Host/server was super friendly had us sit wherever we wanted. Knowledgable of the beer selections, asked if we had any questions as some servers do not. attentiveness was on point. They have $3 craft beers during their happy hour. So far this is my favorite place for miso soup. I think the location is a little too big for a sushi cafe however I don't know how crazy this place would get here at night. It's definitely sophisticated in here and we'll kept. Food came out promptly. The server even had the courtesy to ask whether or not we wanted low sodium vs regular soy sauce. Their regular rolls were quite standard which I was little disappointed about. The place I usually go to has at least avocado and cucumbers added to the standard salmon rolls. My boyfriend mentioned to add that the chopsticks are quite large and a little difficult to use. I wrote this post as we had our experience to only find out that MY SUSHI DID NOT COME OUT FRESH! :/
(1)
Aaron B.
So the sushi was edible, however, the plating was awkward, the sushi chef on duty must not have been very good on my visit, because the pieces of sushi just fell apart when picking them up with chopsticks. One of my rolls was supposed to feature mango, I only discovered one piece of mango in the 6-7 pieces of sushi that came in the roll. I've been spoiled by going to some pretty amazing sushi places, so this one loses out because they couldn't possibly stack up. The bar is set high.
(2)
Mei F.
A. for the atmosphere and interior B-. for the food E. for the service.. Sushi is small (I posted a photo) but it is pretty good! Prices are on the higher side for a sushi restaurant. The inside is so pleasant, well designed, modern and cool that it was a pleasure to dine in. Green tea is bland, I wouldn't order it there. Now, on the service.. I asked how's their undon soup, my server looked up, made a flustered highschooler expression and replied: "well...likeee.. idk, likee a fish base I guess? with likeee veggies and stuff? idk like its a soup right?" Note that undon are noodles, somewhat ramen style, usually based with shitake mushroom broth. I assumed that this place just does their own thing and fish-veggie soup sounded good since I didnt really want a noodle dish. Guess what? she brought a bowl of undon noodles. No fish broth, a typical shitake-flavored cube-broth and decorative spare of carrots. The entire time she was just as oblivious and giving off an unpleasant vibe. I consider this pretty bad service. If I come here next time, ill sit at the bar.
(3)
Urs M.
Uni! Uni! Uni! A friend and I were craving sushi out in Troy, MI, and came very close to just buying something from Walmart. How lucky we were to find a sushi bar in the same plaza? (And a nail salon where I got my eyebrows done. Chaching!) Greeted from the time we opened the door, the hostess sat us at the bar and handed us menus. My friend had a Pepsi and I got to enjoy a Ramune. I haven't had one in years and it literally felt like I was back in high school. The chef knew everything there was to know about sushi, made lots of recommendations, gave us little pieces here and there to try. It was wonderful. Of course, I had to order everything in sight. The tamago, tako, uni, scallops, avocado stuffed in everything. I ate and I ate and I couldn't have been more happy. The chef made a huge platter for a party and apparently got the order wrong. I would have offered to eat it if it didn't have shrimp in it (I'm allergic). It was so beautiful, but they couldn't re-purpose it, so the plate just sat there all night long. Broke my heart. Since I feel like I might not stop typing, my pictures will suffice.
(5)
Michael P.
Great sushi. Terrible chop sticks! Our first visit here. We came for a Friday family dinner. We had a pleasant server and the place is impressive. Nice menu selections. A little pricey. Everything we ate was good. They have these clunky red chopsticks. They are hard to hold due to size but also they have a glossy finish so everything slips out of their grasp. After a few minutes of frustration we asked for carry-out style wooden chopsticks. They should just throw out those useless fancy sticks! Otherwise I LOVED this place!!!
(5)
Brandon S.
The sushi is excellent but the price is more than most places and the menu seems a little small for sushi. Atmosphere is awesome and the waitresses and very nice. I gave 3 stars due to price and not very good lunch menus
(3)
Brandon W.
Love going here! Great experience! Walking in I was immediately greeted by a beautiful host, her name was CC, and then walked to a very private booth. Ambiance and decor was astonishing. Ordered a few different sushi plates and each one was delicious! The prices can not be beat for what you get! Will be back A lot! Our server was very attentive, and again, quite good looking.
(5)
David M.
We used to be regulars here years ago but stopped when the food just didn't seem as good as it had been (chef change??). When we purchased a few Groupons I included one for Cafe Sushi to try them again. We were impressed! We ordered the sashimi combo for two and enjoyed everything on it. We used to take advantage of the weekday lunch specials and since it was a weekend couldn't try that. The prices are still a bit higher than we like to pay so normally we go to other places for sushi and Japanese food. I think we will have to give the weekday specials another try.
(4)
Mary B.
Absolutely amazing food, drinks and waitstaff. Can't wait to go back, I am a beginner at Sushi and this place has so many options with a knowledgeable staff. Really enjoyed my experience past, present and can't wait to go back!
(5)
Joe B.
Pretty standard sushi, with good service and a huge space if you happen to need to seat an army. We were sat immediately to a mostly vacant dining room and sushi bar. Our server brought no less than four different menus which was a little overwhelming to get through but we managed once we figured out which ones had the sushi menu in them. I went with my typical litmus test order plus a few of their premium rolls that sounded like they were worth trying. We started with some hot sake to wash the tuna, eel, tamago nigiri down. The tuna was nicely cut without too much stringiness to it. The tamago was sweet and firm and the eel was spot on too. Nothing really shined about any of it but it was tasty. For the premium rolls we tried the Triple Spicy Tuna roll and the Asahi Roasted Garlic Roll. The Asahi roll was the preference between the two and it had cooked shrimp on top with a dollop of roasted garlic cream sauce. I liked it but there were others I would try over it next time. The Triple Spicy Tuna was really really weak and I was bummed out about it. It had good flavor but no real kick. If you're going to call something Triple Spicy it should knock my socks off with heat, otherwise just call it "the needlessly overpriced kind of spicy tuna roll". Again, good service, plenty of room for seating and decent sushi.
Pretty good sushi, but very slow service especially since they weren't busy on Monday night. Marlin and Vegas rolls are my favorite, wonton soup is a pretty large serving and is very tasty. Menu has lots to choose from including bento boxes which are a good amount of food. Lots of parking available, friendly service but a bit slow.
(3)
Jason M.
Not bad, not great. Average pricing for average sushi. Nice interior with a lot of space. Had lunch around 1:30, so either we missed the lunch rush, or this place doesn't really have much of one. After trying several sushi places nearby, this one isn't very high on my list.
(3)
Ling Z.
After spending $12 on a tiny tiny tuna salsa, I decided no going back again, and not to mention that I heard the chefs talked loudly in Cantonese Chinese to each other in their open kitchen. Yes, the food is not made by well trained Japanese sushi chef. The food in general maybe OK here but definitely not worth $14.95 for a Chinese seafood fried rice dish , my fellow dinner. This is no authentic Japaneses food and way to pricy for Chinese food, I have to say , after all.
(3)
Christina C.
Not at all what I expected on the inside, it's very trendy and modern looking and much more upscale than the sign might have you believe. The sushi itself was okay but not my absolute favorite in the area, and the pricing was a bit much for what we ordered.
(4)
Arturo F.
They fed me undercooked (still pink) chicken. When I brought it up to the server, Greta (after waiting 10 minutes before she came back by me), she asked if I wanted them to re-make it. I said no because I needed to go back to work, and she very rudely responded, "Well, then there's nothing I can do." Charged me full price for the undercooked, pink chicken I couldn't eat.
(1)
Ivanna Y.
Last two times we were there, Cafe Sushi has become a lot more Chinese. The food is more bland now. The desserts run out. Sushi's still pretty good, but I can go elsewhere for cheaper sushi. Ehh, it's too far to not be perfect anymore.
(3)
Jack M.
Cafe sushi is showing their trade mark on the sign out side as well as the Japanese restaurant "Cherry blossom" in Novi is showing the cherry flower symbol with Kanji character as "桜". Cherry blossom is pretty authentic Japanese restaurant, however, Cafe Sushi is Japanese fusion, some BENTO style lunch or some of their sushi rolls are almost like Chinese food. I'm still wondering if they are connected to Cherry Blossom in Novi.
(2)
Kristin C.
I enjoy Cafe Sushi quite a bit. The service is always extremely friendly and prompt and accurate. It's a large space so we can always get a table here. The menu is large - nigiri, standard & special sushi rolls (about 60 to choose from), bentos, apps, salads and entree options. I almost always get sushi - YUM! I have had the bento box at lunch and it was delicious - enjoyed trying a variety of items. The ginger salad is nice, although the dressing seemed creamier than I remember (maybe a new recipe?) -- not the best I've had. And I will agree that it does seem like the portions have gotten smaller under new management, but it's not a deal breaker. The decor is kind of hilarious - French impressionist artwork -- I guess that's the "Cafe" part of the name. The cocktails are strong and delicious. Sake, wine and beer, too. Gotta say - I love our regular waitress - she remembers our drinks, our son's name, even our soy sauce preference! This place is tops!
(4)
J G.
Excellent sushi and hot pan Asian! They've got a nice little bar area with good drinks and sake variety. The portions are good for the price and the lunchtime bento box is awesome. The sushi here is better than Kona Grill's (without the douche-i-ness).
(5)
Rachel S.
Very nice atmosphere. I've always been seated very promptly and it's always been just a few customers in here around lunch time on week days. Servers are very attentive. Their sushi is so fresh and I'm surprised they give 8 pieces instead of 6. The tuna avocado roll is divine although a bit pricy.
(4)
Bill B.
In the mid-eighties, I was lucky enough to tour Japan with a band for a month. I developed an affection for the country, its people and its food. Thus, I always look forward to a trip to a new Japanese restaurant. Today, I ordered a veggie bento, which started with miso soup and salad. The soup was excellent, more substantial and flavorful than most. The salad was only OK (a more balanced sesame dressing and non-iceberg lettuce would have helped). Then came the main part of the meal, which was excellent. Veggie gyoza (dumplings) were well-flavored with an appropriate soy dipping sauce. Vegetable in the sushi had the right consistency. Tempura veggies were battered lightly and served with dipping broth. Fresh vegetables were braised in a simple but tasty garlic broth and accompanied with brown rice. In the end, I was in a happy food coma. The main room was classy without being intimidating. Our server was very friendly and attentive. Cafe Sushi exceeded my expectations for Detroit-area Japanese food. It will be my go-to Japanese restaurant in the area.
(4)
James K.
I enjoyed a sushi meal with a couple of friends from Germany at Cafe Sushi last night (a Tuesday). We arrived at about 7PM and were seated immediately. The staff were friendly, the service was good, and the food was very good. We enjoyed sharing a vegetable tempura starter, followed by several orders of various regular sushi rolls and Japanese beer. My friends were very pleased with the meal, and I was too. I'll definitely go back.
(4)
Jason P.
The Max Roll is where it's at! The tempura cheese cake is delicious also! I've been here several times, and they are consistently good.
(4)
Kim W.
The Marlin roll with the bonito fish garnish and lemony aroma is delish. A little side of ponzu and a green tea = a spectacular lunch. I highly recommend dropping by and checking it out. Not too much to look at but it's worth the visit.
(4)
Maria B.
Outstanding food and service! Asian connoisseurs will love it!
(5)
Kristi H.
This is the third time I have eaten here. I was hoping to be able to order one of their bento box specials, but our waitress said this is only on the lunch menu now. We ordered the lettuce wraps with chicken- pretty good. Based on previous reviews we tried the max roll- just not my thing. Covered in sauce and chopped onions. Taste was fairly good, but I just don't like my sushi covered in sauce. Or hunks of onion- seems weird. Triple spicy tuna roll was ok. Nothing really stood out as wonderful this time. Service was good and food arrived quickly.
(3)
Michael D.
Sushi is ok, not the greatest servings. If they did not have their meals, they would go out of business.
(3)
Terin C.
Hm. I'm not quite sure what to say about this place. I've come to terms with the fact that I don't mix well with Asian food. I'm quite limited to rice and vegetables, but even that's not always safe. I'd gone to a different Asian restaurant the day before and had the unfortunate experience of ingesting fish sauce, which, as it turns out, I am allergic to. By the time I took my seat here with the rest of the large group I was with, my face had swelled to twice its size, and I was not the happiest. I wasn't quite as unhappy, though, as one of the reviewers below me whose weirdly racist rant just pricked at my ire. Perhaps it would be a wiser course of action to base one's review of a restaurant on the food rather than the people he was seated next to purely by accident, and to cut back a little on the personal insults. If it were someone close to me, I might suggest therapy or, I don't know, anger management or something... but as it is, it's not really my place. Anyhow, I ordered the vegetarian tempura. It was interesting. I can't really say if it was good or bad, because I'd never had it before. I don't know what it's supposed to taste like. My boyfriend liked it, though, and he is a big fan of Asian food. Everyone at the table seemed pretty pleased with their dishes, in fact. As for me, I ended up just eating the bowl of white rice my meal was served with. Please don't feel sorry for me; I like that sort of thing. I can't remember much else, except that they set the tables up in a kind of strange "L" configuration, which left four people in our party more or less exiled to the outer reaches of loneliness. It was a little sad and more than a little awkward. That obviously wouldn't have been a problem with a smaller group, so take that for what it's worth. I probably wouldn't go back to this place on purpose, because, like I said in a previous review of an Asian restaurant, there's just nothing here for me. But this place gets 5 stars, because I want to offset that guy's review. Doing my small part to foil needlessly mean people.
(5)
Jasmeen K.
Hadn't been to Cafe Sushi for sometime and wished I had stayed away for good. Ordered the tempura and the batter was way too thick and greasy. The katsu batter had zero flavor as well as the the udon broth.
(2)
Peter H.
It's under new management now, so you have to be careful with what you order. Probably best to stay away from the westernized or non-Japanese options. Nevertheless, the authentic staples of the old place are still there, and they're still good. I've only had sushi there once since the change in ownership (it was actually a positive experience), so I won't comment on that front. That's not what you'd come for, anyway, since there are places that specialize in that stuff. It's the hot dishes that should draw you here. Still true to the tradition of the old place and still outstanding. First, the sukiyaki -- a Japanese hot pot that uses a soy, mirin (rice wine) and sugar as a broth. Put your rib-eye slices, vegetables and tofu in there, let it simmer and cook down, and enjoy the syrupy goodness. Second, the yakitori is also still great as an appetizer, but Cherry Blosson (the former sister restaurant) has by far the better selection. 4 stars for the sukiyaki and yakitori alone, as well as the sweet and accomodating staff. If you're on the west side, Cherry Blossom is the better option, but Cafe Sushi still works as a great option for the north side of town.
(4)
Jeremy B.
Cafe Sushi is a really classy place with very affordable prices. Honestly, when I walked in and saw the place I was expecting to spend a lot more than I wanted but that was not the case. It's a large, beautiful restaurant and the service was amazing. The hostess was very pleasant and the waitress was extremely helpful and accommodating. The menu is very large and offers more than just a traditional sushi place would, even including some traditional Chinese fare which was cool. And did I mention they have a liquor license... If I could give them 6 stars I would. Definitely check out Cafe Sushi you won't regret it.
(5)
Erish R.
This place has definitely gone downhill in recent months. We used to be regulars here because of the high quality of fish and the amazingly creative desserts. We stopped by tonight and were very disappointed. As another recent review commented, the spicy tuna roll is not spicy and made with minced up fish that could be anything. There was iceberg lettuce in the spider roll - really?? The dessert menu was mundane and seemed bought-in: sorbets, a tiramisu that had no alcohol taste at all. Service was inattentive and the food was not at all worth the price we paid. We'll be frequenting Noble Fish instead.
(2)
Dea A.
I went back quite a few times and tried a lot more items on the menu. The burning smell was, thankfully, NOT regular thing. The good: the SUSHI - awesome different kinds of rolls, really fresh fish, and check the daily sushi menu to see what kind of special nigiri they have for that day the service - Fantastic service! Really friendly, always available, and willing to answer any questions the YAY! the tuna takaki (or... something like that) was a really awesome generous $7 appetizer. They have this special where you order one appetizer off of a list of 6-7 choices, you get 20% off of your sushi (until the end of June). the meh: the small plates - really meh. I tired about 8 dishes and I can't say there was anything I would ever order again. The noodles sounded exciting, but fell flat. The vegetable dumplings were gummy. The fried tofu thing had no flavor. The broiled mackerel was so tasteless. And oh, the kicker... I ordered this shrimp with spicy sauce -- that tasted like Chef Boyardee with some really mild red pepper. It was honestly terrible. the vegetarian appetizer - peanut butter sauced in different cold vegetables. It was just boring. Conclusion: Hanzo is so worth checking out for Japanese small plates. The dishes are much more exciting there, a bit cheaper, and infinitely tastier. Cafe Sushi is going to be my go-to sushi place... at least until they end this 20% off deal. The 20% off makes it so hard to turn down!
(3)
Whitney S.
Okay... Service: Our waitress was one of the worst I've ever had. Short, impatient and completely unfamiliar with the menu. So rude, it was laughable. We spoke to the gratuitous management on our way out to make them aware of their service and they were very nice and accommodating. Food: Ehh. Bland. We all ordered different variations of the Bento Box. The spicy tuna roll was definitely pre-made, old and stale. All in all I am no longer hungry but may never go back.
(2)
Jess T.
I can't believe I haven't already review Cafe Sushi! Thanks to Yelp's friendly reminder on the homepage, I can now review what I thought I had reviewed forever ago! Cafe Sushi is our go-to sushi place for a few reasons - 1. They have a large sushi bar, we like sitting at the bar and watching the fish being prepared. It would be even better if the sushi chef would take the orders as well like a normal sushi bar. This is a bit of a side rant regarding all/most sushi bars in Michigan. Oh and reason number 2. They serve alcohol. Sad but true, I really like hot sake with my nigiri. Now we have been coming here for over a year now, and we have tried a lot of the dishes, and not a lot of the rolls. The nigiri has been consistent, and my new favorite is the marlin. Enjoying sushi becomes really difficult when you are pregnant, as there are a lot of fish that you are supposed to avoid, and you're not supposed to eat the raw stuff in case you get sick - gasp. Well I am not so evil that I would force my husband to forgo sushi for 9 months, and lets be honest I really had to have a fix as well. This led me to venture into portions of the menu I would normally avoid. The tempura veggies and shrimp are usually good, the cucumber and seaweed salads are good, the new cherry blossom roll is enormous and fairly tasty. As far as sushi in Michigan - this is a great option, and a heck of a lot cheaper than that really trendy place on Big Beaver.
(3)
Sherri J.
Hey guys, so this place is under new ownership. It has been for about 2-3 years now. So if you've had a bad experience, its worth another try. Plus they recently remodeled. They have a nice Japanese style back room for parties, intimate gatherings, etc. You don't have to pay extra for it just ask for it when you make your reservation. The owners are awesome Jay is the head sushi chef/owner. And the other owner, whose name I don't recall, is the head chef for all the hot food. Plus Cheri the general manager is awesome.
(5)
Helen A.
First time here. Service great Sushi was fresh.
(4)
Hanna S.
I'm so disappointed their food and service. They used to be ok, but for some reason, they changed. I ordered spicy tuna rolls, and it was not spicy at all, so I asked a guy. Then he said that they don't make their own sauce and bring me just a Sriracha. No apologize. And one more thing. Tuna was not really Tuna. It was all minced.
(2)
Carlito A.
Our family tradition of sushi every Wednesday was recently disrupted when Tokyo Sushi in Birmingham recently closed. So last Wednesday, without anywhere to go, we decided to visit an old favorite, Cafe Sushi. It had been a while since we had eaten there and upon our return everything looked the same. The staff was friendly, the interior clean as usual. Everything was the same except the sushi. The rolls were so much smaller. The sashimi was also cut smaller. Everything just seemed smaller. Things like extra ginger and wasabi were available but at an additional cost. Overall, it wasn't bad - just not the same Cafe Sushi we used to love. Very disappointing.
(2)
Rosalind S.
This is my son's favorite restaurant. The gyoza are superb! They have the thinnest wrapper imaginable with a delectable stuffing. You've gotta try them.
(5)
Sal P.
I love Cherry Blossom in Novi(the sister restaurant to Cafe Sushi). You can read my review of Cherry Blossom and see how much I gush over that place. So after hearing for many years about how much better Cafe Sushi was, I had to give it a try. I was in the area for lunch and dropped by. This is when everything went down hill. The sign at the front says 'Grand reopening - New Management' Hmmmmm... Not a good sign.... The menu has changed and gone to a more western pallet. Chinese main courses (Mongolian beef) and totally dropping the Ramen/Soba section is a big disappointment for me. Also it looks like they gave up on the Yukitori(BBQ food on sticks) WTF? The waitress couldn't speak English that well, but she tried and that isn't a problem for me. Soba wasn't on the menu anymore so I ask could they still make it for me. She said she would go ask the chef and that is the last time I saw her(did I even order my lunch?). She came back around 15 minuets later with a bowl of Soba that was unlike any I've ever had. They got the broth and noodles right, but why did it have Broccoli and carrot(never had it that way before) instead of Tempura Shrimp? An Egg? Tofu slices? By this point my lunch break was all but over and I hate to waste food, I ate it anyway. I wanted to order some sushi to go along with the noodles, but forget that now... The bill comes and I'm blown away that a bowl of noodle soup costs me $8 and that's not including tip either. I know Soba isn't cheap, but common! A bowl of Tempura Soba(Noodles and Shrimp) is only $6-7 at other places. My whole lunch was so disappointing that I just paid the money and left. As I leave I notice the sushi chefs are all outside smoking cigarettes in plain sight of the customers(yuck). I don't know how the place was run before, but it sure didn't win me over with the 'New Management'. With prices like that and questionable professionalism by the so called 'master chefs' I won't be coming back. Really upsetting because I had heard such great and wonderful things about this place. Good luck Cafe Sushi, your going to need it.
(1)
M F.
Went there for dinner tonight. Fabulous food! I had tuna, yellowtail and white tuna sashimi. Husband has Miso Sea Bass. Both meals were awesome. Will definitely return!
(5)
Lori H.
I'm picky about sushi. Came here with a friend because she had a gift cert to use up. I had miso soup, with two rolls--one was called an Acupulco Roll and the other a shrimp roll. all three were great. I am very picky about miso, and it was the perfect flavor. My companion was not a fan of her sushi, but hey, it is all about me......haha. Service was very friendly and our server was patient as my friend asked for a description of like 10 rolls, LOL. Prices were OK, maybe slightly high, but I liked my food so whatevs. No wait for a table either. would go here again.
(4)
Meredith P.
I got take out here for lunch recently when running errands in the area, and the best part of the experience was the very helpful and friendly hostess or server (it was kind of an odd hour, so she was the only one around, and I don't know her exact job description, but she was lovely:). The restaurant itself looked clean and the menu had a nice selection. I got a spicy tofu and scallion roll and a piece of tamago. I was pleased that I got to choose brown or white rice for my roll, but not excited when I saw that it was a $1.00 up charge per roll to add brown rice. That seems a little steep to me for a few tablespoons of brown rice, and it was not mentioned to me when I was ordering. The roll was fine, though I didn't enjoy the texture of the scallions, and the tamago was ok, but lacked that sweet, subtle flavor I've come to expect from good tamago. I was also disappointed that the tofu was fried, which seemed unnecessary and wasn't mentioned in the menu description. I didn't want tempura tofu--just light, clean-tasting tofu. As for the scallion texture, I don't think that was their fault; I've never had scallions in a sushi roll and I think I just didn't care for it that way. So, in essence, a little too expensive for what you get, and it took a really long time to get just one roll. Very friendly service staff and clean restaurant. I wouldn't rush back, but I would try it again.
(3)
Gina S.
2.5 stars. I've had take-out from here once and dine-in lunch once. Take-out was SOOOOO SLOW I thought I would die of starvation (okay, more like impatience) while waiting for my order. Lots of non-traditional/non-authentic dishes on the menu. Most of the waitstaff I saw was decidedly not Japanese, not even Asian. I think that's pretty indicative of what to expect on the menu. I had a cooked roll (since I'm preggs) and while it was good, it had the whole mayo thing going on. Ther service was attentive, though...I will give credit for that. The prices were reasonable. It did smell fishy when we walked in, but I attribute that to the plastic-wrapped plates with the daily specials at the front door. Not necessary. If I am feeling too lazy to drive a few more miles to Sushi Do, I would go here again.
(3)
Jen M.
Hi my name is Jen and I am a closet stalker of Janelle's reviewed restaurants. She's never steered me wrong and seems to have been to all the places I want to try. Cafe Sushi is no different. On a fundamental level this is well prepared sushi. The sashimi holds together well and you can feel the texture of each grain of rice as opposed to the mashed together sticky paste so popular elsewhere. A few of the highlights are, of course, the gluttonous plate of spicy mayonnaise known as the max roll and the escolar sashimi which is served on it's own plate dotted with sriracha and nestled atop a thin slightly smoky soy based sauce. The escolar was by far my favorite part of the meal and I would return just for the foregoing items. The service was quick and efficient if a bit hurried and impersonal. I have to agree with previous reviewers regarding the special apps. Our soft shell crab was fried beyond recognition and utterly disappointing. Additionally, I would opt for dining in the traditional room if available. While I realize patrons who walk through the door are not under the control of the restaurant staff, Cafe Sushi has some of the most outrageously misbehaved people it has ever been my displeasure to dine along side. Laughing hysterically and screaming into your cell phone in an empty dining room? Also, restaurant.com has certificates for this place and they're 80% off right now if you use the code "JOY" at check out. The certificates are good for alcohol too.
(4)
Jim A.
Yes. Good. Never see it packed though
(4)
Nikki B.
Since Ronin is closed for lunch I have been on a search to find good lunch sushi. I don't think this is my place. In general the rolls are too small. I ordered a Michigan roll, it was good. The MIchigan roll had spicy tuna, avocado, and cucumber. I ordered a spicy california roll, it had the spicy sauce on top. When I took a bite the roll had a weird not so fresh taste. Bummer since I love spicy california rolls. I ordered a crab and avocado roll. This roll had real crab in it. It was good, but gritty which turned me off so I didn't finish the roll. Then I had a 24 Karat roll that had mango, smoked salmon, cucumber, crab on top and spicy mayo. Must be the spicy mayo because it had the same odd flavor the spicy cali roll had. Also, I could not even taste the mango. The service was fast. The staff were very friendly. I am still searching for my optimal lunch sushi.
(2)
TJ W.
"Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver" I don't know who first uttered these immortal words, but that person had apparently just eaten at Cafe Sushi. For the uninitiated, Cafe Sushi sports an Anglicized name (strike one), has white hostesses and waitresses (strike two) and an almost-exclusively white clientele (strike three). In any other instance, I would have turned around and hit the door so fast that my shoes would have left a trail of smoke on my way out. But this was Janelle's birthday dinner, we had eaten here before, and the food has always been good. As we walked to our seating area, I looked around for some Asian faces, but the only one I saw was the guy squirting hot manass (you probably call it "mayonnaise") on some fried shrimp rolls. The hostess gave us a booth near a couple of smock dumplings (imagine Kate Gosselin put on 90lbs and worked as a clerk in a medical office), and I knew that we were in trouble. Within a couple minutes, Buffy the Appetite Slayer seated a trio of typical Detroit asswipes next to us, and these schmucks teamed up with their waitress in an attempt to get me to poke my own eyes out with a pair of splintery bamboo chopsticks. In the usual "can't eat a meal without ordering alcohol" fashion that un-cultured poseurs seem to be so keen on, these dipshits were excited to hear the waitress pitch their drink specials. It was then that I heard the most offensive combination of words that I've ever heard in a restaurant. Sake Sangria. Seriously, fuck you. I'll ignore the fact that the waitress pronounced "sake" incorrectly (and "sangria," for that matter) and convey that the Douchebag Trio asked what color the sake was. That led to a three minute long discussion about what type of wine sake is, and the DT and the waitress finally came to a consensus that sake is a merlot made from plums. Things like this are why I am a misanthrope. As we waited for our meal, we were treated to a cascade of idiotic discussions, snowballing in their stupidity as these dimwits attempted to make sense of the menu. I guaranteed Janelle that at least one of them would order a roll named after a city or a state. Sure enough, one ordered a San Francisco roll while the other two ordered Michigan rolls. I don't know about the San Francisco roll, but I'm reasonably sure that the Michigan roll is a hot dog rolled in a bun and covered with chili, mustard and onions. If that isn't what it is, it might as well be. Thankfully, these loudmouths got their food around the same time that we did, so we got to enjoy our meal in peace. We split four types of nigiri, a couple chicken yakitori sticks, some agemochi ankake (yeah, that's deep-fried mochi in dashi and it's even better than you'd think it'd be) for our appetizers. I got the chicken yakisoba as my entree, and Janelle got shrimp tempura udon. Actually, our waitress corrected Janelle's pronunciation. "It's temPEARa." Then, she condescendingly conveyed to Janelle that what she was ordering was a soup. Good call, gaijin, because my clearly half-Japanese wife needs to be told what her favorite dish is. The apps were good, just as they always are. Janelle didn't have any complaints about her dish. My yakisoba was noodles with chicken, ketchup, shoyu, onions and cabbage. Absolutely vile. As we were leaving, I saw a group of happy Japanese people leaving a different dining room and it occurred to me what happened...they stuck us in the gaijin room. The misery we experienced was because of the color of our skin - they segregate their diners based on their race. At first, I was insulted. Then I realized that it's a damn good idea. If Japanese people had to put up with white people butchering the pronunciations of their food, ordering bastardized versions of their cuisine and being generally ignorant and obnoxious, they'd never come back. It just makes me wish that I could have dined in the tranquil Japanese dining area and experienced the higher-quality food that you get when your order is placed from that room. All that said, I have to rate this place based on my experience. The sushi is very good, the fish is fresh, the appetizers are stellar, but the rest was bad. The food itself is far superior to that of the typical gaijin sushi restaurants around Detroit, but the clientele is just intolerable. I don't eat at Little Tree because I want to stay away from people like this. In closing, let me just say that 99.99% of white people don't like sushi. Further, 90% of white people who say they like sushi don't like sushi. If your roll has something fried in it, spicy mayo on it, or carries the name of a state, a city, or has the word "firecracker" or "dragon" in it, you don't like sushi. So please, white people, can we just stop pretending here?
(2)
Jacquie T.
Two words: Max Roll. I first went to Cafe Sushi four or five years ago with a good friend of mine, who happens to work at the Detroit News. We were both pretty hesitant to try a "strip mall sushi place", but the place had come highly recommended by one of her readers. We were pleasantly surprised by what we saw when we walked in -- you can take a seat at the sushi bar, or grab a table or booth in the restaurant. It looks a lot nicer than you would expect. Other than the veggie and shrimp tempura appetizer, I've only sampled their sushi offering. I'm not a huge fan of Japanese Udon soups, and that make sup much of the non-sushi menu. The tempura rolls are always crispy and hot -- not soggy and luke-warm like some places. Their shrimp crunch roll and Philly roll are very satisfying, and their nigiri is always fresh and well made. They are generous with the wasabi and pickled ginger, and always make sure to point out the separate rolls on the plate. But the crowning glory, and the item I ALWAYS get each time I go there, is the Max Roll. Those little bites of California roll are smothered in a spicy mayo sauce, mixed with onions and conch meat. They put the entire thing under the flame for a few minutes, and the top gets all bubbly and hot. It is seriously the moist perfect bite I've ever had. You'll even consider licking the sauce left on the plate. Do not pass up a chance to try the Max Roll if you check this place out. Cafe Sushi also has a pretty extensive sake and drink menu, and their tempura cheesecake (however kitschy) is pretty darn good. I've never had a problem with waiting for a table at this place, and the service is always fast and pleasant.
(4)
Meg S.
Yum! Tasty and fresh - actually had a Spicy California Roll on the menu. Decent sized rolls with average prices. I'll def be back again for sushi and probably to try a bento box or 2
(4)
Robert J.
I met up at Cafe Sushi with my friend Gunnar. He originally suggested going to Noble. I made a counter-offer, and I suggested Cafe Sushi for the greater variety of menu items. I'm stuck between three and four stars for this review. I'm going to go with three stars. There were some items that definitely deserve four Yelp stars, but there were some clunkers. After perusing the menu, I decided to get their soft-shell crab appetizer, which was quite nice. One very cool thing about getting that appetizer was the fact it came from a section on the menu that was involved in a promotional deal. If one orders one of those appetizers for $6.99, one gets 20% off all sushi ordered. Uh...sold! I'm all in. When one considers the combined facts that two pieces of nigirizushi could easily eclipse the $6.99 mark and that my friend and I would order a heck of a lot more than two pieces of sushi, how could I NOT take them up on their kind offer?!? That has been my M.O. at Cafe Sushi ever since that deal showed up on their menu. Yesterday, all I had eaten prior to dinner were some little tea sandiwiches at about 10:00. It was 18:30, and I was feeling "Man-v.-Food" hungry. I ordered up some noodles, because it was just the thing that I needed for the weather. I didn't want to just eat noodles. So, Gunnar and I decided to split the remarkable Chanpomen. I also stunned our nasally pierced waitress with my "Man-v.-Food" stomach by ordering up the Omakase too. The US$10 Chanpomen stunned both Gunnar and me. If I recall correctly, large bowls of ramen noodles, some leafy veggies, bean sprouts, lemongrass, scallions, pork, shrimp, and scallops populated a lovely broth that seemed to have some coconut milk in it. I could be wrong about the coconut milk, but the broth seemed to be very much something I might find in a Thai restaurant. Ordinarily, that's not something that I would want to find in a Japanese restaurant, but this soup won me over for how freakin' good it was. From the second its aromas hit me, it was love at first sniff! I still remember it. This is like remembering the scent of a woman who is irresistibly sexy to me--how in my mind I can still smell her, how it makes me want her even when she's not around. It's that marvelous mystery of chemistry and desire. Like that woman, I'm trying to figure out its inner workings. Was it fish stock? Was it really lemongrass? Whatever makes it what it is, I want it--just like a woman whose essence lingers in my mind. The, the five-course omakase began. Really, I wasn't counting. I just wanted them to keep bringing me food until I was done imitating "Man-v.-Food" host Adam Richman. The first dish was a nice plate with a seaweed salad, a little sliced octopus salad, some edamame, some fried oyster, and some other fried item whose explanation I missed. It was all quite good. Before I was even done, the next item came up. It was a nice tuna tataki. It was seasoned, seared, and served with some scallions, lemon, radish, and Sriracha. Around that time Gunnar's first plate came up. It was a very nice hamachi carpaccio, which seemed a bit more like a tataki with the added as. That particular dish was more proof that Cafe Sushi has some a long way. The hamachi was probably the best I had ever had there. It was both more fresh and more rich than any I have had in recent memory--lovely fish. The balance of the dish was marvelous too. I really got a sense of the great quality of the hamachi without it being overpowered by the jalapeno and the marinade. My next dish was a lovely little plate of fish and vegetable tempura. It wasn't earth-shattering, but it still was quite nice. It was a light and delicate. A lovely bowl of broth came next. In this bowl of broth was a crab leg, which was to be dipped in what seemed like a yuzu-based sauce. Unfortunately, the crab was a bit stringy--perhaps not so fresh. Some vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and a tasty oyster were also in the broth. After that came an unmemorable teriyaki plate with overdone salmon and chicken, and some nice medium rare beef. Next up, was a pretty standard plate of nigirizushi. The fish was good, of course. The shrimp unfortunately, was cooked and rubbery. We also wanted the sushi chef to make us a roll--anything that he liked. I was surprised by his choice. Our Japanese sushi chef made us a Roma Roll which had, I believe, spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, crab stick, and cream cheese on top. After rolling, it is baked briefly to melt the cheese on top. To my surprise, I enjoyed it. Green tea ice cream with some red bean was dessert. By then, I was stuffed. Both of us were surprised by the bill, which was less than we expected. It's almost a 4-Yelp-Star experience except for the clunkers, but they have improved markedly since the first time I went there about five years ago.
(3)
James B.
My initial impression of Cafe Sushi, formed several years back, was that it was Japanese food for people who didn't know what Japanese food was all about. The sushi/sashimi menu consisted of all the usual suspects (read "safe") and a lot of rolls fashioned from such non-Japanese items like cream cheese. Essentially sushi/sashimi for beginners. Not that there's anything wrong with that... everybody has to start somewhere. I simply wasn't impressed with the menu. (This was about 5 years ago and at that time they didn't offer uni - a travesty in my book). Over the years I've been back to Cafe Sushi several times and in all honesty, I can say they've come a long way. The sushi menu has expanded to include mackerel, uni, and amaebi (three choices which aren't for the faint of heart but my faves) and they have the small plates menu. The entree menu is also much larger now and offers dishes not usually seen in these parts like the previously endorsed Agemochi Ankake. I have to give props to the service too. On my last visit, in addition to my sushi, I ordered the teriyaki salmon. The taste was OK but the fish overcooked. The waitress noticed that I only ate about a third of the dish and offered to either bring me a new salmon or a different dish. As I was pretty satiated at that point, I said everything was fine and replacing the dish unnecessary. When we got our bill, it was the manager who came out, gave a sincere apology, and promptly comped the salmon. You don't see that too often these days and I certainly don't expect it to happen. So here's to Cafe Sushi... a welcome example of me being proved a judgemental idiot.
(3)
o o.
Love the Sashimi! Consistently fresh and good. Nice presentation. Sitting and talking with the Sushi chefs is always good conversation. They are helpful and nice, especially, the one from Bali! I tend to skip the vegetable and main dishes since I love the sashimi and rolls. But they are very good and worth a try! The only cons are the service which is good but not great and the weird decor. It reminds me of dining at Holiday Inn although the sushi bar is nice. Can get expensive. Overall, Chef Yoshiro Nakamura has a wonderful restaurant.
(4)
Patrick K.
I'll admit I'm biased. I generally don't think that good food should be found in a strip mall, especially a strip mall in Troy, but I love it when my assumptions are proved wrong. The Sushi Cafe has a great atmosphere, and is even better if you end up sitting on the floor in one of the little rooms in back like we did. The staff were helpful and attentive and the food was wonderful. The Beef Tataki was very flavorful and a wonderful way to start the meal. I also tried a Shitake & Chicken 'dumpling' that was quite tasty but not I cannot remember the name of that dish. The salmon skin salad was crisp and light while still having all of the salmon fat goodness you would expect. At the recommendation of my brother I ordered an off the menu item, the 'Super Max Roll'. If they had sushi at State Fair's this would be there. This is bacon-wrapped deep fried twinkie of the sushi world. So what is it? The Supermax Roll appears to be a California roll that has tempura fried shrimp and fried conch rolled into it. Then the pieces are dipped in tempura batter and the entire roll (containing the already tempura fried shimp) is given the tempura fry treatment. If that wasn't enough it's then covered with a sauce of chopped onions, more conch and hot sauce in a mayonnaise base. This thing has to tip the scales at 2000 calories. This is roll that I would recommend only to groups. This is the perfect roll to pass and let everyone have one piece. More than that is just too much, but it sure is good. The crab and avocado rolls were also quite tasty and allowed me a break in between pieces of the southern chicken-fried state fair supermax special. I was impressed that they used real crab in the rolls instead of the all-to-common krab stick and the avocado was perfectly ripe. Then came what was possibly my favorite dish of the night, another recommendation of from my brother (actually, more of a dude you have to try this NOW) which was the Mackerel in hoisin and lemon. This was almost sublime and a perfect end to the main courses. It was actually a wonderful palette cleanser before dessert. This roll is fresh mackerel dunked in hoisin and served in lemon slices. Before serving the top of the mackerel is given some quick heat with a blow torch. The spicy and sour flavors blended perfectly with the softness of the mackerel. Last up came dessert, which would also win the blue ribbon at any state fair. Dessert was scoops of ice cream coated in cheese cake, dipped in tempura batter and deep fried. With all the deep frying going on here I have to wonder, did Paula Dean have something to do with this menu?!?!?! Regardless, the food was wonderful and we had a great time. I would recommend the Sushi Cafe in Troy to anyone!
(4)
Katie J.
I really liked this place. I was a little skeptical mainly because of it's location and outside appearance. Not that it's an a bad area just that it's in a strip mall and it doesn't look like it's been updated very recently. I was very pleasantly surprised. My boyfriend and were actually planning to go to Subway but seeing this place thought sushi sounded better. It was a good choice. It was early lunch time so it was not busy and there was no wait. Everyone was very friendly and accommodating. The sushi was delicious, fresh and came out very quickly as well as being reasonably priced. I wouldn't suggest going there if you're looking to get the whole sushi/Japanese restaurant night out experience but if you're just looking to get sushi on a quick and casual basis this is definitely the place. Very happy :)
(4)
Karina K.
All around, the service and food are great! my favorite starters are the soft shell crab, tuna tataki or beef tataki with ponzu (citrus soy) sauce, and the jalapeno calamari. If you want a "safer" choice, the shrimp and veggie tempura is awesome. For sushi, i love the hawaiian marlin roll is awesome, served on a bed of rice and the fish is smoked, served with ponzu sauce. The Max roll is a staple here, if you have never eaten it, it is a MUST!!! you can also sub the california roll for something else like spicy tuna crunch with the max roll sauce over it! AWESOME!!! Other awesome rolls: Roma roll, triple spicy tuna roll, maui roll, the BLOCK IS AWESOME- served on a bed of tempura rice with spicy tuna on top and a jalapeno slice. For dessert, the tempura cheesecake and the mango mochi ice cream. Now, the restaurant just added a whole bunch more asian/chinese food to the menu--- the sukiyaki is awesome for two or more, and the fried rice is great. We have had a few of the chinese dishes, they are all very good, but the sushi is better!!! :) My favorite sushi restaurant around, I have been going here for like 6 or 7 years, and it is consistently great!
(4)
Jennifer H.
After a few more visits, we still LOVE this place...LOVE!!...and cannot get enough of the Max Roll. Seriously, it's heaven. Each time we go we say "We should just order three of these." The service continues to be top notch (quick, efficient, and friendly) and the sushi is always delicious (have I mentioned the Max Roll?). And don't forget they are on Restaurant.com , and it's hilariously easy to spend the required $50! We will SO miss this place (and the Max Roll!) when we move...
(5)
Nate B.
New menu 7/15/11. New management, too, according to the banner. Affordable lunch specials are gone, and with them, this yelper. Sorry, Cafe Sushi! Today was a double disappointment. I need low-fat food, and wanted something that wouldn't break the bank. After explaining my needs and conferring with the server, I ordered a vegetable-tofu thing with the tofu not deep-fried. What arrived was perfect tofu atop an oil-soaked plate of stir-fried vegetables. Sad trombone. The miso soup was excellent, though. My coworker, sitting forlornly without his bento, insisted that the rest of us eat even though his food hadn't arrived yet. It's a good thing we did, as the server's repeated apologies did nothing to shorten the 32-minute(!!!) wait. On the plus side, she had the tardy bento taken off the bill, and boxed it up to-go in case we were in a hurry. So, points for caring, but this area has several other excellent sushi offerings, and I'll be taking my appetite elsewhere.
(2)
Melody B.
Cafe Sushi is my favorite non-Detroit sushi restaurant. The service is always top notch (fast!) and the selections are familiar yet interesting enough to be wowed. I had my birthday party there this year. Cafe Sushi's max roll is in my top five favorite dishes ever served in a restaurant. It's basically a California roll smothered in a spicy sauce and sauteed conch shell meat and onions. Add some edamame and a spicy shrimp crunch roll and you have a near-perfect sushi dinner in a comfortable and classy atmosphere for under $25.
(5)
Sarah M. B.
I have been here a couple times before last nite and have always had a good experience here. Always, fresh and have always had good service. Their buy one app for 6.99 and get 20% off sushi special is STILL going on and it was a pleasant surprise! We started with the chicken wrapped in shiitake mushrooms...I dug it...it tasted like a fancy chicken nugget with a mushroom wrap...would def. order it again. Edamame-same as it is everywhere...good portion size and reasonably priced. Our single pieces of tuna and salmon were a good size for the price and freshly cut and chilled-big PLUS. I noticed a CRAB and avocado roll, and kudos to you cafe sushi for using CRAB instead of trying to fake us stupid Americans with KRAB...well done. The spicy yellowfin roll was was def. something to write home about....not a lot of overpowering sauce, and big pieces of fish. While we had fun making fun of the chicken teriyaki roll(seriously?? WTF? that is NOT sushi in any shape or form), we did get one of the American-ized rolls...but it was one that included raw fish(if that redeems us) the San Francisco roll was on the great daily specials list...spicy salmon, asparagus, and topped with a good portion of avocado-like enough so you taste it. Overall, another satisfying experience here, and will be back, closest and best place to me.
(4)
Cristopher B.
I went back and tried the soba. Not as good: Stick to the udon if you go. Fish still excellent.
(4)
Norman Y.
Great sushi ! Service Sucks!
(5)
Allie B.
I've been driving by this place for years and never thought it was going to be anything special. Then I heard about the grand reopening and the discount they had so why not finally check it out. When I walked in I saw a huge sushi bar and being a baseball fan I noticed all the signatures on the wall they had up. The server told me ichiro Suzuki has been here before too!! So, if a famous Japanese player comes here then it must be a good sign!! I tried the chicken spring rolls and that plum sauce was to die for!! I wanted to take the sauce home!! I also ordered a few nigiri and the fish looked and tasted super fresh, absolutely delious. Now this was my favorite part, I had some of my friends szechuan fish which had the most amazing presentation. It was a complete show stopper. I had people from the other tables staring and asking us what it was and how gorgeous, but only our table knew how delious it was. It's a must have for next time we come in, which I hope is soon. Food was fantantastic and service was prompt. My belly and I couldnt be more satisfied!
(5)
b b.
Fresh and good! The Teka Don is fresh with a generous serving of tuna, rolls are GOOD and the sashimi is perfectly sliced. Like to sit at the counter and talk with the sushi chefs. They are all talented and friendly. Atmosphere is, well there isn't any. Too chain restauranty but the food more than makes up for it.
(4)
Otis M.
This is a good casual plus place for sushi and drinks. Good size building so getting a table is usually not a problem. They have standard rolls, some fancier house special rolls and a full menu of other options which I have never tried. The selection, prices, dress and location are in between Sushi Hana and Mou Jin Lau.
(3)
Parisa K.
Excellent Tuna Tataki. Excellent sushi rolls. Unfortunately, not so excellent prices. It's better to go with more people (somehow I feel like when ordering sushi with more people, you get to eat more and pay less even though you'd think it'd be proportional), because it's easy to spend more than you can afford here. BUT, the Max roll is literally to die for. The Max roll is pretty much their version of Dynamite -- it's a California roll with dynamite sauce on top. While it's very unhealthy as it is basically a Cali roll smothered in spicy mayo with bits of grilled shrimp and grilled onion, the roll is amazingly delicious. It's too rich to eat on your own in my opinion, so sharing it is the way to go. It's the best dynamite sauce I've ever had, however. The Max roll is the reason why I go there. I'm also a big fan of the marlin roll... though right now the name is escaping me. The marlin almost tastes like its been kabob'd. It's not at all what you'd expect a sushi roll to taste like, so I know some people dislike it. I think it's good, though, and I haven't seen a similar roll anywhere else, so I try to get it whenever I eat at Cafe Sushi.
(5)
Ken C.
My wife and I started out ready to head to Big Rock Chophouse for happy hour, but apparently happy hour starts a little earlier than we did and we couldn't get a spot at the bar. We left there and decided to grab some sushi instead. We were on our way to Katana in Royal Oak (we normally head to Katana or Noble Fish in Clawson), but decided to try Cafe Sushi after seeing it on the way and checking out the reviews at Yelp. The place was not full for 6:30 on a Friday night, but still a fair amount of people in the place. We were seated immediately, and our waitress was by pretty quick to take our drink order. We went with a bottle of Pinot Grigio to split, which was pretty good for $22. The menu had decent variety, which included sushi as well as entrees. We started with a couple of appetizers between us, beef tataki and asparagus wrapped in bacon (mmmmm...bacon!!!!). The beef tataki was good, but not great. Prepared well and decent, but just didn't have that pop to it. The asparagus wrapped in bacon was disappointing. Not bad, but very bland. You'd normally expect a little bit of salt and flavor from the bacon, but it just didn't have it. My wife said it was better with the lemon juice on it, but I just didn't taste it. We then ordered a spicy tuna roll, a couple pieces of salmon nigiri sushi, and a piece of ark fish. The ark fish was something we hadn't had before (and didn't know what it was), but decided to experiment with something new. Our order came, and we discovered they were out of ark fish. It's some sort of shellfish, which could have been good, but no big deal. We decided to stick with what we had and go back for more if necessary. The salmon was OK, but nothing great. It was fresh and tasted OK, but nothing to write home about. The spicy tuna roll was less impressive. First, the tuna came kinda minced up, not whole like we're use to. It was OK, but neither of us cared for the consistency of the tuna puree. Just seemed like there was some filler in there besides tuna. The spicy sauce in the roll was quite nice and had a bit more of a kick than we're use to, but that's not really what we're buying the roll for. My wife and I were debating on two or three stars for the place, and I'd really like to say two and a half stars if possible. I'm going with two because I don't think I'd go back. It's a pleasant atmosphere, and the staff were all very nice and attentive. Prices were reasonable (they had 20% off your sushi if you ordered an appetizer), and I've had worse dining experiences. In the end, the food was just so-so at best, and I can't give 3 stars to someplace I wouldn't go back to.
(2)
Nicole C.
If you're looking for the ultimate place for yummy, reasonably priced sushi in the greater Royal Oak area, this is the place to get it. The atmosphere is cozy and unpretentious and the crowd is a mix of area professionals of all ages. My favorite is the crunch roll (they do this preparation for a number of different fish, and they're all good). If you're not in the mood to hang out at the sushi bar, I'd for sure recommend their carry-out...it's always fast and fresh and makes a yummy treat for a casual night in. I noticed some other reviewers thought the prices were high...but I've actually found them more reasonable than Little Tree and the other sushi places in the area. Another bonus for baseball fans...I heard a rumor that Detroit Tigers players frequent Cafe Sushi during the season -- which seems somewhat plausible considering the autographs and pictures in the bar. I still have yet to see a player here in person, but I did see Hideki Matsui here when the Yankees were in town two summers ago. So apparently, it's the sushi of choice for the MLB :)
(4)
M W.
Unfortunately, this place was a disappointment. I came here with a group of friends and most of us agreed that the food was overpriced and far from amazing. The food was edible, but Cafe Sushi is not a sushi restaurant I will be coming back to.
(2)
Dre S.
I had never tried this place before it "reopend under new management" but i always knew it was there. My boyfriend and I were hungry for Sushi one night, and because it is so close to our house, we thought we would give it a try. First of all, when we entered the front door we were greeted by the most cheerful hostess with a "Hi how are you!?" This was good - i work in customer service and a bright happy "first impression" can be a big deal on a first visit somewhere. She lead us to our table and gave us our menus. They have a really great menu with all sorts of different things, and while i only tried the sushi, I will be back to try more of their menu. Our server was somewhat quiet but very nice and pleasant and at the end of our meal asked us to fill out a comment card which I LOVE because that means the new management wants to hear customers feedback GOOD or BAD. WE had the spicy scallop, yellow tail & scallion, Jason roll (my bf's name so we had to get it) and the MAX roll. Everything was extremely FRESH! and delicious. The MAX roll is OUT OF THIS WORLD by the way. Prices are to be expected for Sushi in the area. Our meal - Shrimp tempura platter, 2 house salads and 4 sushi rolls totalled $53.
(4)
Sarah A.
Cafe Sushi is right by my place of employment so I frequent here for the lunch rush. I tend to drop in once every week or so to get my sushi fix. I am always alone so I tend to sit at the sushi bar. I love to watch all the different plates going out, the presentation here is top of the line. I have to say that I am always greeted so nicely when I come in, all the waitresses know EXACTLY what I want down to my green tea to drink :) The sushi is some of the best I have had & the service here is A-1. During the lunch time rush, there tends to be lots of "business meetings" None-the-less I get what I want with a smile and tend to be out the door within a half an hour. Sitting at the sushi bar has it advantages you know... :)
(4)
Theresa U.
The sushi is consistently fresh. Excellent service. Spicy Crunchy Salmon rolls are the best!!!!! The ambiance is a little quieter/classier. The only bad thing is the location. Not as hip as the 'ol RO.
(4)
Adrianne K.
The food is usually decent to good here, and it's a nice atmosphere, but the prices make it hard to do more than occasionally. For my money (and a casual, ramen shop atmosphere), I go to Kokoro ( yelp.com/biz/kokoro-troy ), just north of Long Lake on Rochester. Literally the best sushi I've ever had, even in Japan, and has rice and noodle dishes as well. I'd say the prices are 20%+ lower as well.
(3)
Duke A.
To me, this is the place for business dinners. Its dark, high-end atmosphere is nice, but the food is way more expensive than what it's worth. It is loosely related to Cherry Blossoms restaurant in Novi, so the taste is not bad. It's just the cost effectiveness and the overall experience that didn't impress me.
(3)
Katia M.
A vegetarian, a seafood hater, and a sushi-lover walk into a bar ... it sounds like the start of a joke, but it was just my Saturday night experience at Cafe Sushi. I went there with my brother and his friend for sushi and drinks, and was actually pretty pleasantly surprised by the place. I'm the vegetarian, and I ordered a tofu hot pot, Kappa Maki, and rice. My brother got actual sushi (well, kind of, he gets the kind with cream cheese). My bro's friend got chicken teriyaki. We all really enjoyed our meals, but the service was ... eh. We would have had at least two more beers apiece if the waitress had been around more, plus all our food came out at different times -- I didn't even get my tofu until my dining companions were finished eating. It's pretty good, and the decor is pretty nice, but I'd try somewhere else next time. If you do go, check the specials page! They have all sorts of stuff on it, and it's mind-bogglingly cheap. UPDATE: Okay, I've been again, now that I eat raw fish, and I loved the sushi. Our waitress was much better, the food came quickly, and it was a great deal for the HUGE rolls ... we could barely finish it! I'm adding another star.
(4)
Alfred K.
I tried this place once and never went back. It was all going quite well until we had a roll that smelled like old lady perfume... it was rather disturbing. I suspect that it came from a disinfectant of some sort. I salute them for keeping the sushi area clean, but I just couldn't get myself to go back and give them another try, especially at that price.
(1)
Rebecca O.
i am just dipping my toes into the world of fish. but i love this place. this is where i do my sushi-experimentation. their fish is always fresh. they're sushi is really good. the services is fast.
(4)
Leo S.
Cafe Sushi is pretty decent. Their food is mediocre, but the atmosphere is great. As with my philosophy though, other than cleanliness, the food is all I care about. Cafe Sushi does not have consistency. This is mainly due to the large sushi bar staff. I counted 5 sushi chefs last time I was there. Again, as with most Michigan sushi bars, the rolls came with too much rice. I specified that I wanted less rice too so I am afraid of how they are normally served. The best part about Cafe Sushi is the freshness of their fish. In fact, that is their saving grace for me. However, the nigiri is poorly made in my experience. The rice always falls apart when I attempt to dip it in my soy sauce. This is a major no-no with nigiri. I find the rolls to have this same quality. Always breaking or becoming unrolled. The sashimi and appetizers are the reasons why I go here every now and then. The rest is simply mediocre.
(3)
Charles B.
People say all sushi fish comes form the same place, but it always seems a lot better here. Everything is always fresh, pure-tasting, and well-presented. Sometimes the service can be a tad slow, but this is definitely one of the better (and best-value) sushi places in the area.
(4)
Matthew S.
I judge sushi restaurants based on freshness, variety, rice, and portion. The nigiri pieces are always fresh and generous. I'm not a huge fan of big fattening rolls covered in tempura and avocado, I'm more of a traditional sashimi and nitro sushi goer so all of my rating of sushi restaurants are based on nigiri and sashimi. The miso soup was a bit watery.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Mel S.
Host/server was super friendly had us sit wherever we wanted. Knowledgable of the beer selections, asked if we had any questions as some servers do not. attentiveness was on point. They have $3 craft beers during their happy hour. So far this is my favorite place for miso soup. I think the location is a little too big for a sushi cafe however I don't know how crazy this place would get here at night. It's definitely sophisticated in here and we'll kept. Food came out promptly. The server even had the courtesy to ask whether or not we wanted low sodium vs regular soy sauce. Their regular rolls were quite standard which I was little disappointed about. The place I usually go to has at least avocado and cucumbers added to the standard salmon rolls. My boyfriend mentioned to add that the chopsticks are quite large and a little difficult to use. I wrote this post as we had our experience to only find out that MY SUSHI DID NOT COME OUT FRESH! :/
(1)Aaron B.
So the sushi was edible, however, the plating was awkward, the sushi chef on duty must not have been very good on my visit, because the pieces of sushi just fell apart when picking them up with chopsticks. One of my rolls was supposed to feature mango, I only discovered one piece of mango in the 6-7 pieces of sushi that came in the roll. I've been spoiled by going to some pretty amazing sushi places, so this one loses out because they couldn't possibly stack up. The bar is set high.
(2)Mei F.
A. for the atmosphere and interior B-. for the food E. for the service.. Sushi is small (I posted a photo) but it is pretty good! Prices are on the higher side for a sushi restaurant. The inside is so pleasant, well designed, modern and cool that it was a pleasure to dine in. Green tea is bland, I wouldn't order it there. Now, on the service.. I asked how's their undon soup, my server looked up, made a flustered highschooler expression and replied: "well...likeee.. idk, likee a fish base I guess? with likeee veggies and stuff? idk like its a soup right?" Note that undon are noodles, somewhat ramen style, usually based with shitake mushroom broth. I assumed that this place just does their own thing and fish-veggie soup sounded good since I didnt really want a noodle dish. Guess what? she brought a bowl of undon noodles. No fish broth, a typical shitake-flavored cube-broth and decorative spare of carrots. The entire time she was just as oblivious and giving off an unpleasant vibe. I consider this pretty bad service. If I come here next time, ill sit at the bar.
(3)Urs M.
Uni! Uni! Uni! A friend and I were craving sushi out in Troy, MI, and came very close to just buying something from Walmart. How lucky we were to find a sushi bar in the same plaza? (And a nail salon where I got my eyebrows done. Chaching!) Greeted from the time we opened the door, the hostess sat us at the bar and handed us menus. My friend had a Pepsi and I got to enjoy a Ramune. I haven't had one in years and it literally felt like I was back in high school. The chef knew everything there was to know about sushi, made lots of recommendations, gave us little pieces here and there to try. It was wonderful. Of course, I had to order everything in sight. The tamago, tako, uni, scallops, avocado stuffed in everything. I ate and I ate and I couldn't have been more happy. The chef made a huge platter for a party and apparently got the order wrong. I would have offered to eat it if it didn't have shrimp in it (I'm allergic). It was so beautiful, but they couldn't re-purpose it, so the plate just sat there all night long. Broke my heart. Since I feel like I might not stop typing, my pictures will suffice.
(5)Michael P.
Great sushi. Terrible chop sticks! Our first visit here. We came for a Friday family dinner. We had a pleasant server and the place is impressive. Nice menu selections. A little pricey. Everything we ate was good. They have these clunky red chopsticks. They are hard to hold due to size but also they have a glossy finish so everything slips out of their grasp. After a few minutes of frustration we asked for carry-out style wooden chopsticks. They should just throw out those useless fancy sticks! Otherwise I LOVED this place!!!
(5)Brandon S.
The sushi is excellent but the price is more than most places and the menu seems a little small for sushi. Atmosphere is awesome and the waitresses and very nice. I gave 3 stars due to price and not very good lunch menus
(3)Brandon W.
Love going here! Great experience! Walking in I was immediately greeted by a beautiful host, her name was CC, and then walked to a very private booth. Ambiance and decor was astonishing. Ordered a few different sushi plates and each one was delicious! The prices can not be beat for what you get! Will be back A lot! Our server was very attentive, and again, quite good looking.
(5)David M.
We used to be regulars here years ago but stopped when the food just didn't seem as good as it had been (chef change??). When we purchased a few Groupons I included one for Cafe Sushi to try them again. We were impressed! We ordered the sashimi combo for two and enjoyed everything on it. We used to take advantage of the weekday lunch specials and since it was a weekend couldn't try that. The prices are still a bit higher than we like to pay so normally we go to other places for sushi and Japanese food. I think we will have to give the weekday specials another try.
(4)Mary B.
Absolutely amazing food, drinks and waitstaff. Can't wait to go back, I am a beginner at Sushi and this place has so many options with a knowledgeable staff. Really enjoyed my experience past, present and can't wait to go back!
(5)Joe B.
Pretty standard sushi, with good service and a huge space if you happen to need to seat an army. We were sat immediately to a mostly vacant dining room and sushi bar. Our server brought no less than four different menus which was a little overwhelming to get through but we managed once we figured out which ones had the sushi menu in them. I went with my typical litmus test order plus a few of their premium rolls that sounded like they were worth trying. We started with some hot sake to wash the tuna, eel, tamago nigiri down. The tuna was nicely cut without too much stringiness to it. The tamago was sweet and firm and the eel was spot on too. Nothing really shined about any of it but it was tasty. For the premium rolls we tried the Triple Spicy Tuna roll and the Asahi Roasted Garlic Roll. The Asahi roll was the preference between the two and it had cooked shrimp on top with a dollop of roasted garlic cream sauce. I liked it but there were others I would try over it next time. The Triple Spicy Tuna was really really weak and I was bummed out about it. It had good flavor but no real kick. If you're going to call something Triple Spicy it should knock my socks off with heat, otherwise just call it "the needlessly overpriced kind of spicy tuna roll". Again, good service, plenty of room for seating and decent sushi.
(3)Sarah C.
Very big and great for large parties. Dark but very modern. Actual Asians working in the kitchen. Kind of a place where you would go for happy hour. The food was very ehh.. The sushi was okay and man were the bento box really sucky. Bento boxes are very standard Japanese food and isn't that difficult to make. I ordered a cold noodle dish and it never came. I just told the waitress to cancel it. The only item we ordered that was actually delicious was Jalapeño Calamari 9.95 (Sautéed calamari with onions, garlic and jalapeño peppers). I don't even think this is an authentic dish. Overall, I am not sure if I would make the trip out here. If I worked around the corner I would come here not too often.
(2)Katherine P.
Pretty good sushi, but very slow service especially since they weren't busy on Monday night. Marlin and Vegas rolls are my favorite, wonton soup is a pretty large serving and is very tasty. Menu has lots to choose from including bento boxes which are a good amount of food. Lots of parking available, friendly service but a bit slow.
(3)Jason M.
Not bad, not great. Average pricing for average sushi. Nice interior with a lot of space. Had lunch around 1:30, so either we missed the lunch rush, or this place doesn't really have much of one. After trying several sushi places nearby, this one isn't very high on my list.
(3)Ling Z.
After spending $12 on a tiny tiny tuna salsa, I decided no going back again, and not to mention that I heard the chefs talked loudly in Cantonese Chinese to each other in their open kitchen. Yes, the food is not made by well trained Japanese sushi chef. The food in general maybe OK here but definitely not worth $14.95 for a Chinese seafood fried rice dish , my fellow dinner. This is no authentic Japaneses food and way to pricy for Chinese food, I have to say , after all.
(3)Christina C.
Not at all what I expected on the inside, it's very trendy and modern looking and much more upscale than the sign might have you believe. The sushi itself was okay but not my absolute favorite in the area, and the pricing was a bit much for what we ordered.
(4)Arturo F.
They fed me undercooked (still pink) chicken. When I brought it up to the server, Greta (after waiting 10 minutes before she came back by me), she asked if I wanted them to re-make it. I said no because I needed to go back to work, and she very rudely responded, "Well, then there's nothing I can do." Charged me full price for the undercooked, pink chicken I couldn't eat.
(1)Ivanna Y.
Last two times we were there, Cafe Sushi has become a lot more Chinese. The food is more bland now. The desserts run out. Sushi's still pretty good, but I can go elsewhere for cheaper sushi. Ehh, it's too far to not be perfect anymore.
(3)Jack M.
Cafe sushi is showing their trade mark on the sign out side as well as the Japanese restaurant "Cherry blossom" in Novi is showing the cherry flower symbol with Kanji character as "桜". Cherry blossom is pretty authentic Japanese restaurant, however, Cafe Sushi is Japanese fusion, some BENTO style lunch or some of their sushi rolls are almost like Chinese food. I'm still wondering if they are connected to Cherry Blossom in Novi.
(2)Kristin C.
I enjoy Cafe Sushi quite a bit. The service is always extremely friendly and prompt and accurate. It's a large space so we can always get a table here. The menu is large - nigiri, standard & special sushi rolls (about 60 to choose from), bentos, apps, salads and entree options. I almost always get sushi - YUM! I have had the bento box at lunch and it was delicious - enjoyed trying a variety of items. The ginger salad is nice, although the dressing seemed creamier than I remember (maybe a new recipe?) -- not the best I've had. And I will agree that it does seem like the portions have gotten smaller under new management, but it's not a deal breaker. The decor is kind of hilarious - French impressionist artwork -- I guess that's the "Cafe" part of the name. The cocktails are strong and delicious. Sake, wine and beer, too. Gotta say - I love our regular waitress - she remembers our drinks, our son's name, even our soy sauce preference! This place is tops!
(4)J G.
Excellent sushi and hot pan Asian! They've got a nice little bar area with good drinks and sake variety. The portions are good for the price and the lunchtime bento box is awesome. The sushi here is better than Kona Grill's (without the douche-i-ness).
(5)Rachel S.
Very nice atmosphere. I've always been seated very promptly and it's always been just a few customers in here around lunch time on week days. Servers are very attentive. Their sushi is so fresh and I'm surprised they give 8 pieces instead of 6. The tuna avocado roll is divine although a bit pricy.
(4)Bill B.
In the mid-eighties, I was lucky enough to tour Japan with a band for a month. I developed an affection for the country, its people and its food. Thus, I always look forward to a trip to a new Japanese restaurant. Today, I ordered a veggie bento, which started with miso soup and salad. The soup was excellent, more substantial and flavorful than most. The salad was only OK (a more balanced sesame dressing and non-iceberg lettuce would have helped). Then came the main part of the meal, which was excellent. Veggie gyoza (dumplings) were well-flavored with an appropriate soy dipping sauce. Vegetable in the sushi had the right consistency. Tempura veggies were battered lightly and served with dipping broth. Fresh vegetables were braised in a simple but tasty garlic broth and accompanied with brown rice. In the end, I was in a happy food coma. The main room was classy without being intimidating. Our server was very friendly and attentive. Cafe Sushi exceeded my expectations for Detroit-area Japanese food. It will be my go-to Japanese restaurant in the area.
(4)James K.
I enjoyed a sushi meal with a couple of friends from Germany at Cafe Sushi last night (a Tuesday). We arrived at about 7PM and were seated immediately. The staff were friendly, the service was good, and the food was very good. We enjoyed sharing a vegetable tempura starter, followed by several orders of various regular sushi rolls and Japanese beer. My friends were very pleased with the meal, and I was too. I'll definitely go back.
(4)Jason P.
The Max Roll is where it's at! The tempura cheese cake is delicious also! I've been here several times, and they are consistently good.
(4)Kim W.
The Marlin roll with the bonito fish garnish and lemony aroma is delish. A little side of ponzu and a green tea = a spectacular lunch. I highly recommend dropping by and checking it out. Not too much to look at but it's worth the visit.
(4)Maria B.
Outstanding food and service! Asian connoisseurs will love it!
(5)Kristi H.
This is the third time I have eaten here. I was hoping to be able to order one of their bento box specials, but our waitress said this is only on the lunch menu now. We ordered the lettuce wraps with chicken- pretty good. Based on previous reviews we tried the max roll- just not my thing. Covered in sauce and chopped onions. Taste was fairly good, but I just don't like my sushi covered in sauce. Or hunks of onion- seems weird. Triple spicy tuna roll was ok. Nothing really stood out as wonderful this time. Service was good and food arrived quickly.
(3)Michael D.
Sushi is ok, not the greatest servings. If they did not have their meals, they would go out of business.
(3)Terin C.
Hm. I'm not quite sure what to say about this place. I've come to terms with the fact that I don't mix well with Asian food. I'm quite limited to rice and vegetables, but even that's not always safe. I'd gone to a different Asian restaurant the day before and had the unfortunate experience of ingesting fish sauce, which, as it turns out, I am allergic to. By the time I took my seat here with the rest of the large group I was with, my face had swelled to twice its size, and I was not the happiest. I wasn't quite as unhappy, though, as one of the reviewers below me whose weirdly racist rant just pricked at my ire. Perhaps it would be a wiser course of action to base one's review of a restaurant on the food rather than the people he was seated next to purely by accident, and to cut back a little on the personal insults. If it were someone close to me, I might suggest therapy or, I don't know, anger management or something... but as it is, it's not really my place. Anyhow, I ordered the vegetarian tempura. It was interesting. I can't really say if it was good or bad, because I'd never had it before. I don't know what it's supposed to taste like. My boyfriend liked it, though, and he is a big fan of Asian food. Everyone at the table seemed pretty pleased with their dishes, in fact. As for me, I ended up just eating the bowl of white rice my meal was served with. Please don't feel sorry for me; I like that sort of thing. I can't remember much else, except that they set the tables up in a kind of strange "L" configuration, which left four people in our party more or less exiled to the outer reaches of loneliness. It was a little sad and more than a little awkward. That obviously wouldn't have been a problem with a smaller group, so take that for what it's worth. I probably wouldn't go back to this place on purpose, because, like I said in a previous review of an Asian restaurant, there's just nothing here for me. But this place gets 5 stars, because I want to offset that guy's review. Doing my small part to foil needlessly mean people.
(5)Jasmeen K.
Hadn't been to Cafe Sushi for sometime and wished I had stayed away for good. Ordered the tempura and the batter was way too thick and greasy. The katsu batter had zero flavor as well as the the udon broth.
(2)Peter H.
It's under new management now, so you have to be careful with what you order. Probably best to stay away from the westernized or non-Japanese options. Nevertheless, the authentic staples of the old place are still there, and they're still good. I've only had sushi there once since the change in ownership (it was actually a positive experience), so I won't comment on that front. That's not what you'd come for, anyway, since there are places that specialize in that stuff. It's the hot dishes that should draw you here. Still true to the tradition of the old place and still outstanding. First, the sukiyaki -- a Japanese hot pot that uses a soy, mirin (rice wine) and sugar as a broth. Put your rib-eye slices, vegetables and tofu in there, let it simmer and cook down, and enjoy the syrupy goodness. Second, the yakitori is also still great as an appetizer, but Cherry Blosson (the former sister restaurant) has by far the better selection. 4 stars for the sukiyaki and yakitori alone, as well as the sweet and accomodating staff. If you're on the west side, Cherry Blossom is the better option, but Cafe Sushi still works as a great option for the north side of town.
(4)Jeremy B.
Cafe Sushi is a really classy place with very affordable prices. Honestly, when I walked in and saw the place I was expecting to spend a lot more than I wanted but that was not the case. It's a large, beautiful restaurant and the service was amazing. The hostess was very pleasant and the waitress was extremely helpful and accommodating. The menu is very large and offers more than just a traditional sushi place would, even including some traditional Chinese fare which was cool. And did I mention they have a liquor license... If I could give them 6 stars I would. Definitely check out Cafe Sushi you won't regret it.
(5)Erish R.
This place has definitely gone downhill in recent months. We used to be regulars here because of the high quality of fish and the amazingly creative desserts. We stopped by tonight and were very disappointed. As another recent review commented, the spicy tuna roll is not spicy and made with minced up fish that could be anything. There was iceberg lettuce in the spider roll - really?? The dessert menu was mundane and seemed bought-in: sorbets, a tiramisu that had no alcohol taste at all. Service was inattentive and the food was not at all worth the price we paid. We'll be frequenting Noble Fish instead.
(2)Dea A.
I went back quite a few times and tried a lot more items on the menu. The burning smell was, thankfully, NOT regular thing. The good: the SUSHI - awesome different kinds of rolls, really fresh fish, and check the daily sushi menu to see what kind of special nigiri they have for that day the service - Fantastic service! Really friendly, always available, and willing to answer any questions the YAY! the tuna takaki (or... something like that) was a really awesome generous $7 appetizer. They have this special where you order one appetizer off of a list of 6-7 choices, you get 20% off of your sushi (until the end of June). the meh: the small plates - really meh. I tired about 8 dishes and I can't say there was anything I would ever order again. The noodles sounded exciting, but fell flat. The vegetable dumplings were gummy. The fried tofu thing had no flavor. The broiled mackerel was so tasteless. And oh, the kicker... I ordered this shrimp with spicy sauce -- that tasted like Chef Boyardee with some really mild red pepper. It was honestly terrible. the vegetarian appetizer - peanut butter sauced in different cold vegetables. It was just boring. Conclusion: Hanzo is so worth checking out for Japanese small plates. The dishes are much more exciting there, a bit cheaper, and infinitely tastier. Cafe Sushi is going to be my go-to sushi place... at least until they end this 20% off deal. The 20% off makes it so hard to turn down!
(3)Whitney S.
Okay... Service: Our waitress was one of the worst I've ever had. Short, impatient and completely unfamiliar with the menu. So rude, it was laughable. We spoke to the gratuitous management on our way out to make them aware of their service and they were very nice and accommodating. Food: Ehh. Bland. We all ordered different variations of the Bento Box. The spicy tuna roll was definitely pre-made, old and stale. All in all I am no longer hungry but may never go back.
(2)Jess T.
I can't believe I haven't already review Cafe Sushi! Thanks to Yelp's friendly reminder on the homepage, I can now review what I thought I had reviewed forever ago! Cafe Sushi is our go-to sushi place for a few reasons - 1. They have a large sushi bar, we like sitting at the bar and watching the fish being prepared. It would be even better if the sushi chef would take the orders as well like a normal sushi bar. This is a bit of a side rant regarding all/most sushi bars in Michigan. Oh and reason number 2. They serve alcohol. Sad but true, I really like hot sake with my nigiri. Now we have been coming here for over a year now, and we have tried a lot of the dishes, and not a lot of the rolls. The nigiri has been consistent, and my new favorite is the marlin. Enjoying sushi becomes really difficult when you are pregnant, as there are a lot of fish that you are supposed to avoid, and you're not supposed to eat the raw stuff in case you get sick - gasp. Well I am not so evil that I would force my husband to forgo sushi for 9 months, and lets be honest I really had to have a fix as well. This led me to venture into portions of the menu I would normally avoid. The tempura veggies and shrimp are usually good, the cucumber and seaweed salads are good, the new cherry blossom roll is enormous and fairly tasty. As far as sushi in Michigan - this is a great option, and a heck of a lot cheaper than that really trendy place on Big Beaver.
(3)Sherri J.
Hey guys, so this place is under new ownership. It has been for about 2-3 years now. So if you've had a bad experience, its worth another try. Plus they recently remodeled. They have a nice Japanese style back room for parties, intimate gatherings, etc. You don't have to pay extra for it just ask for it when you make your reservation. The owners are awesome Jay is the head sushi chef/owner. And the other owner, whose name I don't recall, is the head chef for all the hot food. Plus Cheri the general manager is awesome.
(5)Helen A.
First time here. Service great Sushi was fresh.
(4)Hanna S.
I'm so disappointed their food and service. They used to be ok, but for some reason, they changed. I ordered spicy tuna rolls, and it was not spicy at all, so I asked a guy. Then he said that they don't make their own sauce and bring me just a Sriracha. No apologize. And one more thing. Tuna was not really Tuna. It was all minced.
(2)Carlito A.
Our family tradition of sushi every Wednesday was recently disrupted when Tokyo Sushi in Birmingham recently closed. So last Wednesday, without anywhere to go, we decided to visit an old favorite, Cafe Sushi. It had been a while since we had eaten there and upon our return everything looked the same. The staff was friendly, the interior clean as usual. Everything was the same except the sushi. The rolls were so much smaller. The sashimi was also cut smaller. Everything just seemed smaller. Things like extra ginger and wasabi were available but at an additional cost. Overall, it wasn't bad - just not the same Cafe Sushi we used to love. Very disappointing.
(2)Rosalind S.
This is my son's favorite restaurant. The gyoza are superb! They have the thinnest wrapper imaginable with a delectable stuffing. You've gotta try them.
(5)Sal P.
I love Cherry Blossom in Novi(the sister restaurant to Cafe Sushi). You can read my review of Cherry Blossom and see how much I gush over that place. So after hearing for many years about how much better Cafe Sushi was, I had to give it a try. I was in the area for lunch and dropped by. This is when everything went down hill. The sign at the front says 'Grand reopening - New Management' Hmmmmm... Not a good sign.... The menu has changed and gone to a more western pallet. Chinese main courses (Mongolian beef) and totally dropping the Ramen/Soba section is a big disappointment for me. Also it looks like they gave up on the Yukitori(BBQ food on sticks) WTF? The waitress couldn't speak English that well, but she tried and that isn't a problem for me. Soba wasn't on the menu anymore so I ask could they still make it for me. She said she would go ask the chef and that is the last time I saw her(did I even order my lunch?). She came back around 15 minuets later with a bowl of Soba that was unlike any I've ever had. They got the broth and noodles right, but why did it have Broccoli and carrot(never had it that way before) instead of Tempura Shrimp? An Egg? Tofu slices? By this point my lunch break was all but over and I hate to waste food, I ate it anyway. I wanted to order some sushi to go along with the noodles, but forget that now... The bill comes and I'm blown away that a bowl of noodle soup costs me $8 and that's not including tip either. I know Soba isn't cheap, but common! A bowl of Tempura Soba(Noodles and Shrimp) is only $6-7 at other places. My whole lunch was so disappointing that I just paid the money and left. As I leave I notice the sushi chefs are all outside smoking cigarettes in plain sight of the customers(yuck). I don't know how the place was run before, but it sure didn't win me over with the 'New Management'. With prices like that and questionable professionalism by the so called 'master chefs' I won't be coming back. Really upsetting because I had heard such great and wonderful things about this place. Good luck Cafe Sushi, your going to need it.
(1)M F.
Went there for dinner tonight. Fabulous food! I had tuna, yellowtail and white tuna sashimi. Husband has Miso Sea Bass. Both meals were awesome. Will definitely return!
(5)Lori H.
I'm picky about sushi. Came here with a friend because she had a gift cert to use up. I had miso soup, with two rolls--one was called an Acupulco Roll and the other a shrimp roll. all three were great. I am very picky about miso, and it was the perfect flavor. My companion was not a fan of her sushi, but hey, it is all about me......haha. Service was very friendly and our server was patient as my friend asked for a description of like 10 rolls, LOL. Prices were OK, maybe slightly high, but I liked my food so whatevs. No wait for a table either. would go here again.
(4)Meredith P.
I got take out here for lunch recently when running errands in the area, and the best part of the experience was the very helpful and friendly hostess or server (it was kind of an odd hour, so she was the only one around, and I don't know her exact job description, but she was lovely:). The restaurant itself looked clean and the menu had a nice selection. I got a spicy tofu and scallion roll and a piece of tamago. I was pleased that I got to choose brown or white rice for my roll, but not excited when I saw that it was a $1.00 up charge per roll to add brown rice. That seems a little steep to me for a few tablespoons of brown rice, and it was not mentioned to me when I was ordering. The roll was fine, though I didn't enjoy the texture of the scallions, and the tamago was ok, but lacked that sweet, subtle flavor I've come to expect from good tamago. I was also disappointed that the tofu was fried, which seemed unnecessary and wasn't mentioned in the menu description. I didn't want tempura tofu--just light, clean-tasting tofu. As for the scallion texture, I don't think that was their fault; I've never had scallions in a sushi roll and I think I just didn't care for it that way. So, in essence, a little too expensive for what you get, and it took a really long time to get just one roll. Very friendly service staff and clean restaurant. I wouldn't rush back, but I would try it again.
(3)Gina S.
2.5 stars. I've had take-out from here once and dine-in lunch once. Take-out was SOOOOO SLOW I thought I would die of starvation (okay, more like impatience) while waiting for my order. Lots of non-traditional/non-authentic dishes on the menu. Most of the waitstaff I saw was decidedly not Japanese, not even Asian. I think that's pretty indicative of what to expect on the menu. I had a cooked roll (since I'm preggs) and while it was good, it had the whole mayo thing going on. Ther service was attentive, though...I will give credit for that. The prices were reasonable. It did smell fishy when we walked in, but I attribute that to the plastic-wrapped plates with the daily specials at the front door. Not necessary. If I am feeling too lazy to drive a few more miles to Sushi Do, I would go here again.
(3)Jen M.
Hi my name is Jen and I am a closet stalker of Janelle's reviewed restaurants. She's never steered me wrong and seems to have been to all the places I want to try. Cafe Sushi is no different. On a fundamental level this is well prepared sushi. The sashimi holds together well and you can feel the texture of each grain of rice as opposed to the mashed together sticky paste so popular elsewhere. A few of the highlights are, of course, the gluttonous plate of spicy mayonnaise known as the max roll and the escolar sashimi which is served on it's own plate dotted with sriracha and nestled atop a thin slightly smoky soy based sauce. The escolar was by far my favorite part of the meal and I would return just for the foregoing items. The service was quick and efficient if a bit hurried and impersonal. I have to agree with previous reviewers regarding the special apps. Our soft shell crab was fried beyond recognition and utterly disappointing. Additionally, I would opt for dining in the traditional room if available. While I realize patrons who walk through the door are not under the control of the restaurant staff, Cafe Sushi has some of the most outrageously misbehaved people it has ever been my displeasure to dine along side. Laughing hysterically and screaming into your cell phone in an empty dining room? Also, restaurant.com has certificates for this place and they're 80% off right now if you use the code "JOY" at check out. The certificates are good for alcohol too.
(4)Jim A.
Yes. Good. Never see it packed though
(4)Nikki B.
Since Ronin is closed for lunch I have been on a search to find good lunch sushi. I don't think this is my place. In general the rolls are too small. I ordered a Michigan roll, it was good. The MIchigan roll had spicy tuna, avocado, and cucumber. I ordered a spicy california roll, it had the spicy sauce on top. When I took a bite the roll had a weird not so fresh taste. Bummer since I love spicy california rolls. I ordered a crab and avocado roll. This roll had real crab in it. It was good, but gritty which turned me off so I didn't finish the roll. Then I had a 24 Karat roll that had mango, smoked salmon, cucumber, crab on top and spicy mayo. Must be the spicy mayo because it had the same odd flavor the spicy cali roll had. Also, I could not even taste the mango. The service was fast. The staff were very friendly. I am still searching for my optimal lunch sushi.
(2)TJ W.
"Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver" I don't know who first uttered these immortal words, but that person had apparently just eaten at Cafe Sushi. For the uninitiated, Cafe Sushi sports an Anglicized name (strike one), has white hostesses and waitresses (strike two) and an almost-exclusively white clientele (strike three). In any other instance, I would have turned around and hit the door so fast that my shoes would have left a trail of smoke on my way out. But this was Janelle's birthday dinner, we had eaten here before, and the food has always been good. As we walked to our seating area, I looked around for some Asian faces, but the only one I saw was the guy squirting hot manass (you probably call it "mayonnaise") on some fried shrimp rolls. The hostess gave us a booth near a couple of smock dumplings (imagine Kate Gosselin put on 90lbs and worked as a clerk in a medical office), and I knew that we were in trouble. Within a couple minutes, Buffy the Appetite Slayer seated a trio of typical Detroit asswipes next to us, and these schmucks teamed up with their waitress in an attempt to get me to poke my own eyes out with a pair of splintery bamboo chopsticks. In the usual "can't eat a meal without ordering alcohol" fashion that un-cultured poseurs seem to be so keen on, these dipshits were excited to hear the waitress pitch their drink specials. It was then that I heard the most offensive combination of words that I've ever heard in a restaurant. Sake Sangria. Seriously, fuck you. I'll ignore the fact that the waitress pronounced "sake" incorrectly (and "sangria," for that matter) and convey that the Douchebag Trio asked what color the sake was. That led to a three minute long discussion about what type of wine sake is, and the DT and the waitress finally came to a consensus that sake is a merlot made from plums. Things like this are why I am a misanthrope. As we waited for our meal, we were treated to a cascade of idiotic discussions, snowballing in their stupidity as these dimwits attempted to make sense of the menu. I guaranteed Janelle that at least one of them would order a roll named after a city or a state. Sure enough, one ordered a San Francisco roll while the other two ordered Michigan rolls. I don't know about the San Francisco roll, but I'm reasonably sure that the Michigan roll is a hot dog rolled in a bun and covered with chili, mustard and onions. If that isn't what it is, it might as well be. Thankfully, these loudmouths got their food around the same time that we did, so we got to enjoy our meal in peace. We split four types of nigiri, a couple chicken yakitori sticks, some agemochi ankake (yeah, that's deep-fried mochi in dashi and it's even better than you'd think it'd be) for our appetizers. I got the chicken yakisoba as my entree, and Janelle got shrimp tempura udon. Actually, our waitress corrected Janelle's pronunciation. "It's temPEARa." Then, she condescendingly conveyed to Janelle that what she was ordering was a soup. Good call, gaijin, because my clearly half-Japanese wife needs to be told what her favorite dish is. The apps were good, just as they always are. Janelle didn't have any complaints about her dish. My yakisoba was noodles with chicken, ketchup, shoyu, onions and cabbage. Absolutely vile. As we were leaving, I saw a group of happy Japanese people leaving a different dining room and it occurred to me what happened...they stuck us in the gaijin room. The misery we experienced was because of the color of our skin - they segregate their diners based on their race. At first, I was insulted. Then I realized that it's a damn good idea. If Japanese people had to put up with white people butchering the pronunciations of their food, ordering bastardized versions of their cuisine and being generally ignorant and obnoxious, they'd never come back. It just makes me wish that I could have dined in the tranquil Japanese dining area and experienced the higher-quality food that you get when your order is placed from that room. All that said, I have to rate this place based on my experience. The sushi is very good, the fish is fresh, the appetizers are stellar, but the rest was bad. The food itself is far superior to that of the typical gaijin sushi restaurants around Detroit, but the clientele is just intolerable. I don't eat at Little Tree because I want to stay away from people like this. In closing, let me just say that 99.99% of white people don't like sushi. Further, 90% of white people who say they like sushi don't like sushi. If your roll has something fried in it, spicy mayo on it, or carries the name of a state, a city, or has the word "firecracker" or "dragon" in it, you don't like sushi. So please, white people, can we just stop pretending here?
(2)Jacquie T.
Two words: Max Roll. I first went to Cafe Sushi four or five years ago with a good friend of mine, who happens to work at the Detroit News. We were both pretty hesitant to try a "strip mall sushi place", but the place had come highly recommended by one of her readers. We were pleasantly surprised by what we saw when we walked in -- you can take a seat at the sushi bar, or grab a table or booth in the restaurant. It looks a lot nicer than you would expect. Other than the veggie and shrimp tempura appetizer, I've only sampled their sushi offering. I'm not a huge fan of Japanese Udon soups, and that make sup much of the non-sushi menu. The tempura rolls are always crispy and hot -- not soggy and luke-warm like some places. Their shrimp crunch roll and Philly roll are very satisfying, and their nigiri is always fresh and well made. They are generous with the wasabi and pickled ginger, and always make sure to point out the separate rolls on the plate. But the crowning glory, and the item I ALWAYS get each time I go there, is the Max Roll. Those little bites of California roll are smothered in a spicy mayo sauce, mixed with onions and conch meat. They put the entire thing under the flame for a few minutes, and the top gets all bubbly and hot. It is seriously the moist perfect bite I've ever had. You'll even consider licking the sauce left on the plate. Do not pass up a chance to try the Max Roll if you check this place out. Cafe Sushi also has a pretty extensive sake and drink menu, and their tempura cheesecake (however kitschy) is pretty darn good. I've never had a problem with waiting for a table at this place, and the service is always fast and pleasant.
(4)Meg S.
Yum! Tasty and fresh - actually had a Spicy California Roll on the menu. Decent sized rolls with average prices. I'll def be back again for sushi and probably to try a bento box or 2
(4)Robert J.
I met up at Cafe Sushi with my friend Gunnar. He originally suggested going to Noble. I made a counter-offer, and I suggested Cafe Sushi for the greater variety of menu items. I'm stuck between three and four stars for this review. I'm going to go with three stars. There were some items that definitely deserve four Yelp stars, but there were some clunkers. After perusing the menu, I decided to get their soft-shell crab appetizer, which was quite nice. One very cool thing about getting that appetizer was the fact it came from a section on the menu that was involved in a promotional deal. If one orders one of those appetizers for $6.99, one gets 20% off all sushi ordered. Uh...sold! I'm all in. When one considers the combined facts that two pieces of nigirizushi could easily eclipse the $6.99 mark and that my friend and I would order a heck of a lot more than two pieces of sushi, how could I NOT take them up on their kind offer?!? That has been my M.O. at Cafe Sushi ever since that deal showed up on their menu. Yesterday, all I had eaten prior to dinner were some little tea sandiwiches at about 10:00. It was 18:30, and I was feeling "Man-v.-Food" hungry. I ordered up some noodles, because it was just the thing that I needed for the weather. I didn't want to just eat noodles. So, Gunnar and I decided to split the remarkable Chanpomen. I also stunned our nasally pierced waitress with my "Man-v.-Food" stomach by ordering up the Omakase too. The US$10 Chanpomen stunned both Gunnar and me. If I recall correctly, large bowls of ramen noodles, some leafy veggies, bean sprouts, lemongrass, scallions, pork, shrimp, and scallops populated a lovely broth that seemed to have some coconut milk in it. I could be wrong about the coconut milk, but the broth seemed to be very much something I might find in a Thai restaurant. Ordinarily, that's not something that I would want to find in a Japanese restaurant, but this soup won me over for how freakin' good it was. From the second its aromas hit me, it was love at first sniff! I still remember it. This is like remembering the scent of a woman who is irresistibly sexy to me--how in my mind I can still smell her, how it makes me want her even when she's not around. It's that marvelous mystery of chemistry and desire. Like that woman, I'm trying to figure out its inner workings. Was it fish stock? Was it really lemongrass? Whatever makes it what it is, I want it--just like a woman whose essence lingers in my mind. The, the five-course omakase began. Really, I wasn't counting. I just wanted them to keep bringing me food until I was done imitating "Man-v.-Food" host Adam Richman. The first dish was a nice plate with a seaweed salad, a little sliced octopus salad, some edamame, some fried oyster, and some other fried item whose explanation I missed. It was all quite good. Before I was even done, the next item came up. It was a nice tuna tataki. It was seasoned, seared, and served with some scallions, lemon, radish, and Sriracha. Around that time Gunnar's first plate came up. It was a very nice hamachi carpaccio, which seemed a bit more like a tataki with the added as. That particular dish was more proof that Cafe Sushi has some a long way. The hamachi was probably the best I had ever had there. It was both more fresh and more rich than any I have had in recent memory--lovely fish. The balance of the dish was marvelous too. I really got a sense of the great quality of the hamachi without it being overpowered by the jalapeno and the marinade. My next dish was a lovely little plate of fish and vegetable tempura. It wasn't earth-shattering, but it still was quite nice. It was a light and delicate. A lovely bowl of broth came next. In this bowl of broth was a crab leg, which was to be dipped in what seemed like a yuzu-based sauce. Unfortunately, the crab was a bit stringy--perhaps not so fresh. Some vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and a tasty oyster were also in the broth. After that came an unmemorable teriyaki plate with overdone salmon and chicken, and some nice medium rare beef. Next up, was a pretty standard plate of nigirizushi. The fish was good, of course. The shrimp unfortunately, was cooked and rubbery. We also wanted the sushi chef to make us a roll--anything that he liked. I was surprised by his choice. Our Japanese sushi chef made us a Roma Roll which had, I believe, spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, crab stick, and cream cheese on top. After rolling, it is baked briefly to melt the cheese on top. To my surprise, I enjoyed it. Green tea ice cream with some red bean was dessert. By then, I was stuffed. Both of us were surprised by the bill, which was less than we expected. It's almost a 4-Yelp-Star experience except for the clunkers, but they have improved markedly since the first time I went there about five years ago.
(3)James B.
My initial impression of Cafe Sushi, formed several years back, was that it was Japanese food for people who didn't know what Japanese food was all about. The sushi/sashimi menu consisted of all the usual suspects (read "safe") and a lot of rolls fashioned from such non-Japanese items like cream cheese. Essentially sushi/sashimi for beginners. Not that there's anything wrong with that... everybody has to start somewhere. I simply wasn't impressed with the menu. (This was about 5 years ago and at that time they didn't offer uni - a travesty in my book). Over the years I've been back to Cafe Sushi several times and in all honesty, I can say they've come a long way. The sushi menu has expanded to include mackerel, uni, and amaebi (three choices which aren't for the faint of heart but my faves) and they have the small plates menu. The entree menu is also much larger now and offers dishes not usually seen in these parts like the previously endorsed Agemochi Ankake. I have to give props to the service too. On my last visit, in addition to my sushi, I ordered the teriyaki salmon. The taste was OK but the fish overcooked. The waitress noticed that I only ate about a third of the dish and offered to either bring me a new salmon or a different dish. As I was pretty satiated at that point, I said everything was fine and replacing the dish unnecessary. When we got our bill, it was the manager who came out, gave a sincere apology, and promptly comped the salmon. You don't see that too often these days and I certainly don't expect it to happen. So here's to Cafe Sushi... a welcome example of me being proved a judgemental idiot.
(3)o o.
Love the Sashimi! Consistently fresh and good. Nice presentation. Sitting and talking with the Sushi chefs is always good conversation. They are helpful and nice, especially, the one from Bali! I tend to skip the vegetable and main dishes since I love the sashimi and rolls. But they are very good and worth a try! The only cons are the service which is good but not great and the weird decor. It reminds me of dining at Holiday Inn although the sushi bar is nice. Can get expensive. Overall, Chef Yoshiro Nakamura has a wonderful restaurant.
(4)Patrick K.
I'll admit I'm biased. I generally don't think that good food should be found in a strip mall, especially a strip mall in Troy, but I love it when my assumptions are proved wrong. The Sushi Cafe has a great atmosphere, and is even better if you end up sitting on the floor in one of the little rooms in back like we did. The staff were helpful and attentive and the food was wonderful. The Beef Tataki was very flavorful and a wonderful way to start the meal. I also tried a Shitake & Chicken 'dumpling' that was quite tasty but not I cannot remember the name of that dish. The salmon skin salad was crisp and light while still having all of the salmon fat goodness you would expect. At the recommendation of my brother I ordered an off the menu item, the 'Super Max Roll'. If they had sushi at State Fair's this would be there. This is bacon-wrapped deep fried twinkie of the sushi world. So what is it? The Supermax Roll appears to be a California roll that has tempura fried shrimp and fried conch rolled into it. Then the pieces are dipped in tempura batter and the entire roll (containing the already tempura fried shimp) is given the tempura fry treatment. If that wasn't enough it's then covered with a sauce of chopped onions, more conch and hot sauce in a mayonnaise base. This thing has to tip the scales at 2000 calories. This is roll that I would recommend only to groups. This is the perfect roll to pass and let everyone have one piece. More than that is just too much, but it sure is good. The crab and avocado rolls were also quite tasty and allowed me a break in between pieces of the southern chicken-fried state fair supermax special. I was impressed that they used real crab in the rolls instead of the all-to-common krab stick and the avocado was perfectly ripe. Then came what was possibly my favorite dish of the night, another recommendation of from my brother (actually, more of a dude you have to try this NOW) which was the Mackerel in hoisin and lemon. This was almost sublime and a perfect end to the main courses. It was actually a wonderful palette cleanser before dessert. This roll is fresh mackerel dunked in hoisin and served in lemon slices. Before serving the top of the mackerel is given some quick heat with a blow torch. The spicy and sour flavors blended perfectly with the softness of the mackerel. Last up came dessert, which would also win the blue ribbon at any state fair. Dessert was scoops of ice cream coated in cheese cake, dipped in tempura batter and deep fried. With all the deep frying going on here I have to wonder, did Paula Dean have something to do with this menu?!?!?! Regardless, the food was wonderful and we had a great time. I would recommend the Sushi Cafe in Troy to anyone!
(4)Katie J.
I really liked this place. I was a little skeptical mainly because of it's location and outside appearance. Not that it's an a bad area just that it's in a strip mall and it doesn't look like it's been updated very recently. I was very pleasantly surprised. My boyfriend and were actually planning to go to Subway but seeing this place thought sushi sounded better. It was a good choice. It was early lunch time so it was not busy and there was no wait. Everyone was very friendly and accommodating. The sushi was delicious, fresh and came out very quickly as well as being reasonably priced. I wouldn't suggest going there if you're looking to get the whole sushi/Japanese restaurant night out experience but if you're just looking to get sushi on a quick and casual basis this is definitely the place. Very happy :)
(4)Karina K.
All around, the service and food are great! my favorite starters are the soft shell crab, tuna tataki or beef tataki with ponzu (citrus soy) sauce, and the jalapeno calamari. If you want a "safer" choice, the shrimp and veggie tempura is awesome. For sushi, i love the hawaiian marlin roll is awesome, served on a bed of rice and the fish is smoked, served with ponzu sauce. The Max roll is a staple here, if you have never eaten it, it is a MUST!!! you can also sub the california roll for something else like spicy tuna crunch with the max roll sauce over it! AWESOME!!! Other awesome rolls: Roma roll, triple spicy tuna roll, maui roll, the BLOCK IS AWESOME- served on a bed of tempura rice with spicy tuna on top and a jalapeno slice. For dessert, the tempura cheesecake and the mango mochi ice cream. Now, the restaurant just added a whole bunch more asian/chinese food to the menu--- the sukiyaki is awesome for two or more, and the fried rice is great. We have had a few of the chinese dishes, they are all very good, but the sushi is better!!! :) My favorite sushi restaurant around, I have been going here for like 6 or 7 years, and it is consistently great!
(4)Jennifer H.
After a few more visits, we still LOVE this place...LOVE!!...and cannot get enough of the Max Roll. Seriously, it's heaven. Each time we go we say "We should just order three of these." The service continues to be top notch (quick, efficient, and friendly) and the sushi is always delicious (have I mentioned the Max Roll?). And don't forget they are on Restaurant.com , and it's hilariously easy to spend the required $50! We will SO miss this place (and the Max Roll!) when we move...
(5)Nate B.
New menu 7/15/11. New management, too, according to the banner. Affordable lunch specials are gone, and with them, this yelper. Sorry, Cafe Sushi! Today was a double disappointment. I need low-fat food, and wanted something that wouldn't break the bank. After explaining my needs and conferring with the server, I ordered a vegetable-tofu thing with the tofu not deep-fried. What arrived was perfect tofu atop an oil-soaked plate of stir-fried vegetables. Sad trombone. The miso soup was excellent, though. My coworker, sitting forlornly without his bento, insisted that the rest of us eat even though his food hadn't arrived yet. It's a good thing we did, as the server's repeated apologies did nothing to shorten the 32-minute(!!!) wait. On the plus side, she had the tardy bento taken off the bill, and boxed it up to-go in case we were in a hurry. So, points for caring, but this area has several other excellent sushi offerings, and I'll be taking my appetite elsewhere.
(2)Melody B.
Cafe Sushi is my favorite non-Detroit sushi restaurant. The service is always top notch (fast!) and the selections are familiar yet interesting enough to be wowed. I had my birthday party there this year. Cafe Sushi's max roll is in my top five favorite dishes ever served in a restaurant. It's basically a California roll smothered in a spicy sauce and sauteed conch shell meat and onions. Add some edamame and a spicy shrimp crunch roll and you have a near-perfect sushi dinner in a comfortable and classy atmosphere for under $25.
(5)Sarah M. B.
I have been here a couple times before last nite and have always had a good experience here. Always, fresh and have always had good service. Their buy one app for 6.99 and get 20% off sushi special is STILL going on and it was a pleasant surprise! We started with the chicken wrapped in shiitake mushrooms...I dug it...it tasted like a fancy chicken nugget with a mushroom wrap...would def. order it again. Edamame-same as it is everywhere...good portion size and reasonably priced. Our single pieces of tuna and salmon were a good size for the price and freshly cut and chilled-big PLUS. I noticed a CRAB and avocado roll, and kudos to you cafe sushi for using CRAB instead of trying to fake us stupid Americans with KRAB...well done. The spicy yellowfin roll was was def. something to write home about....not a lot of overpowering sauce, and big pieces of fish. While we had fun making fun of the chicken teriyaki roll(seriously?? WTF? that is NOT sushi in any shape or form), we did get one of the American-ized rolls...but it was one that included raw fish(if that redeems us) the San Francisco roll was on the great daily specials list...spicy salmon, asparagus, and topped with a good portion of avocado-like enough so you taste it. Overall, another satisfying experience here, and will be back, closest and best place to me.
(4)Cristopher B.
I went back and tried the soba. Not as good: Stick to the udon if you go. Fish still excellent.
(4)Norman Y.
Great sushi ! Service Sucks!
(5)Allie B.
I've been driving by this place for years and never thought it was going to be anything special. Then I heard about the grand reopening and the discount they had so why not finally check it out. When I walked in I saw a huge sushi bar and being a baseball fan I noticed all the signatures on the wall they had up. The server told me ichiro Suzuki has been here before too!! So, if a famous Japanese player comes here then it must be a good sign!! I tried the chicken spring rolls and that plum sauce was to die for!! I wanted to take the sauce home!! I also ordered a few nigiri and the fish looked and tasted super fresh, absolutely delious. Now this was my favorite part, I had some of my friends szechuan fish which had the most amazing presentation. It was a complete show stopper. I had people from the other tables staring and asking us what it was and how gorgeous, but only our table knew how delious it was. It's a must have for next time we come in, which I hope is soon. Food was fantantastic and service was prompt. My belly and I couldnt be more satisfied!
(5)b b.
Fresh and good! The Teka Don is fresh with a generous serving of tuna, rolls are GOOD and the sashimi is perfectly sliced. Like to sit at the counter and talk with the sushi chefs. They are all talented and friendly. Atmosphere is, well there isn't any. Too chain restauranty but the food more than makes up for it.
(4)Otis M.
This is a good casual plus place for sushi and drinks. Good size building so getting a table is usually not a problem. They have standard rolls, some fancier house special rolls and a full menu of other options which I have never tried. The selection, prices, dress and location are in between Sushi Hana and Mou Jin Lau.
(3)Parisa K.
Excellent Tuna Tataki. Excellent sushi rolls. Unfortunately, not so excellent prices. It's better to go with more people (somehow I feel like when ordering sushi with more people, you get to eat more and pay less even though you'd think it'd be proportional), because it's easy to spend more than you can afford here. BUT, the Max roll is literally to die for. The Max roll is pretty much their version of Dynamite -- it's a California roll with dynamite sauce on top. While it's very unhealthy as it is basically a Cali roll smothered in spicy mayo with bits of grilled shrimp and grilled onion, the roll is amazingly delicious. It's too rich to eat on your own in my opinion, so sharing it is the way to go. It's the best dynamite sauce I've ever had, however. The Max roll is the reason why I go there. I'm also a big fan of the marlin roll... though right now the name is escaping me. The marlin almost tastes like its been kabob'd. It's not at all what you'd expect a sushi roll to taste like, so I know some people dislike it. I think it's good, though, and I haven't seen a similar roll anywhere else, so I try to get it whenever I eat at Cafe Sushi.
(5)Ken C.
My wife and I started out ready to head to Big Rock Chophouse for happy hour, but apparently happy hour starts a little earlier than we did and we couldn't get a spot at the bar. We left there and decided to grab some sushi instead. We were on our way to Katana in Royal Oak (we normally head to Katana or Noble Fish in Clawson), but decided to try Cafe Sushi after seeing it on the way and checking out the reviews at Yelp. The place was not full for 6:30 on a Friday night, but still a fair amount of people in the place. We were seated immediately, and our waitress was by pretty quick to take our drink order. We went with a bottle of Pinot Grigio to split, which was pretty good for $22. The menu had decent variety, which included sushi as well as entrees. We started with a couple of appetizers between us, beef tataki and asparagus wrapped in bacon (mmmmm...bacon!!!!). The beef tataki was good, but not great. Prepared well and decent, but just didn't have that pop to it. The asparagus wrapped in bacon was disappointing. Not bad, but very bland. You'd normally expect a little bit of salt and flavor from the bacon, but it just didn't have it. My wife said it was better with the lemon juice on it, but I just didn't taste it. We then ordered a spicy tuna roll, a couple pieces of salmon nigiri sushi, and a piece of ark fish. The ark fish was something we hadn't had before (and didn't know what it was), but decided to experiment with something new. Our order came, and we discovered they were out of ark fish. It's some sort of shellfish, which could have been good, but no big deal. We decided to stick with what we had and go back for more if necessary. The salmon was OK, but nothing great. It was fresh and tasted OK, but nothing to write home about. The spicy tuna roll was less impressive. First, the tuna came kinda minced up, not whole like we're use to. It was OK, but neither of us cared for the consistency of the tuna puree. Just seemed like there was some filler in there besides tuna. The spicy sauce in the roll was quite nice and had a bit more of a kick than we're use to, but that's not really what we're buying the roll for. My wife and I were debating on two or three stars for the place, and I'd really like to say two and a half stars if possible. I'm going with two because I don't think I'd go back. It's a pleasant atmosphere, and the staff were all very nice and attentive. Prices were reasonable (they had 20% off your sushi if you ordered an appetizer), and I've had worse dining experiences. In the end, the food was just so-so at best, and I can't give 3 stars to someplace I wouldn't go back to.
(2)Nicole C.
If you're looking for the ultimate place for yummy, reasonably priced sushi in the greater Royal Oak area, this is the place to get it. The atmosphere is cozy and unpretentious and the crowd is a mix of area professionals of all ages. My favorite is the crunch roll (they do this preparation for a number of different fish, and they're all good). If you're not in the mood to hang out at the sushi bar, I'd for sure recommend their carry-out...it's always fast and fresh and makes a yummy treat for a casual night in. I noticed some other reviewers thought the prices were high...but I've actually found them more reasonable than Little Tree and the other sushi places in the area. Another bonus for baseball fans...I heard a rumor that Detroit Tigers players frequent Cafe Sushi during the season -- which seems somewhat plausible considering the autographs and pictures in the bar. I still have yet to see a player here in person, but I did see Hideki Matsui here when the Yankees were in town two summers ago. So apparently, it's the sushi of choice for the MLB :)
(4)M W.
Unfortunately, this place was a disappointment. I came here with a group of friends and most of us agreed that the food was overpriced and far from amazing. The food was edible, but Cafe Sushi is not a sushi restaurant I will be coming back to.
(2)Dre S.
I had never tried this place before it "reopend under new management" but i always knew it was there. My boyfriend and I were hungry for Sushi one night, and because it is so close to our house, we thought we would give it a try. First of all, when we entered the front door we were greeted by the most cheerful hostess with a "Hi how are you!?" This was good - i work in customer service and a bright happy "first impression" can be a big deal on a first visit somewhere. She lead us to our table and gave us our menus. They have a really great menu with all sorts of different things, and while i only tried the sushi, I will be back to try more of their menu. Our server was somewhat quiet but very nice and pleasant and at the end of our meal asked us to fill out a comment card which I LOVE because that means the new management wants to hear customers feedback GOOD or BAD. WE had the spicy scallop, yellow tail & scallion, Jason roll (my bf's name so we had to get it) and the MAX roll. Everything was extremely FRESH! and delicious. The MAX roll is OUT OF THIS WORLD by the way. Prices are to be expected for Sushi in the area. Our meal - Shrimp tempura platter, 2 house salads and 4 sushi rolls totalled $53.
(4)Sarah A.
Cafe Sushi is right by my place of employment so I frequent here for the lunch rush. I tend to drop in once every week or so to get my sushi fix. I am always alone so I tend to sit at the sushi bar. I love to watch all the different plates going out, the presentation here is top of the line. I have to say that I am always greeted so nicely when I come in, all the waitresses know EXACTLY what I want down to my green tea to drink :) The sushi is some of the best I have had & the service here is A-1. During the lunch time rush, there tends to be lots of "business meetings" None-the-less I get what I want with a smile and tend to be out the door within a half an hour. Sitting at the sushi bar has it advantages you know... :)
(4)Theresa U.
The sushi is consistently fresh. Excellent service. Spicy Crunchy Salmon rolls are the best!!!!! The ambiance is a little quieter/classier. The only bad thing is the location. Not as hip as the 'ol RO.
(4)Adrianne K.
The food is usually decent to good here, and it's a nice atmosphere, but the prices make it hard to do more than occasionally. For my money (and a casual, ramen shop atmosphere), I go to Kokoro ( yelp.com/biz/kokoro-troy ), just north of Long Lake on Rochester. Literally the best sushi I've ever had, even in Japan, and has rice and noodle dishes as well. I'd say the prices are 20%+ lower as well.
(3)Duke A.
To me, this is the place for business dinners. Its dark, high-end atmosphere is nice, but the food is way more expensive than what it's worth. It is loosely related to Cherry Blossoms restaurant in Novi, so the taste is not bad. It's just the cost effectiveness and the overall experience that didn't impress me.
(3)Katia M.
A vegetarian, a seafood hater, and a sushi-lover walk into a bar ... it sounds like the start of a joke, but it was just my Saturday night experience at Cafe Sushi. I went there with my brother and his friend for sushi and drinks, and was actually pretty pleasantly surprised by the place. I'm the vegetarian, and I ordered a tofu hot pot, Kappa Maki, and rice. My brother got actual sushi (well, kind of, he gets the kind with cream cheese). My bro's friend got chicken teriyaki. We all really enjoyed our meals, but the service was ... eh. We would have had at least two more beers apiece if the waitress had been around more, plus all our food came out at different times -- I didn't even get my tofu until my dining companions were finished eating. It's pretty good, and the decor is pretty nice, but I'd try somewhere else next time. If you do go, check the specials page! They have all sorts of stuff on it, and it's mind-bogglingly cheap. UPDATE: Okay, I've been again, now that I eat raw fish, and I loved the sushi. Our waitress was much better, the food came quickly, and it was a great deal for the HUGE rolls ... we could barely finish it! I'm adding another star.
(4)Alfred K.
I tried this place once and never went back. It was all going quite well until we had a roll that smelled like old lady perfume... it was rather disturbing. I suspect that it came from a disinfectant of some sort. I salute them for keeping the sushi area clean, but I just couldn't get myself to go back and give them another try, especially at that price.
(1)Rebecca O.
i am just dipping my toes into the world of fish. but i love this place. this is where i do my sushi-experimentation. their fish is always fresh. they're sushi is really good. the services is fast.
(4)Leo S.
Cafe Sushi is pretty decent. Their food is mediocre, but the atmosphere is great. As with my philosophy though, other than cleanliness, the food is all I care about. Cafe Sushi does not have consistency. This is mainly due to the large sushi bar staff. I counted 5 sushi chefs last time I was there. Again, as with most Michigan sushi bars, the rolls came with too much rice. I specified that I wanted less rice too so I am afraid of how they are normally served. The best part about Cafe Sushi is the freshness of their fish. In fact, that is their saving grace for me. However, the nigiri is poorly made in my experience. The rice always falls apart when I attempt to dip it in my soy sauce. This is a major no-no with nigiri. I find the rolls to have this same quality. Always breaking or becoming unrolled. The sashimi and appetizers are the reasons why I go here every now and then. The rest is simply mediocre.
(3)Charles B.
People say all sushi fish comes form the same place, but it always seems a lot better here. Everything is always fresh, pure-tasting, and well-presented. Sometimes the service can be a tad slow, but this is definitely one of the better (and best-value) sushi places in the area.
(4)Matthew S.
I judge sushi restaurants based on freshness, variety, rice, and portion. The nigiri pieces are always fresh and generous. I'm not a huge fan of big fattening rolls covered in tempura and avocado, I'm more of a traditional sashimi and nitro sushi goer so all of my rating of sushi restaurants are based on nigiri and sashimi. The miso soup was a bit watery.
(5)