4. Restaurants

Sakana Sushi & Grill

6989 N Hayden Rd,Ste A12, Scottsdale, AZ, 85250
  • (480) 609-3850
  • Store is closed

Sakana Sushi & Grill Menu

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  • J B.

    I have two favorite sushi places: here & awhautukee!!! :-)

    (5)

  • Chong P.

    If I had a pick of what sushi place to eat in the valley, hands down it would be Sakana. This might just be my tastes but their sashimi, sushi, and dishes are fantastic. I'm not a big fan of the fancy rolls but they seem to have a good selection and my friends enjoy them quite a bit. My favorite items are the tuna/salmon sashimi plate (big, thick pieces of fish!), tuna tataki salad, the hamachi-kama (they make it the best here by far), and the unagi. Can't ever say enough good things about this place! :) Also, did I mention the sushi chef is the best?

    (5)

  • Faridah S.

    I visited Sakana twice in the past week.. On both occasions I stopped there because it was on the way home from my running errands, and because I was craving Sushi. I had been there a few months earlier, and remembered that their sushi was good (not great), that the prices were reasonable, and that their portions were generous. On both of my visits this week I sat at the Sushi Bar because sushi service tends to be faster than when you are seated at a table, and because I like to watch the prepared sushi as it is passed to the waitresses and to those seated at the sushi bar. On both occasions, I was seated at the sushi bar immediately, and my beverage and miso soup were delivered very quickly. (The miso soup is just ok.) On both visits, my servers were very friendly, and were great about answering questions, and explaining how to place my sushi orders when I was ready. On my first visit, I ordered the Mackerel (Saba) Nigiri special, and from the happy hour menu, Salmon Roe (Ikura), and two Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls. My order was served to me quickly. I enjoyed the Mackerel, and the Salmon Roe. Everything tasted fresh. I was a bit disappointed with my Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls. Although the portion of spicy tuna in each hand roll was very generous, the seasoning was lacking in general, and there was not even a suggestion of heat at all. I ended up adding wasabi and soy sauce to it for flavor. The tuna flavor was obscured by the mayonnaise (or whatever mayonnaise like substance) that was used to make the spicy tuna. it is not a preparation that I care for, although I realize many sushi places are doing it that way now. I prefer spicy tuna that is just tuna, hot oil, and a bit of seasoning. That said, for what I paid, I wouldn't complain. I left full, and the basic standard of good was met overall. On today's visit, I really was up for variety. After asking a few questions, I ordered the Sakana Lunch, which came with miso soup, 6 different pieces of Nigiri, a California roll and a spicy crab jalapeno popper. Once again, the miso soup (again, just ok) was brought to me right away. My lunch also came out very quickly, in spite of the fact that the restaurant was quite busy. While the fish was fresh and tasty, and it was MORE than enough food (I skipped the Nigiri rice and just ate the fish in order to finish my food), the California roll was pretty bad. It was fresh enough, but between too much rice, fake "krab", and too much mayonnaise - or whatever the binder was - it tasted pretty bad, and lacked any sort of balancing fresh note. I didn't even try to finish it. I felt like I got my money's worth, and once again I was full. It was still a long way from a great dining experience. I also stayed away from many of the rolls because most include that awful fake "krab". I'd say that Sakana is ok as long as your expectations are not too high. The service was friendly and fast, the prices were reasonable, most of the food was ok, and it was convenient. This just isn't on my list of favorite sushi places. The cooked food may be good. I've never tried it.. It is also important to note that they close between lunch and dinner (2:00 pm - 5:30 pm)

    (3)

  • Brittany B.

    Nice atmosphere, love the free edamame for checking in! Great service- finally a restaurant with servers that are sweet! Within walking distance of home so it's even better that we can walk, ride bikes, etc to grab some delicious sushi!

    (4)

  • J B.

    Is it the best sushi in town? No, but it's very good, friendly staff, great sushi chefs and it's just a fun place. Not fancy but has a good feel and the sushi bar is best place to sit. Get the spicy scallops, blue fin tuna! Prices are great. I usually walk out for under $20 and always leave in a good mood.

    (5)

  • Garrett T.

    I was not that impressed. Don't get me wrong it wasn't bad but it wasn't that good. We got two rolls, the crazy roller coaster roll and the Blood Orange roll. Also had the seaweed salad that was great! And lastly the sashimi plate. I didn't like the blood orange roll, mainly because it didn't have as much flavor as I would have expected. The roller coaster roll was better but even that one could have been better. Sashimi was fresh and good.

    (3)

  • Jennifer C.

    Went here after seeing the reviews on yelp. Not impressed. Calamari was good. Sushi was mediocre, quality of seafood was average. They don't have a full bar, your limited to a poor selection of beer and wine. Won't be back.

    (2)

  • Yentl T.

    My party was visiting around the area and was craving for some Japanese food, and decided to try this place out. ENVIRONMENT - There's a bar where you can eat, as well as a comfortable seating area. it's not the best for large groups, as the place is not too big. They also have a TV playing MLB, in case you want a place to watch your games :P SERVICE - Friendly and prompt! FOOD - I don't expect much in terms of authenticity for Japanese cuisine in Arizona, so I guess the food was okay in terms of a Japanese Fusion style. Their names for their rolls are quite punny - 'marilyn monroll' LOL. +Salmon Dynamite Roll $5.95 - The presentation of this was quite interesting. There's 5 pieces on the bottom (see pic) with salmon and other toppings all loaded on top, so it looks like one giant piece (almost like a sushi pizza). i enjoyed this, and it's filling if you order another small dish with it. + Tempura Udon $8.99 - Price isn't too bad, and the udon broth was quite yummy. The udon noodles itself had a great texture as well. BUT the tempura disappointed me. At first I was just expecting 2 tempura shrimps with the udon, so I was pleasantly surprised that a whole plate of tempura came. But that plate of tempura just consisted of 1 shrimp, a whole bunch of carrots, 2 peppers (not a fan... first time I've seen carrots and peppers being battered.....blergh, not a fan), 1 broccoli, and 1 squash. I'd probably just stick to the special rolls next time - no more udon for me. Also, don't forget to check in since you get some free edamame!

    (3)

  • Elizabeth J.

    Place was full tonight but they made room for me at the Sushi Bar. My waitress was friendly and helpful. When I couldn't figure out what to get, the waitress asked me what I was looking for. I asked for a sashimi platter that was smaller than the special being offered. Lo and behold, Juan whipped up a very nice small sashimi platter for the price I asked, with quality fish (no cheap items were included). The presentation was nice and the sashimi was really good, left me totally full and satisfied. Worth going back again to try some other things!

    (4)

  • Dick W.

    Once my favorite sushi spot; it has gone downhill. I went in on a Saturday for lunch and was so disappointed that I will never go back. Just poor quality fish, no attention to detail. I ordered a spicy tuna hand roll, salmon, hamachi, and Unagi, all of it poor quality. I left most of the food on my plate, paid the bill, and left.

    (2)

  • Jason M.

    Nice little place to grab some good, well priced sushi. Service is a hit and miss, but seems to have gotten better as of late. So props to the owner if they made some changes.

    (4)

  • Rosalie S.

    I have been coming to the Indian bend location for about two years now. And while the food remains fairly good the service has been on a steady decline. Last time we were all but kicked out as it was towards closing time. But it wasn't done nicely. They were rude. And then again today, our waitress didn't talk about the menu at all or explain the two different menus with two different sets of prices. Nor did she return to our table until the very end when returning our credit card. Not once did anybody check in to see if we were pleased with our food and when I made inquiries about the food, I was treated with disdain. On top of all that they don't serve the delicious little Orange that was their signature post meal fruit. Claiming 6 months ago oranges were out of season. Crazy.

    (3)

  • Mike N.

    Perfect balance of sushi favorites and specialty rolls. Don't forget to ask for the Fitzgerald Roll, named after the best WR in the NFL and U of Pitt! This a specialty roll that the sushi chef has included everything he catches!

    (4)

  • Connie V.

    It's the best sushi place in Scottsdale I've found so far. Many things were outstanding: the service, quick delivery of food, great happy hour specials, and ambiance. As a sushi snob, I felt everything we ordered (with one exception) fell a little short. If you are not a sushi snob, then this place will rock your world. The best thing we had was the garlic parmesan edamame. WOW! It was amazing. We got the spicy tuna, philadelphia, salmon skin and ahi ahi rolls. They were all good, but they just weren't great and this is judging with high standards, so they were all very good. The ahi ahi roll was very close to great - salmon skin was least favorite as it was a bit salty. But, I will say I really did like this place and I'll go back and sample other menu items, maybe I'll find something that really clicks with me!

    (4)

  • T W.

    We came here on a Saturday around 600p, as usual had very prompt and exceptional service. Starting with Miso soup and Hot Sake really set the mood for our the Crispy Jaaepaño Calamari. Sitting at the Sushi Bar watching the action, Juan made our delicious Salmon Sashimi and we tried the Crunchy Eel Roll too, looking forward to our next visit for a lunch special. Pleasantly surprised to enjoy our second visit more than the first! Would recommend to anyone in the Scottsdale area for high quality, fast and very affordable sushi - 5.0 highest possible rating Absolutely Superb Japanese Experience , A Favorite Pick For Scottsdale

    (5)

  • Dan F.

    This place went from being a rock star to a zero!!! Funny how I called ahead to make sure that we could get in and within the eight minutes it took us to get there they were full. Can you say bait and switch!!! Sorry to say I don't play that game and I will take my business elsewhere!!!

    (1)

  • Yotam M.

    THIS PLACE ROCKS! Definitely one of the best sushi in town. We went 2 weeks ago to celebrate our friends birthday. We couldn't stop ordering rolls!! The service was great, the sushi is so fresh and tasty. The value is great too, won't break the bank! Last week I celebrated MY birthday at home, I decided I wanted them to cater. My wife ordered $200 worth of sushi we fed 20 people and everyone was amazed at the quality of sushi and needless to say, we all enjoyed it. I highly recommend this place, it's in my top favs.

    (5)

  • Tiffanie P.

    I grade sushi restaurants on 3 factors: - Quality - Excellent. No fishy smell on my food or in the restaurant. Delicious. Rolls were well made and tasty! - Quantity - I walked out STUFFED from eating the $9.99 lunch special. - Price - Can't beat $10 for lunch, especially this much good sushi. But the takeout side of things was not as good. The teeny tiny salad had wilted lettuce. The takeout version of the Sakana lunch does not include miso soup, although the price is the same, and they did not include chopsticks, napkins, or soy sauce.

    (4)

  • Alin Si Ramona S.

    Simply the best sushi in the valley! I have been at 2 of their locations: Scottsdale and Glendale and they are amazing! We love it and always go there with family and friends.

    (5)

  • Irina H.

    I've been coming here for quite a while and it never disappoints. The FOOD: The sushi is amazing. They have fun roll specials every day - we've gotten all kinds of interesting rolls including angry shrimp, roly poly, etc. However, I really judge a sushi restaurant by its sashimi...and the sashimi here is some of the best. The fish is fresh, firm and delicious - never fishy, spongy or just ok. The toro tuna sashimi literally melts in your mouth, and the salmon, yellowtail and friends are all excellent. The REST: The prices are extremely reasonable for such wonderful food. The service is consistently great, as well - I tend to ask a lot of questions and they've never steered me wrong. The atmosphere is dark and quiet - quite a nice departure from the club-like, house music and noise of some really good sushi places.

    (5)

  • Nora K.

    Update: appreciate the outreach from Sakana on my review. I know to never order udon soup for carry out again, but they offer large portions for reasonable prices, usually with prompt and friendly service.

    (4)

  • N B.

    "I'm sorry you feel that way" is often used to dismiss a woman's opinion or thought. It's an attempt to silence her. So not only does your sushi suck you try to silence your customers that are taking their time to provide constructive criticism in a form of a review. The sushi that I had was not fresh. Others have reviewed that their sushi was NOT fresh. If multiple people are saying your seafood is not fresh then it is not fresh. I was born in and spent a lot of my life in a fishing village off the Mediterranean Sea with a family full of fishermen. I also served in the United States Coast Guard and served in Boston and and more than aware of the seafood coming from there and how it should look like. I am more than qualified to know what fresh seafood is and what is not. I am also qualified to know what is real seafood and what is not. Imitation crab meat is NOT real seafood. I even took into consideration and lowered my standards a bit cause we are--after all in the desert. Your sushi was not even "fresh for Arizona".

    (1)

  • Holly C.

    Great happy hour menu. The rolls are pretty stacked! We ordered two of every roll because the waitress informed us only 5 pieces came with each roll for hh. It was SO much food but pretty darn good sushi.

    (4)

  • Taylor M.

    Great food. Great service. We moved near by and have been coming here regularly. We are always impressed by the unique menu and great specials.

    (5)

  • Robert N.

    Great sushi for lunch. I had the Sakana lunch special. 10.99 including tax with a water as your drink. Includes a salad with a soup. 5 star meal and the waitresses are friendly and efficient. Make sure you are there right at 11:00 am for lunch because the small dining area fills up fast. They make the sushi fresh after you order so plan on being there for about an hour for lunch.

    (5)

  • Tory R.

    Its been about 5 years since I last visited Sakana, was a really good experience. I recently returned and the experience was alittle lacking than what I remembered. One of our rolls never made it to the table and I remember when they served and orange and whip cream desert(for free) at the end of the meal, I was really expecting that and it never came, not sure if they even do that anymore. I will still give Sakana 3 stars for being a better and cheaper alternative to Ra.

    (3)

  • Marianne H.

    Ordered the Sakana Lunch Special and walked away fat and happy! The meal includes: -Salad -Miso Soup -California Roll -Crab-stuffed Tempura Jalapeños -6 pieces of Nigiri Check in with Yelp, and get a free edamame. Our server forgot ours, but it was for the best. I couldn't have eaten another bite!!!

    (4)

  • Blaine L.

    Awesome food, crazy low prices, and their sushimi is incredible! Would recommend to anyone.

    (5)

  • Morgan D.

    I'm doing an update because annoying people saying things like don't eat sushi in AZ because you wouldn't eat Mexican in Osaka ... are idiots. I've had Mexican all over the world from London to Osaka to Iowa, and it was all good. As is sushi all over the world. Um, fish gets flown around the world to these places. It doesn't matter where you live, you probably aren't getting it out of your backyard ... in some cases, even if the Ocean is your backyard. So relax. Sakana is good sushi. Especially, if you appreciate the taste of raw fish by itself. It also is reasonably priced. Sure, there are more prestigious sushi joints, but this is good fish at a good price. Since I'd rather not spend $50 on myself for dinner every time I go to sushi, it's a nice option. And rant over.

    (5)

  • Cheryl W.

    This has to be my favorite sushi restaurant! All sushi is very fresh and huge portions. The one thing is does lack is great servers- they seem to always forget something . But, management does pick up the slack ! Which you can not say for a lot of places. The manager always seem to be very helpful, hopefully she can teach her staff :) Get there early, restaurant is not very big and fills up quick! Highly suggest this place to everyone I know- the quality is top notch !

    (5)

  • Cami K.

    We came to this Sakana location for my birthday. Usually we go to sakana in ahwatukee and THAT location is amazing! But back to this review. I'd recommend not going. First of all the waiting area and the restaurant was so hot for a July evening. We tried the let it go roll. It sounded awesome but there was so much spice in the mayo you could not taste the other flavors. I did not pay $15 to taste overspiced mayo instead of fish. The soft shell crab roll was pretty near disgusting. It was burnt and soggy. It tasted overly fishy and the texture was terrible (the soft shell at the other sakana is where I fell in love with it in the first place). We usually leave sakana so fat and happy that the poor quality was surprising. Even the vegas roll was less than. I don't even know how you mess up cream cheese and smoked salmon. It's sushi cheating. I gave it 2 stars because the salmon sashimi was pretty good and we didn't get food poisoning. I won't come back and if you are thinking of coming here I would really recommend making the treck to sakana ahwatukee.

    (2)

  • Andrew K.

    Sakana might not be the best sushi restaurant in the valley, but it's definitely my favorite. I've always had good service and it's always consistently good. Sundays are the best day to come because they do lunch prices for the entire day. I also love how if you order a saki bomb then you can get an appetizer for 99 cents. I've gone many times and left with a full stomach and a bill between 20-30 dollars that included alcohol. I always leave a huge tip because they take great care of me and I think the low prices are a great way to bring in customers.

    (5)

  • Nathan C.

    Sakana serves great tasting, high quality sushi. They are very consistent in terms of quality & service and for that reason is in my Top 3 in the valley. We moved here from Chicago and this comes the closest to the quality and great flavor a that is grown accustomed to.

    (4)

  • KC J.

    Hands down the best sushi in the valley. Are you post-Spring Training at Talking Stick and need to *wow* your gold digging online date you'll probably see only a few more times? Don't waste your money or your time in any other restaurant! I absolutely love the food and the staff here. Can't believe how amazing their happy hour prices, rolls, and specialty items are. An awesome neighborhood vibe. I keep coming back for more. It's also the perfect perch when dining alone-- the sushi chefs are so kind; they actually get to know their customers, inquire about their lives since the last time they saw you. And they teach you about how to choose sushi! For example, don't order a roll with tempura at the same time as the other ones so as to avoid it getting soggy. As an LA high maintenance foodie: THANK YOU! People dining alone bring books to read or gawk at any sports game playing on the tvs behind the sushi bar. Point is, you won't feel the slightest bit awkward about shoving your face with raw fish on a Mon night because you're surrounded with other like minded peeps. The cute waitresses are like your best buddies; ready to flirt, gripe, or entertain you with humorous quips. Sashimi, sashimi, sashimi... Insanely perfect on a big plate. Happy hour? Go for the Asahi and add a 99cent seaweed salad. Excellent deal! Man, I love this place!

    (5)

  • JoAnn W.

    Friendly service. Delicious food. I will b back very soon thanks

    (5)

  • Christopher M.

    Once again a great experience! If you make it here make make sure to get the house smoked salmon sushi! It is THE BEST!

    (5)

  • Lisa D.

    Brought the entire family tonight to taste the goodness! Ordered multiple crazy roller coaster rolls. Love the tuna and salmon sashimi.

    (5)

  • Courtney B.

    This place is my favorite spot in town to go to for sushi. Its not the cheapest but if you go at night during the week (Sunday-Thursday) they have a happy hour roll list and that is definitely the way to go. Everyone here is super nice. The manager Kim is absolutely amazing. I also love the servers. You can tell when one of them is new but we have all been there. The food is amazing. Everything is fresh. The fish is to die for and the rolls are fantastic. They make the rolls pretty big so be ready to take a big bite. I usually go with no rice so I don't fill up as fast because once you start eating your not going to want to stop. Hands down when I don't know what I want for dinner I will order to go from here. I always get cravings for their sushi and no other restaurant comes close to satisfying my cravings. O and if you want spectacular service ask for Kayla or Kristen to be your waitress. They are hands down the best and have been there the longest so they know what they are talking about when recommending rolls. Make sure you get there early if your not willing to wait for a table because they fill up pretty fast. If there is a large group they fill up even faster because the space is so small, so not the best for 10+ groups, but they will accommodate. There is no open seating even at the sushi bar, they will seat you. **They will modify every type of roll for your needs, gluten free, vegetarian, or even if you just want the chef special. Make sure you ask for Luis to make your chef special, the way the food comes out looks like art work.

    (5)

  • Leanna A.

    Sakana is a solid five-star restaurant. It isn't often that you find a high-quality sushi place for a cheap price. But Sakana is it. They have a large menu with tons of selections- cooked and raw- that everyone in your party would be sure to love! If you have guests that aren't fish/sushi eaters, they have some teriyaki dishes, salads, and miso soup, which is really good! The first time my boyfriend and I came here, we ordered from the happy hour menu, which is really valid from open-close with the exception of on the weekends. The waitress brought us each a complimentary bowl of miso soup, which was a nice touch! They have a pretty decent variety on their happy hour menu, ranging from simple California rolls to Las Vegas rolls and other deep-fried, artistic creations. Thinking that the happy hour rolls were going be super small (being that the highest price on the menu was $5/$6) we initially ordered 8 rolls. When our waitress picked up our order card, she was kind enough to tell us that the happy hour rolls are quite large and that 8 was way too much! So, we took her advice and cut our order in half. I was a little skeptical of whether or not the rolls were really small or not, but to my surprise they came out and were HUGE! Each roll comes with about 6 pieces, but the pieces are thicker and larger in diameter than your average sushi rolls! The sushi is of obvious fresh quality. The ingredients as well are fresh. It's the worst when you get rolls that have brown avocado or mushy cucumber inside.. ick! The sushi is also really nicely presented. Our four rolls came out on a nice wooden cutting board. The second and third times we came here we ordered the lunch special and the sashimi deluxe. OH. MY. GOSH. I've never in my life seen such value! The lunch special comes with 6 pieces of California rolls, 2 jalapeno boats (jalapeno deep fried and stuffed with crab) and 6 pieces of nigiri. Not to mention it was delicious-- all for $10.95. The sashimi deluxe was even better. You get 12 FAT and LARGE pieces of fresh sashimi for $12.95!!! The best of the trio is the white tuna. I really have never had a piece of sashimi so good that literally you don't want to eat it because if you did that would mean you wouldn't have any left. Service is average, food is AMAZING. Food comes out quick, so it's a really good option if you want to go on a fast lunch break. Pictures are posted as well.

    (5)

  • T A.

    Red dragon roll was awesome. The special that day wasn't that great, fell apart easily. Service was great. Prices were good.

    (5)

  • Joseph S.

    Honestly, this is one of the best bangs for your buck when it comes to quality sushi at a low price. I say this because there are higher end places (which i reserve a 5 star rating for). The lunch specials can't be beat in my opinion and the overall quality is great 9 times out of 10. Highly recommend trying Sakana if you haven't already. I go to the scottsdale location because its closer but the other locations do also have teppan tables! The scallop nigiri, house smoked salmon nigiri, sweet shrimp (ama ebi) nigiri and mackerel are must orders in my opinion. Don't forget they have fresh wasabi for a buck, totally worth it.

    (4)

  • Kristin V.

    One of my favorite weekday dinners. It's priced reasonably and worth it. I am here at least once a week. The sushi is fresh and they have some fun rolls. Their appetizers and food menu is very good as well. On the weekends there is a little wait but I have never waited too long.

    (3)

  • Fernando D.

    I have been to this place dozens of times, even way before I started Yelping and checking in to places. It stands out among the other sushi offerings in the valley because it has, in my opinion, - The most generous sushi portions you can find in Scottsdale and the Valley. The cuts are amazing, fresh, and expertly prepared. You get incredibly fresh fish, prepared with care. It is the freshest, loveliest fish you can imagine. - Really, really good rice, all the time. Sushi rice is tricky. Sakana's rice is just sticky enough to be cohesive, but each grain is distinct from its neighbor, sitting like little oblong pearls. Sakana's rolls are wrapped rice-side out, which I feel makes it a much lovelier experience than rice-side in, as the outer rice is not unnecessarily compressed. - Lovely service, at the bar and at the table. I see the same core staff and smiling faces that have been there for several years, and they are happy. You can't fake happy for that long! Even though the restaurant is usually full, the wait for a table is never excessive and, once you're seated, the service is prompt and friendly. - Good prices. You'll spend 25% less on sushi / sashimi and 40% less on beer and sake here than you will at Stingray, Sushi Brokers, Sapporo, and most other sushi places around. It's actually a great bargain for the quality you get - and that is just the regular menu. I also enjoy the Happy Hour roll specials on weekdays, as well as the $1.50 appetizer add-on to an order of Kirin beer. Ask for your "I Love Sakana" card to take advantage of the loyalty program. Check in with Yelp and get your bowl of edamame! You can eat like a king, and not pay a king's ransom... so you can come back next weekend and do it all over again.

    (5)

  • Nick T.

    Make sure you get the fresh wasabi - you're welcome! I've only been there on Sundays, and for good reason - all day happy hour!!! Buy a sake bomb, get a super cheap appetizer - and make it the crispy calamari!!!! It's the hands down best sashimi I have had in the valley - and at a great price too! The cucumber may be the best roll I have ever had, but it comes at a price. As for the staff - expect friendly and fun but not superior service. Good, not great. Unless you sit at the sushi bar - the chefs are a lot of fun to hang with.

    (4)

  • Zachary V.

    The place need a makeover. Old furniture, disgusting menus, stained carpet, old wood paneling and a pencil holder just screwed to the side of the wall? Their sushi is relatively fresh, I find that the quality of the product could be better. Not a great place for more then four, gets to crowded. Love the promotions on yelp, definitely a great promotion. Overall, the restaurant is ok in my opinion.

    (3)

  • Paul Z.

    Total find on yelp! They have hamachi collar!! You def know if its a good sushi joint if they have tuna or hamachi collar... Great prices and great service! Totally loved it...

    (5)

  • Nicole G.

    Wish I was able to give no stars. A group of 5 of us went to get sushi here on Friday. I called ahead of time to ask about happy hour and what time it was over. The women on the phone told me it was all night. This is why we decided to go here over Kona Grill, which was a huge mistake. We got there and ordered. The server we had was new which was no problem, I'm in the service industry and understand that being new is hard, but the service was very slow and I could tell she was frazzled. When it came to the check it showed that none of the stuff we ordered was at the happy hour price. I asked the manager about it and she told me I got incorrect information about the happy hour times and there was nothing she could do about it. The sushi was mediocre and for the price we had to pay, it was not worth it. I will never be back nor will I recommend this place to any of my clients in the area.

    (1)

  • Lani L.

    Love this sushi place. Definitely a Top 3. It's a small hole in the wall restaurant in a strip mall but the food is always awesome. The fish is fresh and the specialty food items (they usually have 2-3 everyday) displayed at the front where you walk in always look amazing. The white fish sauté is a favorite and comes with sautéed veggies and rice. If you can swing in at lunch they have a great sashimi special for $14.99.

    (5)

  • Devon M.

    This is my favorite sushi place. I always leave feeling like I had a great time and looking forward to coming back. Recently had the Lobster Miso soup which had a huge lobster claw in it and looked very impressive which was fun for my daughter. IT gets pretty busy and is not a huge place so I recommend calling ahead.

    (5)

  • Alisha S.

    Great sushi place! They always have special rolls to try and the cranberry sake is my favorite! This is one of our favorite places to go for sushi.

    (4)

  • Keith M.

    Love this place, best sushi in Scottsdale as far as I'm concerned!

    (5)

  • Jan S.

    Its ok; 2 stars for food and 3 for service. They make a good effort. The fish is edible and if you live here it should suffice. That's my opinion & of course subjective. But giving it 5 stars is like asking an Italian for a recommendation and they give 5 stars to Olive Garden.

    (2)

  • Cassandra G.

    I give it stars because it's totally average nothing made me want to come back we were served ginger and wasabi that had obviously been in the refrigerator for a while because the ginger was almost dried out and the wasabi had turned an odd color...

    (3)

  • Regan C.

    Really great - the bento box a ridiculous amount of food - you'll definitely have leftovers. Great spot for lunch!

    (4)

  • Aaron L.

    Twice eaten, twice enjoyed the caterpillar.

    (4)

  • Chad F.

    This place was very good. Plus there prices are very affordable especially for how good there food was. Not only that but we received the best service from our waitress. Whatever you guys are doing to keep your servers happy, keep doing it.

    (5)

  • Maribet M.

    Small, casual place. Good sushi but many rolls were spicy, if you like that. We had the cucumber fiesta roll. That was tasty and good sized pieces. Rainbow roll was also good. Check it out.

    (3)

  • Matt H.

    This place is excellent. Quality fish and the lunch menu is very affordable. I go here about once a week. Keep up the good work sakana!

    (5)

  • Lauren P.

    Excellent quality at a very reasonable price. Freshest salmon I've had in a long time. Will definitely be coming back and would happily be a regular if I lived closer.

    (5)

  • Gwen L.

    Love the sushi here! They offer a happy hour prices menu on Sundays which has great prices! And the portions are pretty big. Atmosphere is nice but the music is a little strange. You will hear anything from Britney Spears to R. Kelly to 70s disco! But it's ok, it's worth it for the yummy food!

    (5)

  • Sharon G.

    Yelp...I REALLY would like to know what is happening to my reviews. Everytime I log in, I get a notice to write reviews for things I have already reviewed. Since I can't find the originals anywhere on Yelp, I write a second review. I don't feel like writing two reviews for each place. Sometimes the second review is gone, too. Why is this happening? I even took a picture of my roll at Sakana and uploaded it to Yelp, but that is gone, too. Am I not looking in the right place?? I went here for lunch with my bestie on March 20. I had read good reviews and we both love sushi! I ordered the Vegas roll (my favorite anywhere except at Geisha) edamame, and the lunch special. Both were very good, especially the sashimi. The waitress (I wish I had asked hre name) was excellent. She was attentive, came to the table when needed, stayed away just enough and was very nice. The portions are so generous that I had lots of food left over. I took it home and feasted after waking up hungry. I WILL be back!

    (4)

  • Troy H.

    One of my top sushi spots in the Phoenix area. Great service and reasonable prices. The baked scallop roll is a meal in itself and needs to be shared. I have always had amazing service at all the valley locations. I can't remember ever having a single issue with the food, service or ambiance! One of my all time favorite places!

    (5)

  • Andrew R.

    Really good sushi spot. It is a very small restaurant. I can't tell you what rolls were what because we ordered so many. Only cons: they brought all the rolls at once and they didn't all fit on the table The soup and Salad came out after the rolls. Strongly suggest you give this place a try!

    (4)

  • C. B.

    Loved the spicy edamame ! Ramen was good, too.

    (4)

  • Anthony D.

    Tempura, service, and beer special good... quality of product BAD!!! Not worth the value.

    (2)

  • Cactus P.

    The lunch specials are great here. We really like lunch on Saturday when we can relax and enjoy a little longer with a hot green tea and a lunch special.

    (5)

  • Sheri B.

    The best sushi and sashimi I've ever had. My favorites are the White Tuna Torro and Seared Salmon Torro! They also have fresh wasabi, which is excellent. I love their green tea and miso soup as well.

    (5)

  • Paul K.

    I've been to Sakana twice for lunch and both times have been happy with the sushi and service. Instead of creating longer rolls with more pieces of sushi they create shorter, fatter rolls. Makes for a bigger piece of sushi which I'm ok with. I'd say the quality of fish, rice and seaweed is good to very good. I had 3 rolls and walked away full and content. It's not the very best sushi I've ever had but it's a great choice here in Scottsdale. If you're in the area and are looking for a good sushi restaurant I'd recommend you try Sakana out.

    (4)

  • T S.

    They have the best California and tempura roll! The miso soup is great too. The restaurant is small and can get too noisy.

    (4)

  • Rachel N.

    I love this place! I've been going here for years & it's always my first choice for my sushi nights. The only 2 downfalls are that it is small so we have to get there a few minutes before their 5:30pm dinner opening time or else wait until later in the evening and it's decor is a bit dated. Either way it's worth the wait. The staff is awesome & everyone who walks in gets a friendly greeting from the guys behind the sushi bar. Their creative rolls are delicious but be careful because some can get to be a bit expensive (the Fitzgeroll is $18.99). The rolls are always a good size, not small like some of the "chain restaurants" around town. I will recommend this place to anyone looking to have good sushi.

    (5)

  • Amy Q.

    What a great little spot for lunch. I stopped in a few weeks ago to grab a light lunch and decided to sit a the sushi bar since it was just me. I decided on the Sashimi Lunch Special. It was very generous portions of four different kind of very fresh fish. With the lunch special I also go a bowl of miso soup, a salad and a small bowl of rich (which was the perfect size of rice). All of this for $12! Everything as so fresh as I can't wait to stop by in for lunch again very soon, especially at a great price like $12 for all of that yummy food!

    (4)

  • Ashton C.

    I have been eating at Sakana for something like 12 years. When I lived there I eat there at least once a week every week and now when I go back to visit I usually eat there at least 2 times not more. sushi is amazing chefs are amazing service is amazing. This is seriously the best sushi place in all of Arizona if you haven't been here you're missing out.

    (5)

  • Alexander C.

    As a foodie, cook and native Arizonan, I've always had this strange misconception about eating fish and seafood in a landlocked state. My mindset was simply this, don't do it. You see it only took that one bad experience from years ago and I've held ever single seafood restaurant accountable since. With the passage of time and through technology, modern shipping and refrigeration methods the life of fresh fish and seafood has been greatly extended. So much so that my attitude towards eating fish has turned around completely and now I crave it. While fish was exiled from my life, Sakana sushi was quietly building a mini sushi empire of Japanese restaurants. Since opening their first in 1996 they've continued to expand and now with 4 valley locations, it won't be hard to get your sushi fix without breaking the bank, especially at lunch time. Each day Sakana offers several different daily creations and specials in addition to the 15 or so items on their standard lunch menu. Between you and me, go for one of the daily specials. These lunch plates are massive and will satisfy the most famished of appetites. You'll see exactly what I mean if you order up the Chicken Maturi ($8.99). A whole chicken breast pounded out into 2 thin slabs, breaded and deep fried until golden and crunchy is then dressed with a slightly sweet soy sauce. Oh and that's not all, along side is a salad of mixed greens and a half of a crab filled California roll. You will not leave hungry. Along with a happy upbeat greeting when you arrive at Sakana, Miso soup comes standard just as soon as you sit down; talk about an efficient lunch service. For a light snack to accompany the soup I also enjoy ordering Edamame ($3.25); steamed soybeans sprinkled with salt, that are as much fun to say as they are to eat. Many people do not understand the difference between sushi and sashimi. This is actually really easy; sushi refers to the vinegar cooked rice while sashimi refers solely to the fish itself. To see the difference first hand, order the Sakana Lunch ($9.99). Thin slices of sashimi; raw salmon, tuna, shrimp, albacore and house smoked salmon are placed on top of sushi; rice. Served on a wooden board, a California roll and a rotating fried item accompany the special. If you're dieting and trying to watch your starch intake, Id highly recommend trying the Sashimi Deluxe ($11.99). Not only do you get a crispy salad but a platter filled with a delicious combination of sliced salmon, tuna, albacore and hiramasa aka Australian King Yellow Tail. However this line up isn't set in stone as the chef will change these out with what's available any given day. What you can take for granted is the freshness and quality of each type of fish served. For the price, Sakana is hard to beat, though for peace of mind, I would have gladly paid more.

    (4)

  • Jennifer B.

    My boyfriend and I have been coming here regularly for years! We love the great happy hour, the food, the drink, and the service! One of our favorite spots! He loves the Fitzgeroll and the ten spice salmon, I love the jungle roll.

    (5)

  • Albana E.

    Always fresh sushi! Staff is friendly! Very reasonably priced! This place is awesome.

    (4)

  • Marissa C.

    One of the best sushi spots in Scottsdale!! Everyone is so nice! The service is usually spot on!Kristen has been my server several times and she's always attentive and on top of all our needs! I recommend Sakana to everyone I know! Their happy hour is cheap but their portions never lack! And they are extremely authentic especially if it's your birthday! Although sometimes there can be long waiting periods for a table.

    (5)

  • Jessica P.

    By far my favorite sushi spot! It gets busy and crowded so the wait kinda sucks but it's definitely worth it. I can't go to another sushi place because nothing can match their sushi.

    (4)

  • Sara E.

    Went of a Friday night for the first time and had a very enjoyable experience. My husband and I arrived at 7pm and had about a twenty minute wait for a table. The prices are very reasonable, especially for the good quality ingredients. There was a special going on if you buy a Kirin you get a 99 cent appetizer. The sashimi was great too. We also had a 'tootsie roll' which was very good, and a 'Boston roll' which we probably would not get again. It was just a Cali roll with tuna on top - meh. But overall it was a great night. We will be back for sure!

    (4)

  • Nikki H.

    The salmon sashimi is to die for! I was craving sushi one night and stumbled upon this place via Yelp, and the reviews undersold this place. If the huge hunks of melt in your mouth salmon sashimi weren't enough, they also have a happy hour menu with decent priced rolls- you have to try the Salmon dynamite roll with baked salmon on top of a cali roll. If there were any question this were the best sushi place, to really seal the deal they offer $1 appetizer when you order a beer. It's our new fave weekly place!

    (5)

  • Dee G.

    LOVE sakana. One of the best places for sashimi in town! Nothing beats the salmon sashimi here. The rolls are mediocre with a few exceptions, but the quality of the fish makes up for it.

    (4)

  • Neda B.

    Sushi was great! Obviously not THE best but fantastic for the price. I ordered the Eel Nagiri and Soft Shell Crab Roll. Both were very, very good. Rice was well made and the fish very fresh. Others got the Crunchy California Roll, Avocado Roll, Vegetable Spring Roll, Crunchy Eel Roll, and Salmon Nagiri. Everyone said that their food was on par with some of the better sushi places they've been. The music is great, good atmosphere and service. I got a free edamame for checking in here too! I'd say it's a must to stop by if you're in the area.

    (4)

  • Chheng L.

    Great lunch specials at $10 or less and a massive amount of food. I alternate between the Sakana Lunch and the Chicken Matsuri. Today I had the Chicken Matsuri lunch. It came with two big peices of sliced up chicken cutlets with this teriyaki like sauce (almost like katsu), salad with shrimp tempura, california rolls and a side of rice. One plate is enough to feed two and only $8.99 during lunch. I also came here with some coworkers one night last week. They have customer appreciation (happy hour) on sun-thurs til 9:30pm! Buy a beer and get an appetizer for 50 cents. Also a decent list of rolls for under $5. To sum it up, good food and nicely priced.

    (5)

  • David B.

    We've been going to Sakana for years. The food is great and they have happy hour all night long Sun-Thur which is a huge advantage to us. Don't have to rush to get there before 7 like most places. Very nice staff, big rolls, great lunch specials. If you want great sushi without the Old Town Scottsdale scene than this is the place to be. Highly recommended. Their portions seem to be much bigger than most so keep in mind when ordering.

    (5)

  • Fatima G.

    I gave it two just because the lunch specials are at very good price. But the service here is terrible. The food takes forever and sometimes it's sitting in the bar for a long time before a waitress takes it. Every time takes half hour more than any other restaurant and it's extremely difficult to ask something especial or different. There is often confusion and mistakes with the tab, and usually someone at the table gets the food after everyone else is done. The food itself its not that great but not terrible especially for that price. If you have a lot of time and patience and want to save money to eat sushi, this might work for you.

    (2)

  • Travis B.

    i just really, really, really like their sushi. and the service. i like that they offer different daily sashimi and sushi options. we met some friends here for dinner. these friends are regulars at Sakana. they know all the service people there. and when they walk up to the chef and say "just fix us something good"....holy bejeezus....they fix something good. it looked like nothing i had seen before, but the presentation was amazing. and my taste buds and belly liked it more than my eyes! the regular rolls and sashimi are always so delicious and the wait staff is always outstanding!

    (5)

  • Jay B.

    I feel like the art of sushi is lost on this place. It is the details that can elevate sushi to something far beyond fish and rice. True sushi chefs pay incredible attention to mouthfeel, the ratio of ingredients, the cuts that they make, the temperature of the ingredients that they serve, the incredibly sharp edge on their very delicate obscenely expensive knives, etc... Even the sushi rice is very hard to make properly and is a skill unto itself. When done right, sushi can be truly amazing. This place doesn't care about those details. If you want to scarf down large quantities of thick cut rolls and nigiri for cheap, this is your place. Some people are into that. For those that aren't, skip it.

    (2)

  • Dave T.

    I usually have a pet peeve with servers: when I ask you "what's best on the menu," don't answer "it's all good." That happened here. I was frustrated. But then it was all good. The service was fast, and the food was delicious. Not a bad night out at all.

    (4)

  • Marie U.

    This place is so bad. I don't know what everyone on here is raving about. To start the service was so bad, our server not only forgot to put our order in, but was not refilling our water nor taking away any used dishes from our table. Had it been busy, it might have been understandable, but there were only 3 tables in the entire restaurant. The sushi here is so bland it tasted like it was canned fish they wrapped in rice. The rolls were also falling apart and very mushy. Also got the tempura udon soup, it literally tasted like soy sauce the water downed and boiled, and added noodles and seaweed. If you want at least semi decent food, don't bother even going here, its crap. Sorry but I don't know why anyone would pay to eat this food.

    (1)

  • Abhishek C.

    Have been here several times now. Tried the sashimi deluxe, salmon bomber, rhode island, marilyn monroe, jalapeno boats, anger shrimp and the other tuna, california rolls. Pretty good sushi for the prices. They serve oranges at the end too. Good sushi and great location right off hayden. No issues with parking.

    (4)

  • Bao H.

    Where the heck did this place come from? It's so hidden! Fortunately, my eyes are piercing and eagle-like; as long as I wear my contacts I guess haha! Sushi was real tasty especially from a non-sushi eater like me. I'm a big fan of octopus -- YUM and I love the lemon atop. The rolls were okay; it didn't really make much of a difference. It was somewhat of a reverse HH when I attended; buy a large Kirin and appetizers were only $1. In that case give me 2 I say! The place is small and low key. Great place for a chat and not too loud matter of fact. Next time I come I have to sit at the bar! Say Hi to sushi Chef Jay he'll take care of you! Service was quick, they definitely had a lot of servers for a night like Tuesday. However, I can appreciate that - quick service, quick food, quick turnover, and quick cash! - Enjoy!

    (4)

  • Davine C.

    Good sushi, good portions, good prices and nice environment. Not a hot date place but overall good causal environment at the right price!

    (4)

  • matt b.

    I can say that my wife and I are regulars here. We are not the kind of people that walk in and are like hi Norm, but we do eat here about once a week to every other week. The food is always good, and the staff is always friendly and good at what they do. The few times that we have had issues they have always been taken care of. The portions are generous and I feel it is the best bang for the buck when it comes to sushi in Scottsdale. I do eat at a few other sushi places in town, but this is my fave.

    (5)

  • Desiree R.

    Their sushi is always good. They have nice lunch specials. They greet you and are always friendly when you enter this place.

    (4)

  • Kathie C.

    I have been to this sushi place at least a half dozen times. The first couple of times I really liked it, the sushi was inexpensive and had good sized portions. After going a few times, I began to notice how bad the service was. The waitresses are rude and act as though you are wasting their time. They bring out the food in the strangest order as well. Today when I went (which will surely be the last time I go) they brought out miso soup and the sushi I ordered at the same time, followed by my dad's stir fry and followed much later by the sushi my mom ordered. And the edamame came last. Very strange. One thing that I noticed today in this particular location was that the entire place smelled like cat pee or a litter box. We sat there for a minute once we sat down trying to decide if we should leave or not because the smell was so terrible. Then, a group sat down at the table next to us and immediately started talking about how terrible it smelled. We gathered that the carpets in the restaurant were a little wet so they had just shampooed the carpets and had not let them air out properly to dry so they started to smell sort of like a wet dog. Which was disgusting. Of the rolls I ordered today, one was the Vegas roll. I've had many of these at many different sushi places. Traditionally, there is cream cheese, salmon, tuna and yellow tail and some other stuff. The "vegas roll" at Sakana was a huge chunk of cream cheese, a huge hunk of salmon and some cucumber. No other types of fish. Eeek. The only flavor that stood out was the salmon. So naturally since the roll was no good, I didn't eat it and when the waitress asked if I wanted a box, I said no, the roll wasn't good at all, I didn't like it. Instead of taking it away and asking if she could get me something else to try, she leaves the roll on the table and walks away to get the check, which she left the Vegas roll on. The whole thing that irritates me about this place is that I know this review will not make a difference. Even though I have had several bad experiences here, every time I go it is completely packed. There is something about this place that people seem to love and I just don't see it.

    (2)

  • Zara J.

    Sushi is always fresh and portions are good.

    (4)

  • Gary D.

    This is now another go-to Sushi restaurant with delicious food and drinks selections. The only reason I deducted a star was because of the service, it wasn't bad but the ladies who served all seemed to have the attitude that we should know what we want and they were a tad impatient. The lady on the front door was not of the atypical Japanese service style, she was a little rude and not at all courteous. She told us to wait and we would have a table shortly, which we did. She reminded me of a character out of the Seinfeld "Chinese restaurant" episode! Three of us had the Daily Special Sashimi dish which was excellent.

    (4)

  • NICOLAE S.

    Went there last night with my GF. Sat at the bar, it was fun, felt like in Japan. Was quite busy for a Tuesday night, can see that it can be pretty booked on a Friday or Saturday night. Beer was served in ice frozen glasses,nice touch, warm sake was good. Tried the salmon and tuna sushi and some other rolls, tasted very good and fresh. Service was quick and efficient. Would recommend.

    (4)

  • Brian E.

    Food - Our group of seven ordered seven total rolls and three appetizers. The appetizers were free with a large beer purchase. We had edamame, calamari and spring rolls. The calamari was crisp and mixed with fried jalapeño peppers. The sauce compliments the fried calamari extremely well. The spring rolls were very crisp, and very fresh. For our main course we ordered a variety of sushi rolls. All were very good with the exception of one of their specials. The Case Blanca contained great amounts of fish, but the sauce did not compliment well. It left an odd taste on our pallets. The rainbow roll, soft shell crab, spicy tuna and baked scallop rolls were our tables favorites. All are unique in flavor, but contain extremely fresh fish. We will certainly order all again, and recommend ordering. Service - the service was terrific. Our waitress had great advice, and pointed out several cost saving tricks while ordering, She had great knowledge and was completely on top of all our tables needs. The sushi came out quickly and all of the food was well timed. Ambience - the restaurant is small and very loud. It was packed on a Wednesday night. Recommend for small groups. With only a dozen tables, it will not accommodate large groups well. The metal roof leads to a lot of noise. It was ver hard to have a conversation in the restaurant. With sushi restaurants on every block, Sakana holds its own. The quality and prices are great!

    (4)

  • Ziyu W.

    Just want to drop a note, not sure when they started, but new dinner menu for Sakana, as great as always :)

    (5)

  • Chrystalle B.

    *Not a good place for groups* I went to another location last Mon and was super pleased, so when my friend said thats where we were going for her bday I was excited. Never again. Not to this location anyway. When it came time to pay the bill, our table of 12 received an adding machine tape w/ a total of $300 at the bottom. Fine. The waiter (or rather the guy who had been standing against a wall in the dining room all night texting and whispering stuff to the waitresses) refused to tell us what amounts were what items. Thats not how you run a business. If it hadnt been our friends bday we wouldve had it out w/ them. But in the interest of keeping her happy and having no conflict, we divided the bill evenly among our credit cards (he even came back and asked "No one said where to put the .66.") and couldnt get out of there fast enough. The only reason this review is 2 stars instead of 1 is becuase the quality of the food was still superb. The service however, could use an overhaul.

    (2)

  • Ether B.

    Great place if you are looking for huge pieces of sashimi for a great price. Their rolls are not the best ever but they are good. There rolls are big and the pieces are big too. If you have a big mouth this is the place. If not then you might need to cut each piece in two. Great place for the price.

    (5)

  • Tifanny a.

    Love this Sushi! Great prices, great portions, great service!!

    (5)

  • Aaron L.

    Small & hidden but very reasonable. They had a great selection of special rolls and sashimi. I was there for a birthday and they did some loud gong presentation with a giant cat which was pretty funny.

    (4)

  • Monique G.

    I feel like all I do is review valley happy hours, but this one is way at the top of the list! The sushi is beautiful, excellent quality and the daily special rolls are always killer. I've never been disappointed here. I've also never come here outside of happy hour. It's later in the day, which is good for people with, you know, jobs and real lives. I can still come here for dinner after a day at work/school and still save big with their happy hour menu! And they have this great special when you buy a large Kirin, you can get an appetizer for $1. How sweet is that?! I usually opt for the edamame or calamari (be careful, it has jalapeños). Some of my favorite rolls beyond the daily specials are the rainbow (can't go wrong there) and the scallop bomb. Really rich dishes, and very filling! I've never walked away from this place without having to unbutton my shorts because literally everything on the menu is good.... and good on the wallet :) I can't tell you how many times I've been here, and will keep coming back!

    (5)

  • Steven B.

    Sakana, used to be excellent. But they have changed management and now the fish seems older and the food is always prepared late into the meal. It is amazing how the wrong people can really ruin a great restaurant. You used to have to wait for a table, no you can walk in anytime and get a table right away.

    (2)

  • Theresa I.

    This restaurant is terrible. My boyfriend and I LOVE sushi; we're both from LA so we've had extensive experience with it. We had the Boston Roll and the spicy sushi on top looked like mushed hamburger meat. I am not exaggerating in the least. It was by far the WORST sushi roll I have ever tried. We also had the Crunchy Eel Roll, which seemed like it was a reheated roll since it was tough to chew. I honestly cannot believe it has four stars. I know it's Arizona, but there are actually decent sushi restaurants out here. This is NOT one of them.

    (1)

  • Scott S.

    I am going to be very frank. You know Sakana is just "that good" when their lunch special has taken complete control of my Wednesday night Wack o'rama Wet Dream a thon. Oh Sakana lunch, my sub concious wants to have sex with you, I want to have sex with you, and I'm pretty sure Hal J wants to have sex with you also. Once America can work out Gay Marriage, I will start testing out the water with delicious lunch special sushi marriage. But until then, no actual sushi sex for Scott. I'm not gonna mention what the Sakana lunch special comes with because I feel that will just lead to more tangents about sex, me, sakana. I was frank earlier but now let me tell the truth. I have had a friend get violenty sick from eating the Sakana Lunch Special. Let me respond to that comment by telling the truth again. I do not give a crap about that friend and neither should you. First of all his name is Larson..... what a dumb name. Second of all, who gets sick from eating raw fish? I hope you learned something from this review. I'm just a simple person who likes to lay everything on the table.........then have sex with it.

    (5)

  • Scott N.

    great fresh sushi and hamachi kama. i spent a half hour talking with sushi chef Sun and Sakana has become my sushi home away from home (Sushi On Oracle in Tucson). the service is very accommodating, although one time i went the waitress literally screamed at us and she couldn't pronounce gyoza correctly. but i can live with that as long as the food lives up. little things like that get to you when you used manage a sushi kitchen... i had some of the better fresh salmon i've had in a while last night. the yellowtail is very fresh and melts like butter. they have toro, which is always a plus. can't find it everywhere. even though they cater to the americanized sushi (lots of fried shit and rolls, some fried themselves), you can tell them you want to stay traditional and Sun will hook you up. my new sushi spot.

    (4)

  • mark g.

    I went here today for lunch Needing time away from work so I drove to sakana I walked in, the place was very busy right off the bat I was greeted with a big hello and smile ......thank you I had the savanna lunch special 9.99 which included miso soup a nice salad 6 or so pieces of fish 6 pieces of rolls and a smoked salmon tempura roll thing very good and plenty of food

    (5)

  • Alyson M.

    Favorite sushi in the area. Happy hour sun-thurs, all night. I think they are closed for lunch on the weekends. Awesome rolls for like $3-4 and the best shrimp shumai! Place gets packed so you could end up waiting, but it is definitely worth it. Oh and they only serve wine and beer. Would get 5 stars but the service isn't that good.

    (4)

  • Karen M.

    I am sttill struggling to find sushi that compares with Zushi Puzzle or Sushi Bistro in San Francisco or with my all time favorite, Sansei in Maui. I was optimistic about this place based on reviews, but it really is just average. The atmosphere is pretty good, nice and clean, makes an effort at seeming Japanese. Portions were very large and we did over order. Nigiri was fresh. The waitress either got our order wrong or the shrimp tempura roll looked and tasted like eel and the spicy tuna roll was not spicy. When asked, she insisted that the plan tuna roll was actually a spicy tuna roll. It didn't make sense because spicy tuna was delivered as part of the hand roll special and that was actually quite good? The Eel tempura roll was quite tasty. I hate fake crab...its bad enough in a California roll, but horrible in a hand roll special, I mean why bother? All the special rolls are just variations on California Rolls (again, with the fake crab). I like a combination of nigiri and rolls, but there's just not a lot of imagination here. Iced green tea was very yummy. May or may not go back...still searching....

    (2)

  • Michael C.

    First of all I am not a huge Sushi fan or even close to a connoisseur - however, on occasion the mood does strike. I really enjoyed this place, the atmosphere is nice yet casual, and the staff are really friendly. The Sushi is fresh, served in larger-than-standard portions and AMAZINGLY inexpensive. We had 4 orders of Sushi and split a 24oz beer (forgot the name, but that was some damn good beer) all for about $20. Definitely a spot I will frequent.

    (5)

  • Celeste W.

    This neighborhood sushi bar is one of the best in AZ! Fresh fish, good portions, and great service. A place where not every single roll is filled with imitation crab and drenched in sauce! Majority of their sushi menu is pretty traditional...but the sushi chefs takes special requests if you give them an idea of what you like. I especially like the Cucumber Fiesta, which is a salmon/yellowtail/tuna roll wrapped in cucumber instead rice. The staff is also very attentive. They check on your need often and clear out empty plates promptly. The thing that stood out most was the number of customers who are regulars. As I wait for a table, I always see people greeted by name and received with hugs. There must be a reason why people constantly come back, right? Check this place out and judge for yourself!

    (5)

  • Chris L.

    Just got back from Sakana. My office is about 50 yards from Sakana Scottsdale so we go there all the time. I actually have mixed feelings on Sakana. I know it's a great lunch spot but it might be much more than that ??? My main viewpoint on Sakana is a great lunch place with killer specials where you get excellent value for your dollar. The sushi is fresh and good. The cooked meals are great. The salads are great. Hard to beat when you're doing a lunch & want to have some reasonably healthy options. Add in the proximity and it's a no brainer. The question in my mind has to do with their dinner options and going big on sushi. When we had them cater one of our holiday parties in the past, we had some conversations with them about what they do and got to talking about some less mainstream dishes: ankimo (monkfish liver), amaebi (sweet shrimp), etc. I didn't realize that they focused on these as well. So a few weeks after that conversation, my wife and I headed into Sakana for dinner at one point and sat with Ray at the sushi bar. We proceeded to have a great meal. Really excellent. I was shocked as I'd always thought of it more as a "lunch spot" and wouldn't have considered it when thinking of going to my favorite spots like Yasu Sushi Bistro, Kampai, etc. Now we haven't been back for dinner since so I don't know if the stars were just aligned or if Ray was taking extra special care of us because of our discussion. So I'm hesitant to expect that we would have a similar experience just wandering in there for dinner. I need to give it another try though to find out. So with that in mind, I cannot say they don't do great traditional, high quality sushi. I can definitely say though that the lunches are great and the value is excellent. From their killer deal of the Sakana lunch to the chirashi to the calimari/jalapeno salad to the chicken cutlet, I've never had a lunch there that I was really disappointed with. It's probably our number 1 go to lunch spot. Always delivers.

    (4)

  • Ray R.

    This used to be one of my favorite sushi places. Everything is good, pretty basic sushi. They have some specialty rolls but nothing too unique. I also liked the calemari appetizer with the jalopenos. I traded this place in as my favorite for Pearl in Old Town, but still return here on occasion. There has always been a wait when I come here, but only about 15 minutes.

    (4)

  • Lucia C.

    My second visit to Sakana and I was disappointed. My first experience was really great - quiet, neighborhood atmosphere, fresh fish, friendly staff, reasonable prices and really great special rolls and sushi on the menu. What's not to love? Fast forward to my second visit, and I was wondering if I was in the wrong place. Hmm, same tables..same decor...recognize that sushi chef on the left..if this is the same place, why do I feel like I'm at RA?? First, our server was completely disinterested and distracted. We were clearly not her first priority, and likely not her 10th priority either. She brought out everything all at once - including my miso soup and Kirin light! This created a huge dilemma for me because all my food was now sitting there waiting for me to gobble down all at once. I know it won't get cold, but it's the principle of it. The last time I was at Sakana, the rolls were individually spaced for our enjoyment and separate from the appetizer course. I'm pretty sure even RA will bring the soup out first. Then, the music. During dinner, I lean over to tell my date something unbelievably romantic and realize I am yelling in his ear. Not romantic or cute. Better yet, the blaring music included Pit Bull's most recent Hotel gem and other similarly out of place selections. What? I don't know who picked the music that night, but it seemed completely out of place and a real distraction to my meal. And, I promise, I'm not an old fogey who can't get down. Finally, I was very disappointed in the sushi that night. It did not seem as fresh as it should be, and I actually had to leave several pieces to be tossed out. Now, I am not one to waste food. I am not a shy eater who nibbles on her salad over the course of a date - I will happily, though perhaps with a slight blush, out-eat any date. That means, if I let some of my sushi go to the trash, something was not right. Now, it was not foul, nor did I see reason to send everything back. But it just was not that good. I had one very good 4-5 star experience and then a disappointing 1-2 star experience - so they get a 3 from me right now. I would be willing to give Sakana a third chance - maybe my second experience was on an off night, the stars had not aligned, and I was sleep deprived and overly critical.

    (3)

  • Brian D.

    I've been to Sakana a few times and have always enjoyed the food. I wouldn't consider myself a "sushi" connoisseur so I can't really say that I can tell how fresh the fish is. However, at the bar they have all the brightly colored fish they are using laid out in a window and it all looks very fresh. I usually go during happy hour and I like how they have presentations of their daily special rolls at the bar when you walk in. All of the rolls I have tried taste great, however, some of them tend to fall apart on you. They aren't very tightly rolled and the rice isn't as sticky as some other sushi bars. I'll give it 3 stars for A-OK because, for the price, I like it but I don't think it goes above and beyond. I'll definitely be back to grab some quick tasty sushi for happy hour.

    (3)

  • Martin K.

    One of the favorite places for pure Sushi in Scottsdale. Clean and friendly. Ask for soy paper if you want your rolls less salty. The calamari salad is the bomb, you can easily split one with a friend for starters. The rolls are all great, I haven't tried anything I didn't like. Ask for Happy Hour specials as well. Be aware of their hours of operation. Fast pick up times too. Have never had a bad experience there, highly recommend it if you're looking for great sushi in Scottsdale.

    (5)

  • Samantha L.

    What can I say that 44 other reviews haven't said. I first found Sakana when I lived within walking distance of the small eatery. It wasn't until I moved 10 miles away did I start eating there. My first time I ate there was almost two years ago. I remember being surprised that there was a line outside. From my limited experience with amazing, line-worthy restaurants this, typically meant a good thing. Long story short, I wasn't disappointed. Sakana is a small sushi bar and restaurant tucked away at the end of a large strip mall. Its rather easy to miss the first time you drive by. I have always been impressed that the sushi chefs are Asian (I'm sorry but I always have found irony in how other ethnicity's cook and prepare another ethnicity's food. I'm not German, I'm not going to pretend I can cook German food well - Italian, well, that's another story... moving on). The place can seat about 10 people at the bar, another 50-60 people at tables and despite the amount of people the place can hold it's rather comfortable. The lighting is dim, the music is not intrusive and unless it's a Friday or Saturday its very easy to hear the group you're with even when it spans 2 or 3 tables. Except for spring rolls (which are totally fabulous) I haven't ordered anything besides sushi & salmon nigiri. This is hands-down the best sushi I have had in Arizona. The fish does not taste like that terrible fishy flavor that makes you wonder if it's fresh or if you'll end up sick the next day, it has the flavor of the fish you are meant to be eating. The nori is rarely ever bitter, salty, chewy or pungent. Only a handful of times out of the dozen that I have been there have I ever been disappointed in the flavor, texture or presentation of the roll. Personally I get the same thing every time I go. A Philidelphia roll and an avocado roll inside out (I like my rice outside the nori, thank you). They're my favorite and 9 times out of 10 perfectly made. It's pretty fabulous that the roll pretty much never falls apart which irks me at other places to no end. The salmon is well flavored and very smooth - it practically melts in your mouth. Other sources (some being people that I have converted to Sakana Groupies) tell me that the soft-shell crab roll is amazing. Their spicy tuna is fabulous (again doesn't taste like over powering canned tuna) and their eel roll has a surprisingly light taste, it's not as heavy or chewy as I would have thought. Order some rolls, snag some hot green tea (or some chilled cranberry sake) and appreciate some really great sushi rolls. I could do a whole review on just one roll alone... Beyond their rolls their nigiri (a piece of fish over a bed of rice) is great. Dab some wasabi on it, dip it in some soy and enjoy. A good friend of mine orders nothing but their nigiri - seriously they ordered about 16 pieces. If they have Toro on their list of sashimi, get some. You will not be disappointed.. Other people have mentioned their amazing specials. They're open for lunch now and you can easily get out of there for about 8 bucks (1 or 2 rolls and water to drink). They have a great selection on their Customer Appreciation list (has about 8-12 rolls on there) and offer every evening at least one different dinner special in addition to the 5-10 specials they're offering that night. On the other hand, with a large enough party, you can also end up leaving with a tab in the hundreds. But it's worth it. If it's only you or you're there with a small group (2 or 3) sit at the bar. You learn some pretty awesome things about preparation and some insider sushi secrets sitting at the bar chatting with the sushi chefs :) Let me know if you want to go... I don't pass up a trip to Sakana :D

    (4)

  • Alie C.

    We ate here last night for my friend's birthday. The restaurant is very small. They could definitely use an expansion. We ended up waiting about 15 minutes for our table, which wasn't bad. I really like their beer and appetizer deal. If you buy a Kiran or Kiran Lite, you get one of their appetizers for 99 cents. You can't beat that. The food was all really yummy and high quality. The prices are pretty good as well. Most of the time you can get either a 5-piece or 8-piece roll, which gives you the chance to try more without spending a lot. They also give you fresh oranges to end your meal. The service was a bit lackluster, but maybe that's just the way the restaurant is run. Since it was my friend's birthday, they brought over the lucky cat statue (excuse me for not knowing what it's called) and sang to him in Japanese, which was pretty cool. In the end, I would definitely eat here again when I'm craving some delicious sushi!

    (4)

  • Tessa B.

    I never thought I'd be giving my go to sushi joint 2 stars, but alas I am. It's sad but true, over the past year I've watched Sakana slip. I'm not sure what happened to the little neighborhood sushi place that was once "authentic". Last night was the last straw. Like always I ordered a house salad that at one time was chalk full of tomatoes, fresh sliced mushrooms and a delightful ginger dressing. This was not the case last night. There was ONE sliced tomato and no mushrooms . The gingery dressing that I once loved has now been converted into the salty, orange mess. I tried to eat it but after I felt the taste buds in my mouth disintegrating from sodium overload, I stopped. Next came the sushi. We ordered 3 different rolls; soft shell crab, Tootsie, and a spicy tuna. They were all wrapped so loose that it made it next to impossible to eat with chopsticks. I hate when I see people eating sushi with their hands, but last night I was one of those people. I tasted one of the spicy tuna rolls and decided it was best not eat another one. It tasted....fishy.....and anyone sushi eater knows that when fish tastes fishy, its bad news. On a good note, the server was very nice. She took spicy tuna off the bill since we had only consumed one. She also offered free dessert but we declined and left. I hate to say it but I will probably not return. Oh, and did I mention we also had the pleasure of listening to Justin Bieber while we dined. If I wanted to hang around sake bombing 19 year olds I would have gone to RA. Sorry Sakana.

    (2)

  • Jonathan F.

    A prospective customer at Sakana must check out the Customer Appreciation Sushi Roll menu before ordering from the "main" menu. Customer Appreciation rolls are the full size rolls at most Japanese restaurants in California and tastes just as good if not better. $7 for 5 large cuts of Hamachi sashimi. Add $2 for a bowl of sushi rice and you will be in sashimi heaven. The Ikura at this restaurant are the best I have ever tasted anywhere. Beers for as afforadable as $3.25. Sodas with free refills for $1.95. Can you find this quality at these prices in Scottsdale? I didn't think so!

    (5)

  • Steve M.

    Went yesterday as a group of four just as they opened (camped out at Crust while we waited for 5:30 to come around) and went straight for the sushi menu. I ordered salmon roe (ikura) and mackerel (saba) - the two items I get (if possible) whenever I go out for sushi. I usually order a dragon roll as well but for whatever reason Sakana doesn't have one. v_v. The rest of the group ordered yellowtail, salmon, tuna, some tofu and a few rolls. They got their order fairly quick but mine was delayed for some reason. I had to ask on two separate occasions where my sushi was before they finally brought it out. The first time (about fifteen minutes after sushi came) she apologized for the wait and said she would check. About ten minutes later I asked again and received the same response. Roughly seven or eight minutes after that, I got my sushi. The salmon roe was good - delicious and salty, just the way I like it (I like to taste fish when I eat fish, go figure). The mackerel, however, was very bland... almost tasteless. I am not used to mackerel being so nondescript so that really threw me off. There was quite a bit of fish on my rice so I appreciate the amount they gave me, but a whole lot of mediocre is still mediocre. Overall it was a decent sushi experience for the price but there are much better places around town. Probably won't be visiting again for some time. Though I will say it was nice to hear Drake while we ate. (Kind of.)

    (3)

  • Ted K.

    Go sit at the bar and watch the legendary sushi chef Masa perform his craft. It is done at a super high level and the Wednesday Night sushi half price deal is fun. There be a whole lot of sushi goin on. Good times, good people and great sushi. Order anything it really doesnt matter as everything is done at a very high level. If you really want to get crazy then have Masa make you his special spicy sauce to go along with some of your rolls. Its legit. Not for the weak however... The service in this establishment is great as well I must admit. Overall this place is a big time winner for sushi.

    (4)

  • Rui W.

    In town for business and found this place on Yelp. Ordered the Tuna and Salmon sashime and was surprised the portion with the price. Each order offers 5 think slice of fish, wow, great deal. Also order the Crunchy Eel Roll, which has cream cheese in it (not a big fan of cheese in sushi). The roll has crunchy outside, but didn't taste the eel part.

    (4)

  • Alexa G.

    My favorite sushi bar in AZ! Great staff and the sushi chefs are super friendly and very good at their job! And, if you order a Kirin you get a .50 appetizer! BEST SUSHI! ^_^

    (5)

  • Jennifer R.

    I was there with the same group as Chrystalle B (below). The food was great, but that was it. Service was slow and the bill was a complete joke. There weren't prices on all the items on the menu, so 12 people trying to look at a calculator tape and try to figure out what roll was what price? Not a good time. We won't be back!

    (2)

  • lindsay b.

    So I really fought coming here because it always looked like a hole in the wall to me. My mom loves coming here (but then again she loves wildfish )So I said what the hell. She chose this place for here bday. We got there at 5:30 right when it opened so we were instantly seated. It was happy hour and they had the basic rolls half off. We ordered the spicy tuna and the tootsie roll. The tootsie roll was not the normal salmon cream cheese schpeal it normally is. It was just cali roll with Shrimp tempura. I would give the spicy tuna roll 3 stars, it gets 3 and not 2 only because it wasnt fishy. It was just rice and heavily mayo'd tuna, with no spice. They should have added a little green onion put half as much mayo and maybe added a little cucumber for crunch. The tootsie roll is impossible to f up there, so it was good for what it was. We also ordered one of the speacialty rolls the yellow tail tempura. It was ok again 3 stars only that high because no bad fish flavor. It seems the quality and care for the fish is there but the sushi chef destroys all the rolls with too much mayo or Krab. They should invest in a few new chefs or training or something. Even the shape was off, it seemed this guy was straight out of school? Maybe it was just the guy who happened to be there that night? I would go back but only if I was meeting someone there.

    (3)

  • Andrew F.

    I've been in the valley for almost a year and so far Sakana is the best sushi restaurant I've found (and I've been looking). First, the bad: on Friday night I met some friends at 7:30 -- we were a party of 4 and were told it would be a 30 minute wait. The wait ended up being over an hour, due to a couple of large parties just camping out after the bill had been paid. Keep in mind, this is a small restaurant. It would have been appreciated if the staff could have dropped subtle hints to these patrons that there was a slew of people waiting for their tables. Otherwise, the sushi is very tasty. The soft-shell crab roll is my personal favorite, and at around $9, an indicator that this place is easy on the wallet. Portions are large. Service has been consistently fast and friendly. The decor is simple and nothing ornate, making it feel like a nice family restaurant. People were dressed in anything from gym attire to business casual. Sakana is on the top of my mind when I think of going out for sushi in Phoenix.

    (4)

  • Jennifer I.

    I say give 20% if you're happy. And we were! My hubby and I had dinner last night at Sakana. Believe it or not, we spent only $38 before 20% tip. Sakana is in par with my favorite sushi restaurant Yoshi but the former is way cheaper (San Francisco, Oakland). We ordered Agedashi Tofu, Tootsie roll, Soft Shell Crab Roll and Chicken Teriyaki. Apparently, they have a special if you buy a drink you get to choose an appetizer. The vegetable spring rolls (3 pieces, mind you) was delish. If you're looking for a save-my-pocket-today kinda dinner, here is the place. Great place with great food.

    (5)

  • Layla C.

    After all the hype on yelp, I decided to check this place out. We arrrived at 8PM. No line on a Tuesday. When we entered, there was more light outside than inside the restaurant. I had to totally readjust my pupils - but that didn't happen. So right off the bat, I'll give this place a thumbs up to take a potentially 'ugly' blind date. Seriously, I couldn't read the menu, see what kind of faces were in the crowd, much less see my childhood friend's lovely face. I felt dizzy. We ordered the tofu adage, soft shell crab roll, spicy tuna roll, salmon nigiri, and shrimp tempura roll. We were STuFFED. The food was very tasty, but maybe a bit too tasty- but that's personal preference. I prefer light flavor, dainty size bites (savoring the natural flavors), but they serve huge size rolls....... the kind you try to bite in half, but it all falls apart, so you have to put the whole thing in your mouth, and you chew it for 5 minutes - and all this happens as your friend starts to ask you a question. All this was done as if I was blind-folded :) It's a decent place. Romantic for a date, authentic in local but also americanized flavors. it was very good for the price and portions. Not sure if I'd make the trip again, but yelp didn't allow 3.5 stars.

    (4)

  • J R.

    Sakana is one of the best Sushi Restaurants in Scottsdale. It's located in a strip Mall at Hayden and Indian Bend in Scottsdale. The fish is fresh and the service is awesome. On Mondays thru Thursday, they have special sushi roll deals that can't be beat. You have to try this non-trendy, but delicious sushi bar.

    (5)

  • Jennifer W.

    Sakana is one of my two favorite neighborhood sushi joints. I love their calamari salad (although the one at this location is considerably smaller than the one on 59th ave) and agedashi tofu. The waitstaff is friendly and their bday song is always fun! Insider's tip: ask for some real wasabi!

    (4)

  • Singha F.

    2.5 stars. Ah, yelp, you caused me to have high expectations for this place. I was left feeling disappointed. The nigiri sushi isn't that fresh. I've had a lot better--maybe because I'm spoiled with good sushi in Los Angeles. This place is more for "Americanized" rolls, which aren't too bad, and they have interesting combos, so I'll bump it up a 1/2 star for creativity. Prices are very reasonable, but if you're looking for traditional sushi, this isn't the place for you.

    (2)

  • Kim D.

    This place is for purists! Be prepared for a great deal of questionable textured items if you order the tasting...Great sushi and sashimi however I would go to sakana sushi & grill for a true sashimi / sushi experience.

    (4)

  • Chad F.

    Amazing! I was in Phoenix on a business trip with a couple of colleagues and I decided on Sakana based on the Yelp reviews. Although, it was a good 20 min drive from where we were staying in Phoenix, it was WELL worth the trip. The restaurant is not very big, so even on a Tues night, we had to wait about 10-15 mins for a table. The waitstaff was very friendly and attentive. We all started with a Kirin Ichiban bomber with a small side of hot sake (Yes, it was a combo offering!) With it, you would also get an appetizer for only 50 cents! We took advantage of the specially priced "Sakana designer rolls" for customer appreciation nights (otherwise called Mon-Thurs evenings). In addition, we also got some maguro nigri sushi, dynamite roll, eel roll, and an order of mixed tempura. In all, we probably had over 60 pieces of sushi and plenty other Asian culinary delights. The quality of the sushi and other food was amazing. The best part, our entire bill came to $90... at least 40% less than we were expecting (or what you would expect to pay just about anywhere else). I will DEFINITELY return on my next visit to the Phoenix area!

    (5)

  • Shon P.

    Can get a bit crowded -- not uncommon to see a line leading out the door on weekends. Couple this with the fact that servers are in no rush to seat people... Still, a great place to grab quality sushi. And the prices are not outrageous.

    (4)

  • David L.

    More than a year later and this is till my favorite sushi bar in the valley. Since my last review, they've changed the happy hour menu to a "Customer Appreciation" menu that is available Sunday through Thursday, with smaller portions of the normal sushi (no more lettuce in the rolls). My only complaint about Sakana is it's popularity. It seems that if I come too late in the day, I'll have to wait for a table and it seems like they often run out of Tamago.

    (5)

  • Lisa S.

    Love their sushi...consistently good and reasonable. They have a lot of roll options and don't try to get all showy with crazy rolls. The servers are so attentive and friendly. Our orders have always come out quickly even when its packed. Stopping at Sakana is a once a month ritual for me.

    (4)

  • Nathan B.

    Great neighborhood sushi restaurant. Happy hour is super cheap. Buy a beer and get a 50cent app? Sign me up! My friend and I ordered around 10 rolls and orders of sushi plus a couple beers and our bill was only $50. Sushi was fresh and good quality. All the rolls we ordered were delicious. 4 stars only because the service was a little slow, but they only had 2 guys rolling sushi for the entire restaurant.

    (4)

  • Yaphet T.

    Great quality of food!! Sushi was surprisingly good considering Sakana not being one of those hard-to-find "authentic" Japanese eateries. My only major problem was the very VERY poor service: it was slow and the waiter actually forgot to bring back the check and credit card. The quality of food though somewhat balanced it out and the reason I'm giving this place 3 stars. If you're looking for a good Japanese eat in Arizona then this is your place...just watch out for the excessive poor servic.

    (3)

  • Dan L.

    I had a life changing experience today and that was of Hamachi Kama. For quite some time now, after watching food programs that showcase Tuna collar, I have been dying to try it. So in my research of finding restaurants that serve such this item I stumbled across Sakana. From my first bite, I was in love. The Hamachi lived up to its reputation! A nice size piece of fish, grilled to perfection. I devoured this dish and could ate about two more servings of this. I also ordered some sushi pieces as well. The sushi was standard issue. It wasn't mindblowingly good, but it was not terrible. It totally satiated my appetite. The inside is a quaint and cute little place. I'd say it would probable sit around 50 people. The decor, is nothing too fancy, but it's not bland either, just the right mix. They offered several different lunch specials and the portions were huge for the price. Also they have two lists of special appetizers. They have several items that are $.50 cents each if you order a bottle of Kirin beer. And they have several items that are $1.00 each if you order a bottle of Kirin beer. That's nice if you're curious to try something new. What's an extra either 50 cents or a buck? All in all, just go for the Hamachi Kama. I will be back for sure just for this one item!

    (4)

  • Phil S.

    Sakana is a perfect neighborhood Sushi joint, my favorite for casual Sushi in Scottsdale. The food is good, the energy is GREAT, and I always enjoy a trip here. In case you forgot that Sushi is worth getting excited about, the waitresses here remind you just by their totally authentic, joyful way of being. Staff here are having a great time serving you fresh fish and yummy rolls, joking around with the customers and each other. Whether you want to knock back a shot of Sake with the sushi chef or not, they'll recognize you when you come back and they'll love you for being a friend. You can't go wrong with some Veggie Tempura, a Rainbow Roll, and that tasty orange they bring with your check.

    (4)

  • Rebecca B.

    Great place for Sushi, ordered the Musscles ( Caution very large order even with only four) Great wine. Ordered Eel Crunch Roll, Tuna Roll, Soft Shell Crab Roll. All of it was to die for. A little Gem. Pricing is competitive not high or low. Environment is pleasant, service was wonderful and waitress was very helpful with suggestions and information.

    (5)

  • Jack T.

    Why yes.... I love ridiculously Americanized cream cheese and avocado-stuffed deep-fried makizushi (if you can even still call it that). And I make no apologies! Purists be damned. That being said, Sakana's rainbow roll, philly roll, and crunchy eel rolls were totally melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Crunchy eel had to be my favorite. Flaming phoenix was pretty good, too. I have to back up a bit.... I started with the ahi tataki salad. It's way bigger in person than it looked in the photo, and sooooo good (note: I normally HATE salads, just ordered it for the seared tuna and ended up eating a good amount of the salad itself). I also tried the spicy tuna roll and it was a big disappointment... BARELY any spice and the tuna tasted a little fishy, definitely not as scrumptious as the tuna in the salad. But I had so many other yummy things to nosh on, I didn't mind abandoning the spicy tuna. I'm not sure if it's a regular thing, but they had 50c appetizers if you order a Kirin. The prices on all the dishes were totally reasonable. They DON'T have a full bar, I'm not sure why there are 3 votes for that.

    (4)

  • Frank G.

    I am in love with this place. Met here for a business lunch and was blown away. We met at 11:30 to beat the crowd -- good thing because by noon the place was packed (good sign). I had the Hand Roll Special (three different rolls, soup and salad) and everything was fantastic. I never did ask what each one was called, but one was a crunch roll with a tuna and a jalapeno pepper. The world would be a better place if I could eat that every day. The other two were just as good. I was just as impressed with the service. The servers were all very friendly, helpful and attentive -- but not too attentive if you know what I mean. I will absolutely be back.

    (5)

  • Scout S.

    Super fresh, cheap price, high quality, big portions...these things don't usually go together...but they do at Sakana. This is a nice little local joint that is busy, so you know the sushi is fresh out of the ocean. They have an excellent lunch special where it is around 12 dollars and you get salad and about 10 big pieces of sushi...pretty amazing! Also, if you don't dig sushi they have great bento boxes that have really great salmon and chicken. Check this place out you will be pleased!

    (5)

  • Mark T.

    There are sushi snobs everywhere. Sushi in Phoenix? Ha. At least that's what I used to think. Sure it's easy to look down on everyone who thinks they've had good sushi after eating at Ra, or Zen 32 - but forgive them, this is Phoenix and they're still learning about sushi and that's okay. When they're done having bad california rolls and a happy hour menu full of pieces that fall apart, take them to Sakana in Scottsdale. I know, I said Scottsdale but don't let that turn you away. Sakana is away from the cheesy old town and located in a non-descript strip mall on Hayden just east of Scottsdale Rd. You won't be disappointed. In fact, you'll be surprised at how awesomely fresh, clean and flat out delicious your food will be. If it's just you and a friend, I'd definitely recommend sitting at the bar and not only watch the sushi chefs work, but actually talk with them. While there are a few who would prefer not to say anything, there is usually at least one who's up for anything and definitely up for you buying them a cup of saki. The lunch and happy hour specials are excellent here. Order lots and try everything eventually. It's all good. We used to live deep in Phoenix at 36th st & McDowell and we'd make the trek to Sakana simply because anything else was bound to be sub-par. Sure Zen32 was practically in our front yard, but we'd simply keep driving. The ambiance is everything you'd expect for being in Scottsdale except you'll notice that families come here. You'll see groups of friends both old and young eating and drinking - all without the pretense you'll find down in Old Town. This isn't the sushi restaurant to be seen, this is where you go if you want the best sushi you can find in all of Phoenix. If you grew up and Phoenix and the first time you had sushi was during a Zen32 happy hour, graduate and get over to Sakana in Scottsdale.

    (5)

  • Kari J.

    Since I moved to AZ from Los Angeles I have been searching far and wide for a sushi place that met my high standards for great sushi. Sakana is hands down the best in town. The fish is fresh, the rolls are huge and nothing beats the .50 cent appetizers when you buy a beer! I recommend going on a weeknight, Friday and Saturday nights can fill up pretty quickly so you might have to wait.... but it's worth it.

    (5)

  • Nate S.

    Well priced sushi for what you get. Not top notch, but better than your average sushi joint. The assortment of rolls is very basic. If you don't like California rolls you may not like Sakana. My favorite roll was the dragon roll I asked for (not on the menu). The valentines day special with 3 pieces of tuna, albacore, yellowtail, salmon and another tuna was very generous for $16.99. I'd come here again, but I will be able to wait. It would be a 3.5 but since sushi isn't a specialty in AZ I'll round up.

    (4)

  • Sean K.

    Wow... Never had a bad experience at this place. always fresh and well prepared. Their daily specials are always a hit with my group. If they have, please do try their White Tuna (toro and/or regular cut). it is THE BEST white tuna I've had... Their regular menu has not changed for a LOOOOOOONG time, so even though they are good, they are "usual/average" Japanese dishes, and not too spectacular. so go to Sakana for their FRESH Sushi and AWESOME specials.

    (5)

  • Irwin F.

    Great sushi place! Ample portions of sashimi. Unagi is the best I've had. And don't forget the Tako salad. The atmosphere is okay. It's not bad, but not exactly cool. Of course, if it were 4 miles south (in Old Town Scottsdale), you'd never get a table.

    (5)

  • Debbie L.

    We got our lunch togo and to pickup since we're staying at a nearby hotel. We ordered the Pork Cutlet and Tempura which were both suppose to come with soup, salad, and rice. Both our orders got salad, but only one rice and no soup at all. The dressing for the salad was bitter and weird. Even the salad pieces were bitter. The Pork Cutlet was okay, but it was on the dry side. And the tonkatsu sauce wasn't that good. I'm not sure if they make it themselves, or they buy it. The tempura batter was a little thick and not that great. Making pork cutlet and tempura isn't that hard, I don't know how they went wrong with that. Maybe they're only known for their sushi. We haven't tried it yet, but we probably won't anyways.

    (2)

  • Audrey D.

    Not the BEST sushi in town but it's definitely worth going to for the price and quantity/quality. Sometimes I just get a sushi craving but don't want to be blowing $$$ and Sakana is the solution. The sashimi there is the best priced in town - more quality AND quantity for a cheaper price!

    (4)

  • Phil D.

    Our first visit here on a very busy Saturday night. Got seated after a wait of 15 minutes or so. Wife irritated as they only gave me a menu. But, the food arrived promptly and overall the service was good. We're going back!

    (4)

  • Joey R.

    This place is awesome! They have great quality sushi at great prices. I live the one on Hayden and Indian Bend so I am always there. I know that I can go to Blue Wasabi or Stingray but what I like about this place it's not stuck up or pretentious like the other places. Many people go there because it's the place to be seeing. If you want good sushi at good prices without having to wear you best pair of Seven jeans this is the place for you. They have multiple locations so you can be in nay part of town and find one of their locations.

    (4)

  • Shannan M.

    Sakana - forgive me! I love you! Yes, honey, I ate somewhere else tonight, but you were with me in heart, mind and spirit the whole time! In my mind I have written to you millions of times and sung your praises on the top of Mt. Yelp professing my love and admiration for your large servings, sake selection and wonderful service. When I am with you, there is no other and you are first in my heart. But you know, honey, how the song goes... "and if you can't be with the one you love, honey, love the one you're with, love the one you're with, love the one you're with, love the one you're with." Sakana, I still love you!

    (5)

  • Jeff R.

    Had the Salmon & Tuna sushi and is was amazing. Some of the best sushi I've had in the Valley. The sushi was generous, and very fresh (can't really ask for much more at a sushi place). The also seem to have an assortment of rolls that are on special from Sunday-Thursday night, but the sushi was so filling, I couldn't eat any more. The place was very busy, and the staff was very attentive.

    (5)

  • Natalie A.

    Hubby and I were in the mood for Katsu, so we stopped by for dinner. We sat at the bar and were entertained by the chefs making sushi. Please note the dinner menu is different than the lunch menu. They don't serve Katsu at dinner. So we ended up ordering sushi. The sushi was very fresh the pieces are huge. We did order the oysters that were on special, but they didn't seem that fresh. It is a little pricey, but I did not feel that we were ripped off. Overall, sushi was good and the atmosphere was nice for a date night.

    (3)

  • Mary M.

    When it comes to sushi in the beautiful Valley of the Sun...this is the place. No reason to waste your time with other sushi joints. Sakana provides the freshest fish, best selection, and best value. My husband likes the atmosphere...always a good scene... We will be back again, and again. I had lunch at the 59th Ave and 101 the other day for lunch. Smaller than the one on Hayden, same layout and lots of great sushi.

    (5)

  • Carrie T.

    I don't know how this place got a 4-star average. We showed up later in the evening, but they were still open and seating. Out of 4 rolls, one was good. The other three were pretty disgusting. They were made sloppily, everything had TONS of mayo and not enough spice. They smash up the salmon for their spicy salmon, which leads me to believe it's not very fresh, and it makes for a very mushy texture. The miso soup was good, at least... Anyway, they turned on the bright lights and started stacking chairs before we had finished paying. Sorta rude. As a server who has worked in restaurants for a long time, I think that if you take tables until 9:30, you should expect to properly wait on them until they are finished. Otherwise close earlier and don't take the table. I'm NEVER going back here, Ew.

    (1)

  • Alicia B.

    3/11/08 UPDATE: Sakana is great for take-out, too. Generous portions of nigiri sushi are sure to delight just about anyone. While they may not offer alot of selection when it comes to rolls, what they do serve up is mighty tasty and sure to satiate even the most hungry of sushi lovers. * * * Forget that it's in a strip mall or lacks decor. Just go. Sakana is one of the best places in the Valley to enjoy sushi. They have unique rolls that'll pique your interest, and perhaps encourage an eye brow raise. If colorful rolls aren't your thing, then go with the sashima - the pieces are so generous, you'll feel like you robbed the place.

    (4)

  • Jason G.

    The best, freshest and most affordable sushi around. The pieces of fish (especially the albacore and yellowtail) are large and delicious. Their rolls are unique and are great combos of fish and other ingredients equaling great flavor. Try the burning skull roll...awesome.

    (4)

  • Brittany S.

    So whenever I have had a hankering for sushi in the past, I always wound up in old town at Ra or Stingray...or one of the other 20 sushi joints within 10 feet of one another. That, and I always wound up paying an arm and a leg for sushi. Not so with Sakana! A good friend let me in on this place, as it is kind of hidden in a strip mall. Yelp helped me find it :) Anyhow, I am a yellowtail sashimi kind of girl, and I must say that Sakana has great quality. I also found that the staff was very flexible- they even made my friend and I things that arent even on the menu. Amazing. That, is above and beyond the call of duty.

    (5)

  • Courtney M.

    This is my favorite sushi restaurant. I'm always completely blown away by the sushis presentation, taste, and well...everything. Theyve been replaced by a much cheaper sushi restaurant but I still think fondly of Sakana. Easily the best sushi in Arizona. Just too pricey for me to frequent ;{

    (4)

  • Ren B.

    Good sushi but for some reason (I dunno if a new guy made ours or of they were rushed) but almost all of our rolls weren't rolled very well (tightly)...they almost all fell apart when we picked them up with our chopsticks

    (4)

  • Craig C.

    While on vacation in Scottsdale, we were looking for a fun little sushi place and turned to YELP as we usually do. Sakana had great reviews so we went. We had a great time! The sushi was really good, the staff was fun and friendly and so were the people sitting at the sushi bar.

    (5)

  • Harrison W.

    Never disappointing. Ever.

    (5)

  • Kate o.

    I love this sushi spot!!!! The fish is so fresh and you recieve decent portions for the price! The only thing I would have negative to say is the service is lacking extremely! You wait forever to get a drink even your bill. I reccommend sitting at the sushi bar at least you will get your sushi in time before the resturaunt closes!

    (4)

  • Emily M.

    Sakana is a great alternative to the RAs and Stingrays of Scottsdale. Tucked in the Indian Bend/Hayden plaza, this place is a little less well known and has quite a bit better food than being right in Old Town. You miss a bit of the trendiness of being in the center of it all, but that warrants perks like dressing down (flip flops and t-shirts are totally acceptable here) and paying less. Check out their daily specials for the best deals. Lunchtime also has some hidden gems. Service here has always been good and the food is flawless.

    (4)

  • Bill H.

    Great for lunch, always excellent specials.

    (5)

  • Stevey P.

    I can't believe there's only three other reviews of this place. OMG. Sakana is one of my favorite sushi places in Arizona. Now Scottsdale and the rest of the Valley are not lacking in sushi restaurants - especially trendy sceney places. Yawn. In fact, I found there to be more sushi bars than I expected for our desert outpost. But what separates one from the others are: good food, fresh fish, good service, good value. And this place def does it right... Plus it's the only place I know of (can anyone help me out here?) in the area where I can find the holy grail of all sushi - the rich, but-gusting, let-me-workout-before-I-eat-this baked scallop roll. Now, let me explain. In "Sushi Heaven" (otherwise known to laymen as Ventura Blvd. in L.A.) there is this place that serves this and is known for this tasty delicacy. But I have yet to find a place that serves the baked scallop roll (basically a california roll covered in warmed baked scallops), but along came Sakana. Prices are reasonable, the decor is a happy medium - not too trendy, not too drab. I never have to wait here - but always find myself waiting when I go to RA. Whatever. Something is wrong with that picture... The crowd ranges the spectrum from older couples, families with kids, younger couples, and friends catching up after work. I hear there are other locations throughout the Valley, but this is the one I frequent. Another bonus for this place is the location away from Old Town Scottsdale and the parking headaches there. Here, however, you will find parking to be easy since it's in an Albertson's strip mall.

    (5)

  • Richard R.

    Fresh sushi and friendly staff.....best place in town for sushi (loved ZEN 32-RIP)! My partner and I have been there over ten times and we've never had bad food or service.

    (5)

  • Alex A.

    I love sakana. They have the best lunch time happy hour! Its always delicious and seriously reasonably priced. :)

    (5)

  • Carmelo W.

    I love the food here! It's great. Service is alright. Large portions.

    (4)

  • Kristin P.

    More like 3.5 stars - wish Yelp would offer that option! I would never have stopped at Sakana if a friend had not taken me there. Located in a typical AZ strip mall, it looks unimpressive from the outside. Inside, it is small, fairly uninteresting, but comfortable. You can sit at the bar or at one of several tables. Service was slow, but friendly. We ordered the gyoza, which was delicious. Often gyoza seems to be served cooler than I would prefer, but this was hot and well-flavored and delicious. I had in mind Chicago-sized rolls, so we ordered 4 rolls for dinner. Waaaay too much food - 2 rolls would have been fine. The special rolls of the day are on a board by the sushi bar, and the server didn't tell us about them, so I am glad I asked. The spicy tuna was nothing spectacular, but the spicy crunch California roll was delicious, as was the Tootsie roll and the specialty of the night. Gyoza, 4 rolls, 2 large Japanese beers for a grand total of $48. I was shocked - again, I am used to Chicago prices. What a deal!!! If I lived in AZ, I would definitely frequent this place, well-priced, casual, comfortable sushi. Not flashy or trendy or a good place to "see and be seen", if that is your thing, better off in Old Town - this is just good sushi.

    (4)

  • Andrew K.

    Good sushi, great service, casual neighborhood atmosphere. The people who come here come back again and again. I thought the spicy rolls were pretty spicy on my visit, as well. Just a heads-up.

    (4)

  • Morgan C.

    eaten here for 10 years, best sushi ever, fair prices and very nice people

    (5)

  • Jessica G.

    A friend suggested Sakana as being a perfectly good sushi restaurant in the area. Given that she is a fellow So. Californian, I figured she might be on to something. Pleasantly, she was! The place was busy when we arrived and we had to wait 20 mins for a table. However, as soon as we sat to wait, the hostess asked us if we would like a drink. Of course we would! It certainly helped the wait time pass. We were seated at a comfortable table and immediately offerred drinks and/or $.50 appetizers.....$.50 appetizers?!? We ordered two; scallop poppers and spring rolls. Both were pretty good for $.50. We then ordered two rolls, the eel and a jalapeno boat (tuna, avocado, tempura type) - both were fantastic! Sushi - albacore & spicy scallops...again really delicious. The albacore was like butter. It was cold and refreshing. Then we had the yellowtail sashimi - a true test of a good sushi restaurant - and it was absolutely fabulous. We finished with a standard spicy tuna toll and it was great. The fish tasted pretty fresh and that was impressive. Im not joking - I was really impressed. The best part is that the prices are fantastic and incredibly reasonable. Our check and sugar/water drenched oranges were delivered promptly after our meal and we left happy and excited to have found a good sush place in AZ!

    (4)

  • Danine D.

    Sakana is a clean place. Sakana's service is decent. It's prices reasonable. The sashimi was nice, cut retarded, but nice. Sakana is a good place to take someone who really likes crab salad; because nearly every roll is a crab salad California roll. Then maybe they add something to it. Seriously. The green paste wasabi was very weak. I had to use a full teaspoon to feel any heat. The spicy salmon on top of the California roll (oops I mean Alaskan roll) was MINCED. I kid you not. They did not lay some fresh cut salmon on the roll, it was reformed into a salmon chunk from chopped up salmon. BLINK. What saves Sakana a bit is they had a nice chicken cutlet appetizer, thin, juicy, nice panko. Great for my child who isn't a sushi monster. I saw a salad go by that looked nice. It did get a lot of business, but I suspect it is from people who like very americanized items, in particular the crab salad you can buy at any grocery store. There were plenty of kids there, so if you want to introduce sushi to a child or someone, this might be a good place. They give you an orange at the end. Nice. If you are a sushi afficiando... you'll need to look elsewhere.

    (3)

  • Chad A.

    Personally, when it comes to sushi, it doesn't get any better than Sakana. Service is amazing. Ray brings life to the the small restaurant. The food is simply, yet varied. We keep returning for the different special rolls each week. Price is very reasonable, especially compared to other sushi bars. Make sure to sit at the bar, the chefs have great personalities, AND DON'T FORGET the real wasabi!

    (5)

  • Catherine M.

    Confession of a landlocked seafood lover: I'm a fan of Sakana. I know, I know, it's not the Most Perfect Sushi Ever but all things considered, the prices, variety, specials and service are far above average. I'll take it! There's a great "Customer Appreciation" sushi menu offered Thurs.-Sun. and though there's often a wait, it's a quick one. Don't be afraid to order an Ichiban in the lobby. They'll happily deliver.

    (4)

  • Brent A.

    The big problem I have with Yelp is that all of my favorite secret dining spots get discovered! Well since the word's out here is my two cents worth. This is a gem of a sushi joint. It's tucked away in a strip center off of Hayden and you would not expect to find one of the best deals in town here. Really fresh product, good portions and very reasonable prices. The bad news is there can be a bit of a wait around six since it only has a dozen or so tables. The good news is my neighborhood bar is still off the radar.

    (5)

  • Kristina W.

    I enjoyed all of the food I tried at Sakana. Their sashimi pieces were huge and good quality. I tried the white tuna and wasn't impressed with that but the salmon was very good. The unagi was overcooked so I'd avoid that again. All of the rolls were good but the tofu salad was a little watery (but since I got it to go, it might have been better in the restaurant). It's hard to fully enjoy take out sushi but Sakana was good.

    (4)

  • Jessica J.

    Sakana is such a treasure! They have the best sushi in Scottsdale as far as I'm concerned. From the location and front of the building you'd never expect it to be as good as it is. They display their daily special rolls in the front and they always are so tempting I have to try at least one. My favorite thing on the menu is the baked scallop roll. If you've never had one, you MUST try it here!!!! Seems like other people love it too because they get busy every evening and usually have a wait. If you don't like to wait, avoid the prime times. They also have great happy hour and customer appreciation nights.

    (5)

  • Cindy W.

    by far, the worst sushi i have ever had in my life. the service was horrible. the atmosphere is the worst. i don't understand all the outstanding reviews. clearly, if you don't care much about sushi this is the place for you. the rolls are super large and not comfortable eating unless you are a giant man (i'm a girl) with a giant mouth. there are 5 pieces to one roll compared to 8 pieces (the standard) in all reputable sushi restaurants. the atmosphere is low rent and tonights service was horrible. the waitress neglected to take the menu off our table tonight which caused my husband to tip over his beer. i proceeded to clean it up on my own, gathering napkins from other tables to wipe up the mess. she acted put out when she saw what we were cleaning up. whatever you do, do not order the spicy tuna. it is nothing but a mashed up concoction that i will just think of and get sick to my stomach. it was mushy and gross. it's the worst sushi i've ever had. what is going on with these stellar reviews? we live down the street from sakana and have tried time and time again to give this place a chance because it is convenient. i can safely say, we will never be returning again. if you are someone who loves sushi, like me, trust me and never go here.

    (1)

  • Mika G.

    Hands down - my favorite sushi restaurant of ALL TIME. Baked Scallop Roll, large portions, friendly staff, fresh ingredients, inexpensive, etc. etc. etc. it's just HEAVEN! There's also a location on Elliott road in the Awhatukee area. Personally I like the atmosphere better at that one - it's a little more lively - but both locations are wonderful.

    (5)

  • Wanugee N.

    This is the 2nd best sushi in Scottsdale, without being overpriced and over dramatized by $3 million decor, like most of the boring unauthentic restaurants in Snotsdale that snowboreds with money to burn go to get drunk. They have Japanese chefs, and they give you huge and fresh, oversized but correctly sliced fish on nicely groomed rice. You have to get here early, as it opens at 5:30 and fills up by 6. They have well prepared non-sushi dishes, too, and friendly service.

    (5)

  • S S.

    Awesome sushi. Their albacore sashimi melts in your mouth. Boston rolls are great. Try the burning skulls sometime also. It's such a small restaurant-I don't even eat there much anymore. It's easier to pick it up.

    (5)

  • John V.

    realized I rank this a 3, what am I insane??

    (4)

  • Bil Z.

    Wow. Some of, if not the best, sushi in the Phoenix metropolitan area. And when you throw in the reasonable prices, far and away the best value. Be prepared, the portions are about 20-30% larger than you get at other sushi restaurants. Have been there dozens of times. The only problem is that it is a small restaurant, so there can be a wait during peak meal times, even during the week.

    (5)

  • Maureen F.

    Of all the Sushi restaurants in the Scottsdale area, Sakana is top notch. Even though it's a small location and always quite busy, they provide great service, great food, and an inviting atmosphere. On my recent visit, I had an appetizer of Shrimp Shumai which was the best I ever had and 2 orders of Octopus of the sushi menu. It was some of the best I've ever had. Highly recommended for great quality sushi.

    (4)

  • Bjorn H.

    We were surprised at how good the sushi was here. Ordered the lunch sashimi special and it came with this outstanding white toro tuna that was some of the best tuna I have ever had. Would definitely go back the next time we are in town.

    (4)

  • Polly M.

    The is one of our favorite sushi/sashimi restaurant (the other 2 is located in Chicago & SF). 1. fresh fish 2. the right size 3. fresh fish 4. the sushi chef is friendly 5. time is right 6. u guess it...FRESH fish which is the most important "thing"! 7. reasonable price! after visiting 5+ sushi restaurants in the area, we no longer need to tryout anymore. SAKANA is THE sushi/sashimi place in Scottsdale, AZ.

    (5)

  • Melissa K.

    Yes! I like this place. I happened to arrive just a few minutes before 5:30, and there was already a line of people waiting for them to unlock the door! They have their sushi specials presented on a plate near the entrance so you can see what the daily goodness is right away. I liked the service, atmosphere, and most of all, the sushi. Fresh and yummy. I think there's a special if you buy one of the big japanese beers, you can get an app for 99 cents. Nice!

    (5)

  • Jeff M.

    This place rocks. Their rolls are fantastic, full of flavor and variety. They are customer friendly and have a super all summer long happy hour. If you are an East Mesa'er and like sushi you have to try this place.

    (5)

  • Scott R.

    Awesome servers: accommodating, with pleasant dispositions.

    (4)

  • W C.

    I am a little confused as to how this place got so many good reviews. Perhaps I went at the wrong time. I went to Sakana for dinner and not only was the service pretty bad, the food was disappointing as well. Our hostess was impatient and forgetful. Everything at Sakana is just a variety of a the California roll and they are super generous, not in a good way, with the imitation crab. If you aren't too picky about sushi and are itching for some rice and imitation crab, this place is definitely the place to go.

    (1)

  • A V.

    Great place for nigiri, sashimi and maki. Make sure to try their specials, they have some of the best blue fin tuna I've ever had. My problems with this restaurant is that the service is never great, the atmosphere is a little dingy and everything apart from the food seems like an afterthought. Steer clear of the entrees, stick to the sushi.

    (4)

  • Michael L.

    Love this place. The sashimi slices are huge!

    (5)

  • Andy G.

    Though I was very impressed with the food and how much of it I enjoyed (quantity-wise) the initial service was weak and that's why they get the four-star rating. The provide you with the "Happy Roll" menu but without any explanation to what you'll be ordering. I don't think you should have to ask for that but we did and it delayed our order time by at least five minutes. After those first issues everything was great, the sushi was delicious and I sadly couldn't eat all that I was served it made me so full. While this doesn't hold up to Glendale's Tokyo Lobby, I will definitely be returning to Sakana.

    (4)

  • Rianne D.

    We came here on a Friday, pre-celebrating my sister's graduation from culinary school. Our waitress told us that they had a special - buy a pint get an appetizer for .50 cents. We got the squid salad, endame and karai poppers. We also ordered the salmon bomber and the crunchy chunky dynamite roll. All yummy choices! I can't complain about this place. Service was great and speedy. Their specials are great. Food was pretty good. A little out of the way, but I wasn't disappointed.

    (4)

  • Jereb C.

    Wow..... Not in a good way The sashimi was good because all they did was cut it, but that was it.everything else made me wish I went real Chinese! Not Chinese making sushi, culture theives! P.S. snow crab is not the main ingredient to every roll!

    (1)

  • Scott A.

    Sakana Lunch... Sakana Lunch.... Sakana Lunch. Say these two words and like Pavlov's K9 I start salivating. The Sakana Lunch special is 100% satisfying. It's huge, tasty and priced right. Most sushi places take a glob of sticky rice, slice a thin piece of fish, and daintily place the rawness onto the rice. Not at Sakana. Here the sushi chef cuts a steak size piece of fish, thick and long, like a slab of prime rib. Then, he DRAPES the fish over the rice. When he's done, you can't even see the rice. Once I told the waitress "Excuse me Miss. I ordered Nigiri, which is supposed to have rice. This is sashimi." "Silly customer." she replied. "We give you Nigiri. Rice under fish. Look. Look." She was right! There was some rice under all that fish. Don't believe me? Look at the photo I uploaded. If you ever want to totally chow down on a ton of sushi, this is the place to go. The quality of the fish is pretty good: not the best. But the portions are out of sight. Do yourself a favor. Order the "Baked Scallop Roll", it's one of the best I've ever had. Arigato.

    (4)

  • Sam C.

    Wow! We've been in AZ for a few months now and I think we've found our sushi gem! At first glance, this place looks like your average, hole in the wall, sushi joint. But upon experiencing this place, it will bring you back! The sushi is portioned quite large and is delicious! Not the place to go if you are looking for an extensive wine menu, but Ichiban, sake and sushi is good enough for me! We had the Fitzgeroll, Rose Bowl and Boston roll. I think it was the Rose Bowl that was my favorite.

    (5)

  • Victoria K.

    Best sushi in the valley!! Been going here for at least 10 years :)

    (5)

  • Kate N.

    For me this is the best Sushi Restaurant out there in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. The sashimi is delicious, portions are huge and the staff are amazing!

    (5)

  • Aileen B.

    I ate here months ago, but I still yearn for the great crunchy calamari salad I had! Golden-brown calamari, tasty, yet not too greasy, over crisp-fresh greens (mostly romaine) and just the right amount of sesame house dressing. This resto is significantly smaller than that in Ahwatukee, which gives it a nice romantic ambience. That is, until it fills up, and then it can feel quite claustrophobic in here. I would imagine that it'd be a great place to chill out during happy hour: I've spotted nice-looking people here when I wasn't even looking to meet any!

    (3)

  • Tyler A.

    Our go-to sushi spot because of value, especially the nigiri. Big pieces, average quality for a fair price. That's enough for me at a sushi place. I don't really enjoy any of their fried rolls. Some places know how to work a fryer (Hana, muah). This place is not one. Service is friendly but slow, especially with the check. There is often a wait, but the tables turn quickly. The place is suitable for small kids.

    (3)

  • Youri L.

    Sakana is probably the sushi place in town I go to the most. I have never been disappointed. I'm not a sushi pro but definitely enjoy sushi and I think the quality and portions compare fairly to other sushi restaurants in Scottsdale or Phoenix. My parents live out of town and when they visit, if my mom could come here everyday for lunch she probably would. The menu specials are always great and its' probably the only restaurant of any type in which the display actually makes me get the special instead of having a waiter come up with a monologue of what the chef's special is for the day. It may not be the best sushi I'll have in my life, but then again I'm not the pickiest of people perhaps and I've never been disappointed by the service or food which is what matters at the end of my meal. Only issue is perhaps that the restaurant is not large and due to it's popularity (especially at lunch or the peak hours of dinner) you might have to wait 5-10 minutes to be seated. One of my favorite places to eat sushi, and to just enjoy dinner in Scottsdale.

    (4)

  • Gabi M.

    Word must've gotten out about Sakana because tonight (on a random Tuesday night), I showed up with 2 girlfriends around 6:45... we were all craving sushi and couldn't wait to sit down and order. We walk in and what? a wait? 20 minutes? Wow! I never had to wait at this place before! It's great quality sushi, large portions compared to other sushi in this town, decent service, and casual. Yes, casual. We were all in gym clothes and no one looked us up and down. It was great! The garden salad with ginger dressing is like 3 x the size you get at other places. The rolls are big and filling and the sashimi comes with plenty of fish! Caution on spicy items: IE spicy tuna and spicy salmon - you might want to tell them light on the spice... I usually like spicy but I think tonight's sushi chef has a heavy hand! Nothing better than the complimentary fresh sliced orange and whipped cream to end your meal here either... it was worth the wait!

    (4)

  • Scott B.

    Great sushi, casual atmosphere and very reasonable price. A little different than the other more pretentious sushi restaurants in the immediate area. Highly recommend Sakana.

    (5)

  • Brad S.

    Food was Great not the best sushi ever, but really good. I will be back again. The prices are extremely fair. The service was really off today.

    (4)

  • Cyril A.

    I used to go a lot in here, like once a week, sometimes twice as they have the biggest, longest Unagi serving ever! I used to get 6 to 8 orders at a time, very fresh and well prepared with Unagi sauce of course! Otherwise I like their lunch special for $9.99 which includes Miso soup and salad, can't really beat that. In the evening, they have some special rolls on the board which are worth trying. Sometimes they get really busy and you have to wait for a table although most of the time you can find a spot at the sushi bar. All in all it's a good place for a sushi fix up, don't expect to get amazed by the quality but the price/quality makes it a good deal.

    (3)

  • Mike H.

    I like the sushi here but the extra fee for "take out" order. Give me a break. Your going to charge me a fee to order over the phone and come pick it up myself? Am I paying for the styrofoam container? Look at it this way, I'm not using your tables, Im not using your waitresses, your A/C, your bathrooms and you don't have to hire a bus boy and dishwasher to clean up after me. I think I'm saving you money by getting "takeout" dummies. The family and i used to go here quite often but ever since I got the "take out" fee I will be spending my money elsewhere. Too bad because we liked this place and its very close to where I live.

    (2)

  • Amanda L.

    Excellent Sushi, great for business meetings and socials

    (4)

  • Rudy W.

    This place is not your typical sushi place. its more like a sports bar. Great for first timer. Large portions and the price is very reasonable. this place is like american sushi bar. its a fun place to go with friends or family. but if you are looking for a good sushi/food. this ain't it. Taste, is nothing to rave about and you get what you paid for. this is more like the americanize version of sushi.

    (2)

  • Samantha C.

    Just another sushi joint that will never live up to my last two favorites. Why oh why did they have to close down? Went here for the first time for lunch today. Service was fine, not too busy inside. Our waitress brought out waters while we looked over the menu. I think she used probably less than a quarter cup of ice because the temperature was warmer than the room, which combined with the awful taste was already putting me off. Why is it so hard to have good water in restaurants?! We decided to try some rolls first because it's the only "sushi" my boyfriend will eat. One Mexican Caliente roll, and one Crunchy Eel. It took more than fifteen minutes for them to get to the table and that's not too bad. I started with the Mexican and right off the bat it split in two, the filling left all over the plate. The rice was barely sticking together. Only the jalapeno saved this roll. The Crunchy Eel was not what I've come to enjoy. Literally all I could taste was the cream cheese, it was almost the size of a quarter. Most of the eel sauce was on the plate in a messy spill. The fact that the rolls kept falling apart was made even more a challenge considering how HUGE they make them. I've never had to take bites out of a roll before, but a whole piece would have filled my mouth making it hard to move my jaw. Overall bland and one note rolls. I was planning on ordering more but the cream cheese left a bad taste in my mouth. Two stars because this "meal" came out to $14 with tip.

    (2)

  • Stephanie P.

    Have been back two more times since my last review. They have great specials and their chefs do an amazing job!!! Good service too! We always leave stuuuuuffed.

    (5)

  • Chris M.

    Nice atmosphere.. typical sushi environment.. The sushi menu is average with the usual selections but not many special rolls or selections. Their prices, however, are OUTSTANDING. Prices are key when you are a sushi addict. If you require sushi three or more times a week, then Sakana allows you to have your fix without going into foreclosure or prostitution. Generous helping of the seasoned squid salad is a great starter!

    (4)

  • Allison F.

    Best sushi ever. Great prices. Happy hour is really good. Get there early because it is always busy.......for good reason.

    (5)

  • Kurdy S.

    Awesome sushi!! you must come to this specific location! great service, especially if you know somebody who knows. The one time I came here, i was waiting about an hour before seating, but stayed for almost 2 hours. So this place does fill up quickly on weekends. If you are looking to try newer or just better tasting sushi and apps, come here!

    (4)

  • Gary M.

    Sakana's had always been my favorite casual sushi bar in town. It was very inexpensive and the quality was very good. However the wait staff is among the worst in town and never fails to detract from my dinning pleasure I go there 3 times a month instead of the 3 times a week I'd go before they took a turn for the worse. When i do go the hostess and wait staff always appear angry, Is it to much to ask for a smile or at least not the pissed off look they serve on a regular bases. If they would only take a page out of the way Oregano's hires and trains their wait staff, Sakana's could be iconic. Their Unagi use to be legendary now.... forgettable) Owners please fire everyone except the sushi chefs' and hire nice happy people who enjoying working with the public and bring back your legendary Unagi even if your have to charge more!

    (1)

  • Charlie D.

    FOR LUNCH ONLY!!!! Came here the other day for lunch because I had heard about the lunch special. It was a little confusing at first because the specials are written on a dry erase board and are not on the menu. But for $10 you get miso soup, a side salad and a huge variety plate of sushi. This is an unreal deal. I'd literally come here EVERY day for lunch if I could.

    (5)

  • Hannah R.

    These guys consistently do a really good job, the sushi is not too expensive and always good quality. It seems that there are less sushi restaurants that actually have staff who are familiar with the traditional sushi options and not just all americanized rolls. I really like a good chirashi bowl and the sushi chef at sakana does a fantastic job with their bowls. I love their Happy Hour if you order a bomber size beer you get to choose one of a variety of apps for .99 which is a great addition to the already good sushi and value. It always seems like the best sushi spots are always tucked away in a shopping plaza that doesn't get much activity like the one that sakana is in on Indian bend.

    (4)

  • Joey W.

    This is the third of the Sakana locations I have been to, and they have yet to disappoint once! Given that I work in the area, this is a prime spot for me to grab a quick lunch. And given their prices it's absolutely one of the best (and most delicious!) values to be found! For $11.99 I got the sashimi deluxe lunch. This had 3 pieces each of: salmon, albacore tuna, Fiji albacore and lightly seared white tuna. All of the slices were very generously cut and every piece was perfectly fresh, as I have come to expect from Sakana. Even the salmon was rich and buttery, without a hint of the "fishy" taste that salmon so often has. The also came with miso soup, a small salad and a bowl of steamed rice. Overall, this was a decently filling meal without leaving me with that overstuffed feeling. Everything tasted great. Plus, this is one of the healthier options you can find for a quick lunch. Oh and there's the fact that every member of the staff was absolutely delightful, welcome and helpful! Always a bonus on top of great food.

    (5)

  • Kevin H.

    You will find here: 1) mediocre frostbitten sashimi 2) scallops that will get you sick 3) a den of witches. The first two are self explanatory. The third will be explained in detail. The food here is okay run-of-the-mill americanized sushi. Three star fare. The ambiance is good so that miiiight bump things up to a 3.5 star. HOWEVER the unique service forces me to ding my rating down to a two. The waitresses here are chinese. I am chinese. I also understand chinese. So when the waitresses conspire to secretly sell my coworkers and i their crappier alcohol, i understand what is going on. Come on..... Hiro is where it's at.

    (2)

  • Maxine B.

    I'm from San Diego so I'm very picky about my sushi. This place is top notch at a great price. It's hard to be in Scottsdale and find great food at the right price but Sakana breaks the Scottsdale barriers. I absolutely love this place. The portions are big and the atmosphere is cute. Not too shabby.

    (5)

  • Ray N.

    Great food, Amazing staff!! Such a joy every time I eat and visit. Waay better than Ra

    (5)

  • Lindsey D.

    Eat and drink your heart out and chances are, you'll leave with less than $20 missing from your wallet; at least that's how I feel every time I visit Sakana. Hidden within a random strip mall on Hayden and Indian Bend, Sakana is unassuming and I've passed by many times before actually venturing inside. Friends swore by it, so I had to give it a try. When I walked inside, I was immediately welcomed by sushi platters staring right at me.. very similar to sushi restaurants I see in SF's China Town. As weird as it seemed to stare at sushi that was either plastic or had been sitting out way too long, it did give me a good idea about what I wanted to order: everything on the menu of course. When I visit, I can roll in sushi, wash it down with plenty of sake bombs and leave with a satisfied appetite and happy pocket book. I've been with a large group of friends as well as just a couple and it's always an enjoyable...sake-filled experience. You can't beat their happy hour. From the inexpensive sushi to the really inexpensive sake, it's a match made in sushi roll heaven. The restaurant isn't exactly huge and I've visited when there was a line out the door. At the same time, I've also visited when I'm the only one there, so it all depends on the time of year and day of the week. The staff is very friendly and you can watch the sushi chefs working their magic at the sushi counter. Sakana proves that you don't have to visit the finest sushi establishment in the Valley to dine on some high-end, delicious sushi. Their prices make me walk through the door and their sushi keeps me coming back for more. And the sake? Well the sake just turns the night into a whole different story in itself,

    (4)

  • clete l.

    I've never been a big fan of sushi. BEHOLD! Sakana! Not only did I love their sushi but my buddy turned me onto SASHIMI. BEHOLD! I now spend about $25 a week fulfilling my sashimi cravings. I always get the sashimi plate with blue fin, yellow tail, salmon and anything else they care to put there. All in the raw.....not me, the fish that is. Love it. Now, a brief summary of freshness: if your not eating it right after its been caught it ain't fresh. This fish is probably 2 to 3 days from catch. That's as good as it gets here in Arizona. And no, they are not getting this fish from the Salt River canals. Decor is so-so. It's what you would expect from a strip mall Japanese restaurant: nothing special. Service is fine. Nothing special to report here.

    (4)

  • Susan D.

    4 stars on Yelp for sushi that might have given me an upset tummy? Hmmmm, maybe I just had a bad experience and since I'm not actually sure of the cause of my upset tummy, I'll give Sakura Sushi the benefit of the doubt. It was initially a tasty experience, reasonably priced and a cute restaurant with a friendly staff. The food was seemed fresh, was well made and tasted good (and maybe I was just gonna have an upset tummy anyway). We had, Hamachi nigiri, Unagi nigiri, spicy tuna roll, Philadelphia roll and a cucumber salad. It was all tasty. Only complaint that I can be sure of, though the unagi tasted great, it still had some weird bone stuff on the top... that's never happened to me before with Unagi. Oh yeah and, there were only 5 pieces in each roll but, that might have been cause we ordered off a special menu. We were lucky to catch something like a Sunday night happy hour. I'm not sure if that's available everynight or not but our bill was under 25$. Nice! Unfortunately, I don't live in AZ and even when I come back, I'll probably try another joint because this one is so far from my friends house. We only went there because it was open until 9:30 on a Sunday night. Probably won't see ya there.

    (3)

  • Earl C.

    So my friends took me here as a "farewell" dinner get-together. I didn't know what to expect. My friends go there on a weekly basis, they're practically regulars... NO KIDDING!! From what they were telling me, if you become a regular there they can practically make anything that's NOT in the menu for you. Our server Allissa was SOOOO AWESOME!!! I've never been to a restaurant in AZ where the server interacts with their customers on a personal level. It made the place more appealing so in the future, I can take my friends there for sushi. Thank you guys for the welcoming atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Nicole M.

    My "go to" place for Sushi. Great rolls, busy yet fun atmosophere, and you can't beat the M-Thursday specials. I agree with some of the other reviews about the waitstaff. Some are a little forgetful but they are always polite and friendly. Give it a try, you wont be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Sarah K.

    Sakana is another typical sushi place. I wasn't blown away, nor do I feel that the quality of fish justified the expense. It's a small place and we requested the first available seats; after 10 minutes we were seated at the Sushi Bar. Our chairs backed up to the kitchen entrance, which was literally two feet away. I distinctly remember watching a basketball game during this meal, since the TVs are right in front of your face at the sushi bar. It took forever just to get water. By the time we ordered happy hour was over and we had to pay full price. We put the order in and each roll came out at least five minutes a part. The fish was not really fresh--it looked like it had been sitting in the cooler for too long. After we had been finished for 15 minutes another roll they'd forgotten about came out. We were full. The sushi chef let us know: "No worries, someone else will order it soon", as he placed it on top of the cooler to sit....and sit... I usually go into detail about each item I order, but it was so nondescript I practically forgot what we had by the time we got to the car.

    (2)

  • Patty H.

    I always pause before giving good reviews to restaurants I love because I want to keep them a secret. But I'll be generous and share. If you're looking for outstanding sushi, great portions, fun employees and a reasonably priced restaurant, Sakana is it. They have a sushi happy hour, and they have customer appreciation every Thursday. Their sushi portions are almost excessive and I've never, ever had a bad meal there. Denise goes out of her way to say hello to everyone,and the sushi chefs will call out their welcome as you walk through the door. If you're looking for the typical shiney Scottsdale atmosphere, you've come to the wrong place. Nor can you sit at the bar and sip cocktails, because there is no bar (except the sushi bar). But if you want awesome sushi and great service, you must check this place out.

    (4)

  • Melissa H.

    Great place for a group of friends to share a bunch of sushi and sake. Came here for a birthday party and they were so accomodating allowing us to push together several tables. They have a good sake selection (both warm and cold). The sushi is generously portioned, you will not go away hungry. The rolls are plentiful and they have plenty of fancy shmancy rolls involving fifteen ingredients, I prefer my sushi simple to highlight the quality of fish. Regardless of what you like, Sakana will have it. They have a great happy hour with beer specials and food for luck a buck. (No joke). I just wish one was closer to me.

    (4)

  • Red C.

    Lunchtime Sushi!!! And make sure to get there by 11a since some days (Thurs/Fri) they fill up quick. I probably get the sushi boat every time I go here for lunch. For $9.99 you can't beat it and it's has all the variety of rolls, sushi and tempured (I know it's not a word but I'm using it) goodies(jalapeno roll). It also comes with soup and a salad. The whole boat is large enough for two people... or one hungry person ;P I've been coming here regularly at least every other week if not every week for over a year. Never gotten sick or had a bad experience. Also - ask for separate checks up front - or you'll wait for them to separate the orders out.

    (5)

  • Yukio T.

    So my girlfriend and I were in Scottsdale for a bit of a mini vacation when she was craving her favorite food, Sushi. Now, we're both from Southern California so we've been quite spoiled with fresh fish so when we found Sakana on Yelp, we were a bit skeptical but with the reviews, we took a shot at it. First, it was a bit hard to find so if you don't see the restaurant at first, just go towards the back of the shopping center. We went in where the staff was really friendly and told us about the menu. We first noticed the prices were LOW compared to So Cal sushi prices which made us raise our eyebrows. When our sushi and rolls came out we were surprised to see generous portions of fish! Like HUGE pieces! Then, the fish itself was amazing! Yes! There is amazing fish in AZ! We had yellowtail (amazing), eel (super amazing), octopus (super soft, not chewy), albacore (delicious), salmon (got to have!) and a few rolls. By the end we were stuffed and the tab? Only $50! When we go back to Scottsdale, you can bet your butt that we'll be back here!

    (5)

  • WMT W.

    One of favorite places on earth! The fish is very fresh the prices are reasonable which I suppose helps keep the fish fresh. Unfortunately many Sushi bars don't even meet those standards. Thankfuly there are a few places on town that do and Sakana is one of those. But what makes Salamander my favorite is the people. The chefs are friendly and engaging. The servers are a blast. And some of the nicest people hang out there including the likes of Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald. The sushi experience is more than just food it is also fun and Sakana is the complete package

    (5)

  • Tanya G.

    Great specials and sushi was fresh! Service was great too! I will be back for date night with my honey.

    (4)

  • Amy T.

    Awesome lunch specials, Fresh, delicious sushi and sashimi. This place is the bomb.

    (5)

  • Josh F.

    After eating here I was actually pissed off that I didn't know about it before. The portions of sashimi are amazingly large. That doesn't mean crap if the quality is not there, but fortunately for Sakana, it's there. They even have house specials (like salmon smoked on the premises). AWESOME! My only complaint is the lack of fresh wasabi (they have pickled or the powdered stuff). For the area, this should be 5 stars. I just can't compare it to Kiji in SF or Blue Ribbon in NYC, which are my 5 star benchmarks.

    (4)

  • Jeff F.

    Very nice little Japanese restaurant. We've been once for lunch and once for dinner. I love the fact that they cut a thick slab of fish for the sushi and sashimi here, much more so than other Japanese places I've been in Arizona. This is true Japanese style and how sushi is supposed to be served. We recently visited another "high-end" Japanese restaurant in Scottsdale which served the smallest pieces of fish I've ever seen in a restaurant at exorbitant prices. Ridiculous. Well, that's not what is going on here. I don't know how or why Japanese restaurants have evolved in the USA into serving super-expensive micro-portions but that ain't how it is in Japan. Sushi is supposed to be quick and easy comfort food. A sushi joint in Japan is filled with normal working people chowing down on massive portions of fish, served quickly and without ostentation, not boob-jobbed bulemics eating over-priced, razor thin slices of fish. Even today, in Tokyo you can get 10 orders of nigiri for less than $20. Sakana fits nicely into that unpretentious tradition. At Sakana, the quality of the fish is high. The menu is not very broad and they don't have a huge selection but what they do have is fresh and excellent. It is also an excellent value, particularly at lunch where $9.95 buys you a very ample sushi combination. Service is quick and friendly. Recommended.

    (4)

  • Glen N.

    There for lunch today. It was the best sushi I have had in Arizona. Plus, it is not expensive compared to other sushi restaurants, Try it today!

    (5)

  • Stephen R.

    Tremendous value and the sushi is always fresh and enormous. The quality is great. The Unagi (eel) is my favorite here along with the toro (fatty tuna) and the hamachi Kama is excellent. Yeah I said it, sushi in scottsdale is pretty damn good.

    (3)

  • John H.

    Scottsdale is so many things, shopping, nightclubs, excessive, culinary delight, etc. It is also a neighborhood, if you take the time to look past everything else. If you stumbled into Ra or Stingray sushi on one of your forgettable nights drinking, keep going to those "other" sushi places. If you want a neighborhood feel, great service, excellent portions and a great price point, check out Sakana. They have 4 locations in the Valley. This location is only one that I have visited so far. I met Dhargya there last night, he wanted to introduce two european beauties to great sushi. It was "We are the World" all over again. Dhargya is from Tibet, Manu - Italy (near Lake Como), Natalia - Ukraine , and me - Pittsburgh (proud of it). The 4 of us ate until full and even managed to take home some Vegetable Tempura. For $100, including tip and many bottles of hot sake, I would say it is a steal. Be forewarned though - if you arrive between 6:30 and 8pm, there will probably be a waiting list.

    (4)

  • Nicole G.

    Wish I was able to give no stars. A group of 5 of us went to get sushi here on Friday. I called ahead of time to ask about happy hour and what time it was over. The women on the phone told me it was all night. This is why we decided to go here over Kona Grill, which was a huge mistake. We got there and ordered. The server we had was new which was no problem, I'm in the service industry and understand that being new is hard, but the service was very slow and I could tell she was frazzled. When it came to the check it showed that none of the stuff we ordered was at the happy hour price. I asked the manager about it and she told me I got incorrect information about the happy hour times and there was nothing she could do about it. The sushi was mediocre and for the price we had to pay, it was not worth it. I will never be back nor will I recommend this place to any of my clients in the area.

    (1)

  • Lani L.

    Love this sushi place. Definitely a Top 3. It's a small hole in the wall restaurant in a strip mall but the food is always awesome. The fish is fresh and the specialty food items (they usually have 2-3 everyday) displayed at the front where you walk in always look amazing. The white fish sauté is a favorite and comes with sautéed veggies and rice. If you can swing in at lunch they have a great sashimi special for $14.99.

    (5)

  • Devon M.

    This is my favorite sushi place. I always leave feeling like I had a great time and looking forward to coming back. Recently had the Lobster Miso soup which had a huge lobster claw in it and looked very impressive which was fun for my daughter. IT gets pretty busy and is not a huge place so I recommend calling ahead.

    (5)

  • Alisha S.

    Great sushi place! They always have special rolls to try and the cranberry sake is my favorite! This is one of our favorite places to go for sushi.

    (4)

  • Keith M.

    Love this place, best sushi in Scottsdale as far as I'm concerned!

    (5)

  • Jan S.

    Its ok; 2 stars for food and 3 for service. They make a good effort. The fish is edible and if you live here it should suffice. That's my opinion & of course subjective. But giving it 5 stars is like asking an Italian for a recommendation and they give 5 stars to Olive Garden.

    (2)

  • Cassandra G.

    I give it stars because it's totally average nothing made me want to come back we were served ginger and wasabi that had obviously been in the refrigerator for a while because the ginger was almost dried out and the wasabi had turned an odd color...

    (3)

  • Regan C.

    Really great - the bento box a ridiculous amount of food - you'll definitely have leftovers. Great spot for lunch!

    (4)

  • Aaron L.

    Twice eaten, twice enjoyed the caterpillar.

    (4)

  • Chad F.

    This place was very good. Plus there prices are very affordable especially for how good there food was. Not only that but we received the best service from our waitress. Whatever you guys are doing to keep your servers happy, keep doing it.

    (5)

  • Maribet M.

    Small, casual place. Good sushi but many rolls were spicy, if you like that. We had the cucumber fiesta roll. That was tasty and good sized pieces. Rainbow roll was also good. Check it out.

    (3)

  • Matt H.

    This place is excellent. Quality fish and the lunch menu is very affordable. I go here about once a week. Keep up the good work sakana!

    (5)

  • Lauren P.

    Excellent quality at a very reasonable price. Freshest salmon I've had in a long time. Will definitely be coming back and would happily be a regular if I lived closer.

    (5)

  • Gwen L.

    Love the sushi here! They offer a happy hour prices menu on Sundays which has great prices! And the portions are pretty big. Atmosphere is nice but the music is a little strange. You will hear anything from Britney Spears to R. Kelly to 70s disco! But it's ok, it's worth it for the yummy food!

    (5)

  • Sharon G.

    Yelp...I REALLY would like to know what is happening to my reviews. Everytime I log in, I get a notice to write reviews for things I have already reviewed. Since I can't find the originals anywhere on Yelp, I write a second review. I don't feel like writing two reviews for each place. Sometimes the second review is gone, too. Why is this happening? I even took a picture of my roll at Sakana and uploaded it to Yelp, but that is gone, too. Am I not looking in the right place?? I went here for lunch with my bestie on March 20. I had read good reviews and we both love sushi! I ordered the Vegas roll (my favorite anywhere except at Geisha) edamame, and the lunch special. Both were very good, especially the sashimi. The waitress (I wish I had asked hre name) was excellent. She was attentive, came to the table when needed, stayed away just enough and was very nice. The portions are so generous that I had lots of food left over. I took it home and feasted after waking up hungry. I WILL be back!

    (4)

  • Troy H.

    One of my top sushi spots in the Phoenix area. Great service and reasonable prices. The baked scallop roll is a meal in itself and needs to be shared. I have always had amazing service at all the valley locations. I can't remember ever having a single issue with the food, service or ambiance! One of my all time favorite places!

    (5)

  • Andrew R.

    Really good sushi spot. It is a very small restaurant. I can't tell you what rolls were what because we ordered so many. Only cons: they brought all the rolls at once and they didn't all fit on the table The soup and Salad came out after the rolls. Strongly suggest you give this place a try!

    (4)

  • C. B.

    Loved the spicy edamame ! Ramen was good, too.

    (4)

  • Anthony D.

    Tempura, service, and beer special good... quality of product BAD!!! Not worth the value.

    (2)

  • Cactus P.

    The lunch specials are great here. We really like lunch on Saturday when we can relax and enjoy a little longer with a hot green tea and a lunch special.

    (5)

  • Sheri B.

    The best sushi and sashimi I've ever had. My favorites are the White Tuna Torro and Seared Salmon Torro! They also have fresh wasabi, which is excellent. I love their green tea and miso soup as well.

    (5)

  • Paul K.

    I've been to Sakana twice for lunch and both times have been happy with the sushi and service. Instead of creating longer rolls with more pieces of sushi they create shorter, fatter rolls. Makes for a bigger piece of sushi which I'm ok with. I'd say the quality of fish, rice and seaweed is good to very good. I had 3 rolls and walked away full and content. It's not the very best sushi I've ever had but it's a great choice here in Scottsdale. If you're in the area and are looking for a good sushi restaurant I'd recommend you try Sakana out.

    (4)

  • T S.

    They have the best California and tempura roll! The miso soup is great too. The restaurant is small and can get too noisy.

    (4)

  • Rachel N.

    I love this place! I've been going here for years & it's always my first choice for my sushi nights. The only 2 downfalls are that it is small so we have to get there a few minutes before their 5:30pm dinner opening time or else wait until later in the evening and it's decor is a bit dated. Either way it's worth the wait. The staff is awesome & everyone who walks in gets a friendly greeting from the guys behind the sushi bar. Their creative rolls are delicious but be careful because some can get to be a bit expensive (the Fitzgeroll is $18.99). The rolls are always a good size, not small like some of the "chain restaurants" around town. I will recommend this place to anyone looking to have good sushi.

    (5)

  • Amy Q.

    What a great little spot for lunch. I stopped in a few weeks ago to grab a light lunch and decided to sit a the sushi bar since it was just me. I decided on the Sashimi Lunch Special. It was very generous portions of four different kind of very fresh fish. With the lunch special I also go a bowl of miso soup, a salad and a small bowl of rich (which was the perfect size of rice). All of this for $12! Everything as so fresh as I can't wait to stop by in for lunch again very soon, especially at a great price like $12 for all of that yummy food!

    (4)

  • Ashton C.

    I have been eating at Sakana for something like 12 years. When I lived there I eat there at least once a week every week and now when I go back to visit I usually eat there at least 2 times not more. sushi is amazing chefs are amazing service is amazing. This is seriously the best sushi place in all of Arizona if you haven't been here you're missing out.

    (5)

  • Alexander C.

    As a foodie, cook and native Arizonan, I've always had this strange misconception about eating fish and seafood in a landlocked state. My mindset was simply this, don't do it. You see it only took that one bad experience from years ago and I've held ever single seafood restaurant accountable since. With the passage of time and through technology, modern shipping and refrigeration methods the life of fresh fish and seafood has been greatly extended. So much so that my attitude towards eating fish has turned around completely and now I crave it. While fish was exiled from my life, Sakana sushi was quietly building a mini sushi empire of Japanese restaurants. Since opening their first in 1996 they've continued to expand and now with 4 valley locations, it won't be hard to get your sushi fix without breaking the bank, especially at lunch time. Each day Sakana offers several different daily creations and specials in addition to the 15 or so items on their standard lunch menu. Between you and me, go for one of the daily specials. These lunch plates are massive and will satisfy the most famished of appetites. You'll see exactly what I mean if you order up the Chicken Maturi ($8.99). A whole chicken breast pounded out into 2 thin slabs, breaded and deep fried until golden and crunchy is then dressed with a slightly sweet soy sauce. Oh and that's not all, along side is a salad of mixed greens and a half of a crab filled California roll. You will not leave hungry. Along with a happy upbeat greeting when you arrive at Sakana, Miso soup comes standard just as soon as you sit down; talk about an efficient lunch service. For a light snack to accompany the soup I also enjoy ordering Edamame ($3.25); steamed soybeans sprinkled with salt, that are as much fun to say as they are to eat. Many people do not understand the difference between sushi and sashimi. This is actually really easy; sushi refers to the vinegar cooked rice while sashimi refers solely to the fish itself. To see the difference first hand, order the Sakana Lunch ($9.99). Thin slices of sashimi; raw salmon, tuna, shrimp, albacore and house smoked salmon are placed on top of sushi; rice. Served on a wooden board, a California roll and a rotating fried item accompany the special. If you're dieting and trying to watch your starch intake, Id highly recommend trying the Sashimi Deluxe ($11.99). Not only do you get a crispy salad but a platter filled with a delicious combination of sliced salmon, tuna, albacore and hiramasa aka Australian King Yellow Tail. However this line up isn't set in stone as the chef will change these out with what's available any given day. What you can take for granted is the freshness and quality of each type of fish served. For the price, Sakana is hard to beat, though for peace of mind, I would have gladly paid more.

    (4)

  • Jennifer B.

    My boyfriend and I have been coming here regularly for years! We love the great happy hour, the food, the drink, and the service! One of our favorite spots! He loves the Fitzgeroll and the ten spice salmon, I love the jungle roll.

    (5)

  • Albana E.

    Always fresh sushi! Staff is friendly! Very reasonably priced! This place is awesome.

    (4)

  • Marissa C.

    One of the best sushi spots in Scottsdale!! Everyone is so nice! The service is usually spot on!Kristen has been my server several times and she's always attentive and on top of all our needs! I recommend Sakana to everyone I know! Their happy hour is cheap but their portions never lack! And they are extremely authentic especially if it's your birthday! Although sometimes there can be long waiting periods for a table.

    (5)

  • Jessica P.

    By far my favorite sushi spot! It gets busy and crowded so the wait kinda sucks but it's definitely worth it. I can't go to another sushi place because nothing can match their sushi.

    (4)

  • Sara E.

    Went of a Friday night for the first time and had a very enjoyable experience. My husband and I arrived at 7pm and had about a twenty minute wait for a table. The prices are very reasonable, especially for the good quality ingredients. There was a special going on if you buy a Kirin you get a 99 cent appetizer. The sashimi was great too. We also had a 'tootsie roll' which was very good, and a 'Boston roll' which we probably would not get again. It was just a Cali roll with tuna on top - meh. But overall it was a great night. We will be back for sure!

    (4)

  • Nikki H.

    The salmon sashimi is to die for! I was craving sushi one night and stumbled upon this place via Yelp, and the reviews undersold this place. If the huge hunks of melt in your mouth salmon sashimi weren't enough, they also have a happy hour menu with decent priced rolls- you have to try the Salmon dynamite roll with baked salmon on top of a cali roll. If there were any question this were the best sushi place, to really seal the deal they offer $1 appetizer when you order a beer. It's our new fave weekly place!

    (5)

  • Dee G.

    LOVE sakana. One of the best places for sashimi in town! Nothing beats the salmon sashimi here. The rolls are mediocre with a few exceptions, but the quality of the fish makes up for it.

    (4)

  • Neda B.

    Sushi was great! Obviously not THE best but fantastic for the price. I ordered the Eel Nagiri and Soft Shell Crab Roll. Both were very, very good. Rice was well made and the fish very fresh. Others got the Crunchy California Roll, Avocado Roll, Vegetable Spring Roll, Crunchy Eel Roll, and Salmon Nagiri. Everyone said that their food was on par with some of the better sushi places they've been. The music is great, good atmosphere and service. I got a free edamame for checking in here too! I'd say it's a must to stop by if you're in the area.

    (4)

  • Chheng L.

    Great lunch specials at $10 or less and a massive amount of food. I alternate between the Sakana Lunch and the Chicken Matsuri. Today I had the Chicken Matsuri lunch. It came with two big peices of sliced up chicken cutlets with this teriyaki like sauce (almost like katsu), salad with shrimp tempura, california rolls and a side of rice. One plate is enough to feed two and only $8.99 during lunch. I also came here with some coworkers one night last week. They have customer appreciation (happy hour) on sun-thurs til 9:30pm! Buy a beer and get an appetizer for 50 cents. Also a decent list of rolls for under $5. To sum it up, good food and nicely priced.

    (5)

  • David B.

    We've been going to Sakana for years. The food is great and they have happy hour all night long Sun-Thur which is a huge advantage to us. Don't have to rush to get there before 7 like most places. Very nice staff, big rolls, great lunch specials. If you want great sushi without the Old Town Scottsdale scene than this is the place to be. Highly recommended. Their portions seem to be much bigger than most so keep in mind when ordering.

    (5)

  • Fatima G.

    I gave it two just because the lunch specials are at very good price. But the service here is terrible. The food takes forever and sometimes it's sitting in the bar for a long time before a waitress takes it. Every time takes half hour more than any other restaurant and it's extremely difficult to ask something especial or different. There is often confusion and mistakes with the tab, and usually someone at the table gets the food after everyone else is done. The food itself its not that great but not terrible especially for that price. If you have a lot of time and patience and want to save money to eat sushi, this might work for you.

    (2)

  • Travis B.

    i just really, really, really like their sushi. and the service. i like that they offer different daily sashimi and sushi options. we met some friends here for dinner. these friends are regulars at Sakana. they know all the service people there. and when they walk up to the chef and say "just fix us something good"....holy bejeezus....they fix something good. it looked like nothing i had seen before, but the presentation was amazing. and my taste buds and belly liked it more than my eyes! the regular rolls and sashimi are always so delicious and the wait staff is always outstanding!

    (5)

  • Jay B.

    I feel like the art of sushi is lost on this place. It is the details that can elevate sushi to something far beyond fish and rice. True sushi chefs pay incredible attention to mouthfeel, the ratio of ingredients, the cuts that they make, the temperature of the ingredients that they serve, the incredibly sharp edge on their very delicate obscenely expensive knives, etc... Even the sushi rice is very hard to make properly and is a skill unto itself. When done right, sushi can be truly amazing. This place doesn't care about those details. If you want to scarf down large quantities of thick cut rolls and nigiri for cheap, this is your place. Some people are into that. For those that aren't, skip it.

    (2)

  • Dave T.

    I usually have a pet peeve with servers: when I ask you "what's best on the menu," don't answer "it's all good." That happened here. I was frustrated. But then it was all good. The service was fast, and the food was delicious. Not a bad night out at all.

    (4)

  • Marie U.

    This place is so bad. I don't know what everyone on here is raving about. To start the service was so bad, our server not only forgot to put our order in, but was not refilling our water nor taking away any used dishes from our table. Had it been busy, it might have been understandable, but there were only 3 tables in the entire restaurant. The sushi here is so bland it tasted like it was canned fish they wrapped in rice. The rolls were also falling apart and very mushy. Also got the tempura udon soup, it literally tasted like soy sauce the water downed and boiled, and added noodles and seaweed. If you want at least semi decent food, don't bother even going here, its crap. Sorry but I don't know why anyone would pay to eat this food.

    (1)

  • Abhishek C.

    Have been here several times now. Tried the sashimi deluxe, salmon bomber, rhode island, marilyn monroe, jalapeno boats, anger shrimp and the other tuna, california rolls. Pretty good sushi for the prices. They serve oranges at the end too. Good sushi and great location right off hayden. No issues with parking.

    (4)

  • Bao H.

    Where the heck did this place come from? It's so hidden! Fortunately, my eyes are piercing and eagle-like; as long as I wear my contacts I guess haha! Sushi was real tasty especially from a non-sushi eater like me. I'm a big fan of octopus -- YUM and I love the lemon atop. The rolls were okay; it didn't really make much of a difference. It was somewhat of a reverse HH when I attended; buy a large Kirin and appetizers were only $1. In that case give me 2 I say! The place is small and low key. Great place for a chat and not too loud matter of fact. Next time I come I have to sit at the bar! Say Hi to sushi Chef Jay he'll take care of you! Service was quick, they definitely had a lot of servers for a night like Tuesday. However, I can appreciate that - quick service, quick food, quick turnover, and quick cash! - Enjoy!

    (4)

  • Davine C.

    Good sushi, good portions, good prices and nice environment. Not a hot date place but overall good causal environment at the right price!

    (4)

  • matt b.

    I can say that my wife and I are regulars here. We are not the kind of people that walk in and are like hi Norm, but we do eat here about once a week to every other week. The food is always good, and the staff is always friendly and good at what they do. The few times that we have had issues they have always been taken care of. The portions are generous and I feel it is the best bang for the buck when it comes to sushi in Scottsdale. I do eat at a few other sushi places in town, but this is my fave.

    (5)

  • Desiree R.

    Their sushi is always good. They have nice lunch specials. They greet you and are always friendly when you enter this place.

    (4)

  • Kathie C.

    I have been to this sushi place at least a half dozen times. The first couple of times I really liked it, the sushi was inexpensive and had good sized portions. After going a few times, I began to notice how bad the service was. The waitresses are rude and act as though you are wasting their time. They bring out the food in the strangest order as well. Today when I went (which will surely be the last time I go) they brought out miso soup and the sushi I ordered at the same time, followed by my dad's stir fry and followed much later by the sushi my mom ordered. And the edamame came last. Very strange. One thing that I noticed today in this particular location was that the entire place smelled like cat pee or a litter box. We sat there for a minute once we sat down trying to decide if we should leave or not because the smell was so terrible. Then, a group sat down at the table next to us and immediately started talking about how terrible it smelled. We gathered that the carpets in the restaurant were a little wet so they had just shampooed the carpets and had not let them air out properly to dry so they started to smell sort of like a wet dog. Which was disgusting. Of the rolls I ordered today, one was the Vegas roll. I've had many of these at many different sushi places. Traditionally, there is cream cheese, salmon, tuna and yellow tail and some other stuff. The "vegas roll" at Sakana was a huge chunk of cream cheese, a huge hunk of salmon and some cucumber. No other types of fish. Eeek. The only flavor that stood out was the salmon. So naturally since the roll was no good, I didn't eat it and when the waitress asked if I wanted a box, I said no, the roll wasn't good at all, I didn't like it. Instead of taking it away and asking if she could get me something else to try, she leaves the roll on the table and walks away to get the check, which she left the Vegas roll on. The whole thing that irritates me about this place is that I know this review will not make a difference. Even though I have had several bad experiences here, every time I go it is completely packed. There is something about this place that people seem to love and I just don't see it.

    (2)

  • Zara J.

    Sushi is always fresh and portions are good.

    (4)

  • Gary D.

    This is now another go-to Sushi restaurant with delicious food and drinks selections. The only reason I deducted a star was because of the service, it wasn't bad but the ladies who served all seemed to have the attitude that we should know what we want and they were a tad impatient. The lady on the front door was not of the atypical Japanese service style, she was a little rude and not at all courteous. She told us to wait and we would have a table shortly, which we did. She reminded me of a character out of the Seinfeld "Chinese restaurant" episode! Three of us had the Daily Special Sashimi dish which was excellent.

    (4)

  • NICOLAE S.

    Went there last night with my GF. Sat at the bar, it was fun, felt like in Japan. Was quite busy for a Tuesday night, can see that it can be pretty booked on a Friday or Saturday night. Beer was served in ice frozen glasses,nice touch, warm sake was good. Tried the salmon and tuna sushi and some other rolls, tasted very good and fresh. Service was quick and efficient. Would recommend.

    (4)

  • Brian E.

    Food - Our group of seven ordered seven total rolls and three appetizers. The appetizers were free with a large beer purchase. We had edamame, calamari and spring rolls. The calamari was crisp and mixed with fried jalapeño peppers. The sauce compliments the fried calamari extremely well. The spring rolls were very crisp, and very fresh. For our main course we ordered a variety of sushi rolls. All were very good with the exception of one of their specials. The Case Blanca contained great amounts of fish, but the sauce did not compliment well. It left an odd taste on our pallets. The rainbow roll, soft shell crab, spicy tuna and baked scallop rolls were our tables favorites. All are unique in flavor, but contain extremely fresh fish. We will certainly order all again, and recommend ordering. Service - the service was terrific. Our waitress had great advice, and pointed out several cost saving tricks while ordering, She had great knowledge and was completely on top of all our tables needs. The sushi came out quickly and all of the food was well timed. Ambience - the restaurant is small and very loud. It was packed on a Wednesday night. Recommend for small groups. With only a dozen tables, it will not accommodate large groups well. The metal roof leads to a lot of noise. It was ver hard to have a conversation in the restaurant. With sushi restaurants on every block, Sakana holds its own. The quality and prices are great!

    (4)

  • Ziyu W.

    Just want to drop a note, not sure when they started, but new dinner menu for Sakana, as great as always :)

    (5)

  • Chrystalle B.

    *Not a good place for groups* I went to another location last Mon and was super pleased, so when my friend said thats where we were going for her bday I was excited. Never again. Not to this location anyway. When it came time to pay the bill, our table of 12 received an adding machine tape w/ a total of $300 at the bottom. Fine. The waiter (or rather the guy who had been standing against a wall in the dining room all night texting and whispering stuff to the waitresses) refused to tell us what amounts were what items. Thats not how you run a business. If it hadnt been our friends bday we wouldve had it out w/ them. But in the interest of keeping her happy and having no conflict, we divided the bill evenly among our credit cards (he even came back and asked "No one said where to put the .66.") and couldnt get out of there fast enough. The only reason this review is 2 stars instead of 1 is becuase the quality of the food was still superb. The service however, could use an overhaul.

    (2)

  • Ether B.

    Great place if you are looking for huge pieces of sashimi for a great price. Their rolls are not the best ever but they are good. There rolls are big and the pieces are big too. If you have a big mouth this is the place. If not then you might need to cut each piece in two. Great place for the price.

    (5)

  • Tifanny a.

    Love this Sushi! Great prices, great portions, great service!!

    (5)

  • Aaron L.

    Small & hidden but very reasonable. They had a great selection of special rolls and sashimi. I was there for a birthday and they did some loud gong presentation with a giant cat which was pretty funny.

    (4)

  • Monique G.

    I feel like all I do is review valley happy hours, but this one is way at the top of the list! The sushi is beautiful, excellent quality and the daily special rolls are always killer. I've never been disappointed here. I've also never come here outside of happy hour. It's later in the day, which is good for people with, you know, jobs and real lives. I can still come here for dinner after a day at work/school and still save big with their happy hour menu! And they have this great special when you buy a large Kirin, you can get an appetizer for $1. How sweet is that?! I usually opt for the edamame or calamari (be careful, it has jalapeños). Some of my favorite rolls beyond the daily specials are the rainbow (can't go wrong there) and the scallop bomb. Really rich dishes, and very filling! I've never walked away from this place without having to unbutton my shorts because literally everything on the menu is good.... and good on the wallet :) I can't tell you how many times I've been here, and will keep coming back!

    (5)

  • Steven B.

    Sakana, used to be excellent. But they have changed management and now the fish seems older and the food is always prepared late into the meal. It is amazing how the wrong people can really ruin a great restaurant. You used to have to wait for a table, no you can walk in anytime and get a table right away.

    (2)

  • Theresa I.

    This restaurant is terrible. My boyfriend and I LOVE sushi; we're both from LA so we've had extensive experience with it. We had the Boston Roll and the spicy sushi on top looked like mushed hamburger meat. I am not exaggerating in the least. It was by far the WORST sushi roll I have ever tried. We also had the Crunchy Eel Roll, which seemed like it was a reheated roll since it was tough to chew. I honestly cannot believe it has four stars. I know it's Arizona, but there are actually decent sushi restaurants out here. This is NOT one of them.

    (1)

  • Scott S.

    I am going to be very frank. You know Sakana is just "that good" when their lunch special has taken complete control of my Wednesday night Wack o'rama Wet Dream a thon. Oh Sakana lunch, my sub concious wants to have sex with you, I want to have sex with you, and I'm pretty sure Hal J wants to have sex with you also. Once America can work out Gay Marriage, I will start testing out the water with delicious lunch special sushi marriage. But until then, no actual sushi sex for Scott. I'm not gonna mention what the Sakana lunch special comes with because I feel that will just lead to more tangents about sex, me, sakana. I was frank earlier but now let me tell the truth. I have had a friend get violenty sick from eating the Sakana Lunch Special. Let me respond to that comment by telling the truth again. I do not give a crap about that friend and neither should you. First of all his name is Larson..... what a dumb name. Second of all, who gets sick from eating raw fish? I hope you learned something from this review. I'm just a simple person who likes to lay everything on the table.........then have sex with it.

    (5)

  • Polly M.

    The is one of our favorite sushi/sashimi restaurant (the other 2 is located in Chicago & SF). 1. fresh fish 2. the right size 3. fresh fish 4. the sushi chef is friendly 5. time is right 6. u guess it...FRESH fish which is the most important "thing"! 7. reasonable price! after visiting 5+ sushi restaurants in the area, we no longer need to tryout anymore. SAKANA is THE sushi/sashimi place in Scottsdale, AZ.

    (5)

  • Melissa K.

    Yes! I like this place. I happened to arrive just a few minutes before 5:30, and there was already a line of people waiting for them to unlock the door! They have their sushi specials presented on a plate near the entrance so you can see what the daily goodness is right away. I liked the service, atmosphere, and most of all, the sushi. Fresh and yummy. I think there's a special if you buy one of the big japanese beers, you can get an app for 99 cents. Nice!

    (5)

  • Jeff M.

    This place rocks. Their rolls are fantastic, full of flavor and variety. They are customer friendly and have a super all summer long happy hour. If you are an East Mesa'er and like sushi you have to try this place.

    (5)

  • Scott R.

    Awesome servers: accommodating, with pleasant dispositions.

    (4)

  • W C.

    I am a little confused as to how this place got so many good reviews. Perhaps I went at the wrong time. I went to Sakana for dinner and not only was the service pretty bad, the food was disappointing as well. Our hostess was impatient and forgetful. Everything at Sakana is just a variety of a the California roll and they are super generous, not in a good way, with the imitation crab. If you aren't too picky about sushi and are itching for some rice and imitation crab, this place is definitely the place to go.

    (1)

  • A V.

    Great place for nigiri, sashimi and maki. Make sure to try their specials, they have some of the best blue fin tuna I've ever had. My problems with this restaurant is that the service is never great, the atmosphere is a little dingy and everything apart from the food seems like an afterthought. Steer clear of the entrees, stick to the sushi.

    (4)

  • Michael L.

    Love this place. The sashimi slices are huge!

    (5)

  • Andy G.

    Though I was very impressed with the food and how much of it I enjoyed (quantity-wise) the initial service was weak and that's why they get the four-star rating. The provide you with the "Happy Roll" menu but without any explanation to what you'll be ordering. I don't think you should have to ask for that but we did and it delayed our order time by at least five minutes. After those first issues everything was great, the sushi was delicious and I sadly couldn't eat all that I was served it made me so full. While this doesn't hold up to Glendale's Tokyo Lobby, I will definitely be returning to Sakana.

    (4)

  • Chong P.

    If I had a pick of what sushi place to eat in the valley, hands down it would be Sakana. This might just be my tastes but their sashimi, sushi, and dishes are fantastic. I'm not a big fan of the fancy rolls but they seem to have a good selection and my friends enjoy them quite a bit. My favorite items are the tuna/salmon sashimi plate (big, thick pieces of fish!), tuna tataki salad, the hamachi-kama (they make it the best here by far), and the unagi. Can't ever say enough good things about this place! :) Also, did I mention the sushi chef is the best?

    (5)

  • Faridah S.

    I visited Sakana twice in the past week.. On both occasions I stopped there because it was on the way home from my running errands, and because I was craving Sushi. I had been there a few months earlier, and remembered that their sushi was good (not great), that the prices were reasonable, and that their portions were generous. On both of my visits this week I sat at the Sushi Bar because sushi service tends to be faster than when you are seated at a table, and because I like to watch the prepared sushi as it is passed to the waitresses and to those seated at the sushi bar. On both occasions, I was seated at the sushi bar immediately, and my beverage and miso soup were delivered very quickly. (The miso soup is just ok.) On both visits, my servers were very friendly, and were great about answering questions, and explaining how to place my sushi orders when I was ready. On my first visit, I ordered the Mackerel (Saba) Nigiri special, and from the happy hour menu, Salmon Roe (Ikura), and two Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls. My order was served to me quickly. I enjoyed the Mackerel, and the Salmon Roe. Everything tasted fresh. I was a bit disappointed with my Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls. Although the portion of spicy tuna in each hand roll was very generous, the seasoning was lacking in general, and there was not even a suggestion of heat at all. I ended up adding wasabi and soy sauce to it for flavor. The tuna flavor was obscured by the mayonnaise (or whatever mayonnaise like substance) that was used to make the spicy tuna. it is not a preparation that I care for, although I realize many sushi places are doing it that way now. I prefer spicy tuna that is just tuna, hot oil, and a bit of seasoning. That said, for what I paid, I wouldn't complain. I left full, and the basic standard of good was met overall. On today's visit, I really was up for variety. After asking a few questions, I ordered the Sakana Lunch, which came with miso soup, 6 different pieces of Nigiri, a California roll and a spicy crab jalapeno popper. Once again, the miso soup (again, just ok) was brought to me right away. My lunch also came out very quickly, in spite of the fact that the restaurant was quite busy. While the fish was fresh and tasty, and it was MORE than enough food (I skipped the Nigiri rice and just ate the fish in order to finish my food), the California roll was pretty bad. It was fresh enough, but between too much rice, fake "krab", and too much mayonnaise - or whatever the binder was - it tasted pretty bad, and lacked any sort of balancing fresh note. I didn't even try to finish it. I felt like I got my money's worth, and once again I was full. It was still a long way from a great dining experience. I also stayed away from many of the rolls because most include that awful fake "krab". I'd say that Sakana is ok as long as your expectations are not too high. The service was friendly and fast, the prices were reasonable, most of the food was ok, and it was convenient. This just isn't on my list of favorite sushi places. The cooked food may be good. I've never tried it.. It is also important to note that they close between lunch and dinner (2:00 pm - 5:30 pm)

    (3)

  • Brittany B.

    Nice atmosphere, love the free edamame for checking in! Great service- finally a restaurant with servers that are sweet! Within walking distance of home so it's even better that we can walk, ride bikes, etc to grab some delicious sushi!

    (4)

  • J B.

    Is it the best sushi in town? No, but it's very good, friendly staff, great sushi chefs and it's just a fun place. Not fancy but has a good feel and the sushi bar is best place to sit. Get the spicy scallops, blue fin tuna! Prices are great. I usually walk out for under $20 and always leave in a good mood.

    (5)

  • Garrett T.

    I was not that impressed. Don't get me wrong it wasn't bad but it wasn't that good. We got two rolls, the crazy roller coaster roll and the Blood Orange roll. Also had the seaweed salad that was great! And lastly the sashimi plate. I didn't like the blood orange roll, mainly because it didn't have as much flavor as I would have expected. The roller coaster roll was better but even that one could have been better. Sashimi was fresh and good.

    (3)

  • Jennifer C.

    Went here after seeing the reviews on yelp. Not impressed. Calamari was good. Sushi was mediocre, quality of seafood was average. They don't have a full bar, your limited to a poor selection of beer and wine. Won't be back.

    (2)

  • Yentl T.

    My party was visiting around the area and was craving for some Japanese food, and decided to try this place out. ENVIRONMENT - There's a bar where you can eat, as well as a comfortable seating area. it's not the best for large groups, as the place is not too big. They also have a TV playing MLB, in case you want a place to watch your games :P SERVICE - Friendly and prompt! FOOD - I don't expect much in terms of authenticity for Japanese cuisine in Arizona, so I guess the food was okay in terms of a Japanese Fusion style. Their names for their rolls are quite punny - 'marilyn monroll' LOL. +Salmon Dynamite Roll $5.95 - The presentation of this was quite interesting. There's 5 pieces on the bottom (see pic) with salmon and other toppings all loaded on top, so it looks like one giant piece (almost like a sushi pizza). i enjoyed this, and it's filling if you order another small dish with it. + Tempura Udon $8.99 - Price isn't too bad, and the udon broth was quite yummy. The udon noodles itself had a great texture as well. BUT the tempura disappointed me. At first I was just expecting 2 tempura shrimps with the udon, so I was pleasantly surprised that a whole plate of tempura came. But that plate of tempura just consisted of 1 shrimp, a whole bunch of carrots, 2 peppers (not a fan... first time I've seen carrots and peppers being battered.....blergh, not a fan), 1 broccoli, and 1 squash. I'd probably just stick to the special rolls next time - no more udon for me. Also, don't forget to check in since you get some free edamame!

    (3)

  • Elizabeth J.

    Place was full tonight but they made room for me at the Sushi Bar. My waitress was friendly and helpful. When I couldn't figure out what to get, the waitress asked me what I was looking for. I asked for a sashimi platter that was smaller than the special being offered. Lo and behold, Juan whipped up a very nice small sashimi platter for the price I asked, with quality fish (no cheap items were included). The presentation was nice and the sashimi was really good, left me totally full and satisfied. Worth going back again to try some other things!

    (4)

  • Dick W.

    Once my favorite sushi spot; it has gone downhill. I went in on a Saturday for lunch and was so disappointed that I will never go back. Just poor quality fish, no attention to detail. I ordered a spicy tuna hand roll, salmon, hamachi, and Unagi, all of it poor quality. I left most of the food on my plate, paid the bill, and left.

    (2)

  • Jason M.

    Nice little place to grab some good, well priced sushi. Service is a hit and miss, but seems to have gotten better as of late. So props to the owner if they made some changes.

    (4)

  • Rosalie S.

    I have been coming to the Indian bend location for about two years now. And while the food remains fairly good the service has been on a steady decline. Last time we were all but kicked out as it was towards closing time. But it wasn't done nicely. They were rude. And then again today, our waitress didn't talk about the menu at all or explain the two different menus with two different sets of prices. Nor did she return to our table until the very end when returning our credit card. Not once did anybody check in to see if we were pleased with our food and when I made inquiries about the food, I was treated with disdain. On top of all that they don't serve the delicious little Orange that was their signature post meal fruit. Claiming 6 months ago oranges were out of season. Crazy.

    (3)

  • Mike N.

    Perfect balance of sushi favorites and specialty rolls. Don't forget to ask for the Fitzgerald Roll, named after the best WR in the NFL and U of Pitt! This a specialty roll that the sushi chef has included everything he catches!

    (4)

  • Connie V.

    It's the best sushi place in Scottsdale I've found so far. Many things were outstanding: the service, quick delivery of food, great happy hour specials, and ambiance. As a sushi snob, I felt everything we ordered (with one exception) fell a little short. If you are not a sushi snob, then this place will rock your world. The best thing we had was the garlic parmesan edamame. WOW! It was amazing. We got the spicy tuna, philadelphia, salmon skin and ahi ahi rolls. They were all good, but they just weren't great and this is judging with high standards, so they were all very good. The ahi ahi roll was very close to great - salmon skin was least favorite as it was a bit salty. But, I will say I really did like this place and I'll go back and sample other menu items, maybe I'll find something that really clicks with me!

    (4)

  • T W.

    We came here on a Saturday around 600p, as usual had very prompt and exceptional service. Starting with Miso soup and Hot Sake really set the mood for our the Crispy Jaaepaño Calamari. Sitting at the Sushi Bar watching the action, Juan made our delicious Salmon Sashimi and we tried the Crunchy Eel Roll too, looking forward to our next visit for a lunch special. Pleasantly surprised to enjoy our second visit more than the first! Would recommend to anyone in the Scottsdale area for high quality, fast and very affordable sushi - 5.0 highest possible rating Absolutely Superb Japanese Experience , A Favorite Pick For Scottsdale

    (5)

  • Dan F.

    This place went from being a rock star to a zero!!! Funny how I called ahead to make sure that we could get in and within the eight minutes it took us to get there they were full. Can you say bait and switch!!! Sorry to say I don't play that game and I will take my business elsewhere!!!

    (1)

  • Yotam M.

    THIS PLACE ROCKS! Definitely one of the best sushi in town. We went 2 weeks ago to celebrate our friends birthday. We couldn't stop ordering rolls!! The service was great, the sushi is so fresh and tasty. The value is great too, won't break the bank! Last week I celebrated MY birthday at home, I decided I wanted them to cater. My wife ordered $200 worth of sushi we fed 20 people and everyone was amazed at the quality of sushi and needless to say, we all enjoyed it. I highly recommend this place, it's in my top favs.

    (5)

  • Tiffanie P.

    I grade sushi restaurants on 3 factors: - Quality - Excellent. No fishy smell on my food or in the restaurant. Delicious. Rolls were well made and tasty! - Quantity - I walked out STUFFED from eating the $9.99 lunch special. - Price - Can't beat $10 for lunch, especially this much good sushi. But the takeout side of things was not as good. The teeny tiny salad had wilted lettuce. The takeout version of the Sakana lunch does not include miso soup, although the price is the same, and they did not include chopsticks, napkins, or soy sauce.

    (4)

  • Alin Si Ramona S.

    Simply the best sushi in the valley! I have been at 2 of their locations: Scottsdale and Glendale and they are amazing! We love it and always go there with family and friends.

    (5)

  • Irina H.

    I've been coming here for quite a while and it never disappoints. The FOOD: The sushi is amazing. They have fun roll specials every day - we've gotten all kinds of interesting rolls including angry shrimp, roly poly, etc. However, I really judge a sushi restaurant by its sashimi...and the sashimi here is some of the best. The fish is fresh, firm and delicious - never fishy, spongy or just ok. The toro tuna sashimi literally melts in your mouth, and the salmon, yellowtail and friends are all excellent. The REST: The prices are extremely reasonable for such wonderful food. The service is consistently great, as well - I tend to ask a lot of questions and they've never steered me wrong. The atmosphere is dark and quiet - quite a nice departure from the club-like, house music and noise of some really good sushi places.

    (5)

  • Nora K.

    Update: appreciate the outreach from Sakana on my review. I know to never order udon soup for carry out again, but they offer large portions for reasonable prices, usually with prompt and friendly service.

    (4)

  • N B.

    "I'm sorry you feel that way" is often used to dismiss a woman's opinion or thought. It's an attempt to silence her. So not only does your sushi suck you try to silence your customers that are taking their time to provide constructive criticism in a form of a review. The sushi that I had was not fresh. Others have reviewed that their sushi was NOT fresh. If multiple people are saying your seafood is not fresh then it is not fresh. I was born in and spent a lot of my life in a fishing village off the Mediterranean Sea with a family full of fishermen. I also served in the United States Coast Guard and served in Boston and and more than aware of the seafood coming from there and how it should look like. I am more than qualified to know what fresh seafood is and what is not. I am also qualified to know what is real seafood and what is not. Imitation crab meat is NOT real seafood. I even took into consideration and lowered my standards a bit cause we are--after all in the desert. Your sushi was not even "fresh for Arizona".

    (1)

  • Holly C.

    Great happy hour menu. The rolls are pretty stacked! We ordered two of every roll because the waitress informed us only 5 pieces came with each roll for hh. It was SO much food but pretty darn good sushi.

    (4)

  • Rianne D.

    We came here on a Friday, pre-celebrating my sister's graduation from culinary school. Our waitress told us that they had a special - buy a pint get an appetizer for .50 cents. We got the squid salad, endame and karai poppers. We also ordered the salmon bomber and the crunchy chunky dynamite roll. All yummy choices! I can't complain about this place. Service was great and speedy. Their specials are great. Food was pretty good. A little out of the way, but I wasn't disappointed.

    (4)

  • Jereb C.

    Wow..... Not in a good way The sashimi was good because all they did was cut it, but that was it.everything else made me wish I went real Chinese! Not Chinese making sushi, culture theives! P.S. snow crab is not the main ingredient to every roll!

    (1)

  • Scott A.

    Sakana Lunch... Sakana Lunch.... Sakana Lunch. Say these two words and like Pavlov's K9 I start salivating. The Sakana Lunch special is 100% satisfying. It's huge, tasty and priced right. Most sushi places take a glob of sticky rice, slice a thin piece of fish, and daintily place the rawness onto the rice. Not at Sakana. Here the sushi chef cuts a steak size piece of fish, thick and long, like a slab of prime rib. Then, he DRAPES the fish over the rice. When he's done, you can't even see the rice. Once I told the waitress "Excuse me Miss. I ordered Nigiri, which is supposed to have rice. This is sashimi." "Silly customer." she replied. "We give you Nigiri. Rice under fish. Look. Look." She was right! There was some rice under all that fish. Don't believe me? Look at the photo I uploaded. If you ever want to totally chow down on a ton of sushi, this is the place to go. The quality of the fish is pretty good: not the best. But the portions are out of sight. Do yourself a favor. Order the "Baked Scallop Roll", it's one of the best I've ever had. Arigato.

    (4)

  • Sam C.

    Wow! We've been in AZ for a few months now and I think we've found our sushi gem! At first glance, this place looks like your average, hole in the wall, sushi joint. But upon experiencing this place, it will bring you back! The sushi is portioned quite large and is delicious! Not the place to go if you are looking for an extensive wine menu, but Ichiban, sake and sushi is good enough for me! We had the Fitzgeroll, Rose Bowl and Boston roll. I think it was the Rose Bowl that was my favorite.

    (5)

  • Victoria K.

    Best sushi in the valley!! Been going here for at least 10 years :)

    (5)

  • Kate N.

    For me this is the best Sushi Restaurant out there in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. The sashimi is delicious, portions are huge and the staff are amazing!

    (5)

  • Aileen B.

    I ate here months ago, but I still yearn for the great crunchy calamari salad I had! Golden-brown calamari, tasty, yet not too greasy, over crisp-fresh greens (mostly romaine) and just the right amount of sesame house dressing. This resto is significantly smaller than that in Ahwatukee, which gives it a nice romantic ambience. That is, until it fills up, and then it can feel quite claustrophobic in here. I would imagine that it'd be a great place to chill out during happy hour: I've spotted nice-looking people here when I wasn't even looking to meet any!

    (3)

  • Tyler A.

    Our go-to sushi spot because of value, especially the nigiri. Big pieces, average quality for a fair price. That's enough for me at a sushi place. I don't really enjoy any of their fried rolls. Some places know how to work a fryer (Hana, muah). This place is not one. Service is friendly but slow, especially with the check. There is often a wait, but the tables turn quickly. The place is suitable for small kids.

    (3)

  • Youri L.

    Sakana is probably the sushi place in town I go to the most. I have never been disappointed. I'm not a sushi pro but definitely enjoy sushi and I think the quality and portions compare fairly to other sushi restaurants in Scottsdale or Phoenix. My parents live out of town and when they visit, if my mom could come here everyday for lunch she probably would. The menu specials are always great and its' probably the only restaurant of any type in which the display actually makes me get the special instead of having a waiter come up with a monologue of what the chef's special is for the day. It may not be the best sushi I'll have in my life, but then again I'm not the pickiest of people perhaps and I've never been disappointed by the service or food which is what matters at the end of my meal. Only issue is perhaps that the restaurant is not large and due to it's popularity (especially at lunch or the peak hours of dinner) you might have to wait 5-10 minutes to be seated. One of my favorite places to eat sushi, and to just enjoy dinner in Scottsdale.

    (4)

  • Gabi M.

    Word must've gotten out about Sakana because tonight (on a random Tuesday night), I showed up with 2 girlfriends around 6:45... we were all craving sushi and couldn't wait to sit down and order. We walk in and what? a wait? 20 minutes? Wow! I never had to wait at this place before! It's great quality sushi, large portions compared to other sushi in this town, decent service, and casual. Yes, casual. We were all in gym clothes and no one looked us up and down. It was great! The garden salad with ginger dressing is like 3 x the size you get at other places. The rolls are big and filling and the sashimi comes with plenty of fish! Caution on spicy items: IE spicy tuna and spicy salmon - you might want to tell them light on the spice... I usually like spicy but I think tonight's sushi chef has a heavy hand! Nothing better than the complimentary fresh sliced orange and whipped cream to end your meal here either... it was worth the wait!

    (4)

  • Scott B.

    Great sushi, casual atmosphere and very reasonable price. A little different than the other more pretentious sushi restaurants in the immediate area. Highly recommend Sakana.

    (5)

  • Brad S.

    Food was Great not the best sushi ever, but really good. I will be back again. The prices are extremely fair. The service was really off today.

    (4)

  • Cyril A.

    I used to go a lot in here, like once a week, sometimes twice as they have the biggest, longest Unagi serving ever! I used to get 6 to 8 orders at a time, very fresh and well prepared with Unagi sauce of course! Otherwise I like their lunch special for $9.99 which includes Miso soup and salad, can't really beat that. In the evening, they have some special rolls on the board which are worth trying. Sometimes they get really busy and you have to wait for a table although most of the time you can find a spot at the sushi bar. All in all it's a good place for a sushi fix up, don't expect to get amazed by the quality but the price/quality makes it a good deal.

    (3)

  • Mike H.

    I like the sushi here but the extra fee for "take out" order. Give me a break. Your going to charge me a fee to order over the phone and come pick it up myself? Am I paying for the styrofoam container? Look at it this way, I'm not using your tables, Im not using your waitresses, your A/C, your bathrooms and you don't have to hire a bus boy and dishwasher to clean up after me. I think I'm saving you money by getting "takeout" dummies. The family and i used to go here quite often but ever since I got the "take out" fee I will be spending my money elsewhere. Too bad because we liked this place and its very close to where I live.

    (2)

  • Amanda L.

    Excellent Sushi, great for business meetings and socials

    (4)

  • Rudy W.

    This place is not your typical sushi place. its more like a sports bar. Great for first timer. Large portions and the price is very reasonable. this place is like american sushi bar. its a fun place to go with friends or family. but if you are looking for a good sushi/food. this ain't it. Taste, is nothing to rave about and you get what you paid for. this is more like the americanize version of sushi.

    (2)

  • Kevin H.

    You will find here: 1) mediocre frostbitten sashimi 2) scallops that will get you sick 3) a den of witches. The first two are self explanatory. The third will be explained in detail. The food here is okay run-of-the-mill americanized sushi. Three star fare. The ambiance is good so that miiiight bump things up to a 3.5 star. HOWEVER the unique service forces me to ding my rating down to a two. The waitresses here are chinese. I am chinese. I also understand chinese. So when the waitresses conspire to secretly sell my coworkers and i their crappier alcohol, i understand what is going on. Come on..... Hiro is where it's at.

    (2)

  • Maxine B.

    I'm from San Diego so I'm very picky about my sushi. This place is top notch at a great price. It's hard to be in Scottsdale and find great food at the right price but Sakana breaks the Scottsdale barriers. I absolutely love this place. The portions are big and the atmosphere is cute. Not too shabby.

    (5)

  • Samantha C.

    Just another sushi joint that will never live up to my last two favorites. Why oh why did they have to close down? Went here for the first time for lunch today. Service was fine, not too busy inside. Our waitress brought out waters while we looked over the menu. I think she used probably less than a quarter cup of ice because the temperature was warmer than the room, which combined with the awful taste was already putting me off. Why is it so hard to have good water in restaurants?! We decided to try some rolls first because it's the only "sushi" my boyfriend will eat. One Mexican Caliente roll, and one Crunchy Eel. It took more than fifteen minutes for them to get to the table and that's not too bad. I started with the Mexican and right off the bat it split in two, the filling left all over the plate. The rice was barely sticking together. Only the jalapeno saved this roll. The Crunchy Eel was not what I've come to enjoy. Literally all I could taste was the cream cheese, it was almost the size of a quarter. Most of the eel sauce was on the plate in a messy spill. The fact that the rolls kept falling apart was made even more a challenge considering how HUGE they make them. I've never had to take bites out of a roll before, but a whole piece would have filled my mouth making it hard to move my jaw. Overall bland and one note rolls. I was planning on ordering more but the cream cheese left a bad taste in my mouth. Two stars because this "meal" came out to $14 with tip.

    (2)

  • Stephanie P.

    Have been back two more times since my last review. They have great specials and their chefs do an amazing job!!! Good service too! We always leave stuuuuuffed.

    (5)

  • Chris M.

    Nice atmosphere.. typical sushi environment.. The sushi menu is average with the usual selections but not many special rolls or selections. Their prices, however, are OUTSTANDING. Prices are key when you are a sushi addict. If you require sushi three or more times a week, then Sakana allows you to have your fix without going into foreclosure or prostitution. Generous helping of the seasoned squid salad is a great starter!

    (4)

  • Allison F.

    Best sushi ever. Great prices. Happy hour is really good. Get there early because it is always busy.......for good reason.

    (5)

  • Kurdy S.

    Awesome sushi!! you must come to this specific location! great service, especially if you know somebody who knows. The one time I came here, i was waiting about an hour before seating, but stayed for almost 2 hours. So this place does fill up quickly on weekends. If you are looking to try newer or just better tasting sushi and apps, come here!

    (4)

  • Gary M.

    Sakana's had always been my favorite casual sushi bar in town. It was very inexpensive and the quality was very good. However the wait staff is among the worst in town and never fails to detract from my dinning pleasure I go there 3 times a month instead of the 3 times a week I'd go before they took a turn for the worse. When i do go the hostess and wait staff always appear angry, Is it to much to ask for a smile or at least not the pissed off look they serve on a regular bases. If they would only take a page out of the way Oregano's hires and trains their wait staff, Sakana's could be iconic. Their Unagi use to be legendary now.... forgettable) Owners please fire everyone except the sushi chefs' and hire nice happy people who enjoying working with the public and bring back your legendary Unagi even if your have to charge more!

    (1)

  • Charlie D.

    FOR LUNCH ONLY!!!! Came here the other day for lunch because I had heard about the lunch special. It was a little confusing at first because the specials are written on a dry erase board and are not on the menu. But for $10 you get miso soup, a side salad and a huge variety plate of sushi. This is an unreal deal. I'd literally come here EVERY day for lunch if I could.

    (5)

  • Hannah R.

    These guys consistently do a really good job, the sushi is not too expensive and always good quality. It seems that there are less sushi restaurants that actually have staff who are familiar with the traditional sushi options and not just all americanized rolls. I really like a good chirashi bowl and the sushi chef at sakana does a fantastic job with their bowls. I love their Happy Hour if you order a bomber size beer you get to choose one of a variety of apps for .99 which is a great addition to the already good sushi and value. It always seems like the best sushi spots are always tucked away in a shopping plaza that doesn't get much activity like the one that sakana is in on Indian bend.

    (4)

  • Joey W.

    This is the third of the Sakana locations I have been to, and they have yet to disappoint once! Given that I work in the area, this is a prime spot for me to grab a quick lunch. And given their prices it's absolutely one of the best (and most delicious!) values to be found! For $11.99 I got the sashimi deluxe lunch. This had 3 pieces each of: salmon, albacore tuna, Fiji albacore and lightly seared white tuna. All of the slices were very generously cut and every piece was perfectly fresh, as I have come to expect from Sakana. Even the salmon was rich and buttery, without a hint of the "fishy" taste that salmon so often has. The also came with miso soup, a small salad and a bowl of steamed rice. Overall, this was a decently filling meal without leaving me with that overstuffed feeling. Everything tasted great. Plus, this is one of the healthier options you can find for a quick lunch. Oh and there's the fact that every member of the staff was absolutely delightful, welcome and helpful! Always a bonus on top of great food.

    (5)

  • Ray N.

    Great food, Amazing staff!! Such a joy every time I eat and visit. Waay better than Ra

    (5)

  • Lindsey D.

    Eat and drink your heart out and chances are, you'll leave with less than $20 missing from your wallet; at least that's how I feel every time I visit Sakana. Hidden within a random strip mall on Hayden and Indian Bend, Sakana is unassuming and I've passed by many times before actually venturing inside. Friends swore by it, so I had to give it a try. When I walked inside, I was immediately welcomed by sushi platters staring right at me.. very similar to sushi restaurants I see in SF's China Town. As weird as it seemed to stare at sushi that was either plastic or had been sitting out way too long, it did give me a good idea about what I wanted to order: everything on the menu of course. When I visit, I can roll in sushi, wash it down with plenty of sake bombs and leave with a satisfied appetite and happy pocket book. I've been with a large group of friends as well as just a couple and it's always an enjoyable...sake-filled experience. You can't beat their happy hour. From the inexpensive sushi to the really inexpensive sake, it's a match made in sushi roll heaven. The restaurant isn't exactly huge and I've visited when there was a line out the door. At the same time, I've also visited when I'm the only one there, so it all depends on the time of year and day of the week. The staff is very friendly and you can watch the sushi chefs working their magic at the sushi counter. Sakana proves that you don't have to visit the finest sushi establishment in the Valley to dine on some high-end, delicious sushi. Their prices make me walk through the door and their sushi keeps me coming back for more. And the sake? Well the sake just turns the night into a whole different story in itself,

    (4)

  • clete l.

    I've never been a big fan of sushi. BEHOLD! Sakana! Not only did I love their sushi but my buddy turned me onto SASHIMI. BEHOLD! I now spend about $25 a week fulfilling my sashimi cravings. I always get the sashimi plate with blue fin, yellow tail, salmon and anything else they care to put there. All in the raw.....not me, the fish that is. Love it. Now, a brief summary of freshness: if your not eating it right after its been caught it ain't fresh. This fish is probably 2 to 3 days from catch. That's as good as it gets here in Arizona. And no, they are not getting this fish from the Salt River canals. Decor is so-so. It's what you would expect from a strip mall Japanese restaurant: nothing special. Service is fine. Nothing special to report here.

    (4)

  • Jonathan F.

    A prospective customer at Sakana must check out the Customer Appreciation Sushi Roll menu before ordering from the "main" menu. Customer Appreciation rolls are the full size rolls at most Japanese restaurants in California and tastes just as good if not better. $7 for 5 large cuts of Hamachi sashimi. Add $2 for a bowl of sushi rice and you will be in sashimi heaven. The Ikura at this restaurant are the best I have ever tasted anywhere. Beers for as afforadable as $3.25. Sodas with free refills for $1.95. Can you find this quality at these prices in Scottsdale? I didn't think so!

    (5)

  • Susan D.

    4 stars on Yelp for sushi that might have given me an upset tummy? Hmmmm, maybe I just had a bad experience and since I'm not actually sure of the cause of my upset tummy, I'll give Sakura Sushi the benefit of the doubt. It was initially a tasty experience, reasonably priced and a cute restaurant with a friendly staff. The food was seemed fresh, was well made and tasted good (and maybe I was just gonna have an upset tummy anyway). We had, Hamachi nigiri, Unagi nigiri, spicy tuna roll, Philadelphia roll and a cucumber salad. It was all tasty. Only complaint that I can be sure of, though the unagi tasted great, it still had some weird bone stuff on the top... that's never happened to me before with Unagi. Oh yeah and, there were only 5 pieces in each roll but, that might have been cause we ordered off a special menu. We were lucky to catch something like a Sunday night happy hour. I'm not sure if that's available everynight or not but our bill was under 25$. Nice! Unfortunately, I don't live in AZ and even when I come back, I'll probably try another joint because this one is so far from my friends house. We only went there because it was open until 9:30 on a Sunday night. Probably won't see ya there.

    (3)

  • Earl C.

    So my friends took me here as a "farewell" dinner get-together. I didn't know what to expect. My friends go there on a weekly basis, they're practically regulars... NO KIDDING!! From what they were telling me, if you become a regular there they can practically make anything that's NOT in the menu for you. Our server Allissa was SOOOO AWESOME!!! I've never been to a restaurant in AZ where the server interacts with their customers on a personal level. It made the place more appealing so in the future, I can take my friends there for sushi. Thank you guys for the welcoming atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Sarah K.

    Sakana is another typical sushi place. I wasn't blown away, nor do I feel that the quality of fish justified the expense. It's a small place and we requested the first available seats; after 10 minutes we were seated at the Sushi Bar. Our chairs backed up to the kitchen entrance, which was literally two feet away. I distinctly remember watching a basketball game during this meal, since the TVs are right in front of your face at the sushi bar. It took forever just to get water. By the time we ordered happy hour was over and we had to pay full price. We put the order in and each roll came out at least five minutes a part. The fish was not really fresh--it looked like it had been sitting in the cooler for too long. After we had been finished for 15 minutes another roll they'd forgotten about came out. We were full. The sushi chef let us know: "No worries, someone else will order it soon", as he placed it on top of the cooler to sit....and sit... I usually go into detail about each item I order, but it was so nondescript I practically forgot what we had by the time we got to the car.

    (2)

  • Patty H.

    I always pause before giving good reviews to restaurants I love because I want to keep them a secret. But I'll be generous and share. If you're looking for outstanding sushi, great portions, fun employees and a reasonably priced restaurant, Sakana is it. They have a sushi happy hour, and they have customer appreciation every Thursday. Their sushi portions are almost excessive and I've never, ever had a bad meal there. Denise goes out of her way to say hello to everyone,and the sushi chefs will call out their welcome as you walk through the door. If you're looking for the typical shiney Scottsdale atmosphere, you've come to the wrong place. Nor can you sit at the bar and sip cocktails, because there is no bar (except the sushi bar). But if you want awesome sushi and great service, you must check this place out.

    (4)

  • Melissa H.

    Great place for a group of friends to share a bunch of sushi and sake. Came here for a birthday party and they were so accomodating allowing us to push together several tables. They have a good sake selection (both warm and cold). The sushi is generously portioned, you will not go away hungry. The rolls are plentiful and they have plenty of fancy shmancy rolls involving fifteen ingredients, I prefer my sushi simple to highlight the quality of fish. Regardless of what you like, Sakana will have it. They have a great happy hour with beer specials and food for luck a buck. (No joke). I just wish one was closer to me.

    (4)

  • Red C.

    Lunchtime Sushi!!! And make sure to get there by 11a since some days (Thurs/Fri) they fill up quick. I probably get the sushi boat every time I go here for lunch. For $9.99 you can't beat it and it's has all the variety of rolls, sushi and tempured (I know it's not a word but I'm using it) goodies(jalapeno roll). It also comes with soup and a salad. The whole boat is large enough for two people... or one hungry person ;P I've been coming here regularly at least every other week if not every week for over a year. Never gotten sick or had a bad experience. Also - ask for separate checks up front - or you'll wait for them to separate the orders out.

    (5)

  • Nicole M.

    My "go to" place for Sushi. Great rolls, busy yet fun atmosophere, and you can't beat the M-Thursday specials. I agree with some of the other reviews about the waitstaff. Some are a little forgetful but they are always polite and friendly. Give it a try, you wont be disappointed.

    (4)

  • J B.

    I have two favorite sushi places: here & awhautukee!!! :-)

    (5)

  • Jessica J.

    Sakana is such a treasure! They have the best sushi in Scottsdale as far as I'm concerned. From the location and front of the building you'd never expect it to be as good as it is. They display their daily special rolls in the front and they always are so tempting I have to try at least one. My favorite thing on the menu is the baked scallop roll. If you've never had one, you MUST try it here!!!! Seems like other people love it too because they get busy every evening and usually have a wait. If you don't like to wait, avoid the prime times. They also have great happy hour and customer appreciation nights.

    (5)

  • Yukio T.

    So my girlfriend and I were in Scottsdale for a bit of a mini vacation when she was craving her favorite food, Sushi. Now, we're both from Southern California so we've been quite spoiled with fresh fish so when we found Sakana on Yelp, we were a bit skeptical but with the reviews, we took a shot at it. First, it was a bit hard to find so if you don't see the restaurant at first, just go towards the back of the shopping center. We went in where the staff was really friendly and told us about the menu. We first noticed the prices were LOW compared to So Cal sushi prices which made us raise our eyebrows. When our sushi and rolls came out we were surprised to see generous portions of fish! Like HUGE pieces! Then, the fish itself was amazing! Yes! There is amazing fish in AZ! We had yellowtail (amazing), eel (super amazing), octopus (super soft, not chewy), albacore (delicious), salmon (got to have!) and a few rolls. By the end we were stuffed and the tab? Only $50! When we go back to Scottsdale, you can bet your butt that we'll be back here!

    (5)

  • WMT W.

    One of favorite places on earth! The fish is very fresh the prices are reasonable which I suppose helps keep the fish fresh. Unfortunately many Sushi bars don't even meet those standards. Thankfuly there are a few places on town that do and Sakana is one of those. But what makes Salamander my favorite is the people. The chefs are friendly and engaging. The servers are a blast. And some of the nicest people hang out there including the likes of Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald. The sushi experience is more than just food it is also fun and Sakana is the complete package

    (5)

  • Tanya G.

    Great specials and sushi was fresh! Service was great too! I will be back for date night with my honey.

    (4)

  • Amy T.

    Awesome lunch specials, Fresh, delicious sushi and sashimi. This place is the bomb.

    (5)

  • Josh F.

    After eating here I was actually pissed off that I didn't know about it before. The portions of sashimi are amazingly large. That doesn't mean crap if the quality is not there, but fortunately for Sakana, it's there. They even have house specials (like salmon smoked on the premises). AWESOME! My only complaint is the lack of fresh wasabi (they have pickled or the powdered stuff). For the area, this should be 5 stars. I just can't compare it to Kiji in SF or Blue Ribbon in NYC, which are my 5 star benchmarks.

    (4)

  • Ray R.

    This used to be one of my favorite sushi places. Everything is good, pretty basic sushi. They have some specialty rolls but nothing too unique. I also liked the calemari appetizer with the jalopenos. I traded this place in as my favorite for Pearl in Old Town, but still return here on occasion. There has always been a wait when I come here, but only about 15 minutes.

    (4)

  • Jeff F.

    Very nice little Japanese restaurant. We've been once for lunch and once for dinner. I love the fact that they cut a thick slab of fish for the sushi and sashimi here, much more so than other Japanese places I've been in Arizona. This is true Japanese style and how sushi is supposed to be served. We recently visited another "high-end" Japanese restaurant in Scottsdale which served the smallest pieces of fish I've ever seen in a restaurant at exorbitant prices. Ridiculous. Well, that's not what is going on here. I don't know how or why Japanese restaurants have evolved in the USA into serving super-expensive micro-portions but that ain't how it is in Japan. Sushi is supposed to be quick and easy comfort food. A sushi joint in Japan is filled with normal working people chowing down on massive portions of fish, served quickly and without ostentation, not boob-jobbed bulemics eating over-priced, razor thin slices of fish. Even today, in Tokyo you can get 10 orders of nigiri for less than $20. Sakana fits nicely into that unpretentious tradition. At Sakana, the quality of the fish is high. The menu is not very broad and they don't have a huge selection but what they do have is fresh and excellent. It is also an excellent value, particularly at lunch where $9.95 buys you a very ample sushi combination. Service is quick and friendly. Recommended.

    (4)

  • Glen N.

    There for lunch today. It was the best sushi I have had in Arizona. Plus, it is not expensive compared to other sushi restaurants, Try it today!

    (5)

  • Stephen R.

    Tremendous value and the sushi is always fresh and enormous. The quality is great. The Unagi (eel) is my favorite here along with the toro (fatty tuna) and the hamachi Kama is excellent. Yeah I said it, sushi in scottsdale is pretty damn good.

    (3)

  • John H.

    Scottsdale is so many things, shopping, nightclubs, excessive, culinary delight, etc. It is also a neighborhood, if you take the time to look past everything else. If you stumbled into Ra or Stingray sushi on one of your forgettable nights drinking, keep going to those "other" sushi places. If you want a neighborhood feel, great service, excellent portions and a great price point, check out Sakana. They have 4 locations in the Valley. This location is only one that I have visited so far. I met Dhargya there last night, he wanted to introduce two european beauties to great sushi. It was "We are the World" all over again. Dhargya is from Tibet, Manu - Italy (near Lake Como), Natalia - Ukraine , and me - Pittsburgh (proud of it). The 4 of us ate until full and even managed to take home some Vegetable Tempura. For $100, including tip and many bottles of hot sake, I would say it is a steal. Be forewarned though - if you arrive between 6:30 and 8pm, there will probably be a waiting list.

    (4)

  • Scott N.

    great fresh sushi and hamachi kama. i spent a half hour talking with sushi chef Sun and Sakana has become my sushi home away from home (Sushi On Oracle in Tucson). the service is very accommodating, although one time i went the waitress literally screamed at us and she couldn't pronounce gyoza correctly. but i can live with that as long as the food lives up. little things like that get to you when you used manage a sushi kitchen... i had some of the better fresh salmon i've had in a while last night. the yellowtail is very fresh and melts like butter. they have toro, which is always a plus. can't find it everywhere. even though they cater to the americanized sushi (lots of fried shit and rolls, some fried themselves), you can tell them you want to stay traditional and Sun will hook you up. my new sushi spot.

    (4)

  • mark g.

    I went here today for lunch Needing time away from work so I drove to sakana I walked in, the place was very busy right off the bat I was greeted with a big hello and smile ......thank you I had the savanna lunch special 9.99 which included miso soup a nice salad 6 or so pieces of fish 6 pieces of rolls and a smoked salmon tempura roll thing very good and plenty of food

    (5)

  • Alyson M.

    Favorite sushi in the area. Happy hour sun-thurs, all night. I think they are closed for lunch on the weekends. Awesome rolls for like $3-4 and the best shrimp shumai! Place gets packed so you could end up waiting, but it is definitely worth it. Oh and they only serve wine and beer. Would get 5 stars but the service isn't that good.

    (4)

  • Karen M.

    I am sttill struggling to find sushi that compares with Zushi Puzzle or Sushi Bistro in San Francisco or with my all time favorite, Sansei in Maui. I was optimistic about this place based on reviews, but it really is just average. The atmosphere is pretty good, nice and clean, makes an effort at seeming Japanese. Portions were very large and we did over order. Nigiri was fresh. The waitress either got our order wrong or the shrimp tempura roll looked and tasted like eel and the spicy tuna roll was not spicy. When asked, she insisted that the plan tuna roll was actually a spicy tuna roll. It didn't make sense because spicy tuna was delivered as part of the hand roll special and that was actually quite good? The Eel tempura roll was quite tasty. I hate fake crab...its bad enough in a California roll, but horrible in a hand roll special, I mean why bother? All the special rolls are just variations on California Rolls (again, with the fake crab). I like a combination of nigiri and rolls, but there's just not a lot of imagination here. Iced green tea was very yummy. May or may not go back...still searching....

    (2)

  • Michael C.

    First of all I am not a huge Sushi fan or even close to a connoisseur - however, on occasion the mood does strike. I really enjoyed this place, the atmosphere is nice yet casual, and the staff are really friendly. The Sushi is fresh, served in larger-than-standard portions and AMAZINGLY inexpensive. We had 4 orders of Sushi and split a 24oz beer (forgot the name, but that was some damn good beer) all for about $20. Definitely a spot I will frequent.

    (5)

  • Celeste W.

    This neighborhood sushi bar is one of the best in AZ! Fresh fish, good portions, and great service. A place where not every single roll is filled with imitation crab and drenched in sauce! Majority of their sushi menu is pretty traditional...but the sushi chefs takes special requests if you give them an idea of what you like. I especially like the Cucumber Fiesta, which is a salmon/yellowtail/tuna roll wrapped in cucumber instead rice. The staff is also very attentive. They check on your need often and clear out empty plates promptly. The thing that stood out most was the number of customers who are regulars. As I wait for a table, I always see people greeted by name and received with hugs. There must be a reason why people constantly come back, right? Check this place out and judge for yourself!

    (5)

  • Chris L.

    Just got back from Sakana. My office is about 50 yards from Sakana Scottsdale so we go there all the time. I actually have mixed feelings on Sakana. I know it's a great lunch spot but it might be much more than that ??? My main viewpoint on Sakana is a great lunch place with killer specials where you get excellent value for your dollar. The sushi is fresh and good. The cooked meals are great. The salads are great. Hard to beat when you're doing a lunch & want to have some reasonably healthy options. Add in the proximity and it's a no brainer. The question in my mind has to do with their dinner options and going big on sushi. When we had them cater one of our holiday parties in the past, we had some conversations with them about what they do and got to talking about some less mainstream dishes: ankimo (monkfish liver), amaebi (sweet shrimp), etc. I didn't realize that they focused on these as well. So a few weeks after that conversation, my wife and I headed into Sakana for dinner at one point and sat with Ray at the sushi bar. We proceeded to have a great meal. Really excellent. I was shocked as I'd always thought of it more as a "lunch spot" and wouldn't have considered it when thinking of going to my favorite spots like Yasu Sushi Bistro, Kampai, etc. Now we haven't been back for dinner since so I don't know if the stars were just aligned or if Ray was taking extra special care of us because of our discussion. So I'm hesitant to expect that we would have a similar experience just wandering in there for dinner. I need to give it another try though to find out. So with that in mind, I cannot say they don't do great traditional, high quality sushi. I can definitely say though that the lunches are great and the value is excellent. From their killer deal of the Sakana lunch to the chirashi to the calimari/jalapeno salad to the chicken cutlet, I've never had a lunch there that I was really disappointed with. It's probably our number 1 go to lunch spot. Always delivers.

    (4)

  • Frank G.

    I am in love with this place. Met here for a business lunch and was blown away. We met at 11:30 to beat the crowd -- good thing because by noon the place was packed (good sign). I had the Hand Roll Special (three different rolls, soup and salad) and everything was fantastic. I never did ask what each one was called, but one was a crunch roll with a tuna and a jalapeno pepper. The world would be a better place if I could eat that every day. The other two were just as good. I was just as impressed with the service. The servers were all very friendly, helpful and attentive -- but not too attentive if you know what I mean. I will absolutely be back.

    (5)

  • Lucia C.

    My second visit to Sakana and I was disappointed. My first experience was really great - quiet, neighborhood atmosphere, fresh fish, friendly staff, reasonable prices and really great special rolls and sushi on the menu. What's not to love? Fast forward to my second visit, and I was wondering if I was in the wrong place. Hmm, same tables..same decor...recognize that sushi chef on the left..if this is the same place, why do I feel like I'm at RA?? First, our server was completely disinterested and distracted. We were clearly not her first priority, and likely not her 10th priority either. She brought out everything all at once - including my miso soup and Kirin light! This created a huge dilemma for me because all my food was now sitting there waiting for me to gobble down all at once. I know it won't get cold, but it's the principle of it. The last time I was at Sakana, the rolls were individually spaced for our enjoyment and separate from the appetizer course. I'm pretty sure even RA will bring the soup out first. Then, the music. During dinner, I lean over to tell my date something unbelievably romantic and realize I am yelling in his ear. Not romantic or cute. Better yet, the blaring music included Pit Bull's most recent Hotel gem and other similarly out of place selections. What? I don't know who picked the music that night, but it seemed completely out of place and a real distraction to my meal. And, I promise, I'm not an old fogey who can't get down. Finally, I was very disappointed in the sushi that night. It did not seem as fresh as it should be, and I actually had to leave several pieces to be tossed out. Now, I am not one to waste food. I am not a shy eater who nibbles on her salad over the course of a date - I will happily, though perhaps with a slight blush, out-eat any date. That means, if I let some of my sushi go to the trash, something was not right. Now, it was not foul, nor did I see reason to send everything back. But it just was not that good. I had one very good 4-5 star experience and then a disappointing 1-2 star experience - so they get a 3 from me right now. I would be willing to give Sakana a third chance - maybe my second experience was on an off night, the stars had not aligned, and I was sleep deprived and overly critical.

    (3)

  • Brian D.

    I've been to Sakana a few times and have always enjoyed the food. I wouldn't consider myself a "sushi" connoisseur so I can't really say that I can tell how fresh the fish is. However, at the bar they have all the brightly colored fish they are using laid out in a window and it all looks very fresh. I usually go during happy hour and I like how they have presentations of their daily special rolls at the bar when you walk in. All of the rolls I have tried taste great, however, some of them tend to fall apart on you. They aren't very tightly rolled and the rice isn't as sticky as some other sushi bars. I'll give it 3 stars for A-OK because, for the price, I like it but I don't think it goes above and beyond. I'll definitely be back to grab some quick tasty sushi for happy hour.

    (3)

  • Martin K.

    One of the favorite places for pure Sushi in Scottsdale. Clean and friendly. Ask for soy paper if you want your rolls less salty. The calamari salad is the bomb, you can easily split one with a friend for starters. The rolls are all great, I haven't tried anything I didn't like. Ask for Happy Hour specials as well. Be aware of their hours of operation. Fast pick up times too. Have never had a bad experience there, highly recommend it if you're looking for great sushi in Scottsdale.

    (5)

  • Samantha L.

    What can I say that 44 other reviews haven't said. I first found Sakana when I lived within walking distance of the small eatery. It wasn't until I moved 10 miles away did I start eating there. My first time I ate there was almost two years ago. I remember being surprised that there was a line outside. From my limited experience with amazing, line-worthy restaurants this, typically meant a good thing. Long story short, I wasn't disappointed. Sakana is a small sushi bar and restaurant tucked away at the end of a large strip mall. Its rather easy to miss the first time you drive by. I have always been impressed that the sushi chefs are Asian (I'm sorry but I always have found irony in how other ethnicity's cook and prepare another ethnicity's food. I'm not German, I'm not going to pretend I can cook German food well - Italian, well, that's another story... moving on). The place can seat about 10 people at the bar, another 50-60 people at tables and despite the amount of people the place can hold it's rather comfortable. The lighting is dim, the music is not intrusive and unless it's a Friday or Saturday its very easy to hear the group you're with even when it spans 2 or 3 tables. Except for spring rolls (which are totally fabulous) I haven't ordered anything besides sushi & salmon nigiri. This is hands-down the best sushi I have had in Arizona. The fish does not taste like that terrible fishy flavor that makes you wonder if it's fresh or if you'll end up sick the next day, it has the flavor of the fish you are meant to be eating. The nori is rarely ever bitter, salty, chewy or pungent. Only a handful of times out of the dozen that I have been there have I ever been disappointed in the flavor, texture or presentation of the roll. Personally I get the same thing every time I go. A Philidelphia roll and an avocado roll inside out (I like my rice outside the nori, thank you). They're my favorite and 9 times out of 10 perfectly made. It's pretty fabulous that the roll pretty much never falls apart which irks me at other places to no end. The salmon is well flavored and very smooth - it practically melts in your mouth. Other sources (some being people that I have converted to Sakana Groupies) tell me that the soft-shell crab roll is amazing. Their spicy tuna is fabulous (again doesn't taste like over powering canned tuna) and their eel roll has a surprisingly light taste, it's not as heavy or chewy as I would have thought. Order some rolls, snag some hot green tea (or some chilled cranberry sake) and appreciate some really great sushi rolls. I could do a whole review on just one roll alone... Beyond their rolls their nigiri (a piece of fish over a bed of rice) is great. Dab some wasabi on it, dip it in some soy and enjoy. A good friend of mine orders nothing but their nigiri - seriously they ordered about 16 pieces. If they have Toro on their list of sashimi, get some. You will not be disappointed.. Other people have mentioned their amazing specials. They're open for lunch now and you can easily get out of there for about 8 bucks (1 or 2 rolls and water to drink). They have a great selection on their Customer Appreciation list (has about 8-12 rolls on there) and offer every evening at least one different dinner special in addition to the 5-10 specials they're offering that night. On the other hand, with a large enough party, you can also end up leaving with a tab in the hundreds. But it's worth it. If it's only you or you're there with a small group (2 or 3) sit at the bar. You learn some pretty awesome things about preparation and some insider sushi secrets sitting at the bar chatting with the sushi chefs :) Let me know if you want to go... I don't pass up a trip to Sakana :D

    (4)

  • Alie C.

    We ate here last night for my friend's birthday. The restaurant is very small. They could definitely use an expansion. We ended up waiting about 15 minutes for our table, which wasn't bad. I really like their beer and appetizer deal. If you buy a Kiran or Kiran Lite, you get one of their appetizers for 99 cents. You can't beat that. The food was all really yummy and high quality. The prices are pretty good as well. Most of the time you can get either a 5-piece or 8-piece roll, which gives you the chance to try more without spending a lot. They also give you fresh oranges to end your meal. The service was a bit lackluster, but maybe that's just the way the restaurant is run. Since it was my friend's birthday, they brought over the lucky cat statue (excuse me for not knowing what it's called) and sang to him in Japanese, which was pretty cool. In the end, I would definitely eat here again when I'm craving some delicious sushi!

    (4)

  • Tessa B.

    I never thought I'd be giving my go to sushi joint 2 stars, but alas I am. It's sad but true, over the past year I've watched Sakana slip. I'm not sure what happened to the little neighborhood sushi place that was once "authentic". Last night was the last straw. Like always I ordered a house salad that at one time was chalk full of tomatoes, fresh sliced mushrooms and a delightful ginger dressing. This was not the case last night. There was ONE sliced tomato and no mushrooms . The gingery dressing that I once loved has now been converted into the salty, orange mess. I tried to eat it but after I felt the taste buds in my mouth disintegrating from sodium overload, I stopped. Next came the sushi. We ordered 3 different rolls; soft shell crab, Tootsie, and a spicy tuna. They were all wrapped so loose that it made it next to impossible to eat with chopsticks. I hate when I see people eating sushi with their hands, but last night I was one of those people. I tasted one of the spicy tuna rolls and decided it was best not eat another one. It tasted....fishy.....and anyone sushi eater knows that when fish tastes fishy, its bad news. On a good note, the server was very nice. She took spicy tuna off the bill since we had only consumed one. She also offered free dessert but we declined and left. I hate to say it but I will probably not return. Oh, and did I mention we also had the pleasure of listening to Justin Bieber while we dined. If I wanted to hang around sake bombing 19 year olds I would have gone to RA. Sorry Sakana.

    (2)

  • Maureen F.

    Of all the Sushi restaurants in the Scottsdale area, Sakana is top notch. Even though it's a small location and always quite busy, they provide great service, great food, and an inviting atmosphere. On my recent visit, I had an appetizer of Shrimp Shumai which was the best I ever had and 2 orders of Octopus of the sushi menu. It was some of the best I've ever had. Highly recommended for great quality sushi.

    (4)

  • Bjorn H.

    We were surprised at how good the sushi was here. Ordered the lunch sashimi special and it came with this outstanding white toro tuna that was some of the best tuna I have ever had. Would definitely go back the next time we are in town.

    (4)

  • Danine D.

    Sakana is a clean place. Sakana's service is decent. It's prices reasonable. The sashimi was nice, cut retarded, but nice. Sakana is a good place to take someone who really likes crab salad; because nearly every roll is a crab salad California roll. Then maybe they add something to it. Seriously. The green paste wasabi was very weak. I had to use a full teaspoon to feel any heat. The spicy salmon on top of the California roll (oops I mean Alaskan roll) was MINCED. I kid you not. They did not lay some fresh cut salmon on the roll, it was reformed into a salmon chunk from chopped up salmon. BLINK. What saves Sakana a bit is they had a nice chicken cutlet appetizer, thin, juicy, nice panko. Great for my child who isn't a sushi monster. I saw a salad go by that looked nice. It did get a lot of business, but I suspect it is from people who like very americanized items, in particular the crab salad you can buy at any grocery store. There were plenty of kids there, so if you want to introduce sushi to a child or someone, this might be a good place. They give you an orange at the end. Nice. If you are a sushi afficiando... you'll need to look elsewhere.

    (3)

  • Chad A.

    Personally, when it comes to sushi, it doesn't get any better than Sakana. Service is amazing. Ray brings life to the the small restaurant. The food is simply, yet varied. We keep returning for the different special rolls each week. Price is very reasonable, especially compared to other sushi bars. Make sure to sit at the bar, the chefs have great personalities, AND DON'T FORGET the real wasabi!

    (5)

  • Catherine M.

    Confession of a landlocked seafood lover: I'm a fan of Sakana. I know, I know, it's not the Most Perfect Sushi Ever but all things considered, the prices, variety, specials and service are far above average. I'll take it! There's a great "Customer Appreciation" sushi menu offered Thurs.-Sun. and though there's often a wait, it's a quick one. Don't be afraid to order an Ichiban in the lobby. They'll happily deliver.

    (4)

  • Brent A.

    The big problem I have with Yelp is that all of my favorite secret dining spots get discovered! Well since the word's out here is my two cents worth. This is a gem of a sushi joint. It's tucked away in a strip center off of Hayden and you would not expect to find one of the best deals in town here. Really fresh product, good portions and very reasonable prices. The bad news is there can be a bit of a wait around six since it only has a dozen or so tables. The good news is my neighborhood bar is still off the radar.

    (5)

  • Kristina W.

    I enjoyed all of the food I tried at Sakana. Their sashimi pieces were huge and good quality. I tried the white tuna and wasn't impressed with that but the salmon was very good. The unagi was overcooked so I'd avoid that again. All of the rolls were good but the tofu salad was a little watery (but since I got it to go, it might have been better in the restaurant). It's hard to fully enjoy take out sushi but Sakana was good.

    (4)

  • Cindy W.

    by far, the worst sushi i have ever had in my life. the service was horrible. the atmosphere is the worst. i don't understand all the outstanding reviews. clearly, if you don't care much about sushi this is the place for you. the rolls are super large and not comfortable eating unless you are a giant man (i'm a girl) with a giant mouth. there are 5 pieces to one roll compared to 8 pieces (the standard) in all reputable sushi restaurants. the atmosphere is low rent and tonights service was horrible. the waitress neglected to take the menu off our table tonight which caused my husband to tip over his beer. i proceeded to clean it up on my own, gathering napkins from other tables to wipe up the mess. she acted put out when she saw what we were cleaning up. whatever you do, do not order the spicy tuna. it is nothing but a mashed up concoction that i will just think of and get sick to my stomach. it was mushy and gross. it's the worst sushi i've ever had. what is going on with these stellar reviews? we live down the street from sakana and have tried time and time again to give this place a chance because it is convenient. i can safely say, we will never be returning again. if you are someone who loves sushi, like me, trust me and never go here.

    (1)

  • Mika G.

    Hands down - my favorite sushi restaurant of ALL TIME. Baked Scallop Roll, large portions, friendly staff, fresh ingredients, inexpensive, etc. etc. etc. it's just HEAVEN! There's also a location on Elliott road in the Awhatukee area. Personally I like the atmosphere better at that one - it's a little more lively - but both locations are wonderful.

    (5)

  • Wanugee N.

    This is the 2nd best sushi in Scottsdale, without being overpriced and over dramatized by $3 million decor, like most of the boring unauthentic restaurants in Snotsdale that snowboreds with money to burn go to get drunk. They have Japanese chefs, and they give you huge and fresh, oversized but correctly sliced fish on nicely groomed rice. You have to get here early, as it opens at 5:30 and fills up by 6. They have well prepared non-sushi dishes, too, and friendly service.

    (5)

  • S S.

    Awesome sushi. Their albacore sashimi melts in your mouth. Boston rolls are great. Try the burning skulls sometime also. It's such a small restaurant-I don't even eat there much anymore. It's easier to pick it up.

    (5)

  • John V.

    realized I rank this a 3, what am I insane??

    (4)

  • Bil Z.

    Wow. Some of, if not the best, sushi in the Phoenix metropolitan area. And when you throw in the reasonable prices, far and away the best value. Be prepared, the portions are about 20-30% larger than you get at other sushi restaurants. Have been there dozens of times. The only problem is that it is a small restaurant, so there can be a wait during peak meal times, even during the week.

    (5)

  • Steve M.

    Went yesterday as a group of four just as they opened (camped out at Crust while we waited for 5:30 to come around) and went straight for the sushi menu. I ordered salmon roe (ikura) and mackerel (saba) - the two items I get (if possible) whenever I go out for sushi. I usually order a dragon roll as well but for whatever reason Sakana doesn't have one. v_v. The rest of the group ordered yellowtail, salmon, tuna, some tofu and a few rolls. They got their order fairly quick but mine was delayed for some reason. I had to ask on two separate occasions where my sushi was before they finally brought it out. The first time (about fifteen minutes after sushi came) she apologized for the wait and said she would check. About ten minutes later I asked again and received the same response. Roughly seven or eight minutes after that, I got my sushi. The salmon roe was good - delicious and salty, just the way I like it (I like to taste fish when I eat fish, go figure). The mackerel, however, was very bland... almost tasteless. I am not used to mackerel being so nondescript so that really threw me off. There was quite a bit of fish on my rice so I appreciate the amount they gave me, but a whole lot of mediocre is still mediocre. Overall it was a decent sushi experience for the price but there are much better places around town. Probably won't be visiting again for some time. Though I will say it was nice to hear Drake while we ate. (Kind of.)

    (3)

  • Ted K.

    Go sit at the bar and watch the legendary sushi chef Masa perform his craft. It is done at a super high level and the Wednesday Night sushi half price deal is fun. There be a whole lot of sushi goin on. Good times, good people and great sushi. Order anything it really doesnt matter as everything is done at a very high level. If you really want to get crazy then have Masa make you his special spicy sauce to go along with some of your rolls. Its legit. Not for the weak however... The service in this establishment is great as well I must admit. Overall this place is a big time winner for sushi.

    (4)

  • Rui W.

    In town for business and found this place on Yelp. Ordered the Tuna and Salmon sashime and was surprised the portion with the price. Each order offers 5 think slice of fish, wow, great deal. Also order the Crunchy Eel Roll, which has cream cheese in it (not a big fan of cheese in sushi). The roll has crunchy outside, but didn't taste the eel part.

    (4)

  • Alexa G.

    My favorite sushi bar in AZ! Great staff and the sushi chefs are super friendly and very good at their job! And, if you order a Kirin you get a .50 appetizer! BEST SUSHI! ^_^

    (5)

  • Jennifer R.

    I was there with the same group as Chrystalle B (below). The food was great, but that was it. Service was slow and the bill was a complete joke. There weren't prices on all the items on the menu, so 12 people trying to look at a calculator tape and try to figure out what roll was what price? Not a good time. We won't be back!

    (2)

  • lindsay b.

    So I really fought coming here because it always looked like a hole in the wall to me. My mom loves coming here (but then again she loves wildfish )So I said what the hell. She chose this place for here bday. We got there at 5:30 right when it opened so we were instantly seated. It was happy hour and they had the basic rolls half off. We ordered the spicy tuna and the tootsie roll. The tootsie roll was not the normal salmon cream cheese schpeal it normally is. It was just cali roll with Shrimp tempura. I would give the spicy tuna roll 3 stars, it gets 3 and not 2 only because it wasnt fishy. It was just rice and heavily mayo'd tuna, with no spice. They should have added a little green onion put half as much mayo and maybe added a little cucumber for crunch. The tootsie roll is impossible to f up there, so it was good for what it was. We also ordered one of the speacialty rolls the yellow tail tempura. It was ok again 3 stars only that high because no bad fish flavor. It seems the quality and care for the fish is there but the sushi chef destroys all the rolls with too much mayo or Krab. They should invest in a few new chefs or training or something. Even the shape was off, it seemed this guy was straight out of school? Maybe it was just the guy who happened to be there that night? I would go back but only if I was meeting someone there.

    (3)

  • Andrew F.

    I've been in the valley for almost a year and so far Sakana is the best sushi restaurant I've found (and I've been looking). First, the bad: on Friday night I met some friends at 7:30 -- we were a party of 4 and were told it would be a 30 minute wait. The wait ended up being over an hour, due to a couple of large parties just camping out after the bill had been paid. Keep in mind, this is a small restaurant. It would have been appreciated if the staff could have dropped subtle hints to these patrons that there was a slew of people waiting for their tables. Otherwise, the sushi is very tasty. The soft-shell crab roll is my personal favorite, and at around $9, an indicator that this place is easy on the wallet. Portions are large. Service has been consistently fast and friendly. The decor is simple and nothing ornate, making it feel like a nice family restaurant. People were dressed in anything from gym attire to business casual. Sakana is on the top of my mind when I think of going out for sushi in Phoenix.

    (4)

  • Jennifer I.

    I say give 20% if you're happy. And we were! My hubby and I had dinner last night at Sakana. Believe it or not, we spent only $38 before 20% tip. Sakana is in par with my favorite sushi restaurant Yoshi but the former is way cheaper (San Francisco, Oakland). We ordered Agedashi Tofu, Tootsie roll, Soft Shell Crab Roll and Chicken Teriyaki. Apparently, they have a special if you buy a drink you get to choose an appetizer. The vegetable spring rolls (3 pieces, mind you) was delish. If you're looking for a save-my-pocket-today kinda dinner, here is the place. Great place with great food.

    (5)

  • Layla C.

    After all the hype on yelp, I decided to check this place out. We arrrived at 8PM. No line on a Tuesday. When we entered, there was more light outside than inside the restaurant. I had to totally readjust my pupils - but that didn't happen. So right off the bat, I'll give this place a thumbs up to take a potentially 'ugly' blind date. Seriously, I couldn't read the menu, see what kind of faces were in the crowd, much less see my childhood friend's lovely face. I felt dizzy. We ordered the tofu adage, soft shell crab roll, spicy tuna roll, salmon nigiri, and shrimp tempura roll. We were STuFFED. The food was very tasty, but maybe a bit too tasty- but that's personal preference. I prefer light flavor, dainty size bites (savoring the natural flavors), but they serve huge size rolls....... the kind you try to bite in half, but it all falls apart, so you have to put the whole thing in your mouth, and you chew it for 5 minutes - and all this happens as your friend starts to ask you a question. All this was done as if I was blind-folded :) It's a decent place. Romantic for a date, authentic in local but also americanized flavors. it was very good for the price and portions. Not sure if I'd make the trip again, but yelp didn't allow 3.5 stars.

    (4)

  • J R.

    Sakana is one of the best Sushi Restaurants in Scottsdale. It's located in a strip Mall at Hayden and Indian Bend in Scottsdale. The fish is fresh and the service is awesome. On Mondays thru Thursday, they have special sushi roll deals that can't be beat. You have to try this non-trendy, but delicious sushi bar.

    (5)

  • Jennifer W.

    Sakana is one of my two favorite neighborhood sushi joints. I love their calamari salad (although the one at this location is considerably smaller than the one on 59th ave) and agedashi tofu. The waitstaff is friendly and their bday song is always fun! Insider's tip: ask for some real wasabi!

    (4)

  • Singha F.

    2.5 stars. Ah, yelp, you caused me to have high expectations for this place. I was left feeling disappointed. The nigiri sushi isn't that fresh. I've had a lot better--maybe because I'm spoiled with good sushi in Los Angeles. This place is more for "Americanized" rolls, which aren't too bad, and they have interesting combos, so I'll bump it up a 1/2 star for creativity. Prices are very reasonable, but if you're looking for traditional sushi, this isn't the place for you.

    (2)

  • Kim D.

    This place is for purists! Be prepared for a great deal of questionable textured items if you order the tasting...Great sushi and sashimi however I would go to sakana sushi & grill for a true sashimi / sushi experience.

    (4)

  • Chad F.

    Amazing! I was in Phoenix on a business trip with a couple of colleagues and I decided on Sakana based on the Yelp reviews. Although, it was a good 20 min drive from where we were staying in Phoenix, it was WELL worth the trip. The restaurant is not very big, so even on a Tues night, we had to wait about 10-15 mins for a table. The waitstaff was very friendly and attentive. We all started with a Kirin Ichiban bomber with a small side of hot sake (Yes, it was a combo offering!) With it, you would also get an appetizer for only 50 cents! We took advantage of the specially priced "Sakana designer rolls" for customer appreciation nights (otherwise called Mon-Thurs evenings). In addition, we also got some maguro nigri sushi, dynamite roll, eel roll, and an order of mixed tempura. In all, we probably had over 60 pieces of sushi and plenty other Asian culinary delights. The quality of the sushi and other food was amazing. The best part, our entire bill came to $90... at least 40% less than we were expecting (or what you would expect to pay just about anywhere else). I will DEFINITELY return on my next visit to the Phoenix area!

    (5)

  • Shon P.

    Can get a bit crowded -- not uncommon to see a line leading out the door on weekends. Couple this with the fact that servers are in no rush to seat people... Still, a great place to grab quality sushi. And the prices are not outrageous.

    (4)

  • David L.

    More than a year later and this is till my favorite sushi bar in the valley. Since my last review, they've changed the happy hour menu to a "Customer Appreciation" menu that is available Sunday through Thursday, with smaller portions of the normal sushi (no more lettuce in the rolls). My only complaint about Sakana is it's popularity. It seems that if I come too late in the day, I'll have to wait for a table and it seems like they often run out of Tamago.

    (5)

  • Lisa S.

    Love their sushi...consistently good and reasonable. They have a lot of roll options and don't try to get all showy with crazy rolls. The servers are so attentive and friendly. Our orders have always come out quickly even when its packed. Stopping at Sakana is a once a month ritual for me.

    (4)

  • Nathan B.

    Great neighborhood sushi restaurant. Happy hour is super cheap. Buy a beer and get a 50cent app? Sign me up! My friend and I ordered around 10 rolls and orders of sushi plus a couple beers and our bill was only $50. Sushi was fresh and good quality. All the rolls we ordered were delicious. 4 stars only because the service was a little slow, but they only had 2 guys rolling sushi for the entire restaurant.

    (4)

  • Yaphet T.

    Great quality of food!! Sushi was surprisingly good considering Sakana not being one of those hard-to-find "authentic" Japanese eateries. My only major problem was the very VERY poor service: it was slow and the waiter actually forgot to bring back the check and credit card. The quality of food though somewhat balanced it out and the reason I'm giving this place 3 stars. If you're looking for a good Japanese eat in Arizona then this is your place...just watch out for the excessive poor servic.

    (3)

  • Dan L.

    I had a life changing experience today and that was of Hamachi Kama. For quite some time now, after watching food programs that showcase Tuna collar, I have been dying to try it. So in my research of finding restaurants that serve such this item I stumbled across Sakana. From my first bite, I was in love. The Hamachi lived up to its reputation! A nice size piece of fish, grilled to perfection. I devoured this dish and could ate about two more servings of this. I also ordered some sushi pieces as well. The sushi was standard issue. It wasn't mindblowingly good, but it was not terrible. It totally satiated my appetite. The inside is a quaint and cute little place. I'd say it would probable sit around 50 people. The decor, is nothing too fancy, but it's not bland either, just the right mix. They offered several different lunch specials and the portions were huge for the price. Also they have two lists of special appetizers. They have several items that are $.50 cents each if you order a bottle of Kirin beer. And they have several items that are $1.00 each if you order a bottle of Kirin beer. That's nice if you're curious to try something new. What's an extra either 50 cents or a buck? All in all, just go for the Hamachi Kama. I will be back for sure just for this one item!

    (4)

  • Phil S.

    Sakana is a perfect neighborhood Sushi joint, my favorite for casual Sushi in Scottsdale. The food is good, the energy is GREAT, and I always enjoy a trip here. In case you forgot that Sushi is worth getting excited about, the waitresses here remind you just by their totally authentic, joyful way of being. Staff here are having a great time serving you fresh fish and yummy rolls, joking around with the customers and each other. Whether you want to knock back a shot of Sake with the sushi chef or not, they'll recognize you when you come back and they'll love you for being a friend. You can't go wrong with some Veggie Tempura, a Rainbow Roll, and that tasty orange they bring with your check.

    (4)

  • Rebecca B.

    Great place for Sushi, ordered the Musscles ( Caution very large order even with only four) Great wine. Ordered Eel Crunch Roll, Tuna Roll, Soft Shell Crab Roll. All of it was to die for. A little Gem. Pricing is competitive not high or low. Environment is pleasant, service was wonderful and waitress was very helpful with suggestions and information.

    (5)

  • Jack T.

    Why yes.... I love ridiculously Americanized cream cheese and avocado-stuffed deep-fried makizushi (if you can even still call it that). And I make no apologies! Purists be damned. That being said, Sakana's rainbow roll, philly roll, and crunchy eel rolls were totally melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Crunchy eel had to be my favorite. Flaming phoenix was pretty good, too. I have to back up a bit.... I started with the ahi tataki salad. It's way bigger in person than it looked in the photo, and sooooo good (note: I normally HATE salads, just ordered it for the seared tuna and ended up eating a good amount of the salad itself). I also tried the spicy tuna roll and it was a big disappointment... BARELY any spice and the tuna tasted a little fishy, definitely not as scrumptious as the tuna in the salad. But I had so many other yummy things to nosh on, I didn't mind abandoning the spicy tuna. I'm not sure if it's a regular thing, but they had 50c appetizers if you order a Kirin. The prices on all the dishes were totally reasonable. They DON'T have a full bar, I'm not sure why there are 3 votes for that.

    (4)

  • Scout S.

    Super fresh, cheap price, high quality, big portions...these things don't usually go together...but they do at Sakana. This is a nice little local joint that is busy, so you know the sushi is fresh out of the ocean. They have an excellent lunch special where it is around 12 dollars and you get salad and about 10 big pieces of sushi...pretty amazing! Also, if you don't dig sushi they have great bento boxes that have really great salmon and chicken. Check this place out you will be pleased!

    (5)

  • Mark T.

    There are sushi snobs everywhere. Sushi in Phoenix? Ha. At least that's what I used to think. Sure it's easy to look down on everyone who thinks they've had good sushi after eating at Ra, or Zen 32 - but forgive them, this is Phoenix and they're still learning about sushi and that's okay. When they're done having bad california rolls and a happy hour menu full of pieces that fall apart, take them to Sakana in Scottsdale. I know, I said Scottsdale but don't let that turn you away. Sakana is away from the cheesy old town and located in a non-descript strip mall on Hayden just east of Scottsdale Rd. You won't be disappointed. In fact, you'll be surprised at how awesomely fresh, clean and flat out delicious your food will be. If it's just you and a friend, I'd definitely recommend sitting at the bar and not only watch the sushi chefs work, but actually talk with them. While there are a few who would prefer not to say anything, there is usually at least one who's up for anything and definitely up for you buying them a cup of saki. The lunch and happy hour specials are excellent here. Order lots and try everything eventually. It's all good. We used to live deep in Phoenix at 36th st & McDowell and we'd make the trek to Sakana simply because anything else was bound to be sub-par. Sure Zen32 was practically in our front yard, but we'd simply keep driving. The ambiance is everything you'd expect for being in Scottsdale except you'll notice that families come here. You'll see groups of friends both old and young eating and drinking - all without the pretense you'll find down in Old Town. This isn't the sushi restaurant to be seen, this is where you go if you want the best sushi you can find in all of Phoenix. If you grew up and Phoenix and the first time you had sushi was during a Zen32 happy hour, graduate and get over to Sakana in Scottsdale.

    (5)

  • Kari J.

    Since I moved to AZ from Los Angeles I have been searching far and wide for a sushi place that met my high standards for great sushi. Sakana is hands down the best in town. The fish is fresh, the rolls are huge and nothing beats the .50 cent appetizers when you buy a beer! I recommend going on a weeknight, Friday and Saturday nights can fill up pretty quickly so you might have to wait.... but it's worth it.

    (5)

  • Nate S.

    Well priced sushi for what you get. Not top notch, but better than your average sushi joint. The assortment of rolls is very basic. If you don't like California rolls you may not like Sakana. My favorite roll was the dragon roll I asked for (not on the menu). The valentines day special with 3 pieces of tuna, albacore, yellowtail, salmon and another tuna was very generous for $16.99. I'd come here again, but I will be able to wait. It would be a 3.5 but since sushi isn't a specialty in AZ I'll round up.

    (4)

  • Sean K.

    Wow... Never had a bad experience at this place. always fresh and well prepared. Their daily specials are always a hit with my group. If they have, please do try their White Tuna (toro and/or regular cut). it is THE BEST white tuna I've had... Their regular menu has not changed for a LOOOOOOONG time, so even though they are good, they are "usual/average" Japanese dishes, and not too spectacular. so go to Sakana for their FRESH Sushi and AWESOME specials.

    (5)

  • Irwin F.

    Great sushi place! Ample portions of sashimi. Unagi is the best I've had. And don't forget the Tako salad. The atmosphere is okay. It's not bad, but not exactly cool. Of course, if it were 4 miles south (in Old Town Scottsdale), you'd never get a table.

    (5)

  • Debbie L.

    We got our lunch togo and to pickup since we're staying at a nearby hotel. We ordered the Pork Cutlet and Tempura which were both suppose to come with soup, salad, and rice. Both our orders got salad, but only one rice and no soup at all. The dressing for the salad was bitter and weird. Even the salad pieces were bitter. The Pork Cutlet was okay, but it was on the dry side. And the tonkatsu sauce wasn't that good. I'm not sure if they make it themselves, or they buy it. The tempura batter was a little thick and not that great. Making pork cutlet and tempura isn't that hard, I don't know how they went wrong with that. Maybe they're only known for their sushi. We haven't tried it yet, but we probably won't anyways.

    (2)

  • Audrey D.

    Not the BEST sushi in town but it's definitely worth going to for the price and quantity/quality. Sometimes I just get a sushi craving but don't want to be blowing $$$ and Sakana is the solution. The sashimi there is the best priced in town - more quality AND quantity for a cheaper price!

    (4)

  • Phil D.

    Our first visit here on a very busy Saturday night. Got seated after a wait of 15 minutes or so. Wife irritated as they only gave me a menu. But, the food arrived promptly and overall the service was good. We're going back!

    (4)

  • Joey R.

    This place is awesome! They have great quality sushi at great prices. I live the one on Hayden and Indian Bend so I am always there. I know that I can go to Blue Wasabi or Stingray but what I like about this place it's not stuck up or pretentious like the other places. Many people go there because it's the place to be seeing. If you want good sushi at good prices without having to wear you best pair of Seven jeans this is the place for you. They have multiple locations so you can be in nay part of town and find one of their locations.

    (4)

  • Shannan M.

    Sakana - forgive me! I love you! Yes, honey, I ate somewhere else tonight, but you were with me in heart, mind and spirit the whole time! In my mind I have written to you millions of times and sung your praises on the top of Mt. Yelp professing my love and admiration for your large servings, sake selection and wonderful service. When I am with you, there is no other and you are first in my heart. But you know, honey, how the song goes... "and if you can't be with the one you love, honey, love the one you're with, love the one you're with, love the one you're with, love the one you're with." Sakana, I still love you!

    (5)

  • Jeff R.

    Had the Salmon & Tuna sushi and is was amazing. Some of the best sushi I've had in the Valley. The sushi was generous, and very fresh (can't really ask for much more at a sushi place). The also seem to have an assortment of rolls that are on special from Sunday-Thursday night, but the sushi was so filling, I couldn't eat any more. The place was very busy, and the staff was very attentive.

    (5)

  • Natalie A.

    Hubby and I were in the mood for Katsu, so we stopped by for dinner. We sat at the bar and were entertained by the chefs making sushi. Please note the dinner menu is different than the lunch menu. They don't serve Katsu at dinner. So we ended up ordering sushi. The sushi was very fresh the pieces are huge. We did order the oysters that were on special, but they didn't seem that fresh. It is a little pricey, but I did not feel that we were ripped off. Overall, sushi was good and the atmosphere was nice for a date night.

    (3)

  • Mary M.

    When it comes to sushi in the beautiful Valley of the Sun...this is the place. No reason to waste your time with other sushi joints. Sakana provides the freshest fish, best selection, and best value. My husband likes the atmosphere...always a good scene... We will be back again, and again. I had lunch at the 59th Ave and 101 the other day for lunch. Smaller than the one on Hayden, same layout and lots of great sushi.

    (5)

  • Carrie T.

    I don't know how this place got a 4-star average. We showed up later in the evening, but they were still open and seating. Out of 4 rolls, one was good. The other three were pretty disgusting. They were made sloppily, everything had TONS of mayo and not enough spice. They smash up the salmon for their spicy salmon, which leads me to believe it's not very fresh, and it makes for a very mushy texture. The miso soup was good, at least... Anyway, they turned on the bright lights and started stacking chairs before we had finished paying. Sorta rude. As a server who has worked in restaurants for a long time, I think that if you take tables until 9:30, you should expect to properly wait on them until they are finished. Otherwise close earlier and don't take the table. I'm NEVER going back here, Ew.

    (1)

  • Alicia B.

    3/11/08 UPDATE: Sakana is great for take-out, too. Generous portions of nigiri sushi are sure to delight just about anyone. While they may not offer alot of selection when it comes to rolls, what they do serve up is mighty tasty and sure to satiate even the most hungry of sushi lovers. * * * Forget that it's in a strip mall or lacks decor. Just go. Sakana is one of the best places in the Valley to enjoy sushi. They have unique rolls that'll pique your interest, and perhaps encourage an eye brow raise. If colorful rolls aren't your thing, then go with the sashima - the pieces are so generous, you'll feel like you robbed the place.

    (4)

  • Jason G.

    The best, freshest and most affordable sushi around. The pieces of fish (especially the albacore and yellowtail) are large and delicious. Their rolls are unique and are great combos of fish and other ingredients equaling great flavor. Try the burning skull roll...awesome.

    (4)

  • Brittany S.

    So whenever I have had a hankering for sushi in the past, I always wound up in old town at Ra or Stingray...or one of the other 20 sushi joints within 10 feet of one another. That, and I always wound up paying an arm and a leg for sushi. Not so with Sakana! A good friend let me in on this place, as it is kind of hidden in a strip mall. Yelp helped me find it :) Anyhow, I am a yellowtail sashimi kind of girl, and I must say that Sakana has great quality. I also found that the staff was very flexible- they even made my friend and I things that arent even on the menu. Amazing. That, is above and beyond the call of duty.

    (5)

  • Courtney M.

    This is my favorite sushi restaurant. I'm always completely blown away by the sushis presentation, taste, and well...everything. Theyve been replaced by a much cheaper sushi restaurant but I still think fondly of Sakana. Easily the best sushi in Arizona. Just too pricey for me to frequent ;{

    (4)

  • Ren B.

    Good sushi but for some reason (I dunno if a new guy made ours or of they were rushed) but almost all of our rolls weren't rolled very well (tightly)...they almost all fell apart when we picked them up with our chopsticks

    (4)

  • Craig C.

    While on vacation in Scottsdale, we were looking for a fun little sushi place and turned to YELP as we usually do. Sakana had great reviews so we went. We had a great time! The sushi was really good, the staff was fun and friendly and so were the people sitting at the sushi bar.

    (5)

  • Harrison W.

    Never disappointing. Ever.

    (5)

  • Kate o.

    I love this sushi spot!!!! The fish is so fresh and you recieve decent portions for the price! The only thing I would have negative to say is the service is lacking extremely! You wait forever to get a drink even your bill. I reccommend sitting at the sushi bar at least you will get your sushi in time before the resturaunt closes!

    (4)

  • Emily M.

    Sakana is a great alternative to the RAs and Stingrays of Scottsdale. Tucked in the Indian Bend/Hayden plaza, this place is a little less well known and has quite a bit better food than being right in Old Town. You miss a bit of the trendiness of being in the center of it all, but that warrants perks like dressing down (flip flops and t-shirts are totally acceptable here) and paying less. Check out their daily specials for the best deals. Lunchtime also has some hidden gems. Service here has always been good and the food is flawless.

    (4)

  • Bill H.

    Great for lunch, always excellent specials.

    (5)

  • Stevey P.

    I can't believe there's only three other reviews of this place. OMG. Sakana is one of my favorite sushi places in Arizona. Now Scottsdale and the rest of the Valley are not lacking in sushi restaurants - especially trendy sceney places. Yawn. In fact, I found there to be more sushi bars than I expected for our desert outpost. But what separates one from the others are: good food, fresh fish, good service, good value. And this place def does it right... Plus it's the only place I know of (can anyone help me out here?) in the area where I can find the holy grail of all sushi - the rich, but-gusting, let-me-workout-before-I-eat-this baked scallop roll. Now, let me explain. In "Sushi Heaven" (otherwise known to laymen as Ventura Blvd. in L.A.) there is this place that serves this and is known for this tasty delicacy. But I have yet to find a place that serves the baked scallop roll (basically a california roll covered in warmed baked scallops), but along came Sakana. Prices are reasonable, the decor is a happy medium - not too trendy, not too drab. I never have to wait here - but always find myself waiting when I go to RA. Whatever. Something is wrong with that picture... The crowd ranges the spectrum from older couples, families with kids, younger couples, and friends catching up after work. I hear there are other locations throughout the Valley, but this is the one I frequent. Another bonus for this place is the location away from Old Town Scottsdale and the parking headaches there. Here, however, you will find parking to be easy since it's in an Albertson's strip mall.

    (5)

  • Richard R.

    Fresh sushi and friendly staff.....best place in town for sushi (loved ZEN 32-RIP)! My partner and I have been there over ten times and we've never had bad food or service.

    (5)

  • Alex A.

    I love sakana. They have the best lunch time happy hour! Its always delicious and seriously reasonably priced. :)

    (5)

  • Carmelo W.

    I love the food here! It's great. Service is alright. Large portions.

    (4)

  • Kristin P.

    More like 3.5 stars - wish Yelp would offer that option! I would never have stopped at Sakana if a friend had not taken me there. Located in a typical AZ strip mall, it looks unimpressive from the outside. Inside, it is small, fairly uninteresting, but comfortable. You can sit at the bar or at one of several tables. Service was slow, but friendly. We ordered the gyoza, which was delicious. Often gyoza seems to be served cooler than I would prefer, but this was hot and well-flavored and delicious. I had in mind Chicago-sized rolls, so we ordered 4 rolls for dinner. Waaaay too much food - 2 rolls would have been fine. The special rolls of the day are on a board by the sushi bar, and the server didn't tell us about them, so I am glad I asked. The spicy tuna was nothing spectacular, but the spicy crunch California roll was delicious, as was the Tootsie roll and the specialty of the night. Gyoza, 4 rolls, 2 large Japanese beers for a grand total of $48. I was shocked - again, I am used to Chicago prices. What a deal!!! If I lived in AZ, I would definitely frequent this place, well-priced, casual, comfortable sushi. Not flashy or trendy or a good place to "see and be seen", if that is your thing, better off in Old Town - this is just good sushi.

    (4)

  • Andrew K.

    Good sushi, great service, casual neighborhood atmosphere. The people who come here come back again and again. I thought the spicy rolls were pretty spicy on my visit, as well. Just a heads-up.

    (4)

  • Morgan C.

    eaten here for 10 years, best sushi ever, fair prices and very nice people

    (5)

  • Jessica G.

    A friend suggested Sakana as being a perfectly good sushi restaurant in the area. Given that she is a fellow So. Californian, I figured she might be on to something. Pleasantly, she was! The place was busy when we arrived and we had to wait 20 mins for a table. However, as soon as we sat to wait, the hostess asked us if we would like a drink. Of course we would! It certainly helped the wait time pass. We were seated at a comfortable table and immediately offerred drinks and/or $.50 appetizers.....$.50 appetizers?!? We ordered two; scallop poppers and spring rolls. Both were pretty good for $.50. We then ordered two rolls, the eel and a jalapeno boat (tuna, avocado, tempura type) - both were fantastic! Sushi - albacore & spicy scallops...again really delicious. The albacore was like butter. It was cold and refreshing. Then we had the yellowtail sashimi - a true test of a good sushi restaurant - and it was absolutely fabulous. We finished with a standard spicy tuna toll and it was great. The fish tasted pretty fresh and that was impressive. Im not joking - I was really impressed. The best part is that the prices are fantastic and incredibly reasonable. Our check and sugar/water drenched oranges were delivered promptly after our meal and we left happy and excited to have found a good sush place in AZ!

    (4)

  • Taylor M.

    Great food. Great service. We moved near by and have been coming here regularly. We are always impressed by the unique menu and great specials.

    (5)

  • Robert N.

    Great sushi for lunch. I had the Sakana lunch special. 10.99 including tax with a water as your drink. Includes a salad with a soup. 5 star meal and the waitresses are friendly and efficient. Make sure you are there right at 11:00 am for lunch because the small dining area fills up fast. They make the sushi fresh after you order so plan on being there for about an hour for lunch.

    (5)

  • Tory R.

    Its been about 5 years since I last visited Sakana, was a really good experience. I recently returned and the experience was alittle lacking than what I remembered. One of our rolls never made it to the table and I remember when they served and orange and whip cream desert(for free) at the end of the meal, I was really expecting that and it never came, not sure if they even do that anymore. I will still give Sakana 3 stars for being a better and cheaper alternative to Ra.

    (3)

  • Marianne H.

    Ordered the Sakana Lunch Special and walked away fat and happy! The meal includes: -Salad -Miso Soup -California Roll -Crab-stuffed Tempura Jalapeños -6 pieces of Nigiri Check in with Yelp, and get a free edamame. Our server forgot ours, but it was for the best. I couldn't have eaten another bite!!!

    (4)

  • Blaine L.

    Awesome food, crazy low prices, and their sushimi is incredible! Would recommend to anyone.

    (5)

  • Morgan D.

    I'm doing an update because annoying people saying things like don't eat sushi in AZ because you wouldn't eat Mexican in Osaka ... are idiots. I've had Mexican all over the world from London to Osaka to Iowa, and it was all good. As is sushi all over the world. Um, fish gets flown around the world to these places. It doesn't matter where you live, you probably aren't getting it out of your backyard ... in some cases, even if the Ocean is your backyard. So relax. Sakana is good sushi. Especially, if you appreciate the taste of raw fish by itself. It also is reasonably priced. Sure, there are more prestigious sushi joints, but this is good fish at a good price. Since I'd rather not spend $50 on myself for dinner every time I go to sushi, it's a nice option. And rant over.

    (5)

  • Cheryl W.

    This has to be my favorite sushi restaurant! All sushi is very fresh and huge portions. The one thing is does lack is great servers- they seem to always forget something . But, management does pick up the slack ! Which you can not say for a lot of places. The manager always seem to be very helpful, hopefully she can teach her staff :) Get there early, restaurant is not very big and fills up quick! Highly suggest this place to everyone I know- the quality is top notch !

    (5)

  • Cami K.

    We came to this Sakana location for my birthday. Usually we go to sakana in ahwatukee and THAT location is amazing! But back to this review. I'd recommend not going. First of all the waiting area and the restaurant was so hot for a July evening. We tried the let it go roll. It sounded awesome but there was so much spice in the mayo you could not taste the other flavors. I did not pay $15 to taste overspiced mayo instead of fish. The soft shell crab roll was pretty near disgusting. It was burnt and soggy. It tasted overly fishy and the texture was terrible (the soft shell at the other sakana is where I fell in love with it in the first place). We usually leave sakana so fat and happy that the poor quality was surprising. Even the vegas roll was less than. I don't even know how you mess up cream cheese and smoked salmon. It's sushi cheating. I gave it 2 stars because the salmon sashimi was pretty good and we didn't get food poisoning. I won't come back and if you are thinking of coming here I would really recommend making the treck to sakana ahwatukee.

    (2)

  • Andrew K.

    Sakana might not be the best sushi restaurant in the valley, but it's definitely my favorite. I've always had good service and it's always consistently good. Sundays are the best day to come because they do lunch prices for the entire day. I also love how if you order a saki bomb then you can get an appetizer for 99 cents. I've gone many times and left with a full stomach and a bill between 20-30 dollars that included alcohol. I always leave a huge tip because they take great care of me and I think the low prices are a great way to bring in customers.

    (5)

  • Nathan C.

    Sakana serves great tasting, high quality sushi. They are very consistent in terms of quality & service and for that reason is in my Top 3 in the valley. We moved here from Chicago and this comes the closest to the quality and great flavor a that is grown accustomed to.

    (4)

  • KC J.

    Hands down the best sushi in the valley. Are you post-Spring Training at Talking Stick and need to *wow* your gold digging online date you'll probably see only a few more times? Don't waste your money or your time in any other restaurant! I absolutely love the food and the staff here. Can't believe how amazing their happy hour prices, rolls, and specialty items are. An awesome neighborhood vibe. I keep coming back for more. It's also the perfect perch when dining alone-- the sushi chefs are so kind; they actually get to know their customers, inquire about their lives since the last time they saw you. And they teach you about how to choose sushi! For example, don't order a roll with tempura at the same time as the other ones so as to avoid it getting soggy. As an LA high maintenance foodie: THANK YOU! People dining alone bring books to read or gawk at any sports game playing on the tvs behind the sushi bar. Point is, you won't feel the slightest bit awkward about shoving your face with raw fish on a Mon night because you're surrounded with other like minded peeps. The cute waitresses are like your best buddies; ready to flirt, gripe, or entertain you with humorous quips. Sashimi, sashimi, sashimi... Insanely perfect on a big plate. Happy hour? Go for the Asahi and add a 99cent seaweed salad. Excellent deal! Man, I love this place!

    (5)

  • JoAnn W.

    Friendly service. Delicious food. I will b back very soon thanks

    (5)

  • Christopher M.

    Once again a great experience! If you make it here make make sure to get the house smoked salmon sushi! It is THE BEST!

    (5)

  • Lisa D.

    Brought the entire family tonight to taste the goodness! Ordered multiple crazy roller coaster rolls. Love the tuna and salmon sashimi.

    (5)

  • Courtney B.

    This place is my favorite spot in town to go to for sushi. Its not the cheapest but if you go at night during the week (Sunday-Thursday) they have a happy hour roll list and that is definitely the way to go. Everyone here is super nice. The manager Kim is absolutely amazing. I also love the servers. You can tell when one of them is new but we have all been there. The food is amazing. Everything is fresh. The fish is to die for and the rolls are fantastic. They make the rolls pretty big so be ready to take a big bite. I usually go with no rice so I don't fill up as fast because once you start eating your not going to want to stop. Hands down when I don't know what I want for dinner I will order to go from here. I always get cravings for their sushi and no other restaurant comes close to satisfying my cravings. O and if you want spectacular service ask for Kayla or Kristen to be your waitress. They are hands down the best and have been there the longest so they know what they are talking about when recommending rolls. Make sure you get there early if your not willing to wait for a table because they fill up pretty fast. If there is a large group they fill up even faster because the space is so small, so not the best for 10+ groups, but they will accommodate. There is no open seating even at the sushi bar, they will seat you. **They will modify every type of roll for your needs, gluten free, vegetarian, or even if you just want the chef special. Make sure you ask for Luis to make your chef special, the way the food comes out looks like art work.

    (5)

  • Leanna A.

    Sakana is a solid five-star restaurant. It isn't often that you find a high-quality sushi place for a cheap price. But Sakana is it. They have a large menu with tons of selections- cooked and raw- that everyone in your party would be sure to love! If you have guests that aren't fish/sushi eaters, they have some teriyaki dishes, salads, and miso soup, which is really good! The first time my boyfriend and I came here, we ordered from the happy hour menu, which is really valid from open-close with the exception of on the weekends. The waitress brought us each a complimentary bowl of miso soup, which was a nice touch! They have a pretty decent variety on their happy hour menu, ranging from simple California rolls to Las Vegas rolls and other deep-fried, artistic creations. Thinking that the happy hour rolls were going be super small (being that the highest price on the menu was $5/$6) we initially ordered 8 rolls. When our waitress picked up our order card, she was kind enough to tell us that the happy hour rolls are quite large and that 8 was way too much! So, we took her advice and cut our order in half. I was a little skeptical of whether or not the rolls were really small or not, but to my surprise they came out and were HUGE! Each roll comes with about 6 pieces, but the pieces are thicker and larger in diameter than your average sushi rolls! The sushi is of obvious fresh quality. The ingredients as well are fresh. It's the worst when you get rolls that have brown avocado or mushy cucumber inside.. ick! The sushi is also really nicely presented. Our four rolls came out on a nice wooden cutting board. The second and third times we came here we ordered the lunch special and the sashimi deluxe. OH. MY. GOSH. I've never in my life seen such value! The lunch special comes with 6 pieces of California rolls, 2 jalapeno boats (jalapeno deep fried and stuffed with crab) and 6 pieces of nigiri. Not to mention it was delicious-- all for $10.95. The sashimi deluxe was even better. You get 12 FAT and LARGE pieces of fresh sashimi for $12.95!!! The best of the trio is the white tuna. I really have never had a piece of sashimi so good that literally you don't want to eat it because if you did that would mean you wouldn't have any left. Service is average, food is AMAZING. Food comes out quick, so it's a really good option if you want to go on a fast lunch break. Pictures are posted as well.

    (5)

  • T A.

    Red dragon roll was awesome. The special that day wasn't that great, fell apart easily. Service was great. Prices were good.

    (5)

  • Joseph S.

    Honestly, this is one of the best bangs for your buck when it comes to quality sushi at a low price. I say this because there are higher end places (which i reserve a 5 star rating for). The lunch specials can't be beat in my opinion and the overall quality is great 9 times out of 10. Highly recommend trying Sakana if you haven't already. I go to the scottsdale location because its closer but the other locations do also have teppan tables! The scallop nigiri, house smoked salmon nigiri, sweet shrimp (ama ebi) nigiri and mackerel are must orders in my opinion. Don't forget they have fresh wasabi for a buck, totally worth it.

    (4)

  • Kristin V.

    One of my favorite weekday dinners. It's priced reasonably and worth it. I am here at least once a week. The sushi is fresh and they have some fun rolls. Their appetizers and food menu is very good as well. On the weekends there is a little wait but I have never waited too long.

    (3)

  • Fernando D.

    I have been to this place dozens of times, even way before I started Yelping and checking in to places. It stands out among the other sushi offerings in the valley because it has, in my opinion, - The most generous sushi portions you can find in Scottsdale and the Valley. The cuts are amazing, fresh, and expertly prepared. You get incredibly fresh fish, prepared with care. It is the freshest, loveliest fish you can imagine. - Really, really good rice, all the time. Sushi rice is tricky. Sakana's rice is just sticky enough to be cohesive, but each grain is distinct from its neighbor, sitting like little oblong pearls. Sakana's rolls are wrapped rice-side out, which I feel makes it a much lovelier experience than rice-side in, as the outer rice is not unnecessarily compressed. - Lovely service, at the bar and at the table. I see the same core staff and smiling faces that have been there for several years, and they are happy. You can't fake happy for that long! Even though the restaurant is usually full, the wait for a table is never excessive and, once you're seated, the service is prompt and friendly. - Good prices. You'll spend 25% less on sushi / sashimi and 40% less on beer and sake here than you will at Stingray, Sushi Brokers, Sapporo, and most other sushi places around. It's actually a great bargain for the quality you get - and that is just the regular menu. I also enjoy the Happy Hour roll specials on weekdays, as well as the $1.50 appetizer add-on to an order of Kirin beer. Ask for your "I Love Sakana" card to take advantage of the loyalty program. Check in with Yelp and get your bowl of edamame! You can eat like a king, and not pay a king's ransom... so you can come back next weekend and do it all over again.

    (5)

  • Nick T.

    Make sure you get the fresh wasabi - you're welcome! I've only been there on Sundays, and for good reason - all day happy hour!!! Buy a sake bomb, get a super cheap appetizer - and make it the crispy calamari!!!! It's the hands down best sashimi I have had in the valley - and at a great price too! The cucumber may be the best roll I have ever had, but it comes at a price. As for the staff - expect friendly and fun but not superior service. Good, not great. Unless you sit at the sushi bar - the chefs are a lot of fun to hang with.

    (4)

  • Zachary V.

    The place need a makeover. Old furniture, disgusting menus, stained carpet, old wood paneling and a pencil holder just screwed to the side of the wall? Their sushi is relatively fresh, I find that the quality of the product could be better. Not a great place for more then four, gets to crowded. Love the promotions on yelp, definitely a great promotion. Overall, the restaurant is ok in my opinion.

    (3)

  • Paul Z.

    Total find on yelp! They have hamachi collar!! You def know if its a good sushi joint if they have tuna or hamachi collar... Great prices and great service! Totally loved it...

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : No
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Sakana Sushi & Grill

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