but also more cost-prohibitive. The Dragon Maki is fantastic, if you're a fan of grilled eel. The more standard rolls are also good (spicy yellowtail and tekkyu being of note.)
Appetizers are standard and kind of over-priced, but I love me some shumai and can rarely resist.
As for the Korean side of the menu, I love the vegetable bi bim bap and gook su bok kum. Just don't ask me what's in it. It tastes yummy, and that's all I need. My temporary Korean roommate affirmed that most of the food is authentic, things her Mum would have made.
In short, go late at night (midnight sushi runs! easy on both the waistline and the wallet!) or go for lunch (who brown-bags anymore?) The service is ridiculously slow ... think pickle-dripping-down-the-wall-slow ... pickled-cabbage-dripping-down-the-wall-slow ... but otherwise, it's worth checking out, if you're in Chinatown and don't want to suffer another General Gau's chicken.
FOOD POISONING CENTRAL.
This place is nasty and i wish i could give a zero star.
5 stars for reasonable prices, delicious rolls, and most importantly, FAT sashimi!
Seriously, after my last 2-3 sushi trips resulted in paper-thin slivers of sashimi (no, Gari, I don't care how many fancy artisan sauce you slather your sashimi appetizer in, it doesn't make up for the fact that my piece of fish is barely existant), I was so so so pleasantly surpried to see hearty portions of sashimi at suishaya. AND each order is three pieces rather than the often-disappointing two i'm seeing more and more of as of late. Salmon/yellowtail/tuna run about $4.75 - which I think is great!
We also got a spicy tuna roll, rainbow roll, and spider roll. All were tasty and lived up to my expectations of my go-to standards.
I was introduced to this place by a roommate several years ago, but had forgotten about it until recently. She would always get the spicy seafood salad, which is delicious - but really spicy! (which i love)
I don't know why there are so many complaints about slow service. We got our food extremely quickly and were there at 7 on a Friday night. Absolutely no complaints from me.
Service here is slower than the Green Line T after a Sox game lets out. Slow in the "youwanttothrowbitsofstalericeyoufoundonthefloorat thesushichefwhoisnonchalantlyreadinghisnewspaperbe hindthecounter" sense.
* * * * *
I mean seriously, people...
we are hungry.
You work in a restaurant.
Feed us.
Please?
No really, we will get down on our hands and knees,
and beg you.
No? Still nothing?
Sigh.
* * * * *
Our food did finally arrive, accompanied by a nice array of panchan. My friend and I shared a tuna roll. It was decent, not the best we've had, but not too bad either. She had terryaki chicken (no complaints), and I had the tofu bibimbap in a clay pot. This was my first foray into the Boston world of bibimbap, and honestly, it was no picnic.
Greasy. Not enough punch in the chili paste. No half-cooked egg on top. Boo.
I'll donate an extra star for this review, Suishaya, because I want to believe I dined on an off night. But I may rescind that good-will offering on my next visit, if once again, I have to beg for service.
I can hardly pronounce Suishaya but I'm a huge fan of their Korean soups/stews and the creative maki rolls. I highly recommend the Patriots maki with it's sliver of lime garnish and blueberry sauce drizzle. I can't remember the name, but my favorite stew is the one chock full of mandoo and rice cakes swimming in a milky broth with vermicelli. One day I hope to be courageous enough to try the jampong or soondobu jigae.
Stick to the Korean side of the menu, and you'll be fine. It's when I strayed and ordered the tonkatsu curry lunch special that I was severely disappointed. It came with miso soup, several pieces of veggie tempura (greasy), one piece of california maki (rice was dry), fried shrimp shumai, and a mound of rice (also dry). The tonkatsu itself was just OK and the curry sauce tasted a bit off. Surprisingly, the only items I actually liked were the shumai and miso soup. A friend ordered the sushi box lunch special and was also unimpressed by the limp slices of fish atop meager balls of rice.
The prices are very reasonable and they are open for late night dining, but the service is pretty poor. On one particular visit, my boyfriend and I ordered 2 maki and 2 entrees but they forgot one of the entrees--as in they neglected to prepare it altogether. It was as if somewhere between our table and the kitchen, the order was lost. It was befuddling, but we let it slide. On another visit, we finished our meal and were left to stare at our dirty dishes while the waiter glided by several times and neglected to bring us our check or refill our water glasses. We blamed that on his overgrown bangs, which covered half his face.
I'll continue to frequent Suishaya because the food is good and cheap. But I'll also admit that I enjoy the cute Japanese fashion mags that they provide for your perusal and the cheesy Asian pop music that they play.
I was just wondering mindlessly in the Chinatown with an empty stomach, and decided to give Suishaya a try. It's clean, stuffs are helpful, and food is great.
I am only giving 4 star because I was starving, so my judgement could be impaired. I look forward to going back and give it another try so I can write a factual review about this place for the humanity.
Mmm mmm kalbi lunch box.
I love the sushi, the sashimi, the stone bowl dishes, and udon bowls. I have yet to find better spicy tuna and salmon rolls (they're rolled so tight and never sloppy) in Chinatown. The bi bim bap is good on a cold day, and the seafood udon is ALWAYS good.
I love how fast they are with take-out orders too - just call in and in 10 minutes, it's ready for you. Yum.
Service could be faster, but the food is worth the wait.
Marvelous Jampong for only $12! The bowl was big enough to be Big Bird's hat and it was filled to the brim with spicy broth, seafood and Korean-style noodles. My nose got all wonderfully runny from the spicyness and I almost screamed, "Mom!!! Get me some more water!" Instead, I was quickly reminded that I was not home enjoying this authentic meal when a waiter, noticing my glass, came by to refill it.
It's pretty crowded and we were seated next to two transvestites who talked about some interesting things. The service was whatever; Suishaya's all about the food. I'm only disappointed that they don't have BBQ grillzzzz.
If you stick to the Korean food, you can make it out of there for $30 for two people including tip.
It's one of the few places you can go get sushi when it's past 1am...which makes it a plus. The quality of the food you get at that hour, though, is pretty sketchy.
DO go there for the sushi. Moderately priced (~$20pp for dinner), pretty fresh, and the chef can make some really interesting rolls.
DON'T go there for the late night boxes. Sure, they're cheap, but the food you get is pretty horrible. My tempura shrimp/veggies were way overdone and way too greasy for tempura. The bulgogi was similarly unappetizing, although if you're coming in from a night of clubbing along the Theatre District, you might not notice.
I haven't tried the rest of the food, but for Korean place that's owned by Chinese people, they make pretty good sushi.
Authenticity, thy name is NOT Suishaya. I was expecting a Japanese/Korean restaurant, but I listend to Chinese music at this place. I think it was just weird. But hey, whatever. I want to eat authentic food. Well, I guess the music should have been the first clue as this is NOT authentic Korean food. Granted, I don't think I ate that many dishes. First, we only had 3 pancha dishes. One was a wilted bean sprouts dish. It tasted alright, but not fantastic. The second was some sort of a bean dish that I've never seen before. Could this be a tribute to the Japanese portion of the restaurant? The third was super old kimchi. We were never offered refills on our pancha, so that's a HUGE MINUS!!! My favorite part of going to Korean restaurants is for the pancha.
I also went for the seafood tofu soup (soon du bu jiggae). The flavor was alright, but I don't like the poor quality of the seafood. For $14.95, I expect a little more seafood and tofu. At least I didn't have to pay for the bowl of rice unlike the Chinese restaurants in the area.
Anyways, I was disappointed after reading all the reviews for this place. I don't understand how it can get a "Best of Boston" for Korean food. Is there such a dearth of Korean restaurants in Boston that this place is the best?!?!
It's been a while since I've had good Korean food here in Boston. I've lived in Boston for 9 years and eat at Chinatown a lot, but for some reason I've never eaten here until tonight - and man, I've been missing out on some great food!
First of all, let me start out by telling you that the service was very, very slow. The waitress was on her cellphone half the time and it took her a while to take our orders. But the food was so good I could really care less. There were only 3 side dishes served (fish cake, kimchi and bean sprouts) but they were good. The soft tofu jigae I had was excellent with plenty of seafood unlike most other restaurants, with just the right amount of soup so it wasn't too watery. My friend had a kimchi jigae, and he commented that it was very well-made as well.
Overall, this seems to be a restaurant to go to if you're in the mood for Korean food. I'll try other Korean dishes next time, but you can't miss with their jigae. My friend, who is Korean, commented that he would have been satisfied with the food if he had it in Seoul, which in a nutshell sums up our experience.
I've noticed other posters who said this is Chinese-owned. While the sushi chef was definately Chinese, the waitress and cook (who came out to grab a soda) were definately Korean.
One last note: besides lunch specials, they also have "midnight specials" that are served from 10pm-1am. It's a really great deal, so if you're hungry for some Korean late at night this is the place to go.
The last time I visited they were out of wheat noodles for the jjamppong. They suggested that I substitute the Korean noodles with Japanese udon noodles. Would it even qualify as jjamppong with a different kind of noodle? I think not. Instead I ordered one of their jigaes (with beef and octopus), and it was served with a block of Sterno underneath. I had never eaten in close proximity of Sterno and didn't think twice about it until I started getting nauseous from the fumes. Noxious gases do not make a great dining experience.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/8/2008
3.5 stars, but I'm feeling nice so 4 stars. Side note: it's a Korean/Japanese restaurant with… Read more »
On the one hand, I want to tell you to go here because I love it ever so much.
On the other hand, I don't want to tell you about it, so I can continue to walk in and sit where ever I want.
I went in once when the place I was looking for was closed. My friend and were handed special menus upon entering -- English menus, since ones on the table were not. I have have been going regularly ever since. The sushi is between decent and very, very good each time I go. I've had better Octopus; I've never had better Unagi. The liter cans of Asahi garner a full star for the place in and of themselves.
There are, of course, a few things to be desired: service is so-so at best (Waitstaff is a little flighty, my pint glass is always warn), etc. But this is easily overlooked to eat this sushi at this very moderate price.
When you're done with your dinner, go get a pasty at Anne's 2 Coffehouse. YUM.
Expensive, and not worth it.
Spend your money elsewhere. First time I had it, I thought, it CAN'T be THIS bad. SO i tried it again, same bad quality, same high price.
I really like this place. I stumbled upon it one day and decided to go in because it looked really cute on the outside (I have very high criteria as you can see).
Pretty good Korean and pretty good sushi. I like that they mix Korean and Japanese, even though they're kind of different. For me, though, the more choice the better.
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The quality here has definitely gone down as of late. Too bad. It used to be my favorite place to frequent in Chinatown.
They have afternoon and late night specials, though I've never made it in at night.
Slow service, but good food if you're in the mood for Korean. My favorite is the Soon Tofu Ji Gae. My first time having this dish was in Korea Town up in Toronto -- I absolutely loved it. I tried this dish at Apollo, but Suishaya definitely makes a better version of it. The spicy pork bulgoki udon noodle soup is also good.
Newly renovated as of March 2007, they now have a second floor. The decor is cool and modern. Service is always friendly. Great spot for lunch and late night dining. The lunch menu is also offered as a midnight menu!
Sushi chefs slice and dice quality fishies. And the Korean BBQ is sizzlin' spicy and fun to share ;)
I do have to admit, I've only been here reaalllly late (like after bars, clubs, or booze) ... it just seems to work out that way, but lets pretend that hasn't effected my judgement. Here, even into the wee hours, they serve up very good food and the chefs and waitresses are fun to talk to if you try and show interest. Personally I like to sit at the bar, and annoy the chefs with silly chatter.
I'm a fan of the sushi boxes, which are an awesome value but only available to 1am, or if you can convince them otherwise.
Nothing bad to say ... love the food, decent prices, and i've gotten food there at 2am (not sure about official hours)!
Oh yea, and drink sake COLD for gosh sakes !
/tom
I've been coming here once every few months for many years but the last few times were extremely disappointing.
I ordered a good amount of sashimi and a few rolls and for the first time, experienced really bad tuna, salmon, and hamachi. I mean, I've had sashimi that didn't taste too fresh or bland, but this just tasted like it was a week old and had been frozen and re-frozen over and over and over again. Even the color and cut of the fish was off... The sea bass, whitefish, saba, and uni were edible but still below average. The rolls were a little dry but OK too. Everything else, I couldn't eat and had to throw away. One of the few times that I haven't been able to finish what I order.
To end on a positive note, the place is small but clean and is available as a late-night eat when most other sushi places in Boston are closed.
I went to Suishaya for the first time on Friday with some Chinatown regulars. They swear by the sushi here, though I didn't try any this time.
We all went for the Kalbi Gui box, which is essentially a bento box with a specially marinated beef in lieu of the standard beef you would expect to find. It was pretty standard otherwise, with miso soup, a small salad, small California roll, ebi shuma, and vegetable tempura.
Everything was pretty good, but not spectacular. Bonus points for providing two pieces of tempura sweet potato (it's my favorite), though I would have liked to see green beans or extra broccoli instead of white potato. But what are you going to do?
The sauces here tend towards the bland side, so if you like a little more flavor in your tempura dipping sauce, you may want to stick with straight soy sauce.
It's definitely worth visiting, and I'll continue to go back - at least until I find a place with consistently better bento boxes.
Good lunch place. It was a little tough in the middle of the winter when they lost their heat, but thats a whole other story.
You have to like good spicy Korean food to eat here and appreciate the great food. Suishaya has great soups with Kimchi (that fermented cabbage stuff). Their sushi is nice and their sushi bar is OK. Kinda feels like an afterthought in the design, but their Bento boxes are reasonably priced.
I go there to get my soup fix and my Kimchi fix. Something about the spicy, sour and savory all blending perfectly together.
Downsides are that there are a limited amount of tables and it feels like 1 wait staff who is harried. It can be slow at times. Most likely because they make the soups from scratch but every once in a while, you have to wait a good 20+ minutes to get your food. I agree with others that the service is slow which is why they don't get the 4 stars they deserve.
Bottom line: food 4 stars +, decor: 3 stars, and service can be 2 at best. Most likely not the wait staffs fault, but the kitchen that cant handle the noon/dinner rush. Not a first date place.
Oh Suishaya, my guilty lover on Friday-nights-that-should-have-been-club-nights-bu t-weren't.
This place ain't Japanese or Korean. The cooks and owners are all Chinese. You're located in Chinatown, duh. But what I'd give to taste your awesomely priced late-night food (available 10 PM - 1AM, same as the lunch menu), especially the Soon Tobu Jigae (spicy tofu stew? dish. forgive me, I'm full blooded Chinese, I don't know how to spell in Korean). Beware, your tongue must be able to last the abuse it will take from the chili in these spicy dishes.
If you're up for something a little less spicy but equally steamy, try their bi bim bap (rice and various ingredients served in a piping hot stone pot). Just don't all order bi bim bap when you go in a group of 10, they may just run out of stone pots.
And while I've tasted better sushi in town, I think they can tone down their spice, you can't beat the value and coziness of this little establishment. Just walk in and usually you should find a seat.
This is just a review on the Korean food - I feel sorry for Bostonians if this makes the top 10 in Korean. I've had better Korean at two other restaurants in Boston - Jae's and another I can't recall. This place was crowded but I think it has to do more with location (lack of good Korean or sushi in Chinatown) than anything quality wise. In fact, I would highly advise just eating Chinese or Vietnamese in Chinatown. The Miso soup had a funny taste, our bulgogi and kalbi were just average to below average, and they couldn't bring us lettuce and sauce, which is the best part of ssam (making wraps). Also, there's only one waitress for all the tables - she's busting but it still means extended wait times.
We come here a lot both for the convenience aspect and also because they serve Sushi as well as other traditional Korean/Japanese foods. My favorite items here are their Chicken Katsu, Kan Poong Ki and Bulgoki. I haven't had much of their sushi but my fiance enjoys it very much. They also stay open fairly late.
All in all Suishaya is a great place to eat. Food is always fresh, portions are sized well and they have great variety.
