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Samurai is a sushi restaurant on Cambie with giant portions.
While the place is packed almost 24/7 (I blame the painfully cramped spacing), don't be fooled. As a "value" sushi joint, it fails to meet standards. As you wait 10 minutes for a small combo take-out after receiving "service" from an extremely grumpy woman, you'll notice how unhygienic food handled is, and how menu posters collect films of dust. I've been here several times (once against my will - thanks friends) and this uncomfortable sensation is redundant. While portions are bigger than most and value is almost spot on, you will find much better food, service, and pricing at Sushi King on Granville (tip: call them 2 hours prior to pick up for a 5% discount, a day prior for 10%).
Just happen to be working in the area. Just dropped in for a quick lunch.
Small place little place.... But......
WOW !!! I could not believe the super huge rolls they were serving up!
It is one of my favorite spots for California Rolls. Very tasty and it is the
Best Bang for the Bucks!!!
Regards
Knightrider12
I used to come here a lot and then frequented Banzai when that location opened in Richmond. Now it's hard for me to say no to sushi whether it be great sushi or cheap sushi thats decent like Samurai. The philosophy behind it is that you come to try it for the size but keep going back because something is in their imitation crab that makes it taste amazing. The fish quality is kind of just "eh" and the large cuts make it gross to eat sometimes but thats okay! I was still visiting regularly (almost once a week) because its nicely priced and I can't afford $100+ authentic Japanese consisting of delicious cuts of fish every day.
HOWEVER. For the last year I've visited less frequently because with no exaggeration, every single time I go... There is a smell that keeps getting worse and worse. One day I decided to stop going simply because I didn't want to deal with it. Today, I was having the craving and since Banzai was too far, I decided to stop by Samurai again to endure the smell but was literally stunned upon entering the store. I can't believe that the smell has reached such an unbearable point. Without ordering, I left immediately and pitied the 5 or 6 patrons still remaining in the store. Please samurai, find out what the hell that smell is so I can go back for your california rolls.
After hearing how huge all their sushi rolls were, I went and ordered a party tray for my birthday this year. While there was a lot of variety and it was pretty fresh, the size was not what I expected - definitely smaller than advertised and it wasn't anything super special. The location is right across from Oakridge Mall and like previous reviewers you're better off doing take out if you live in the area. I walked in to pick up my order and was surprised at how tiny the eating area was...and did I mention it felt very stuffy and warm inside? I was a bit worried after that when I saw my party tray was just sitting on shelf behind the cashier basking in the warmth of the place. I remember having their rolls last year at a friend's party and they were much bigger...too bad it's not the same anymore. =(
This would definitely be my favourite Japanese take-out place!
Salmon Sashimi, Calafornia Roll, Yam Tempura Roll, Beef Teriyaki Don, definitely are the must haves of this place!!!
Definitely value for money!!!
As for the dine-in, the place is quite small and I doubt the service would be any good, so unless you live in the area and just want to grab a quick bite, otherwise, go with the take-out!!!
I love sushi and eat it A LOT. This is a place I like to go on occasion for a bit of variety. Everything is huge here- definitely not one bite sushi. I really enjoy the california rolls with the shredded crab. Again, not a place I like to go all the time, but it's cheap and good. It's impossible to be hungry after eating here!
The sushi is made for giants or people with huge mouths. I tried 'B' party tray, which had a nice selection of sushi, and I also foolishly ordered a beef teriyaki roll, because I hadn't yet seen how gigantic the party tray was. The taste was okay, but the size was WAY too big. Sushi is about style as much as substance and these mammoth sushi pieces were ridiculously crass. As Mrs. Chasiubow said: "Ma dai go hou"! (Open wide!).
I will say that it was fresh, due to the chaotic pace in the restaurant. A few brave souls actually tried to sit at the tiny tables or the mini sushi bar, but I went for the take out. It is incredible value for the money, if you judge such things by quantity for the price.
A good choice if you are VERY hungry, or if you have teens at home. Otherwise, you should go someplace less extreme.
I've only had take-out from this Samurai Sushi House. From what I've had, yes, you do get your money's worth. A whole sushi tray to serve 4-5 for $20. But I have to agree with some of the other reviews. Some rolls are so large, I got sick trying to finish one. They jam so many different ingredients into one roll, that it kinda loses good flavor. You spend so much time trying to point out what you're tasting at that moment.
We ordered the sushi platter while we were 5 minutes away and when we got there, we had to wait another 40 minutes. And since I can't really rate the ambiance because I've never dined-in before, I gave it a "poor" because when I walked in to check on my order. I almost went deaf from the really loud Vietnamese conversation from the ladies chatting inside. I also, don't mean to be rude, but if those ladies kept their talking at a lower level, I wouldn't have walked out and waited in the rain instead.
Food: Quite fresh and tasty considering the price. Definitely not the BEST of the best out there but it's very solid. I know some friends that had less than fresh experience there but I've always had consistent results. It's a great quick sushi fix if you have any cravings!
Service: I think they are pretty quick with the amount of staff they have. I usually call for a pick up order and it's always ready by the time we get there.
Value: Incredibly cheap for the amount of food you get! Just for price reference, it's $3.25 for a California roll. Other places are probably around $3.95. The roll is also like 50% larger than other places. Two people can dine for under $15 for sure!
Ambiance: It's pretty tight for a sit-in meal. More like cramped. I just pick up and go! But they do have a sushi bar which is kinda nice if you like to watch the chefs make speedy sushi as they are sooo busy all the time!
My boyfriend brought me here for the first time and I was skeptical. I mean, I'M the Japanese one, and I'd never even heard of this place.
Let's be honest, the ambiance isn't the best impression, but who cares. You pay really cheap for really good food in great quantity. Imagine the regular house rolls you get at any other sushi place... yeah, that's the size of their california rolls. My mind was blown as they brought the sushi out, how could they afford to plate so much at such a small price? Then again, they do get a lot of customers of course.
My favorites are their SSSR (smoked salmon, shrimp) rolls, spicy tuna, and salmon sashimi. Yes, I will admit that I'm aware that they do make the popular items ahead of time, but there's not much of a freshness difference when it comes to taste and most of these items are purchased immediately around dinner and lunch rush. They have some interesting creations there as well, and there's a lot to try.
The best value for a money is definitely sashimi as you receive these slices that're actually the size of three regular sized sashimi in any other restaurant. It tastes SO good though, a delicious cut of salmon. The half order is seriously enough for two people. I could never imagine dusting off a whole order of that stuff.
The service is pretty good, they're never rude. You order at the till and find a seat where they bring you your sushi or donburi or whatever, so it's not like a full blown restaurant. You also get free hot tea that's freshly brewed, and even a discount if you order ahead of time to beat the line that occasionally forms.
Amazing place to stop by after a day of shopping at Oakridge, or pick up a platter for a party.
I took out combo tray (can't remember which one, they are all good though), the food was so-so when eating. However, it was the large portions that made up for the quality. The sashimi ontop of the rice were HUGE. Great for take-out and parties. I also liked how they give you discounts for ordering ahead.
This was the only location I've gone to and it's been a while since I've gone back. I almost exclusively dine in at sushi restaurants but there's hardly ever any available chairs in their cramped quarters and it's dingy to hang around long so I do takeout.
I've stuck to the same few items: California Rolls, Spicy Scallop Rolls and their House Roll the odd ocassion. Rolls are gargantuan in size which is why there is always a lineup. As mentioned their Salmon and Tuna is actually of decent quality but it is inconsistently prepared: either too cold, too warm, and/or improperly sliced and sized. Overall from my usual order it's fast food quality at fast food prices. Liberal use of sushi rice round off in making their rolls astounding in girth and filling for the hungry. Honestly though it isn't bad but there are dozens of other joints for better consistency and quality.
Since I've only had takeout there they handle the volume of customers fairly well each visit that I've had. Run similarly to a conveyor belt the ladies on the cashier take your order and give you a number. Other than than the varying wait times for your order to be prepared there's not much else to go into detail.
If you're hungry and craving sushi and only have a ten on you I suppose this place (and their other locations) should fill the gap in your stomach.
Yes, the sushi pieces are extremely large and for some pieces you will need a knife and fork. The quality, however, is good and the line-ups = mucho business = fresh sushi. Prices are extremely reasonable. So, for all you people complaining about the size of the sushi, I have one question, why do you keep going back?
i have tried this place twice. first time i was baffled at the need to serve for them to have jumbo sushi. sushi is supposed to be bited sized but the mere size of the rice rolls scared me. the fish did not taste fresh and i dine at many many japanese places on a regular basis. i hope i am not being rude here but vietnamese people cannot be running a japanese restaurant as i highly doubt they know the skill of handling raw food. this is evident in them cutting the fish in such large pieces. but if its quantity and not quality, this place may be fine. but even that, i fear for my health and will choose not to return again.
I have never gotten the reason people fancy this place as much as they do. Perhaps good timing when they opened this location. The food is ok. But i find the sizing than people like has lots to do with the amount of rice they use of the rolls and sushi. I personally prefer, more fresh ingredients and just enough rice. I find they use too much rice. And the rice although fresh lack some taste/seasoning. This is my opinion, so other may like it the way Samurai does it. To me it reminds me of sushi done by robots not sushi chefs.
The value proposition is prob still good. As you can get party tray take out for pre fixed price. Good when you have a pot luck or function to atttend or host. IMHO, there are so many newer and better establishment now that are better in quality and value.
I've never been in the place. I've seen the lineups though. I have however been the recipient of takeout many times.
Their sushi tastes OK, but what it really comes down to and the main reason for my low rating is the ridiculous size of their rolls just makes me angry. Japanese food is intended to be prepared so that everything is bite sized or is otherwise simple to eat. This place is an egregious violation of Japanese food as you can't just eat their food with chopsticks easily. There is absolutely no way you can eat their larger rolls with one bite. You have to pick the pieces up off the plate (not great when you are sharing). You have to somehow cut through the nori with your chopsticks to get it into small enough pieces. Meanwhile the crab is falling all over the place littering your soy sauce. UGH. Can it be any more STUPID?
The sushi is also poorly constructed. Compounded with the large size, it's a miracle if you can get a roll off the plate without it falling into pieces.
I know some people love the schtick of the large sushi and feel they are getting a great deal. Honestly if they change to small rolls they would probably lose half their business. If you like it, great, but I don't. If they want to give good value for money, why not just give more sushi for the money? I'd certainly be fine with it then.
I must say, the sushi here is indeed larger than the competition's. It might even be difficult to eat, and challenges even the most seasoned of sushi afficiandos. The tuna nigiri sushi sometimes felt a little frozen so you might want to bring it home and thaw it out a bit...House Roll there is a must try as the epitome of their biggest maki rolls available.
The real drawback of the place, are the occasional large line ups of folks trying to either order food, or wait for theirs to pick up. I've had to turn away and go somewhere else just because of this a couple times, but I guess its a good sign for the business.
We ordered take out... while waiting for our food, I couldn't help but notice that the three "chefs" were talking and chatting loudly OVER OUR FOOD as it is being prepared..yuck!!! I am not a germ freak, but am also not keen on eating other people's spit.
Sadly, it was too late to cancel our order. Took the stuff home, nuked it, and had cooked sushi for lunch. It tasted gross, but still preferable than the alternative. Who knows, might have been decent tasting, but I certainly wasn't keen on finding out....
I came here with my friend for lunch. I ordered the Salmon Don. It cost about $10 with taxes, and boy was it worth it. There were nine very generous portioned pieces of sashimi on my rice and they tasted very fresh.
The food came in about 5 minutes, and the staff were pretty attentive.
It's a shame that the place isn't bigger. We were thinking about eating in for lunch, but the amount of seating turned us away. On the plus size, the location is convenient - just a quick walk from the Canada Line.
My girlfriend Insisted on coming gere for dinner so I decided to try it out and boy was i surprised! The sizes of the pieces of rolls in this palce are HUGE. To get a good picture of what i mean look at the size of your palm. Thats the rough diameter of the sushi itself. The thickness is about a full 2-3 fingers thick. You can't even fit this thing into your mouth! The quality of the food was nothing to jump out of your seat for but it was good. HUGE slices of salmon sashimi. Here, you get 5 slices (half-order) for $5.50 but if compared to other sushi restaurants its about the quantity of 10 slices. They are huge. Ambiance is a little out dated, but if youre a person that just wants to eat there food and leave this is a great place. If you care alot about ambiance and decor, this might not be the best choice. Its simple. A 5-7 seat sushi bar and a couple of tables. They have self service tea there. Most of the day, Samurai sushi looks to be more of a take out business. DEFINIETELY WORTH A TRY. Largest Pieces of sushi since i've been to Jumbo Sushi.
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