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Sushi Hai
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Steakhouses Sushi Bars, Steakhouses [Edit]
3600 W 32nd AveDenver, CO 80211
Neighborhoods: Highland, Northwest
(720) 855-0888
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Tue-Thu, Sun 4:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 4:30 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- 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:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
143 reviews for Sushi Hai
Review Highlights
"...was always good (never great), with an excellent happy hour."
(in 11 reviews)
"The surf and turf roll is to die for."
(in 3 reviews)
"Down stairs they have pool tables and a great vibe."
(in 5 reviews)
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143 reviews in English
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Review from Kelly H.
Fort Collins, CO
2/6/2012
We went here for dinner on Friday night. We had a reservation but it wasn't necessary.
The sashimi with jalapeno and ponzu was really great - we ordered 2 orders because it was so tasty.
The rolls were just "ok". They tasted a little "grocery-store"-ish.
The only big complaint is this place is really difficult to find!! -
Review from Shane M.
Boulder, CO
2/1/2012
I've been here a few times over the years (makes me sound all old, eh) and it always been a good experience, not bad, but not over the top great. Well, here's my little story of the other night......
Made plans to go out with some friends and we decide on Sushi Hai. Way busy on a Saturday, so we were seated at a makeshift table AKA the pool table. Not bad I guess. Well, after 45 min of sitting with no service we were a little hungry and kind of bummed. Finally someone came and took our order for drinks, 30 min later no drinks. Again a different waitress stopped on by, took our drink orders, 20 min later no drinks still.
We were having a good time so we didn't really notice all this poor service until we were starving.
Once our drinks came, Jay (owner, manager, awesome dude) stopped by and told us that this never happens and that we should come with him to a nice table, comped half our food order, comped a bottle of sake, and put our order in straight away.
Jay, you are for sure the man. Then brought shots for us at the end of our wonderful meal.
Now I'm not saying all this so people go out and try to get free food, but I'm saying this because of what Jay did to correct a situation so that all of us would come back again. I've had a few experiences where we sat around for a long time and were ignored, but the response in those situations were never handled as well as here at Sushi Hai.
I can safely say that I will be stopping back again. Highlights being:
*Good sushi
*Good steak
*Nice staff
*Full of good looking people, I noticed the girls but a girl friend of mine says the dudes are pretty hot too, so there ya go.
Bottom line, roll over one night and try out some Sushi in a trendy Denver spot, you shant be disappointed. -
Review from Erica A.
Arvada, CO
12/26/2011
Yes... it's average. Not bad and not GREAT!
Service was really good. They are very friendly, helpful and I wanted to like them more for their food.
The Calamari was the best item we ordered.... well, they were slightly over cooked and a bit chewy. But had just amount of sauce. I'm guessing it was a Ponzu sauce.
The Seafood Dynamite. Well, I could only taste the Aioli (Kewpie "QP" mayo) and sugar. Seafood again overcooked a bit. This dish would be fine if they rethought out the portions they use of the "AIOLI" & sugar. -
Review from Jennifer A.
Denver, CO
1/26/2012
Ate lunch here this week and so pleasantly surprised to find a great sushi place in Denver. The trick to good sushi is fresh fish, which means you shouldn't be able to smell anything fishy... and not being near an ocean I was skeptical. But this place is great! Creative rolls, fun atmosphere and open for lunch.
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Review from Lia W.
Denver, CO
12/1/2011
Given the neighborhood and curb appeal this place should be WAY better than it was.
Thrice I have eaten here and been disappointed. They always seat us downstairs in the basement where I feel forgotten about and they pack tables in so close to each other that I feel like I'm eavesdropping on the people next to me.
The sushi is just OKAY and overpriced for the quality. -
Review from Whitney S.
Denver, CO
11/4/2011
I like Sushi Hai a lot. We always sit at the bar and discovered that you get a free little saucer of pickled cucumbers and tuna when you do - pretty cool. The decor is good, but the space is excellent. I swear there are five levels, and each offers a different feel but the building is worth checking out for sure!
We have always had impeccable service there (in fact, it was the first place we ate at when we moved here a few months ago), the sushi is always fresh despite our geographic location and the area can't be beat. We order the Tako, Tako Tako, spicy tuna rolls, Tidal Wave, Firecracker, and Mango rolls... I'm drooling just typing... -
Review from Ray R.
Denver, CO
10/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I keep having to make the disclaimer that "I'm no expert in *insert food type*" but... the same goes for Sushi. I'm a newbie to the whole Sushi world and the number of places I've tried it can be counted on one hand. As a result, this review should probably be ignored entirely by true Sushi Aficionados. That immediately renders this review less-than-valuable.
First thing I noticed on my "date night" with my wife at Sushi Hai were the very strange uniforms the employees wore. I kept this observation largely to myself throughout the entire evening until at one point a waitress walked by dressed as a kitty cat. Unable to suppress my reaction I asked my wife something along the lines of "what the hell?". At which point she reminded me that it was the Saturday before Halloween. Mind-numbingly obvious lack of cognitive skills aside, the evening was enjoyable.
The food was good. Very good. I do not know what the difference between "very good" and "great" would be in terms of Sushi, and I'm not sure I've even had great Sushi. But for a newbie, it was delicious. The downstairs area (where we sat) was pretty nicely decorated, the Arnold Palmers were so-so, but it was quiet and the staff were very good about providing recommendations. All in all, a nice place.
There is some floor seating that can be reserved for groups of six or more if you want the authentic style back-pain along with your Sushi. -
Review from Celeste D.
Boulder, CO
8/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ok, here's the thing with Sushi Hai: it's all about the atmosphere. If you want brilliant sushi, Denver definitely has superior options. However, if you are in the Highlands with your friends for a little fun out, and perhaps a few mediocre rolls to accompany your martini buzz, then I would suggest Sushi Hai.
The layout is baffling; you walk in the front entrance, spot a few booth tables & the quite ordinary sushi bar and think, "pssft, this is it?!", but as the hostess takes you down stairs and through hallways, and the place KEEPS GOING, you realize not all things are as they first appear at Sushi Hai. Unfortunately, that works in the negative too...the sushi is not as good as it may appear. . . . On a 10 point scale, MAYBE a 5. Really a 4. . . .but I digress.
The atmosphere is sort of industrial hipster; the primary media is a lot of cement, stone and tiling. The place has three bars, all in different "rooms", so it's almost laid out like a night club.
The sushi is, as others have remarked, bland. Weak imagination for their creations, (how many times can you fry a roll before it's more like a fishstick drenched in mayo and soy sauce???) and presentation is on par with the hundreds of other sushi spots I've graced---someone needs to tap executive-sushi-chef-guy on the shoulder and whisper gently into his ear, "expensive does not equal impressive". Which brings me to, yes, the price---boo on Sushi Hai for passing off sub-par morsels as high quality delicacies!!!!!! Just another reason why you should only go here for sushi as a "cocktail app" or whatever--not for a meal.
Fair warning: people ain't lyin' when they say the service is a failure here. Don't expect warmth or expedience. Expect snippy and slow premadonnas. . .and to tip your busboy because he actually did the SERVING.
Really, this should be called a sushi lounge more than a restaurant, because that's really what its strength is: an atmosphere of alcohol, pool, and mingling--Sushi is more of a side thought. . .even the servers seem to get that.
Summed up: go somewhere else if you want good sushi, go to Sushi Hai for people watching, pool, and adult beverages. -
Review from Jason J.
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I seem to continually find that the more heralded a sushi place is, the less I like it. Sushi Cave? Meh. Abbondanza Sushi? Ugh. And unfortunately Sushi Hai fell right in with that pattern; my friends tell me how great it is, I arrive and feel it's mediocre.
Full Disclosure: I walked in the door after having like 7 beers. So some details are hazy, and my perception of things may be colored by that.
I liked the decor. It's sort of funky, but cute. It creates an environment that put me off guard, a little, which I liked because it jolted me into paying attention. Kind of like smelling salts for your senses. I thought our server was thoroughly weird, but that made things more fun for a while. She was at least polite and friendly, but for the first part of the evening didn't seem to want to talk to The Ladyfriend, only me. She also took quite a long time to bring drinks, and when they were emptied she only asked me if I'd like another. Sweetheart, your awkward hipster charm isn't enough to make up for Server 101 style deficiencies. As we went on things got a little better, and she seemed more interested in actually aiding in our endeavor to have an enjoyable night out.
We sat right in front of the sushi bar which is always an adventure. I mostly don't like it because I like to face the people with whom I choose to dine, and that's impossible at the sushi bar. But at least you're able to watch the artistry in motion that is the qualified sushi chef. Things were quick, well-done, and tasted delicious. A spicy roll (the kind I can't fully remember now) in particular sort of blended into the background, it was so remarkably nondescript. But I suppose that's the danger in ordering anything non-specialty.
All in all it was a good time, we used a group-coupon style promotional aid, had a fun time, and got to cross a sushi place off our list. Given its great proximity from our domicile I doubt we'll be going up much, but it was worth a shot.
I wanted Sushi Hai to be so much better but instead of rising to the top, it plopped itself into mediocrity. It's not bad, but it's not too fabulous, either. -
Review from Linze S.
Buffalo Creek, CO
12/30/2011
Awful experience with super slow service. It felt as though our bartender had no idea we were even Customers. We also found a hair in our food. Our order took over an hour and a half and it took us an additional 30 minutes to get our check. We will most certainly not be returning!!!
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Review from Caroline F.
Wheat Ridge, CO
7/17/2011
I really agree with the other reviews about the food- the sushi is good. Not great, but good. And pricey!
I can't comment on the service because I've only gotten take-out. The lobster tempura roll was so good, however the dropkick roll was just super hot with no real flavor. The spicy tuna roll was filled with cucumber and was lacking fish. Boo.
Didn't have any nigiri or sashimi, so I can't comment there. The gyoza was delicious but overpriced. The next time I want to drop money on sushi, I'll go to Sushi Den. -
Review from Kendra M.
Denver, CO
Updated - 6/22/2011
OK. A girl has the right to change her mind. The rolls are bland unless they're soaked in sauce or soy. Lots of rice little of everything else.
If I go again I'll order: seaweed salad the tuna poke salad and a cocktail. I will not come back here for their sushi rolls.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/15/2011
Sushi Hai, in my opinion, is date appropriate. The decor was modern and simplistic, and the staff… Read more »
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Review from Ashley L.
Denver, CO
6/30/2011
PRO: Sushi Hai has a great atmosphere -- very trendy with cocktails, low lighting, TVs playing music videos in the background, and attractive young waiters & waitresses. Yet, it's not overly glamorous or unapproachable. The sofas and set up is great for groups and relaxing.
CON: If you're looking for great sushi (American style or authentic Japanese style), keep searching. I've been eating sushi since I was a kid. This is definitely the blandest sushi I've ever eaten, and it's so overpriced for the quality and portion size. -
Review from Lauren M.
Denver, CO
1/2/2012
The food has always been OK and the atmosphere is chill, but the last time we went we experienced the worst service ever. After waiting nearly 40 minutes for a server to take our order, we walked out. And we were the third group to do so. Plus, the host was pretty unfriendly. We'll be going to Sasa next time.
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Review from erin h.
Denver, CO
12/15/2011
Biggest waste of time ever!!!
I've eaten at Sushi Hai, it's always been alright, not worth complaining or bragging about, yet i go back for friends and atmosphere. However, my latest experience there will guarantee that I will never return.
I responded to a very professional ad on Cragslist, posted by Jay, the bar manager at Sushi Hai. The ad said to dress to impress, be prepared for an immediate interview, at be there between 3 and 5. Sushi Hai is apparently hiring for Lunch Server, Bartender, Cockatil...apparently. When I got there a little before 3, i as directed to go downstairs to the office to see Sharon who would give me an application. I saw Sharon, who had no idea that there was an add on Craigslist, or that they were hiring. She obliged the growing number of applicants and gave us all applications to fill out. When i was finished I brought my application and resume to her, I was the second person to turn it in. She sat down with me very briefly, discussed that she had no idea this ad was posted and was waiting for the bar manager to get in to conduct interviews for the ad her posted. This was after 3 pm, again, the ad said be there between 3 and five. So, i waited and waited and waited. A dozen more people showed up, filled out their applications and they were placed in the stack. Finally, at around 4:20, Jay the mysterious bar manager who posted an ad he didn't inform any of his colleagues about showed up, almost an hour and half late. Once he came into the basement, he grabbed the stack of applications and said, bear with me this will only take a few minutes each. What kind of hiring manager sees each applicant for 3 minutes?! But the kicker was that while at this point I had been waiting for an hour and half, he was randomly selecting applications from the pile. I saw 3 people who were there for maybe 10 minutes get called before me. I have never seen someone so rude and unprofessional, and I know I will not give his bar any more of my business. -
Review from Allison E.
Tempe, AZ
8/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Just go here!
The building itself is worth going in to explore. There are four or five different spaces to settle into depending on your mood and the occasion. The happy hour is great, the service is usually pretty good, and make sure to try some of their signature rolls. -
Review from Alice K.
3/24/2011 2 photos
Short & sweet:
Service: 4 for the busser, 2.5 for our main server
Food: 3
Wait time: 5 (no wait, reservations accepted)
Price: 3
Cleanliness of bathroom: 5
Dear Sushi Hai,
If you had been my date for the evening, you would have been an OK date. You would have dressed quite well, but your sense of humor would have been a little off, our conversation a little strained, and the entire evening dotted with slight awkward moments. As in, you'd say something hoping to be impressive and I would have smiled slightly, adding a "..heh heh..."
I'm grateful that your managers allowed me to use a coupon ($40 worth of food for $20) one day before the coupon was actually put into effect. The coupon was the reason why my girl friend and I put on some darling shoes, shaved (!!), and made ourselves up.
So, Sushi Hai...
Your ambiance - cool. A potentially ugly date would look just that much better from the shadows of the dim lighting. However, the ugly problem could have also been remedied by drinking the overpriced sake/ beer/ wine/ whatever (which I did not since my date was wonderful). Though you may seem small upon first glance, the size grew upon further experimentation. By which I mean, I walked more and all of your three levels.
Your food - all right. I'm no sushi expert. I just like to eat it. A lot. (Like to eat it a lot and like to eat a lot of it.) But it wasn't deliciously delicious. It was ...good.
We got two regular rolls: Philadelphia (cream cheese + smoked salmon + cucumber) and the Caterpillar (Eel and cucumber topped with avocado), and two special rolls: Firecraker (shrimp tempura, avocado, aioli - what is this, exactly?, & tempura crunchies topped with spicy tuna, green onion, spicy sauce, and eel sauce), Mile Hai (spicy salmon and cucumber topped with hamachi, avocado, green onion, sesame seeds, and a yuzu soy dressing).
The Firecracker was good, but much more sweet than spicy. I did enjoy the Mile Hai - light and fresh. The other two are basics and were no different from ones I've had at other places. Though I must add: without the large discount, I would have probably been more upset at the specialty-rolls'-prices: quality-of-specialty-rolls ratio. In fact, without the discount, we would have probably eaten half the quantity of food we did consume.
Your service - Not horrible. Not great. My server, a pretty girl with awesome eye makeup and stylishly coiffed hair, did her job but wasn't friendly. She had the demeanor that would have made me hesitant to ask her questions, if I wasn't the brave person I happen to be. A busser came and repeatedly filled our water cup (yay to you!) and another fella came to give us our sushi which means our server did... what..... exactly? Put in our orders? I've a little experience as a server at a sushi place: I bussed, took orders, served foods, refilled water cups.............man, this girl has it easy! Whoever you are, I liked your boots.
Your bathrooms - were clean.
Sushi Hai, you were ok. But with all the other sushi places around, I most likely wouldn't return unless I have a compelling reason to do so.
Yours,
-maddawg -
Review from Tim M.
Denver, CO
9/12/2011
Lowest quality sushi I have had in Colorado. Rice was dry, fish was dry, sushi chefs were more interested in drinking beer than making sushi. Atmosphere was appalling. If you like popped collars, FM radio, & a general trying too hard vibe, this is the place for you.
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Review from Ilona F.
10/14/2011
I've been here three times in three years, most recently this evening with a friend (and a Living Social coupon). We ordered rolls (spicy tuna, veggie caterpillar, and mango) and nigiri (salmon, yellow tail). The mango roll portions were small, considering the price; and the rice, both on the rolls and the nigiri, fell apart on the not terribly long journey from sushi platter to mouth (the only detour being a quick dip in soy sauce), despite my well-practiced chopstick skills. The waiter seemed eager to have us 1) order more and 2) finish quickly. I think I will set my sushi sights higher next time and visit a different restaurant.
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Review from Vanya L.
Denver, CO
9/24/2011
My sister wanted to take me out for my birthday before flying back to San Francisco, and we wanted a location we could walk to. We decided to walk to Sushi Hai and have some celebratory sake and sushi. My two year old daughter was with us. We went very early- around 4:30.
The sushi and rolls that we got were excellent- I must say. We ended up ordering a chiksho (sp?) maki for dessert because it was so good the first time. HOWEVER, I won't be back because of the service. The waitress seemed highly annoyed that we had a small child with us. It really seemed like she just did not like us, though we did nothing rude. My daughter did dump my water over, on to me. She did not offer to get extra napkins, again- just seemed annoyed. Then, she took our sake before it was done. When we told her, when we saw her again a while later, she again, seemed put upon and disappeared. She returned, from what I can only presume to be a dirty dish area, with our sake bottle, set it down- did not apologize ONCE. She seemed to be rolling her eyes and annoyed. Overall, I'd say it was some of the worst service we have ever received. It seriously dampened the occasion. I waited tables for over ten years in a fine dining restaurant and I know that some servers don't like kids, etc. but you need to put on your game face and treat the customer with respect.
Good food, snotty unpleasant service. -
Review from Mitch B.
Denver, CO
If your in the Highlands, or Denver for that matter... you can't beat this place. Reasonably priced sushi, of unsurpassed quality! Cheap valet(don't risk parking, You get a ticket EVERYWHERE). Sit at the sushi bar with Gobo, Chris, or Johnny if you want the best experience in Denver. If the sushi bar isn't your thing, and you like to sit in the dining room, make sure you request LIZ, she's amazing. The place gets crowded, so get there early, and for gods sakes be patient. People in this part of town seem to think that their "shit don't stink" and shouldn't have to wait.... Suck It Up Pussies
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Review from Emma G.
Denver, CO
3/26/2011
TERRIBLE SERVICE!!!!!
I've been here before and absolutely love the food. It's amazing. Please have the Crunchy roll. By far the best.
This time was my fourth time there and I had a livingsocial deal which made it all better. It was jam packed in the whole restaurant, we were lucky to get a table.
After waiting for 20 minutes(no exaggeration) for a GLASS OF WATER, we got stuck with a waitress who was experiencing her "first night". And on top of that, it took another 30 minutes for us to get our drinks. The food was fast and delicious. We were there for 3 hours, and had ONE drink, and no service from our waitress. The busboy was at our table more than her!
And on top of all of this, when we finally got our bill, added the living social deal in, she didn't take it off, charged us for the full amount, and then had to redo it again to give us what we originally would have paid.
Bottomline: I love the food here, but the service is terrible. AWFUL. And I have NEVER had a good service experience here, but last night was THE WORST. Save your time and find somewhere else to get sushi. -
Review from Alicia C.
Denver, CO
10/11/2011
I'm actually surprised to see so many negative reviews. I eat at this place all the time and it's always great... every restaurant is gonna have an off night whether it be food or service. And lets be honest people. WE ARE IN FACT LAND LOCKED! You want AMAZING sushi move to freakin Japan! Geez you're only gonna get fantastic sushi on the coast people. For being in denver this place is pretty damn good. I do find it more pricy than Just $$ I'd give it $$$ especially if you're drinking.
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Review from Nine K.
Denver, CO
4/4/2011
I've got two words for Sushi Hai: Aw. Ful.
Service is awful and sloooow (30 minute wait for a glass of beer). Sushi is awful and flavorless (and warm). The rolls fall apart, the rice is dry, the fish slices so thin to be nearly transparant. The place is teeming with the worst sorts of obnoxious, flipped collar yuppsters.
And it's way, way overpriced. I used to eat here quite a bit, living in the neighborhood. It was always good (never great), with an excellent happy hour. This was the first time back in over a year. I was shocked at how sucky it is now, and yet still bursting with customers. Ugh, won't ever be back. It was a 3-person, $190 dollar lesson learned. -
Review from julie n.
Denver, CO
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pricey but great atmosphere. The sushi is good but not great. We had octopus, unagi, rainbow roll, and spicy tuna roll, 4 shots (sign said $4 each but that's for the downstairs bar only), and 2 cocktails. We spent more on drinks then we did on food. Bill was $100 with tip. The drinks were weak and service sucked. Waiter took forever and hardly ever checked on us.
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Review from Sam W.
Denver, CO
3/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you come to sushi hai dont come for the sushi, come for the atmosphere. Down stairs they have pool tables and a great vibe. The food is just OK. As a true lover of sushi this is not my first, second or even third chose. I will however come here and drink at the bar, play some pool and really enjoy the action and maybe have a roll or two.
Food - Meh
Everything else - above average. -
Review from Monica I.
Westminster, CO
3/4/2011
I had lunch with a friend at Sushi Hai on a Friday and I can see that it has a ton of potential. Unfortunately, it wasn't a fabulous meal. But I'll definitely give it another try.
Maybe it was because we were there at lunch? We came in and a very pleasant woman gave us a tour of the place at our request and then sat us at a table. She brought us waters and plates and I asked if she was our server. She said she was actually the bookkeeper but she tried to help the waitress out if she needed it. That wonderful woman then took our drink order and came back with our drinks just a bit later.
The atmosphere was absolutely awesome and my friend and I will definitely be back for evening adult beverages at some point. We were really looking forward to the food.
We waited. Then we waited some more. Then our actual waitress finally came by and it seemed that we were really putting her out by just being there. She took our order and left. Then we waited some more.
It was quite awhile before I had green-lipped mussels in front of me. She also brought my sashimi. And she brought my friend's side of tempura vegetables. But my friend didn't see her fish taco entree for quite awhile. Our waitress offered no explanation or apology.
The mussels were cold and apparently not baked (no crispy brown spots on the top at all). The veggies were warm at best. The fish was a little too warm. We guessed that our food had been sitting out ready to deliver for quite awhile before we got it.
Though the mussels were no longer hot I could tell that they would have been good if a little warmer. Not the best I've had, but definitely not the worst. The tempura veggies were fine, but cold tempura is never all that great. My sashimi was fresh and good. I wanted some more shiso but our server didn't come back before we were finished.
When the fish tacos finally came they were really good. I had a bite, and they were one of the best fish tacos I've had. The fish was fresh (obviously) and the sauce they used was excellent. That was a great plate of food, though honestly it was getting cold by the time we got it.
She didn't offer dessert. Luckily we'd had about enough of the place so we paid and left.
So I think that most of the issues were caused by poor service. She would often come into our area only to wait on one table and then leave again. Maybe it's just a lunch thing. Either way, I will try this place again for dinner sometime and review it again at that point. -
Review from Sulema O.
Denver, CO
12/29/2010
This place is near our home and I think the only reason I have come back here is because it's close and the sushi is good, not the best, but good. Instead of traveling across town to our fave spot, I've settled for this place. Man, I will not be coming here anymore and its chances have run out.
Where do I start?
The service sucks big time. I have never had service so crappy before. Whether I come during the week or weekend, it's slow and lacks-period. I have sat at the bar, downstairs near the bar, downstairs near the pool tables, and upstairs near the entrance, and mid-section.......do you think I've given it enough chances by now?!? Not anymore.
One night I was there, former Mayyor Wellington Web was there having dinner and he even look frustrated when he couldn't get the server to his table to fill his water.......lame.
The sushi is good, not the best, but good. The miso soup is watery and lacks just about everything including flavor. -
Review from Jenna P.
Portland, OR
4/27/2011
One of the best sushi places I have been to. Good atmosphere and good food.
Sometimes, the wait can be long, but that can be expected. Just enjoy yourself and the people you go with. Now I'm not an expert about sushi but I can tell when the fish is good or bad. I have never gotten a bad piece and the combinations were terrific. -
Review from Coyote O.
Broomfield, CO
1/4/2011
I was honestly rather disappointed with our experience at Sushi Hai,
I will say that the restaurant space itself is very nice, and I liked the decor. Sadly, I don't go to restaurants to look at the walls, I go there to eat.
Service took literally forever, though I don't blame our server. She was the only one on duty that night, despite lots of customers, plus two large parties, including our own - and we made reservations well in advance so management should have known to have more staff on duty. The poor lady also had to work the bar!
After an hour and a half, one of the managers began to help out a little, but it was definitely too little, too late.
The sushi was rather mixed in quality - some of it was acceptable, some was very good (I truly enjoyed the drop-kick roll), and some of it tasted like it had been prepared in advance and left out. The flying fish roe was terrible - fishy and salty, and myself, my husband, and one other friend who ate them were sick to our stomachs and burping up nasty fishy flavor the next day.
The prices were much higher (sometimes as much as five times higher!) than much better sushi at our local broomfield favorite, Taru sushi.
Additionally, I notice that their online menu has incorrect (lower) pricing for some items.
Nice atmosphere, and perhaps if you want a place to drink with friends and listen to music, and avoid anything that might poison you, it might be okay - if you have a lot of time to wait.
I won't be returning. -
Review from Nicole W.
Littleton, CO
10/26/2010
One word: Horrible.
This was truly one of the most unpleasant dining experiences in my life.
The service was unbelievably slow. It took about 20 minutes to get a drink and the place was not crowded at all. We then waited another 20 minutes for someone to take our sushi order. When our sushi was finally brought to the table the order was incorrect and they did not offer to fix it for us. We should have just left because we couldn't eat the sushi. It tasted as if it had been sitting out all afternoon.
The staff were unaccommodating and downright rude at times. It was extremely loud and freezing cold the whole time we were there. We had to leave our jackets on throughout the meal.
The only pleasant thing about the entire evening was the company... and none of us will ever be returning to that place.
It's fitting that it was in the basement... it felt like Sushi Hell. -
Review from Val M.
Denver, CO
12/16/2010
Food poisoning :(
My order:
Gyoza, octopus, tuna, spicy tuna roll (had a different name), california roll
Rude waitress/ hostess. (Dyed blonde hair, short stature)
After sitting there a while, we noticed the fridge cases the fish was stored in were constantly open while the sushi chefs (non-japanese white guys with beards) reached in for ingredients. At no point during the two hours we were there were the cold cases ever closed to keep the sushi at the correct temp. -
Review from Darika S.
2/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pretty average. Arrived on Superbowl sunday so there were 6 people in the restaurant. I ordered take out and they do require a credit card for that, which I'm not a fan of. I waited for over 20 minutes to get 2 rolls an order of sashimi to go. I feel that's a little long, though the bartender was really friendly and probably noticed I was getting impatient so he made comments to try and comfort me in the meantime.
I got the Drop kick roll, shrimp tempura, tuna on top with a chili sauce. It was okay. Really needed more fish in it. I really like the chili sauce though, gave it a nice kick. But any roll for over $10 needs more fish. And I got the tuna sashimi, pretty good, huge chunks.
He got the vegetable caterpillar roll, a veggie roll in seaweed with avocado on top. Nothing special in this roll, pretty boring.
Probably won't be back. I don't know why it takes so long for 2 rolls, especially since only 2 tables were taken. If the rolls were half the price, then maybe. But I'm heading to another sushi place until then.Listed in: You Suck!
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Review from Jordan B.
Denver, CO
4/13/2011
I can't believe how many people gave this place mixed reviews. I love it. It's my favorite sushi place in Denver all around. Sure, Sushi Den may have the highest quality of fish in the U.S. (I mean they ship it in from Japan daily, who can beat that?), and yes, Sonadas is cheaper, but Sushi Hai, in my opinion, offers the best combo - fantastic sushi, great atmosphere, and a reasonable price. Plus, it's in Highland's Square. What's not to love?
I have been coming here for five years, and it's always my go-to sushi spot. I've never ordered anything but sushi though (aside from apps) because I love it so much, so I can't rate the entrees. I love the nigiri sushi - tuna, salmon and yellowtail, and my fave rolls include the Cruncy, Surf & Turf, # Nine, Mango, Tidal Wave and Dropkick. (Wait, did I just name them all?)
Whenever I have friends in town, I always take them here, and totally recommend Hai Bar as a date spot to my friends. Nothing bad to say about this place, and I fancy myself a bit of a sushi snob. I just made myself hungry, naming the rolls, so I think I'll eat there tonight. You should too (but if you take the last table, I'll cut you. Seriously.). -
Review from E R.
Denver, CO
9/18/2011
Great birthday dinner! I was craving sushi for my birthday a few weeks ago, and after talking to a friend, my boyfriend and I chose sushi hai. She told us that she has been going there for a while and to ask for either Brian or Liz, so we asked the hostess at the door. She gave us a quick tour of the multi-level, varied rooms and atmospheres and told us that Brian was working in the smaller of the two bars. With it's very intimate and cozy setting, and following the recommendation of my friend, we chose a spot at the bar with Brian. We were promptly greeted with a friendly welcome, menus, waters, introduction, and handshakes... Felt welcome immediately!
After a couple of minutes to peruse the menus, and while watching him crank out a bunch of fancy muddled drinks he returned to ask if we had any questions on the menus and if we had decided on drinks. We inquired about a few of the drinks we watched him make and decided on a couple of cocktails that turned out to be delicious... Wish I remembered the names of them, but they were on the cocktail menu....
Anyway, he asked if we had been there before, and after answering that it was our first time, but it was a birthday and was well recommended, he quickly recommended a few key items as appetizers, and a few of his favorite rolls, nigiri, and sashimi. He also told us about a roll he created that wasn't on the menu. We chose the calimari as an app, which rocked our world... And we both work in the industry and have had calimari done so many ways... For sushi, we mostly followed Brian's suggestions, including his "wildfire roll", and it was all great and well presented... But let me say one thing... Why is this wildfire roll not on the menu?! Omg, soooooo delicious!
We thought we were full and content, and then Brian came back, cleared our plates, and said he would let our food settle for a minute before he went over the dessert selection with us. We both laughed and said there probably wasn't room for more. But sure enough, when he described the green tea and mango tempura... We couldn't resist. Even though we felt "full", this dessert showed up looking so beautifully presented that we dove right in... Literally the best shared dessert for a couple that we have ever had!
All in all, we were very impressed by a bartender who worked the room, the tables, the rail, and cranked out drinks in an orderly fashion. And like I said, we both work in the biz... We can't wait to come back, and when we do we will bring our friends! -
Review from amanda b.
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good sushi. They use quality fish. Rolls could be tighter but overall a good go-to sushi place. I'm not sure about the whole spicy edamame idea, but to each their own. Server was a little slow at the end but everyone was friendly so we didn't mind too much.
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Review from Amanda J.
Raleigh, NC
12/12/2010
This place is just so-so. A friend of mine suggested we go. My favorite sushi place is STILL Sushi Sasa!!!
Our server was on the ball but our sushi chef had NO personality at all and the only time we were acknowledged by him was when we handed him our order. I felt like our sushi could have been a little fresher. I've never turned away fresh fish but there were a few times I immediately had to wash mine down with water before gagging!
Had the Rainbow Roll - pretty bland. The Surf and Turf roll was not worth the $16 (The Happy Sumo has an excellent Surf and Turf roll!!). Also had a Spider Roll and some other roll that I don't recall and they were both just "okay".
Won't go back for sushi but might check out trivia or karaoke sometime, but only if I'm actually in the neighborhood, I won't go out of my way. -
Review from Brittany L.
Denver, CO
3/30/2011
On my first visit to Sushi Hai, I would have given a 5 star rating. However, this past visit was worth one or two stars at best.
Speaking from the standpoint of someone who was in the service industry for 6+ years, and whose date is a GM at a fine dining establishment in Denver....
First visit: Food and service were amazing. I would have made Sushi Hai my #1 pick for sushi in Colorado.
Last evening: Granted there was a 20 minute wait, I expected to have a slight delay. There was certainly no reason to wait 22 minutes to place a food order, and then wait another 45 for our food. We were quite certain that our server forgot to put our order in, until she was reminded by the bartender (who was quite friendly and helpful, might I add). I was incredibly discontented, mostly because I really hate when great food is overshadowed by terrible service.
We will be back to Sushi Hai one day to give another chance, because the food is really great. -
Review from Christine L.
Denver, CO
12/19/2010
I'm kind of surprised by the mixed reviews on this place, I've been here quite a few times and I've never experienced any problems with the fish smelling bad or the staff being rude. I mostly order the rolls and things that don't rely on just a giant piece of raw fish flying solo, so maybe that makes a difference.
I've been here quite a few times for lunch and once for dinner and the food has always been solid. I'm not really a sushi purist and pretty much always go for the rolls with shrimp tempura and similar pedestrian fare. Americans, what are you going to do with them? They have a good selection of creative larger rolls, my favorite of which is the Firecracker and the Surf and Turf. I like that for their spicy rolls they don't top them with that spicy mayo, it's a tasty chili oil sauce.
The only problem with service we had was once at dinner on a busy weekend night. We had our drinks but our food was taking forever to get there. Finally the waitress came over and said they accidentally put in our order as to-go so it never came up for the table. Without us getting all diva on them (which wouldn't have happened anyway) they comped a bunch of stuff from the bill and also gave us a gift card for a future visit. So I think it was fine; it just gave us more time to drink saketinis.
I wouldn't let some of the other reviews scare you away unless you're looking for a place to get exotic varieties of raw fish so you can impress everyone with your well cultivated and refined palate for Asian delicacies. -
Review from Joe-Michael W.
Denver, CO
2/28/2011
Like Christine L, I'm surprised at the mixed reviews for the Hai too. I've been dining here for over a year and, recently, hitting up Happy Hour at least once a week. I do always sit at the bar downstairs, I don't know if that changes anything, but i've always had great service and the sushi is very good. And it's REALLY hard to beat the happy hour prices ($4 rolls, $3 well drinks).
One of my faves in the Highlands.
