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I don't know if it's the sentimental attachment or the way they do sushi so classy here, but this has always been my home-sushi joint, a hands-down favorite as long as I've consumed raw critters from the ocean.
My favorites here include the TNT, Sebastian, their Philly, Rainbow and Strawberry fields. They have a wide assortment of maki rolls here that always hit the spot with a perfect amount of spice and flare, and I also enjoy their selection of excellently executed sashimi. Some of my favorite menu items include the okinawa soba (perfectly chewy hand made egg-wheat noodles in clear pork broth), Agedashi tofu (the best), the green papaya salad, the flank steak, the tempura prawns and veggies and their wonderful and fantastic tapioca pudding with a dose of orange blossom.
I guess it helps to know some servers or sushi chefs here. I won't name who, but virtually every time I come I get hooked up with a customized sushi roll or something that's not on the menu. Also the free sake is a nice bribe from time to time. The last time I was here was sent this fantastic roll - it was strawberries, lemon, avocado, bluefin tuna and a few different sauces. It was ridiculous.
Regardless of whether I was enticed with free accomodations, the food here is just so clean, classy, as is the atmosphere inviting (note the hotness of your servers, ladies). You can't go wrong... in any direction while you're here. Although for Salt Lake this might be a bit more pricey than you're prepared to spend if you like quality, you'll return. Again and again.
If you don't have a reservation, be prepared to wait. A LONG TIME.
PS. This is a sushi restaurant. Which likely should mean that the menu is Asian-fusion, as it is. Do not go here expecting traditional Japanese fare. If that's what you're expecting, hop on over to Kyoto on 13th S and 11th E.
Summit Roll. I lust.
I close my eyes and you're there.
Did you buy rubbers?
Okay, still in Oooh-tah on biz, and decided to try Takashi due to the decent reviews. I wasn't dissapointed. I waited about 20 minutes for a spot between two overweight fella's, but managed to down a large Sapporo while killing time, so it wasn't that bad.
Well, usually when I see any whitey's preparing fish, I have doubts about the sushi bar as a whole. I think this is probably due to seeing Karate Kid one too many times, but I guess thats another story. Anyhow, I ordered a variety of rolls, and started with the Albacore Sushi. It was very fresh. I can't remember the names of the rolls I ordered (too many beers), but one had lime and jalapeno in it, with a watermelon dipping sauce. Normally that would be too interesting for me to try, but hey, I was buzzed. It was excellent! I usually wouldn't associate watermelon with raw fish, but the combo worked well.
In comparison to the sushi in eat in LA, I was completely impressed by this place. I will definately return to Takashi when I revisit. Oishii!
This is the best Sushi in Salt Lake hands down. The atmosphere is nice and the sushi is always fresh. Takashi ( the owner) is always there and makes sure things are going right. The hot foods are delicious as well.
Service can be hit or miss but that is a Salt Lake thing... Also, expect to wait most nights, they do not take reservations or early call ins.
This is by far the loveliest sushi Salt Lake has to offer. Don't miss the kurobuta pork belly cooked in saki. Interestingly enough, they have some really divine desserts.
Who woulda thought that Salt Lake has some of the best sushi in the country? Takashi rules! Every roll is great, the saki is great, the service is great, overall I'd say this place is great!
I recommend the TNT roll, the Black Magic Woman roll, The Strawberry Fields roll, the Philly roll and the Buddha roll.
Superb atmosphere and service as well.
Best sushi in the least likely place (Salt Lake City!!) Takashi has very creative and culinary sushi, along with a great atmosphere.
Takashi should be the first restaurant to try in Salt Lake if you're visiting.
If you want excellent sushi, this is definitely the place to go. The owner previously worked at Shogun which was my first experience with sushi and previously the best place in Utah. However, this is not cheap eats. If you don't have a hefty pocketbook, I recommend trying the next best place: I Love Sushi.
I wasn't sure this place would live up to the hype...but IT DID. Awesome sushi. I had 3 rolls - Summit, Imagine and The Mexican. By far the best was the summit roll - crab and tuna wrapped in cucumber. I'm thinking about going back tomorrow and just ordering 3 Summit rolls!!! I would have liked to have tried the Sablefish App that so many recommended. Next time...
Takashi has an excellent menu, constantly complimented by market fresh - innovative dishes and sushi rolls that not only taste fantastic but come with excellent service. Their ambiance relaxes and makes for a great, romantic evening.
As far as sushi in Salt Lake goes, Takashi does it best. It is truly surprising to find such fresh fish in a completely landlocked city.
The best time of day to go is lunch time- you can avoid the crowds and there will be no wait time. We went on a Friday at 1pm, and were seated immediately. There were only 2 or 3 other tables full. Evenings are a different story- there is often a 30-40 minute wait. Our server, Gina, was awesome. She made great reccommendations, was very familiar with the menu, and was helpful and prompt. The hostess, however, was.... snooty and cold. Glad I didn't have to see her for more than 30 seconds.
The ambience and decor are awesome. The dining area is very clean, and has a very urban, industrial feel. Big, Japanese paper lanterns add some whimsy and charm.
But, by far the best part of the experience was the food. Incredible!!! I took our servers reccommendation and ordered the Solstice roll- avocado & cucumber rolled in rice, with Alaskan salmon and nectarines on top. Pretty much the most divine thing to ever pass through my lips- is foodgasm a word? Because that is the only word that can accurately describe how good the Solstice is. Its not on the menu; it is occasionally available as a special, and our server said they will almost always make it for you if you ask.
I should also note that the menu actually has quite a big variety. There are plenty of options for people who are "raw-fish-a-phobic". The Tiger's roll is an awesome totally cooked roll, and there are even vegan rolls available.
Visiting from the Bay Area, I admit I'm spoiled. We have amazing food and it really is tough to compete. Congratulations Takashi, you competed and won.
Although my recollection is somewhat cloudy due to intake of sake, here are the standouts of my visit:
The Summit- roll wrapped in cucumber- YUM
Caribbean Roll- You had me at mango
House made Limeade- Perfect to wash down the spicy rolls
Flourless chocolate cake (we substituted the green tea ice cream for coconut icecream)- AMAZING!
When (and if) I ever find myself in SLC again.. I'll be back for you :)
WOW! I'm sooooooooooo surprised that a land locked place like Salt Lake City, Asian-free city would have such a wonderful sushi joint! This is the only place sushi restaurant that makes a sauce spicy enough to suit my palet. I think it's called the Tiger Sauce or something, I would dip EVERYTHING in it! I am definitely going back for more next time I'm in SLC.
Recently moved here from the Bay Area and I happen to love sushi. This was my first experience with Sushi and Utah and this was not a disappointing place. The sushi was fresh and the delicious.
Make sure you get there early because this place fills up fast. The whole experience (minus the inexperience and rude hostess) was good.
The best meal on a recent trip to Utah. I was beginning to think that SLC didn't have any decent restaurants! The wait wasn't too bad on a Monday night for a group of three. The decor was whimsical and the red and white lanterns of all sizes made the large space feel cozy.
We had the sablefish appetizer (sablefish is their specialty) and it was very soft and flavorful.
The only complaint was that the service was a bit slow. We ordered three rolls, spider, rainbow, and spicy tuna. The spicy tuna roll, the easiest one to make, came out about 30 min after the other two, way after we'd finished them. When the spicy tuna roll finally did come, it was completely worth it! this spicy tuna roll had a large chunk of fish (not pureed or whatever chopping is usually done with it) so it tasted more fresh.
The portions could have been larger, but I'll take quality over quantity any day.
I must say takashi is probably one of the better sushi places in salt lake that i have been to. They are always busy meaning that their fish is very fresh. The price is slightly higher than most sushi places but if you're looking for top notch sushi in salt lake, i cant think of a better place.
a little on the pricey side..but great place if your looking to impress a date =P
Takashi is for those people who think that sushi has to be an expensive thing to be good. This isn't always the case, but if you're willing to shell out the money and wait quite a bit, you could be pleasantly surprised here.
You can tell Takashi is going to be an experience because of the large sushi bar they have and the many chefs running around behind it. It's an organized mess, somehow all those people manage to share the ingredients, get their rolls made, and push them out without running into each other.
Takashi boasts quite a few specialty rolls, some of which even surprised me, a supposed a sushi snob from the San Francisco bay area. Their strawberry roll was an interesting choice but a good one! They do all their rolls well, it's just the price that gets me a bit (as you could find cheaper rolls of comparable quality at Naked Fish a couple blocks away). But for variety and their experimentation, Takashi does win there.
Sushi is too good. Service has always been a 10. Would highly recommend, check out the roll specials on the wall and the rice-less entrees as well.
Great sushi in Salt Lake is not a punch line. Don't ask me how, but Takashi manages to be produce some exceptional dishes. My reco is to sit at the sushi bar and have the waiter/chef in tandem recommend dishes (they ask about allergies/preferences - so don't panic).
Excellent experience. Looking forward to going back.
Oh ya, expect to wait. Don't show up starving - come by, if the wait is an hour, they have a bar and there's a bar next door. Well worth it.
I LOVE Takashi! We stop here any time we are in SLC, the food is amazingly great, the atmosphere is top notch, if you like sushi at all and are in SLC or live here, THEN YOU HAVE TO EAT HERE!
I probably have to pay Takashi another visit because after reading all of its reviews, seems like it has impressed a lot of people. My visit was just moderate, probably why I gave it 3 stars. Nothing too special, but I probably have to take more risks when it comes to ordering something off the menu. I'd definitely be less reluctant to return if I didn't have to park on the street.
SHOCKED.
I could not BELIEVE the amazing quality of the fish. It was truly remarkable! This is seriously some of the best sushi I have ever had. No lie, i know in Salt Lake City!?!?!? What a freaking gem. No wonder people wait hours to eat here. My hat's off to Takashi Gibo! You certainly are creative and your passion shows through your food.
Our server was sweet, attentive and cool! He totally lead us when we needed help and wanted to know what we thought, then after the meal told us some about the city and where we may want to go to party. When we asked about the fish, he told us they fly it in daily from San Francisco...which fits right in with the mod decor.
All of the fish tasted like butta. Even though the rolls were creative and tasty, the nigiri and sashimi was just so good i had to fill up on that supremely fresh fish. Not to mention they have decent Sake. Although it's not cheap it's dank. GO!
This probably is the best sushi joint you can find in SLC but the wait is just so damn long and they only take a reservation for a party of 6 or more. I remember having to wait over an hour last time I went (about a year ago) . And again, the wait was 40+ minutes so we ended up going someone else and came here the next day for lunch. Their rolls were still good and if it was the long (_x_) wait, I would have given this place a 5-star rating.
Oh, I saw Ono (a gold medalist in speed skating) there. Bastard! Give that medal back to that Korean dude!!!! JK
Takashi is amazing! In Salt Lake City there are really only two sushi restaurants worth frequenting and Takashi is definitely one of them. The place is small but the layout does not make one feel he/she is sitting on top of other tables.
I highly recommend the Buddha roll as it is perfection. The wait can sometimes be a hassle, but conveniently and cleverly there is a martini bar right next door, Kristauf's, which is the perfect waiting room until one's table is ready. The service is generally good but the place can get slammed and service does suffer as such.
My only gripe with Takashi has been an issue where the server refused to issue us separate checks, for a table of 3 diners. Which is not a big deal but how hard can it be? Several other servers have done it for me in the past. But other than that I have never had an issue. The location is fun, urban, and trendy and the crowd is generally the same.
Highly recommended for visitors staying downtown and locals alike.
Stopped by Takashi's while in SLC. Started with a papaya salad and sablefish appetizer. Latter was excellent but sadly turned out to be the best thing of the meal. Papaya salad was not soft enough and had no sauce. Taste consisted mostly of the peanuts. Sushi was only okay. Fish was not as good as can be. The sushi rice had no vinegar and felt like Chinese food rice rather than sushi rice. I guess the locals might not mind. Service was quite pleasant.
I am from Los Angeles. There is a sushi bar on practically every corner...that said, I was skeptical when my friend wanted to me out to sushi. She is one of my best buds and I wanted to her to have a good evening, so I was up for the adventure.
The space is very creative and industrial looking. The presentation was beautiful. Menu was creative and complex. We had a great evening!
I had takeout because I was there on business and I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived to pick up my food. The server was very pleasant and the ambiance was really upscale and nice. I live in SF and I'm always looking for great sushi when I travel on business and I will definitely visit here again!
Maybe my standards are skewed, but I was not all that impressed. The sushi was good, but nothing outstanding. Sushi chefs were nice and answered all my questions, but was not super impressed.
I had the imagine roll and white salmon. Nothing to write home about.
Best Fusion Sushi in SLC. No matter what you pick on the menu it is always excellent. The restaurant is clean and beautiful inside. The service is wonderful. I just wish they took reservations.
I think this is probably the best sushi in Utah. The quality of the fish here was truly unbelieveable, the sashimi excellent. They also had a good variety of specialty rolls which are also well worth trying. I really didn't think the prices were all that bad. I can't wait to come back.
For Salt Lake City, I think this is about as good as it gets. Probably borderline more so on the side of mainstream and "americanized," rather than traditional, simplistic, and authentic...
I had ordered a number of items, hamachi kama, agedashi tofu, various nigiri and maki rolls, and abundant amounts of sake.
The kama and agedashi was superb. Broiled or fried, how can you go wrong?
The sake overpriced. But perhaps it's the Utah drinking laws? Which I'm not too familiar with..
I was quite surprised they had Kohada available but you had to ask for it as it was not on any menu. It was probably on it's 2nd or 3rd day from the market as it was a little fishy.
Now when it comes to execution, I was quite surprised at the "show," that some of the sushi chefs were putting on. This is not teppanyaki!
I also noticed that the most if not all of the chef's knives were not sharpened at all. Watching the fish squirm when being sliced, the meat moving in unison with each stroke of the knife tells me that not much effort is taken in the pride of their work. Most sushi chefs I've met sharpen on a daily basis, to the point that over the years, their knives have actually reduced in overall size.
But overall, I've give it a 7/10, or in Yelp's world an "A-OK."
5 star sushi in Salt Lake City? You have got to be kidding me!, right?
I didn't believe it myself, but let me tell you Takashi is the real deal. "Honto ni oishikatta!" (truly was delicious!) OMG! Actually, OMTCOJCOLDS (Oh My Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! This is Mormon country after all!)
Takashi is the Okinawan descent Peruvian raised former chef at Shogun, now owner and head sushi chef of this swank and trendy restaurant. He is the diminutive guy wearing glasses with short greased curled hair in the center of the sushi bar. He is an artist and professional, uses only the freshest ingredients, and has trained his staff well in the art of sushi! You can tell by the cuts of fish, the skilled preparations and presentations. This place is recognized as one of the best restaurants in Utah, all varieties, and the best Sushi!
I went on a Thursday night at 9:30pm and the place was packed! It is large with perhaps 15 sushi chairs at the bar and maybe another 15 tables. The decor is very hip, with high blacked out ceilings, tasteful tear dropped focus lights, and paper Japanese lantern lights over the tables. It is dominated by a 25 foot long fish sculpture made of wiremesh and metal hanging above the sushi bar. Original 24x24 arts pieces line the muted green colored walls. All staff are dressed in black. The sushi bar has 3 chefs (including Takashi-san himself) running the bar and 3 others making rolls and table sushi.
The menu is creative and eclectic. There is a sandwich chalk board on the sidewalk indicating today's fresh specials. Menu samples:
Small Plates
Saikyo-Miso Sablefish - sablefish marinated in Saikyo-Miso and baked, served with asian slaw. $11
Yin-Yang Salmon - salmon encrusted with black and white sesame seeds served with a yuzu-black bean sauce. $11
Azekura - seared beef with tempura-fried portabella and green beans $10.
Wok-tossed Asparagus - crisp spears with garlic and shiitake mushrooms over glass noodles.$9
Salads
Green Papaya - shredded green papaya with ground peanuts and piquant chili-lime dressing (similar to Vietnamese Goi Du Du) $5.50
Mixed Greens - mesculin with julienne Fuji apples, orange-miso dressing and toasted walnuts $5.50
Large Plates
Shiitake Lamb Shank - falling off the bone lamb shank in braised yellow curry $18.50
Tender Flank Steak - Japanese 7 spice rub served with asian pesto and green beans tempura $18.50
Surf and Turf - braised/glazed pork spareribs, Saikyo-Miso sablefish and asian caesar salad. $22
Soups
Soki Soba - Okinawan noodles in hearty broth with ginger and green onions: with Pork Rib $9.50, Shrimp $9.50, asian greens $8.50
Sushi and Sashimi
Aburi Gindara (torched sablefish) Nigiri $5.95 Sashimi $14
Bincho Maguro (albacore tuna) Nigiri $4.50 Sashimi $10.50
Hamachi (yellowtail) Nigiri $5.50 Sashimi $13
Maguro (tuna) Nigiri $4.95 Sashimi $10.95
Sake (fresh salmon) Nigiri $3.95 Sashimi $8.95
Ikura (salmon roe) $5, Ika (squid) $3, Ebi (shrimp) $3, Saba (mackerel) $3.50 and there is more. The Uni was market priced at $9.95.
There are also maki, like california roll ($4.50) Spicy tuna $5.50, etc.
Specialty rolls too numerous to list but range from $8 for Strawberry Fields (escolar, strawberry, spicy sauce, fresh chili peppers, toasted almonds and eel sauce) to $13.50 for Magic Dragon (spiced crab, avocado, topped with unagi, with eel sauce and sesame seeds) . Also sashimi rolls and vegetarian rolls. Choices of sake, from house (Gekkikan Hot $8 large, Hakutsuru Draft chilled $11 bottle), to domestic premium (Momokawa) or a 3 Momokawa "flight" sampler ($6.50), to premium imported (Rihaku $53 full bottle, Ama No To $53 , Chiyanosono $62, Kan-Chikiu $85.) Specialty drinks, beers, and desserts (i.e. Chocolate Rum Torte $6.)
If you are ever in SLC and you like Sushi or just want a special meal, you have to try Takashi!
Overall this was a good sushi place. The decor was modern, clean, and interesting. The dishes were beautifully arranged and pretty tasty. The menu had more traditional sushi restaurant staples as well as plenty of creative twists. We had some chilled unfiltered sake which was good. The downside of the experience was the service. We had to ask three times to get served glasses of water and when we were served it was by a waiter not our own.
Overall, 3-4 stars for the food, 4 stars for the decor, 2 for service.
Arguably some of the best sushi that I've had. I was not expecting to find a sushi restaurant in SLC with such fresh fish. I went there on a tuesday night and it was packed. Not a problem though, just stop off at the bar for some sake and/or saporro and chat with friends until your table is ready.
The rolls were great, and the fish was extremely fresh. I was with a group of coworkers and we ordered about a dozen or so rolls and EVERYTHING was amazing. This is a place that I will definitely return to the next time I'm in town.
If you do make it to Takashi, don't miss out on the seared sablefish!
In all, the place has really great food and the price is about what you'd expect for a quality sushi joint.
Takashi has the best sushi in Salt Lake City, hands down. Their rolls are delicious and inventive, and always fresh tasting. Try the Strawberry Fields roll...so delicious.
The atmosphere is modern, but in a warm, inviting way. Service has always been good as well. Takashi was also voted "Best Restaurant" by Salt Lake City Magazine this year. If you're in SLC, definitely give it a go!
**UPDATE**
Went back again, and mainly had sashimi and nigiri. WOW! The fish was so fresh and delicious, it practically melted in your mouth. I'd give Takashi 10 stars if it was possible!!!
I give this place some credit for having a trendy Sushi place in Utah, but of course it's no comparison to sushi places in LA or New York.
The restaurant looks nice from the outside, but once you're there...not too memorable.
Don't order the Box....just plain rice with a lil' bit of fish on it...nothing Boxy about it.
I've had the pleasure of eating at Takashi a few times and it has been high quality every time. For the amazing quality of food and drink at Takashi, it is surprisingly affordable. I was recently there on a date, we had 2 bottles of Sake, 3 rolls and an order of Seared Sablefish, and the bill was barely over $40. I was really amazed at the bill as I had expected to pay more.
I love Kyoto, I like Takashi. Now Takashi is by no means bad, but at the same time it isn't traditional either. The fish is always fresh and the rolls are almost always tight. The flavors are wonderful and the combinations worthy of the plate, but at the same time I have never caught a Yellow Submarine at the end of my fishing line.
If you are looking for New York style, trendy sushi in a trendy environment then this is the place for you. If you want traditional sushi with traditional names then try some of the other choices in SLC.
Arguably the best sushi in Salt Lake City. If you come in after 8, expect a 30-45 minute wait, and most times its even too crowded to wait it out at the bar, but take all these as good signs, because its completely worth the time. If you really want to eat, and drink, don't expect to get out of there for under a $100, but for sushi that good, price is less the issue.
All around best sushi in Salt Lake City is Takashi, IMHO -- with an excellent and varied menu (featuring plenty of specialty rolls), excellent wait staff, warm and eclectic ambiance -- all at fair prices. The sashimi is good, the sushi is great, but the real reason you go to Takashi is for specialty rolls. Mmm...strawberry fields...
Salt Lake City, UT
Category: Japanese
Salt Lake City, UT
Category: Indian
Salt Lake City, UT
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Salt Lake City, UT
Category: Sushi Bars
Salt Lake City, UT
Category: Seafood
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