Excellent food. Great ambience. Clean bathrooms. Inexpensive for the amount and quality. Great quality. Has more than just Japanese food available. ... but it is great. Agedashi tofu is just delicious! It has these mushrooms in it. I have had the bento, nabe, and seafood ramen. The seafood ramen is very Japanese style down to the amount of seafood you get in it. The mushroom nabe is superb. I'll be coming back for more
(5)
Lindsey D.
I love three Sam. Great food always!
(5)
Katty L.
I always order the agedashi tofu. The tofu is really soft and silky. I have also tried different soup, including ox tail, yose babe, warishita sukiyaki, and the seafood ramen. All of them are good and very big portion. So if you are into soup and yam noodle, this is the place to go in the Iowa City and Coralville area.
(4)
Brian W.
Super tasty and super cheap sushi rolls. Friendly service and nice environment. Even discovered a roll ive never had before
(4)
Catherine F.
Three Sam is a regular spot for my boyfriend and I on happy hour nights. Their rolls are consistently good and their service is usually good, though can sometimes be slow (as can all restaurants, especially sushi). Sitting at the sushi counter is always enjoyable and the sushi chefs are extremely friendly. Best rolls, in my opinion, are the cubby roll and the subarashi roll. Their egg rolls are also quite tasty. If you're a fan of hibachi, Josh is a superb and fun hibachi chef and their hibachi is yummy. Highly recommended to any sushi or hibachi fan.
(5)
Yanyan W.
Have been in Three Samurai for many times. The sushi is good and the appetizer wings definitely worth a try. Overall, it is the best sushi place in Coalville. The service for sushi is extremely slow though. If you order a noodle and a sushi, you might still be waiting for the sushi when your partner has already finished the noodles. Servers sometimes let you know in advance that the service for sushi is slow.
(4)
Debbie F.
I have to admit I was disappointed in my lunchtime experience at Three Samurai. I found the Tempura appetiser just tolerable. It tasted more of old oil than shrimp and vegetable. I ordered one Sushi roll and felt the seaweed in it was tough and the sauce overpowering. The ambience during lunch was absolutely flat, but I will try it again for an evening meal to be fair. The staff was luckwarm at best.
(2)
Chef Augie M.
The food is great every time we come, consistent and great flavor. As far as service i dont give it a five! Unfortunately some of the servers dont serve! Other than that, food is great!
(4)
Mike L.
Food was excellent and prices reasonable. Service could have been a little more attentive. Overall very good.
(4)
Lucie B.
Nice ambiance, pleasant staff and Fermin at the sushi bar is great.
(4)
J C.
This place has been going down hill. The first few times I've visited, they had great service and great food. Just last weekend, when I went for dinner, they hardly had any customers and the rolls seemed like it was made in a hurry. They also didn't have a few things that I wanted from their menu because they did not have enough ingredients. It surprised me because it was on a weekend.
(2)
Michael L.
Been here a few times and the wait times for food has always been long. Always thought it was due to coming at a busy hour. This time I came at a much less crowded time but was still told that the kitchen has a 45 min wait. Food is always been okay but not worth a 45 min wait. Server was polite though.
(2)
Mike P.
The sushi here is great and cheap but don't expect a Zen experience. Recently dined on a Sunday afternoon as our first sushi choice (Takanami) wasn't open for dinner yet. My girlfriend knew of Three Samurai and recommended it. We were greeted after entering the strip mall setting. We were seated and given menus. We could hear the wait staff right inside the kitchen entrance "bro-ing" it up. I understand it's a college town and this isn't a five star experience but shit, save the bar jokes for your breaks. ORDERED: Clear Soup $1.00, House Salad $1.25, SP Lobster Roll $9, Rising Sun Roll $4.50, SP Tuna Roll $4.25, Samango Roll $7.50 AND what I didn't order but now see on my bill upon writing this review is a charge for $4 Spicy Mayo WIngs. Seriously didn't order or eat these. Kind of offsets the cheap specialty rolls. TASTED: The bargain soup and salad were great. Nice cheap appetizer to prime the taste buds for sushi. The sushi presentation was nice (see photo). The Samango Roll was 10/10 - seriously amazing - could hang with Wasabi Chi/Tao in Des Moines. Consisted of Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, Mango, Avocado and Walnuts - great textures and flavors. LOVED IT. The other rolls were just okay, the rice was mushy - a sushi boner killer. The Rising Sun roll was saved by the sauce, otherwise this pablum was disappointing. POST: Decent sushi and great prices. Good service. Unprofessional loud staff in back. CHANCE OF RETURN: 4/10
(3)
Mark G.
This place rocks for the simple fact that their lunch menu is super cheap! Miso soup only a dollar, the nigiri pieces are all under $2 they range from $1 pm up. I got 5 pieces, 2 miso soups for $7 and change with tax. Very good deal for lunch, I know I've spent more for similar. Sushi was good and fresh, no issues at all. Place was very busy and my food came out in a timely manner. I do want to try entree here to taste that side of their menu. Very satisfied based off their sushi and prices.
(4)
Ricky D.
Three Samurai is a very reliable Japanese style restaurant. One of my favs is the pork ramen, simply because it's the only place in the Iowa City area where I can get ramen; not nearly enuf ramen choices around here. The sushi's ok, but the ramen is the headline, esp if you wash t down with a big Sapporo !!
(3)
Nicole K.
The bento boxes for lunch were awesome. I had lemongrass chicken which was good. My boyfriend had the teriyaki salmon which was AMAZING. Will definitely be coming back for lunch again.
(5)
Mike V.
Used to love this place back in college about 6 or 7 years ago. However they have gone straight downhill... last time we went we sat down for tapanyaki and saw a roach climb up and across the table. Too bad... I really did love it but will now never go back. Much rather take the trip to Osaka in Cedar Rapids for the price and better food.
(1)
Connie V.
a good place to serve ur sushi taste, pretty casual good place to eat, never had anythin bad there, its pretty average :) they also have hibachi
(3)
Chaos M.
Even I don't think the dishes are Japanese, but they are really good. And the price is not bad. The only thing I complain is the service. Like others said, the waitress disappear for a long time and reappear only a short time.
(5)
j c.
This restaurants have undergone many changes. Business was slow for a while but since the beginning of the "Happy Days", it became a very bustling place. On Happy Days, you can eat pretty inexpensive appetizers including soup and salad as well as nigri and sushi rolls. Even the drinks are cheap! While they are inexpensive on Happy Days, their rolls have too much sauce on them for my taste. The menu covers all the basic Japanese dishes: tempuras, teriyaki meats, and yakisoba. Dinner includes many Japanese fusion dishes mixed with some traditional dishes. There are several fusion steak options as well as salmon and pork. I tried seafood udon which was excellent. Tons of seafood in a rich creamy sauce. Warishita sukiyaki contains lots of white fish and other goodies such as huge tofu pieces, mushroom and yam noodles. Tepanyaki grill is always entertaining and the food is actually pretty good, although it has lots of butter and sometimes can be salty. Overall, the food is pretty good and they have lots of promotions and specials.
(4)
Brian W.
We've eaten here a lot... Sushi and meals are consistently good, reasonably priced, and the service is usually good. The happy day sushi specials are good times to go for sushi and not spend too much $. The sake bomb's are good and can provide some entertainment as well.
(4)
Sean P.
I've been to both the regular tables, as well as the hibachi grill. Both were enjoyable experiences, but I prefer the hibachi as the menu variety seems to have more depth. It also provides a little entertainment for you, but if you're looking to carry on a conversation (such as on a date), this isn't the optimal situation as you will likely be seated with a few strangers and your chef will be talking too. Anyways, enjoy the food... But if you do go hibachi, be careful. You can't expect them to be perfect every time they throw those knives around, can you?
(4)
Julie Q.
We have been going to 3 Samurai for probably 10 years or so now. In the beginning, it was the only sushi game in the IC area, and the management was fantastic. These days, the management has turned over, and the food and service have gone downhill to mediocre. I still get sushi there at least once a month. The prices are fair, and the quality is definitely good enough to keep me coming back. We usually get carry-out these days. Service for carry-out is generally very good. For special events, the teppanyaki tables are definitely a treat. Prices there are much more expensive, but you get a TON of food delivered to you HOT, round after round. It would be very difficult for the average adult to make it through even 2/3 of what they give you at the teppanyaki tables. Soda at 3 Samurai is sadly often flat, which is a big deal to me because I'm a big pop drinker with meals. About 6 years ago, we went to 3 Samurai for one of the sushi special nights and were pleased with the "sale prices" on some of our favorite rolls. They arrived at the table at room temperature, but we didn't think much of it till about 3AM, when we were suddenly and violently FORCED to think about it in the form of severe food poisoning. I mean, it was intense. I remmeber thanking God at the time that we hadn't fed our 2-year-old any of the sushi and it was just my husband and me who were ill. A few days after recovering, I stopped by to let the staff know, in a nice and respectful way, that we had been violently ill after eating there. I believe what happened was that they were preparing sushi ahead of time to meet the rush of orders during the sushi special, and it must have just been sitting out long enough for some little microbes to grow on it or whatever. However, the staff could not have cared lessthat they had served illness-causing sushi. I don't think they even apologized. We probably took about a year off of 3 Samurai after that. A year later, we started going back and have never had this problem again, at 3 Samurai or at any other sushi restaurant. Overall, I recommend 3 Samurai, but I am still careful about ordering the sushi specials, and if I received something that was room temperature, I would seriously consider sending it back. Teppanyaki HIGHLY recommended.
(3)
Kat H.
Terrible waiter service. Arrived at 7:30 and did not get my order until 9:30. Other people received their meal a lot earlier, so by the time I had my food everyone was ready to leave. Sushi roll tasted bad like it was waiting out for a long time. Waiter forgot wasabi, hot sauce, ginger, and took awhile to get drink orders. Waiter seemed unhappy. Overall, a over-hyped, over priced japanese restaurant. Go to Oyama instead.
(1)
Chris V.
Love, love love this place! And I haven't even been there for a teppanyaki dinner (a la Benihana). I mostly come for lunch- sushi and/or bento boxes. There's lots of other stuff I want to try, but I can't break away from my usuals. The sushi is fresh and beautifully prepared/presented. But the bento boxes are a real treat. First of all, they come with a little salad with this AMAZING dressing (I've come close to replicating it with tahini, rice vinegar and a little sugar). Perfect tempura and wonderful main dishes. My dad always gets the yakisoba, but I always get the teriyaki chicken- grilled (I swear they use wood) chunks of dark meat with an amazing (and clearly homemade) sauce. One thing I really miss is they used to have teriyaki mushrooms as an appetizer, but not any more. Another great thing here is the cocktails- yum!
(5)
Anne K.
I do not live in Iowa City, but love to eat dinner here when I'm in town. I haven't done anything but the hibachi grill, but I would highly reccomend it. The service is great, the chefs are always very friendly, funny, and interact with the customers. It can be busy on a Saturday night so you need to make reservations or get there early - like 5pm. The servings are huge, way more than a girl needs. They do offer the option of sharing, which I will do next time. For a small sharing fee you get your own soup, salad, portion of fried rice and veggies - you just split the meat. Prices are not bad for the amount of food you get. I will continue to go back!
(5)
Sandra A.
So I heard this rumor that the best banh mi to be had around these parts was at Three Samurai, at lunch. (Owner's wife is Vietnamese?) And the rumor was true. Sure it feels weird to eat a banh mi next to overweight suits scarfing down bentos and have it served by a bro-ish white dude who'd apparently never served any of the three Vietnanese dishes before. But yeah. Killer baguette, decent pate--a sandwich I will eat again.
(4)
Lynn L.
I was in Coralville on business and worried that I was going to have to eat KFC or Wendy's. TGFY (thank goodness for Yelp!). Jumped on Yelp and found that Three Samurai was just a few minutes from my hotel, so I went down and scoped it out. Being from Denver, eating sushi in a land-locked state doesn't bother me (fishies fly on airplanes!), so I tried out 4 different rolls - yes, I was crazy and hungry! I got the surf and turf, rising sun, spicy white tuna, and kappa (cucumber). All were delicious - my favorites were the rising sun and surf and turf. Their roll menu was very creative and innovative. If you're a sushi purist (i.e., you only order nigiri and sashimi) - you might not love this place. They didn't have fish specials that I could see, and their fish menu was pretty normal. However, if you like to explore different rolls, I would definitely recommend this place! The staff and sushi chefs were very nice and welcoming. Also, on Mondays they have drink, appetizer, and sushi specials!
(4)
Justin M.
Their Monday night "half priced" sushi is awesome. If you love good sushi and you love getting a good price on it, check out 3 Sam on a Monday night. They have an excellent selection of sushi menu items, as well as a full menu of other Japanese/Chinese food. Everything I have had has been good, but their sushi is by far my favorite.
(4)
Carla P.
A bit expensive but fun place to eat. Teppanyaki is really good. Give ample time on eating since it does take a little while. Call ahead to reserve spots as they fill up quickly.
(3)
Chad Z.
Compared to other sushi houses in Iowa, this one ranks near the top. The cooked entrees are good too if you're not into sushi. As often happens in Iowa, when you go out with a group, there's always someone who won't eat sushi. They will be safe here and the sushi lovers will still get their fix.
(4)
Sady H.
I used to LOVE coming to Three Sam for the hibatchi grill with my friends, but after last night's experience, I doubt I will ever be back. My friends ordered about ten sushi rolls and I ordered Teriyaki Chicken. They were served their food and the waiter never even looked at me or mentioned my own food. I assumed that he had forgotten it. After about fifteen minutes and him walking back and forth by our table, we finally asked if my chicken was coming. He snapped at us, "The sushi bar and the kitchen are two separate things. Your food just isn't up yet" and walked away. No apology. Nothing. Then we waited at LEAST another ten minutes before he finally brought my chicken out. My friends were completely done eating at this time so I said, "I'm sorry but I'd rather not. My friends are done and I'm not going to make them wait for me to eat this whole meal now.." and he snapped back, "Seriously? You knew it would take longer.." (which I didn't, he never said it would take 25min longer than their food) and then he snatched my plate back and walked away without any apology whatsoever. I have never been so disrespected at a restaurant. What kind of waiter seriously thinks it's alright to bring everyone's food out but ONE persons and make them wait almost a half an hour watching everyone else eat? I'm furious.
(1)
Kendra R.
Excellent service, large selection, and reasonably priced. Try to hit it up whenever I'm in town.
(5)
Johnny J.
Very good food! Great service. Food served professionally and wait time was very good. Sushi was fresh. Price was very reasonable.
(5)
Sarah L.
It used to be an OK Japanese restaurant considering it was in a small mid west town like Iowa City. The ingredients were reasonably fresh though not top quality. At least it was affordable during happy hours. But it just went downhill every time I go. Now I think back, every time I swore that I would never go back. But once in 6 months I was just not in the mood of cooking and it appears to be the only edible place when I dig deep into my memory when the food there was still OK. The latest visit was tonight and we waited for nearly an hour for a bowl of ramen noodle, which usually takes less than 10 minutes wait even in a crowded Los Angeles noodle place. I was really upset since we were so hungry by the time we finally got the noodle at nearly 9pm, while the restaurant was only 1/3 full! Don't go!
(1)
Regina L.
The first thought of having sushi in Iowa casted a shadow of doubt in my mind because being that I'm from California, I would think that the availability of fresh fish would be scant and if not, nonexistent in Iowa state as compared to where I'm from. [Side note: okay, okay...so I've had sushi in California where the freshness is questionable...but we have the Pacific Ocean next door to us. There's bound to be fresh sushi places out here with fresh sushi] But...I'm adventurous and I wanted to see how sushi in Iowa is like. Besides, we came here on recommendations by several people and even a Californian...and the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes might be a source of their seafood...it shouldn't be that bad, right? When we entered this place, I first thought, "Wow, what is this swanky place? Am I back in Southern California ?" The ambiance itself was impressive for Iowa. It's a well put together restaurant with a sushi bar, private rooms with Japanese style seating, and a teppanyaki grill. It's a place to celebrate birthdays and to go out to be wined and dined. (no tux required though) The large windows filled the restaurant with light that afternoon and as I looked outside, I expected a large city type of view...but, surprise! The relatively quiet 2 highway, views of plains, and several buildings reminded me that we were still in Iowa. We had sushi that day. Sure, the selection was limited as I expected, but I was surprised with the different types of selection that this restaurant had compared to in California. The flounder sushi particularly stood out to me and as bad as I wanted to try it, they did not have any that day. What also is notable is that there are no market priced sushi on the menu. We ordered white tuna, a spicy special roll of somekind, scallop, philadelphia rolls, and amaebi. The scallop totally blew me away that we had 3 more orders of it since it's a melt-in-your-mouth experience. The fried heads of the amaebi were delicious, but as for the amaebi itself, I've had better and it was just okay. It was not particularly super fresh and sweet as I've tasted it before, but it's good enough. The white tuna was okay and the philadelphia rolls, well...they're okay too. The spicy special roll that we got was particularly interesting. The exterior of the roll was of lettuce and the interior was of the seafood (I think it was lobster...or crab? I forgot). The sauce accompanying this dish was like the sauce (if not, exactly the sauce) that is the dipping sauce of the bread of Los Balcones Del Peru ( yelp.com/biz/4XmiaynfwmO… ). The roll itself wasn't of my liking, but that's just me. We had some room for dessert so we shared a turtle cheesecake. It was definitely fulfilling and it hit the spot. For all of that, we spent less than $50 together with tip when I thought we would've spent $80+ for eating at this place for how much we ate. Totally a good deal, if you ask me. Overall, this place is pretty good for Iowa. 5 stars overall for this place existing nearby in Iowa City and 3 stars overall for what I've experienced so far...averaging out to 4 stars. I can't say much for their cooked food, but definitely a place to check out if you're hankering for Japanese cuisine.
(4)
Adam I.
Great food, diverse menu. Good size portions, and reasonably priced the Bento Box is done of the best lunch deals in town and the food is well prepared. The service can be slow at times and take out orders may not be the way to go. The also have a "benihana like" grill, which is a bit more pricey but great fun with groups and a top notch meal. I usually get the ginger beef or salmon teriyaki bento box, The matsutaki roll is a bit of heaven not to be missed, and can make a sushi lover out of anyone
(4)
Brutus B.
I feel Samurai is more known for its sake bombs and teflon table dinners than their sushi, but as much fun as I've had drinking whiskey for not catching the egg (little esoteric, I know), I've had just a good of a time eating bento boxes at the sushi bar. I don't know if it's still listed on the maki menu, but the Snake roll is legendary. The creamy hamachi is equally great. All of the standard nigiri (White, Red, Hamachi, Salmon) are good but i can't stress enough how much you need the Snake roll. As for the table service, good for family sit downs a la Benihana but with the better knife work and tricks (very interactive) Great for a group of friends that like to drink and laugh and eat a lot of good food. If you order enough sake bombs (for chef and waitress too) and participate enough with the fun, they most likely will be equally as kind on the bill, and you will remember to go back there even if you don't remember what happened the rest of the night. --If you like 3 Samurai, you'll like Kaji in Cedar Rapids too
(5)
Katie S.
Seriously the sushi is the best I've ever had! And their specials are unbelievable. I have had to wait for a while a few times, but it's totally worth it.
(5)
melanie a.
Loved the tofu appetizer- it was served in a broth that was just divine. We tried the bulgogi which was good but sweet. The oxtail soup was tasty and was a good choice on a cold winter day. Very reasonably priced. The decor was adequate and the restrooms were clean. Other diners seemed to be having fun with the sake bomb and will definitely give that a try when we go back. One of my new favorites in the Coralville area.
(5)
Mango D.
classiest of the 3 in the area. plus they have private rooms, can't beat that! I haven't been there since moving to the West coast so i will be updating soon on the quality of the fish.
(5)
Wilkie C.
food was pretty mediocre. the sushi rolls were definitely better than the entrees. we ordered the yakisoba (not bad, not great) and the vegetarian stir fry (greasy and bad). more than anything though, this place is best avoided because it's filled with drunk, loud college kids, and their alcoholic parents screaming over the hibachi grill. maybe the day time crowd is a little calmer, or maybe that's the scene youre after, otherwise you'll probably be better off (and better smelling since the whole place is filled with smoke from those ever popular hibachi grills) somewhere else.
(1)
Diane P.
This place has consistently slow service - even if you go during a non-busy time. I've waited over an hour on multiple occasions. One time they completely forgot my order. Their food is good but not worth a 45+ min wait. I hate myself every time I come here because I naively hope I won't have to wait so long for my food to come out. If you want sushi, come during their happy hour (every day except Friday-Saturday) for cheaper prices. The pho is bad, never get it. Seafood ramen is probably my favorite item.
(2)
Amanda M.
I really enjoy the food at this location and Kyle the server is great. However I have one big complaint and it involves take out. My husband and I have called three times looking to place a takeout order because we were to tired to wait an hour for sushi on top of our drive home but every time they said "the kitchen is to busy" so in order for us to get take out we have to get a table, order water, and wait an hour for our food to be done then ask for boxes and take it home! So stupid! We literally have to take a table to get take out! I would give five stars but sometimes I just want to relax at home and eat sushi! What is so wrong with that because at the end of the day it's the same amount of work for the kitchen. Someone needs to knock the cook off his high horse to have him stop refusing service to customers! I can tell but the sign "good servers needed asap" that there is a problem with management!
(3)
Kelsi R.
Absolutely terrible service. I don't know what has happened in the last couple years but they've got a BIG problem on their hands. I have never waited that long for a table, drinks, silverware, food in my 34 yrs of dining. Very disappointed. :(
(1)
Matthew S.
I love three samurai. The sushi is always delicious, it's a nice clean place and the prices are fantastic. Most special rolls are 9 dollars or less and the California roll is only 2.95! Definitely one of my favorite restaurants in the Iowa City/Coralville area
(4)
Kelsey J.
Review based on service I arrived at 2:05 for some quick carry out, the restaurant is open until 2:30. The server said I could only order off of a limited sushi menu. I asked for bento and she said "No we're closing in like 10 minutes". it was pretty rude. Now I realize I was only going to spend about $25, but had I actually been served I probably would have liked the food and given them repeat business. My business clearly wasn't wanted so I guess they must be doing pretty well. Sorry for wanting to order from your lunch menu during your lunch hours. I now realize how unreasonable it was for me to make such an inconvenient request. Here's a tip, if you don't want to serve people at 2:05, close at 2:00.
(1)
Kari D.
So unhappy with this place. I am visiting from out of town and wanted to place a to go order. I called and was told I cannot place a to go order because they are too busy to accommodate. The host said I can come in and eat and it will take 45 minutes. I asked if I can just place a to go and wait 45 min then, as I didn't mind waiting, and she said no because to go orders slow down the kitchen. I then asked if I wanted a to go at any point today, if that was possible. She then said call back in an hour and check if they're busy or not and they would decide then. NEVER have I heard of a business turning away people who are willing to wait an hour for a TO GO order. Never going to give this place a try and will be telling others of this experience.
(1)
Elena C.
Salmon teriyaki bento box and philly rolls. YUM!!!!!!!!! Competes with some of the best Jap food Ive ever had. They took my mom and I in 10 minutes before closing and stayed longer...so friendly through the whole meal :) will be back when my budget allows
(5)
Lynn S.
My favorite sushi place. They offer amazing specialty rolls. The samango roll and peewee crazy rolls are a must try for something you don't find at most sushi places. They are exciting for the taste buds.
(5)
Doug C.
Great food, disappointing atmosphere. The hostess looked angry at us for showing up to the restaurant. She showed only negative emotion in her face and spoke as little as possible. We were sat near the kitchen in a strange, u-shaped booth facing another couple in a small space. There was plenty of room in the restaurant, but we had to whisper while we sat side-by-side staring at strangers. Very awkward. We were sat by the kitchen and were constantly interrupted by the servers coming out and yelling back in at the kitchen staff. Swear words were yelled multiple times. A couple of times servers walking by would say mean things loudly to each other as if we weren't there. If I were in their break room it wouldn't have bothered me, but in the dining area it was very unprofessional. My server was fine, although he seemed very tired or just thinking about something else. Again the sushi was good. However, we probably won't be going back. There are too many places with good food AND great service. Service makes all the difference and they didn't bring their "A" game.
(2)
John P.
The sushi here is ok (somewhat pricey) but if you come on a night when they are somewhat busy, don't order the Pho unless you're willing to wait 45 minutes for $12 Pho. The bowl is big, buy they skimp put on the good meat. I suppose if you go to a sushi joint for pho, that's what you get.
(2)
Maddie b.
I will start out by saying this is the worst service I have ever experienced. we came in before a bunch of others and got seated last. It probably took about 30 minutes or over. We also got seated at the sushi bar. Let me tell you this, if they are going to let the public sit there, we need professional behavior. We experienced talking behind the back, and tension between the waitress and the sushi guy. In my opinion, I think the sushi guy just had a bad attitude. He was also swearing under his breathe about the waitress, not good. I also wanted a glass of water with my Japanese pop, but it never came. I also ordered a salad without dressing, but she came with dressing and gave it to my mother instead. Following, she said that she would give me a salad, which also never came and magically disappeared. We did however get out food. I got the Salmon with cucumber sushi, my dad got California rolls and got catfish, and my mom got sukiyaki. But it took about 45 mins to get. I was satisfied with my meal. I found the food very delicious and so did my dad, but the sukiyaki was bland and the sushi was ok This restaurant added to the places "I don't ever wanna go back to" list.
(2)
Chris D.
The food here is about average, but the service is awful. We waited 15-20 minutes to be seated despite numerous open booths throughout the restaurant, and it took nearly an hour to get our entrees once we ordered. I would definitely recommend looking elsewhere for a good Japanese restaurant.
(2)
Scott S.
The Spicy Tuna Roll is one of the best maki in Iowa City. I love their sukiyaki, which is beef in a sweet soy broth with yam noodles, mushrooms, and cabbage. We got great service there today, but in the past when they have been crowded it has not been as good. BTW, the sukiyaki takes a LONG time, so don't order it without knowing that!
(4)
Jason L.
Not too bad. It gets a 4 instead of a 3 for the amazing talent the cooks have. Definitely have and better food but it was a ton of food. The cuby roll was actually pretty good. As some of the other reviews say, service was a tad slow and food is average, but overall it was still a really good meal and really good show. Made up for all the ok things. Our group of eight ended up laughing most of the time
(4)
YQ H.
Super slow service, and the chef only care about football, no one work on food. Even the appetizers cost us 1hour to wait.
(1)
Kathryn K.
The cook table is a must! However, the price is hefty so be prepared to spend some money. However, you do get significant amount of food. A great place to go for a special event. Our children LOVE IT so we definitely try to make it to Three Samurai for their birthdays.
(4)
Wenqi Z.
It is so much cheaper than we thought. The tempura roll is fairly good, but the buffalo chicken wings which I had no clue why we ordered it by the way are a little overly seasoned. I would like to try teriyaki next time. :)
(4)
Jason A.
1-1/2 hours and still waiting for dinner. Not sure there is a manager or certainly needs to find a new one. Such a shame since the food is good.
(1)
Sara K.
Our favorite sushi place in the area, especially on their special nights. Very reasonably priced, great variety of food, both sushi and dinners, and the service is always good. My favorite rolls are the creamy hamachi and spicy white tuna roll. We always do those two and one or two of their more expensive rolls. I'd also highly recommend the age dashi tofu appetizer, the broth is simply amazing. We also go for lunch occasionally, their lunch bento boxes are a great deal, so much food and they're all around $10 or less.
(5)
Karen M.
Food was excellent, it was fun to have the chef prepare the meal at one of the grill tables. Dinner and a show! Prices are ok, its on the expensive side, but you get a great meal for the price. Everything was fresh and well-prepared...had chicken and shrimp which were great!
(5)
Mike D.
My wife and I have been going to Kyodia in North Liberty for some time now and liked it so much we haven't been to any other sushi type of restaurants and after tonight I understand why. The only thing this place has better then Kyodia is their service but on every aspect of food quality, presentation, decor, and layout Kyodia blows this place away. Very run down and old looking. Just not a fun place to go for drinks or groups. Service and the staff were great but I'm not going to let that over look this review. It's the only thing saving it from a 1 star.
(2)
Scott Y.
We have a lot of great Asian places back east, but the rules there don't seem to translate here. In the Northeast, there are great places for each type of Asian cuisine, but the places that try to be all things to all people are always a disappointment. So I was really surprised to find a place in Iowa that makes a great pho, and also a great Japanese duck. I don't eat fish, but my wife loves their sushi. Our two year-old loves their edamame. Our friends love their food, too. That would probably be a much better endorsement if we had tons of friends who all loved Three Samurai, but we haven't lived here very long, and we're not particularly outgoing. Sometimes I start to ramble once I get past the point in my reviews where I know iPhone users stop reading. Non-iPhone users don't concern me. You're sub-human if you don't use an iPhone.
(5)
Jared S.
Here for one night traveling. Greeted and seated immediately. Sushi is very fresh. Place is clean and well appointed. Staff is very friendly. Can't ask for more than that..
(5)
Leslie W.
The sushi is good ..... once you finally get it. There were empty tables and it still took over 45 minutes to get basic rolls. Service - enh. Had much better - had worse. Probably won't be back.
(1)
Samira D.
The wait wasn't long maybe 20 mins but there was an hour wait just for sushi which is why we went out in the first place. So we opted to order off the menu which I was not impressed with the selection. I ordered the stir fry which was ok, but as most Japanese restaurants they have a hibachi choice with veggies. I will not be going back since I believe there are other better choice out there.
(2)
L. D.
This is an American/Asian fusion restaurant. I really try to avoid American Asian fusion because it's usually gross (Chinese railroad chop suey, egg foo yung anyone?). It's not only this but also Asian fusion fusion (Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese). In Iowa, you don't have much of a choice since there are no authentic Asian restaurants in the whole entire state. The sushi was so-so. The rice was a bit dry and hard and not enough vinegar. We came in around 530pm and the place was busy. We had to wait about 15-20 minutes for a table, then after ordering, another 45-50 minutes for the food to arrive. We were sat at a grill table (we were not doing grill) with an ugly huge empty container right next to it. We were told the container would be moved but it never was. I would recommend the soups but not the sushi. The Seafood ramen and Yose Nabe (seafood soup) was good. The Yose Nabe was supposed to come with rice but we never got any. I think the waiter was not familiar with Asian food because I had to ask for soy sauce when we got our sushi. I noticed other people got their little sushi plates with soy sauce bottles. I don't know if they had to ask for it like we did or if our waiter was just plan new and did not know anything about sushi, not a big surprise, this is Iowa. My daughter's catfish dish was good. For dinner with three entrees, sushi, and appetizers, our total was about $80. After 6pm, we noticed there were a lot of students. This place is fairly pricey so we were surprised it was all students after 7pm in the restaurant. This would be a good place to come for lunch and get some good hot soup but avoid the dinner crowd and long waits for a table and food. It isn't worth it. Someone needs to open a Sushiland in Iowa City. I'm sure the students would love the $1 sushi merry go round. The sushi here isn't that much better quality than a sushi merry go round.
(3)
Jenny L.
wait three for almost 15 minutes but no one come to set the seats. Maybe it has good flavor, but terrible service!
(1)
Stacy D.
Got stomach problems after having sushi here. Yeah, not going back again.
(1)
Nan K.
love it here ! I have had almost every thing on the menu and no complaints. The most random good thing is the chicken wings. Very random I know for a japanese restaurant however I love them .
(5)
Ron W.
Three Sam has been a fam fave for years. We usually go on a "sushi night" - half price sushi and dollar soups and salads. The key is getting there early if school is in session. Service is pretty quick. Bento boxes for lunch are great. The side room is perfect for small groups and business lunches. Table cook sessions are fun and tasty too. Servers are experienced, fast and courteous. I highly recommend it!
(4)
Heather L.
While the food is pretty good... the service always seems... slow... and not very friendly. In fact, I almost always get the feeling that the staff are a bit snobby by the way they talk down to you. Some of the staff don't really know much about the food they are serving, so if you have questions, you may not get the answers you are looking for. And I find that the servers disappear and only reappear when they bring food to your table, then disappear again. I also find the food to be quite pricey. Monday night is just sushi and appetizers, so if you are looking for hibachi, make sure you don't go on Monday night. They are usually very busy, so if you can call ahead, you may want to do so otherwise you could be waiting for awhile. On the appetizers, the crab cakes with mango salsa is delicious, the wings with the honey-soy glaze are very nice, and of course the edemame are a light, snacky sort of starter to keep you busy until your mains arrive. As for the sushi, I like the spicy lobster roll. Beware it can be quite spicy, especially if you get a piece of jalepeno. The Matsuzaka Roll is nice as well. As for the entrees, the Yakisoba is ok, although I have had better at other restaurants. The steak with potato croquettes and veggies is delicious... although the potato croquettes are just weird, for lack of a better descriptor.
(3)
RJ S.
I was visiting from out of town and some friends recommended this place. My friends drove in and were not from Iowa City and I was visiting from Austin, TX. I had some sushi and my friends had the Matsuzaka steak. I had one roll that was similar to the Matsuzaka steak entree. I have to say it was delicious. My friends were ranting and raving about the Matsuzaka steak and how it melted in their mouth. Overall the presentation was great. I also also a few other rolls and was very satisfied. The atmosphere was great, people at the hibatchi grills were having fun. Met the owner and he was also great. He made sure our food was good. We hit the bar after dinner and the bartender (Aaron) hooked us up on some great drinks/shots. He was a mad scientist behind the bar. It may not be the best sushi you ever had if you came from a big city (certainly if you're from a coastal city!), but it's by far the best sushi around these parts. Totally worth a visit! I would go back again when I visit!
(5)
Jessica A.
Consistently great food and service. The Cubby Roll, Black and Gold Roll, and Samango Roll are our go to's. We also really love the hibachi experience for groups.
(5)
Matt U.
So, they've got some pretty legit sushi here! My wife and I have been a number of times and each trip has ended with a full belly and discussions of how the only thing that would make it better is buy one get one free (as every sushi place was in the last city we lived in - Durham, NC) and the cooks from the Budweiser commercial that yell "Wasabi!" in unison from behind the grill. The selection is good, the ambiance is nice, though they get dinged a little for the place being pretty loud. The folks next to us were a little tipsy from too much Saki and we were privy to much of the conversation about "why you're too good for him"....needless to say, the waiter was gracious and when they couldn't reseat us, gave us some edemame. Overall a good spot and I hear they've got some pretty legit teppanyaki! We'll be back
(4)
Bar C.
Very good sushi and very reasonable in price. They have sushi specials 4 days out of the week, according to the bartender. They also had $2.00 beer and other specials. I went on a Wednesday. I will be back on my next trip to this area.
(4)
Saham H.
Just dont go there after 9, they roll their sushi lousy after9. Kind friendly servers!
(4)
Matt B.
Three Sam used to be awesome. We would go there for Sunday happy hour sushi, for birthday parties at the grill tables, for lunches for the bento boxes.....just couldn't get enough Three Samurai. Then---staff and management changed. I think a couple of them left and opened their own place in the old capital mall. It hasn't been the same since. The food is still good, but the sushi rolls have shrunk. Their real problem is service. It's absolutely terrible and has been for several years. Reservation at 7? That means nothing - you could wait for your table 30, 45, 80 minutes. It's happened multiple times to me. Need another drink? Good luck getting someone to notice. Want to pay your bill? You'll need to ask for that too, and then flag down your waiter for them to run your card. You'll also need to flag them down to order your food. I wish I knew what the specific problem was - but it's not that they are understaffed. I just think they are unmotivated and untrained. They get 2 stars for the memories and food, but it's getting harder to go here because of the service. I only go about once a year now (used to go at least once a month), and the service is awful every time. It's shame, because their Bento boxes were my favorite lunch in town.
(2)
Katherine K.
It makes me really sad to write a bad review of Three Sam, which has been a favorite choice of our for lunch for many years. But so much has changed for the worse here, I have no other choice. Ever since Craig, the prior manager, left, 3 Sam has had problems. They had lots of turnover in the kitchen staff for a while, and some of the menu items (like the nabeyaki soba) were changed for the worse. This was balanced by the addition of a couple very good new menu items, like the pork ramen and the seafood ramen. And the sushi has always been very good and consistent. However, where it used to be that the sushi bar would get behind, the last dozen or so times we've been, it's been the kitchen that's so slow it really ruins the entire experience. Last Saturday was the last straw for us. The restaurant wasn't even entirely full (I've certainly seen it much busier) and our server warned us the kitchen was "a little behind" and said my sushi would be out before my husband's meal. I asked him to wait and bring them both out together. From the time we ordered until my husband's food came was SEVENTY-FIVE MINUTES. There is absolutely no excuse for that; I've been served faster in a packed restaurant on graduation weekend. I could hear customers around us complaining about their wait times as well. I feel horrible for the wait staff, because they know people are angry and I'm sure they're getting stiffed for tips (we watched another table of people walk out because it was taking so long for their food, I hope the server isn't expected to cover the loss) and there's nothing they can do about it. In short, we love the food (and there are several menu items you can't get anywhere else in town), but we're giving upon Three Samurai. I don't want "lunch" to take up my entire weekend.
(1)
peter c.
Service makes this worse than it should be. I've never waited longer than 5-10 minutes for pho but this took almost an hour and I timed it! No exaggeration! Is it worth waiting almost an hour for the best pho in IC?
(3)
Lisa H.
"The general feeling of our group was of satisfaction. Sushi was only good but very reasonably priced. Bento box is a really good deal. We are used to paying the exorbitant prices at O'saka in the Quad Cities. I give it 4 stars for the value."
(4)
Eric C.
I was looking for a quality assorted sashimi dinner, but turns out this isn't the place to find it. The sashimi appetizer is about $9 for 6 pieces (3 kinda of fish)... The sashimi dinner is $27... And turns out that includes only 12 pieces (of four kinds). When asked for a bowl of rice, they gave me cold sushi rice and over charged $4 per bowl. The fish is thinly sliced, and decently fresh. Service isn't bad... The menu has a hybrid variety of soups include Vietnamese pho, Japanese sukiyaki, and Korean ox tail soup. While the sashimi option was a let down, I'll probably be back to try one of their soups.
(2)
Rachel K.
Called Three Samurai last Sunday for take out. They said they weren't doing take out orders. That is all they said. No time frame. No explanation. No apology. Ok...So I asked them if they weren't doing it for the entire night or for the next hour or so. They said they didn't know and I could call back in a half and hour to see if they would take the order then. It doesn't bother me that they weren't doing take out orders, what bothers me is that they didn't give an explanation why or time frames (for how long they weren't taking orders for). So instead I went to Sushi House in Cedar Rapids which is cheaper, has better service and the food is delicious--too bad it is a 30-minute drive away.
(2)
Carol C.
the number one strike against this place is the incredibly slow service. my most recent visit had a moderate amount of customers and the service was still slow. the food is actually very good, however the slow service is quite off putting.
(3)
Austin B.
The sushi is just okay and the service is uniformly terrible. Multiply this by having a confusing schedule where they play a shell game with different parts of the menu on different nights of the week, and you have a pretty forgettable and confusing dining experience. It gets 2 stars because they have cheap Kirin on "sushi nights", which oddly enough appear to be pretty much every night of the week.
(2)
Shelby K.
Try the role with the beef on the top, and the veggie role, nice People, one of the best in the state
(5)
OneSentenceReview R.
This 4 star rating is actually more of a 3.5 stars and was written based on "Iowa standards" and me wanting to point out that people's standards on what is "legit sushi" make me cry...you guys like yelp, go yelp urasawa in los angeles. That is legit sushi.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Kristin L.
Excellent food. Great ambience. Clean bathrooms. Inexpensive for the amount and quality. Great quality. Has more than just Japanese food available. ... but it is great. Agedashi tofu is just delicious! It has these mushrooms in it. I have had the bento, nabe, and seafood ramen. The seafood ramen is very Japanese style down to the amount of seafood you get in it. The mushroom nabe is superb. I'll be coming back for more
(5)Lindsey D.
I love three Sam. Great food always!
(5)Katty L.
I always order the agedashi tofu. The tofu is really soft and silky. I have also tried different soup, including ox tail, yose babe, warishita sukiyaki, and the seafood ramen. All of them are good and very big portion. So if you are into soup and yam noodle, this is the place to go in the Iowa City and Coralville area.
(4)Brian W.
Super tasty and super cheap sushi rolls. Friendly service and nice environment. Even discovered a roll ive never had before
(4)Catherine F.
Three Sam is a regular spot for my boyfriend and I on happy hour nights. Their rolls are consistently good and their service is usually good, though can sometimes be slow (as can all restaurants, especially sushi). Sitting at the sushi counter is always enjoyable and the sushi chefs are extremely friendly. Best rolls, in my opinion, are the cubby roll and the subarashi roll. Their egg rolls are also quite tasty. If you're a fan of hibachi, Josh is a superb and fun hibachi chef and their hibachi is yummy. Highly recommended to any sushi or hibachi fan.
(5)Yanyan W.
Have been in Three Samurai for many times. The sushi is good and the appetizer wings definitely worth a try. Overall, it is the best sushi place in Coalville. The service for sushi is extremely slow though. If you order a noodle and a sushi, you might still be waiting for the sushi when your partner has already finished the noodles. Servers sometimes let you know in advance that the service for sushi is slow.
(4)Debbie F.
I have to admit I was disappointed in my lunchtime experience at Three Samurai. I found the Tempura appetiser just tolerable. It tasted more of old oil than shrimp and vegetable. I ordered one Sushi roll and felt the seaweed in it was tough and the sauce overpowering. The ambience during lunch was absolutely flat, but I will try it again for an evening meal to be fair. The staff was luckwarm at best.
(2)Chef Augie M.
The food is great every time we come, consistent and great flavor. As far as service i dont give it a five! Unfortunately some of the servers dont serve! Other than that, food is great!
(4)Mike L.
Food was excellent and prices reasonable. Service could have been a little more attentive. Overall very good.
(4)Lucie B.
Nice ambiance, pleasant staff and Fermin at the sushi bar is great.
(4)J C.
This place has been going down hill. The first few times I've visited, they had great service and great food. Just last weekend, when I went for dinner, they hardly had any customers and the rolls seemed like it was made in a hurry. They also didn't have a few things that I wanted from their menu because they did not have enough ingredients. It surprised me because it was on a weekend.
(2)Michael L.
Been here a few times and the wait times for food has always been long. Always thought it was due to coming at a busy hour. This time I came at a much less crowded time but was still told that the kitchen has a 45 min wait. Food is always been okay but not worth a 45 min wait. Server was polite though.
(2)Mike P.
The sushi here is great and cheap but don't expect a Zen experience. Recently dined on a Sunday afternoon as our first sushi choice (Takanami) wasn't open for dinner yet. My girlfriend knew of Three Samurai and recommended it. We were greeted after entering the strip mall setting. We were seated and given menus. We could hear the wait staff right inside the kitchen entrance "bro-ing" it up. I understand it's a college town and this isn't a five star experience but shit, save the bar jokes for your breaks. ORDERED: Clear Soup $1.00, House Salad $1.25, SP Lobster Roll $9, Rising Sun Roll $4.50, SP Tuna Roll $4.25, Samango Roll $7.50 AND what I didn't order but now see on my bill upon writing this review is a charge for $4 Spicy Mayo WIngs. Seriously didn't order or eat these. Kind of offsets the cheap specialty rolls. TASTED: The bargain soup and salad were great. Nice cheap appetizer to prime the taste buds for sushi. The sushi presentation was nice (see photo). The Samango Roll was 10/10 - seriously amazing - could hang with Wasabi Chi/Tao in Des Moines. Consisted of Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, Mango, Avocado and Walnuts - great textures and flavors. LOVED IT. The other rolls were just okay, the rice was mushy - a sushi boner killer. The Rising Sun roll was saved by the sauce, otherwise this pablum was disappointing. POST: Decent sushi and great prices. Good service. Unprofessional loud staff in back. CHANCE OF RETURN: 4/10
(3)Mark G.
This place rocks for the simple fact that their lunch menu is super cheap! Miso soup only a dollar, the nigiri pieces are all under $2 they range from $1 pm up. I got 5 pieces, 2 miso soups for $7 and change with tax. Very good deal for lunch, I know I've spent more for similar. Sushi was good and fresh, no issues at all. Place was very busy and my food came out in a timely manner. I do want to try entree here to taste that side of their menu. Very satisfied based off their sushi and prices.
(4)Ricky D.
Three Samurai is a very reliable Japanese style restaurant. One of my favs is the pork ramen, simply because it's the only place in the Iowa City area where I can get ramen; not nearly enuf ramen choices around here. The sushi's ok, but the ramen is the headline, esp if you wash t down with a big Sapporo !!
(3)Nicole K.
The bento boxes for lunch were awesome. I had lemongrass chicken which was good. My boyfriend had the teriyaki salmon which was AMAZING. Will definitely be coming back for lunch again.
(5)Mike V.
Used to love this place back in college about 6 or 7 years ago. However they have gone straight downhill... last time we went we sat down for tapanyaki and saw a roach climb up and across the table. Too bad... I really did love it but will now never go back. Much rather take the trip to Osaka in Cedar Rapids for the price and better food.
(1)Connie V.
a good place to serve ur sushi taste, pretty casual good place to eat, never had anythin bad there, its pretty average :) they also have hibachi
(3)Chaos M.
Even I don't think the dishes are Japanese, but they are really good. And the price is not bad. The only thing I complain is the service. Like others said, the waitress disappear for a long time and reappear only a short time.
(5)j c.
This restaurants have undergone many changes. Business was slow for a while but since the beginning of the "Happy Days", it became a very bustling place. On Happy Days, you can eat pretty inexpensive appetizers including soup and salad as well as nigri and sushi rolls. Even the drinks are cheap! While they are inexpensive on Happy Days, their rolls have too much sauce on them for my taste. The menu covers all the basic Japanese dishes: tempuras, teriyaki meats, and yakisoba. Dinner includes many Japanese fusion dishes mixed with some traditional dishes. There are several fusion steak options as well as salmon and pork. I tried seafood udon which was excellent. Tons of seafood in a rich creamy sauce. Warishita sukiyaki contains lots of white fish and other goodies such as huge tofu pieces, mushroom and yam noodles. Tepanyaki grill is always entertaining and the food is actually pretty good, although it has lots of butter and sometimes can be salty. Overall, the food is pretty good and they have lots of promotions and specials.
(4)Brian W.
We've eaten here a lot... Sushi and meals are consistently good, reasonably priced, and the service is usually good. The happy day sushi specials are good times to go for sushi and not spend too much $. The sake bomb's are good and can provide some entertainment as well.
(4)Sean P.
I've been to both the regular tables, as well as the hibachi grill. Both were enjoyable experiences, but I prefer the hibachi as the menu variety seems to have more depth. It also provides a little entertainment for you, but if you're looking to carry on a conversation (such as on a date), this isn't the optimal situation as you will likely be seated with a few strangers and your chef will be talking too. Anyways, enjoy the food... But if you do go hibachi, be careful. You can't expect them to be perfect every time they throw those knives around, can you?
(4)Julie Q.
We have been going to 3 Samurai for probably 10 years or so now. In the beginning, it was the only sushi game in the IC area, and the management was fantastic. These days, the management has turned over, and the food and service have gone downhill to mediocre. I still get sushi there at least once a month. The prices are fair, and the quality is definitely good enough to keep me coming back. We usually get carry-out these days. Service for carry-out is generally very good. For special events, the teppanyaki tables are definitely a treat. Prices there are much more expensive, but you get a TON of food delivered to you HOT, round after round. It would be very difficult for the average adult to make it through even 2/3 of what they give you at the teppanyaki tables. Soda at 3 Samurai is sadly often flat, which is a big deal to me because I'm a big pop drinker with meals. About 6 years ago, we went to 3 Samurai for one of the sushi special nights and were pleased with the "sale prices" on some of our favorite rolls. They arrived at the table at room temperature, but we didn't think much of it till about 3AM, when we were suddenly and violently FORCED to think about it in the form of severe food poisoning. I mean, it was intense. I remmeber thanking God at the time that we hadn't fed our 2-year-old any of the sushi and it was just my husband and me who were ill. A few days after recovering, I stopped by to let the staff know, in a nice and respectful way, that we had been violently ill after eating there. I believe what happened was that they were preparing sushi ahead of time to meet the rush of orders during the sushi special, and it must have just been sitting out long enough for some little microbes to grow on it or whatever. However, the staff could not have cared lessthat they had served illness-causing sushi. I don't think they even apologized. We probably took about a year off of 3 Samurai after that. A year later, we started going back and have never had this problem again, at 3 Samurai or at any other sushi restaurant. Overall, I recommend 3 Samurai, but I am still careful about ordering the sushi specials, and if I received something that was room temperature, I would seriously consider sending it back. Teppanyaki HIGHLY recommended.
(3)Kat H.
Terrible waiter service. Arrived at 7:30 and did not get my order until 9:30. Other people received their meal a lot earlier, so by the time I had my food everyone was ready to leave. Sushi roll tasted bad like it was waiting out for a long time. Waiter forgot wasabi, hot sauce, ginger, and took awhile to get drink orders. Waiter seemed unhappy. Overall, a over-hyped, over priced japanese restaurant. Go to Oyama instead.
(1)Chris V.
Love, love love this place! And I haven't even been there for a teppanyaki dinner (a la Benihana). I mostly come for lunch- sushi and/or bento boxes. There's lots of other stuff I want to try, but I can't break away from my usuals. The sushi is fresh and beautifully prepared/presented. But the bento boxes are a real treat. First of all, they come with a little salad with this AMAZING dressing (I've come close to replicating it with tahini, rice vinegar and a little sugar). Perfect tempura and wonderful main dishes. My dad always gets the yakisoba, but I always get the teriyaki chicken- grilled (I swear they use wood) chunks of dark meat with an amazing (and clearly homemade) sauce. One thing I really miss is they used to have teriyaki mushrooms as an appetizer, but not any more. Another great thing here is the cocktails- yum!
(5)Anne K.
I do not live in Iowa City, but love to eat dinner here when I'm in town. I haven't done anything but the hibachi grill, but I would highly reccomend it. The service is great, the chefs are always very friendly, funny, and interact with the customers. It can be busy on a Saturday night so you need to make reservations or get there early - like 5pm. The servings are huge, way more than a girl needs. They do offer the option of sharing, which I will do next time. For a small sharing fee you get your own soup, salad, portion of fried rice and veggies - you just split the meat. Prices are not bad for the amount of food you get. I will continue to go back!
(5)Sandra A.
So I heard this rumor that the best banh mi to be had around these parts was at Three Samurai, at lunch. (Owner's wife is Vietnamese?) And the rumor was true. Sure it feels weird to eat a banh mi next to overweight suits scarfing down bentos and have it served by a bro-ish white dude who'd apparently never served any of the three Vietnanese dishes before. But yeah. Killer baguette, decent pate--a sandwich I will eat again.
(4)Lynn L.
I was in Coralville on business and worried that I was going to have to eat KFC or Wendy's. TGFY (thank goodness for Yelp!). Jumped on Yelp and found that Three Samurai was just a few minutes from my hotel, so I went down and scoped it out. Being from Denver, eating sushi in a land-locked state doesn't bother me (fishies fly on airplanes!), so I tried out 4 different rolls - yes, I was crazy and hungry! I got the surf and turf, rising sun, spicy white tuna, and kappa (cucumber). All were delicious - my favorites were the rising sun and surf and turf. Their roll menu was very creative and innovative. If you're a sushi purist (i.e., you only order nigiri and sashimi) - you might not love this place. They didn't have fish specials that I could see, and their fish menu was pretty normal. However, if you like to explore different rolls, I would definitely recommend this place! The staff and sushi chefs were very nice and welcoming. Also, on Mondays they have drink, appetizer, and sushi specials!
(4)Justin M.
Their Monday night "half priced" sushi is awesome. If you love good sushi and you love getting a good price on it, check out 3 Sam on a Monday night. They have an excellent selection of sushi menu items, as well as a full menu of other Japanese/Chinese food. Everything I have had has been good, but their sushi is by far my favorite.
(4)Carla P.
A bit expensive but fun place to eat. Teppanyaki is really good. Give ample time on eating since it does take a little while. Call ahead to reserve spots as they fill up quickly.
(3)Chad Z.
Compared to other sushi houses in Iowa, this one ranks near the top. The cooked entrees are good too if you're not into sushi. As often happens in Iowa, when you go out with a group, there's always someone who won't eat sushi. They will be safe here and the sushi lovers will still get their fix.
(4)Sady H.
I used to LOVE coming to Three Sam for the hibatchi grill with my friends, but after last night's experience, I doubt I will ever be back. My friends ordered about ten sushi rolls and I ordered Teriyaki Chicken. They were served their food and the waiter never even looked at me or mentioned my own food. I assumed that he had forgotten it. After about fifteen minutes and him walking back and forth by our table, we finally asked if my chicken was coming. He snapped at us, "The sushi bar and the kitchen are two separate things. Your food just isn't up yet" and walked away. No apology. Nothing. Then we waited at LEAST another ten minutes before he finally brought my chicken out. My friends were completely done eating at this time so I said, "I'm sorry but I'd rather not. My friends are done and I'm not going to make them wait for me to eat this whole meal now.." and he snapped back, "Seriously? You knew it would take longer.." (which I didn't, he never said it would take 25min longer than their food) and then he snatched my plate back and walked away without any apology whatsoever. I have never been so disrespected at a restaurant. What kind of waiter seriously thinks it's alright to bring everyone's food out but ONE persons and make them wait almost a half an hour watching everyone else eat? I'm furious.
(1)Kendra R.
Excellent service, large selection, and reasonably priced. Try to hit it up whenever I'm in town.
(5)Johnny J.
Very good food! Great service. Food served professionally and wait time was very good. Sushi was fresh. Price was very reasonable.
(5)Sarah L.
It used to be an OK Japanese restaurant considering it was in a small mid west town like Iowa City. The ingredients were reasonably fresh though not top quality. At least it was affordable during happy hours. But it just went downhill every time I go. Now I think back, every time I swore that I would never go back. But once in 6 months I was just not in the mood of cooking and it appears to be the only edible place when I dig deep into my memory when the food there was still OK. The latest visit was tonight and we waited for nearly an hour for a bowl of ramen noodle, which usually takes less than 10 minutes wait even in a crowded Los Angeles noodle place. I was really upset since we were so hungry by the time we finally got the noodle at nearly 9pm, while the restaurant was only 1/3 full! Don't go!
(1)Regina L.
The first thought of having sushi in Iowa casted a shadow of doubt in my mind because being that I'm from California, I would think that the availability of fresh fish would be scant and if not, nonexistent in Iowa state as compared to where I'm from. [Side note: okay, okay...so I've had sushi in California where the freshness is questionable...but we have the Pacific Ocean next door to us. There's bound to be fresh sushi places out here with fresh sushi] But...I'm adventurous and I wanted to see how sushi in Iowa is like. Besides, we came here on recommendations by several people and even a Californian...and the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes might be a source of their seafood...it shouldn't be that bad, right? When we entered this place, I first thought, "Wow, what is this swanky place? Am I back in Southern California ?" The ambiance itself was impressive for Iowa. It's a well put together restaurant with a sushi bar, private rooms with Japanese style seating, and a teppanyaki grill. It's a place to celebrate birthdays and to go out to be wined and dined. (no tux required though) The large windows filled the restaurant with light that afternoon and as I looked outside, I expected a large city type of view...but, surprise! The relatively quiet 2 highway, views of plains, and several buildings reminded me that we were still in Iowa. We had sushi that day. Sure, the selection was limited as I expected, but I was surprised with the different types of selection that this restaurant had compared to in California. The flounder sushi particularly stood out to me and as bad as I wanted to try it, they did not have any that day. What also is notable is that there are no market priced sushi on the menu. We ordered white tuna, a spicy special roll of somekind, scallop, philadelphia rolls, and amaebi. The scallop totally blew me away that we had 3 more orders of it since it's a melt-in-your-mouth experience. The fried heads of the amaebi were delicious, but as for the amaebi itself, I've had better and it was just okay. It was not particularly super fresh and sweet as I've tasted it before, but it's good enough. The white tuna was okay and the philadelphia rolls, well...they're okay too. The spicy special roll that we got was particularly interesting. The exterior of the roll was of lettuce and the interior was of the seafood (I think it was lobster...or crab? I forgot). The sauce accompanying this dish was like the sauce (if not, exactly the sauce) that is the dipping sauce of the bread of Los Balcones Del Peru ( yelp.com/biz/4XmiaynfwmO… ). The roll itself wasn't of my liking, but that's just me. We had some room for dessert so we shared a turtle cheesecake. It was definitely fulfilling and it hit the spot. For all of that, we spent less than $50 together with tip when I thought we would've spent $80+ for eating at this place for how much we ate. Totally a good deal, if you ask me. Overall, this place is pretty good for Iowa. 5 stars overall for this place existing nearby in Iowa City and 3 stars overall for what I've experienced so far...averaging out to 4 stars. I can't say much for their cooked food, but definitely a place to check out if you're hankering for Japanese cuisine.
(4)Adam I.
Great food, diverse menu. Good size portions, and reasonably priced the Bento Box is done of the best lunch deals in town and the food is well prepared. The service can be slow at times and take out orders may not be the way to go. The also have a "benihana like" grill, which is a bit more pricey but great fun with groups and a top notch meal. I usually get the ginger beef or salmon teriyaki bento box, The matsutaki roll is a bit of heaven not to be missed, and can make a sushi lover out of anyone
(4)Brutus B.
I feel Samurai is more known for its sake bombs and teflon table dinners than their sushi, but as much fun as I've had drinking whiskey for not catching the egg (little esoteric, I know), I've had just a good of a time eating bento boxes at the sushi bar. I don't know if it's still listed on the maki menu, but the Snake roll is legendary. The creamy hamachi is equally great. All of the standard nigiri (White, Red, Hamachi, Salmon) are good but i can't stress enough how much you need the Snake roll. As for the table service, good for family sit downs a la Benihana but with the better knife work and tricks (very interactive) Great for a group of friends that like to drink and laugh and eat a lot of good food. If you order enough sake bombs (for chef and waitress too) and participate enough with the fun, they most likely will be equally as kind on the bill, and you will remember to go back there even if you don't remember what happened the rest of the night. --If you like 3 Samurai, you'll like Kaji in Cedar Rapids too
(5)Katie S.
Seriously the sushi is the best I've ever had! And their specials are unbelievable. I have had to wait for a while a few times, but it's totally worth it.
(5)melanie a.
Loved the tofu appetizer- it was served in a broth that was just divine. We tried the bulgogi which was good but sweet. The oxtail soup was tasty and was a good choice on a cold winter day. Very reasonably priced. The decor was adequate and the restrooms were clean. Other diners seemed to be having fun with the sake bomb and will definitely give that a try when we go back. One of my new favorites in the Coralville area.
(5)Mango D.
classiest of the 3 in the area. plus they have private rooms, can't beat that! I haven't been there since moving to the West coast so i will be updating soon on the quality of the fish.
(5)Wilkie C.
food was pretty mediocre. the sushi rolls were definitely better than the entrees. we ordered the yakisoba (not bad, not great) and the vegetarian stir fry (greasy and bad). more than anything though, this place is best avoided because it's filled with drunk, loud college kids, and their alcoholic parents screaming over the hibachi grill. maybe the day time crowd is a little calmer, or maybe that's the scene youre after, otherwise you'll probably be better off (and better smelling since the whole place is filled with smoke from those ever popular hibachi grills) somewhere else.
(1)Diane P.
This place has consistently slow service - even if you go during a non-busy time. I've waited over an hour on multiple occasions. One time they completely forgot my order. Their food is good but not worth a 45+ min wait. I hate myself every time I come here because I naively hope I won't have to wait so long for my food to come out. If you want sushi, come during their happy hour (every day except Friday-Saturday) for cheaper prices. The pho is bad, never get it. Seafood ramen is probably my favorite item.
(2)Amanda M.
I really enjoy the food at this location and Kyle the server is great. However I have one big complaint and it involves take out. My husband and I have called three times looking to place a takeout order because we were to tired to wait an hour for sushi on top of our drive home but every time they said "the kitchen is to busy" so in order for us to get take out we have to get a table, order water, and wait an hour for our food to be done then ask for boxes and take it home! So stupid! We literally have to take a table to get take out! I would give five stars but sometimes I just want to relax at home and eat sushi! What is so wrong with that because at the end of the day it's the same amount of work for the kitchen. Someone needs to knock the cook off his high horse to have him stop refusing service to customers! I can tell but the sign "good servers needed asap" that there is a problem with management!
(3)Kelsi R.
Absolutely terrible service. I don't know what has happened in the last couple years but they've got a BIG problem on their hands. I have never waited that long for a table, drinks, silverware, food in my 34 yrs of dining. Very disappointed. :(
(1)Matthew S.
I love three samurai. The sushi is always delicious, it's a nice clean place and the prices are fantastic. Most special rolls are 9 dollars or less and the California roll is only 2.95! Definitely one of my favorite restaurants in the Iowa City/Coralville area
(4)Kelsey J.
Review based on service I arrived at 2:05 for some quick carry out, the restaurant is open until 2:30. The server said I could only order off of a limited sushi menu. I asked for bento and she said "No we're closing in like 10 minutes". it was pretty rude. Now I realize I was only going to spend about $25, but had I actually been served I probably would have liked the food and given them repeat business. My business clearly wasn't wanted so I guess they must be doing pretty well. Sorry for wanting to order from your lunch menu during your lunch hours. I now realize how unreasonable it was for me to make such an inconvenient request. Here's a tip, if you don't want to serve people at 2:05, close at 2:00.
(1)Kari D.
So unhappy with this place. I am visiting from out of town and wanted to place a to go order. I called and was told I cannot place a to go order because they are too busy to accommodate. The host said I can come in and eat and it will take 45 minutes. I asked if I can just place a to go and wait 45 min then, as I didn't mind waiting, and she said no because to go orders slow down the kitchen. I then asked if I wanted a to go at any point today, if that was possible. She then said call back in an hour and check if they're busy or not and they would decide then. NEVER have I heard of a business turning away people who are willing to wait an hour for a TO GO order. Never going to give this place a try and will be telling others of this experience.
(1)Elena C.
Salmon teriyaki bento box and philly rolls. YUM!!!!!!!!! Competes with some of the best Jap food Ive ever had. They took my mom and I in 10 minutes before closing and stayed longer...so friendly through the whole meal :) will be back when my budget allows
(5)Lynn S.
My favorite sushi place. They offer amazing specialty rolls. The samango roll and peewee crazy rolls are a must try for something you don't find at most sushi places. They are exciting for the taste buds.
(5)Doug C.
Great food, disappointing atmosphere. The hostess looked angry at us for showing up to the restaurant. She showed only negative emotion in her face and spoke as little as possible. We were sat near the kitchen in a strange, u-shaped booth facing another couple in a small space. There was plenty of room in the restaurant, but we had to whisper while we sat side-by-side staring at strangers. Very awkward. We were sat by the kitchen and were constantly interrupted by the servers coming out and yelling back in at the kitchen staff. Swear words were yelled multiple times. A couple of times servers walking by would say mean things loudly to each other as if we weren't there. If I were in their break room it wouldn't have bothered me, but in the dining area it was very unprofessional. My server was fine, although he seemed very tired or just thinking about something else. Again the sushi was good. However, we probably won't be going back. There are too many places with good food AND great service. Service makes all the difference and they didn't bring their "A" game.
(2)John P.
The sushi here is ok (somewhat pricey) but if you come on a night when they are somewhat busy, don't order the Pho unless you're willing to wait 45 minutes for $12 Pho. The bowl is big, buy they skimp put on the good meat. I suppose if you go to a sushi joint for pho, that's what you get.
(2)Maddie b.
I will start out by saying this is the worst service I have ever experienced. we came in before a bunch of others and got seated last. It probably took about 30 minutes or over. We also got seated at the sushi bar. Let me tell you this, if they are going to let the public sit there, we need professional behavior. We experienced talking behind the back, and tension between the waitress and the sushi guy. In my opinion, I think the sushi guy just had a bad attitude. He was also swearing under his breathe about the waitress, not good. I also wanted a glass of water with my Japanese pop, but it never came. I also ordered a salad without dressing, but she came with dressing and gave it to my mother instead. Following, she said that she would give me a salad, which also never came and magically disappeared. We did however get out food. I got the Salmon with cucumber sushi, my dad got California rolls and got catfish, and my mom got sukiyaki. But it took about 45 mins to get. I was satisfied with my meal. I found the food very delicious and so did my dad, but the sukiyaki was bland and the sushi was ok This restaurant added to the places "I don't ever wanna go back to" list.
(2)Chris D.
The food here is about average, but the service is awful. We waited 15-20 minutes to be seated despite numerous open booths throughout the restaurant, and it took nearly an hour to get our entrees once we ordered. I would definitely recommend looking elsewhere for a good Japanese restaurant.
(2)Scott S.
The Spicy Tuna Roll is one of the best maki in Iowa City. I love their sukiyaki, which is beef in a sweet soy broth with yam noodles, mushrooms, and cabbage. We got great service there today, but in the past when they have been crowded it has not been as good. BTW, the sukiyaki takes a LONG time, so don't order it without knowing that!
(4)Jason L.
Not too bad. It gets a 4 instead of a 3 for the amazing talent the cooks have. Definitely have and better food but it was a ton of food. The cuby roll was actually pretty good. As some of the other reviews say, service was a tad slow and food is average, but overall it was still a really good meal and really good show. Made up for all the ok things. Our group of eight ended up laughing most of the time
(4)YQ H.
Super slow service, and the chef only care about football, no one work on food. Even the appetizers cost us 1hour to wait.
(1)Kathryn K.
The cook table is a must! However, the price is hefty so be prepared to spend some money. However, you do get significant amount of food. A great place to go for a special event. Our children LOVE IT so we definitely try to make it to Three Samurai for their birthdays.
(4)Wenqi Z.
It is so much cheaper than we thought. The tempura roll is fairly good, but the buffalo chicken wings which I had no clue why we ordered it by the way are a little overly seasoned. I would like to try teriyaki next time. :)
(4)Jason A.
1-1/2 hours and still waiting for dinner. Not sure there is a manager or certainly needs to find a new one. Such a shame since the food is good.
(1)Sara K.
Our favorite sushi place in the area, especially on their special nights. Very reasonably priced, great variety of food, both sushi and dinners, and the service is always good. My favorite rolls are the creamy hamachi and spicy white tuna roll. We always do those two and one or two of their more expensive rolls. I'd also highly recommend the age dashi tofu appetizer, the broth is simply amazing. We also go for lunch occasionally, their lunch bento boxes are a great deal, so much food and they're all around $10 or less.
(5)Karen M.
Food was excellent, it was fun to have the chef prepare the meal at one of the grill tables. Dinner and a show! Prices are ok, its on the expensive side, but you get a great meal for the price. Everything was fresh and well-prepared...had chicken and shrimp which were great!
(5)Mike D.
My wife and I have been going to Kyodia in North Liberty for some time now and liked it so much we haven't been to any other sushi type of restaurants and after tonight I understand why. The only thing this place has better then Kyodia is their service but on every aspect of food quality, presentation, decor, and layout Kyodia blows this place away. Very run down and old looking. Just not a fun place to go for drinks or groups. Service and the staff were great but I'm not going to let that over look this review. It's the only thing saving it from a 1 star.
(2)Scott Y.
We have a lot of great Asian places back east, but the rules there don't seem to translate here. In the Northeast, there are great places for each type of Asian cuisine, but the places that try to be all things to all people are always a disappointment. So I was really surprised to find a place in Iowa that makes a great pho, and also a great Japanese duck. I don't eat fish, but my wife loves their sushi. Our two year-old loves their edamame. Our friends love their food, too. That would probably be a much better endorsement if we had tons of friends who all loved Three Samurai, but we haven't lived here very long, and we're not particularly outgoing. Sometimes I start to ramble once I get past the point in my reviews where I know iPhone users stop reading. Non-iPhone users don't concern me. You're sub-human if you don't use an iPhone.
(5)Jared S.
Here for one night traveling. Greeted and seated immediately. Sushi is very fresh. Place is clean and well appointed. Staff is very friendly. Can't ask for more than that..
(5)Leslie W.
The sushi is good ..... once you finally get it. There were empty tables and it still took over 45 minutes to get basic rolls. Service - enh. Had much better - had worse. Probably won't be back.
(1)Samira D.
The wait wasn't long maybe 20 mins but there was an hour wait just for sushi which is why we went out in the first place. So we opted to order off the menu which I was not impressed with the selection. I ordered the stir fry which was ok, but as most Japanese restaurants they have a hibachi choice with veggies. I will not be going back since I believe there are other better choice out there.
(2)L. D.
This is an American/Asian fusion restaurant. I really try to avoid American Asian fusion because it's usually gross (Chinese railroad chop suey, egg foo yung anyone?). It's not only this but also Asian fusion fusion (Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese). In Iowa, you don't have much of a choice since there are no authentic Asian restaurants in the whole entire state. The sushi was so-so. The rice was a bit dry and hard and not enough vinegar. We came in around 530pm and the place was busy. We had to wait about 15-20 minutes for a table, then after ordering, another 45-50 minutes for the food to arrive. We were sat at a grill table (we were not doing grill) with an ugly huge empty container right next to it. We were told the container would be moved but it never was. I would recommend the soups but not the sushi. The Seafood ramen and Yose Nabe (seafood soup) was good. The Yose Nabe was supposed to come with rice but we never got any. I think the waiter was not familiar with Asian food because I had to ask for soy sauce when we got our sushi. I noticed other people got their little sushi plates with soy sauce bottles. I don't know if they had to ask for it like we did or if our waiter was just plan new and did not know anything about sushi, not a big surprise, this is Iowa. My daughter's catfish dish was good. For dinner with three entrees, sushi, and appetizers, our total was about $80. After 6pm, we noticed there were a lot of students. This place is fairly pricey so we were surprised it was all students after 7pm in the restaurant. This would be a good place to come for lunch and get some good hot soup but avoid the dinner crowd and long waits for a table and food. It isn't worth it. Someone needs to open a Sushiland in Iowa City. I'm sure the students would love the $1 sushi merry go round. The sushi here isn't that much better quality than a sushi merry go round.
(3)Jenny L.
wait three for almost 15 minutes but no one come to set the seats. Maybe it has good flavor, but terrible service!
(1)Stacy D.
Got stomach problems after having sushi here. Yeah, not going back again.
(1)Nan K.
love it here ! I have had almost every thing on the menu and no complaints. The most random good thing is the chicken wings. Very random I know for a japanese restaurant however I love them .
(5)Ron W.
Three Sam has been a fam fave for years. We usually go on a "sushi night" - half price sushi and dollar soups and salads. The key is getting there early if school is in session. Service is pretty quick. Bento boxes for lunch are great. The side room is perfect for small groups and business lunches. Table cook sessions are fun and tasty too. Servers are experienced, fast and courteous. I highly recommend it!
(4)Heather L.
While the food is pretty good... the service always seems... slow... and not very friendly. In fact, I almost always get the feeling that the staff are a bit snobby by the way they talk down to you. Some of the staff don't really know much about the food they are serving, so if you have questions, you may not get the answers you are looking for. And I find that the servers disappear and only reappear when they bring food to your table, then disappear again. I also find the food to be quite pricey. Monday night is just sushi and appetizers, so if you are looking for hibachi, make sure you don't go on Monday night. They are usually very busy, so if you can call ahead, you may want to do so otherwise you could be waiting for awhile. On the appetizers, the crab cakes with mango salsa is delicious, the wings with the honey-soy glaze are very nice, and of course the edemame are a light, snacky sort of starter to keep you busy until your mains arrive. As for the sushi, I like the spicy lobster roll. Beware it can be quite spicy, especially if you get a piece of jalepeno. The Matsuzaka Roll is nice as well. As for the entrees, the Yakisoba is ok, although I have had better at other restaurants. The steak with potato croquettes and veggies is delicious... although the potato croquettes are just weird, for lack of a better descriptor.
(3)RJ S.
I was visiting from out of town and some friends recommended this place. My friends drove in and were not from Iowa City and I was visiting from Austin, TX. I had some sushi and my friends had the Matsuzaka steak. I had one roll that was similar to the Matsuzaka steak entree. I have to say it was delicious. My friends were ranting and raving about the Matsuzaka steak and how it melted in their mouth. Overall the presentation was great. I also also a few other rolls and was very satisfied. The atmosphere was great, people at the hibatchi grills were having fun. Met the owner and he was also great. He made sure our food was good. We hit the bar after dinner and the bartender (Aaron) hooked us up on some great drinks/shots. He was a mad scientist behind the bar. It may not be the best sushi you ever had if you came from a big city (certainly if you're from a coastal city!), but it's by far the best sushi around these parts. Totally worth a visit! I would go back again when I visit!
(5)Jessica A.
Consistently great food and service. The Cubby Roll, Black and Gold Roll, and Samango Roll are our go to's. We also really love the hibachi experience for groups.
(5)Matt U.
So, they've got some pretty legit sushi here! My wife and I have been a number of times and each trip has ended with a full belly and discussions of how the only thing that would make it better is buy one get one free (as every sushi place was in the last city we lived in - Durham, NC) and the cooks from the Budweiser commercial that yell "Wasabi!" in unison from behind the grill. The selection is good, the ambiance is nice, though they get dinged a little for the place being pretty loud. The folks next to us were a little tipsy from too much Saki and we were privy to much of the conversation about "why you're too good for him"....needless to say, the waiter was gracious and when they couldn't reseat us, gave us some edemame. Overall a good spot and I hear they've got some pretty legit teppanyaki! We'll be back
(4)Bar C.
Very good sushi and very reasonable in price. They have sushi specials 4 days out of the week, according to the bartender. They also had $2.00 beer and other specials. I went on a Wednesday. I will be back on my next trip to this area.
(4)Saham H.
Just dont go there after 9, they roll their sushi lousy after9. Kind friendly servers!
(4)Matt B.
Three Sam used to be awesome. We would go there for Sunday happy hour sushi, for birthday parties at the grill tables, for lunches for the bento boxes.....just couldn't get enough Three Samurai. Then---staff and management changed. I think a couple of them left and opened their own place in the old capital mall. It hasn't been the same since. The food is still good, but the sushi rolls have shrunk. Their real problem is service. It's absolutely terrible and has been for several years. Reservation at 7? That means nothing - you could wait for your table 30, 45, 80 minutes. It's happened multiple times to me. Need another drink? Good luck getting someone to notice. Want to pay your bill? You'll need to ask for that too, and then flag down your waiter for them to run your card. You'll also need to flag them down to order your food. I wish I knew what the specific problem was - but it's not that they are understaffed. I just think they are unmotivated and untrained. They get 2 stars for the memories and food, but it's getting harder to go here because of the service. I only go about once a year now (used to go at least once a month), and the service is awful every time. It's shame, because their Bento boxes were my favorite lunch in town.
(2)Katherine K.
It makes me really sad to write a bad review of Three Sam, which has been a favorite choice of our for lunch for many years. But so much has changed for the worse here, I have no other choice. Ever since Craig, the prior manager, left, 3 Sam has had problems. They had lots of turnover in the kitchen staff for a while, and some of the menu items (like the nabeyaki soba) were changed for the worse. This was balanced by the addition of a couple very good new menu items, like the pork ramen and the seafood ramen. And the sushi has always been very good and consistent. However, where it used to be that the sushi bar would get behind, the last dozen or so times we've been, it's been the kitchen that's so slow it really ruins the entire experience. Last Saturday was the last straw for us. The restaurant wasn't even entirely full (I've certainly seen it much busier) and our server warned us the kitchen was "a little behind" and said my sushi would be out before my husband's meal. I asked him to wait and bring them both out together. From the time we ordered until my husband's food came was SEVENTY-FIVE MINUTES. There is absolutely no excuse for that; I've been served faster in a packed restaurant on graduation weekend. I could hear customers around us complaining about their wait times as well. I feel horrible for the wait staff, because they know people are angry and I'm sure they're getting stiffed for tips (we watched another table of people walk out because it was taking so long for their food, I hope the server isn't expected to cover the loss) and there's nothing they can do about it. In short, we love the food (and there are several menu items you can't get anywhere else in town), but we're giving upon Three Samurai. I don't want "lunch" to take up my entire weekend.
(1)peter c.
Service makes this worse than it should be. I've never waited longer than 5-10 minutes for pho but this took almost an hour and I timed it! No exaggeration! Is it worth waiting almost an hour for the best pho in IC?
(3)Lisa H.
"The general feeling of our group was of satisfaction. Sushi was only good but very reasonably priced. Bento box is a really good deal. We are used to paying the exorbitant prices at O'saka in the Quad Cities. I give it 4 stars for the value."
(4)Eric C.
I was looking for a quality assorted sashimi dinner, but turns out this isn't the place to find it. The sashimi appetizer is about $9 for 6 pieces (3 kinda of fish)... The sashimi dinner is $27... And turns out that includes only 12 pieces (of four kinds). When asked for a bowl of rice, they gave me cold sushi rice and over charged $4 per bowl. The fish is thinly sliced, and decently fresh. Service isn't bad... The menu has a hybrid variety of soups include Vietnamese pho, Japanese sukiyaki, and Korean ox tail soup. While the sashimi option was a let down, I'll probably be back to try one of their soups.
(2)Rachel K.
Called Three Samurai last Sunday for take out. They said they weren't doing take out orders. That is all they said. No time frame. No explanation. No apology. Ok...So I asked them if they weren't doing it for the entire night or for the next hour or so. They said they didn't know and I could call back in a half and hour to see if they would take the order then. It doesn't bother me that they weren't doing take out orders, what bothers me is that they didn't give an explanation why or time frames (for how long they weren't taking orders for). So instead I went to Sushi House in Cedar Rapids which is cheaper, has better service and the food is delicious--too bad it is a 30-minute drive away.
(2)Carol C.
the number one strike against this place is the incredibly slow service. my most recent visit had a moderate amount of customers and the service was still slow. the food is actually very good, however the slow service is quite off putting.
(3)Austin B.
The sushi is just okay and the service is uniformly terrible. Multiply this by having a confusing schedule where they play a shell game with different parts of the menu on different nights of the week, and you have a pretty forgettable and confusing dining experience. It gets 2 stars because they have cheap Kirin on "sushi nights", which oddly enough appear to be pretty much every night of the week.
(2)Shelby K.
Try the role with the beef on the top, and the veggie role, nice People, one of the best in the state
(5)OneSentenceReview R.
This 4 star rating is actually more of a 3.5 stars and was written based on "Iowa standards" and me wanting to point out that people's standards on what is "legit sushi" make me cry...you guys like yelp, go yelp urasawa in los angeles. That is legit sushi.
(4)