Greeted Urchin

Review of Sakana Sushi & Grill

This is one of my favorite places to eat Japanese ...

This is one of my favorite places to eat Japanese food in the East Valley. The sushi is great and the quality of fish here is much better than most other places in the valley. But what really draws me here is their variety of alternative Japanese choices. Besides the traditional menu items you usually see at a sushi restaurant, they also offer a wide range of other options like Teppanyaki Grill, Traditional Japanese Ramen (and other noodle soups), and Chirashi bowls. And these are just a few examples, as their menu extends across many other non-traditional items.

FOOD:
My favorite thing to get here is their Old School Ramen. Of all the places in the valley that serve traditional Japanese Ramen, this place has one of the best. In fact, on the south-east side of the Phoenix valley, this would be my absolute first choice for Ramen. The Tonkotsu broth is very flavorful and the ingredients in the bowl are fresh. I get mine with extra Chashu pork because they make it amazing. The pork is so tender it practically melts in your mouth.
One item that they don t have listed on the menu (which they should) but you can order, is their Chirashi bowl. If you like a nice big serving and variety of raw fish and veggies over white rice, this is for you. It comes in a small and large. The large is LARGE so if you opt for the latter make sure you re nice and hungry or be ready to share. If you ve eaten sushi grade fish in Asia or California, you ll know how difficult it is to come across a good cut of fish in Phoenix, however, this place has some of the best fresh fish cuts I ve had in the valley. While it may not compare to the best-of-the-best in other places around the world, it will definitely leave your taste buds happy and your raw fish cravings satisfied.
If you re into the entertainment that comes with the whole Teppanyaki Grill experience, this place has it. I wouldn t put this place on the top of my list for Tappan but it s still fairly good. I d say this is a good place to come for a compromise if you happen to like raw fish dishes but your family or friends like cooked foods and a culinary show. You ll be happy and so will they.
If you re just going for the raw fish and don t feel like being bothered by any sides and distractions you ll like their thick cuts of sashimi. Like I mentioned before, fish here is fresh and good quality.
And finally, their sushi rolls, nigiri, and maki. All the traditional sushi rolls can be found here too and they will likely be better than in a lot of other places. Their specialty rolls are really good and some are very unique and let me say, as a person who can eat endless portions of rolls, some of their specialty rolls have put my eating abilities to the test.

PRICE:
Price is ok. It can lean slightly toward the pricier side without providing a very trendy atmosphere, but if you re like me, and you re main focus is the taste and quality of the food, it s well worth the price.

ATMOSPHERE:
Casual. Nothing fancy, but not run-down. If you re looking for a hip, trendy atmosphere, look elsewhere. If you re main concern is making your taste receptacles happy, come here.

SERVICE:
Mostly good. I ve eaten here countless times and most times my experience with the service has been very friendly. I ve had a couple of instances where our server got a bit snarky (won t go into detail since I haven t seen her around anymore). Sometimes the service can be slow, especially during busy hours. If you come around peak hours, expect to wait between 15-30 minutes to be seated. A small price to pay for good food but if you re hungry and about to pass out, bring a snack cause you might be waiting.