If you live in the neighborhood then I'm sure this place is fine. But if you have any sort of drive, save the trip. Thai food was meh at best. Beer and sushi lists sucked. Did not try the sushi.
(2)
Chris W.
Pro: The Happy Hour drink deals are the best! Great sushi variety Great atmosphere Great staff Con: The Edamame was over salted. Watch out for 2011 Thursday's all you can eat Sushi (excluding sushi-mi) for $39.99 a person. **Please note: Also you cannot take home any extra sushi you get from the happy hour.
(3)
Erin R.
I used to LOVE Bagu. I live nearby and it was always reliably quiet, consistent and well-priced. Now, however, they've offered several Groupon-type deals and I think they're starting to get more business than they can handle. Last week, for example - my husband and I went in at 6 or so on Tuesday night. We were seated pretty quickly, but our server was clearly swamped. Having worked in the service industry, I was prepared to be understanding and patient. But she only stopped by our table once and wasn't very polite when she did. After sitting there for 20 minutes with nothing but water, we walked out. Bagu's food and prices (especially their happy hour) are great, but their service is quickly going downhill. We're sticking to takeout, if anything, from now on.
(3)
Dmae A.
Service was beyond bad. Bought a $30 bottle of Red wine that was served hot. Like sitting next to the oven hot. Brought glasses of ice when we brought it to their attention. Plates were dirty and had to ask twice before were brought clean ones. Sushi was FANTASTIC, once it finally arrived. We watched 7 other tables who arrived after us eat their food & leave before we finally begged that we get ours too (to go with our hot wine). The amazing sushi didn't make up for the lack of service or common courtesy, so I will not go back.
(1)
Georgia B.
We live in the neighborhood and count ourselves lucky to be able to get reasonably priced and fresh Nigiri so close to home. Limited but adequate wine choices, again at good prices. The house salad is crunchygoodwith veggies and a fetching ginger dressing. Specials on a white board worth noting. Small, can get noisy, but we have always been treated well. Outdoor space in the summer.
(4)
Mike G.
Very small place with seating for about 75 total, including one large table in a semi-private room for what looked like space for 10 or 12. Sushi was excellent. Fabulous happy hour specials Mon-Wed til 6:30pm. I would absolutely go there again. I grabbed a to-go menu; in the 90 minutes we were there we must have seen 10 people grab a take out order....on a Wednesday night. Not really fit for young kids (both because its Sushi and it's an intimate setting), but I guess it depends on how "spirited" your kids are. There is NO place for them to "run around" and the setting is pretty intimate. Easy parking, great neighborhood location, certainly check it out.
(4)
Jolene P.
Sushi was fine - service was bad, as in REALLY BAD! It took 10 minutes to be brought water after we were seated & we had to ask for it. The waitress forgot our salad, and didn't check on us. We were willing to spend some money and instead left as soon as we could. Unfortunately, we weren't the only table with this issue!
(1)
Jennifer H.
Yay, our neighborhood sushi joint! Although calling it a "joint" doesn't do it the justice it deserves. The sushi is *really* good. Some of the rolls may have silly names, but don't let that deter you. I hear the patio is spectacular but when we tried to go it was full so we didn't even get to check it out. The interior decor is somehow warm and cold at the same time. How zen. We were there for happy hour and walked out full for a very reasonable price.
(4)
jen b.
too $$ for what you get, but not a bad place, slightly small for my taste though
(2)
Judy J.
The food was great. I had the Thai Noodles with shrimp and the shrimp were perfectly cooked. The portion size was generous, to the say the lest. Took 1/2 of it home. (of course, I ate all the shrimp there.) It isn't spicy, so if you're looking for spicy Thai Noodle, you may want to skip it. My husband ordered the chicken in a curry peanut sauce and really liked it. I tasted it and it was spicy for me, not overly spicy..but I'm a true Minnesota spicy. We did not try the sushi, I'm not a fish fan, and my husband got distracted by the chicken dish. We also got the vegetable tempura appetizer and, to be truthful, we were not impressed. Pretty bland and the dippy sauce added nothing. I'll try the gyoza next time.
(4)
Katie S.
The sushi was good - one of the rolls was decent, the other two were very yummy. The service was...well, really bad. Having been a server myself, I consider myself very easy going when it comes to service. But it was just bad! We were one of two tables in the place, and we sat around waiting for every part of our meal... our drinks, to place our order, to ask a question, to get our bill, for her to come back and get our bill and even for her to return our bill. Ugh. From other reviews, it sounds like service was good, so I'm hoping it was just an off night. Regardless, I probably won't go back here.
(3)
Rachel C.
My husband and I first visited during restaurant week about 4 years ago and it has been in our dinner out rotation every since. My favorite rolls are the three wise guys (best tempura coated roll in the Twin Cities), the caterpillar and the 4 seasons (4 different kinds of Roe!). Staff is friendly and we see the same people every time because it is such as small outfit. Main disadvantage is lack of liquor license (only wine and beer) but not really an option in this neighborhood I hear.
(5)
Jessica K.
I can't say this place stands out very well in the sushi world overall. We had one amazing roll which was the number 9, but the rest were all meh...they werent bad, but they werent anything we would make the treck over, fight for parking, and worry about a wait (please note...very small restaurant). If you live in the area, then it may be worth while...but if not, i would say go somewhere else where your money can stretch further for more food.
(2)
Katie S.
This is somewhat of a prelude to an anticipated review of Bagu. I have tried Bagu before, Summer 2012. The hidden back patio is a winning feature and perfect for happy hour or an early summer dinner. The drinks are good and the food is presented nicely. Unfortunately, I haven't been back to Bagu since Summer 2012....because Bagu closes up shop every evening at the time that a typical evening (for those under 70 years of age) begins. A lovely dinner and cocktails at 8, 8:30? Nope, not when the restaurant closes at 9 pm! Perhaps an option for those who like to make quick work of a date night and be tucked into bed by 10 pm but for the rest of us, things don't even really get going until an hour after this restaurant closes. Have I wanted to return to Bagu this winter - yes, but every weekend it's "oh, how about Bagu?" And then we realize it's 7:30. It'll take till 8:15 to get ready, 8:30 to get to there and till 8:45 to debate over a martini or wine and spring rolls vs. a seaweed salad. You can forget finishing that drink or even moving onto the entres. Show's over at 9 pm. I fully understand the investment vs. impact ratio that must be minded by smart business owners, and that operational costs climb the longer a service establishment stays open, but when there's a demand, supply! I hope to get to Bagu someday, maybe if I find myself jet lagged and ready for a night out at 5 o'clock central time.
(2)
Ian W.
I have been going to Bagu for years now. It has become my favorite sushi place. I have tried other places and they are good but Bagu is better. They have the best maki around and their newer creations like the FOB roll exemplify this. Great atmosphere and great staff make this place a must visit if you love sushi.
(5)
Twincities G.
3 Wise Guys. I really shouldn't have to say anything above or beyond that. It is my favorite sushi role in the Twin Cities area. I love that sushi role more than I love some members of my family. I would give this spot 5 stars, but the seating is limited when it gets busy, and the wine portions are pretty small. Pretty decent patio in the Summer also.
(4)
A W.
Not great food. We ordered a spicy tuna role that was so spicy it wasn't edible. It was way overpriced for the quality of food. I won't go back.
(2)
Hillary R.
went to this sushi place for happy hour, mostly cause it was sunny and they had a patio. sushi+wine+patio+the =genius. ok, we didnt have the sushi cause i couldnt eat rice on my lame diet, but we did have an excellent seaweed salad starter and the waiter (cute) let us have the two for one wine after the deal had officially ended. a couple times over. i love this 3 block on each side little area. i havent been into any of the other stores/restaurants/shops. but its cute
(4)
Meghann F.
The sushi was pretty melt in your mouth delish here - I just got the lunch sashimi plate. Came with either Miso or a salad. I also tried a Thai Chicken Basil to go. Had a few bites just to give it a taste while hot. It was good, but they used fried chicken instead of just grilled and that threw me and threw the taste off for me. All the veggies were really nice and the flavor was good, but when i ate it later i removed most of the chicken.. Cute, small place and I definitely need to get in for the HH sometime!
(4)
Sarah M.
What is this secret gem, only blocks from my house?! Ok, I've seen this place and seen their Groupons a million times, but hadn't ventured in until last week, when my sushi cravings were crazy strong. Let me start off with happy hour. It goes until 6:30, which totally works as an early dinner. I think its Sun-Thurs, or Mon-Thurs, I forget. 2 for 1 beer and wine, $3 draft Sapporo. A few of your classic rolls on happy hour, along with edamame, potstickers, etc. Nothing crazy special on the list, but all really GOOD. We got the potstickers and several rolls. The potstickers were pan fried and still pretty soft, but I really liked them. We also got a spicy tuna roll, which was honestly the best I've ever had. No joke. We also splurged and got one of their specialty rolls. I can't remember the name, but it was life changing-ly delicious. They have a little insert with the menu with random specials of the day, and they were close to happy hour prices, so I would totally recommend that. I saw they have some Thai dishes on the menu, which I would love to try next time. Again, as many have mentioned- check out the patio! We walked on a perfect summer day and no one was in the dinig area, which I thought was a bad omen. But, we went out to the back patio and there were maybe 10 tables, a water fountain, and tall enough fences you don't see the dumpsters. It was totally adorable. Oh, we also had some nigiri, which my husband loves and I...don't love. I don't what my feelings are towards nigiri at large. However, I ate a piece and it was great. It did not taste like fish (win!) and was easy to bite through, which is really all I ask. I know this may not be the most helpful feedback, but, its what I have. :-)
(4)
Garry W.
Cool little neighborhood Thai restaurant with eclectic menu. The spinach appetizer was great - spicy and garlicky. I had the green curry and daughter had the ginger curry - both excellent, perhaps too heavy on the ginger. Would have given 5 stars but the server was clearly new and didn't know the menu at all - told us that Bonita was a green mint when we found out later that it is really a fish derivative. Oh well, we still enjoyed it.
(4)
Troy M.
Great sushi!! I have been here 10-15 times and it's been great every time. Service is good. Beer and wine selection is lacking but the food makes up for it. Great neighborhood lunch or dinner spot. Order from Bite Squad as well.
(4)
Matt D.
I was very pleased to find this gem in the neighborhood. Having a good restaurant close by is nice, having a good sushi bar nearby is priceless! Dining in can be a little hectic if they are busy, but the simple and tasteful decor makes the experience pleasant. Is the sushi the best in town? No, but it is quite good. Prices seem a little high, but I have yet to experience a bad piece of sushi. Although I have not experienced it, they have what I have heard is a very cool deck area in the back to enjoy your meal on when weather permits Overlooked takeout service can have you enjoying fresh sushi at home in no time. Couple of house rolls that I love are the Crab and Shrimp roll, and the French Kiss role. In the 48th and Chicago area that now includes everything from a couple of bars, a bakery and a great ice cream shop. No need to leave the area for the rest of your night!
(4)
Jim C.
We went to Bagu for the first time last night. There's the good---and the potentially very bad. Good - sushi was quite good and fresh, wasn't too busy, wait staff was very friendly. My wife and I split the Pirate's Platter, which true to it's name came on a large ceramic pirate's ship (wasn't sure of the connection between Japanese cuisine and high sea treachery, but I must say that it does elevate the dining experience. Also, they had a special price on wine, so we had a bottle of decent Malbec for only $15--talk about pirate's plunder. The potentially bad - as our waiter called out the various nigiri occupying the main deck of the pirate's ship, he referred to one as "white tuna." This fish was REALLY good, almost buttery and a little oily. It was so good, we ordered a couple of extra pieces. When I said we'd like some more of the white tuna, he advised that its not really part of the tuna family--that the fish is actually called "escolar." After consuming the additional pieces, we searched the web on my wife's phone, intrigued at how this savory fish had eluded us all these years. There, much to our chagrin, we learned that "escolar" is more commonly known as "snake mackerel." What's even better is that this fish have a type of waxy ester (essentially fat) that about 30% of the population has trouble digesting. It's considered the animal kingdom's version of Olestra--which many will recall gave some people very unpleasant digestive side effects. At any rate, if eaten in large quantity, escolar can cause the same undergarment wrecking conditions. When we asked the waiter whether he knew about this, he said, "yes, but you have to have about 8 pieces before there might be cause for concern." He advised that he would have cut us off before then. While I appreciate his willingness to both serve and protect our GI tracts, we agreed that it would have been nice to know the potential side effects of what we were being served in advance. .
(4)
Swee L.
The waitress was friendly but the service was very very very slow. I ordered the live scallop, it was 4 tiny slices of scallop and a bowl of soup, for $12. I also got the Uni, they made it as nigiri, such a waste. If you like salmon, you must get the angry salmon, it was salmon wrapped with salmon. haha!
(3)
Dima M.
I think my hard work to find an awesome sushi place in the Twin Cities has finally paid off. OK, so technically, I didn't work hard to find this place, as it was suggested by someone. I would have never even thought to look for a sushi place on that side of town, but ended up here on a first date. I know what you're thinking: sushi isn't exactly a good first date food (think large pieces that you have to eat in one bite - NOT attractive). But truth be told, I can't say no to sushi, even it were guaranteed to be a last date. Whatever, guys come and go, but good sushi is forever. The place is small, and when I say small, I mean, maybe the size of my living room. We sat at the bar, the sushi bar that is, because I don't think they actually have a bar. Your drinks come from somewhere in the back. I love sitting at the bar, because then you can chat with the sushi chef, and get good recommendations. He will tell you what fish is good today and if you leave it up to him, he'll take good care of you. This was no different here. The sushi chef was fantastic, and when we asked him for recommendations on a few things, he didn't disappoint. May I also add that if you're going to a sushi place for a first date, the bar is a good place, because if you don't have anything to talk about, you can at least discuss the displayed fish, instead of staring at each other. Also, if you're facing each other, the other person will definitely see you unhinge your jaw to fit some of those pieces, and that may be slightly unattractive, or it may turn on some people. Either way, it's no good. Side-by-side at the bar is perfect. But I digress! We started with a salad, that I, the sushi lover have never had **GASP!!!** It was the spicy tako salad with cooked octopus and spicy dressing. OH MY GOD, I wanted to have 5 more servings of that salad. SO good. Then we got a crunchy spicy tuna roll, the best I have ever had, by far. We let the sushi chef then choose 4 different fish for nigiri, which all tasted very fresh. We also got uni, and it was the best uni I have ever had, very fresh melt-in-your-mouth good. I could've probably eaten 10 more of those uni pieces. And instead of dessert, we got tamago, a perfect ending to a delicious meal. Like I said, the place was small, but it was a week night, so it wasn't busy at all. The service was really good. The food was amazing. The company was not too bad. All in all, it was a 5-star experience. I'm definitely going back to this sushi place.
(5)
Amy M.
I wanted to like Bagu. I really did. It's pretty. It's in the neighborhood. I wanted to be a good neighbor. But waiting 5 minutes to get menus, then waiting 20 minutes to get drinks, then waiting 30 minutes to get appetizers, then waiting 30 minutes to get sushi...well, that just sucked all the goodwill out of me. The sushi was good, but not any better than other sushi places in Minneapolis. It's just not worth the frustration.
(2)
Sarah B.
Mmmmmmm, this place is yummy! Bagu is kind of hidden on Chicago Ave somehow, and even walking through the door I had no idea how busy it was going to be in there. Trying their sushi I can see why - we were a group of people so I got to try a bunch of different things and loved them all. Will definitely go back as soon as I can! *** After visiting Bagu a few times more, I can't believe I "only" gave it a 4 star rating before - I must have been crazy! I have yet to have a sushi experience that will beat this place; it may never happen! For an appetizer, make sure to try the bagel balls with salmon - SO good!
(5)
Richard F.
My friend and I heard about the all you can eat sushi special a few weeks back and thought we would give it a try. VERY glad we did! To be honest we didn't have that high of hopes for an all you can eat special. Most of the all you can eat specials we've tried are usually "rice balls with a little fish", NOT the case here! We ordered the Crunchy Spicy Tuna (was EXCELLENT), Rainbow (was one of the best I've had in a while), Number 9 (very tasty), Three Wise Guys (also VERY good), Salmon Tempura (good) and the Philly (I don't like cream cheese, but my friend said it was good). The restaurant is a bit cramped, but very well kept. All the tables were full when we got there at about 6:30ish, so we waited for a bit. The service was good, a bit slow, but given the "fullness" of the place it was not an issue at all. I would HIGHLY recommend Bagu!
(4)
C J.
What a surprise! Great little sushi place in my 'hood. I would give it 3.5 stars, but will give it 4 due to the value. 2-for-1 wines at their happy hour and discounted sushi rolls.
(4)
Bobby H.
Favorite sushi place by far! Service has always been great and the food even better. One of my favorite happy hours anywhere.
(5)
B G.
Fabulous happy hour, bad sushi (doesn't taste fresh), excellent Thai, and above average service. Three stars, I guess.
(3)
Tara J.
I recently dined at Bagu for the frist time. The space is adorable, the service was great and the food was top-notch. I had miso soup, kappa rolls, vegetable tempura, edamame, and green tea. The food was perfectly prepared and the green tea was by far the best I have ever had. I would come back for the tea alone - it's flavor is earthy and nutty - the perfect drink for a cold MN winter evening.
(4)
bamrung t.
Feel like this place love to make people happy 5 star for the very cool fresh sushi and service. will tell everybody how my great experience was.
(5)
brad t.
Good selection of sushi and sashimi. Never have been let down by the quality of food. The service is pretty standard for the price point. Nice patio out back.
(5)
Dan H.
Sushi in the HOOD!!! We went during a Sunday happy hour sometime ago and I was pretty content. I love sushi, however I don't have much to go on as far as what bomb fresh sushi tastes like. I live in the Up-Midwest and not an yellow fin tuna to be found in these 10K lakes. Ah well. Bagu was adequate in my book. And anytime I hear a place is going to adopt an "all you can eat" credo even more the bonus. Again, this may be my sushi ignorance but you don't seem to get a whole lot of bang for your buck at most sushi places. I felt Bagu was pretty reasonable. They have what some have called "the greatest patio in the world!!" but I haven't been allowed out there yet. Maybe soon? If so I'll update my review soon after I have been chosen.
(4)
Angie H.
The hubby and I had a real sushi jones and wanted to go somewhere that we hadn't been before. My friend Nick suggested Bagu so we thought we would check it out. Apparently there is a patio out back but it looked like it might rain so we opted to stay inside. The interior is small and really funky and modern. We ordered some saki and beer and a few starters. They had a couple rolls on special and they were very good along with everything else we ordered, but the highlight was the mackerel. It came last and it was beautiful and yummy. They actually had a fried mackerel as a garnish and while we were admiring him the sushi chef said "Eat the bones! Just don't eat the eyeballs." We dug into that little guy and it was like the best fish potato chip ever! Who knew? I kept meaning to check out the patio in back but forgot. We ran over to Levain for dessert and a glass of wine to top off the perfect evening I look forward to getting back to Bagu while it's still nice enough to sit on the patio.
(5)
Elizabeth R.
I'm trying to get away from my old sushi standby restaurant and try new places. It's really hard because I can get delivery to my place from the usual sushi joint, but I'm trying! Bagu did not disappoint, thankfully. A friend and I decided to go here before he heads to Japan and his sushi innocence will be lost forever like mine is, and it was a pretty good pick. (Aside: I won't complain about how it's not as good as Japan, because that complaint makes zero sense. You're in the Midwest and they have to ship the fish in. Deal with it or move, jeez.) It's your typical small restaurant space in South Minneapolis, but there was enough room between tables that it wasn't completely distracting. The server was very nice, but very harried. She forgot to bring us our drink order, but made up for it by offering free dessert. I had the edamame and spicy tuna rolls, which were both good. Nothing earth shattering or exceptional, but some solid deliciousness. The cheesecake roll for dessert is literally just deep-fried cheesecake with raspberry sauce, and the actual cheesecake seemed pretty robust and flavorful. I think the dessert was my favorite, but it's hard to go wrong with cheesecake. I'd definitely go back.
(4)
Andrea R.
I was so impressed by the 'angry salmon' that this dish deserves 5 starts by itself. If you come here and don't try this dish you'll be missing out big time. I also had a seaweed salad, with regrets because I can find it cheaper elsewhere and because the taste was average. My third choice was the FOB roll. It was really good, excellent actually, better shrimp tempura than Origami's. It is very very spicy though. The location is fun, the place is small, but they do have a sitting bar and a television. I'll have to come back to try their Thai food, and of course to have another one of the 'angry salmon'.
(4)
Luis C.
French kiss roll was amazing!!! Service was kinda slow but the food was really good! Definitely I will come back, more table will be better
(5)
Winston R.
Above average sushi but sticky tables and menus! Needs to be cleaned more! Cream cheese wontons weren't the best, sort of like eating kettle chips. Cleanliness was the main factor for only 3-stars.
(3)
Jennifer K.
can you ever really go wrong with Sushi? well yes, but not here. They have a great menu of both sushi and other Asian food which is great for a group of people who love different types of food. I have the #9 role which was wonderful and their cream cheese puffs were great. It is a pretty small place but the service was wonderful
(4)
Adam T.
Fantastic, flavorful, spicy Pad Thai. Very generous portion, good value, and friendly/prompt service. The one complaint is that our table was sticky. I look forward to returning soon.
(4)
Mariel L.
Meh, I suppose it's hard to review a sushi restaurant just by trying their non-specialty sushi rolls, but either way they should do a good job on all their offerings, and the salmon/avocado roll was just so-so. Even my friend commented that her spicy tuna hand roll was average, and for $6, you'd expect there to be a little bit more of it. Overall it just felt like another dime-a-dozen sushi place to me. The sink outside their restroom was pretty cool though...not that it matters.
(2)
Rafi S.
Saw reviews decided to try bsgu (sushi). Maybe we went an hr. Begore closing so the server was not too enthusiastic. Aside from a pesky fly food was good wasabi was great. Specials were not mentioned perhaps we were to read it ourselves. To be fair the server did point us to the additional sushi on the menu for which we were thankful. So food = good .
(3)
Anne M.
Walking in, the aromas reminded me of my childhood and visiting my Japanese grandparents - and the atmosphere was just as warm and inviting. The salmon nigiri was very fresh, for $2 it was a steal! I ordered the shrimp tempura udon, and opted for the miso over the salad. With free wi-fi and free parking, I'll be sure to stop by again whenever I'm in the area for lunch.
(4)
John O.
First and foremost, this place is tiny. If it were good, I would hate it if they became popular. Secondly, they have false and misleading advertising. Their website says happy hour Sunday through Thursday. Got there and was told that happy hour is only Sunday through Wednesday despite pointing out their website. I now, just checked, see that their website is under construction. Ordered four rolls with two other friends. One was pretty good. The rest were mediocre at best. Thirdly...umm...I forgot..sorry...oops.
(2)
Court N.
My husband and I went here shortly after we moved into the neighborhood. We are both sushi fans so we were excited we would have a place so close. We went on a Friday night and had the $15 bottle of wine special (not the most amazing wine list, but we really liked the Tilia Torrontes). The gyoza appetizer was pretty good and the sushi was great. We were both surprised at the great flavors and the freshness of the fish. We ate (and would eat again!) the spicy salmon, catapilla, three wise guys, and spicy crunchy tuna. We will definitely be back and we are thrilled to have this little gem in our neighborhood!
(4)
Cristinita P.
Easily, the best sushi place in town!!! Sushi is very fresh, creative and traditional rolls are abundant. The atmosphere is hip, but unassuming. Also, I feel the sushi here is both better and cheaper than Ichiban, Fuji-Ya, Origami, etc. Maybe it's because of the neighborhood-y location? For apps, I recommend agedashi tofu and miso soup. Visit during happy hour if you can, as great deals are to be had! The back patio is fabulous as well. Added bonus about Bagu's location? You can head across the street to Pumphouse Creamery afterward to whet your palate... or, if the night is still young, walk half-a-block south to Town Hall for some brewskis.
(5)
Grant G.
Small location with fantastic food. The all you can eat feast is fun and the staff are helpful with recommendations and accommodations. I will go back again and again. This place is a favorite.
(5)
Stephanie O.
Sushi has been at the top of my "favorite food" list since I was a kid, but used to be a food reserved for my yearly birthday dinner or a sub-par grocery store convenience meal. Now that I'm an adult, I give into my cravings way more often - which means finding ways to enjoy my sushi while still not overdrafting my bank account. Last week during happy hour, Bagu in South Minneapolis fulfilled my desire for affordable sushi without sacrificing quality/taste, thus living up to their Best Sushi Minneapolis 2014 award from the Citypages. The restaurant is small, but was not overly-packed on the early Monday evening when we visited. We were seated comfortably right away and took in the modern, chic decor. Service was great and well-paced, and while their happy hour includes 2-4-1 beer and wine, the drinks are brought out one at a time so you don't wind up with a warm second beer. In addition to drink specials, there are also discounts on select nigiri, maki (rolls), and appetizers. My date and I split a seaweed salad (the seaweed part was excellent but the chunks of cucumber lacked flavor and created an inconsistent texture...not bad, but the cucumber could be altogether skipped from this dish), a spicy salmon roll (fat chunks of fish with a light but lingering heat made for a pleasant experience here), a spider roll (soft shell crab, roe, asparagus, avocado...basically, the best thing you will ever put in your mouth), and (taking a cue from the Citypages article) a crunchy shrimp tempura roll. All were tasty, but the spider roll was by far the best. Despite the rave review, we found the crunchy shrimp to be just OK considering the fact that for only a few dollars more you can upgrade to the spider and enjoy meaty, rich bites of crab. Crab that may inspire dreams. Crab that may induce mouth-watering fits just at the mere thought of it. We also tried a good Japanese microbrew - not covered by the happy hour discount, but still tasty. We passed on dessert, but they do offer that as well as a decently sized menu of non-sushi options (Thai-influenced meals, from what I could tell). I was so stuffed after splitting sushi that the thought of ordering anything else sounded like pure gluttony, but we will absolutely be returning customers so we can branch out a bit next time!
(4)
Fatso J.
Under staffed, poor cocktails and at best, mediocre sushi. Oh, and overpriced.A restaurant may be able to get away with prices like this if the atmosphere is incredible and the service was great, unfortunately it failed in both areas. Waste of time and money.
(2)
Kyle D.
Well..I never actually got to eat here. The service was unbelievable. ..but not the good way. I arrived at 6:32 and joined a group of 10 friends. I asked about happy hour which ended at 6:30. The waitress very militantly replied that happy hour was over. Very negative, very rude. When she came back I told her maybe I would order in A little awhile. She never once came back to me or made eye contact again. I was starving! I did not try to get her attention because by the way I was treated. ..I just really could not stomach paying money to be treated so rudely....well it did not matter I no longer existed in her world. My group reported similar rude, tones and treatment. I guess her name was Mink.
(1)
Patti K.
I was really, pleasantly, surprised. Most of the time US Thai/sushi restaurants are Thai restaurants that bung in sushi as an afterthought. I scanned the menu, seeing the usual suspects: miso soup, seaweed salad, California roll, caterpillar roll, and then...kampyo roll? It was like unexpectedly bumping into a relative when you're on vacation at Mount Rushmore. And then futo(maki), which also included kampyo (dried gourd cooked in soy sauce and sugar). Hold on, the folks who put this menu together actually know something about Japanese food! I was floored, because these days even in LA a restaurant that serves sushi might not know anything about Japanese food. And so, against my better judgment, I decided to throw them the grandma challenge. Would the futo(maki) measure up to grandma's secret recipe? My verdict: not quite. But, it was definitely competent. The kampyo and shiitake mushroom tasted as they should. The cucumber was crunchy and fresh, and the takuan (pickled daikon radish) didn't detract from the other flavors. The spinach was Korean style with sesame oil, but that was a welcome twist. The roll was not executed perfectly, but it was solid. The biggest shortcoming was the rice. It had vinegar, but not as strong and confident as grandma's. Perhaps it's unfair to compare a Midwestern sushi restaurant to grandma's cooking, but I felt if they're going to put kampyo on the menu, they should expect it. The salad was pretty good, and featured the fresh vegetable dressing served in real Japanese restaurants. The miso soup was about average. Another nice surprise was the una-ju (broiled eel served on rice). It was very tender, and not overcooked. I expected something that was precooked and frozen, but it tasted close to the kabayaki you might find in Tokyo. I was disappointed that I was too full from the futo(maki) to eat all the eel. I even liked the takuan, which is something I usually find too strongly pickled to eat. My husband's Thai food was also good. He ordered green curry, and it was pleasantly mildly spicy. The kick came gently, and took time to spread in your mouth. I was so surprised by this place that under the non-alcoholic influence of genmaicha (rice tea), I found myself telling our server enthusiastically, "This is real sushi!" (And that's often not the case.) I also kept asking the servers about how they got the takuan, etc. Unfortunately none of them seemed to know much about Japanese food, and didn't seem to recognize the terms I used. Oh well, as long as the folks who prepare the food have a clue. I'm giving this place four stars because they knew that you need to put kampyo in the futomaki, and they did a decent job.
(4)
Terry W.
Took family for dinner last night and had their pirate boat. It was excellent. Possibly the best sushi we've had in Minneapolis. Service was attentive. Good atmosphere. It was my third or fourth time eating here and frankly I didn't remember it being quite this good. My only suggestion would be to ditch the fried ice cream and stick with just plain good green tea ice cream.
(4)
Nate W.
My wife and I have been looking for a "go-to" sushi place in the area and we finally found it! Sushi: Great quality, very tasty. We sat at the bar and all the seafood behind the glass looked delicious. They have a great mix of standard rolls and specialty rolls. The nigiri was excellent. I had some big eye tuna that was yummy! It's also very decently priced. Ambiance: It has a bit of a crowded feeling to it, but I liked that about the place. It's not a quiet, romantic dinner spot...if that is what you're looking for. I liked the smaller, noisier aspect about it because it made the place feel more vibrant. It reminded me of a sushi place you could duck into in NYC or Chicago. I see it as a plus, not a minus. Service: We sat at the bar, so service wasn't a problem. Overall the service was really good. We were seated promptly (place was pretty full, but we had reservations) and I was never without some beer in front of me. We will definitely be back each and every time we have a hunger for some tasty sushi!
(4)
Gary S.
Family celebration. Sushi was great, dragon roll was tasty and just the right spice. Nigri was fresh and firm. Really enjoyed ourselves.
(4)
Rae Jo K.
I love good sushi and when it's close to home I love it even more. Bagu is GREAT...fresh menu items and lots of them as well as friendly waitstaff make this place a regular stop when I crave sushi. Favorite rolls: Number 9 and Three Wise Guys (I'm getting hungry just thinking about them!!) They also have the awesome standards: Dragon, Caterpillar and Spicy Tuna. You just can't go wrong! I always get salmon sashimi and theirs is consistently buttery and delicious. The prices are fair, the decor is attractive and seating is comfortable. Like I said, this has become a regular stop for me and I've never been disappointed.
(5)
Michael C.
I've been to Bagu a few times over the past couple years. While it isn't necessarily the most amazing sushi you will ever find, it is definitely pretty good and resides in a nice little commercial strip. A dish that sets Bagu apart from a number of other sushi restaurants is their excellent poke appetizer. We pretty much get this every time we come here. I've never had the Thai food here, but given how satisfied we have been with the sushi here, I probably never will.
(4)
Nichole M.
It's great that the restaurant is near my home and has great decor but they're just over-priced. Benihana has an all-you can eat (any) sushi deal during the week for about $30. I've spent more than that here on 2 rolls. But let's face it, sushi in Minneapolis is high. I don't understand it. The rolls that are appealing during happy hour are $9.50 (not making me happy). I know its sushi but the portions are small and other places give you more rolls in an order. I'm not sure I'll be visiting here after I use my Groupon.
(2)
Carolyn A.
Bagu has become a tried and true standby when I'm hungry for sushi. I've found it to be really consistent, reasonably priced for sushi and the menu is pretty extensive. My husband and I especially love the poke appetizer, as there aren't a ton of restaurants in the TC that have it. It's like a little raw tuna salad with a tangy/spicy oil dressing and topped with a quail egg. They also have an amazing happy hour (but I never seem to get myself there in time to enjoy it) that includes specials on rolls, nigiri, drinks and appetizers.
(4)
Mon P.
I know of this place for quite a while but never really been there because it's quite far from where I live and work. I was in the area last week so I thought Id give this place a try. The dining area is not that big but seems nice and cozy. They also have a pretty nice and open patio out back and that was where I sat last week. The server was very nice and attentive. I started with the angry salmon appetizer. It was a spicy cooked salmon wrapped with fresh salmon and drizzle with some sauce. Ive never had anything like this at any other Japanese places. It was nice, spicy, fresh and very flavorful. Then I ordered white tuna and scallop sashimi. Both came in big pieces and very fresh. Overall, everything was good and fresh. Id definitely come back if in the area.
(4)
Whitney F.
A little hidden gem of a twin cities sushi restaurant! After winning a gift certificate for Bagu from the last Msp St Paul Magazine restaurant week (the gift that keeps giving!) finally checked out Bagu last Friday night with the intentions of eating my bodyweight in delightful raw fish, saki, and anything that has the word softshell crab and deep fried in the description. The atmosphere was pretty on target with other reviews on here. I heard "garish lighting". It wasn't really a cozy atmosphere, and the lighting wasn't awful, but it will not be the reason I'll return. It kind of reminded me of a strip mall or atmosphere of a quick BYOB sushi place in Chicago, but not in a bad way (if that makes sense). If you're going for an intimate meal, go to origami,and skip bagu. But, the sushi was pretty great! And the neighborhood over by turtle bread and a few other cute shos, its a hit! Love having a reason to bop over to the nokomis neighborhood. For food, we ordered Edamame (a little too salty), Steamed Shrimp Dumplings. I could have eaten a plate of these for my meal and have been a happy lady!! We also ordered the French Kiss Roll and the Rainbow Roll. I'm not sushi buff, but pretty darn good and comparable to other restaurants around the city. Also had the fried Cheesecake swimming in a plate of rasberry compote. SO GOOD! And, to my delight (psych, free meal!) it was very reasonable! Without giftcard next time, I'll be back! And heard the HH is the time to go :)
(4)
Paola M.
I was there a while ago but still remember some of the food I had there, that ought to be a good sign! We went at the end of summer (or maybe was the beginning), doesn't matter the thing is we sat outside. And had our appetizers outside, I had some pretty good deep fried soft shell crab and then some very good salmon skin roll. After that I started whining that it was too cold outside. BF was a little annoyed by my whimpyness, but waiter didn't even raise an eyebrow and moved us inside where we sat at the sushi bar. The sushi chefs where really nice and helped us to figure out what to order. We got I think 3 or 4 rolls and my favorite was without a doubt the 3 wise guys. The other rolls were also OK, but the 3 wise guys had the right amount of fish and not that much sauces and vegetables. Just my kind of roll! One of the 2 or 3 best sushi places in town.
(4)
Connor G.
Not bad for a neighborhood sushi fix. I order the shumai, which were decent. Nothing ground breaking there. Seaweed salad was good. The sushi... Got nigiri of yellowtail, salmon and tuna. Not the freshest so in retrospect I would have gotten a roll with some other flavors to cover up. Finally, I liked the tom yum soup, although it has some really big semi cooked onions that can be unpleasant if that isn't your thing. All in all, it was decent.
(3)
Ross L.
So, I walk in at 9:30 on a Saturday, excited to get some sushi since I was really in the mood. There's a few people still eating, and even though I imagine I'd be done before they close, I was pondering getting takeout like my friends did about 10 minutes earlier. So as I walk in they greet me, tell me to sit wherever and immediately ask for my order. I read the menu for about 10 seconds mumbling about what I may be in the mood for and they go "oh wait, now that I think about it...we're closed." I give the server an inquisitive look. I mean, I was able to walk in, and just 10 seconds earlier he was about to take my order. I also look at the door where the hours are clearly displayed. I ask "wait, are you sure you're closed?" waiter says "yes sir we are, we closed a short bit ago, sorry." Now, at this point I'm already confused as to how I got this far into the process, but I can't help but wonder if the waiter realizes that the listed hours for that day are until 10:00pm, so I ask him just as a goof "what are you hours for today?" waiter: "they're on the door I guess" (as if I was the one that didn't bother to pay attention). In the end they just didn't know their own hours, closed over 30 minutes early, and then completely dicked a customer around because of it. Plenty of other good sushi places in town that actually run a proper business and can at least remember their own operating hours, at least enough to properly respect a customer rather than shrugging and giving a blank stare after you reach the impasse of "what would you like to eat? oh that's right, you can't eat because we're closed, how did you get in? what are you doing here? Go away, and also don't trust our hours." Incredibly insulting and annoying experience and no way I'd go back after being treated like that.
(1)
Amy R.
A nice little hidden neighborhood place. I say hidden because I drove by twice and didn't see it. The sushi rolls were fresh, tasty, but kind of average. I had the Shrimp Tempura and the Avocado along with my entree of the Shrimp Thai Noodles. Prices were reasonable, service was swift, but there was just something lacking for me to give it a 4. Restaurant is small, and tables are very close together.
(3)
Brad W.
The Massaman curry was absolutely terrible. The sauce was too sweet and the potatoes were overcooked the point of being mush. My first time trying their food and it's possible I would go back, but seriously do not order that dish. It was comically bad.
(1)
Rob G.
This place has potential but really needs to improve a few things. It's really cramped. Don't cram in so many seats. There's not much space to work with so it might be worth hiring a consultant to find a way to maximize space while not crowding tables together. Also the presentation was poor. The shrimp tempura dinner was good but it looked like something you'd be served at a dinner party, not a restaurant. This restaurant needs an ambiance makeover. The lighting is terrible and there was no background music other than some light music playing from the sushi bar. It sounded like it was playing through iPhone and was barely audible. The service was good and the menu is solid so there is a lot of potential. Hopefully Bagu will become a real restaurant soon.
(2)
Amy C.
I wasn't sure to give Bagu a try given the mixed bag of reviews but decided to stop in last night. To sum up my experience, I've had better sushi from Lund's. When we walked in, I was overwhelmed with the smell of fried food--and it wasn't appetizing. The decor was uninteresting and didn't feel inviting. We asked to sit outside to get away from the fried food smell and stuffiness inside. Walking out to the patio you have to walk past the restroom. The sink for both the Men's and Women's rooms was outside of the restrooms and the whole area looked sloppy and unclean. The patio was just a patio. There was a large table of people seated behind us and they were smoking. The servers were all very young. Everyone working there looked really young. We started off with a small order to see how fresh the fish was. We ordered one specialty roll and tuna and salmon maki. We didn't have much to choose from because most of the options were cooked or fried. Not authentic sushi at all. When our order finally came, it was not flavorful or fresh. Thankfully we didn't order any nigiri or sashimi. We paid our bill and went somewhere else to finish our meal. We will not be back.
(2)
Jennifer S.
Friday night, and they're offering $15 bottles of wine? Sounds great! The issue I had was that the wine glass brought to me had dried bits of someone else's food on the rim. *Sigh* I scraped it off with my fingernail. Wait staff really gotta learn to pay attention to things like that to make sure their customers don't get a wine glass with shit on it. It's a real turn off. Miso soup was satisfying, although nothing special. Edamame was enjoyable, as it is everywhere. Kind of hard to bung that up. Variety of "rolls". Salmon & cream cheese was nice, as was one that was covered with slices of avocado. But nothing knocked my socks down. Our server was nice. I noticed that each time the door opened, a cold draft rushed into the place.
(3)
sarah p.
Saw a glimpse into my future the other night... We had stopped in Bagu for an early dinner--hoping to score a table on the patio considering it was probably the last nice weather of 2008. Alas, it was booked. We were not alone in our thinking. So we popped a squat inside and within 5 minutes we were surrounded by families with little kids...babies and toddlers. I suddenly realized, omg, this is going to be me in a few months--eating with the Happy Hours goers or Seniors because kids need to go to bed EARLY. It all suddenly clicked. At the same time it was terrifying yet reassuring. Terrifying because it's so early (I like the more European timing of dinner) and Reassuring because I realized it totally is possible to go out to eat (and sushi, nonetheless) with the kids. I just will have a nice bottle of wine waiting for me for post-bed relaxation. But I digress... The sushi that day was disappointing...specifically the unagi. It was dry. Blah. We didn't even finish the roll. The apps were good as was the miso, but the eel...not good. Too bad, because it normally is.
(3)
Y B.
Delicious, what a wonderful surprise. The Fuji roll was very good and different.
(4)
Teresa D.
Their Thai Noodle is fabulous.. might be the best I've had in Minneapolis.
(4)
Kim T.
I just opened my business across the street from Bagu and have been enticed by the bright orange awning seeming to call my name from across the street. I finally went in for lunch with one of my sushi loving friends. The interior is simple, a little dark. The service was fine. The lunch specials are very reasonably priced. I ordered a salmon/avacado roll. I think the best thing about the sushi here is the rice. Perfect consistency. We also had edamame and gyoza which were both great. One problem was the loud eighties music that was playing. I asked if they could change the station, the server said it was a cd! So, we asked them to turn it down, and they did. So for now, an affordable sushi joint, without a lot of ambiance. I want to try again and sit outside on the back patio (I heard there was one) and try their Thai food.
(3)
Alison M.
I've had a hard time finding affordable sushi in Minneapolis and I am happy to say that Bagu ends my search. In my perfect world (and my previous life in San Diego, CA) sushi restaurants are very Goldilocks in nature--not tiny but not a spacious warehouse, a menu that is varied but not novel-length for easy picking, with imaginative choices but also old stand-bys, not scuzzy so you can dress up but not too swanky that you couldn't come straight from work, and with prices that are wallet-friendly. Goldilocks would have loved Bagu--it's the perfect place to meet up with a couple of girlfriends, have a glass of plum wine, and chat over edamame. The night I went, the server was extremely friendly and gracious, attentive and offered opinions when we asked him for new things to try. We ended up getting unagi rolls and being adventurous with a Futo roll that included gourd, sweet omelet, pickled radish, and shitake mushrooms. Simply delicious! Afterwards, we split 2 desserts on the recommendation of the server: a deep-fried cheesecake roll with raspberry sauce and sweet mango with sticky rice. The cheesecake roll was like bunuelos and although good, it didn't really fit with the meal. The sticky rice with fresh-slice mango on top was fresh and slightly sweet for a perfect end to a perfect evening.
(5)
Joshua B.
This is one of my favorite sushi places in town. I was introduced to Bagu by friends who have lived in NY and LA and this was their favorite and closest to the "good places" in both of those cities, according to them. They have some fantastic rolls (3 Wise Guys, Number Nine, etc.) and their Super White Tuna has been perfect every time I've ordered it. The inside can get cramped and loud, but the patio is always nice if the weather cooperates. I don't go as often as I like, but if given the chance, I'd go every time the opportunity presents itself.
(5)
Mitchell A.
Unexpected gem in Minneapolis! Modern, hip place with cool electronic music in the background. Oh - did I mention the sushi is very good. Inventive rolls, fresh sashi...what else can you ask for? Well, the tea could have been hotter, but everything else was yummy. We had the Four Seasons roll - just watching the chef prepare the roll was art in motion. He took great loving care to ensure that the masago was perfectly placed. Also had the Crunchy Spicy Tuna roll - very good. Yellow Tail, Salmon, Tuna, Albacore, Stripped Bass Sashimi was very fresh
(4)
Nicole P.
Great experience. Casual atmosphere and quick service. The sushi fairly priced and the quality is par with other good places in the cities. The thing that sets it apart is the quiet atmosphere, and no wait for seating. The soft shell crap appetizer was so-so, it is fried, and ours got a little burnt so it tasted like oil a bit. The Yellow tail roll with scallions was great!!! it was a simple small roll but had a nice clean flavor. The Number 9 roll has tempura shrimp with salmon and avocado on the outside. the tempura added a nice little crunch and sweetness, the salmon was melt in your mouth creaminess. We also had a spicy tuna roll which was great, it didn't have the spicy mayo stuff on it but it had chili's in with super fresh tuna. The plum wine was great, not too sweet but a nice flavor. Our waiter recommended we call and ask for a Chef Selection. He said that if we call ahead tell them how many people will be in our party and what we are willing to spend the Chef will select the best in season cuts for us. And at a request will mix rolls, sashimi, and nigiri. The neighborhood is cute and the place is closer than all the other good sushi down town.
(4)
Karen S.
I'm so glad to see Bagu succeeding! Since I'm not a huge sushi fan, I appreciate the non-sushi options at Bagu...like the Thai-inspired dishes, and the tempura. Now, I'm not saying you should come here for Thai food, but know sushi and non-sushi lovers alike should be able to find food to enjoy here! BF is a big sushi fan, and he always enjoys what he gets. The space is small, but well-used, and it never seems too crowded. If it is, take-out is an option. Happy Hour specials are pretty good, though we always manage to get there too late!
(4)
Nue L.
In all fairness, I have to give this a 2.5 rating. This was a first time dining experience, lured in by the Restaurant Week special of appetizer, roll, and dessert for $15. I'm new to the area and figured this was a good way of trying out sushi places without hurting the wallet--especially if you ended up hating it. Let's start out with what went well: the spicy tuna and RW special roll which was the Three Wise Guy--tuna, yellowtail, salmon and smelt roe topped with tempura flakes--YUM. Prices for happy hour were also great including 2 for 1 drinks (beer and wine), almost half off certain rolls, and $2 nigiri. Now here's the bad: horrible horrible service! There was only one server and she was not pleasant at all. We made reservations and they were at 5pm when they first opened, and they weren't busy at first before and maybe half an hour after we placed our order--no water refills at all, our order was not correct, and did I mention how unpleasant she was?! The space of the restaurant was also very cozy--I felt almost elbow to elbow with the party next to us. Didn't enjoy the other rolls ordered, smoked salmon skin and spicy salmon. The yellow tail and mackerel nigiri were awful! If your fish is that old, stank, and dry then please don't serve it. Overall the bad outweighs the good and we're just thankful we didn't break the bank on this outing.
(2)
Janelle M.
The sushi far exceeded our expectations. Cuts of fish were generous. Flavors, including the soups, were unique and delicious!
(5)
Joe B.
Really Good Sushi. Very good fried rice. Went with a Groupon but I'd go back any day and pay full fare. Service was good, place is small so maybe get a reservation.
(4)
Michelle V.
Decided to try out a new sushi spot. Overall, the sushi was good but seemed a little overpriced for the quality/size of rolls compared to Wakame. The server was very nice which was a big plus for the experience. Favorite rolls are the #9 roll and Three Wise Men. I will probably go back as I didn't get a chance to try the 'Angry Salmon' that is mentioned in a lot of reviews.
(3)
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Address :4741 Chicago Ave S
Minneapolis, MN, 55407
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Andy R.
If you live in the neighborhood then I'm sure this place is fine. But if you have any sort of drive, save the trip. Thai food was meh at best. Beer and sushi lists sucked. Did not try the sushi.
(2)Chris W.
Pro: The Happy Hour drink deals are the best! Great sushi variety Great atmosphere Great staff Con: The Edamame was over salted. Watch out for 2011 Thursday's all you can eat Sushi (excluding sushi-mi) for $39.99 a person. **Please note: Also you cannot take home any extra sushi you get from the happy hour.
(3)Erin R.
I used to LOVE Bagu. I live nearby and it was always reliably quiet, consistent and well-priced. Now, however, they've offered several Groupon-type deals and I think they're starting to get more business than they can handle. Last week, for example - my husband and I went in at 6 or so on Tuesday night. We were seated pretty quickly, but our server was clearly swamped. Having worked in the service industry, I was prepared to be understanding and patient. But she only stopped by our table once and wasn't very polite when she did. After sitting there for 20 minutes with nothing but water, we walked out. Bagu's food and prices (especially their happy hour) are great, but their service is quickly going downhill. We're sticking to takeout, if anything, from now on.
(3)Dmae A.
Service was beyond bad. Bought a $30 bottle of Red wine that was served hot. Like sitting next to the oven hot. Brought glasses of ice when we brought it to their attention. Plates were dirty and had to ask twice before were brought clean ones. Sushi was FANTASTIC, once it finally arrived. We watched 7 other tables who arrived after us eat their food & leave before we finally begged that we get ours too (to go with our hot wine). The amazing sushi didn't make up for the lack of service or common courtesy, so I will not go back.
(1)Georgia B.
We live in the neighborhood and count ourselves lucky to be able to get reasonably priced and fresh Nigiri so close to home. Limited but adequate wine choices, again at good prices. The house salad is crunchygoodwith veggies and a fetching ginger dressing. Specials on a white board worth noting. Small, can get noisy, but we have always been treated well. Outdoor space in the summer.
(4)Mike G.
Very small place with seating for about 75 total, including one large table in a semi-private room for what looked like space for 10 or 12. Sushi was excellent. Fabulous happy hour specials Mon-Wed til 6:30pm. I would absolutely go there again. I grabbed a to-go menu; in the 90 minutes we were there we must have seen 10 people grab a take out order....on a Wednesday night. Not really fit for young kids (both because its Sushi and it's an intimate setting), but I guess it depends on how "spirited" your kids are. There is NO place for them to "run around" and the setting is pretty intimate. Easy parking, great neighborhood location, certainly check it out.
(4)Jolene P.
Sushi was fine - service was bad, as in REALLY BAD! It took 10 minutes to be brought water after we were seated & we had to ask for it. The waitress forgot our salad, and didn't check on us. We were willing to spend some money and instead left as soon as we could. Unfortunately, we weren't the only table with this issue!
(1)Jennifer H.
Yay, our neighborhood sushi joint! Although calling it a "joint" doesn't do it the justice it deserves. The sushi is *really* good. Some of the rolls may have silly names, but don't let that deter you. I hear the patio is spectacular but when we tried to go it was full so we didn't even get to check it out. The interior decor is somehow warm and cold at the same time. How zen. We were there for happy hour and walked out full for a very reasonable price.
(4)jen b.
too $$ for what you get, but not a bad place, slightly small for my taste though
(2)Judy J.
The food was great. I had the Thai Noodles with shrimp and the shrimp were perfectly cooked. The portion size was generous, to the say the lest. Took 1/2 of it home. (of course, I ate all the shrimp there.) It isn't spicy, so if you're looking for spicy Thai Noodle, you may want to skip it. My husband ordered the chicken in a curry peanut sauce and really liked it. I tasted it and it was spicy for me, not overly spicy..but I'm a true Minnesota spicy. We did not try the sushi, I'm not a fish fan, and my husband got distracted by the chicken dish. We also got the vegetable tempura appetizer and, to be truthful, we were not impressed. Pretty bland and the dippy sauce added nothing. I'll try the gyoza next time.
(4)Katie S.
The sushi was good - one of the rolls was decent, the other two were very yummy. The service was...well, really bad. Having been a server myself, I consider myself very easy going when it comes to service. But it was just bad! We were one of two tables in the place, and we sat around waiting for every part of our meal... our drinks, to place our order, to ask a question, to get our bill, for her to come back and get our bill and even for her to return our bill. Ugh. From other reviews, it sounds like service was good, so I'm hoping it was just an off night. Regardless, I probably won't go back here.
(3)Rachel C.
My husband and I first visited during restaurant week about 4 years ago and it has been in our dinner out rotation every since. My favorite rolls are the three wise guys (best tempura coated roll in the Twin Cities), the caterpillar and the 4 seasons (4 different kinds of Roe!). Staff is friendly and we see the same people every time because it is such as small outfit. Main disadvantage is lack of liquor license (only wine and beer) but not really an option in this neighborhood I hear.
(5)Jessica K.
I can't say this place stands out very well in the sushi world overall. We had one amazing roll which was the number 9, but the rest were all meh...they werent bad, but they werent anything we would make the treck over, fight for parking, and worry about a wait (please note...very small restaurant). If you live in the area, then it may be worth while...but if not, i would say go somewhere else where your money can stretch further for more food.
(2)Katie S.
This is somewhat of a prelude to an anticipated review of Bagu. I have tried Bagu before, Summer 2012. The hidden back patio is a winning feature and perfect for happy hour or an early summer dinner. The drinks are good and the food is presented nicely. Unfortunately, I haven't been back to Bagu since Summer 2012....because Bagu closes up shop every evening at the time that a typical evening (for those under 70 years of age) begins. A lovely dinner and cocktails at 8, 8:30? Nope, not when the restaurant closes at 9 pm! Perhaps an option for those who like to make quick work of a date night and be tucked into bed by 10 pm but for the rest of us, things don't even really get going until an hour after this restaurant closes. Have I wanted to return to Bagu this winter - yes, but every weekend it's "oh, how about Bagu?" And then we realize it's 7:30. It'll take till 8:15 to get ready, 8:30 to get to there and till 8:45 to debate over a martini or wine and spring rolls vs. a seaweed salad. You can forget finishing that drink or even moving onto the entres. Show's over at 9 pm. I fully understand the investment vs. impact ratio that must be minded by smart business owners, and that operational costs climb the longer a service establishment stays open, but when there's a demand, supply! I hope to get to Bagu someday, maybe if I find myself jet lagged and ready for a night out at 5 o'clock central time.
(2)Ian W.
I have been going to Bagu for years now. It has become my favorite sushi place. I have tried other places and they are good but Bagu is better. They have the best maki around and their newer creations like the FOB roll exemplify this. Great atmosphere and great staff make this place a must visit if you love sushi.
(5)Twincities G.
3 Wise Guys. I really shouldn't have to say anything above or beyond that. It is my favorite sushi role in the Twin Cities area. I love that sushi role more than I love some members of my family. I would give this spot 5 stars, but the seating is limited when it gets busy, and the wine portions are pretty small. Pretty decent patio in the Summer also.
(4)A W.
Not great food. We ordered a spicy tuna role that was so spicy it wasn't edible. It was way overpriced for the quality of food. I won't go back.
(2)Hillary R.
went to this sushi place for happy hour, mostly cause it was sunny and they had a patio. sushi+wine+patio+the =genius. ok, we didnt have the sushi cause i couldnt eat rice on my lame diet, but we did have an excellent seaweed salad starter and the waiter (cute) let us have the two for one wine after the deal had officially ended. a couple times over. i love this 3 block on each side little area. i havent been into any of the other stores/restaurants/shops. but its cute
(4)Meghann F.
The sushi was pretty melt in your mouth delish here - I just got the lunch sashimi plate. Came with either Miso or a salad. I also tried a Thai Chicken Basil to go. Had a few bites just to give it a taste while hot. It was good, but they used fried chicken instead of just grilled and that threw me and threw the taste off for me. All the veggies were really nice and the flavor was good, but when i ate it later i removed most of the chicken.. Cute, small place and I definitely need to get in for the HH sometime!
(4)Sarah M.
What is this secret gem, only blocks from my house?! Ok, I've seen this place and seen their Groupons a million times, but hadn't ventured in until last week, when my sushi cravings were crazy strong. Let me start off with happy hour. It goes until 6:30, which totally works as an early dinner. I think its Sun-Thurs, or Mon-Thurs, I forget. 2 for 1 beer and wine, $3 draft Sapporo. A few of your classic rolls on happy hour, along with edamame, potstickers, etc. Nothing crazy special on the list, but all really GOOD. We got the potstickers and several rolls. The potstickers were pan fried and still pretty soft, but I really liked them. We also got a spicy tuna roll, which was honestly the best I've ever had. No joke. We also splurged and got one of their specialty rolls. I can't remember the name, but it was life changing-ly delicious. They have a little insert with the menu with random specials of the day, and they were close to happy hour prices, so I would totally recommend that. I saw they have some Thai dishes on the menu, which I would love to try next time. Again, as many have mentioned- check out the patio! We walked on a perfect summer day and no one was in the dinig area, which I thought was a bad omen. But, we went out to the back patio and there were maybe 10 tables, a water fountain, and tall enough fences you don't see the dumpsters. It was totally adorable. Oh, we also had some nigiri, which my husband loves and I...don't love. I don't what my feelings are towards nigiri at large. However, I ate a piece and it was great. It did not taste like fish (win!) and was easy to bite through, which is really all I ask. I know this may not be the most helpful feedback, but, its what I have. :-)
(4)Garry W.
Cool little neighborhood Thai restaurant with eclectic menu. The spinach appetizer was great - spicy and garlicky. I had the green curry and daughter had the ginger curry - both excellent, perhaps too heavy on the ginger. Would have given 5 stars but the server was clearly new and didn't know the menu at all - told us that Bonita was a green mint when we found out later that it is really a fish derivative. Oh well, we still enjoyed it.
(4)Troy M.
Great sushi!! I have been here 10-15 times and it's been great every time. Service is good. Beer and wine selection is lacking but the food makes up for it. Great neighborhood lunch or dinner spot. Order from Bite Squad as well.
(4)Matt D.
I was very pleased to find this gem in the neighborhood. Having a good restaurant close by is nice, having a good sushi bar nearby is priceless! Dining in can be a little hectic if they are busy, but the simple and tasteful decor makes the experience pleasant. Is the sushi the best in town? No, but it is quite good. Prices seem a little high, but I have yet to experience a bad piece of sushi. Although I have not experienced it, they have what I have heard is a very cool deck area in the back to enjoy your meal on when weather permits Overlooked takeout service can have you enjoying fresh sushi at home in no time. Couple of house rolls that I love are the Crab and Shrimp roll, and the French Kiss role. In the 48th and Chicago area that now includes everything from a couple of bars, a bakery and a great ice cream shop. No need to leave the area for the rest of your night!
(4)Jim C.
We went to Bagu for the first time last night. There's the good---and the potentially very bad. Good - sushi was quite good and fresh, wasn't too busy, wait staff was very friendly. My wife and I split the Pirate's Platter, which true to it's name came on a large ceramic pirate's ship (wasn't sure of the connection between Japanese cuisine and high sea treachery, but I must say that it does elevate the dining experience. Also, they had a special price on wine, so we had a bottle of decent Malbec for only $15--talk about pirate's plunder. The potentially bad - as our waiter called out the various nigiri occupying the main deck of the pirate's ship, he referred to one as "white tuna." This fish was REALLY good, almost buttery and a little oily. It was so good, we ordered a couple of extra pieces. When I said we'd like some more of the white tuna, he advised that its not really part of the tuna family--that the fish is actually called "escolar." After consuming the additional pieces, we searched the web on my wife's phone, intrigued at how this savory fish had eluded us all these years. There, much to our chagrin, we learned that "escolar" is more commonly known as "snake mackerel." What's even better is that this fish have a type of waxy ester (essentially fat) that about 30% of the population has trouble digesting. It's considered the animal kingdom's version of Olestra--which many will recall gave some people very unpleasant digestive side effects. At any rate, if eaten in large quantity, escolar can cause the same undergarment wrecking conditions. When we asked the waiter whether he knew about this, he said, "yes, but you have to have about 8 pieces before there might be cause for concern." He advised that he would have cut us off before then. While I appreciate his willingness to both serve and protect our GI tracts, we agreed that it would have been nice to know the potential side effects of what we were being served in advance. .
(4)Swee L.
The waitress was friendly but the service was very very very slow. I ordered the live scallop, it was 4 tiny slices of scallop and a bowl of soup, for $12. I also got the Uni, they made it as nigiri, such a waste. If you like salmon, you must get the angry salmon, it was salmon wrapped with salmon. haha!
(3)Dima M.
I think my hard work to find an awesome sushi place in the Twin Cities has finally paid off. OK, so technically, I didn't work hard to find this place, as it was suggested by someone. I would have never even thought to look for a sushi place on that side of town, but ended up here on a first date. I know what you're thinking: sushi isn't exactly a good first date food (think large pieces that you have to eat in one bite - NOT attractive). But truth be told, I can't say no to sushi, even it were guaranteed to be a last date. Whatever, guys come and go, but good sushi is forever. The place is small, and when I say small, I mean, maybe the size of my living room. We sat at the bar, the sushi bar that is, because I don't think they actually have a bar. Your drinks come from somewhere in the back. I love sitting at the bar, because then you can chat with the sushi chef, and get good recommendations. He will tell you what fish is good today and if you leave it up to him, he'll take good care of you. This was no different here. The sushi chef was fantastic, and when we asked him for recommendations on a few things, he didn't disappoint. May I also add that if you're going to a sushi place for a first date, the bar is a good place, because if you don't have anything to talk about, you can at least discuss the displayed fish, instead of staring at each other. Also, if you're facing each other, the other person will definitely see you unhinge your jaw to fit some of those pieces, and that may be slightly unattractive, or it may turn on some people. Either way, it's no good. Side-by-side at the bar is perfect. But I digress! We started with a salad, that I, the sushi lover have never had **GASP!!!** It was the spicy tako salad with cooked octopus and spicy dressing. OH MY GOD, I wanted to have 5 more servings of that salad. SO good. Then we got a crunchy spicy tuna roll, the best I have ever had, by far. We let the sushi chef then choose 4 different fish for nigiri, which all tasted very fresh. We also got uni, and it was the best uni I have ever had, very fresh melt-in-your-mouth good. I could've probably eaten 10 more of those uni pieces. And instead of dessert, we got tamago, a perfect ending to a delicious meal. Like I said, the place was small, but it was a week night, so it wasn't busy at all. The service was really good. The food was amazing. The company was not too bad. All in all, it was a 5-star experience. I'm definitely going back to this sushi place.
(5)Amy M.
I wanted to like Bagu. I really did. It's pretty. It's in the neighborhood. I wanted to be a good neighbor. But waiting 5 minutes to get menus, then waiting 20 minutes to get drinks, then waiting 30 minutes to get appetizers, then waiting 30 minutes to get sushi...well, that just sucked all the goodwill out of me. The sushi was good, but not any better than other sushi places in Minneapolis. It's just not worth the frustration.
(2)Sarah B.
Mmmmmmm, this place is yummy! Bagu is kind of hidden on Chicago Ave somehow, and even walking through the door I had no idea how busy it was going to be in there. Trying their sushi I can see why - we were a group of people so I got to try a bunch of different things and loved them all. Will definitely go back as soon as I can! *** After visiting Bagu a few times more, I can't believe I "only" gave it a 4 star rating before - I must have been crazy! I have yet to have a sushi experience that will beat this place; it may never happen! For an appetizer, make sure to try the bagel balls with salmon - SO good!
(5)Richard F.
My friend and I heard about the all you can eat sushi special a few weeks back and thought we would give it a try. VERY glad we did! To be honest we didn't have that high of hopes for an all you can eat special. Most of the all you can eat specials we've tried are usually "rice balls with a little fish", NOT the case here! We ordered the Crunchy Spicy Tuna (was EXCELLENT), Rainbow (was one of the best I've had in a while), Number 9 (very tasty), Three Wise Guys (also VERY good), Salmon Tempura (good) and the Philly (I don't like cream cheese, but my friend said it was good). The restaurant is a bit cramped, but very well kept. All the tables were full when we got there at about 6:30ish, so we waited for a bit. The service was good, a bit slow, but given the "fullness" of the place it was not an issue at all. I would HIGHLY recommend Bagu!
(4)C J.
What a surprise! Great little sushi place in my 'hood. I would give it 3.5 stars, but will give it 4 due to the value. 2-for-1 wines at their happy hour and discounted sushi rolls.
(4)Bobby H.
Favorite sushi place by far! Service has always been great and the food even better. One of my favorite happy hours anywhere.
(5)B G.
Fabulous happy hour, bad sushi (doesn't taste fresh), excellent Thai, and above average service. Three stars, I guess.
(3)Tara J.
I recently dined at Bagu for the frist time. The space is adorable, the service was great and the food was top-notch. I had miso soup, kappa rolls, vegetable tempura, edamame, and green tea. The food was perfectly prepared and the green tea was by far the best I have ever had. I would come back for the tea alone - it's flavor is earthy and nutty - the perfect drink for a cold MN winter evening.
(4)bamrung t.
Feel like this place love to make people happy 5 star for the very cool fresh sushi and service. will tell everybody how my great experience was.
(5)brad t.
Good selection of sushi and sashimi. Never have been let down by the quality of food. The service is pretty standard for the price point. Nice patio out back.
(5)Dan H.
Sushi in the HOOD!!! We went during a Sunday happy hour sometime ago and I was pretty content. I love sushi, however I don't have much to go on as far as what bomb fresh sushi tastes like. I live in the Up-Midwest and not an yellow fin tuna to be found in these 10K lakes. Ah well. Bagu was adequate in my book. And anytime I hear a place is going to adopt an "all you can eat" credo even more the bonus. Again, this may be my sushi ignorance but you don't seem to get a whole lot of bang for your buck at most sushi places. I felt Bagu was pretty reasonable. They have what some have called "the greatest patio in the world!!" but I haven't been allowed out there yet. Maybe soon? If so I'll update my review soon after I have been chosen.
(4)Angie H.
The hubby and I had a real sushi jones and wanted to go somewhere that we hadn't been before. My friend Nick suggested Bagu so we thought we would check it out. Apparently there is a patio out back but it looked like it might rain so we opted to stay inside. The interior is small and really funky and modern. We ordered some saki and beer and a few starters. They had a couple rolls on special and they were very good along with everything else we ordered, but the highlight was the mackerel. It came last and it was beautiful and yummy. They actually had a fried mackerel as a garnish and while we were admiring him the sushi chef said "Eat the bones! Just don't eat the eyeballs." We dug into that little guy and it was like the best fish potato chip ever! Who knew? I kept meaning to check out the patio in back but forgot. We ran over to Levain for dessert and a glass of wine to top off the perfect evening I look forward to getting back to Bagu while it's still nice enough to sit on the patio.
(5)Elizabeth R.
I'm trying to get away from my old sushi standby restaurant and try new places. It's really hard because I can get delivery to my place from the usual sushi joint, but I'm trying! Bagu did not disappoint, thankfully. A friend and I decided to go here before he heads to Japan and his sushi innocence will be lost forever like mine is, and it was a pretty good pick. (Aside: I won't complain about how it's not as good as Japan, because that complaint makes zero sense. You're in the Midwest and they have to ship the fish in. Deal with it or move, jeez.) It's your typical small restaurant space in South Minneapolis, but there was enough room between tables that it wasn't completely distracting. The server was very nice, but very harried. She forgot to bring us our drink order, but made up for it by offering free dessert. I had the edamame and spicy tuna rolls, which were both good. Nothing earth shattering or exceptional, but some solid deliciousness. The cheesecake roll for dessert is literally just deep-fried cheesecake with raspberry sauce, and the actual cheesecake seemed pretty robust and flavorful. I think the dessert was my favorite, but it's hard to go wrong with cheesecake. I'd definitely go back.
(4)Andrea R.
I was so impressed by the 'angry salmon' that this dish deserves 5 starts by itself. If you come here and don't try this dish you'll be missing out big time. I also had a seaweed salad, with regrets because I can find it cheaper elsewhere and because the taste was average. My third choice was the FOB roll. It was really good, excellent actually, better shrimp tempura than Origami's. It is very very spicy though. The location is fun, the place is small, but they do have a sitting bar and a television. I'll have to come back to try their Thai food, and of course to have another one of the 'angry salmon'.
(4)Luis C.
French kiss roll was amazing!!! Service was kinda slow but the food was really good! Definitely I will come back, more table will be better
(5)Winston R.
Above average sushi but sticky tables and menus! Needs to be cleaned more! Cream cheese wontons weren't the best, sort of like eating kettle chips. Cleanliness was the main factor for only 3-stars.
(3)Jennifer K.
can you ever really go wrong with Sushi? well yes, but not here. They have a great menu of both sushi and other Asian food which is great for a group of people who love different types of food. I have the #9 role which was wonderful and their cream cheese puffs were great. It is a pretty small place but the service was wonderful
(4)Adam T.
Fantastic, flavorful, spicy Pad Thai. Very generous portion, good value, and friendly/prompt service. The one complaint is that our table was sticky. I look forward to returning soon.
(4)Mariel L.
Meh, I suppose it's hard to review a sushi restaurant just by trying their non-specialty sushi rolls, but either way they should do a good job on all their offerings, and the salmon/avocado roll was just so-so. Even my friend commented that her spicy tuna hand roll was average, and for $6, you'd expect there to be a little bit more of it. Overall it just felt like another dime-a-dozen sushi place to me. The sink outside their restroom was pretty cool though...not that it matters.
(2)Rafi S.
Saw reviews decided to try bsgu (sushi). Maybe we went an hr. Begore closing so the server was not too enthusiastic. Aside from a pesky fly food was good wasabi was great. Specials were not mentioned perhaps we were to read it ourselves. To be fair the server did point us to the additional sushi on the menu for which we were thankful. So food = good .
(3)Anne M.
Walking in, the aromas reminded me of my childhood and visiting my Japanese grandparents - and the atmosphere was just as warm and inviting. The salmon nigiri was very fresh, for $2 it was a steal! I ordered the shrimp tempura udon, and opted for the miso over the salad. With free wi-fi and free parking, I'll be sure to stop by again whenever I'm in the area for lunch.
(4)John O.
First and foremost, this place is tiny. If it were good, I would hate it if they became popular. Secondly, they have false and misleading advertising. Their website says happy hour Sunday through Thursday. Got there and was told that happy hour is only Sunday through Wednesday despite pointing out their website. I now, just checked, see that their website is under construction. Ordered four rolls with two other friends. One was pretty good. The rest were mediocre at best. Thirdly...umm...I forgot..sorry...oops.
(2)Court N.
My husband and I went here shortly after we moved into the neighborhood. We are both sushi fans so we were excited we would have a place so close. We went on a Friday night and had the $15 bottle of wine special (not the most amazing wine list, but we really liked the Tilia Torrontes). The gyoza appetizer was pretty good and the sushi was great. We were both surprised at the great flavors and the freshness of the fish. We ate (and would eat again!) the spicy salmon, catapilla, three wise guys, and spicy crunchy tuna. We will definitely be back and we are thrilled to have this little gem in our neighborhood!
(4)Cristinita P.
Easily, the best sushi place in town!!! Sushi is very fresh, creative and traditional rolls are abundant. The atmosphere is hip, but unassuming. Also, I feel the sushi here is both better and cheaper than Ichiban, Fuji-Ya, Origami, etc. Maybe it's because of the neighborhood-y location? For apps, I recommend agedashi tofu and miso soup. Visit during happy hour if you can, as great deals are to be had! The back patio is fabulous as well. Added bonus about Bagu's location? You can head across the street to Pumphouse Creamery afterward to whet your palate... or, if the night is still young, walk half-a-block south to Town Hall for some brewskis.
(5)Grant G.
Small location with fantastic food. The all you can eat feast is fun and the staff are helpful with recommendations and accommodations. I will go back again and again. This place is a favorite.
(5)Stephanie O.
Sushi has been at the top of my "favorite food" list since I was a kid, but used to be a food reserved for my yearly birthday dinner or a sub-par grocery store convenience meal. Now that I'm an adult, I give into my cravings way more often - which means finding ways to enjoy my sushi while still not overdrafting my bank account. Last week during happy hour, Bagu in South Minneapolis fulfilled my desire for affordable sushi without sacrificing quality/taste, thus living up to their Best Sushi Minneapolis 2014 award from the Citypages. The restaurant is small, but was not overly-packed on the early Monday evening when we visited. We were seated comfortably right away and took in the modern, chic decor. Service was great and well-paced, and while their happy hour includes 2-4-1 beer and wine, the drinks are brought out one at a time so you don't wind up with a warm second beer. In addition to drink specials, there are also discounts on select nigiri, maki (rolls), and appetizers. My date and I split a seaweed salad (the seaweed part was excellent but the chunks of cucumber lacked flavor and created an inconsistent texture...not bad, but the cucumber could be altogether skipped from this dish), a spicy salmon roll (fat chunks of fish with a light but lingering heat made for a pleasant experience here), a spider roll (soft shell crab, roe, asparagus, avocado...basically, the best thing you will ever put in your mouth), and (taking a cue from the Citypages article) a crunchy shrimp tempura roll. All were tasty, but the spider roll was by far the best. Despite the rave review, we found the crunchy shrimp to be just OK considering the fact that for only a few dollars more you can upgrade to the spider and enjoy meaty, rich bites of crab. Crab that may inspire dreams. Crab that may induce mouth-watering fits just at the mere thought of it. We also tried a good Japanese microbrew - not covered by the happy hour discount, but still tasty. We passed on dessert, but they do offer that as well as a decently sized menu of non-sushi options (Thai-influenced meals, from what I could tell). I was so stuffed after splitting sushi that the thought of ordering anything else sounded like pure gluttony, but we will absolutely be returning customers so we can branch out a bit next time!
(4)Fatso J.
Under staffed, poor cocktails and at best, mediocre sushi. Oh, and overpriced.A restaurant may be able to get away with prices like this if the atmosphere is incredible and the service was great, unfortunately it failed in both areas. Waste of time and money.
(2)Kyle D.
Well..I never actually got to eat here. The service was unbelievable. ..but not the good way. I arrived at 6:32 and joined a group of 10 friends. I asked about happy hour which ended at 6:30. The waitress very militantly replied that happy hour was over. Very negative, very rude. When she came back I told her maybe I would order in A little awhile. She never once came back to me or made eye contact again. I was starving! I did not try to get her attention because by the way I was treated. ..I just really could not stomach paying money to be treated so rudely....well it did not matter I no longer existed in her world. My group reported similar rude, tones and treatment. I guess her name was Mink.
(1)Patti K.
I was really, pleasantly, surprised. Most of the time US Thai/sushi restaurants are Thai restaurants that bung in sushi as an afterthought. I scanned the menu, seeing the usual suspects: miso soup, seaweed salad, California roll, caterpillar roll, and then...kampyo roll? It was like unexpectedly bumping into a relative when you're on vacation at Mount Rushmore. And then futo(maki), which also included kampyo (dried gourd cooked in soy sauce and sugar). Hold on, the folks who put this menu together actually know something about Japanese food! I was floored, because these days even in LA a restaurant that serves sushi might not know anything about Japanese food. And so, against my better judgment, I decided to throw them the grandma challenge. Would the futo(maki) measure up to grandma's secret recipe? My verdict: not quite. But, it was definitely competent. The kampyo and shiitake mushroom tasted as they should. The cucumber was crunchy and fresh, and the takuan (pickled daikon radish) didn't detract from the other flavors. The spinach was Korean style with sesame oil, but that was a welcome twist. The roll was not executed perfectly, but it was solid. The biggest shortcoming was the rice. It had vinegar, but not as strong and confident as grandma's. Perhaps it's unfair to compare a Midwestern sushi restaurant to grandma's cooking, but I felt if they're going to put kampyo on the menu, they should expect it. The salad was pretty good, and featured the fresh vegetable dressing served in real Japanese restaurants. The miso soup was about average. Another nice surprise was the una-ju (broiled eel served on rice). It was very tender, and not overcooked. I expected something that was precooked and frozen, but it tasted close to the kabayaki you might find in Tokyo. I was disappointed that I was too full from the futo(maki) to eat all the eel. I even liked the takuan, which is something I usually find too strongly pickled to eat. My husband's Thai food was also good. He ordered green curry, and it was pleasantly mildly spicy. The kick came gently, and took time to spread in your mouth. I was so surprised by this place that under the non-alcoholic influence of genmaicha (rice tea), I found myself telling our server enthusiastically, "This is real sushi!" (And that's often not the case.) I also kept asking the servers about how they got the takuan, etc. Unfortunately none of them seemed to know much about Japanese food, and didn't seem to recognize the terms I used. Oh well, as long as the folks who prepare the food have a clue. I'm giving this place four stars because they knew that you need to put kampyo in the futomaki, and they did a decent job.
(4)Terry W.
Took family for dinner last night and had their pirate boat. It was excellent. Possibly the best sushi we've had in Minneapolis. Service was attentive. Good atmosphere. It was my third or fourth time eating here and frankly I didn't remember it being quite this good. My only suggestion would be to ditch the fried ice cream and stick with just plain good green tea ice cream.
(4)Nate W.
My wife and I have been looking for a "go-to" sushi place in the area and we finally found it! Sushi: Great quality, very tasty. We sat at the bar and all the seafood behind the glass looked delicious. They have a great mix of standard rolls and specialty rolls. The nigiri was excellent. I had some big eye tuna that was yummy! It's also very decently priced. Ambiance: It has a bit of a crowded feeling to it, but I liked that about the place. It's not a quiet, romantic dinner spot...if that is what you're looking for. I liked the smaller, noisier aspect about it because it made the place feel more vibrant. It reminded me of a sushi place you could duck into in NYC or Chicago. I see it as a plus, not a minus. Service: We sat at the bar, so service wasn't a problem. Overall the service was really good. We were seated promptly (place was pretty full, but we had reservations) and I was never without some beer in front of me. We will definitely be back each and every time we have a hunger for some tasty sushi!
(4)Gary S.
Family celebration. Sushi was great, dragon roll was tasty and just the right spice. Nigri was fresh and firm. Really enjoyed ourselves.
(4)Rae Jo K.
I love good sushi and when it's close to home I love it even more. Bagu is GREAT...fresh menu items and lots of them as well as friendly waitstaff make this place a regular stop when I crave sushi. Favorite rolls: Number 9 and Three Wise Guys (I'm getting hungry just thinking about them!!) They also have the awesome standards: Dragon, Caterpillar and Spicy Tuna. You just can't go wrong! I always get salmon sashimi and theirs is consistently buttery and delicious. The prices are fair, the decor is attractive and seating is comfortable. Like I said, this has become a regular stop for me and I've never been disappointed.
(5)Michael C.
I've been to Bagu a few times over the past couple years. While it isn't necessarily the most amazing sushi you will ever find, it is definitely pretty good and resides in a nice little commercial strip. A dish that sets Bagu apart from a number of other sushi restaurants is their excellent poke appetizer. We pretty much get this every time we come here. I've never had the Thai food here, but given how satisfied we have been with the sushi here, I probably never will.
(4)Nichole M.
It's great that the restaurant is near my home and has great decor but they're just over-priced. Benihana has an all-you can eat (any) sushi deal during the week for about $30. I've spent more than that here on 2 rolls. But let's face it, sushi in Minneapolis is high. I don't understand it. The rolls that are appealing during happy hour are $9.50 (not making me happy). I know its sushi but the portions are small and other places give you more rolls in an order. I'm not sure I'll be visiting here after I use my Groupon.
(2)Carolyn A.
Bagu has become a tried and true standby when I'm hungry for sushi. I've found it to be really consistent, reasonably priced for sushi and the menu is pretty extensive. My husband and I especially love the poke appetizer, as there aren't a ton of restaurants in the TC that have it. It's like a little raw tuna salad with a tangy/spicy oil dressing and topped with a quail egg. They also have an amazing happy hour (but I never seem to get myself there in time to enjoy it) that includes specials on rolls, nigiri, drinks and appetizers.
(4)Mon P.
I know of this place for quite a while but never really been there because it's quite far from where I live and work. I was in the area last week so I thought Id give this place a try. The dining area is not that big but seems nice and cozy. They also have a pretty nice and open patio out back and that was where I sat last week. The server was very nice and attentive. I started with the angry salmon appetizer. It was a spicy cooked salmon wrapped with fresh salmon and drizzle with some sauce. Ive never had anything like this at any other Japanese places. It was nice, spicy, fresh and very flavorful. Then I ordered white tuna and scallop sashimi. Both came in big pieces and very fresh. Overall, everything was good and fresh. Id definitely come back if in the area.
(4)Whitney F.
A little hidden gem of a twin cities sushi restaurant! After winning a gift certificate for Bagu from the last Msp St Paul Magazine restaurant week (the gift that keeps giving!) finally checked out Bagu last Friday night with the intentions of eating my bodyweight in delightful raw fish, saki, and anything that has the word softshell crab and deep fried in the description. The atmosphere was pretty on target with other reviews on here. I heard "garish lighting". It wasn't really a cozy atmosphere, and the lighting wasn't awful, but it will not be the reason I'll return. It kind of reminded me of a strip mall or atmosphere of a quick BYOB sushi place in Chicago, but not in a bad way (if that makes sense). If you're going for an intimate meal, go to origami,and skip bagu. But, the sushi was pretty great! And the neighborhood over by turtle bread and a few other cute shos, its a hit! Love having a reason to bop over to the nokomis neighborhood. For food, we ordered Edamame (a little too salty), Steamed Shrimp Dumplings. I could have eaten a plate of these for my meal and have been a happy lady!! We also ordered the French Kiss Roll and the Rainbow Roll. I'm not sushi buff, but pretty darn good and comparable to other restaurants around the city. Also had the fried Cheesecake swimming in a plate of rasberry compote. SO GOOD! And, to my delight (psych, free meal!) it was very reasonable! Without giftcard next time, I'll be back! And heard the HH is the time to go :)
(4)Paola M.
I was there a while ago but still remember some of the food I had there, that ought to be a good sign! We went at the end of summer (or maybe was the beginning), doesn't matter the thing is we sat outside. And had our appetizers outside, I had some pretty good deep fried soft shell crab and then some very good salmon skin roll. After that I started whining that it was too cold outside. BF was a little annoyed by my whimpyness, but waiter didn't even raise an eyebrow and moved us inside where we sat at the sushi bar. The sushi chefs where really nice and helped us to figure out what to order. We got I think 3 or 4 rolls and my favorite was without a doubt the 3 wise guys. The other rolls were also OK, but the 3 wise guys had the right amount of fish and not that much sauces and vegetables. Just my kind of roll! One of the 2 or 3 best sushi places in town.
(4)Connor G.
Not bad for a neighborhood sushi fix. I order the shumai, which were decent. Nothing ground breaking there. Seaweed salad was good. The sushi... Got nigiri of yellowtail, salmon and tuna. Not the freshest so in retrospect I would have gotten a roll with some other flavors to cover up. Finally, I liked the tom yum soup, although it has some really big semi cooked onions that can be unpleasant if that isn't your thing. All in all, it was decent.
(3)Ross L.
So, I walk in at 9:30 on a Saturday, excited to get some sushi since I was really in the mood. There's a few people still eating, and even though I imagine I'd be done before they close, I was pondering getting takeout like my friends did about 10 minutes earlier. So as I walk in they greet me, tell me to sit wherever and immediately ask for my order. I read the menu for about 10 seconds mumbling about what I may be in the mood for and they go "oh wait, now that I think about it...we're closed." I give the server an inquisitive look. I mean, I was able to walk in, and just 10 seconds earlier he was about to take my order. I also look at the door where the hours are clearly displayed. I ask "wait, are you sure you're closed?" waiter says "yes sir we are, we closed a short bit ago, sorry." Now, at this point I'm already confused as to how I got this far into the process, but I can't help but wonder if the waiter realizes that the listed hours for that day are until 10:00pm, so I ask him just as a goof "what are you hours for today?" waiter: "they're on the door I guess" (as if I was the one that didn't bother to pay attention). In the end they just didn't know their own hours, closed over 30 minutes early, and then completely dicked a customer around because of it. Plenty of other good sushi places in town that actually run a proper business and can at least remember their own operating hours, at least enough to properly respect a customer rather than shrugging and giving a blank stare after you reach the impasse of "what would you like to eat? oh that's right, you can't eat because we're closed, how did you get in? what are you doing here? Go away, and also don't trust our hours." Incredibly insulting and annoying experience and no way I'd go back after being treated like that.
(1)Amy R.
A nice little hidden neighborhood place. I say hidden because I drove by twice and didn't see it. The sushi rolls were fresh, tasty, but kind of average. I had the Shrimp Tempura and the Avocado along with my entree of the Shrimp Thai Noodles. Prices were reasonable, service was swift, but there was just something lacking for me to give it a 4. Restaurant is small, and tables are very close together.
(3)Brad W.
The Massaman curry was absolutely terrible. The sauce was too sweet and the potatoes were overcooked the point of being mush. My first time trying their food and it's possible I would go back, but seriously do not order that dish. It was comically bad.
(1)Rob G.
This place has potential but really needs to improve a few things. It's really cramped. Don't cram in so many seats. There's not much space to work with so it might be worth hiring a consultant to find a way to maximize space while not crowding tables together. Also the presentation was poor. The shrimp tempura dinner was good but it looked like something you'd be served at a dinner party, not a restaurant. This restaurant needs an ambiance makeover. The lighting is terrible and there was no background music other than some light music playing from the sushi bar. It sounded like it was playing through iPhone and was barely audible. The service was good and the menu is solid so there is a lot of potential. Hopefully Bagu will become a real restaurant soon.
(2)Amy C.
I wasn't sure to give Bagu a try given the mixed bag of reviews but decided to stop in last night. To sum up my experience, I've had better sushi from Lund's. When we walked in, I was overwhelmed with the smell of fried food--and it wasn't appetizing. The decor was uninteresting and didn't feel inviting. We asked to sit outside to get away from the fried food smell and stuffiness inside. Walking out to the patio you have to walk past the restroom. The sink for both the Men's and Women's rooms was outside of the restrooms and the whole area looked sloppy and unclean. The patio was just a patio. There was a large table of people seated behind us and they were smoking. The servers were all very young. Everyone working there looked really young. We started off with a small order to see how fresh the fish was. We ordered one specialty roll and tuna and salmon maki. We didn't have much to choose from because most of the options were cooked or fried. Not authentic sushi at all. When our order finally came, it was not flavorful or fresh. Thankfully we didn't order any nigiri or sashimi. We paid our bill and went somewhere else to finish our meal. We will not be back.
(2)Jennifer S.
Friday night, and they're offering $15 bottles of wine? Sounds great! The issue I had was that the wine glass brought to me had dried bits of someone else's food on the rim. *Sigh* I scraped it off with my fingernail. Wait staff really gotta learn to pay attention to things like that to make sure their customers don't get a wine glass with shit on it. It's a real turn off. Miso soup was satisfying, although nothing special. Edamame was enjoyable, as it is everywhere. Kind of hard to bung that up. Variety of "rolls". Salmon & cream cheese was nice, as was one that was covered with slices of avocado. But nothing knocked my socks down. Our server was nice. I noticed that each time the door opened, a cold draft rushed into the place.
(3)sarah p.
Saw a glimpse into my future the other night... We had stopped in Bagu for an early dinner--hoping to score a table on the patio considering it was probably the last nice weather of 2008. Alas, it was booked. We were not alone in our thinking. So we popped a squat inside and within 5 minutes we were surrounded by families with little kids...babies and toddlers. I suddenly realized, omg, this is going to be me in a few months--eating with the Happy Hours goers or Seniors because kids need to go to bed EARLY. It all suddenly clicked. At the same time it was terrifying yet reassuring. Terrifying because it's so early (I like the more European timing of dinner) and Reassuring because I realized it totally is possible to go out to eat (and sushi, nonetheless) with the kids. I just will have a nice bottle of wine waiting for me for post-bed relaxation. But I digress... The sushi that day was disappointing...specifically the unagi. It was dry. Blah. We didn't even finish the roll. The apps were good as was the miso, but the eel...not good. Too bad, because it normally is.
(3)Y B.
Delicious, what a wonderful surprise. The Fuji roll was very good and different.
(4)Teresa D.
Their Thai Noodle is fabulous.. might be the best I've had in Minneapolis.
(4)Kim T.
I just opened my business across the street from Bagu and have been enticed by the bright orange awning seeming to call my name from across the street. I finally went in for lunch with one of my sushi loving friends. The interior is simple, a little dark. The service was fine. The lunch specials are very reasonably priced. I ordered a salmon/avacado roll. I think the best thing about the sushi here is the rice. Perfect consistency. We also had edamame and gyoza which were both great. One problem was the loud eighties music that was playing. I asked if they could change the station, the server said it was a cd! So, we asked them to turn it down, and they did. So for now, an affordable sushi joint, without a lot of ambiance. I want to try again and sit outside on the back patio (I heard there was one) and try their Thai food.
(3)Alison M.
I've had a hard time finding affordable sushi in Minneapolis and I am happy to say that Bagu ends my search. In my perfect world (and my previous life in San Diego, CA) sushi restaurants are very Goldilocks in nature--not tiny but not a spacious warehouse, a menu that is varied but not novel-length for easy picking, with imaginative choices but also old stand-bys, not scuzzy so you can dress up but not too swanky that you couldn't come straight from work, and with prices that are wallet-friendly. Goldilocks would have loved Bagu--it's the perfect place to meet up with a couple of girlfriends, have a glass of plum wine, and chat over edamame. The night I went, the server was extremely friendly and gracious, attentive and offered opinions when we asked him for new things to try. We ended up getting unagi rolls and being adventurous with a Futo roll that included gourd, sweet omelet, pickled radish, and shitake mushrooms. Simply delicious! Afterwards, we split 2 desserts on the recommendation of the server: a deep-fried cheesecake roll with raspberry sauce and sweet mango with sticky rice. The cheesecake roll was like bunuelos and although good, it didn't really fit with the meal. The sticky rice with fresh-slice mango on top was fresh and slightly sweet for a perfect end to a perfect evening.
(5)Joshua B.
This is one of my favorite sushi places in town. I was introduced to Bagu by friends who have lived in NY and LA and this was their favorite and closest to the "good places" in both of those cities, according to them. They have some fantastic rolls (3 Wise Guys, Number Nine, etc.) and their Super White Tuna has been perfect every time I've ordered it. The inside can get cramped and loud, but the patio is always nice if the weather cooperates. I don't go as often as I like, but if given the chance, I'd go every time the opportunity presents itself.
(5)Mitchell A.
Unexpected gem in Minneapolis! Modern, hip place with cool electronic music in the background. Oh - did I mention the sushi is very good. Inventive rolls, fresh sashi...what else can you ask for? Well, the tea could have been hotter, but everything else was yummy. We had the Four Seasons roll - just watching the chef prepare the roll was art in motion. He took great loving care to ensure that the masago was perfectly placed. Also had the Crunchy Spicy Tuna roll - very good. Yellow Tail, Salmon, Tuna, Albacore, Stripped Bass Sashimi was very fresh
(4)Nicole P.
Great experience. Casual atmosphere and quick service. The sushi fairly priced and the quality is par with other good places in the cities. The thing that sets it apart is the quiet atmosphere, and no wait for seating. The soft shell crap appetizer was so-so, it is fried, and ours got a little burnt so it tasted like oil a bit. The Yellow tail roll with scallions was great!!! it was a simple small roll but had a nice clean flavor. The Number 9 roll has tempura shrimp with salmon and avocado on the outside. the tempura added a nice little crunch and sweetness, the salmon was melt in your mouth creaminess. We also had a spicy tuna roll which was great, it didn't have the spicy mayo stuff on it but it had chili's in with super fresh tuna. The plum wine was great, not too sweet but a nice flavor. Our waiter recommended we call and ask for a Chef Selection. He said that if we call ahead tell them how many people will be in our party and what we are willing to spend the Chef will select the best in season cuts for us. And at a request will mix rolls, sashimi, and nigiri. The neighborhood is cute and the place is closer than all the other good sushi down town.
(4)Karen S.
I'm so glad to see Bagu succeeding! Since I'm not a huge sushi fan, I appreciate the non-sushi options at Bagu...like the Thai-inspired dishes, and the tempura. Now, I'm not saying you should come here for Thai food, but know sushi and non-sushi lovers alike should be able to find food to enjoy here! BF is a big sushi fan, and he always enjoys what he gets. The space is small, but well-used, and it never seems too crowded. If it is, take-out is an option. Happy Hour specials are pretty good, though we always manage to get there too late!
(4)Nue L.
In all fairness, I have to give this a 2.5 rating. This was a first time dining experience, lured in by the Restaurant Week special of appetizer, roll, and dessert for $15. I'm new to the area and figured this was a good way of trying out sushi places without hurting the wallet--especially if you ended up hating it. Let's start out with what went well: the spicy tuna and RW special roll which was the Three Wise Guy--tuna, yellowtail, salmon and smelt roe topped with tempura flakes--YUM. Prices for happy hour were also great including 2 for 1 drinks (beer and wine), almost half off certain rolls, and $2 nigiri. Now here's the bad: horrible horrible service! There was only one server and she was not pleasant at all. We made reservations and they were at 5pm when they first opened, and they weren't busy at first before and maybe half an hour after we placed our order--no water refills at all, our order was not correct, and did I mention how unpleasant she was?! The space of the restaurant was also very cozy--I felt almost elbow to elbow with the party next to us. Didn't enjoy the other rolls ordered, smoked salmon skin and spicy salmon. The yellow tail and mackerel nigiri were awful! If your fish is that old, stank, and dry then please don't serve it. Overall the bad outweighs the good and we're just thankful we didn't break the bank on this outing.
(2)Janelle M.
The sushi far exceeded our expectations. Cuts of fish were generous. Flavors, including the soups, were unique and delicious!
(5)Joe B.
Really Good Sushi. Very good fried rice. Went with a Groupon but I'd go back any day and pay full fare. Service was good, place is small so maybe get a reservation.
(4)Michelle V.
Decided to try out a new sushi spot. Overall, the sushi was good but seemed a little overpriced for the quality/size of rolls compared to Wakame. The server was very nice which was a big plus for the experience. Favorite rolls are the #9 roll and Three Wise Men. I will probably go back as I didn't get a chance to try the 'Angry Salmon' that is mentioned in a lot of reviews.
(3)