Best conveyor belt sushi I've ever had! Seems to be a very popular and busy place! Many many choices! Lots of variety! :) Not the most appealing atmosphere--a bit of a dark, dingy, grimy, feel. But the sushi was fantastic! Friendly sushi chefs who def knew their sushi well and even tried to individualize our order by asking about the details of what we prefer ;) I ate wayyy too much: that's the sign of delicious conveyor belt sushi :p
(5)
Mary B.
if you are looking for fresh, quick, and delicious sushi you have come to the right place! the owner, Kao, and all of the staff are super friendly and love to please! if you don't see a type of sushi you want on the train just use the handy-dandy order form and get whatever you want on some rice! for the gluten-free population they have Bragg's to use instead of soy sauce. they will also try to change rolls to fit your needs i.e. i get the soft-shell crab roll sans batter.
(5)
Darryl M.
I can't in good conscience give a place that merely has "pretty good" sashimi a perfect rating, but if it were simply an issue of service, I give Ichiban a perfect score. Sure, it's a sushi-go-round place, meaning you might not always get the freshest of fresh food--who cares? The sashimi's always good enough, the cooked fish is stellar, and the rolls are quick, uncomplicated, and damn tasty. I'm partial to all things involving their tempura-fried red snapper (the Tiger Roll rocks my socks) and their "Caboose," which is a vegan roll with cooked sweet potato and fresh basil (yum!) Add on to the fact that the PA's always playing something interesting--anything from blues, jazz, classical, punk, metal, you name it--and the fantastic wait staff (they may seem gruff at first, but think about where the place is located you'll understand why), and you get a perfect Portland dining experience. Oh, and it's cheap!
(4)
Lauren B.
This has been one of my weekly spots for over five years. The name changed, and all of the loyal regulars fretted that one of Portland's quirky treasures would change along with it. Fortunately, it has remained the same awesome place with the same awesome people and the same awesome food. This is wham bam, thank you ma'am style sushi. If you want something not on the train, order it, otherwise grab it as it rides past. It's quick and dirty, but not too dirty- after five years I've never known a single person whose stomach problems after dining here were any more severe than "I think I didn't need those last four plates... Sushi... coma." Designer it ain't, but delicious it is. Occasionally the waitstaff get a little overwhelmed/indifferent. Occasionally the rice falls apart a bit. Occasionally the wait is awhile... but none of these things are major detractors from the overall charm and joy of this wonderful establishment.
(4)
Brenda T.
This place doesn't look like much from the outside but holy cow! Some of the freshest, best sushi I'd had in a long time. The Albacore & Escolar just melts in your mouth. Had a Philly roll, so fresh & perfect texture! Awesome service! It needs to be renovated but who cares when the food is top notch??? Extremely cheap and even has a sushi train that goes around the track so you can randomly choose different bites to eat. I'll definetly be back!
(5)
Yun C.
We walked around and tried to find the sign "SUSHI TAKAHASHI," it turned out..this was the place we were looking for.. they have changed their name I guess.. Well...just as soon as we stepped in we noticed the "sushi takahashi" sign.. so yep.. this was the place for the fantastic yummm sushi we saw online!!! Most of the items were $1.50/plate. If you go on Wednesday night or Saturdays it's 1.25/plate. We didn't realize that the $1.50/plate were the items that we should "order" using the piece of paper... so we got several more expensive plates $3/plate from the sushi boats. The location is GHETTO!!! It's next to a hotel full of homeless...it's a bit creepy to walk around at night. The portion is pretty generous for sushi... all the items are pretty "huge"...very good deal.. I wish there was one here in the bay area.
(4)
Lina L.
For a sushi-go-round, this stuff tastes pretty fresh, as in it hasn't been sitting out there on the track for hours. The train is pretty cute, too. =)
(4)
Christian G.
Good God this place is awesome. Right in the heart of Downtown Portland, this is a great spot for good and affordable sushi. As you step in the restaurant, you find an amusing sushi bar and and friendly servers. You take your seat and wait for a model train to give you delicious options for sushi by the plate. Everything we had was fresh and tasty. My wife, father-in-law and I ate well for less that $30. This was a great recommendation by Cheap Bastards Guide to Portland, Oregon. I will surely be back for more sushi on the model train.
(4)
Dawn P.
Friends took me into this place after a rowdy Timbers game...it was late on a Saturday night (they close at midnight) and allll of our food was great. Tempura snapper? Divine. The caterpillar roll and the cholesterol roll where both absolutely delicious and I don't have a single complaint about the place. It was unique with a little train conveyor belt traveling around the sushi bar, but since it was late we ordered everything so I can't comment on the quality of the few items that were on the train. Good experience here. Great rolls. I'll definitely be back...
(4)
LISA S.
Honestly, my first Sushi experience was here. before moving to Portland, I had no idea that there was such thing as vegetarian Sushi. I'm glad I know now. I love everything. I love the friendly and attentive waitstaff, they are spot on with drinks and warm salty miso. I love that they also don't have any air of snobbishness when you ask what 'nigiri' is. The waitstaff is also known to kick out some mean jams, I like a good punk rock soundtrack to pound down some saki. I love the food, and get what I can from the train, but the chefs are always willing to make whatever twisted roll you conjure in your brain. Oh what? Did I day I was getting my rolls from a train? Damn Skippy, Ace. I sure did. Not only does the sushi a-go-go train convey a wide variety of both fishy and meatless rolls, you can also be tempted by cups of edammame or dessert. It is also a clever vehicle for leaving little notes promoting your band or telling the cutie across the way that you long for them etc... I cannot vouch for the freshness of the seafood, but the veggie stuff is divine. Its reasonably busy here, and with the proximity to the coast, I'd wager that the freshness and quality of the traditional sushi offerings is pretty good. Did I mention that it is DIRT CHEAP? Oh, but it is! It's even DIRTIER on Wednesdays and Saturdays, when every plate is a sick $1.25 (I tend to avoid it then, because of the wait)
(4)
Sara S.
Not the best sushi-go-round belt I've ever had, but the staff is super nice, music is fun, and the atmosphere in its entirety is quite quirky. While they have a nice variety of "the usual" sushi, they also had some fun, tempura varieties, including tempura snapper and one roll that is entirely fried and filled with cream cheese and salmon. Tempura is obviously the standout. Spicy tuna was not too awesome. If I wanted a quick, cheap meal in the area, I'd totally come back, but will try other sushi places beforehand!
(3)
Michelle C.
I LOVE this place. If you want a roll full of ground up fish mixed with mayonnaise go elsewhere for sure... which is what Mio, sushi land, Bamboo, and almost every other place I have ever been serves, but all my friends don't seem to realize they are eating the sushi equivalent of tuna salad. I have no idea if a mayonnaise laden ground up shmorgas board is "traditional," but I don't care- I am not from Japan, I am just a white girl who likes eating- and tasting all my food, not just mayo. That is why my favorite thing about the rolls here is that all of it is chopped so you can see/ taste the individual ingredients. Lots of non traditional items & very reasonably priced- which means the fish selection is a little small, but a fine compromise with me since I can afford to eat here as often as I want. And I have been eating here about once a week for almost 5 years. That said- it is a very casual atmosphere, this is NOT a date place. Take your lady to Bamboo or something if you want to impress her.
(5)
Karl W.
Yellowtail roll! This place is great! The Kao Special #2 is one of my favorite items to order here.
(5)
Amado L.
Not the best sushi in town. Of course, I didn't expect much from a conveyor style place. But if you happen to luck out and find a seat at the bar, you'll at least have a fun experience. You could, for instance, play "pass the message" by writing little notes on otherwise discarded chopsticks paper wrappings and placing them atop the covered dishes as they zoom by on the sushi train. It got pretty raunchy too, which was awesome because the staff didn't really seem to mind or care. If you don't quite trust the freshness of the premade selections, the made-to-order items come fairly quickly from the three or four "chefs" inside the wraparound bar. I ordered some imagine and, despite it's diminitive nature, it actually packed a pretty good flavor punch. Everything actually came in their super deformed versions as warranted by the small price tags. But incredibly large sushi pieces can also be quite a nuisance. Service was casual hipster, which is perfect for a mostly non-Japanese crowd, but it was friendly and fast. Be mindful of the stacks of empty plates in front of you because they do add up. But at only two or three dollars per plate, you can afford to get your sushi on without tearing a hole in your wallet.
(4)
Jackie W.
I went here because it promised to be cheap and by most accounts here on yelp, good. It kept up it's first end of the bargain...2 people ate on a $14 tab--what one "special roll" may cost at most sushi joints, but failed at the second half. I just got back and I feel nauseated--usually i leave a sushi place wishing to remember every bite and this time i want to type this out and quickly forget. My Spicy tuna handroll was a big piece of frozen ( yep still seemed like ti may be partially frozen in the middle) with hot sauce that took an eternity to arrive ( my deep fried oyster roll came out before it) The sushi train was stocked with kim chee, a nasty been sitting out too long cuke salad and some other things like that, but an astonishingly dismal showing in any rolls...hence why i was ordering mostly from the sushi chefs and waiting ... the opposite of what i look for in a sushi train place. Skip this place and go to the 39th and hawthorne fred meyers for a better sushi train experince
(2)
Matthew M.
Quirky goes a long way with me. Memorable goes even further and just plain fun always gets my vote. Sushi Ichiban hits on all cylinders for being fun, quirky and memorable. The sushi its self is just Ok but the price is right. My date and I ate and ate and ate some more and rolled away spending only about 24 bucks. Sushi Ichiban your just interesting enough to be cool.
(4)
Elin M.
9/10 for overall value. 9/10 for Nigiri (salmon, hamachi, escolar are as fresh as I've had anywhere and always consistent), 8/10 for service (employees stick around, as attentive as necessary, recognize us, some I know have been there 10 years). Get there early on Wednesdays and Saturday evenings. The cheap sushi prices start at 5:00. If your in no rush, having a beer with your wife next door (across Couch) at Embers is always entertaining, for reasons other than the fish swimming IN the bar, seriously.
(4)
Carol K.
AWESOMESAUCE (the sauce is what makes it so awesome)
(5)
Donna F.
I don't know how anyone could write bad reviews of this restaurant ever! I have been around the block a time or two with suchi, from expensive Seattle restaurants to the round d rounds at Sushiville and Hana. Hana beats Ville, but still nothing compares to Sushi Ichiban. You get your money's worth here. None compare to the freshness, quality and portions of this place. The Hanachi is so thickly sliced it could feed 2 people. The ingenious creations such as Kato#1 is delightful! I crave the Salmon lox wrapped in asparagus spears topped with spicy sauce. I crave it on a regular basis. The Cho Cho is delicious, cold and tasty. The friend calamari is a tender piece breaded and fried, placed on top of rice with sweet chili sauce. I have had nothing that wasn't delicious and tasty. The staff is always friendly, often welcoming you when you sit with ginger and wasabi. LOVE IT!
(5)
Cedric Douglas C.
I am pretty much obsessed with this place. It used to be called Sushi Takahashi and the name change has done no damage! If you want good sushi, nice atmosphere, and friendly folks, this is the place. DO IT.
(5)
Ann L.
This use to be Sushi Takahashi. Last time I went in was 6 months after the name change. When I saw the new name, I was hoping it would have better food, cleaner walls, more light, update the decor and less vinegar on the rice (or no vinegar). Nope, I was wrong. Nothing changed. The owner sold it to his friend who tack on a new name but did nothing to the establishment. Same everything except the walls are getting dirtier. If the sushi chef made too much food for the belt, they'll stack the plates on the counter, un-refrigerated with no counter as to how long they've been sitting there. The good thing is they still have my two favorite sushi, the house specials - deep fried white fish with sweet hot sauce and deep fried calamari. When you custom order the house specials, they're freshly made and cooked. I love sashimi but I won't risk tummy troubles by ordering it at this establishment.
(1)
Michael K.
Good Sushi at great prices. You can grab plates off of the train that circles the restaurant or order what you want. This is especially useful if you are not able to immediately tell exactly which sushi is going by. Great for a casual dining and stuffing your face with as much sushi as you can handle. Extra points for the game of hangman played with other anonymous patrons via the train.
(4)
Sukie B.
I was surprised. Friends wanted to go here, so I came, too. I'm pretty much a sushi snob, so I shuddered to see a conveyor-belt sushi set up with a toy train hauling plastic dishes around the bar, but sucked it up and stayed for the company, not the food. The sushi wasn't so bad! It wasn't good, either, but not too bad. The fish, if not the best quality, was fresh and the rolls were tight. I loved the people watching and generally laid back atmosphere. I'd recommend this place if you want to grab a cheap bite to eat before a show, especially if you have a bigger group of friends with you.
(3)
Jessica M.
This place is fabulously quirky and definitely a unique sushi experience. Four stars are for the whole experience but you'll end up somewhere else if you're looking for stellar sushi. I think it's hard not to love the train conveyor and I was excited every time it came around. I also like this restaurant because it makes you take chances! If it looks good, grab and find out if it is! None of the sushi is labeled, so you can only guess what you'll get. The plates themselves are of course differentiated by color so you can get the fancy more "expensive" plates or the still yummy, cheap white ones. I know this is Portland, but if you're expecting a variety of vegan dishes, you're just at the wrong place. Another great aspect to this place was that you can place specific orders to get something that train won't pass around. A bit more expensive but worth it. The only thing I'd do differently is to sit where the train starts its round. I think I sat about in the middle and was wondering what the diners before me had snagged. After you've eaten your fill, they add up all your plates and give you your bill. This makes it so convenient to go here with friends and simply pay separate bills. I hate doing all the math to see what I owe, so this was perfect.
(4)
Jodi S.
This place has the weirdest atmosphere of any sushi place I have ever been to. They have a wide assortment of decorations ranging from Asian, European, to American south or mid-west. And to top it all off they have a train that runs around the main sushi bar with the sushi on it. It's cute but weird. The sushi wasn't too bad either. It may not have been the best I have ever had, but it was decent and fresh. We went on a Saturday right before the dinner rush, so they had a huge stockpile of sushi they were making in preparation for the crowds. They had no problem with you getting up and taking a plate from the stack if you saw something you wanted.
(3)
Corwin M.
Certain unnamed persons need to learn to appreciate environments that aren't a study in sanitized soul-lessness. Then again, never mind, because the Pearl is reaching its overpriced commercial Yuppie-kitsch talons into the surrounding city like the expanding region of oblivion in the Neverending Story. Sure, the sushi isn't the best, but it's pretty damn good for the price: most sushi dishes are $1.25 - $1.50 during lunch. The Tempura - perhaps their signature dish - is excellent. The wait staff are very friendly, one girl in particular being the object of considerable lust on my part. Not only that, but the ambiance is a refreshing glimpse back into old Portland; I've gotten so sick of the swank-fest that's replaced our old seedy blue collar charm of this town.
(4)
Gary H.
Came here cuz a friend told me it was good, I'm going to have a talk with him. Not fresh seams they use frozen, and one thing I did not appreciate was I was not informed that they were closing for dinner set up. So I only was able to taste a few items, good thing cuz as.I check out what they had on the train was a plate with avocado turning very brown. Don't.think I will be back.
(1)
Jack S.
I'm struggling between 3 and 4 stars, but have to settle on 3. First, for the price, it's a bargain. Granted, some of the cheapness is because you'll fill up on rice rather than fish, but that's not too bad I guess. And the music is awesome, especially if you are a fan of 80s classic rock. And the train... who doesn't love a toy train driving in front of you every few minutes with food. I know I know, the gimmick gets a bit tired after a while, but it's sooo fun. Fun-ness and price aside, the sushi quality is just so-so. And, if you are a sustainable seafood type, don't even walk in the door. For example, they serve crap Atlantic Salmon rather than the myriad local options from that side of the continent. That pretty much sums up the quality of what they are serving you. Fun, cheap, but if you want real sushi, go somewhere else.
(3)
Michael V.
I've been meaning to create a Yelp account for awhile now to warn people of distasteful dining, but haven't had motivation to do so until now. I went to Sushi Ichiban today to meet up with a friend for lunch, and I let her pick the restaurant. BIG mistake. I wouldn't say that I'm an expert on sushi, but have eaten it for years and would know when I'm being swindled. Pros: The derailer is probably the best sushi they serve. They also accept debit/credit cards. Cons: The water was warm for a 90 degree day. I was thoroughly disappointed that there was no ice :( The plastic covers were too opaque to see what was inside. The train was a unique touch aside from most "conveyor belt" sushi restaurants, but moved too fast to tell what sushi was passing by. The dishes indicating different prices also confused me. Although the prices were pretty cheap, I had no idea the plate I chose had a "blue flower" on it until it was too late. The cheap sushi (which should be the appeal) isn't worth eating. I quickly became full from just the rice. The only thing worth eating at Sushi Ichiban are the $3 plates, but for only 2 pieces it hardly seems "cheap." If you want good cheap sushi, I would recommend walking a few blocks to the Marinepolis Sushi Land on NW 10th Ave. Their asparagus rolls put Ichiban to shame as they are tempura with cream cheese.
(2)
Gina H.
I went here with my roomie the other day and we were not feeling it. The service was no good (I asked for soup and rice and only got the soup... not that hard). The sushi was not very good. There was just nothing about the place that would get me to come back. **they do have some cheap stuff though... I would rather pay more and get better quality sushi.
(1)
Kaarin S.
sushi. on a train. first time i went i was SUPER sketched out, "fast food sushi" is the last thing i ever want my stomach to regurgitate. BUT I NEVER HAVE BECAUSE ICHIBAN IS AMAZING. I crave it all the time, it's fantastic. i guess it has dirty walls? but i've never noticed (i'm an anal retentive clean freak too), i'm too busy eating awesome sushi.
(5)
Sasha S.
You failed me. Sushi Ichiban (once Takahashi) failed on so many levels since I've been going. I used to be a regular, going on their "happy hour Tuesdays" where sushi was a buck a plate. Back then it wasn't the best sushi, but it was at least palatable. I am a sushi connoisseur (note my nickname) and I am so disappointed at my last visit. First time: I went with a group of girlfriends, we ate that famed "Tempura Tai"... more like "Tempura-makemevomitanhourlater-Tai" I made it an hour, and the poisoning set it. I was blowing Tai for two days, both ends thank you. Second time: I dragged my mom and best friend, proclaiming they had changed. So I had a booty call with my ex-favorite sushi place. Fail. The cucumber salad in rice vinegar was slimy. My mom couldn't even eat it, when we told the waitress she said, "That's how it's supposed to be." Uh no. The sushi was awful AWFUL! The rice was undercooked, the rolls were goopy. Sadness. No more sushi-booty-calls for me at Ichiban. Plus I don't like the new name! It sounds like "itchy bum"! (Which is what you'll get if you get a bad batch of the Tai......)
(1)
Daniel H.
Poor selection and poor quality sushi. The only reason this isn't a one star review is because of the price.
(2)
Jarret F.
Perfectly enjoyable sushi (dive) bar, haven't had any food poisoning yet! If you're lucky, you might be able to see the entire process from salmon to roll during your visit. Watching the sushi chef prepare and portion an entire fish while the train drives by the foreground is a visual treat that I haven't found elsewhere.
(4)
natasha a.
Full disclosure: I don't eat fish. So, I have no idea if the fish is stale and I can't tell you if their sake or hamachi or unagi is delicious or terrible or if they even have it. I can tell you that, if you're looking for a place with some good options for vegan sushi-type food on a budget, you should go here. They have a lot of different options for vegans and the staff has no problem giving you suggestions. I'm partial to the chef's special Eliza Roll. It does take a little while to get some of the special orders, but not too long. Plus...there's a train!
(4)
Sonia G.
I really enjoyed the overall presentation; sushi comes to you in a train through a conveyor belt. The decorations on the 'train' are real pretty. Some sushi dishes are better than others though nothing was terrible. I enjoyed the fact that they used Oregon wasabi. I could taste the difference. It tasted real fresh. The prices were good too. I came here with family, friends and alone and always had a great time. Keep in mind that the last time that I came here was in ~2005.
(4)
S M.
This place hits the spot for those college student's among us looking for cheap yet tasty sushi! Saturday nights are sushi night with significantly discounted prices. On a non-Saturday night I payed around $8 for miso soup, avocado roll, 2 pcs salmon nigiri, and a tuna, salmon, cucumber roll. PLENTY of food for such a good price! The staff is really nice, and if you want something that isn't on the menu they'll make Don't come here expecting a "classy" environment, its just a really cool dive. I mean, there's sushi on a train and that's awesome. Try this place out!
(5)
Liz W.
Ok, this used to be Sushi Takahashi, and I have been coming here since my 10 year old was only one, and sitting at the sushi bar in a sassy seat.... We are still devoted regulars only now we have a 2 year old sitting next to her big sis in a sassy seat...we really do prefer to sit at the sushi bar, and have been known to wait an hour when they are busy. This hip little joint has an actual train, in fact a few different ones, rather than a "conveyor belt" like other places. They have a great variety of super fresh produce and seafood. Our faves are the Tempura Tai, which is little fillets of Red Snapper, tempura battered and fried, placed on a little rice loaf drizzled with their house sauce (sriracha concoction), and the Calamari, prepared the same way but topped with sweet chili sauce. I can't leave the place without having their fresh tuna roll, wrapped up in nori with radish sprouts and topped with a dollup of sriracha sauce for a nice little kick. The music is current, and dare I say cutting edge...the server's (heather is our fave!) don't wear stuffy uniform's, are very relaxed and attentive, and will get you in and out if you're in a hurry, or will leave you alone if you are trying to have a leisurely dinner with friends over conversation and some hot sake! Definately a Portland must!
(5)
Graham F.
Don't see the charm in this place - yes, cheap, but dirty, nothing much on conveyor
(2)
Naomi M.
I love this place. Totally enjoyable blue-collar sushi experience.
(3)
Adrian K.
Cheap sushi, cheap beer, and a cute little train! I like this place because it really does honestly feel like some weird hole in the wall dive bar. You go in, order a beer and wait for the little train to pass by, toting little plates of sushi. Typically, who cares what color you grab, it's all so cheap and happily tasty it really doesn't matter what it is.
(4)
Troy S.
Hands down the funnest sushi place I have been too. Food was great, prices were spectacular, and where else can I get my fix for toy trains while enjoying a quick meal?
(5)
Kb B.
This is a place of endless happy memories for me. I have yet to find anything else quite like it in Downtown--a cheap, local, quality establishment that always seems to make for a great, fun social experience with your friends. The sushi is good, but not great. Since I went vegetarian, the official options are a little limited, but the inari is delicious, the veggie hand rolls are surprisingly good, and the chefs are always willing ot do a custom veggie sushi order with tempura vegetables or anything else you want. I think the veggie tempura is good, but the vegan udon is bit lacking in flavor. The prices are perfect, the music is at a perfect level, the waitstaff is always overburdened but gracious, the train makes for wonderful note-passing with strangers, and it's hard to leave without feeling satisfied..
(4)
Wes M.
I had always seen videos of these kinds of sushi places, usually with a conveyor belt going around the chefs in a circle, and I wanted to give it a try. I opened up Yelp, took a look at the options, and decided that Sushi Takahashi had the best location for night. My girlfriend and I headed down to Old Chinatown, which we normally avoid day and night, and found this place tucked away. Upon entering I was thrown off a little: This was also the first "dive" I'd been to in Portland. It looked a little grungy, some of the prices had been scribbled out and replaced with other prices, and the lighting was a bit too yellow. But that didn't discourage me, because right beyond that appearance was a little train carrying sushi around in circles. We took our seats at the counter and looked nervously at the options we saw moving past us. Sushi places are always a little bit of a risk as a vegetarian, you never know if they'll have veggie rolls available or if your going to confined to nibbling on edamame. Luckily we managed to spot some avocado and veggie rolls coming around and grabbed them. It was delicious. After a few plates of that we saw something else, something we hadn't seen yet. There was a roll with avocado sliced and laid over the top covered in a beautiful orange-colored sauce. We picked it up, wondering what veggie treasure we had come across. It was amazing. We kept our eyes out for more of this delicious roll, and racked up about $14 of sushi. We left Takahashi satisfied and not much broker than when we entered, making this place one to add to our dossier of delicious.
(4)
Kelvin C.
...Perfect Speed Lunch... ~Sit down, accept little plate of wasabi and chopsticks. ***Arigato Gozaimasu*** ~Mix all of the wasabi with a copious amount of tamari. ~Meanwhile, snatch up likely plates off of the passing train and chow down. Don't see what you like? Stroll down to the end and grab whatever you like from there. ~Eat til you're about 3/4 full (sushi expands in your stomach) and immediately stand up so your wait staff knows you're finished. ~Let them count your plates and pay at the counter. Done! All of this can be accomplished in about 15 minutes. *Special challenge -- Finish eating before your server stops by to see if you'd like a drink. Monday 5pm-9pm Tuesday 10:30am-2:30pm 5pm-9pm Wednesday 10:30am-2:30pm 5pm-9pm Thursday 10:30am-2:30pm 5pm-9pm Friday 10:30am-2:30pm 5pm-9pm Saturday 12:00pm-3:00pm 5pm-9pm Sunday 4pm-8pm
(4)
Marc S.
Nothing fancy, but I thought it was fine quality for basic sushi and I was absolutely stuffed for $13.75. Topped off the fish with the "expensive" $3 plate of chicken terriyaki which was very good. Went on a Saturday when they had their special prices. I like the train grabbing. It adds a little drama as you have to make your decision fast or else need to wait for it to come around. Seemed like a lot of their rolls had cream cheese in them which I don't like. I was happy to have gone and were I to live by here, it would definitely have me eating sushi on a weekly basis at least.
(4)
HannaH E.
I almost wanted to give this 5 stars! But the sushi wasn't TOTALLY gourmet or anything....just very decent. so 4 works. I got a sushi craving one night and googled the nearest sushi place on a whim. Ichiban was 4 blocks away, so my boyfriend and I walked there. At first it seemed a little dingy....kinda hole in the wall place....but the sushi train is awesome, and OMG the sushi was so cheap! and delicious!!! i wasn't expecting it to be 1.50 a plate...i came prepared to at least spend 30 bucks for the 2 of us (if not more....). the total was 14 bucks, and we were totally stuffed! We're both big eaters....so thats not an easy thing to say. The staff was super friendly, and the miso soup was delish. awesome!
(4)
Jeff L.
First things first: This place doesn't serve good sushi. On Saturdays, they do have $1.25 dollar a plate specials as well as on wednesday nights(I think). You seriously can't beat the price but again, sub-par sushi. My daughter did enjoy the train and the staff was nice/helpful. It was a fun experience overall and I'd definitely do it again if I was down in PDX again. My wife and I walked out spending 21 dollars and we were pretty full. I would skip any nigiri plates, skip any of the 3 dollar plates and just go for the cheap $1.25 plates. 2.5 for the sushi... 4 for the value. And no, I didn't have the runs afterwards.
(3)
A W.
Good for what it is. Sushi comes by on a little train. Suffers all the same pitfalls of any conveyor belt sushi place. Not very japanese.
(3)
Danny n.
This place is not about the looks or cleanness. It is about a fun experience. Yes. If you are looking a better place to eat sushi in PDX you will find one. But how many will you find that your sushi arrives to you in a train.! Yes a little train with white plates and beige plates. The price is dirt cheap so you can afford not knowing what did you pick from the train or if you want something specific just order it from the chef. This is a fun place !!! I won't considered it a fancy or a dinner out and I hope you wont have great expectations. But It is a great experience it is fun!!
(3)
Nickole C.
This little hole in the wall spot one block north of Burn on the Park is probably the best bang for your buck downtown for decent sushi. It is a conveyer belt style place but instead of the conveyer they have a train set...which is great if you have kids. They also have other food then sushi like teriyaki chicken and ramen and soba noodles...also great if you have kids that don't like sushi. They have cheap day Wednesday and Sat where almost everything on the menu is under 1.50$...or at least everything I like:) There are some really good things they serve that aren't on the menu like agedashi and bow. You can also order half order of the Soba noodles or tempura. I must try!
(4)
Tyler B.
A PDX Classic. Yes, not the freshest or most chi-chi sushi, but a classic nonetheless.
(5)
M N.
Love this place so much that I visited twice during my stay! Located in the Pearl District of downtown Portland, parking may be a tricky on the street, but it can be found. Don't be dissuaded by the conveyor system, the fish is fresh and tasty, and the price? Can't believe the affordability of the place - in Los Angeles, Monterey, or D.C., the prices would have been double or even triple! Plates range from $1.50 to $3 per order. Instead of picking plates from the choo-choo train that pulls cars with plates of sushi, I recommend ordering straight from the chefs - you can get what you want, freshly made. In addition to the usual nigiri and rolls (spicy tuna, salmon skin, etc.), Ichiban also serves Hamachi and Sake (salmon) grilled collar a delicacy. To wash down the very tasty fish, a selection of sake and Japanese beer are available (Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo). Tasty, fresh fish at an affordable price - can't be beat!
(4)
Mike S.
I finally discovered this place for myself after being told how good it is years ago. Wow, I have been missing out. First off, I have been missing out because I never find myself near it's location. It's not really the best part of town. However, I'm sure they get plenty of foot traffic, which is great for them. The reason I finally went is that a friend invited me to eat there the other day. What the place lacks in ambiance it makes up for in the sushi. There is a little train that goes around the main counter and you can pick stuff up there, or you can sit down and order as well. We did a bit of both, since you can pick stuff from the train and bring it to your table ahead of your order. I can't even recall everything, but all of it was delicious. About the only thing that was just ok was the crab nigiri. Perhaps it was just too cold. I especially liked their escolar, and the spicy tuna. On top of that, all the plates were extremely reasonable, some as little as $1.50. I definitely need to go back at my earliest convenience.
(4)
Ian M.
i probably shouldn't be surprised, because the "sushi" is on a conveyor belt. unless i'm super mistaken sushi should be eaten as soon as it'd made, so the very concept is the definition of questionable the cuts of fish they use for nigiri are gross and the hamachi does not melt in your mouth. repeat. the hamachi does not melt in your mouth. also the rice kept falling apart on me. whaaaaaat HOWEVER, this place does have a great variety of vegan and vegetarian "sushi" (think massive over exaggerated air quotes) so it's perfect to tell your better-than-you friends about for OG sushi though this place is a pass
(2)
Selena N.
This place was ok; cheap and simple....it isn't in a great part of town and not so great parking so not sure how often i'd go back. I've had better sushi...so I wasn't overly impressed.
(2)
Jasmine L.
I loved the vegan and vegetarian rolls that they had there. Everything tasted great, and the service was amazing as well.
(5)
Jack W.
This place rocks my world. I always special order the fried oyster hand rolls, they're awesome! And the waitress actually fills my water glass and checks on me, love these guys!
(5)
Michael T.
My regular go-to sushi place! It's definitely NOT for everyone, but neither is Portland in general, fortunately. I often try other sushi places, and the so-called best out there are only imaginatively better, and probably just personal prejudices . So stay away with your snooty self-important high maintenance attitudes. (spelled f...off!) Ichiban is very good quality, low cost sushi for the locals. If you need more pampering you can pay for that elsewhere. Some will say that there is better out there, but not by much, and certainly not for the price. I think most so called "better" places are just atmosphere and fluff, not quality, because I have been there, to most of them.
(5)
Krystal F.
The hubby wanted to go for sushi on his birthday. We typically enjoy conveyor sushi both for the fun factor as well as how efficient it is, (Sit down and begin eating). While we were able to walk in and sit down at the sushi bar, the place quickly began filling up and had many people waiting to be seated in the lobby area. I always feel it is always a good sign when a restaurant is busy like this. The service was great and the sushi was even better. This was my first time enjoying conveyor sushi by way of train. I gotta say I'm a big fan. I may have to test this theory, but maybe all food just tastes better when you get to snag it off a moving toy train. I quite enjoyed all of the sushi plates I ate. I only wish that they had a photo sushi identifier at the bar seats. I am not a super frequent sushi eater so these visual aides are super useful. I will definitely be back again for some more sushi train magic!
(4)
Sophia C.
Come here on Wednesdays and weekends for cheaper prices on white plate items. Sushi is fresh here, and even Japanese people next to me were saying how good the sushi was in Japanese. The prices are amazing compared to Dallas or even Seattle. I'm definitely going back! Sweet shrimp orders will take 5-10 minutes to come out, because they prepare them fresh. They're delicious! The eel here was also amazing. I had salmon, squid, mackerel, eel, fried oysters (get them for sure) and sweet shrimp. Everything was delicious.
(4)
Noah L.
For the Tuesday night sushi-hour prices, who can complain? It's purely decent sushi, with purely decent service. The train is one of the main reasons I keep coming back to this joint- generally to show friends from out of town.
(4)
Hannah H.
I feel the need of coming back the day after I went there! It was tasty, variable and affordable! No word needs to be said. Just come and experience by yourself. You won't regret! Except there's not so many seat available. We were lucky to have exactly 7 seats next to each other right when we came in. Plus, 4 of my Japanese friends approved this place! I can't complain
(5)
Su C.
Smelled bad when I walked in. It's old and kind of dirty too. To tell you the truth, I was a bit grossed out by the whole place. I ate with my family of six. We all tried different things and I think the consensus was "eh...."
(2)
Ricky S.
Doggone! Five stars? YES, and I'll tell you why. No, it's not the very best sushi I've ever had, but it sure IS the very best sushi I've ever had at these prices! Fantastic value. Not a place to impress on a first date by any means, but by date #3 or 4, when you can start to actually be yourself, this place is perfect! No, I probably wouldn't snag much (if anything) off the train- who knows how many trips around the bar its been on? But order what you want, and you will not be disappointed!
(5)
Jeff H.
Great value. We had chicken yakisoba, a tempura dinner, 2 beers, 2 sodas, and 5 different sushi selections, for $42. Friendly staff. Decor dated, but clean.
(4)
Bob H.
This has been my one of favorite sushi places since 1998. Even through an ownership change, this place never disappoints. Super busy or quiet, I always get great service and even better self-service! Personally, I love the Tokyo rolls with their ginger, tuna, and scallions mixed in. In 1998 our family of 5 could eat here for $35. While the prices have gone up modestly, it is now close to $70+ to feed all the teenagers. The train rule still applies - only take one plate at a time!
(5)
Anthony N.
There is a lot to love about Sushi Ichiban. The staff is friendly, and the prices are good. This train style sushi restaurant actually has a real train running on tracks around the main seating area. The sushi is fresh, and I have never had any sketchy fish from here. There are a lot of "high end" sushi places in town that have no better quality. If you cannot find what you seek on the train, there is always a selection at the end of the counter of other items. There is also order cards and pens close to every seat, and you can order anything you like directly from the chefs. They usually get you the food fast. The servers stop by far more often than most train style sushi places. They do have a couple booths for groups, but I have never sat at one. The train is just too much fun. The miso is great, and be sure to check out the fired calamari bowel ($4 get extra lemon). I do not recommend any of the hot buns, they are horrible quality.
(5)
Amy L.
Another one of my favorite sushi on a train joint. The gem of the place here is their oyster sushi. Imagine fresh deep fried oyster nigiri or handroll. Super tasty and super cheap. Their raw sushi offerings are excellent as well very tasty and cheap. The veggie roll is a must. Most places just stuff whatever california roll has except without the meat and call it a veggie roll. This place stays true to japanese flavors and add in pickled daikon. Super crunchy and fresh. I love coming here for my sushi binges. Always hits the spot for my sushi cravings.
(5)
Nick E.
At the recommendation of some good friends, I finally tried this place on a Wednesday evening. Oh my goodness. Oh my damn. What a deal. The discounted rates on all of the plates on Wednesdays and Saturdays create a situation where you can pay under $15 and thoroughly stuff yourself with GOOD sushi! I went with my friend and we shared everything. Even with a $6 bottle of sake for each of us, we both still got out of here for under $25 each (including a 20% tip!). We ate 4 salmon skin hand rolls, 2 spicy tuna hand rolls, probably 10 nigiri which included maguro, shiro maguro, hamachi, and ikura, and other things I don't remember in the haze of blissful sushi gorging. All of the fish was really good! I worked at a sushi restaurant in the St Louis area for 3 and a half years. The prices were on par with, or more expensive than the prices at Sushi Ichiban, and the sushi at my old work was nowhere near as good. Even if the design of Sushi Ichiban plays to quanitity over quality, the quality of their fish is still excellent. We are truly spoiled here in Portland to be so close to the source. Try this place on a Wednesday or Saturday. It's not just a bargain; It's DELICIOUS, FOO!
(5)
Brooke F.
Really good sushi for a go-round! When I need oysters this is my spot. The fried oyster hand roll is super good. Takes some time to make though, so order it right when you are seated.
(4)
Ryan S.
It took me a while to warm up to this place, but after my third time going last Wednesday I have to say: BELIEVE THE HYPE. I think my problem was the first few times I went on a Saturday painfully hungover, and didn't have the stomach for sushi of such a high caliber. Definitely come on a Wednesday or Saturday, as everything on the front page is 1.25 per plate. This includes stuff like Hamachi rolls (their Hamachi is way better than it has any right to be for 1.25), Salmon Skin Hand Rolls (if they sold these at a food cart there'd be a line around the block), Salmon nigiri, etc... Having worked at a sushi restaurant before that served mediocre stuff at a high markup, I have to say the quality here is very high for what you pay. Also, when you thought it couldn't get any better, the sushi comes out on a train. Choo choo. All in all, I ordered about 15 plates and 2 bottles of Sake between myself and a friend and our total came out to around $35. That is absurd. If you tried to order that much of that type of sushi anywhere else it would have been a $60-$100 meal easy. The place is top notch, and one of the best deals in the city. Go if you haven't.
(5)
Emily A.
When I first walked in here, I was immediately hit with a terrible smell, and I wanted to leave. However, it was my friend's birthday and she wanted sushi, so we decided to stay. The place had 4 stars so I had some hope in the back of my mind, a trust in my peers. And actually, this place isn't bad. The food is very good, the staff is friendly and the prices are reasonable. I wish it smelled better but once you're in here for a while you forget about it.
(4)
Clara D.
I have been to many a conveyer belt sushi place, and this one was good. There is a little sushi train that moves around the room. The train does go pretty fast, so it's hard to grab your sushi as it comes by. The sushi itself was very delicious, but I would have liked to have a picture reference to refer to when I wanted to know what an item was. Overall, a pleasant experience.
(4)
Kim R.
I almost fell out of my chair in Boise when I read that this place was sushi done conveyor-belt style on a TRAIN!! My dad loves trains and sushi, so we had to visit when we came to town. We just got back to the hotel from there and we're stuffed! Neighborhood wasn't one where I'd feel super-safe alone at night, but it was just fine walking a block from our parking place with my dad before sundown. Timing was good for another reason -- it got awfully busy at 8. The server was great! When we told her we were new to this restaurant, she helped walk us through the menu and the Wednesday & Saturday specials. Later during our meal, I asked her about the very light (almost white) fish on the train, and she said it was escolar. It tasted great -- but buyer beware on that one, because a quick Wiki search says that escolar can cause pretty yucky issues. We really enjoyed everything we ate. The fried calamari nigiri and fried oyster nigiri were both marvelous. Our waters were kept full. Very pleased and would certainly return.
(5)
Shari M.
We LOVE this place. It looks rough, but I would rather eat my own shoe then Not eat here. Best food ever. Atmosphere seems a bit rough, but you have every walk of life in there, it is totally Portland. Staff is friendly, and the Sushi is fresh. The only negative I could find, I am concerned they leave their cheesecake and Eclairs out WAY to long. The last time, our cheese cake was mushy, and the Eclairs filling was warm and runny. So live and learn, right. I still would go back! You guys ROCK!
(5)
Cassandra C.
So my review is from the POV of the tables in the back of the restaurant, not the circular belt bar seating area. I have a feeling many stars were lost in translation for this review based on geography of your table. You fill out a card saying what you'd like. Prices were fair and the food was good. It just took SO. EFFING. LONG. First of all, we went here because we were legit hungry, not peckish. We waited maybe 10 minutes to be seated. Then another 10 minutes to have a drink order taken. Then another 10-15 to have our orders taken, only to realize (from the other table not attached to the bar) you take your card to the chefs who compile your order. After eating, the check was slow and the cashout process was slow too. How was the food? Fine. How were the prices? Fine, great, even! But for experience, I can def imagine a more on-the-ball place existing. Not in a hurry to go back. Oh and we walked here from Ground Kontrol, so it's a viable option for pre- or post- gaming sessions. They take cards. I don't know if there was a minimum. But they sell candy up by the registers. People were friendly, just slow.
(2)
Michelle U.
I cannot believe I haven't already reviewed this place as I 100%, totes love coming here. As the 5-stars indicate, Sushi Ichiban is as good as it gets- when you're craving $1.25 (Wednesdays and Saturdays) conveyor belt sushi with awesome service, and a really decent atmosphere. If you like good music, the atmosphere is actually beyond decent, it is sometimes really fantastic. The sushi here is definitely not top of the line, catch of the day, fresh sushi. I would say that the sushi here is better than what one expects to get for such a low price of $1.25-$3ish per plate. Ichiban's sushi is much tastier than supermarket sushi, and that includes Trader Joes and Whole Foods, so that's already very impressive to me since TJ's and WF's sushi is more expensive and has been sitting around for who knows how long. The sushi at Ichiban is made to order- in fact, you can even watch the sushi chefs work their magic while sitting at the bar. The train here is incredibly charming- a real, working train! I prefer the cutesy train to simply a conveyor belt- how boring. The selection of sushi here is also quite impressive. You can get your large hand rolls, vegan rolls, vegetarian rolls, and all the classic rolls. They are really very accommodating and the people who work here will try their hardest to give you an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Sushi doesn't need to be snooty and high-brow, and Ichiban exemplifies just that. I wouldn't recommend this place to a sushi connoisseur, or someone who is picky about their sushi. I would recommend this place to a true lover of cheap sushi and a good time.
(5)
Eric R.
The sushi is good, not amazing. What sets this place apart is two things: 1. The sushi comes to you on a toy train. Seriously, that is awesome. You just pick the plate you want as it goes by and pay for what you take. 2. The place has a punk rock thing going on. That is the music, the staff, and the vibe.
(3)
Rambod B.
I would consider myself a regular here. Most people go to get a greasy burrito or some sort of egg dish the morning after a Friday night bender. I also do this, but most Saturdays you'll find me at Sushi Ichiban. The Saturday and Wednesday night special is one of the best deals in town. The entire front of the menu is a white plate. They do raise the price of the white place from $1 to $1.25 those days, but that's just a pittance. The selection on the front of the page is pretty extensive and has plenty on their for vegetarians and vegans. Some of my personal favorites are: tempura tai, Tokyo, Philadelphia, salmon skin, and 6pc salmon. The chefs and wait staff are the nicest people too. Oh and the best part? It's on a train!!
(5)
Ashley G.
I'm giving Sushi Ichiban three stars for food and an extra star for having ample vegan offerings and ambiance. Who doesn't love sushi rotating around the restaurant on a train track? I ordered the Eliza roll, caboose roll, avocado nigiri, inari, veggie hand roll, miso soup, and pulled the salad rolls off the train. I thought the salad rolls were pretty bad and didn't have any kind of dipping sauce. Plain soy sauce on subpar salad rolls is pretty terrible. The veggie hand roll was my next least favorite thing. There just wasn't anything special about it. Maybe I didn't like it as much because it came towards the end of my meal and I was too full. I would order everything else again. It was decent. It was pretty sweet to finally be able to have some vegan miso soup at a sushi place. Make sure to specify that request. I liked the inari and avocado nigiri a lot. The vegan Eliza and caboose rolls were pretty good too... but not amazing. There is definitely better vegan sushi in town, but I got a ton of food for $10 and Sushi Ichiban didn't have a 45 min wait for seating at 8pm on a Friday night either like the first place we tried to go to. I'm not dying to go back asap, but I wouldn't be opposed to eating here again.
(4)
Brooks M.
yes! sushi on a train. good stuff! and they have steamed buns, you just have to ask. this place offers a ton they don't put right out there so don't be shy. the sushi artists are friendly and the wait staff enjoyable. very not portland ;) i love it. this place is affordable, clean, friendly and fast. make it a regular stop on your downtown adventures!
(3)
Minnie M.
Why haven't I been here till now?! It's one of the better, no wait, it's the best sushi track in town! They have a variety of rolls and everything is super fresh. OH and awesome prices is a plus. Also, they literally have a small toy train that goes around on the track carrying sushi plates. HOW COOL IS THAT. My favorite is definitely the seared salmon + avocado nigiri. Kao special #, I believe :D Salmon nigiri quality is pretty good too. Definitely going back soon. SOOO EXCITED TO HAVE FOUND THIS PLACE!!!!
(5)
Bill Q.
This place is pretty chill, decent food for a decent price. The interior is not bad either. The reason I'm giving it an average rating is because it is average. It was good, but it did not stand out in my book. There are plenty of other places better than sushi ichiban in Portland. But if you are looking for a sushi place to go, this place could be worth the try. Why not? We were here on a Wednesday and did not know they had a special. Something about the white plates being 1.25 each and other dishes that are white today. It was kinda confusing with the menu and grabbing off the train. This is how it works: Grab the food you want off the train, you will keep the plates and the waitress will count it at the end and you will pay for what you eat. Simple. Also if you want order rolls and plenty of other items from a menu and write it down for the chefs to make. Overall okay place, check it out if you want. Nothing to blow you away though.
(3)
Sara O.
My favorite sushi place!!!!! I'm not a foodie and this place is like a dive of sushi places it's cheap but delicious! Very friendly and quiet. My favorite is the salmon skin had roll. You have to try it. If your looking for a high end expensive sushi bar this isn't it. If your looking for cheap and easy place to pop in and have some yummy sushi this is the place!
(5)
Leah S.
I unequivocally love this place. Spectacular sushi for a train place. The best "fast food" ever and a true Portland secret!
(5)
Lisa T.
Came here for dinner and it's a pretty chill place. I was a bit confused about their ordering system at first. Basically the color of the dish determines the price and you can either order the dishes or go up to the sushi bar to pick them up as they come by on their little train. The waiters were very friendly and always made sure to check up on us. The food itself was just average. Nothing outstanding.
(3)
Elizabeth R.
I haven't been to a revolving sushi plate place in a long time, but this was a really great lunch place especially if you are in a hurry! The staff was super friendly and attentive. Most of the pieces we wanted we could grab right off the sushi train which is really fun! This is awesome if you are really hungry and don't want to wait. There were a couple of pieces we wanted especially that weren't on the train, and they were delivered quickly. There were a couple of pieces that fell a little short of expectation. I ordered the sesame balls filled with red bean paste doughnuts and there were friend fresh and definitely the best I ever had. I would come back and recommend to a friend.
(4)
Marisa L.
I've become a sushi snob, which, while tragic, makes me woefully ill-equipped to review this place. This is the greasy spoon diner of sushi restaurants. Its a throwback, it's fun, it's comfortable, the food quality is questionable. But you cant beat the price and Yelp is right, there are quite a few veg options. Thee futomaki was good, the rainbow was decent, but there wasn't enough saki to get through the nigiri I ordered. The scallops were sad, slimy, flavorless things. The mackerel was dry and spongey. Oh well, I got to eat sushi off a toy train.
(3)
Laura M.
Let me make this clear -- Sushi Ichiban is a dive and the servers can be kind of surly. It's all part of its charm. If you go to Sushi Ichiban expecting a 5 star sushi place, you're gonna have a bad time. That said, if your expectations are realistic, Sushi Ichiban can be a fantastic experience. I've been going to Sushi Ichiban regularly for around 10 years now and it's pretty much the same now as it's always been. Wednesday nights and all day Saturday are their sushi special days when some plates are a bit cheaper than their already super-cheap prices. For the best experience, it's important to know what to get and not to get. (Nothing has ever made me sick, but some menu items are just alright and others are great.) I highly recommend the salmon nigiri and the tempura tai. The tempura tai needs to be ordered from the order sheet (it's not usually on the train) but it's amazing - two pieces of freshly-fried battered white mystery fish on pieces of rice, drizzled with a delicious spicy sauce and sprinkled with green onion. Not recommended (especially for sushi snobs) are the tuna or the California rolls. The tuna tends to be a little mushy and the California rolls don't taste as fresh as they should. It's best to go to Sushi Ichiban either alone or with at most two other people. They have a few booths in the back, but the sushi train runs around an oval track in the center of the restaurant and has a row of stools to sit on, so by sitting in the back you miss out on the sushi train fun and will have to rely on sometimes slow service.
(4)
G D.
Fantastic food! We loved the casual ambiance, friendly vibes, little choo choo train that brings you food, and the prices. This was a fantastic place and the food was very, very good. Dinner for two with drinks came to only $25 and we're both stuffed.
(5)
Carrie B.
I don't like gimmicky places, but I didn't know about the train thing until we got there. We were really craving sushi so WTH, we went with it. I was relieved that we sat in 5 min. So apparently very little comes out on the train. When we went it was mostly desserts and sesame balls. First red flag was the train, second red flag was that you ordered on a ticket that you placed on the counter, third red flag and probably the biggest was that there was a ratio of 1:10+ sushi "chef" to customers. That's insane. I've never been to a sushi counter that didn't have communication between the customer and sushi chef. Anyway, an hour and 15 minutes later, we left....without eating a thing. They absolutely do not handle busy well at all. And their method for serving people is inefficient. You can't serve people one at a time and do there whole order. You work your way down the counter giving them sushi one/two "plates" at a time. That way people are eating while they wait for the next "plate". I was very angry we stayed that long and didn't have a single bite of sushi. I think your customers have low expectations for their sushi.
(1)
Tom T.
This is my favorite restaurant in Portland, but that is not to say it will be yours. I like the staff, the atmosphere and the background music. The Japanese food menu is easy on the wallet too. Don't expect a fancy dining experience, it is what it is and that is a great low-key sushi restaurant that never disappoints me. Ps. Grab an Order Form and check off what you want to eat. Then give the form to one of the wait staff or directly to one of the sushi chefs. The "flat bed train" that spins around the sushi bar has limited items on it and I almost never take any plates off of the train cars. You will see what I mean when you get here. Pss. The hateful-whinny "kalifornia sushi snob" will not necessarily enjoy eating at this restaurant. You will most likely complain about something. That said, maybe you should do us all a favor and just go somewhere else instead.
(5)
Shannon K.
Let's be clear, finding a good sushi boat place is often difficult. I had a staple in SF and couldn't find one in Chicago. But hello Portland and your weird version of sushi boats - sushi trains! I die! Yep, the sushi goes round and round in front of you via a choo choo train. Just grab one when you see something you like. The plates are color coded and I think there are four price ranges from $1.50-$4.00. The fish is fresh, the chefs and staff are super friendly (and hot), and the price is right! I got an Asahi and four plates (each plate has 3 pieces) and my bill was under $14.00. In addition to hand rolls, rolls, and nigiri there is also edamame, seaweed salad, and dessert options.I'm a fan! And I'm definitely adding it to my list of good and affordable sushi joints.
(4)
Seema F.
I LOVE conveyor belt sushi, but this one was pretty terrible. I was there on a Friday night so it wasn't a matter of a slow night. We seated ourselves and it took quite a while for any waitress to approach us. Waitresses are normally not needed at conveyor belt sushi, but this one had no wasabi or ginger or chopsticks at the seat. We finally managed to flag one down, and she seemed a bit confused at our request for wasabi, but we eventually got a small plate of some a few minutes later. The lack of wasabi should have been the first red flag, but we stuck with it. Let me say that a train is a horrible method for delivering food. Unlike the conveyor belt with constant food, this train moved WAY too fast. So, you have to wait around for several minutes to get anything and then it zooms by so fast that you can't pick something fast enough. Not that there was much to pick from. There were no interesting rolls at all, mostly just plain salmon or tuna or tofu. There are better options for conveyor belt sushi, so I wouldn't recommend coming back to this one unless you desperately need a roll.
(2)
James W.
The sushi is well proportioned and tastes great! I love it especially the train around the sushi bar where I can grab and grind. Thank you!
(5)
Mark B.
Best SUPER cheap sushi in the city. Fun/friendly staff. Usually good music selection playing. Fun toy train brings your sushi around. Leave a note on the train for all to see. Folks will usually play along and write back.
(4)
Jeff P.
It's not often I leave a sushi bar actually full but the prices are so good it's doable at Sushi Ichiban. Having said that, the value is so good that there's a significant line. But it's worth waiting. Kind of funky but the kids will like the model train that delivers the sushi.
(5)
Stevie L.
Really really good quality sushi for the prices you're getting it for! Also the service is great and everyone working there was really sweet.
(5)
Mike T.
Great delivery system made it fun....good selection of sushi on the track plus more. Thanks for a great experience
(4)
Andrew J.
Huge fan of quality-yet-affordable sushi, has a hole in the wall charm alongside Embers and the Brody. $5 buys a filling meal, with enough left for a tip.
(5)
Veronica U.
Cheap conveyer belt sushi that is way overpriced. The Wednesday special is a select 15 plates that are normally $2 that get dropped down to the price of $1.25 (huge difference...not really.) The cheapest plates which are only $1.25 only have two tiny rolls on them. The four star average review is misleading, try somewhere else besides here.
(2)
Heather T.
Favorite sushi place. Lots of super tasty vegetarian options. If you love ginger, get the fresh ginger soda. THE. BEST.
(5)
Davis J.
Sushi Ichiban is fantastic--it had great prices, great sushi, and a cool interior. Don't get me wrong--this place is probably not the place you take your lady to on your 10 year anniversary. It's more of a lunch spot. Having said that, the sushi is very high quality. I was impressed that they offered freshly-ground wasabi upon asking and that the sushi chef was knowledgable about his fish. And the prices can't be beat!
(5)
Jim C.
Seriously, how could you not like a place where, within ten minutes of sitting down, you have filled up on $9 worth of sushi?!? As other Yelpers have mentioned, if what you want isn't on the Sushi Train that rumbles past you every minute or so, just ask one of the chefs and they'll make it happen. Grabbing sushi off of a train has to be one of life's little pleasures.
(4)
Mike S.
This place is a lot of fun, especially for the cost. We missed out last year as they were remodeling. So nice to find them open and seats at the bar. We usually grab a plate or two from the train, then fill out the order sheet of all the exotic stuff we love. Salmon skin rolls, fried oyster rolls, fermented soybean, braised salmon, smoked eel. Its so much fun, and you get a lot of great food for a very affordable price; we left stuffed for $23.
(5)
Christina A.
Solid two star sushi joint. It doesn't have a wide variety of sushi and serves two pieces to a plate. I was really underwhelmed and disappointed considering it had four stars.
(2)
R M.
(It's extremely harsh, but I need to let it out since I feel like I have to speak up, to break this nonsense of the inflated rating on this restaurant) UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE What are you guys smoking? to give this restaurant FOUR stars, or even FIVE? This is the one of the most ridiculous US sushi restaurants I've ever been in my life. It can only exist because it is a bit of edgy/hippy part of the pearl district/chinatown. For those who serve here - I just wanna say, SHAME ON YOU! You know, in the US you can make decent money, by opening a sushi restaurant, doesn't matter your experience or what you believe in. Hire bunch of starving Japanese students cheaply, who needs visas to stick around in this country. (If you grew up in Japan, you most likely did make sushi once or twice in Home Ec ) This is one of those bad examples. Combine that with old, non-updated decor and 20yr-old ceilings, unsanitary gunky tables and sushi cases. I thought their highlight was train-brought sushis. I don't know if they are lazy or doesn't wanna deal with the badly-guessed sushi picks and wasting, but the train doesn't carry real sushis at all. Chu-chu-train is gonna bring you avocado rolls and dried edamame, hijiki salad (who knows what it is anyway), and squished chocolate cake....what tha freak. The train of disappointment was going round' and round. Their server service is almost non-existent, sushi chef (or Japanese students) are touching EVERYWHERE with their bare hands. Just because they make nigiris/rolls with bare hands, doesn't mean they should touch everywhere without washing them. They should feel lucky that I wasn't telling on the Portland Health Department. I don't think you can even open this restaurant if it was somewhere else, say California. I'm actually surprised on myself that I had the guts/stomach try, but their sushi, nigiris were awful. The fish pieces were clearly badly defrosted ones, unevenly cut, like as if I brought from an american supermarket frozen section. I'm just super lucky that I didn't get awfully sick on this kamikaze suicidal mission. I did gulp a whole bunch of wasabi then took a glass of Alka when I came home though. I would've been arguing with the manager if I was being overcharged, but then I wasn't. It was TOO CHEAP to be a sushi restaurant. Damn, those students and waiters are getting paid nothin'. I also noticed nobody cared to tip anybody on the way out. Pretty sad for a sushi restaurant. Yelp are there partly to distinguish good places from bad places. Let us properly use this feature for once! For those who DISAGREE, go ahead and watch Jiro Sushi of Dreams. I freakin' dare you.
(1)
High S.
Sushi train entertains. Sushi is slightly above average. Slightly. Staff is nice. If you're not into sharing your bar space with uncultured mongrels, wait for a table. They open up faster than you'd expect. I like this place because it's a great after work location to just have a Sapporo, watch your colored plate collection pile up and leave.
(4)
Robbie B.
fun, good service, cheap. but the fish is from an ocean of fucky. its deep fried and covered in sauce! and more sauce! the train at the bar lets you know what dishes are old as shit.
(2)
Simone G.
Other than the interior being shoddy and a bit questionable, hands down the best sushi in Portland. The price is ridiculously low for the quality and quantity you receive. I've eaten sushi for a long time and this is literally some of the best I've had.
(5)
Ken R.
I have been coming to Sushi Ichiban for almost 10 years. The staff is always super friendly and these guys have some of the coolest sushi dishes I have ever encountered. The prices are great, the food is always fresh. This place basically ruined every other sushi place I have gone to. Anytime I am headed downtown, I usually make a stop in for their sushi.
(5)
Pui S.
YES... YES... YES... Please look at the photos...
(4)
Kelly J.
My favorite is the spicy tuna hand roll, which you have to order from the super efficient sushi masters. Everyone here works their booties off and is really pleasant. The sushi train itself is entertaining and usually carrying secret handwritten messages or tic-tac-toe games. Ichiban is one of my top 3 places for sushi and is the most affordable and consistent! I appreciate the unpretentious vibe and childhood flashbacks while listening to various 80s music.
(5)
Leah B.
I love this place. The sushi is cheap and there are a ton of vegetarian and vegan options, unlike most other sushi places I have been to. You can watch the adorable train go around and pick from a good variety of pre-made rolls, or order from the menu. This isn't a fancy place-- don't expect to have gigantic dazzling platters and wow your in laws. But you can fill up on reasonably good and interesting sushi for less than $10 a person, leaving satisfied every time. I love the sweet bean hum bow (steamed rice cake). You might miss it if you didn't know they were there-- give em a try!
(4)
Chelle A.
Wanted to have sushi, we picked this sushi places over one that was around the corner of our hotel due to reviews. Really bad customer service, no explanation on their menu or how to order. Every sushi place runs different it would be nice to be given some kind of direction. They are reasonably price though
(2)
Elizabeth W.
This place isn't the best nor the worst. You get what you pay for. Lots of sushi at an exceptional price. I think I had five plates for around 9.00. I would definitely return again when on a budget and craving some good sushi. They had ample vegetarian/vegan options as well :)
(4)
Annie C.
While known as Sushi Takehashi, this place was terrible. Now, known as Sushi Ichiban patrons can select a wide variety of sushi from a rad train whirling around the bar. The sushi chefs and servers were all very approachable, and helpful offering prompt and friendly service. Excellent!
(5)
Devanka E.
I LOVE this place!!!!!!!! I take everyone here when they are in town. I also take everyone here when they will come with me ; ) I spent some time in Japan and this is the ONLY sushi restaurant I have been to that serves Natto (Fermented soybeans). They are very smart to ask, "Do you know what that is?" before making the order for me... I've been there enough that they have finally stopped asking that. Their hand rolls are AMAZING, the place isn't all boushy like most sushi restaurants. The sushi chefs are quick, good at what they do and the atmosphere is nice and casual. My only complaint... I usually need more ginger and wasabi, it's hard to get the attention of the chefs to request it. Oh yeah... and BIG POINTS FOR HAVING BRAGGS AMINOS AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR SOY SAUCE!!!! Now us glutards can have our sushi and our soy sauce too. Thank you Sushi Ichiban aka Punk Rock Sushi!
(5)
Joe H.
Great place for lunch!
(5)
Evelyn S.
Tried this sushi bar over the weekend while attending the PIB. It was super busy, as it was Saturday night. However, they did have 3 (maybe 4) sushi chefs and it's mainly a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. There were several tables in the - back but mostly the counter is where everyone was at. So I don't know why it took so long to get things out. The fried oysters were about the best thing to order. What was going around on the "sushi express" was just so-so. We tried several things off the belt and it just seemed to be basic. For the price(s) I guess it's pretty decent for PDX?!?!? I would (and still trying) like to find a really good and reasonable sushi place in PDX. Anybody else on that quest???
(2)
James D. H.
I can't get enough of Sushi Ichiban. I could easily eat here every week (if I had the money). Customer Service is 4 Star (not 5.) but it was a Friday night and they were getting uber busy. I rarely have less than an awesome time here. I makes animal noises when i eat here. Can't help it! Won't stop it! It's Portlandia and we are weird. So i don't stick out that much. Ish. I tore through 14 plates. Yup 14 and took 4 more home.
(4)
Ashley M.
5 stars for vegan sushi. Simple. Nothing too fancy. Sushi train. Friendly service. CHEAP.
(5)
Anna F.
This used to be one of my regular sushi spots. I had been coming here for years and never experienced any food poisoning whatsoever but this soon changed. Not sure if it was the calamari or tempura thai (both ordered not taken from wheel) but had two days of pure hell....I haven't been back in a year and don't plan on ever returning. I will miss you guys.
(1)
Heather G.
This was my very first conveyer belt sushi experience. I'm normally into high end sushi (such as Bamboo in PDX or Shibuya in Vegas) and I must admit that I was very hesitant to even try this place because of the low prices... Quality is important to me. It was New Year's Eve, my date and I were VERY hungry and every other place had a very long wait. Sushi Ichiban's positive Yelp reviews sealed the deal and we decided to give it a go! I'm very glad we did, because I was very impressed with the food for the price. I would have given Sushi Ichiban 5 stars if the sushi that was on the train appeared fresh and was labeled. It didn't and it wasn't, but who cares? We ordered off the menu and it was freshly made and fantastic! Very flavourful and well worth every penny spent. The train was fun for another reason. Others who were sitting around the sushi bar put little notes and drawings on the train asking for responses. It was cute and fun to play along! Gave us plenty of laughs, and we had a blast eating here. Totally helped make our New Year's Eve experience. 4 stars for me is a very good review, so I do highly recommend. I'm very much looking forward to coming back for more.
(4)
Jamie C.
Dropped in with a friend who was determined to eat sushi from a train. Normally, I've not had the best experiences with train sushi. I've found it usually unimaginative and even less than fresh. BUT NOT HERE. This was not only good train sushi, but good sushi! I don't think I've ever felt full on $15 of sushi, but this was magical! Hooray for Sushi Ichiban! Hooray for sliced mango! And fresh nigiri and sushi! Hooray for a friendly staff! TLDR: Go on Wednesday for the sushi train special. It's amazeballs.
(5)
John E.
Up until a few years ago you couldn't dragged into a sushi place without a shotgun and a court order. I was uninformed for many years and hung out with a lower class of people, obviously. Now look at me, my own list of sushi places and a genuine love of the rolled up little pieces of art. I think in a metropolitan area like Portland/Vancouver the fun is finding new places to try. I had been here a few times but wanted to wait to write a review until the Wife could come with me. That day has finally come. It couldn't have been more perfect, the Official Famous Nephew was in town Featuring at Harvey's Comedy Club down the block and he joined us for The Wife's birthday dinner here and then to see him perform. So there we were, the three of us, with a model train dragging sushi in its wake past our hungry faces. Poor little train never stood a chance. We pulled plate after reasonably priced plate of rolled up goodness every time it trundled by, we ate the rolls and enjoyed them a lot. We got very very full on very little money which was a bonus. The service was super and the guys behind the train tracks were quick with any requests we had for something special. The hours are quirky and the neighborhood is interesting and finding parking is more like a bloodsport but it's all part of the ambiance of Sushi Ichiban. We shall return... get a bigger train!
(4)
Eam M.
I have been eating here for 15 years! I love it!!!!!!!! Great job on the subtle remodel-very nice. Almost everytime I go there they are rocking the reggae. The srevice cannot be beat. Good job! Also.....Kao did some nice renovations and decorating!!!!!!!!!!...New carpet....new booths.........new t-shirts!
(5)
Sean R.
Let's be honest... we grade Sushi on a curve. We do not hold affordable, conveyer belt sushi to the same standard as higher priced and presumably higher quality sushi from joints like, say, Bamboo. Am I paying $2 for what may or may not be spicey tuna, as opposed to $18 for two small, sustainable bites of lightly seared winged-bunny-fish, wrapped in re-purposed earth-friendly seaweed? If so, I am going to lower my bar by a few pegs. It's only fair! By this criteria, Ichiban is beyond passable. It's good, even! Approaching great? Perhaps. All I know is after eating myself into a food-coma for only $14, not including the price of cheap sake, and enjoying every bite, Ichiban was well on their way to a great review, and I was on my way to a nap. Ichiban is the kind of place you could bring out-of-towners on a budget. It's Portland at her finest: the choo-choo conveyer! The tasty food! The economical plate-color pricing-system! The sushi chef who looks like he may have been an extra from the original Karate Kid who saved his headband and Cobra Kai t-shirt!
(4)
Esther C.
After two trips, Sushi Ichiban has become my go-to for sushi if I am avoiding the inevitably higher bill resulting in a night down the street at Bamboo Sushi. I enjoyed the casual atmosphere, which was not exactly elegant, but not trying too hard either. There was no wait on a Saturday night for two seats at the bar, which was a plus on the sort of occasion where I was aiming for a more laid back experience. I actually don't mind waiting for a good meal :) Even so, I was struck by the staff's inability to replenish sushi-train options in a reasonable time frame... the train often passed by empty, and consecutively, alarmingly, sushi-less! One has the option of ordering off the menu, but it's not as fun! The space is set up so that one would primarily take from the plates rotating on a conveyor belt-railroad track, and I would argue that it significantly alters the pleasure of such a particular experience when you have to order with your server just to get a decent roll (or anything at all!) I stuck with sake (salmon) nigiri whenever it was available (I think I had 3 plates of the same) and it was great! I really enjoyed it! I also had a plate of tamago (sweet egg nigiri) and an ebi (shrimp). Didn't care for the ebi. Sake nigiri was very satisfying though, and happened to be the most budget friendly of plates at $1.25. In the end, I spent less than $10 and was pleasantly satisfied! I think I also got green tea, which was just perfect. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Just wish the sushi chefs were more available to fill up the sushi train!
(3)
Brent C.
I was looking for an inexpensive place for sushi near my hotel, so I chose Sushi Ichiban. I was very surprised to find that my meal was not only some of the freshest tasting sushi I've ever had, it was also by far the least expensive. And I ordered a lot of sushi, at least for me; about 15 pieces. All of it came to about only $5.00. The service was friendly and fast, and the restaurant was clean. If I lived in Portland, this would be one of my regular local favorites. I'd probably eat here every day.
(5)
Cori W.
I've only been to 2 'sushi boat' type places but Sushi Ichiban is my favorite thus far. They have a lot of options for vegetarians and keep the train full (as long as you don't come in right before closing). Even when I didn't see many veggie options going by it was super easy to order with the chefs. My favorite rolls include the tempura asparagus with cream cheese and house sauce, the popper- an inari pocket filled with rice, avocado and cream cheese, and the vegan adashi tofu. The veggie rolls rely heavily on avocado so if you don't like avocado this might not be your place but being an avocado-fiend this is heaven. They do offer a few vegan rolls as well. The beers and sake are reasonably priced and I feel I never spend more than $10 each on sushi. Most veggie plates are $1.50-$2.
(5)
Mars V.
Great sushi, friendly staff and mellow vibe. The most affordable sushi in Portland on Saturdays. I've been dining here for 15 years and I'll cry if they close. Recommended: Cho Cho- chopped Tuna and Salmon in a Siracha/Sweet Chili Mayo. The Shrimp Boat- Crab, Tobiko, Shrimp and Tabasco with a touch of lemon. Calamari and Tempura Tai are excellent too.
(4)
Luis S.
I wasn't sure going in, but once I was in I love it really nice clean friendly and great price.
(5)
Kayla W.
The model train was cute and the sesame balls were good, albeit still doughy. The fish tasted old with that typical fishy taste. Some of the rolls were good, but the more the fish was covered with sauce the better. Not really a good sign
(2)
Randi W.
Just stopped in here for dinner tonight and had an excellent experience! For two people to stuff their faces full of awesome sushi (and chocolate mousse cake) for less than $20 is pretty awesome. Very fresh stuff, great homemade sauces on top. Nothing too super fancy, but for the price and great train set/entertainment I will definitely be back. Staff was friendly, though I will agree that they are fairly understaffed and it can be hard to get their attention. I'll be sure not to stop in before 5 pm again, since they are closed for dinner right up until then :)
(5)
W B.
Nice little place with sushi on a train. Pay by the plate is my favorite. Normally I would order, but I just picked off the train and was very happy. Went on Wednesday which is happy hour all day. The spicy tuna was very good, had too many plates to remember all what I had but it was all well presented and a good taste. Pretty sure they get new seafood on Thursdays, so that's a good day to get the fresh stuff.
(4)
Aniko N.
I am shock to see 4 star rating for this restaurant? At most would be 2-3max . Their so call sushi train only contain mango, avocado rolls, spicy tuna with hot sauce, and cheesecake . It was a major disappointment especially, I came all the way from SF to enjoy some restaurant in Portland. I Could of dine at many places but end up dining here base on their rating. My train sushi should at least contain tuna, California roll cucumber rolls, mochi, yellow tail and more. The reason why this place suck is because if you end up ordering any sushi would take at least 10=15 minutes. As for the cut of the sushi? are you kidding are you even a sushi chef? Anyways, this place is definitely not for Japanese people.
(1)
Alyssa U.
I'm from Seattle and we have PLENTY of sushi restaurants up here.... but after finding this hole in the wall restaurant on yelp when in Portland, we just said "why not??" Long story short, we were VERY happy with our choice. Probably some of the best conveyer sushi we've ever had in our life. The train idea is too cute, and without us knowing we arrived during happy hour where most of our plates were $1.50 each. It was cheap and SOOOOO tasty, and the service was excellent. The workers here were so attentive, especially noticing we were first timers there. Can't wait to go back to Portland and stop by here again.
(5)
Jon K.
Wow. Inexpensive yet great sushi and service. Will definitely return. Love me sushi trains.
(5)
Eric H.
This spot is a weekly hit spot for my coworkers and I. Didn't like the place initially, but it has grown on me. I didn't like that I had to get up to get some of the food I wanted.. but it really isn't that bad.. And who wouldn't want to pick food off of a train.. come on now.
(5)
Kristina V.
Wouldn't come back here. The sushi is very plain, mostly California and avocado rolls on the train itself. For better sushi like deep fried rolls you have to order it separately and it comes in only two pieces?! And the actual "good" rolls here aren't even half as good as sushi from another sushi restaurant where you can order a full size good quality roll. Oh & it gets pretty pricey after eating a couple of the plain ol' Jane rolls off the train just to feed your hunger. NOT WORTH IT. & not sure why in the world this place is a 4 star.
(1)
Ainsley D.
A lot of my vegan friends have recommended this spot, and now I see why. I've always been kind of weirded out by the circular conveyer belt that goes round and round until you decide something looks appetizing enough to snag up. It took some coercing on my friends' part to get me to come here, but with promise of being able to order off menu my mind was put at ease. I was blown away by how good their veggie rolls actually were. This isn't somewhere I'd particularly want to eat fish from (cheap and dirty), but I was into their flat rate plate pricing for everything, $1-4 per plate depending on color. It's awesome when you're on a budget or want to look like a conquistador at the end of your meal with a mile high stack of plates that only cost you $20-30. The star of the show and must have if you ever visit is the Eliza roll. Yum!
(4)
Sienna M.
Such a great place! Awesome sushi on an actual *train. I recommend the handrolls. They also have Bao if you ask for it.
(5)
RK E.
Great Sushi for a reasonable price. Service good. Fun train "delivery" system. Good for families. Totally kid friendly. Not the right place for a quiet night out though. Again for families or those on a budget you cant go wrong.
(5)
Aaron J.
This place is awesome. It's owned by a guy who use to make sushi out at sushi takahashi, which I grew up going to and love as well. Everyone that works here is awesome and super friendly, especially his brother who is always willing to accommodate the picky eaters I bring with me. Don't come here expecting to get conveyor belt quality sushi because it's way better than that. Everything is super inexpensive and tasty too. The shrimp boat is one of my favorite things to order at any sushi place!
(5)
Cassondra P.
My favorite sushi in Portland, hands down! Also the best deal in Portland - I am vegetarian and can really full with $5. This is one of Portland's little gems for sure!!
(5)
Shannon S.
This is a rock solid, well priced sushi shop! Was it the world's best sushi? No. BUT - the prices are terrific, my service was great and the quality was good. I enjoyed my dinner , even though I was dining solo. A few more things that I reall liked, maybe you will too: - I love that there's a convenient menu to order from just an arms reach away - sashimi, noodles, nigiri full menu, etc - beyond the little sishi-train circulating the tracks. - I really liked that the little sushi train had a huge variety - deserts, vegetarian dishes, plenty of fruits and vegge choices, PLUS a good variety of good nigiri and rolls - always changing - I swear, every time the sushi train drove by, there were new items on it - all fresh. - the prices are truly great - the value is clearly better than most other places. Why a four and not a five? - the quality is definatley good, but its not the best in town - you'll certainly enjoy it, but its not fancy - though it is made well and the service was great. - wine/beer menu a bit limited -though lots of patrons were enjoying saki - looked good. No frills environment - some might say, "simple" - not fancy, don't take you're mother-in-law there ifshe's wearing a formal dress. Will I go back? Most certainly! Should you go? Yes, but keep in mind, this is no frills sushi -its not gourmet, but you will have a fun lunch/dinner and not break the bank. The place was busy for a Thursday night - lots of young people, seemed to be having a good time - you will too.
(4)
Vy N.
If you're looking for high end sushi, you won't find it here. By if you're looking for eclectic Portland style fun sushi, this is your place. Always a great time here and I always order the salmon hand rolls- they never skimp out on making your sushi orders. Great friendly staff- works real hard to get the busy place moving. It's always been busy when my friends and I come. One less star- because they are understaffed, it might be hard to flag them down for things you need. Great place!
(4)
Jay V.
Fun and tasty.
(4)
Ash B.
This is my favorite sushi place I've ever been do. I love the crap out of this place. The sushi is the best I can find for the best deal. I'm huge on sushi, too. When a friend was here from Japan for a term, her going away party involved making each other sushi to see which of us could out do the other's. I've been to almost every sushi place this town has to offer. But this is the one that has my returning business, unless my friends want to try somewhere new. I love their train is awesome. It's short and sweet, gets reloaded pretty promptly which is nice, but even if it's not getting spawning what you had in mind... that's cool, man. There's a little menu you can order all your favorites off of, just write down the number of orders you want next to the thing you want to eat. They are organized by price too. There are actual menus for other things you can order too, and all the staff are REALLY nice. I often find myself with a tower of plates between me and my friends/loved ones/etc., then am still surprised at how little I spent on all of us. I even get to-go orders of my favorites and a bao if I have a little extra to spend that day. If you love quality and quantity, I definitely recommend this place. (Last time I went with a group, a couple that I went with thanked me for inviting them because they had been looking for this place for years, but could not recall the name. Everyone was overjoyed by this meal though.)
(5)
Steve L.
Fresh, delicious, and a great deal! You get all of the above and excellent service with a smile. Also, it's the first sushi "boat" place that I've been to which is done entirely with a toy train track. If you're in the area and you love great sushi at an excellent price, you've got to stop by Sushi Ichiban-- it's my favorite Portland restaurant bar none.
(5)
Johanna L.
Fast, decent, reasonably priced sushi - self-served from a conveyor belt train. At lunch hour, sometimes that is all that is required. And they'll make anything you like fresh to order.
(3)
Lenichtka R.
To be fair...I arrived 30 minutes before closing on a Friday nite . The place was still busy I guess and it took 25 minutes to get my order. The kitchen closed so I couldn't order any tempura. The toy train brought platters around but there was not a lot of variety. Other than that, the sushi I had was great! Melt in your mouth! I wish I had more time to enjoy it. Whatever you do, go an hour before closing.
(3)
Alex H.
I love this place!! Affordable, fresh, versatile, laid back, fast and friendly service and lots of vegan and vegetarian options!! YES YES YES, yes yes YES!
(5)
Mikhail H.
This place rules for what it is - a cheapo conveyor belt sushi place in a building which should probably be condemned that smells weird. The service sucks but you know what, their sushi is pretty damned tasty. It is mega cheap and what a perfect location. See you there...you might wear a disguise but you will be there.
(3)
Alex R.
When I first walked in, I was a little nervous as its not the classiest looking sushi place you'll be to, but I was pleasantly surprised by the end! The food is VERY cheap and VERY delicious. This is one of the only sushi joints I've left with both a full wallet and a full stomach. The train is kind of weird at first, but it grows on you. The staff was nice, but I rated them down a star as I was obviously lost when I walked in the door and no one offered to help explain how their ordering worked when they settled me in. Bottled beer and sake are available. They even served my Sapporo with a chilled mug. If you're looking to get great sushi without breaking the bank, get your butt to Sushi Ichiban! "Number One Sushi". You won't leave dissatisfied.
(4)
Maggie A.
This place is great! Cutest sushi train ever (it literally is a train), fresh food, low prices, and friendly service.
(5)
Cassidy M.
This is the best sushi place in Portland. Really good prices and so delicious! Whenever i am craving sushi i stop here. The service is always fast and everyone that works here is super friendly. If you haven't eaten at Ichiban than you are missing out.
(5)
Sherry S.
Dive right in to this sushi at this dive! Location is on the shady side but that, in some cases, says to you - good find! The restaurant itself looks like it's been there a long time. And it has. It changed hands some years ago as the owner of Takahashi's turned it over to his sushi chef. Had my usuals: hamachi, sake, unagi, uni, spicy scallops, jojo roll, salmon handroll and then some. All fresh, decently sized, and the pricing goes from 1$-3$. The sushi goes around a train track but it's as if it came directly from the ocean. Try their cho cho.. or is that choo choo roll. They've got a big new blue and white caboose for those of you that have been here before! Place is always swamped at least during lunch time so get your caboose in there early.
(4)
Ehow C.
Sitting at the train/conveyer belt is like a cat being teased with catnip constantly. I think they knew my one weakness when I walked in (salmon), so they started loading up on salmon nigiri. I won't disclose the obscene amount of plates I ordered, half of which was salmon nigiri, but needless to say, it did not break the bank at all. The quality of fish was great, and you could always order specific rolls if you desire. The ginger soda is also fantastic, as it contains unfiltered ginger, not for the weak of heart. My only qualm was that the service was a little spotty, but it's not a dealbreaker. I'll definitely be by again.
(4)
Ben F.
Its dirt cheap sushi on a conveyor belt. You are definitely getting what you pay for here with the food, service and over all ambiance.
(3)
K G.
Sushi Ichiban is the best sushi place in Portland. I have tried the other dive sushi places and tried the expensive sushi places; Sushi Ichiban is the one place that I return to again and again. Not only does it taste better than all the other places I have tried but it is also cheaper. I am not sure how that is possible. This place is truly a hidden gem. I love the conveyor belt train of sushi. It is gimmicky but still pretty fabulous. You can also order off of the menu. A friend and I ate our fill for less than $20 total. I can not say enough about this place.
(5)
gloria s.
My husband and I are visiting Portland for the first time. I looked at restaurants on yelp, Close to where we are staying. Wow!! Sushi ichiban is awesome! The food is great and so much fun to try so many varieties of sushi. The young women working there made it a warm, fun experience. They were helpful and made it a special experience. You can't beat the price!!
(4)
Denali H.
Cheaper than more sushi, but great quality! They have a large spectrum of different kinds of sushi. The waitresses are on track when it comes to drinks and bills. The wait line can be sort of long sometimes but usually only in the evening when everyone's hungry. The parking can be a little tough to find during the weekends, since it's downtown Portland.
(5)
Andru R.
Great sushi, I love the vegan caboose. Never had bad sushi there ever. Sometimes service is a little slow but otherwise wonderful
(5)
Joe A.
Very solid choice for sushi in the downtown/Pearl area. Not quite a full selection on the sushi train that passes by, but the chefs are very happy to make other small plate items from the menu and I kind of prefer a more balanced mix between grabbing from the train and ordering from the chef. Don't let the sometimes bizarre down and outers on the street outside scare you away.
(4)
Jess P.
Sushi Ichiban has good sushi for super cheap. As a vegetarian sushi lover (Yes, we exist. No, it isn't a pointless, unrequited love) sushi ichiban offered a bunch of delicious options at a great price. There is a delightful electric train offering you sushi, but if nothing there is to your liking, fret not and just order off the menu. The place is definitely a little dive-ish, but I am a-okay with that as long as the food fills my stomach with endless glee. The more I dine here, the more I find the sketchy interior to be like a warm, slightly off-kilter hug. The rolls with cream cheese are the best. The Popstar and the Plager rolls are my favorites. Also- the ginger soda, although simple, is a great accompaniment. I say give this place a try- for what it is (and it is not pretending to be your gourmet sushi joint) it's pretty amazing.
(3)
Josh M.
Forever the best punk rock sushi you will ever let into your body. The atmosphere is fierce but clean, the sushi chefs mysterious and subliminal, the menu feral while deep. I would eat here everyday if I could - but when I tried I contracted the first case of sushi rice poisoning ever recorded. Seriously - go here - tell everyone how awesome it is - and let's get the Sushi Ichiban show syndicated all over Portland.
(5)
Annie C.
I stopped in here for a quick lunch a couple weeks ago. It's been years since I've come here. It used to be quick, cheap and decent. My experience recently was slow, not cheap and not good. I'm not sure what happened within the last few years. It was consistently good back then.
(2)
Audrey J.
My husband and I visited Portland recently and were hungry for udon and sushi and we love family-run small places. Here you will find a warm welcome, hot ocha (tea) oiishi (delicious) food and the Sushi train!! The flavor of the Udon broth reminded me of my mother's home cooking and the Smoked Salmon Asparagus sushi was my favorite, as well as the Futomaki. Check it out we highly recommend it!!
(4)
Margaret D.
For sushi trains, this train takes the cake. It's not like the one at Sushi Land that disappears in the back and makes you a bit nervous. It's short and sweet. This place is small, cheap, amazing, and before you know it you will have a stack of plates towering over you. Everything is good. This makes a great pit-stop for a weekend bike ride. Just be sure to check the hours, they are closed in between lunch and dinner.
(4)
Mark J.
Not sure if the positive reviews are from the same restaurant. The sushi that I saw sitting on the train must have been on the slow train from somewhere far far away. It looked very old. The salmon nigiri had that weird 'toughness' to it that you see from something that has been sitting out too long. I choked down 2 plates and got out of there ASAP.
(2)
Deanna C.
This place is the best!!! Fun atmosphere, cheap food and drinks, and the sushi was sooooooo yummy!! We had no idea how much fun this place would be and we ended up going 2 nights in a row. There is a little train that goes arouund the sushi bar and you can pick plates off it and then you pay at the end. Everything we ate was delicious and fresh and so affordable. We ate and drank until we were almost sick and our bill was 50.00. Where we live in Orange county CA we would get about 1/4 of what we had for 50.00. I am really going to miss this place, can't wait to go back to Portland and get my sushi fix.
(5)
C F.
Great servers, great sushi, great atmosphere, great prices! The sushi train is super fun too.
(5)
Leslie E.
I do not think i will be going back, sadly, ever. I say sadly because this used to be my favorite cheap downtown sushi joint. But the last few times the fish has been near inedible. The salmon and tuna were mushy, fishy and freezer burned, and i had quite the upset stomach all night after that. Why, Ichiban, whyyyy? Why have things sunk to such depths?!?
(1)
Cissy W.
I love this place been coming here for you years!!!!! Great crew:))
(5)
S Luc S.
When I was told that it was conveyor belt sushi, I thought, sure, I'll give it a whirl. I love the charm and kitsch of places like that. But what my eating companion didn't say that it was a sushi train! Like a literal train on tracks that will deliver your sushi on its little flat bed cars! That alone makes that place a total win in my book. You get nice, hearty, phatty pieces of sushi that will cramp your hand as you struggle to hold them aloft with your chopsticks. I knew they were big when I couldn't fit some pieces all in my mouth at once. And I have a big mouth. At times, I just opted to eat with my hands instead of risking injury. Apparently they have super cheap prices for their evening dining hours. Once I got my bill, I was like...HUH, REALLY? But, since I was Sgt. Not Paying Attention, I basically ate everything that I thought looked good instead of opting for the white plates. I'm glad I did that because everything I had was delicious. And for what I paid compared to other sushi places I've gone, this by far, is a new fave! I had to be careful, or I would've eaten a toddler's weight in sushi! The food quality is better than some other joints that are known for their cheap offerings. The atmosphere is a bit dank, but I just kept my head down and my chopsticks moving. The sushi chefs were nice and attentive, I really didn't interact much with the general waitstaff. All in all, I will definitely go back to ride that train again!
(4)
Matt W.
It was ok. Nothing special but not bad. The options coming down the conveyor were uninspiring. The place smelled very badly (like old food and cleaning products), was dank in general and could really use an update. If felt very depressing in there. I wouldn't venture in again.
(2)
James J.
Sick sushi and great prices. The chefs aren't your normal asian chefs, but the fish made up for it and they were good. 1 to 2.00 dollar 2 piece servings, very affordable. The salman skin roll is good. So is the salman and hamachi. Great for the price.
(4)
Robert V.
This sushi place is OK, i had better but it is sushi and i love some sushi lol! there are good, bad and ugly sushi here! the staff is nice, i like the train, it is different and unique..
(3)
Josh A.
This is the place to go for cheap and quick sushi. They have great vegan rolls and are always able to accommodate our large groups. Super great deals on Wednesdays too! I would suggest sitting at a booth- the rolls that come off the belt are usually warm, and I prefer colder sushi. Listening to The Clash while eating sushi doesn't hurt either
(4)
Lora F.
Conveyor belt style restaurant, only they use a train to deliver the food. Good prices, $1 to $3 a plate, with two or three pieces each. Fresh and good flavor.
(4)
Cedric J.
Fresh, fast, fun, and good music. Food: 4 (great!) Service: 2 (most of the service is by the chefs; the other staff that collect your plates tend to be hands off) Atmosphere: 2.5 (spartan, but better than it used to be) Value: 5 (a fantastic value) I have a history with this place. 14 years ago, this was the first place I had ever gone to try sushi. I was delighted. I'm still a customer. One year, a big sushi buffet opened in the mall, and I thought: well there goes Takahashi (Ichiban's former name). But I came right back. This is mostly due to the quality and value you get. The rolls aren't the most innovative or crazy, but it is a plethora of wondrous options. From unagi to straight avocado to cho-cho (a favourite) to creamy scallops, salmon skin, fresh salmon, and fried tai. They have vegan options, they have desserts, soup, teriyaki: they have it all. And I rarely walk out of the place spending more than 12$. A lot of stuff can be found on the train, but their extensive menu is really the way to go. I always order a few things off the menu. There's a lot of sushi places out there, but Ichiban is my baseline comparison based on value and quality. The fish is always fresh, I've never gotten sick there, the music usually rocks (Sushi and the Smiths or Portishead, YAY!), and there is an overall acceptance of a general youth/punkrock culture there. I'm frankly at home when my server has green hair and a nosering. Sometimes, mostly during lunch, they can be a bit slow to count up your plates. But other than that, this is a fantastic joint and I highly recommend trying it out on Wednesday night or Saturdays for their budget nights. They've recently integrated a happy hour into the place too, which I haven't been to. Nevertheless, I'm never let down, and in 12 years, I'll probably still be a regular.
(4)
Alexis V.
I dont know if the secret ingredient in their rolls is crack or if it's just really delicious, but somehow I find myself walking through these doors almost weekly. The sushi on the train is good (pretty fresh, seems to have good turnover) but ordering of the menu is definitely where the bet gems are hidden. The salmon skin hand roll is the best I've had with perfectly crisped skin rolled up with green onions and a touch of not so spicy mayo. The tempura tai is great too, flakey and delicious. For other items, I like their flying fish roe (add the quail egg topper for 50 cents, so worth it) and the cabbose, a vegan roll with sweet potato and spicy chili sauce. They get pretty busy, especially Wednesday nights when most of the menu is cheap, and quality can decline a little, but the service is always pretty on top of things even if the sushi bar is a little backed up. The best part is no matter what you order, with plates starting at $1.25, you won't walk away broke. Can't ask for anything better than that
(5)
Man D.
Cheap yet delicious place to grab some sushi conveyer belt style. But... You don't have to eat from the conveyer belt, which I like. They also have the little "sushi card" you can fill out & place an order so it's not "hm... What's this one... Is it vegetarian?" An important thing to note, is that the conveyer belt is actually a very long train with sushi on it. It's just something you'll have to check out for yourself. :)
(4)
Ame P.
I'm a sucker for gimmicks and I have to say I love coming here to see the sushi being pulled around on a cute little train! It's your typical mass stocked assembly line sushi joint, but its definitely a step up from sushiland. The service is pretty good here and prices are affordable. However, I came here during lunch time once and there did not seem to be much variety of what was being offered on the tracks. Although they were able to make any requests, I prefer being able to eyeball a plethora of choices. Good spot for sushi, nothing too crazy or special.
(3)
Patrick S.
Oh Snap! Punk Rock Sushi makes me Happy. I Heart Sushi (Takahashi) Ichiban. I especially heart them on Saturdays when they have $1.25 plates all day long. Get the Amaebi Shrimp and put a dab 'o the green on there and then Blamo! The Whuss-up-abi really kicks it up a notch on these sweet little shrimpies. Then back it up with his deep fried crispy head KerrrrUnch! And Repeat.
(4)
R W.
I'm not taking any stars away, because the music is still good and it is still cheap and convenient. However today when I went, there wasn't really any sushi on the belt. I guess they are having a hard time with supplies like wasabi and sushi rice from Japan, so they have signs up warning of price increases as of March 7 (over two weeks ago). I noticed that one person came in and got a spring roll off the belt, took one bite, paid and left. Yikes. I am left wondering if Ichiban is on a downward trajectory.
(3)
Pooja D.
Great sushi for super cheap. When I went unfortunately it seemed as if the chefs were a bit overwhelmed with the number of people that arrived in droves when I stepped in. Sure, had to wait for awhile for rolls to come out but it was worth it. Try the Rocket Hand Roll.
(4)
Natascha C.
As good as it gets for atmosphere and service. The sushi is good for the price. The sushi here is really cheap. You get what you pay for. The train that the sushi comes on is really fun and when I have people visit we always go to Ichiban.
(5)
Barbara C.
On a whim we found this place. Little hole in the wall but good sushi, great service and super prices. Had the cute little train that rolled by with dishes of sushi parading past. Prices were reasonable and very well posted.
(4)
Natalie E.
This place is fun, cheap, and a refuge for part-time sushi addicts. You can special order things if you want, or just wait to see what comes your way. The chefs are nice and what little service is involved (bringing waters, bringing wasabi and ginger) is quick. The sushi itself I would give a 7 on a 1 to 10 scale. Bar stool seating and some limited table space. The train is an actual train. Fun for one to several people. Five stars.
(5)
Josie C.
Great sushi for the money. Good service. Don't like the fact they are closed from 2-5 though. Kinda a bummer, I feel they lose a lot of business this way. Overall I love it.
(4)
Emily L.
My one wish for dinner while I was on the west coast was to try a sushi place that serves their sushi on a conveyor belt or train and my friends were nice enough to make my wish come true and took me to Sushi Ichiban. When you first walk in, this place doesn't look like a joint where you're going to get delicious sushi, but don't let that deter you! When you sit at the bar, a little train track with a train circles around and as it passes by, you grab whichever plate of sushi you want to enjoy. The price of the sushi depends on the color of the plate you choose(it goes from white at $1.25 to green at $4.00). They keep the train really well stocked, so there is never a time where you don't have something to choose from. They not only have sushi, but they also have spring rolls, edamame, and some smaller entree plates, what looked like sesame chicken or something like that(I didn't have any, so I'm not quite sure what it was exactly). All the sushi I had was good and it was fun because I got to try a little of everything and try stuff I probably wouldn't order at a traditional sushi spot. I think I had 8 little plates of sushi when all was said and done and my bill was $16.00. Seriously, I never get out of sushi dinner for under $20.00 and have it be good sushi at that! I would recommend this place as a fun date night option or night out with friends.
(4)
Stephanie W.
Some of the best cheap sushi in pdx!
(4)
Alisha P.
I love this place! It's the only restaurant I know to get vegan miso.... I love miso! I sometimes order two. Beware: it gets made special and takes FOREVER to come out, especially since everything else here is fast. I order mine when they seat me, before drinks, because sometimes it still takes over 30 min. Also their agadashi can be made vegan. Their specialty rolls are truly special and the staff is friendly. I once forgot my card at home and the let me go get money w/o leaving anything behind.
(5)
Tonneli G.
#NAME?
(4)
Mike G.
I Love Sushi Ichiban! I go there almost everytime I am in the Burnside area of Portland! It has awesome prices, consistently good food and service and I love the music they play there as well! Did I mention that the food comes by on a model train around the sushi bar?!?! I really don't have a bad thing to say about this place and have never had a bad experience there! GO AND CHECK IT OUT!
(5)
Linda A.
C'mon ride the sushi train!
(5)
R T.
Stopped here while on a 24 hour visit to Portland. Wasn't expecting much. Man was I wrong. Tender fresh sushi at ridiculous prices. I'm torn between a 3 and a 4 review but seeing as five would be tops of all restaurants I give it a three but wish I knew how to do a "half" on this yelp app anyway this place is really good.
(3)
Winter R.
All I got to say, is "Sushi coma" Seriously, this place had some of the best sushi that I've had in a long time. And I don't know if it's because I was drunk off a couple of glasses of wine, but it was good. I'll have to go back again to validate when I'm in Portland and sober.
(5)
Harvey B.
We were in downtown Portland yesterday, walking by the river. My son said that he had heard about a great Sushi restaurant called Sushi Ichiban, which was really close by. It's in a little, nondescript, storefront & if you're not careful you can easily miss it. To say that it was crowded would be an understatement. We had to wait about 20 minutes before a table was available. Every seat at the counter was taken. Almost all of the other Sushi places put the plates on a little mobile track that travels around the counter & you can select the dishes that you like. Well Ichiban has taken it a step further, They actually have an electric train, like the ones we had when we were little, & the dishes are all on flatcars just like the real trains. I was fairly impressed by their menu, they had some dishes that I hadn't seen in any other Sushi restaurant. The tempura salmon & tempura california rolls were different than any othr Sushi restaurant & tasted really good.Unfortunately that's where all of my positive notes stop as it all went downhill from there. The service, or lack thereof, was not there. there were at least 3 servers(?) & it looked like no one knew that we were supposed to be serviced. After we had marked our selections on the order sheet we waited... and waited... and waited, until my son actually had to walk up to the counter & hand it to one of the sushi chefs. The dishes were then delivered, one or two at a time & very sporadically. It took so long between dishes that we forgot what we had ordered. My Salmon & Tuna, sushi, were both so dry that they didn't even stick to the rice that they were seved on. They also, serves our dishes without ginger or wasabi, we had to ask twice before somone brought them to the table. Living on the west end of Beaverton, I would not make the trip back to Portland to est st Sushi Ichaban. Plese go to my blog, baronsrestaurant.com to see our other restaurant revirws.
(2)
alan l.
I love this place for the fast lunch. I'm primarily a nigiri eater so I put in an order and then pick something off the train while waiting. I will frequently not see anything interesting on the train and cruise down the end of the bar to look at the queue of dishes ready for the train. They encourage this but it's not obvious. I enjoy the music here and the vibe. I eat my fill here and spend about $10 which is unreal. The only caveat is that the wait for your check can be long. There's only one person for that and they are busy but catch their eye and they will be right over.
(4)
Tommy T.
Sushi Ichiban is my favorite place around to get sushi! Everything seems fresh and the chefs are friendly. I usually get the vegan miso soup and few avocado nigri rolls. They even have a few specialty vegan rolls. Wow! Seems like they are one of the best vegan friendly sushi joints in town! The added bonus is the train that chugs along the tracks and the new wave/ punk soundtrack.
(5)
Justin W.
Delicious, nutritious, prompt and reasonably priced... must go again. Recommended by a friend as kid-friendly and it was! Perfect place to wait for a train, the Amtrak Cascades or Rock Island Wasabi Express!
(4)
Rina K.
Hey, this place is fun. Conveyor belt sushi. Train style. I enjoyed this maybe more so than I would have otherwise, considering I got lost trying to find it, and it took a good all-day to get there. Walkin' in the rain. Nevertheless, it wasn't crowded (on a Saturday), and ordered sushi was efficient (and with good options). If not a little run-down-ish looking, and kind of dark, not a bad place to eat. Convenient location (if I had known where I was going, that is). Maybe the best conveyor belt sushi I've been to in the US? Would def consider going back next time I'm in Portland and want conveyor-belt.
(4)
Marc D.
I've been coming here for a while now, and this past visit will most likely be my last. Upon arriving, there was a five year old child running circles around the sushi bar. Not only was it completely annoying, and a safety hazard to the other customers and employees, but no one would say anything to the parents at all. This to me speaks poorly of their management as it went on for half hour until the family finally left. I ordered a plate of sashimi and a bowl of rice, and after 15 minutes I had to remind the wait staff that I still hadn't received my rice, in fact the waitress barely came back at all. The food was mediocre and the entire visit was disillusioning. I wish I had something nice to say about this visit, other than my bill was $10.50 plus a meager tip I left in the jar.
(2)
Jeni M.
When I want to stuff my hole with sushi, this is the place I go. The sushi is good, the prices are great, and the music is ecclectically awesome. You get to see an interesting cross section of people dining here, walking through Old Town is always an adventure. I dig the Philadelphia rolls are my fave! The chicken teriyaki is pretty bombin' as well. Sometimes the waitstaff can be slow, but it's not that big of a deal ussually.
(4)
Tsering S.
I am pretty much a regular here great sushi for great prices. I always order for fresh roles and it is very satisfying. Since the food here is pretty cheap, it attracts a lot of crazies ( smells pretty bad at times) . Don't judge the book by its cover, its good food they serve.
(4)
Pants P.
A philosophical conundrum: Do you yelp a spot for what it is (in this case cheap conveyor belt sushi), or for how good it is in the grand scheme of things? Because here's the deal: The place is cheap. And good. For what it does, it does it well. Go with a group, or if you're walking by. Or if you're broke and want some sushi. But it's not *that* great. The rolls are overly sauced and occasionally downright greasy. The fish is fresh and will not kill you. But it's no Bamboo Sushi or Yoko's. Just don't expect it to be. It's like going to Burgerville and thinking you're going to get a burger as bomb as Slow Bar's. But, if you're looking for the cheaper, yet still tasty, version, it's there.
(3)
Amber B.
This place it NOT for sushi-snobs. I wouldn't say it was gawd-awful, because I've had worse sushi before. But sushi is my favorite food so I'm picky. My complaint would be the rice mostly: it was too sweet and too sticky. Also, some of my favorites were not what I expected. I got the spicy tuna, which instead of having the creamy spicy sauce, it had some really hot red sauce, the unagi (eel) was much too hot (in temperature) and fatty. It's a good place to go if you're with friends and want sushi on a budget or aren't too picky about your sushi. One thing I found endearing, the sushi comes to you on a train.
(2)
C W.
Super cozy def love this place
(4)
Larry P.
Best salmon in Portland. I heard Sushi tasted better, when picked off a train. Ichiban has confirmed this. Only downfall, they're not open at 3 when I get off work :(
(5)
Doriancita H.
Sushi Ichiban comes off to me as a hipster dive bar of sushi conveyor belt bar restaurant. You have options to eat at the booth or sit by the running train that has an array of sushi, salads to dessert you can just pick off and stack yo plates up! I would give their sushi a 3 out of 5, for their cheap prices ($1.50, $2, $3 plates) you can't really expect any better. My favorite thing I had their was their oyster hand roll. They also had awesome dessert options like mochi ice cream, mango and greentea ice cream. Cute place for hipsters to go on dates. Wouldn't call this the best sushi I've ever had.
(3)
LAILA E.
Loved this spot! Was visiting Portland with friends and craving sushi. Turned to Yelp for some assistance and was not disappointed. Sushi was delicious and some of the freshest I've ever had! Our sushi chef, Jason, was so nice and gave us tips on all kinds of places to check out in the city. Just when we thought we couldn't have a better experience, the bill arrived. Under $30 bucks for the man and I to feel completely full plus we split a Sapporo! Will DEFINITELY be back in here on the next visit!!
(5)
Leah K.
Absolutely hands down the best cheap sushi in Portland. I stop here every chance I get, and at these prices, that's a totally affordable habit. The service is good, and I love how they play 80's punk music. The sushi train is stocked with goodies and they'll make things to order too. It's pretty fast, so it's a good place to stop in at lunch. Don't miss the Rainbow Roll, nigiri, calamari, or sesame balls. YUM!
(5)
Tim G.
This is a 5 star CONVEYOR belt sushi place. Please don't confuse that with some hoity-toity sushi restaurant that charges insane amounts per roll where the chef studied all of his life for the art. This is made by a friendly white-guy with an ironic mustache who makes a good roll and puts it on a choo-choo train to go around the customers. However, it tops the list of conveyor belt places, both in Portland and Seattle. The rolls were really fresh tasting, the prices were ridiculously cheap and the service was quick and friendly. The chefs were happy to talk to you while they worked and the location is great if you are visiting and staying in the downtown area. We will definitely go back to Sushi Ichiban when we want sushi and are in PDX.
(5)
Leslie F.
Decent and cheap sushi, friendly staff but the place is pretty dirty. However, their staff in the last year is much better than the first few ties I visited, and their tempura salmon is..... the bomb. That's really the main reason I go to this place, if i'm craving their tempura salmon. haha!
(3)
Bat M.
I love this place, to my knowledge, it's the best example of "conveyor belt sushi." Everything tastes super fresh, the staff is really friendly, and the prices are unbelievable. It's a little bit "hipster" but not in the annoying way.
(5)
Sarah L.
Dirty walls and bums Make me scared to eat the fish Ichiban is cheap
(1)
Heather A.
Cute little place! Love the decor. The train is cute. Love the Dragon Ball Z toys! The food and the service are excellent and the prices are reasonable. Love the cake! Try eating chocolate cake with chop sticks!
(5)
Julie M.
I'd enjoyed the real sit-down dinners at the (outer SE) Takahashi a of couple times, so I went to this place thinking it might also be good. A totally different experience, and not in a good way, I must say. If you must eat - in inner NW, please visit the east side of OBI's: Obi Restaurant , 101 NW2nd Ave Portland OR 97209-3903 503-226-3826 . Yah...so... Creative, the train service some rave for - but more of a distraction, and it caused a negative aversion for me. I felt creeped-out that the food was exposed! to all sorts of air that blows in off Burnside - and also to all kinds of Patrons one doesn't know, before it comes to you. And you don't know how LONG anything has been On The Train. (Much harder to countenance than simple: On the Wagon; or not ideations) Eew. ( Try to watch the Sushi Chefs HANDs....then...o no - did that guy touch that one? ) I am happy to triy things. I'm a fun gal - but memory of that unsavory experience is on my mind, It isn't me.. it just didn't measure up. (um, sir, Please don''t sneeze on that shrimp...I might want to eat it next time around?) No Thank U. Also, I don't like wondering What the Heck it - IS.. ? Same issue with Dim Sum, no matter how politely served - not much communication. (perfect sauces for each item....whut might that be? unh - nuthin offered in terms of communication for enjoyment - or loyal Customer Return) Steamed Buns with grey meat inside? OXI. (That's Greek - for Hell NO!) Back to Origional Subject...and Oh shit, here comes the TRAIN, Again. Keeping a dang math score in my head every time something looks worthy of Tasting, just to decide if it seems worth eating - and what is tthe price to Try?. Heck no, this place was not in the enjoyable category - t all - for me. I''ve never been back. ( Guys - keep yer dang Trains to yerselves - others are not so favorably impressed! ) Favorable Takayahshi - Family style, steaming bowls of Sukyaki, or big elegant flavorful platter dinners - at the other place - - 100 blocks SE - THAT'S he REAL Takayashi. A MUCH better choice, Oh my! You can take your time there... and enjoy such great service. The real one - is worthy - and feels like a great get-away from the city. If ever u R tempted to go to the Train place - off Burnside - don't. MUST do the Other one! ah, caveat... OK, there is a Train present, somewhere overhead on the east side. But I promise, it will NOTdistract from quality of food, service, or experience. Nor be your only memory///. Head east, young... who-ever. Eat - Well ! (OK - vs OXI ... Get it? heh, Julz)
(1)
Wendy C.
Just had to go see the Sushi Train to believe it! Poor Sushi Train seems to have seen better days: it experienced two derailments while I was dining there. I was amused to see it being repaired with tape: not duct tape, but scotch tape. Then realized that EVERY car in the train was held together with scotch tape. Sushi Train definitely needs some upgrades!! Nevertheless, this is a fun, cheap, cheesy place to get your lunch on for like $6. Sushi is ridiculously cheap, and I was happy to see $1 seaweed salads coming round the bend. Dining companion had something unrecognizable on rice that was amazingly delicious but sadly failed to make a second pass; avocado in my veggie roll had definitely been on the tracks a little too long. I'd come back for the people watching and trainspotting; not necessarily the food.
(4)
Sarah V.
Really great price for fresh, good tasting sushi. It's missing the ambiance of pricier restaurants, and the seating at the bar isn't very comfy. But, bottom line, now that my husband and I have found this place, we can have real sushi any day of the week, not just date nights.
(4)
P S.
Tried this for first time with friends the other night. Very funky Portland vibe. Sushi rolls by on a miniture train. Good food great prices and fun for people watching too.
(5)
Mollie M.
I love great sushi, but I'm not a snob about it too too much. My daughter and I happened upon this place while strolling around PDX last night. Several signs told us to give it a whirl 1. We were hungry 2. There were about 20 bikes parked out front 3. it was packed! So myself and my 10 yr old daughter ventured in. It was fast, friendly, delicious, and totally in my budget. The music was fun, we definitely plan on returning. Was it super gourmet? heck no. but it wasn't priced that way either. Great easy little place. Thanks for the meal!
(4)
Kelly M.
Sushi Train! Come here for dirt cheap sushi in a funny little restaurant in which your sushi comes around on a train. Don't come here for fancy, expensive sushi in a hip modern environment. So, if you know what your getting into and like sushi train like I do, you'll love it. Choo choo.
(5)
Jennifer T.
Okay, the sushi is not gourmet and the atmosphere does not scream 'fine dining.' That being said, I still love this place. It's fast, cheap and easy. The staff is prompt. Perfect place to go if you are in a hurry, you'll be in and out as soon as you can stuff your face and go.
(4)
Meilian J.
Love this place for instant gratification of needing food now. It's cheap, it's good and the atmosphere is always chill. They usually play awesome music and the staff is still great in the 8 years I've been coming here.
(4)
chris m.
in a restaurant that can't decide on a name, at least the service is so smooth you could say it's on rails... ok, bad puns aside, this place is here because portland needs another sushi-go-round 3 blocks from sushiland/pearl! no, wait, but it is kind of twee or maybe quaint or i don't know, at least different. kinda dumpy, kinda low-variety (compared to sushiville on nw 23rd. probably about on par varietywise with sushiland, though you won't see as much on the merry-go-round, nearly every seat is a bar-seat so you can grab the attention of a chef to get whatever else you want). but still entertaining, perhaps mostly that -- as the reviewer pictures try to demonstrate, sushi in fact comes towed by a model train. wouldn't go here again except if i were pissed off at sushiland for some reason. prices similar, sushi better, up there. but there's probably not a line over here ever, whereas there certainly is up at sushiland during the lunch rush. all aboard?
(3)
natalie c.
I don't even care about the sushi anymore.. I just come here to watch people pass notes to each other. The entertainment is worth a buck a plate.
(5)
J W.
Cool train takes sushi around, sushi no good, sushi bad, cool train, very bad service, got our tea after dinner, tea bad.
(1)
Asil R.
This place is completely on par with restaurants that serve rolls for $4, except here the rolls are between $1.25 and $3. The staff are friendly and attractive. They have disount nights. The food comes on a train. P.S. Anyone who thinks SushiLand has good sushi is automatically disqualified from giving a sushi review.
(5)
Joe S.
Skip it. The portions were tiny. The avacado was clearly rotten on some of the rolls (eww). The "spicy tuna" roll was just tuna with a blob of sriracha on top. Both my date and I walked out hungry because there wasn't anything else we were interested in eating. If you do eat here, just grab the nigiri. The other rolls are just overpriced for the tiny amount of fish.
(2)
erik h.
Is Takahashi objectively worth five stars? Not really, but I have to do something to offset the one star review below. Seriously, the place advertises $1.25/plate sushi served off a goddamn train. There are a number of restaurants in Portland that serve very good sushi, and this is not one of them. YOU DO NOT GO TO TAKAHASHI FOR TOP GRADE SHIT. Takahashi is for a rainy Saturday afternoon when you only have $10 but want to stuff yourself with less-than-stellar but totally decent sushi, or for when you're downtown and just feel like cramming yourself in with a bunch of other people and watching the train go around in circles. Other highlights include the endearingly ridiculous nautical theme, anonymous notes left on the train, cute staff, and the occasional sighting of mid-tier rock stars who are playing at the Roseland around the corner. Taken for what it is, Takahashi can be a lot of fun.
(5)
Alison B.
We visited this place on vacation in Portland, and wish we had something similar here in Boston. As others have noted, it isn't fancy and is rather quirky, but the vegetarian sushi (and miso soup) were very good, with a great selection of things we had never had before. My favorite was the sweet potato with chili sauce and thai basil. Yummy! I think we tried almost all the veggie options (order using the little slips of paper and write in the names) plus soup and edamame, and the bill was $15. Seriously. Two people, good sushi, $15.
(4)
ToriDawn S.
So I just moved here and this was my first venture out on the Portland town. The "modest" deco did not deter me given the down and dirty joints I have been honored to visit in LA, and it's a good thing it didn't. The sushi here was very good for what it was. They have colored plate pricing and the cutest train to display pre made rolls that are ready to grab 'n go. The sashimi was good, not great, but considering the price well worth it. I didn't try a roll that I didn't care for, and the ramen noodles were excellent. Only complaint would be the tempura, I found it to be a tad soggy and not as crisp and fluffy as I like. I had a great time here though, the sushi chefs were fun, and told me if I designed a roll they would name it after me...score! By the end of the evening we had consumed enough Asahi and unfiltered saki to begin sending notes around on the little train, and the folks on the other side were happy to play along. No clue how I ended up with a $51 bill from $1-2 plates, but what the heck, it was worth it. Welcome to Portland :)
(4)
Eva J.
I dunno how the last person got 3 1/2 stars but I couldn't seem to figure it out. I give Ichiban 3 1/2 stars regardless of what that damned thing says! So this place is in Old Town and doesn't try to pretend it's charming. The place is clean but not new or fancy, but doesn't look run down, not too much. The cashier/waitress is like a calm and sexier Lori Petty, in fact it may be Lori Petty, where has she been these days? The music is usually some kind of buttrock but that's ok, cuz the kitshyness of the entire place is made up for by a yummie white fish that isn't on the menu that you have to ask for, but the name escapes me, like escarol or something. I just always ask for the yummy white fish that isn't on the menu. The sushi train carries a limited selection so its best to ask for something be made to order. The sake always makes a train ride better! prices are flipping awesome and it's a quick walk from the max. Awesome!
(3)
hannah h.
This place was so cheap so it's hard to complain...yet I won't go back, the risk of food poisoning is just not worth it!!!
(1)
Erin G.
Alright. I am a little torn on this place. I had some of the best veggie sushi rolls of my life here, and really that's what I'm looking for. I am assuming that is their forte, since the had the largest variety I've ever seen and such wonderful flavor combinations. The fish was not so good. Just not very fresh, not great quality. I am always wary with sushi-go-rounds since I am allergic to shellfish and worry I will accidentally ingest one (paranoid, I know. They are just so creepy with their little claws slimy texture!). The staff was really friendly and helpful, pointing me to the end of the train where the big stacks of plates were, most of them vegetarian. Yam tempura with cream cheese, basil and chili sauce? Wow. I will be back, but I will leave my fish eating Hubby at home.
(3)
S. H.
This place has become a genuine staple in my restaruant circuit. In the dozens upon dozens of times I have gone, it has never let me down (nor made me ill, which is the best part). Is this the most exotic sushi place in Portland? Hell no, but its my favorite. The service is always courteous and fast and the sushi is always fresh (not locally sourced, I am afraid, but delicious, nonetheless) and the specials are really interesting. On my last visit (last night) I was excited to see new very well-priced specials and lots of vegan options. It was funky enough to please my teenage brother and delicious enough to please my refined father, for a "real" Portland experience during a family visit. The Derailer and the Salmon Skin Roll rock my face off every time. Don't come here for a posh, upscale sushi experience--it will be difficult to spend more than $10/person. Enjoy if for what it is: a pseudo-punk rock, delicious, hole-in-the-wall with the best sushi train in town!
(5)
Ryan R.
I'm not a Sushi expert by any means, but to me Sushi Ichiban was a very decent place to get some sushi after walking around Saturday Market. Most of the dishes were cheap, $1.25. I was kind of afraid of getting sick after reading some of the reviews, but there was nothing to worry about. We even ordered some fried Oysters, and no one got sick. I would definitely stop there again if in the area.
(3)
Evelyn M.
I love this place, you guys. One star lady is crazy! First of all, (at least) one of the waitresses there will give you ginger soda that she makes herself and it's so goooood (if you like ginger). Next off, I could eat infinite plates of their seaweed salad (and I usually try to when I go). The staff is really nice and even primetime on Friday nights, it's busy but I've never had to wait to sit down. The sushi here is good, you would pay more to get the same amount of really bad sushi at a grocery store. And like everybody else said, yeah it is good cheap sushi but it's not super fancy extra special $30/plate sushi. Also, they have $1.25 per plate Saturday days AND wendesday nights. Enjoy!!
(4)
Conor T.
Ok sushi and things-in-cups (including seaweed salad, kimchee, and even chocolate cake) on plates which are constantly brought around the bar by a train. Neat idea, but the food's OK. For the price, though, it's justified. The lights could be a bit dimmer, though.
(3)
Elena P.
Good price, variety, fun atmosphere. Our waitress turned strange towards the end of our meal and messed up our bill. She was off by $30 but when we brought up our concerns another waiter swooped in and recalculated and gave us free desserts. She never apologized but she was in space by then so it was kind of entertaining.
(5)
Jayson F.
Amazing dive of a place with a sweet sushi train. The sushi is in the decent to good range, but for the price it is great. Price and atmosphere combined make this one of my favorite places to eat. I just wish I lived closer. Just go there are try it. You'll like it. BTW, Powell's bookstore and Ground Kontrol are right by it. They are great places to kill some time post sushi eating.
(5)
Scott G.
Sushi is my pal, but not my best buddy. But my overall experience here made Sushi one of my better friends. What a wonderful little joint! A countless number of different types of sushi for $2. I had myself 3 veggie rolls, 2 avocado rolls, 3 spicy tuna rolls and 2 calamari rolls. All of them were delicious. And the total: $9. The best part about this place is the little train that goes 'round and 'round the big circular bar, carrying different sushi plates and desserts. Fuck yes, brother, I like sushi now. Sometimes.
(5)
Kendrick R.
the best affordable sushi deals. nigiris, rolls and deserts circle around the bar on a model train. the rolls are not impressive, but the nigiris are spot on. fresher than i expected with thick cuts. plates range from 1.5 to 3 bucks. after around 12 plates and a large warm sake (6 bucks or so) the bill came out to 30 dollars including tip. not bad for 2 people! it's also a few blocks from Powell's. Service is friendly and the place is kind of divey. i know, a sushi dive bar doesn't sound appealing. but it works in this case.
(4)
tara p.
I do generally like quality sushi, but I came here knowing that I was going to get cheap, probably crappy sushi, in a punk atmosphere. Sounded fine. In reality, I was scared to eat my food. I now call this place Sushi Open Sores, because the person rolling my sushi (ordered off the menu, mostly) had arms and hands that were COVERED in ACTUAL OPEN SORES! Was this person wearing gloves, you may ask? Absolutely not! We are talking many, many, scabby sores. Touching my food. Sick.
(1)
Tabitha R.
So when we moved here we KNEW that the sushi was not up to the caliber of San Francisco ... and that we'd probably have to pay a lot for good sushi here. Well ... we know of one "good" place in our neighborhood but there's always at least 20 people waiting. So when hubby got a recommendation from someone for this place ... we JUMPED on it. Well ... my first clue should have been the homeless guys sitting on the street in front ... but we weren't deterred. We were determined to HAVE SUSHI in Porltland!! Well ... let me say this ... don't waste your time. The sushi comes on a TRAIN ... not even a boat ... at TRAIN!! The "chefs" (which is stretching it) are dressed in conductor hats and scarves. We ordered off the menu -- opting NOT to grab the small plates with plastic covers that kept speeding buy -- horn tooting -- practically knocking over my tea. After we got our Spicy Tuna I was willing to give the place at LOW 6. Then I did it ... I grabbed a roll off the train. I was damn hungry and the stuff we ordered just wasn't coming fast enough. THAT WAS A MISTAKE!! Nuf said/ I then downgraded to a 5 ... hubby agreed. After more thought over the last couple days ... I know firmly give this place a low three. I would say ... if you're drunk and want cheap crap go here ... or just eat the cake.
(1)
Rob P.
My favorite sushi train place in Portland. Very affordable too!
(4)
Eva W.
This is the closest sushi joint in my neighborhood, within blocks of my apartment and across the street from an old folks home, the YMCA, and Duniway market: The Sushi Train--reminiscent of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, only without the scary cat puppets, Daniel and Henrietta (meow meow-meow-meow). My favorite things to eat are: miso soup, spicy tuna rolls wrapped in seaweed, smoked salmon and avocado rolls. The waitresses are so sweet and Happy Joyful Sushi Takahashi Princess Ever decorates the walls in fluorescent marker. There are also the requisite ceramic cat statues, scrolls in Japanese, and a rug that is cut into three pieces on the floor. The train is dizzyingly schizophrenic with raw fish riding rampant on it's back, the decorations are ghetto, and it is hands-down my favorite sushi spot in Portland.
(5)
Atsushi M.
I don't care if the food is cheap. I think it's the worst sushi I have ever eaten. 1 extra star for the music. see #2 below. I'll add that this was probably was the only place open at around 7pm on a Monday night in Portland. 1) First time... I was the only non-Caucasian person including the workers 2) First time... Hearing a playlist that included anything from DJ Shadow to Thomas Dolby in a sushi restaurant 3) First time... I was full from sushi and a Kirin for under $10 4) First time... instead of a sushi "boat" there was a train.
(2)
Taryn P.
People always say they're sushi experts on here. I don't claim to be, but I eat it very often and I know what I like. The sushi here is fresh, simple, and C-H-E-A-P. It's half price on Wednesdays and Saturdays, my husband and I basically gorged ourselves on nigiri and a few rolls for a whopping $19. The train is a cute take on the Tokyo style conveyor belt. If you want anything more than cheap basic sushi, then you should probably head elsewhere.
(4)
Adam S.
While this place is a fun cheap place the food can be disappointing sometimes. The train is fun to watch go around but it can go a bit to fast to see what you want until its too late and it may not be coming around again. Sometimes you need to watch out for some things that may be left on their for too long i know i have gotten a few of those dishes as well as the pork buns can be soggy sometimes which is no good. The staff is also very friendly but it can be hard to get their attention. But still the is a great place to take people and although it there might be a little wait its cheap and usually the food is good, and its a fun place to go to with friends and meet people.
(4)
Nunnya B.
The first 2 stars are for the sushi, which ain't all that great. The rice paper wrapped spring rolls are awesome (yeah I know not sushi), the fresh fish is...well...not very fresh, and the maguro looks like the tuna you see in the Safeway seafood dept. Not something I'd put in my mouth. The last 2 stars are for the SUSHI TRAIN (and yes, this is Sushi Train, everyone I know has called it that since I first went there in 1995. Takahashi my A$$ahashi). The only thing that can compete is Sushi Boat at Murray & Scholls Ferry in Beaverton. REAL boats, in a little river. Too cool :D My grandfather loved his Lionel train & this looks like it. Too bad I couldn't get him to set foot in the place before he passed away. I think the same staff has worked here since 1995 too. Which says something, but I'm not exactly sure what that is lol.
(4)
Joe G.
Seat yourself and no waitresses. AWESOME !!!! Sushi comes around the tables via electric train. Sushi is served on 1, 2 & 3 dollar color coded plates. Basically dim sum. If don't like what comes by grab a menu and order with the servers. Affordable, interesting and fun. All the things you like about sushi with out all the bullshit i.e. reservations, small portions, snottiness and waiting.
(5)
avant de mourir ..
Cheap sushi, you get what you pay for, but fun. A good place to go with your friends, as long as you're willing to wait to take a seat around the choo-choo train.
(4)
Allegra F.
chooo choooo!!! okay it's all been said before me but I just have to gush that "I love sushi train" i am so sick of every sushi boat place boasting to the the "first," "original," "seriously we're the first ever" on their paper menus. No pretense here, just good sushi, laid back yet attentive servers, and some awesome note passing. I was stuffed and my wallet was not empty and I bonded with another tofurkey lover via train notes.
(5)
Carolina M.
Sushi Ichiban formerly known as Sushi Takashashi still retains its quality alternative atmosphere while dishing out tasty food at an affordable price. This place has been a God send for me while I was in my thesis year and continues to be a personal favorite due to it's location, quick no frilles just good food, satisfaction. The music you might hear while eating there is eclectic and awesome. It is also a great place to people watch; just sit at the sushi counter with a cold sake or beer and enjoy classic Oregon establishment. I highly recommend this place for people with children or the college student on a budget.
(4)
Ashley T.
This is a funky li' joint in old town china town in downtown Portland. Good location and stuff and nice staff but to be completely honest it does not have the best sushi. This is the palce I would go if I was too lazy to walk up to sushi land in the rain and really needed my sushi fix. he he. Despite the so-so sushi in general their salmon skin hand rolls are to die for. Best I have ever had hands down!!
(3)
Amber S.
Oh Sushi (Takahashi) Ichiban, what a place you have in my heart. You took my Sushi virginity years ago, and now it's my turn to give you mad props. Located quite perfectly right off of Burnside and a hop-skip-and-jump from Ground Kontrol (if you have no idea what I am talking about, look them up. It will blow your mind), Sushi (Takahashi) Ichiban is just down right amazing. Good prices, great service, fun ambiance! I highly suggest their home made Ginger Soda ($2 for a huge mug). Most of their seating is around the famous Sushi train (I suggest writing a little note, or draw a picture and stick it on the train-you usually get messages back from other patrons), but they do have booths for more intimate dining. They are usually super busy, but they are quick to seat you. Wednesday they have a special- White plates are $1.25 and tan plates are $1.50 each. The sushi itself is pretty good (not the best I've had), and they have a great system for ordering sushi. They have pieces of paper and pens to write you order down and you just give it to the chefs, instead of waiting to grab a server. Always clean, always fun!
(4)
Abe I.
Takahashi is ok-ish. A little heavy on the cream cheese in my opinion. I guess there's edible art, and there's fattening art. It's not pricey and they have the fun conveyor belt, but the lighting and atmosphere are tragically supermarket-y, still, it's an easy, cheap eat, and it's not terrible, so if you're in the neighborhood, and you don't want great sushi, it's not too bad a choice.
(3)
Landon K.
Good inexpensive sushi on a train. It's an actual train. But smaller. My kids (1 and 4) had a great time.
(4)
Alice L.
Food isn't bad, environment is meh, and service is... well, inconsistent. It's also quite inexpensive, especially during their happy hours. I really dislike their environment more than anything else, and as soon as I step in I want to grab what I want and get the hell out. Oh, also, I did not like their ramen at all. On a few positive notes: excellent calamari, and their choo-choo roll, yum! Another personal favorite is the raw quail eggs; sometimes I go there just for that.
(3)
jason t.
i love the sushi train, but those plates can add up fast if you eat sushi like i do. my friend and i racked up a 70 dollar tab once when we were planning to spend like ten.
(4)
Andrew F.
Yes, the food is dirt cheap, thats cause they dont pay the staff to clean. This is just a filthy place. I would rather eat the sushi out of all the vagrants shopping carts than eat here again.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No 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 : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
F. Explora L.
Best conveyor belt sushi I've ever had! Seems to be a very popular and busy place! Many many choices! Lots of variety! :) Not the most appealing atmosphere--a bit of a dark, dingy, grimy, feel. But the sushi was fantastic! Friendly sushi chefs who def knew their sushi well and even tried to individualize our order by asking about the details of what we prefer ;) I ate wayyy too much: that's the sign of delicious conveyor belt sushi :p
(5)Mary B.
if you are looking for fresh, quick, and delicious sushi you have come to the right place! the owner, Kao, and all of the staff are super friendly and love to please! if you don't see a type of sushi you want on the train just use the handy-dandy order form and get whatever you want on some rice! for the gluten-free population they have Bragg's to use instead of soy sauce. they will also try to change rolls to fit your needs i.e. i get the soft-shell crab roll sans batter.
(5)Darryl M.
I can't in good conscience give a place that merely has "pretty good" sashimi a perfect rating, but if it were simply an issue of service, I give Ichiban a perfect score. Sure, it's a sushi-go-round place, meaning you might not always get the freshest of fresh food--who cares? The sashimi's always good enough, the cooked fish is stellar, and the rolls are quick, uncomplicated, and damn tasty. I'm partial to all things involving their tempura-fried red snapper (the Tiger Roll rocks my socks) and their "Caboose," which is a vegan roll with cooked sweet potato and fresh basil (yum!) Add on to the fact that the PA's always playing something interesting--anything from blues, jazz, classical, punk, metal, you name it--and the fantastic wait staff (they may seem gruff at first, but think about where the place is located you'll understand why), and you get a perfect Portland dining experience. Oh, and it's cheap!
(4)Lauren B.
This has been one of my weekly spots for over five years. The name changed, and all of the loyal regulars fretted that one of Portland's quirky treasures would change along with it. Fortunately, it has remained the same awesome place with the same awesome people and the same awesome food. This is wham bam, thank you ma'am style sushi. If you want something not on the train, order it, otherwise grab it as it rides past. It's quick and dirty, but not too dirty- after five years I've never known a single person whose stomach problems after dining here were any more severe than "I think I didn't need those last four plates... Sushi... coma." Designer it ain't, but delicious it is. Occasionally the waitstaff get a little overwhelmed/indifferent. Occasionally the rice falls apart a bit. Occasionally the wait is awhile... but none of these things are major detractors from the overall charm and joy of this wonderful establishment.
(4)Brenda T.
This place doesn't look like much from the outside but holy cow! Some of the freshest, best sushi I'd had in a long time. The Albacore & Escolar just melts in your mouth. Had a Philly roll, so fresh & perfect texture! Awesome service! It needs to be renovated but who cares when the food is top notch??? Extremely cheap and even has a sushi train that goes around the track so you can randomly choose different bites to eat. I'll definetly be back!
(5)Yun C.
We walked around and tried to find the sign "SUSHI TAKAHASHI," it turned out..this was the place we were looking for.. they have changed their name I guess.. Well...just as soon as we stepped in we noticed the "sushi takahashi" sign.. so yep.. this was the place for the fantastic yummm sushi we saw online!!! Most of the items were $1.50/plate. If you go on Wednesday night or Saturdays it's 1.25/plate. We didn't realize that the $1.50/plate were the items that we should "order" using the piece of paper... so we got several more expensive plates $3/plate from the sushi boats. The location is GHETTO!!! It's next to a hotel full of homeless...it's a bit creepy to walk around at night. The portion is pretty generous for sushi... all the items are pretty "huge"...very good deal.. I wish there was one here in the bay area.
(4)Lina L.
For a sushi-go-round, this stuff tastes pretty fresh, as in it hasn't been sitting out there on the track for hours. The train is pretty cute, too. =)
(4)Christian G.
Good God this place is awesome. Right in the heart of Downtown Portland, this is a great spot for good and affordable sushi. As you step in the restaurant, you find an amusing sushi bar and and friendly servers. You take your seat and wait for a model train to give you delicious options for sushi by the plate. Everything we had was fresh and tasty. My wife, father-in-law and I ate well for less that $30. This was a great recommendation by Cheap Bastards Guide to Portland, Oregon. I will surely be back for more sushi on the model train.
(4)Dawn P.
Friends took me into this place after a rowdy Timbers game...it was late on a Saturday night (they close at midnight) and allll of our food was great. Tempura snapper? Divine. The caterpillar roll and the cholesterol roll where both absolutely delicious and I don't have a single complaint about the place. It was unique with a little train conveyor belt traveling around the sushi bar, but since it was late we ordered everything so I can't comment on the quality of the few items that were on the train. Good experience here. Great rolls. I'll definitely be back...
(4)LISA S.
Honestly, my first Sushi experience was here. before moving to Portland, I had no idea that there was such thing as vegetarian Sushi. I'm glad I know now. I love everything. I love the friendly and attentive waitstaff, they are spot on with drinks and warm salty miso. I love that they also don't have any air of snobbishness when you ask what 'nigiri' is. The waitstaff is also known to kick out some mean jams, I like a good punk rock soundtrack to pound down some saki. I love the food, and get what I can from the train, but the chefs are always willing to make whatever twisted roll you conjure in your brain. Oh what? Did I day I was getting my rolls from a train? Damn Skippy, Ace. I sure did. Not only does the sushi a-go-go train convey a wide variety of both fishy and meatless rolls, you can also be tempted by cups of edammame or dessert. It is also a clever vehicle for leaving little notes promoting your band or telling the cutie across the way that you long for them etc... I cannot vouch for the freshness of the seafood, but the veggie stuff is divine. Its reasonably busy here, and with the proximity to the coast, I'd wager that the freshness and quality of the traditional sushi offerings is pretty good. Did I mention that it is DIRT CHEAP? Oh, but it is! It's even DIRTIER on Wednesdays and Saturdays, when every plate is a sick $1.25 (I tend to avoid it then, because of the wait)
(4)Sara S.
Not the best sushi-go-round belt I've ever had, but the staff is super nice, music is fun, and the atmosphere in its entirety is quite quirky. While they have a nice variety of "the usual" sushi, they also had some fun, tempura varieties, including tempura snapper and one roll that is entirely fried and filled with cream cheese and salmon. Tempura is obviously the standout. Spicy tuna was not too awesome. If I wanted a quick, cheap meal in the area, I'd totally come back, but will try other sushi places beforehand!
(3)Michelle C.
I LOVE this place. If you want a roll full of ground up fish mixed with mayonnaise go elsewhere for sure... which is what Mio, sushi land, Bamboo, and almost every other place I have ever been serves, but all my friends don't seem to realize they are eating the sushi equivalent of tuna salad. I have no idea if a mayonnaise laden ground up shmorgas board is "traditional," but I don't care- I am not from Japan, I am just a white girl who likes eating- and tasting all my food, not just mayo. That is why my favorite thing about the rolls here is that all of it is chopped so you can see/ taste the individual ingredients. Lots of non traditional items & very reasonably priced- which means the fish selection is a little small, but a fine compromise with me since I can afford to eat here as often as I want. And I have been eating here about once a week for almost 5 years. That said- it is a very casual atmosphere, this is NOT a date place. Take your lady to Bamboo or something if you want to impress her.
(5)Karl W.
Yellowtail roll! This place is great! The Kao Special #2 is one of my favorite items to order here.
(5)Amado L.
Not the best sushi in town. Of course, I didn't expect much from a conveyor style place. But if you happen to luck out and find a seat at the bar, you'll at least have a fun experience. You could, for instance, play "pass the message" by writing little notes on otherwise discarded chopsticks paper wrappings and placing them atop the covered dishes as they zoom by on the sushi train. It got pretty raunchy too, which was awesome because the staff didn't really seem to mind or care. If you don't quite trust the freshness of the premade selections, the made-to-order items come fairly quickly from the three or four "chefs" inside the wraparound bar. I ordered some imagine and, despite it's diminitive nature, it actually packed a pretty good flavor punch. Everything actually came in their super deformed versions as warranted by the small price tags. But incredibly large sushi pieces can also be quite a nuisance. Service was casual hipster, which is perfect for a mostly non-Japanese crowd, but it was friendly and fast. Be mindful of the stacks of empty plates in front of you because they do add up. But at only two or three dollars per plate, you can afford to get your sushi on without tearing a hole in your wallet.
(4)Jackie W.
I went here because it promised to be cheap and by most accounts here on yelp, good. It kept up it's first end of the bargain...2 people ate on a $14 tab--what one "special roll" may cost at most sushi joints, but failed at the second half. I just got back and I feel nauseated--usually i leave a sushi place wishing to remember every bite and this time i want to type this out and quickly forget. My Spicy tuna handroll was a big piece of frozen ( yep still seemed like ti may be partially frozen in the middle) with hot sauce that took an eternity to arrive ( my deep fried oyster roll came out before it) The sushi train was stocked with kim chee, a nasty been sitting out too long cuke salad and some other things like that, but an astonishingly dismal showing in any rolls...hence why i was ordering mostly from the sushi chefs and waiting ... the opposite of what i look for in a sushi train place. Skip this place and go to the 39th and hawthorne fred meyers for a better sushi train experince
(2)Matthew M.
Quirky goes a long way with me. Memorable goes even further and just plain fun always gets my vote. Sushi Ichiban hits on all cylinders for being fun, quirky and memorable. The sushi its self is just Ok but the price is right. My date and I ate and ate and ate some more and rolled away spending only about 24 bucks. Sushi Ichiban your just interesting enough to be cool.
(4)Elin M.
9/10 for overall value. 9/10 for Nigiri (salmon, hamachi, escolar are as fresh as I've had anywhere and always consistent), 8/10 for service (employees stick around, as attentive as necessary, recognize us, some I know have been there 10 years). Get there early on Wednesdays and Saturday evenings. The cheap sushi prices start at 5:00. If your in no rush, having a beer with your wife next door (across Couch) at Embers is always entertaining, for reasons other than the fish swimming IN the bar, seriously.
(4)Carol K.
AWESOMESAUCE (the sauce is what makes it so awesome)
(5)Donna F.
I don't know how anyone could write bad reviews of this restaurant ever! I have been around the block a time or two with suchi, from expensive Seattle restaurants to the round d rounds at Sushiville and Hana. Hana beats Ville, but still nothing compares to Sushi Ichiban. You get your money's worth here. None compare to the freshness, quality and portions of this place. The Hanachi is so thickly sliced it could feed 2 people. The ingenious creations such as Kato#1 is delightful! I crave the Salmon lox wrapped in asparagus spears topped with spicy sauce. I crave it on a regular basis. The Cho Cho is delicious, cold and tasty. The friend calamari is a tender piece breaded and fried, placed on top of rice with sweet chili sauce. I have had nothing that wasn't delicious and tasty. The staff is always friendly, often welcoming you when you sit with ginger and wasabi. LOVE IT!
(5)Cedric Douglas C.
I am pretty much obsessed with this place. It used to be called Sushi Takahashi and the name change has done no damage! If you want good sushi, nice atmosphere, and friendly folks, this is the place. DO IT.
(5)Ann L.
This use to be Sushi Takahashi. Last time I went in was 6 months after the name change. When I saw the new name, I was hoping it would have better food, cleaner walls, more light, update the decor and less vinegar on the rice (or no vinegar). Nope, I was wrong. Nothing changed. The owner sold it to his friend who tack on a new name but did nothing to the establishment. Same everything except the walls are getting dirtier. If the sushi chef made too much food for the belt, they'll stack the plates on the counter, un-refrigerated with no counter as to how long they've been sitting there. The good thing is they still have my two favorite sushi, the house specials - deep fried white fish with sweet hot sauce and deep fried calamari. When you custom order the house specials, they're freshly made and cooked. I love sashimi but I won't risk tummy troubles by ordering it at this establishment.
(1)Michael K.
Good Sushi at great prices. You can grab plates off of the train that circles the restaurant or order what you want. This is especially useful if you are not able to immediately tell exactly which sushi is going by. Great for a casual dining and stuffing your face with as much sushi as you can handle. Extra points for the game of hangman played with other anonymous patrons via the train.
(4)Sukie B.
I was surprised. Friends wanted to go here, so I came, too. I'm pretty much a sushi snob, so I shuddered to see a conveyor-belt sushi set up with a toy train hauling plastic dishes around the bar, but sucked it up and stayed for the company, not the food. The sushi wasn't so bad! It wasn't good, either, but not too bad. The fish, if not the best quality, was fresh and the rolls were tight. I loved the people watching and generally laid back atmosphere. I'd recommend this place if you want to grab a cheap bite to eat before a show, especially if you have a bigger group of friends with you.
(3)Jessica M.
This place is fabulously quirky and definitely a unique sushi experience. Four stars are for the whole experience but you'll end up somewhere else if you're looking for stellar sushi. I think it's hard not to love the train conveyor and I was excited every time it came around. I also like this restaurant because it makes you take chances! If it looks good, grab and find out if it is! None of the sushi is labeled, so you can only guess what you'll get. The plates themselves are of course differentiated by color so you can get the fancy more "expensive" plates or the still yummy, cheap white ones. I know this is Portland, but if you're expecting a variety of vegan dishes, you're just at the wrong place. Another great aspect to this place was that you can place specific orders to get something that train won't pass around. A bit more expensive but worth it. The only thing I'd do differently is to sit where the train starts its round. I think I sat about in the middle and was wondering what the diners before me had snagged. After you've eaten your fill, they add up all your plates and give you your bill. This makes it so convenient to go here with friends and simply pay separate bills. I hate doing all the math to see what I owe, so this was perfect.
(4)Jodi S.
This place has the weirdest atmosphere of any sushi place I have ever been to. They have a wide assortment of decorations ranging from Asian, European, to American south or mid-west. And to top it all off they have a train that runs around the main sushi bar with the sushi on it. It's cute but weird. The sushi wasn't too bad either. It may not have been the best I have ever had, but it was decent and fresh. We went on a Saturday right before the dinner rush, so they had a huge stockpile of sushi they were making in preparation for the crowds. They had no problem with you getting up and taking a plate from the stack if you saw something you wanted.
(3)Corwin M.
Certain unnamed persons need to learn to appreciate environments that aren't a study in sanitized soul-lessness. Then again, never mind, because the Pearl is reaching its overpriced commercial Yuppie-kitsch talons into the surrounding city like the expanding region of oblivion in the Neverending Story. Sure, the sushi isn't the best, but it's pretty damn good for the price: most sushi dishes are $1.25 - $1.50 during lunch. The Tempura - perhaps their signature dish - is excellent. The wait staff are very friendly, one girl in particular being the object of considerable lust on my part. Not only that, but the ambiance is a refreshing glimpse back into old Portland; I've gotten so sick of the swank-fest that's replaced our old seedy blue collar charm of this town.
(4)Gary H.
Came here cuz a friend told me it was good, I'm going to have a talk with him. Not fresh seams they use frozen, and one thing I did not appreciate was I was not informed that they were closing for dinner set up. So I only was able to taste a few items, good thing cuz as.I check out what they had on the train was a plate with avocado turning very brown. Don't.think I will be back.
(1)Jack S.
I'm struggling between 3 and 4 stars, but have to settle on 3. First, for the price, it's a bargain. Granted, some of the cheapness is because you'll fill up on rice rather than fish, but that's not too bad I guess. And the music is awesome, especially if you are a fan of 80s classic rock. And the train... who doesn't love a toy train driving in front of you every few minutes with food. I know I know, the gimmick gets a bit tired after a while, but it's sooo fun. Fun-ness and price aside, the sushi quality is just so-so. And, if you are a sustainable seafood type, don't even walk in the door. For example, they serve crap Atlantic Salmon rather than the myriad local options from that side of the continent. That pretty much sums up the quality of what they are serving you. Fun, cheap, but if you want real sushi, go somewhere else.
(3)Michael V.
I've been meaning to create a Yelp account for awhile now to warn people of distasteful dining, but haven't had motivation to do so until now. I went to Sushi Ichiban today to meet up with a friend for lunch, and I let her pick the restaurant. BIG mistake. I wouldn't say that I'm an expert on sushi, but have eaten it for years and would know when I'm being swindled. Pros: The derailer is probably the best sushi they serve. They also accept debit/credit cards. Cons: The water was warm for a 90 degree day. I was thoroughly disappointed that there was no ice :( The plastic covers were too opaque to see what was inside. The train was a unique touch aside from most "conveyor belt" sushi restaurants, but moved too fast to tell what sushi was passing by. The dishes indicating different prices also confused me. Although the prices were pretty cheap, I had no idea the plate I chose had a "blue flower" on it until it was too late. The cheap sushi (which should be the appeal) isn't worth eating. I quickly became full from just the rice. The only thing worth eating at Sushi Ichiban are the $3 plates, but for only 2 pieces it hardly seems "cheap." If you want good cheap sushi, I would recommend walking a few blocks to the Marinepolis Sushi Land on NW 10th Ave. Their asparagus rolls put Ichiban to shame as they are tempura with cream cheese.
(2)Gina H.
I went here with my roomie the other day and we were not feeling it. The service was no good (I asked for soup and rice and only got the soup... not that hard). The sushi was not very good. There was just nothing about the place that would get me to come back. **they do have some cheap stuff though... I would rather pay more and get better quality sushi.
(1)Kaarin S.
sushi. on a train. first time i went i was SUPER sketched out, "fast food sushi" is the last thing i ever want my stomach to regurgitate. BUT I NEVER HAVE BECAUSE ICHIBAN IS AMAZING. I crave it all the time, it's fantastic. i guess it has dirty walls? but i've never noticed (i'm an anal retentive clean freak too), i'm too busy eating awesome sushi.
(5)Sasha S.
You failed me. Sushi Ichiban (once Takahashi) failed on so many levels since I've been going. I used to be a regular, going on their "happy hour Tuesdays" where sushi was a buck a plate. Back then it wasn't the best sushi, but it was at least palatable. I am a sushi connoisseur (note my nickname) and I am so disappointed at my last visit. First time: I went with a group of girlfriends, we ate that famed "Tempura Tai"... more like "Tempura-makemevomitanhourlater-Tai" I made it an hour, and the poisoning set it. I was blowing Tai for two days, both ends thank you. Second time: I dragged my mom and best friend, proclaiming they had changed. So I had a booty call with my ex-favorite sushi place. Fail. The cucumber salad in rice vinegar was slimy. My mom couldn't even eat it, when we told the waitress she said, "That's how it's supposed to be." Uh no. The sushi was awful AWFUL! The rice was undercooked, the rolls were goopy. Sadness. No more sushi-booty-calls for me at Ichiban. Plus I don't like the new name! It sounds like "itchy bum"! (Which is what you'll get if you get a bad batch of the Tai......)
(1)Daniel H.
Poor selection and poor quality sushi. The only reason this isn't a one star review is because of the price.
(2)Jarret F.
Perfectly enjoyable sushi (dive) bar, haven't had any food poisoning yet! If you're lucky, you might be able to see the entire process from salmon to roll during your visit. Watching the sushi chef prepare and portion an entire fish while the train drives by the foreground is a visual treat that I haven't found elsewhere.
(4)natasha a.
Full disclosure: I don't eat fish. So, I have no idea if the fish is stale and I can't tell you if their sake or hamachi or unagi is delicious or terrible or if they even have it. I can tell you that, if you're looking for a place with some good options for vegan sushi-type food on a budget, you should go here. They have a lot of different options for vegans and the staff has no problem giving you suggestions. I'm partial to the chef's special Eliza Roll. It does take a little while to get some of the special orders, but not too long. Plus...there's a train!
(4)Sonia G.
I really enjoyed the overall presentation; sushi comes to you in a train through a conveyor belt. The decorations on the 'train' are real pretty. Some sushi dishes are better than others though nothing was terrible. I enjoyed the fact that they used Oregon wasabi. I could taste the difference. It tasted real fresh. The prices were good too. I came here with family, friends and alone and always had a great time. Keep in mind that the last time that I came here was in ~2005.
(4)S M.
This place hits the spot for those college student's among us looking for cheap yet tasty sushi! Saturday nights are sushi night with significantly discounted prices. On a non-Saturday night I payed around $8 for miso soup, avocado roll, 2 pcs salmon nigiri, and a tuna, salmon, cucumber roll. PLENTY of food for such a good price! The staff is really nice, and if you want something that isn't on the menu they'll make Don't come here expecting a "classy" environment, its just a really cool dive. I mean, there's sushi on a train and that's awesome. Try this place out!
(5)Liz W.
Ok, this used to be Sushi Takahashi, and I have been coming here since my 10 year old was only one, and sitting at the sushi bar in a sassy seat.... We are still devoted regulars only now we have a 2 year old sitting next to her big sis in a sassy seat...we really do prefer to sit at the sushi bar, and have been known to wait an hour when they are busy. This hip little joint has an actual train, in fact a few different ones, rather than a "conveyor belt" like other places. They have a great variety of super fresh produce and seafood. Our faves are the Tempura Tai, which is little fillets of Red Snapper, tempura battered and fried, placed on a little rice loaf drizzled with their house sauce (sriracha concoction), and the Calamari, prepared the same way but topped with sweet chili sauce. I can't leave the place without having their fresh tuna roll, wrapped up in nori with radish sprouts and topped with a dollup of sriracha sauce for a nice little kick. The music is current, and dare I say cutting edge...the server's (heather is our fave!) don't wear stuffy uniform's, are very relaxed and attentive, and will get you in and out if you're in a hurry, or will leave you alone if you are trying to have a leisurely dinner with friends over conversation and some hot sake! Definately a Portland must!
(5)Graham F.
Don't see the charm in this place - yes, cheap, but dirty, nothing much on conveyor
(2)Naomi M.
I love this place. Totally enjoyable blue-collar sushi experience.
(3)Adrian K.
Cheap sushi, cheap beer, and a cute little train! I like this place because it really does honestly feel like some weird hole in the wall dive bar. You go in, order a beer and wait for the little train to pass by, toting little plates of sushi. Typically, who cares what color you grab, it's all so cheap and happily tasty it really doesn't matter what it is.
(4)Troy S.
Hands down the funnest sushi place I have been too. Food was great, prices were spectacular, and where else can I get my fix for toy trains while enjoying a quick meal?
(5)Kb B.
This is a place of endless happy memories for me. I have yet to find anything else quite like it in Downtown--a cheap, local, quality establishment that always seems to make for a great, fun social experience with your friends. The sushi is good, but not great. Since I went vegetarian, the official options are a little limited, but the inari is delicious, the veggie hand rolls are surprisingly good, and the chefs are always willing ot do a custom veggie sushi order with tempura vegetables or anything else you want. I think the veggie tempura is good, but the vegan udon is bit lacking in flavor. The prices are perfect, the music is at a perfect level, the waitstaff is always overburdened but gracious, the train makes for wonderful note-passing with strangers, and it's hard to leave without feeling satisfied..
(4)Wes M.
I had always seen videos of these kinds of sushi places, usually with a conveyor belt going around the chefs in a circle, and I wanted to give it a try. I opened up Yelp, took a look at the options, and decided that Sushi Takahashi had the best location for night. My girlfriend and I headed down to Old Chinatown, which we normally avoid day and night, and found this place tucked away. Upon entering I was thrown off a little: This was also the first "dive" I'd been to in Portland. It looked a little grungy, some of the prices had been scribbled out and replaced with other prices, and the lighting was a bit too yellow. But that didn't discourage me, because right beyond that appearance was a little train carrying sushi around in circles. We took our seats at the counter and looked nervously at the options we saw moving past us. Sushi places are always a little bit of a risk as a vegetarian, you never know if they'll have veggie rolls available or if your going to confined to nibbling on edamame. Luckily we managed to spot some avocado and veggie rolls coming around and grabbed them. It was delicious. After a few plates of that we saw something else, something we hadn't seen yet. There was a roll with avocado sliced and laid over the top covered in a beautiful orange-colored sauce. We picked it up, wondering what veggie treasure we had come across. It was amazing. We kept our eyes out for more of this delicious roll, and racked up about $14 of sushi. We left Takahashi satisfied and not much broker than when we entered, making this place one to add to our dossier of delicious.
(4)Kelvin C.
...Perfect Speed Lunch... ~Sit down, accept little plate of wasabi and chopsticks. ***Arigato Gozaimasu*** ~Mix all of the wasabi with a copious amount of tamari. ~Meanwhile, snatch up likely plates off of the passing train and chow down. Don't see what you like? Stroll down to the end and grab whatever you like from there. ~Eat til you're about 3/4 full (sushi expands in your stomach) and immediately stand up so your wait staff knows you're finished. ~Let them count your plates and pay at the counter. Done! All of this can be accomplished in about 15 minutes. *Special challenge -- Finish eating before your server stops by to see if you'd like a drink. Monday 5pm-9pm Tuesday 10:30am-2:30pm 5pm-9pm Wednesday 10:30am-2:30pm 5pm-9pm Thursday 10:30am-2:30pm 5pm-9pm Friday 10:30am-2:30pm 5pm-9pm Saturday 12:00pm-3:00pm 5pm-9pm Sunday 4pm-8pm
(4)Marc S.
Nothing fancy, but I thought it was fine quality for basic sushi and I was absolutely stuffed for $13.75. Topped off the fish with the "expensive" $3 plate of chicken terriyaki which was very good. Went on a Saturday when they had their special prices. I like the train grabbing. It adds a little drama as you have to make your decision fast or else need to wait for it to come around. Seemed like a lot of their rolls had cream cheese in them which I don't like. I was happy to have gone and were I to live by here, it would definitely have me eating sushi on a weekly basis at least.
(4)HannaH E.
I almost wanted to give this 5 stars! But the sushi wasn't TOTALLY gourmet or anything....just very decent. so 4 works. I got a sushi craving one night and googled the nearest sushi place on a whim. Ichiban was 4 blocks away, so my boyfriend and I walked there. At first it seemed a little dingy....kinda hole in the wall place....but the sushi train is awesome, and OMG the sushi was so cheap! and delicious!!! i wasn't expecting it to be 1.50 a plate...i came prepared to at least spend 30 bucks for the 2 of us (if not more....). the total was 14 bucks, and we were totally stuffed! We're both big eaters....so thats not an easy thing to say. The staff was super friendly, and the miso soup was delish. awesome!
(4)Jeff L.
First things first: This place doesn't serve good sushi. On Saturdays, they do have $1.25 dollar a plate specials as well as on wednesday nights(I think). You seriously can't beat the price but again, sub-par sushi. My daughter did enjoy the train and the staff was nice/helpful. It was a fun experience overall and I'd definitely do it again if I was down in PDX again. My wife and I walked out spending 21 dollars and we were pretty full. I would skip any nigiri plates, skip any of the 3 dollar plates and just go for the cheap $1.25 plates. 2.5 for the sushi... 4 for the value. And no, I didn't have the runs afterwards.
(3)A W.
Good for what it is. Sushi comes by on a little train. Suffers all the same pitfalls of any conveyor belt sushi place. Not very japanese.
(3)Danny n.
This place is not about the looks or cleanness. It is about a fun experience. Yes. If you are looking a better place to eat sushi in PDX you will find one. But how many will you find that your sushi arrives to you in a train.! Yes a little train with white plates and beige plates. The price is dirt cheap so you can afford not knowing what did you pick from the train or if you want something specific just order it from the chef. This is a fun place !!! I won't considered it a fancy or a dinner out and I hope you wont have great expectations. But It is a great experience it is fun!!
(3)Nickole C.
This little hole in the wall spot one block north of Burn on the Park is probably the best bang for your buck downtown for decent sushi. It is a conveyer belt style place but instead of the conveyer they have a train set...which is great if you have kids. They also have other food then sushi like teriyaki chicken and ramen and soba noodles...also great if you have kids that don't like sushi. They have cheap day Wednesday and Sat where almost everything on the menu is under 1.50$...or at least everything I like:) There are some really good things they serve that aren't on the menu like agedashi and bow. You can also order half order of the Soba noodles or tempura. I must try!
(4)Tyler B.
A PDX Classic. Yes, not the freshest or most chi-chi sushi, but a classic nonetheless.
(5)M N.
Love this place so much that I visited twice during my stay! Located in the Pearl District of downtown Portland, parking may be a tricky on the street, but it can be found. Don't be dissuaded by the conveyor system, the fish is fresh and tasty, and the price? Can't believe the affordability of the place - in Los Angeles, Monterey, or D.C., the prices would have been double or even triple! Plates range from $1.50 to $3 per order. Instead of picking plates from the choo-choo train that pulls cars with plates of sushi, I recommend ordering straight from the chefs - you can get what you want, freshly made. In addition to the usual nigiri and rolls (spicy tuna, salmon skin, etc.), Ichiban also serves Hamachi and Sake (salmon) grilled collar a delicacy. To wash down the very tasty fish, a selection of sake and Japanese beer are available (Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo). Tasty, fresh fish at an affordable price - can't be beat!
(4)Mike S.
I finally discovered this place for myself after being told how good it is years ago. Wow, I have been missing out. First off, I have been missing out because I never find myself near it's location. It's not really the best part of town. However, I'm sure they get plenty of foot traffic, which is great for them. The reason I finally went is that a friend invited me to eat there the other day. What the place lacks in ambiance it makes up for in the sushi. There is a little train that goes around the main counter and you can pick stuff up there, or you can sit down and order as well. We did a bit of both, since you can pick stuff from the train and bring it to your table ahead of your order. I can't even recall everything, but all of it was delicious. About the only thing that was just ok was the crab nigiri. Perhaps it was just too cold. I especially liked their escolar, and the spicy tuna. On top of that, all the plates were extremely reasonable, some as little as $1.50. I definitely need to go back at my earliest convenience.
(4)Ian M.
i probably shouldn't be surprised, because the "sushi" is on a conveyor belt. unless i'm super mistaken sushi should be eaten as soon as it'd made, so the very concept is the definition of questionable the cuts of fish they use for nigiri are gross and the hamachi does not melt in your mouth. repeat. the hamachi does not melt in your mouth. also the rice kept falling apart on me. whaaaaaat HOWEVER, this place does have a great variety of vegan and vegetarian "sushi" (think massive over exaggerated air quotes) so it's perfect to tell your better-than-you friends about for OG sushi though this place is a pass
(2)Selena N.
This place was ok; cheap and simple....it isn't in a great part of town and not so great parking so not sure how often i'd go back. I've had better sushi...so I wasn't overly impressed.
(2)Jasmine L.
I loved the vegan and vegetarian rolls that they had there. Everything tasted great, and the service was amazing as well.
(5)Jack W.
This place rocks my world. I always special order the fried oyster hand rolls, they're awesome! And the waitress actually fills my water glass and checks on me, love these guys!
(5)Michael T.
My regular go-to sushi place! It's definitely NOT for everyone, but neither is Portland in general, fortunately. I often try other sushi places, and the so-called best out there are only imaginatively better, and probably just personal prejudices . So stay away with your snooty self-important high maintenance attitudes. (spelled f...off!) Ichiban is very good quality, low cost sushi for the locals. If you need more pampering you can pay for that elsewhere. Some will say that there is better out there, but not by much, and certainly not for the price. I think most so called "better" places are just atmosphere and fluff, not quality, because I have been there, to most of them.
(5)Krystal F.
The hubby wanted to go for sushi on his birthday. We typically enjoy conveyor sushi both for the fun factor as well as how efficient it is, (Sit down and begin eating). While we were able to walk in and sit down at the sushi bar, the place quickly began filling up and had many people waiting to be seated in the lobby area. I always feel it is always a good sign when a restaurant is busy like this. The service was great and the sushi was even better. This was my first time enjoying conveyor sushi by way of train. I gotta say I'm a big fan. I may have to test this theory, but maybe all food just tastes better when you get to snag it off a moving toy train. I quite enjoyed all of the sushi plates I ate. I only wish that they had a photo sushi identifier at the bar seats. I am not a super frequent sushi eater so these visual aides are super useful. I will definitely be back again for some more sushi train magic!
(4)Sophia C.
Come here on Wednesdays and weekends for cheaper prices on white plate items. Sushi is fresh here, and even Japanese people next to me were saying how good the sushi was in Japanese. The prices are amazing compared to Dallas or even Seattle. I'm definitely going back! Sweet shrimp orders will take 5-10 minutes to come out, because they prepare them fresh. They're delicious! The eel here was also amazing. I had salmon, squid, mackerel, eel, fried oysters (get them for sure) and sweet shrimp. Everything was delicious.
(4)Noah L.
For the Tuesday night sushi-hour prices, who can complain? It's purely decent sushi, with purely decent service. The train is one of the main reasons I keep coming back to this joint- generally to show friends from out of town.
(4)Hannah H.
I feel the need of coming back the day after I went there! It was tasty, variable and affordable! No word needs to be said. Just come and experience by yourself. You won't regret! Except there's not so many seat available. We were lucky to have exactly 7 seats next to each other right when we came in. Plus, 4 of my Japanese friends approved this place! I can't complain
(5)Su C.
Smelled bad when I walked in. It's old and kind of dirty too. To tell you the truth, I was a bit grossed out by the whole place. I ate with my family of six. We all tried different things and I think the consensus was "eh...."
(2)Ricky S.
Doggone! Five stars? YES, and I'll tell you why. No, it's not the very best sushi I've ever had, but it sure IS the very best sushi I've ever had at these prices! Fantastic value. Not a place to impress on a first date by any means, but by date #3 or 4, when you can start to actually be yourself, this place is perfect! No, I probably wouldn't snag much (if anything) off the train- who knows how many trips around the bar its been on? But order what you want, and you will not be disappointed!
(5)Jeff H.
Great value. We had chicken yakisoba, a tempura dinner, 2 beers, 2 sodas, and 5 different sushi selections, for $42. Friendly staff. Decor dated, but clean.
(4)Bob H.
This has been my one of favorite sushi places since 1998. Even through an ownership change, this place never disappoints. Super busy or quiet, I always get great service and even better self-service! Personally, I love the Tokyo rolls with their ginger, tuna, and scallions mixed in. In 1998 our family of 5 could eat here for $35. While the prices have gone up modestly, it is now close to $70+ to feed all the teenagers. The train rule still applies - only take one plate at a time!
(5)Anthony N.
There is a lot to love about Sushi Ichiban. The staff is friendly, and the prices are good. This train style sushi restaurant actually has a real train running on tracks around the main seating area. The sushi is fresh, and I have never had any sketchy fish from here. There are a lot of "high end" sushi places in town that have no better quality. If you cannot find what you seek on the train, there is always a selection at the end of the counter of other items. There is also order cards and pens close to every seat, and you can order anything you like directly from the chefs. They usually get you the food fast. The servers stop by far more often than most train style sushi places. They do have a couple booths for groups, but I have never sat at one. The train is just too much fun. The miso is great, and be sure to check out the fired calamari bowel ($4 get extra lemon). I do not recommend any of the hot buns, they are horrible quality.
(5)Amy L.
Another one of my favorite sushi on a train joint. The gem of the place here is their oyster sushi. Imagine fresh deep fried oyster nigiri or handroll. Super tasty and super cheap. Their raw sushi offerings are excellent as well very tasty and cheap. The veggie roll is a must. Most places just stuff whatever california roll has except without the meat and call it a veggie roll. This place stays true to japanese flavors and add in pickled daikon. Super crunchy and fresh. I love coming here for my sushi binges. Always hits the spot for my sushi cravings.
(5)Nick E.
At the recommendation of some good friends, I finally tried this place on a Wednesday evening. Oh my goodness. Oh my damn. What a deal. The discounted rates on all of the plates on Wednesdays and Saturdays create a situation where you can pay under $15 and thoroughly stuff yourself with GOOD sushi! I went with my friend and we shared everything. Even with a $6 bottle of sake for each of us, we both still got out of here for under $25 each (including a 20% tip!). We ate 4 salmon skin hand rolls, 2 spicy tuna hand rolls, probably 10 nigiri which included maguro, shiro maguro, hamachi, and ikura, and other things I don't remember in the haze of blissful sushi gorging. All of the fish was really good! I worked at a sushi restaurant in the St Louis area for 3 and a half years. The prices were on par with, or more expensive than the prices at Sushi Ichiban, and the sushi at my old work was nowhere near as good. Even if the design of Sushi Ichiban plays to quanitity over quality, the quality of their fish is still excellent. We are truly spoiled here in Portland to be so close to the source. Try this place on a Wednesday or Saturday. It's not just a bargain; It's DELICIOUS, FOO!
(5)Brooke F.
Really good sushi for a go-round! When I need oysters this is my spot. The fried oyster hand roll is super good. Takes some time to make though, so order it right when you are seated.
(4)Ryan S.
It took me a while to warm up to this place, but after my third time going last Wednesday I have to say: BELIEVE THE HYPE. I think my problem was the first few times I went on a Saturday painfully hungover, and didn't have the stomach for sushi of such a high caliber. Definitely come on a Wednesday or Saturday, as everything on the front page is 1.25 per plate. This includes stuff like Hamachi rolls (their Hamachi is way better than it has any right to be for 1.25), Salmon Skin Hand Rolls (if they sold these at a food cart there'd be a line around the block), Salmon nigiri, etc... Having worked at a sushi restaurant before that served mediocre stuff at a high markup, I have to say the quality here is very high for what you pay. Also, when you thought it couldn't get any better, the sushi comes out on a train. Choo choo. All in all, I ordered about 15 plates and 2 bottles of Sake between myself and a friend and our total came out to around $35. That is absurd. If you tried to order that much of that type of sushi anywhere else it would have been a $60-$100 meal easy. The place is top notch, and one of the best deals in the city. Go if you haven't.
(5)Emily A.
When I first walked in here, I was immediately hit with a terrible smell, and I wanted to leave. However, it was my friend's birthday and she wanted sushi, so we decided to stay. The place had 4 stars so I had some hope in the back of my mind, a trust in my peers. And actually, this place isn't bad. The food is very good, the staff is friendly and the prices are reasonable. I wish it smelled better but once you're in here for a while you forget about it.
(4)Clara D.
I have been to many a conveyer belt sushi place, and this one was good. There is a little sushi train that moves around the room. The train does go pretty fast, so it's hard to grab your sushi as it comes by. The sushi itself was very delicious, but I would have liked to have a picture reference to refer to when I wanted to know what an item was. Overall, a pleasant experience.
(4)Kim R.
I almost fell out of my chair in Boise when I read that this place was sushi done conveyor-belt style on a TRAIN!! My dad loves trains and sushi, so we had to visit when we came to town. We just got back to the hotel from there and we're stuffed! Neighborhood wasn't one where I'd feel super-safe alone at night, but it was just fine walking a block from our parking place with my dad before sundown. Timing was good for another reason -- it got awfully busy at 8. The server was great! When we told her we were new to this restaurant, she helped walk us through the menu and the Wednesday & Saturday specials. Later during our meal, I asked her about the very light (almost white) fish on the train, and she said it was escolar. It tasted great -- but buyer beware on that one, because a quick Wiki search says that escolar can cause pretty yucky issues. We really enjoyed everything we ate. The fried calamari nigiri and fried oyster nigiri were both marvelous. Our waters were kept full. Very pleased and would certainly return.
(5)Shari M.
We LOVE this place. It looks rough, but I would rather eat my own shoe then Not eat here. Best food ever. Atmosphere seems a bit rough, but you have every walk of life in there, it is totally Portland. Staff is friendly, and the Sushi is fresh. The only negative I could find, I am concerned they leave their cheesecake and Eclairs out WAY to long. The last time, our cheese cake was mushy, and the Eclairs filling was warm and runny. So live and learn, right. I still would go back! You guys ROCK!
(5)Cassandra C.
So my review is from the POV of the tables in the back of the restaurant, not the circular belt bar seating area. I have a feeling many stars were lost in translation for this review based on geography of your table. You fill out a card saying what you'd like. Prices were fair and the food was good. It just took SO. EFFING. LONG. First of all, we went here because we were legit hungry, not peckish. We waited maybe 10 minutes to be seated. Then another 10 minutes to have a drink order taken. Then another 10-15 to have our orders taken, only to realize (from the other table not attached to the bar) you take your card to the chefs who compile your order. After eating, the check was slow and the cashout process was slow too. How was the food? Fine. How were the prices? Fine, great, even! But for experience, I can def imagine a more on-the-ball place existing. Not in a hurry to go back. Oh and we walked here from Ground Kontrol, so it's a viable option for pre- or post- gaming sessions. They take cards. I don't know if there was a minimum. But they sell candy up by the registers. People were friendly, just slow.
(2)Michelle U.
I cannot believe I haven't already reviewed this place as I 100%, totes love coming here. As the 5-stars indicate, Sushi Ichiban is as good as it gets- when you're craving $1.25 (Wednesdays and Saturdays) conveyor belt sushi with awesome service, and a really decent atmosphere. If you like good music, the atmosphere is actually beyond decent, it is sometimes really fantastic. The sushi here is definitely not top of the line, catch of the day, fresh sushi. I would say that the sushi here is better than what one expects to get for such a low price of $1.25-$3ish per plate. Ichiban's sushi is much tastier than supermarket sushi, and that includes Trader Joes and Whole Foods, so that's already very impressive to me since TJ's and WF's sushi is more expensive and has been sitting around for who knows how long. The sushi at Ichiban is made to order- in fact, you can even watch the sushi chefs work their magic while sitting at the bar. The train here is incredibly charming- a real, working train! I prefer the cutesy train to simply a conveyor belt- how boring. The selection of sushi here is also quite impressive. You can get your large hand rolls, vegan rolls, vegetarian rolls, and all the classic rolls. They are really very accommodating and the people who work here will try their hardest to give you an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Sushi doesn't need to be snooty and high-brow, and Ichiban exemplifies just that. I wouldn't recommend this place to a sushi connoisseur, or someone who is picky about their sushi. I would recommend this place to a true lover of cheap sushi and a good time.
(5)Eric R.
The sushi is good, not amazing. What sets this place apart is two things: 1. The sushi comes to you on a toy train. Seriously, that is awesome. You just pick the plate you want as it goes by and pay for what you take. 2. The place has a punk rock thing going on. That is the music, the staff, and the vibe.
(3)Rambod B.
I would consider myself a regular here. Most people go to get a greasy burrito or some sort of egg dish the morning after a Friday night bender. I also do this, but most Saturdays you'll find me at Sushi Ichiban. The Saturday and Wednesday night special is one of the best deals in town. The entire front of the menu is a white plate. They do raise the price of the white place from $1 to $1.25 those days, but that's just a pittance. The selection on the front of the page is pretty extensive and has plenty on their for vegetarians and vegans. Some of my personal favorites are: tempura tai, Tokyo, Philadelphia, salmon skin, and 6pc salmon. The chefs and wait staff are the nicest people too. Oh and the best part? It's on a train!!
(5)Ashley G.
I'm giving Sushi Ichiban three stars for food and an extra star for having ample vegan offerings and ambiance. Who doesn't love sushi rotating around the restaurant on a train track? I ordered the Eliza roll, caboose roll, avocado nigiri, inari, veggie hand roll, miso soup, and pulled the salad rolls off the train. I thought the salad rolls were pretty bad and didn't have any kind of dipping sauce. Plain soy sauce on subpar salad rolls is pretty terrible. The veggie hand roll was my next least favorite thing. There just wasn't anything special about it. Maybe I didn't like it as much because it came towards the end of my meal and I was too full. I would order everything else again. It was decent. It was pretty sweet to finally be able to have some vegan miso soup at a sushi place. Make sure to specify that request. I liked the inari and avocado nigiri a lot. The vegan Eliza and caboose rolls were pretty good too... but not amazing. There is definitely better vegan sushi in town, but I got a ton of food for $10 and Sushi Ichiban didn't have a 45 min wait for seating at 8pm on a Friday night either like the first place we tried to go to. I'm not dying to go back asap, but I wouldn't be opposed to eating here again.
(4)Brooks M.
yes! sushi on a train. good stuff! and they have steamed buns, you just have to ask. this place offers a ton they don't put right out there so don't be shy. the sushi artists are friendly and the wait staff enjoyable. very not portland ;) i love it. this place is affordable, clean, friendly and fast. make it a regular stop on your downtown adventures!
(3)Minnie M.
Why haven't I been here till now?! It's one of the better, no wait, it's the best sushi track in town! They have a variety of rolls and everything is super fresh. OH and awesome prices is a plus. Also, they literally have a small toy train that goes around on the track carrying sushi plates. HOW COOL IS THAT. My favorite is definitely the seared salmon + avocado nigiri. Kao special #, I believe :D Salmon nigiri quality is pretty good too. Definitely going back soon. SOOO EXCITED TO HAVE FOUND THIS PLACE!!!!
(5)Bill Q.
This place is pretty chill, decent food for a decent price. The interior is not bad either. The reason I'm giving it an average rating is because it is average. It was good, but it did not stand out in my book. There are plenty of other places better than sushi ichiban in Portland. But if you are looking for a sushi place to go, this place could be worth the try. Why not? We were here on a Wednesday and did not know they had a special. Something about the white plates being 1.25 each and other dishes that are white today. It was kinda confusing with the menu and grabbing off the train. This is how it works: Grab the food you want off the train, you will keep the plates and the waitress will count it at the end and you will pay for what you eat. Simple. Also if you want order rolls and plenty of other items from a menu and write it down for the chefs to make. Overall okay place, check it out if you want. Nothing to blow you away though.
(3)Sara O.
My favorite sushi place!!!!! I'm not a foodie and this place is like a dive of sushi places it's cheap but delicious! Very friendly and quiet. My favorite is the salmon skin had roll. You have to try it. If your looking for a high end expensive sushi bar this isn't it. If your looking for cheap and easy place to pop in and have some yummy sushi this is the place!
(5)Leah S.
I unequivocally love this place. Spectacular sushi for a train place. The best "fast food" ever and a true Portland secret!
(5)Lisa T.
Came here for dinner and it's a pretty chill place. I was a bit confused about their ordering system at first. Basically the color of the dish determines the price and you can either order the dishes or go up to the sushi bar to pick them up as they come by on their little train. The waiters were very friendly and always made sure to check up on us. The food itself was just average. Nothing outstanding.
(3)Elizabeth R.
I haven't been to a revolving sushi plate place in a long time, but this was a really great lunch place especially if you are in a hurry! The staff was super friendly and attentive. Most of the pieces we wanted we could grab right off the sushi train which is really fun! This is awesome if you are really hungry and don't want to wait. There were a couple of pieces we wanted especially that weren't on the train, and they were delivered quickly. There were a couple of pieces that fell a little short of expectation. I ordered the sesame balls filled with red bean paste doughnuts and there were friend fresh and definitely the best I ever had. I would come back and recommend to a friend.
(4)Marisa L.
I've become a sushi snob, which, while tragic, makes me woefully ill-equipped to review this place. This is the greasy spoon diner of sushi restaurants. Its a throwback, it's fun, it's comfortable, the food quality is questionable. But you cant beat the price and Yelp is right, there are quite a few veg options. Thee futomaki was good, the rainbow was decent, but there wasn't enough saki to get through the nigiri I ordered. The scallops were sad, slimy, flavorless things. The mackerel was dry and spongey. Oh well, I got to eat sushi off a toy train.
(3)Laura M.
Let me make this clear -- Sushi Ichiban is a dive and the servers can be kind of surly. It's all part of its charm. If you go to Sushi Ichiban expecting a 5 star sushi place, you're gonna have a bad time. That said, if your expectations are realistic, Sushi Ichiban can be a fantastic experience. I've been going to Sushi Ichiban regularly for around 10 years now and it's pretty much the same now as it's always been. Wednesday nights and all day Saturday are their sushi special days when some plates are a bit cheaper than their already super-cheap prices. For the best experience, it's important to know what to get and not to get. (Nothing has ever made me sick, but some menu items are just alright and others are great.) I highly recommend the salmon nigiri and the tempura tai. The tempura tai needs to be ordered from the order sheet (it's not usually on the train) but it's amazing - two pieces of freshly-fried battered white mystery fish on pieces of rice, drizzled with a delicious spicy sauce and sprinkled with green onion. Not recommended (especially for sushi snobs) are the tuna or the California rolls. The tuna tends to be a little mushy and the California rolls don't taste as fresh as they should. It's best to go to Sushi Ichiban either alone or with at most two other people. They have a few booths in the back, but the sushi train runs around an oval track in the center of the restaurant and has a row of stools to sit on, so by sitting in the back you miss out on the sushi train fun and will have to rely on sometimes slow service.
(4)G D.
Fantastic food! We loved the casual ambiance, friendly vibes, little choo choo train that brings you food, and the prices. This was a fantastic place and the food was very, very good. Dinner for two with drinks came to only $25 and we're both stuffed.
(5)Carrie B.
I don't like gimmicky places, but I didn't know about the train thing until we got there. We were really craving sushi so WTH, we went with it. I was relieved that we sat in 5 min. So apparently very little comes out on the train. When we went it was mostly desserts and sesame balls. First red flag was the train, second red flag was that you ordered on a ticket that you placed on the counter, third red flag and probably the biggest was that there was a ratio of 1:10+ sushi "chef" to customers. That's insane. I've never been to a sushi counter that didn't have communication between the customer and sushi chef. Anyway, an hour and 15 minutes later, we left....without eating a thing. They absolutely do not handle busy well at all. And their method for serving people is inefficient. You can't serve people one at a time and do there whole order. You work your way down the counter giving them sushi one/two "plates" at a time. That way people are eating while they wait for the next "plate". I was very angry we stayed that long and didn't have a single bite of sushi. I think your customers have low expectations for their sushi.
(1)Tom T.
This is my favorite restaurant in Portland, but that is not to say it will be yours. I like the staff, the atmosphere and the background music. The Japanese food menu is easy on the wallet too. Don't expect a fancy dining experience, it is what it is and that is a great low-key sushi restaurant that never disappoints me. Ps. Grab an Order Form and check off what you want to eat. Then give the form to one of the wait staff or directly to one of the sushi chefs. The "flat bed train" that spins around the sushi bar has limited items on it and I almost never take any plates off of the train cars. You will see what I mean when you get here. Pss. The hateful-whinny "kalifornia sushi snob" will not necessarily enjoy eating at this restaurant. You will most likely complain about something. That said, maybe you should do us all a favor and just go somewhere else instead.
(5)Shannon K.
Let's be clear, finding a good sushi boat place is often difficult. I had a staple in SF and couldn't find one in Chicago. But hello Portland and your weird version of sushi boats - sushi trains! I die! Yep, the sushi goes round and round in front of you via a choo choo train. Just grab one when you see something you like. The plates are color coded and I think there are four price ranges from $1.50-$4.00. The fish is fresh, the chefs and staff are super friendly (and hot), and the price is right! I got an Asahi and four plates (each plate has 3 pieces) and my bill was under $14.00. In addition to hand rolls, rolls, and nigiri there is also edamame, seaweed salad, and dessert options.I'm a fan! And I'm definitely adding it to my list of good and affordable sushi joints.
(4)Seema F.
I LOVE conveyor belt sushi, but this one was pretty terrible. I was there on a Friday night so it wasn't a matter of a slow night. We seated ourselves and it took quite a while for any waitress to approach us. Waitresses are normally not needed at conveyor belt sushi, but this one had no wasabi or ginger or chopsticks at the seat. We finally managed to flag one down, and she seemed a bit confused at our request for wasabi, but we eventually got a small plate of some a few minutes later. The lack of wasabi should have been the first red flag, but we stuck with it. Let me say that a train is a horrible method for delivering food. Unlike the conveyor belt with constant food, this train moved WAY too fast. So, you have to wait around for several minutes to get anything and then it zooms by so fast that you can't pick something fast enough. Not that there was much to pick from. There were no interesting rolls at all, mostly just plain salmon or tuna or tofu. There are better options for conveyor belt sushi, so I wouldn't recommend coming back to this one unless you desperately need a roll.
(2)James W.
The sushi is well proportioned and tastes great! I love it especially the train around the sushi bar where I can grab and grind. Thank you!
(5)Mark B.
Best SUPER cheap sushi in the city. Fun/friendly staff. Usually good music selection playing. Fun toy train brings your sushi around. Leave a note on the train for all to see. Folks will usually play along and write back.
(4)Jeff P.
It's not often I leave a sushi bar actually full but the prices are so good it's doable at Sushi Ichiban. Having said that, the value is so good that there's a significant line. But it's worth waiting. Kind of funky but the kids will like the model train that delivers the sushi.
(5)Stevie L.
Really really good quality sushi for the prices you're getting it for! Also the service is great and everyone working there was really sweet.
(5)Mike T.
Great delivery system made it fun....good selection of sushi on the track plus more. Thanks for a great experience
(4)Andrew J.
Huge fan of quality-yet-affordable sushi, has a hole in the wall charm alongside Embers and the Brody. $5 buys a filling meal, with enough left for a tip.
(5)Veronica U.
Cheap conveyer belt sushi that is way overpriced. The Wednesday special is a select 15 plates that are normally $2 that get dropped down to the price of $1.25 (huge difference...not really.) The cheapest plates which are only $1.25 only have two tiny rolls on them. The four star average review is misleading, try somewhere else besides here.
(2)Heather T.
Favorite sushi place. Lots of super tasty vegetarian options. If you love ginger, get the fresh ginger soda. THE. BEST.
(5)Davis J.
Sushi Ichiban is fantastic--it had great prices, great sushi, and a cool interior. Don't get me wrong--this place is probably not the place you take your lady to on your 10 year anniversary. It's more of a lunch spot. Having said that, the sushi is very high quality. I was impressed that they offered freshly-ground wasabi upon asking and that the sushi chef was knowledgable about his fish. And the prices can't be beat!
(5)Jim C.
Seriously, how could you not like a place where, within ten minutes of sitting down, you have filled up on $9 worth of sushi?!? As other Yelpers have mentioned, if what you want isn't on the Sushi Train that rumbles past you every minute or so, just ask one of the chefs and they'll make it happen. Grabbing sushi off of a train has to be one of life's little pleasures.
(4)Mike S.
This place is a lot of fun, especially for the cost. We missed out last year as they were remodeling. So nice to find them open and seats at the bar. We usually grab a plate or two from the train, then fill out the order sheet of all the exotic stuff we love. Salmon skin rolls, fried oyster rolls, fermented soybean, braised salmon, smoked eel. Its so much fun, and you get a lot of great food for a very affordable price; we left stuffed for $23.
(5)Christina A.
Solid two star sushi joint. It doesn't have a wide variety of sushi and serves two pieces to a plate. I was really underwhelmed and disappointed considering it had four stars.
(2)R M.
(It's extremely harsh, but I need to let it out since I feel like I have to speak up, to break this nonsense of the inflated rating on this restaurant) UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE What are you guys smoking? to give this restaurant FOUR stars, or even FIVE? This is the one of the most ridiculous US sushi restaurants I've ever been in my life. It can only exist because it is a bit of edgy/hippy part of the pearl district/chinatown. For those who serve here - I just wanna say, SHAME ON YOU! You know, in the US you can make decent money, by opening a sushi restaurant, doesn't matter your experience or what you believe in. Hire bunch of starving Japanese students cheaply, who needs visas to stick around in this country. (If you grew up in Japan, you most likely did make sushi once or twice in Home Ec ) This is one of those bad examples. Combine that with old, non-updated decor and 20yr-old ceilings, unsanitary gunky tables and sushi cases. I thought their highlight was train-brought sushis. I don't know if they are lazy or doesn't wanna deal with the badly-guessed sushi picks and wasting, but the train doesn't carry real sushis at all. Chu-chu-train is gonna bring you avocado rolls and dried edamame, hijiki salad (who knows what it is anyway), and squished chocolate cake....what tha freak. The train of disappointment was going round' and round. Their server service is almost non-existent, sushi chef (or Japanese students) are touching EVERYWHERE with their bare hands. Just because they make nigiris/rolls with bare hands, doesn't mean they should touch everywhere without washing them. They should feel lucky that I wasn't telling on the Portland Health Department. I don't think you can even open this restaurant if it was somewhere else, say California. I'm actually surprised on myself that I had the guts/stomach try, but their sushi, nigiris were awful. The fish pieces were clearly badly defrosted ones, unevenly cut, like as if I brought from an american supermarket frozen section. I'm just super lucky that I didn't get awfully sick on this kamikaze suicidal mission. I did gulp a whole bunch of wasabi then took a glass of Alka when I came home though. I would've been arguing with the manager if I was being overcharged, but then I wasn't. It was TOO CHEAP to be a sushi restaurant. Damn, those students and waiters are getting paid nothin'. I also noticed nobody cared to tip anybody on the way out. Pretty sad for a sushi restaurant. Yelp are there partly to distinguish good places from bad places. Let us properly use this feature for once! For those who DISAGREE, go ahead and watch Jiro Sushi of Dreams. I freakin' dare you.
(1)High S.
Sushi train entertains. Sushi is slightly above average. Slightly. Staff is nice. If you're not into sharing your bar space with uncultured mongrels, wait for a table. They open up faster than you'd expect. I like this place because it's a great after work location to just have a Sapporo, watch your colored plate collection pile up and leave.
(4)Robbie B.
fun, good service, cheap. but the fish is from an ocean of fucky. its deep fried and covered in sauce! and more sauce! the train at the bar lets you know what dishes are old as shit.
(2)Simone G.
Other than the interior being shoddy and a bit questionable, hands down the best sushi in Portland. The price is ridiculously low for the quality and quantity you receive. I've eaten sushi for a long time and this is literally some of the best I've had.
(5)Ken R.
I have been coming to Sushi Ichiban for almost 10 years. The staff is always super friendly and these guys have some of the coolest sushi dishes I have ever encountered. The prices are great, the food is always fresh. This place basically ruined every other sushi place I have gone to. Anytime I am headed downtown, I usually make a stop in for their sushi.
(5)Pui S.
YES... YES... YES... Please look at the photos...
(4)Kelly J.
My favorite is the spicy tuna hand roll, which you have to order from the super efficient sushi masters. Everyone here works their booties off and is really pleasant. The sushi train itself is entertaining and usually carrying secret handwritten messages or tic-tac-toe games. Ichiban is one of my top 3 places for sushi and is the most affordable and consistent! I appreciate the unpretentious vibe and childhood flashbacks while listening to various 80s music.
(5)Leah B.
I love this place. The sushi is cheap and there are a ton of vegetarian and vegan options, unlike most other sushi places I have been to. You can watch the adorable train go around and pick from a good variety of pre-made rolls, or order from the menu. This isn't a fancy place-- don't expect to have gigantic dazzling platters and wow your in laws. But you can fill up on reasonably good and interesting sushi for less than $10 a person, leaving satisfied every time. I love the sweet bean hum bow (steamed rice cake). You might miss it if you didn't know they were there-- give em a try!
(4)Chelle A.
Wanted to have sushi, we picked this sushi places over one that was around the corner of our hotel due to reviews. Really bad customer service, no explanation on their menu or how to order. Every sushi place runs different it would be nice to be given some kind of direction. They are reasonably price though
(2)Elizabeth W.
This place isn't the best nor the worst. You get what you pay for. Lots of sushi at an exceptional price. I think I had five plates for around 9.00. I would definitely return again when on a budget and craving some good sushi. They had ample vegetarian/vegan options as well :)
(4)Annie C.
While known as Sushi Takehashi, this place was terrible. Now, known as Sushi Ichiban patrons can select a wide variety of sushi from a rad train whirling around the bar. The sushi chefs and servers were all very approachable, and helpful offering prompt and friendly service. Excellent!
(5)Devanka E.
I LOVE this place!!!!!!!! I take everyone here when they are in town. I also take everyone here when they will come with me ; ) I spent some time in Japan and this is the ONLY sushi restaurant I have been to that serves Natto (Fermented soybeans). They are very smart to ask, "Do you know what that is?" before making the order for me... I've been there enough that they have finally stopped asking that. Their hand rolls are AMAZING, the place isn't all boushy like most sushi restaurants. The sushi chefs are quick, good at what they do and the atmosphere is nice and casual. My only complaint... I usually need more ginger and wasabi, it's hard to get the attention of the chefs to request it. Oh yeah... and BIG POINTS FOR HAVING BRAGGS AMINOS AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR SOY SAUCE!!!! Now us glutards can have our sushi and our soy sauce too. Thank you Sushi Ichiban aka Punk Rock Sushi!
(5)Joe H.
Great place for lunch!
(5)Evelyn S.
Tried this sushi bar over the weekend while attending the PIB. It was super busy, as it was Saturday night. However, they did have 3 (maybe 4) sushi chefs and it's mainly a conveyor belt sushi restaurant. There were several tables in the - back but mostly the counter is where everyone was at. So I don't know why it took so long to get things out. The fried oysters were about the best thing to order. What was going around on the "sushi express" was just so-so. We tried several things off the belt and it just seemed to be basic. For the price(s) I guess it's pretty decent for PDX?!?!? I would (and still trying) like to find a really good and reasonable sushi place in PDX. Anybody else on that quest???
(2)James D. H.
I can't get enough of Sushi Ichiban. I could easily eat here every week (if I had the money). Customer Service is 4 Star (not 5.) but it was a Friday night and they were getting uber busy. I rarely have less than an awesome time here. I makes animal noises when i eat here. Can't help it! Won't stop it! It's Portlandia and we are weird. So i don't stick out that much. Ish. I tore through 14 plates. Yup 14 and took 4 more home.
(4)Ashley M.
5 stars for vegan sushi. Simple. Nothing too fancy. Sushi train. Friendly service. CHEAP.
(5)Anna F.
This used to be one of my regular sushi spots. I had been coming here for years and never experienced any food poisoning whatsoever but this soon changed. Not sure if it was the calamari or tempura thai (both ordered not taken from wheel) but had two days of pure hell....I haven't been back in a year and don't plan on ever returning. I will miss you guys.
(1)Heather G.
This was my very first conveyer belt sushi experience. I'm normally into high end sushi (such as Bamboo in PDX or Shibuya in Vegas) and I must admit that I was very hesitant to even try this place because of the low prices... Quality is important to me. It was New Year's Eve, my date and I were VERY hungry and every other place had a very long wait. Sushi Ichiban's positive Yelp reviews sealed the deal and we decided to give it a go! I'm very glad we did, because I was very impressed with the food for the price. I would have given Sushi Ichiban 5 stars if the sushi that was on the train appeared fresh and was labeled. It didn't and it wasn't, but who cares? We ordered off the menu and it was freshly made and fantastic! Very flavourful and well worth every penny spent. The train was fun for another reason. Others who were sitting around the sushi bar put little notes and drawings on the train asking for responses. It was cute and fun to play along! Gave us plenty of laughs, and we had a blast eating here. Totally helped make our New Year's Eve experience. 4 stars for me is a very good review, so I do highly recommend. I'm very much looking forward to coming back for more.
(4)Jamie C.
Dropped in with a friend who was determined to eat sushi from a train. Normally, I've not had the best experiences with train sushi. I've found it usually unimaginative and even less than fresh. BUT NOT HERE. This was not only good train sushi, but good sushi! I don't think I've ever felt full on $15 of sushi, but this was magical! Hooray for Sushi Ichiban! Hooray for sliced mango! And fresh nigiri and sushi! Hooray for a friendly staff! TLDR: Go on Wednesday for the sushi train special. It's amazeballs.
(5)John E.
Up until a few years ago you couldn't dragged into a sushi place without a shotgun and a court order. I was uninformed for many years and hung out with a lower class of people, obviously. Now look at me, my own list of sushi places and a genuine love of the rolled up little pieces of art. I think in a metropolitan area like Portland/Vancouver the fun is finding new places to try. I had been here a few times but wanted to wait to write a review until the Wife could come with me. That day has finally come. It couldn't have been more perfect, the Official Famous Nephew was in town Featuring at Harvey's Comedy Club down the block and he joined us for The Wife's birthday dinner here and then to see him perform. So there we were, the three of us, with a model train dragging sushi in its wake past our hungry faces. Poor little train never stood a chance. We pulled plate after reasonably priced plate of rolled up goodness every time it trundled by, we ate the rolls and enjoyed them a lot. We got very very full on very little money which was a bonus. The service was super and the guys behind the train tracks were quick with any requests we had for something special. The hours are quirky and the neighborhood is interesting and finding parking is more like a bloodsport but it's all part of the ambiance of Sushi Ichiban. We shall return... get a bigger train!
(4)Eam M.
I have been eating here for 15 years! I love it!!!!!!!! Great job on the subtle remodel-very nice. Almost everytime I go there they are rocking the reggae. The srevice cannot be beat. Good job! Also.....Kao did some nice renovations and decorating!!!!!!!!!!...New carpet....new booths.........new t-shirts!
(5)Sean R.
Let's be honest... we grade Sushi on a curve. We do not hold affordable, conveyer belt sushi to the same standard as higher priced and presumably higher quality sushi from joints like, say, Bamboo. Am I paying $2 for what may or may not be spicey tuna, as opposed to $18 for two small, sustainable bites of lightly seared winged-bunny-fish, wrapped in re-purposed earth-friendly seaweed? If so, I am going to lower my bar by a few pegs. It's only fair! By this criteria, Ichiban is beyond passable. It's good, even! Approaching great? Perhaps. All I know is after eating myself into a food-coma for only $14, not including the price of cheap sake, and enjoying every bite, Ichiban was well on their way to a great review, and I was on my way to a nap. Ichiban is the kind of place you could bring out-of-towners on a budget. It's Portland at her finest: the choo-choo conveyer! The tasty food! The economical plate-color pricing-system! The sushi chef who looks like he may have been an extra from the original Karate Kid who saved his headband and Cobra Kai t-shirt!
(4)Esther C.
After two trips, Sushi Ichiban has become my go-to for sushi if I am avoiding the inevitably higher bill resulting in a night down the street at Bamboo Sushi. I enjoyed the casual atmosphere, which was not exactly elegant, but not trying too hard either. There was no wait on a Saturday night for two seats at the bar, which was a plus on the sort of occasion where I was aiming for a more laid back experience. I actually don't mind waiting for a good meal :) Even so, I was struck by the staff's inability to replenish sushi-train options in a reasonable time frame... the train often passed by empty, and consecutively, alarmingly, sushi-less! One has the option of ordering off the menu, but it's not as fun! The space is set up so that one would primarily take from the plates rotating on a conveyor belt-railroad track, and I would argue that it significantly alters the pleasure of such a particular experience when you have to order with your server just to get a decent roll (or anything at all!) I stuck with sake (salmon) nigiri whenever it was available (I think I had 3 plates of the same) and it was great! I really enjoyed it! I also had a plate of tamago (sweet egg nigiri) and an ebi (shrimp). Didn't care for the ebi. Sake nigiri was very satisfying though, and happened to be the most budget friendly of plates at $1.25. In the end, I spent less than $10 and was pleasantly satisfied! I think I also got green tea, which was just perfect. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Just wish the sushi chefs were more available to fill up the sushi train!
(3)Brent C.
I was looking for an inexpensive place for sushi near my hotel, so I chose Sushi Ichiban. I was very surprised to find that my meal was not only some of the freshest tasting sushi I've ever had, it was also by far the least expensive. And I ordered a lot of sushi, at least for me; about 15 pieces. All of it came to about only $5.00. The service was friendly and fast, and the restaurant was clean. If I lived in Portland, this would be one of my regular local favorites. I'd probably eat here every day.
(5)Cori W.
I've only been to 2 'sushi boat' type places but Sushi Ichiban is my favorite thus far. They have a lot of options for vegetarians and keep the train full (as long as you don't come in right before closing). Even when I didn't see many veggie options going by it was super easy to order with the chefs. My favorite rolls include the tempura asparagus with cream cheese and house sauce, the popper- an inari pocket filled with rice, avocado and cream cheese, and the vegan adashi tofu. The veggie rolls rely heavily on avocado so if you don't like avocado this might not be your place but being an avocado-fiend this is heaven. They do offer a few vegan rolls as well. The beers and sake are reasonably priced and I feel I never spend more than $10 each on sushi. Most veggie plates are $1.50-$2.
(5)Mars V.
Great sushi, friendly staff and mellow vibe. The most affordable sushi in Portland on Saturdays. I've been dining here for 15 years and I'll cry if they close. Recommended: Cho Cho- chopped Tuna and Salmon in a Siracha/Sweet Chili Mayo. The Shrimp Boat- Crab, Tobiko, Shrimp and Tabasco with a touch of lemon. Calamari and Tempura Tai are excellent too.
(4)Luis S.
I wasn't sure going in, but once I was in I love it really nice clean friendly and great price.
(5)Kayla W.
The model train was cute and the sesame balls were good, albeit still doughy. The fish tasted old with that typical fishy taste. Some of the rolls were good, but the more the fish was covered with sauce the better. Not really a good sign
(2)Randi W.
Just stopped in here for dinner tonight and had an excellent experience! For two people to stuff their faces full of awesome sushi (and chocolate mousse cake) for less than $20 is pretty awesome. Very fresh stuff, great homemade sauces on top. Nothing too super fancy, but for the price and great train set/entertainment I will definitely be back. Staff was friendly, though I will agree that they are fairly understaffed and it can be hard to get their attention. I'll be sure not to stop in before 5 pm again, since they are closed for dinner right up until then :)
(5)W B.
Nice little place with sushi on a train. Pay by the plate is my favorite. Normally I would order, but I just picked off the train and was very happy. Went on Wednesday which is happy hour all day. The spicy tuna was very good, had too many plates to remember all what I had but it was all well presented and a good taste. Pretty sure they get new seafood on Thursdays, so that's a good day to get the fresh stuff.
(4)Aniko N.
I am shock to see 4 star rating for this restaurant? At most would be 2-3max . Their so call sushi train only contain mango, avocado rolls, spicy tuna with hot sauce, and cheesecake . It was a major disappointment especially, I came all the way from SF to enjoy some restaurant in Portland. I Could of dine at many places but end up dining here base on their rating. My train sushi should at least contain tuna, California roll cucumber rolls, mochi, yellow tail and more. The reason why this place suck is because if you end up ordering any sushi would take at least 10=15 minutes. As for the cut of the sushi? are you kidding are you even a sushi chef? Anyways, this place is definitely not for Japanese people.
(1)Alyssa U.
I'm from Seattle and we have PLENTY of sushi restaurants up here.... but after finding this hole in the wall restaurant on yelp when in Portland, we just said "why not??" Long story short, we were VERY happy with our choice. Probably some of the best conveyer sushi we've ever had in our life. The train idea is too cute, and without us knowing we arrived during happy hour where most of our plates were $1.50 each. It was cheap and SOOOOO tasty, and the service was excellent. The workers here were so attentive, especially noticing we were first timers there. Can't wait to go back to Portland and stop by here again.
(5)Jon K.
Wow. Inexpensive yet great sushi and service. Will definitely return. Love me sushi trains.
(5)Eric H.
This spot is a weekly hit spot for my coworkers and I. Didn't like the place initially, but it has grown on me. I didn't like that I had to get up to get some of the food I wanted.. but it really isn't that bad.. And who wouldn't want to pick food off of a train.. come on now.
(5)Kristina V.
Wouldn't come back here. The sushi is very plain, mostly California and avocado rolls on the train itself. For better sushi like deep fried rolls you have to order it separately and it comes in only two pieces?! And the actual "good" rolls here aren't even half as good as sushi from another sushi restaurant where you can order a full size good quality roll. Oh & it gets pretty pricey after eating a couple of the plain ol' Jane rolls off the train just to feed your hunger. NOT WORTH IT. & not sure why in the world this place is a 4 star.
(1)Ainsley D.
A lot of my vegan friends have recommended this spot, and now I see why. I've always been kind of weirded out by the circular conveyer belt that goes round and round until you decide something looks appetizing enough to snag up. It took some coercing on my friends' part to get me to come here, but with promise of being able to order off menu my mind was put at ease. I was blown away by how good their veggie rolls actually were. This isn't somewhere I'd particularly want to eat fish from (cheap and dirty), but I was into their flat rate plate pricing for everything, $1-4 per plate depending on color. It's awesome when you're on a budget or want to look like a conquistador at the end of your meal with a mile high stack of plates that only cost you $20-30. The star of the show and must have if you ever visit is the Eliza roll. Yum!
(4)Sienna M.
Such a great place! Awesome sushi on an actual *train. I recommend the handrolls. They also have Bao if you ask for it.
(5)RK E.
Great Sushi for a reasonable price. Service good. Fun train "delivery" system. Good for families. Totally kid friendly. Not the right place for a quiet night out though. Again for families or those on a budget you cant go wrong.
(5)Aaron J.
This place is awesome. It's owned by a guy who use to make sushi out at sushi takahashi, which I grew up going to and love as well. Everyone that works here is awesome and super friendly, especially his brother who is always willing to accommodate the picky eaters I bring with me. Don't come here expecting to get conveyor belt quality sushi because it's way better than that. Everything is super inexpensive and tasty too. The shrimp boat is one of my favorite things to order at any sushi place!
(5)Cassondra P.
My favorite sushi in Portland, hands down! Also the best deal in Portland - I am vegetarian and can really full with $5. This is one of Portland's little gems for sure!!
(5)Shannon S.
This is a rock solid, well priced sushi shop! Was it the world's best sushi? No. BUT - the prices are terrific, my service was great and the quality was good. I enjoyed my dinner , even though I was dining solo. A few more things that I reall liked, maybe you will too: - I love that there's a convenient menu to order from just an arms reach away - sashimi, noodles, nigiri full menu, etc - beyond the little sishi-train circulating the tracks. - I really liked that the little sushi train had a huge variety - deserts, vegetarian dishes, plenty of fruits and vegge choices, PLUS a good variety of good nigiri and rolls - always changing - I swear, every time the sushi train drove by, there were new items on it - all fresh. - the prices are truly great - the value is clearly better than most other places. Why a four and not a five? - the quality is definatley good, but its not the best in town - you'll certainly enjoy it, but its not fancy - though it is made well and the service was great. - wine/beer menu a bit limited -though lots of patrons were enjoying saki - looked good. No frills environment - some might say, "simple" - not fancy, don't take you're mother-in-law there ifshe's wearing a formal dress. Will I go back? Most certainly! Should you go? Yes, but keep in mind, this is no frills sushi -its not gourmet, but you will have a fun lunch/dinner and not break the bank. The place was busy for a Thursday night - lots of young people, seemed to be having a good time - you will too.
(4)Vy N.
If you're looking for high end sushi, you won't find it here. By if you're looking for eclectic Portland style fun sushi, this is your place. Always a great time here and I always order the salmon hand rolls- they never skimp out on making your sushi orders. Great friendly staff- works real hard to get the busy place moving. It's always been busy when my friends and I come. One less star- because they are understaffed, it might be hard to flag them down for things you need. Great place!
(4)Jay V.
Fun and tasty.
(4)Ash B.
This is my favorite sushi place I've ever been do. I love the crap out of this place. The sushi is the best I can find for the best deal. I'm huge on sushi, too. When a friend was here from Japan for a term, her going away party involved making each other sushi to see which of us could out do the other's. I've been to almost every sushi place this town has to offer. But this is the one that has my returning business, unless my friends want to try somewhere new. I love their train is awesome. It's short and sweet, gets reloaded pretty promptly which is nice, but even if it's not getting spawning what you had in mind... that's cool, man. There's a little menu you can order all your favorites off of, just write down the number of orders you want next to the thing you want to eat. They are organized by price too. There are actual menus for other things you can order too, and all the staff are REALLY nice. I often find myself with a tower of plates between me and my friends/loved ones/etc., then am still surprised at how little I spent on all of us. I even get to-go orders of my favorites and a bao if I have a little extra to spend that day. If you love quality and quantity, I definitely recommend this place. (Last time I went with a group, a couple that I went with thanked me for inviting them because they had been looking for this place for years, but could not recall the name. Everyone was overjoyed by this meal though.)
(5)Steve L.
Fresh, delicious, and a great deal! You get all of the above and excellent service with a smile. Also, it's the first sushi "boat" place that I've been to which is done entirely with a toy train track. If you're in the area and you love great sushi at an excellent price, you've got to stop by Sushi Ichiban-- it's my favorite Portland restaurant bar none.
(5)Johanna L.
Fast, decent, reasonably priced sushi - self-served from a conveyor belt train. At lunch hour, sometimes that is all that is required. And they'll make anything you like fresh to order.
(3)Lenichtka R.
To be fair...I arrived 30 minutes before closing on a Friday nite . The place was still busy I guess and it took 25 minutes to get my order. The kitchen closed so I couldn't order any tempura. The toy train brought platters around but there was not a lot of variety. Other than that, the sushi I had was great! Melt in your mouth! I wish I had more time to enjoy it. Whatever you do, go an hour before closing.
(3)Alex H.
I love this place!! Affordable, fresh, versatile, laid back, fast and friendly service and lots of vegan and vegetarian options!! YES YES YES, yes yes YES!
(5)Mikhail H.
This place rules for what it is - a cheapo conveyor belt sushi place in a building which should probably be condemned that smells weird. The service sucks but you know what, their sushi is pretty damned tasty. It is mega cheap and what a perfect location. See you there...you might wear a disguise but you will be there.
(3)Alex R.
When I first walked in, I was a little nervous as its not the classiest looking sushi place you'll be to, but I was pleasantly surprised by the end! The food is VERY cheap and VERY delicious. This is one of the only sushi joints I've left with both a full wallet and a full stomach. The train is kind of weird at first, but it grows on you. The staff was nice, but I rated them down a star as I was obviously lost when I walked in the door and no one offered to help explain how their ordering worked when they settled me in. Bottled beer and sake are available. They even served my Sapporo with a chilled mug. If you're looking to get great sushi without breaking the bank, get your butt to Sushi Ichiban! "Number One Sushi". You won't leave dissatisfied.
(4)Maggie A.
This place is great! Cutest sushi train ever (it literally is a train), fresh food, low prices, and friendly service.
(5)Cassidy M.
This is the best sushi place in Portland. Really good prices and so delicious! Whenever i am craving sushi i stop here. The service is always fast and everyone that works here is super friendly. If you haven't eaten at Ichiban than you are missing out.
(5)Sherry S.
Dive right in to this sushi at this dive! Location is on the shady side but that, in some cases, says to you - good find! The restaurant itself looks like it's been there a long time. And it has. It changed hands some years ago as the owner of Takahashi's turned it over to his sushi chef. Had my usuals: hamachi, sake, unagi, uni, spicy scallops, jojo roll, salmon handroll and then some. All fresh, decently sized, and the pricing goes from 1$-3$. The sushi goes around a train track but it's as if it came directly from the ocean. Try their cho cho.. or is that choo choo roll. They've got a big new blue and white caboose for those of you that have been here before! Place is always swamped at least during lunch time so get your caboose in there early.
(4)Ehow C.
Sitting at the train/conveyer belt is like a cat being teased with catnip constantly. I think they knew my one weakness when I walked in (salmon), so they started loading up on salmon nigiri. I won't disclose the obscene amount of plates I ordered, half of which was salmon nigiri, but needless to say, it did not break the bank at all. The quality of fish was great, and you could always order specific rolls if you desire. The ginger soda is also fantastic, as it contains unfiltered ginger, not for the weak of heart. My only qualm was that the service was a little spotty, but it's not a dealbreaker. I'll definitely be by again.
(4)Ben F.
Its dirt cheap sushi on a conveyor belt. You are definitely getting what you pay for here with the food, service and over all ambiance.
(3)K G.
Sushi Ichiban is the best sushi place in Portland. I have tried the other dive sushi places and tried the expensive sushi places; Sushi Ichiban is the one place that I return to again and again. Not only does it taste better than all the other places I have tried but it is also cheaper. I am not sure how that is possible. This place is truly a hidden gem. I love the conveyor belt train of sushi. It is gimmicky but still pretty fabulous. You can also order off of the menu. A friend and I ate our fill for less than $20 total. I can not say enough about this place.
(5)gloria s.
My husband and I are visiting Portland for the first time. I looked at restaurants on yelp, Close to where we are staying. Wow!! Sushi ichiban is awesome! The food is great and so much fun to try so many varieties of sushi. The young women working there made it a warm, fun experience. They were helpful and made it a special experience. You can't beat the price!!
(4)Denali H.
Cheaper than more sushi, but great quality! They have a large spectrum of different kinds of sushi. The waitresses are on track when it comes to drinks and bills. The wait line can be sort of long sometimes but usually only in the evening when everyone's hungry. The parking can be a little tough to find during the weekends, since it's downtown Portland.
(5)Andru R.
Great sushi, I love the vegan caboose. Never had bad sushi there ever. Sometimes service is a little slow but otherwise wonderful
(5)Joe A.
Very solid choice for sushi in the downtown/Pearl area. Not quite a full selection on the sushi train that passes by, but the chefs are very happy to make other small plate items from the menu and I kind of prefer a more balanced mix between grabbing from the train and ordering from the chef. Don't let the sometimes bizarre down and outers on the street outside scare you away.
(4)Jess P.
Sushi Ichiban has good sushi for super cheap. As a vegetarian sushi lover (Yes, we exist. No, it isn't a pointless, unrequited love) sushi ichiban offered a bunch of delicious options at a great price. There is a delightful electric train offering you sushi, but if nothing there is to your liking, fret not and just order off the menu. The place is definitely a little dive-ish, but I am a-okay with that as long as the food fills my stomach with endless glee. The more I dine here, the more I find the sketchy interior to be like a warm, slightly off-kilter hug. The rolls with cream cheese are the best. The Popstar and the Plager rolls are my favorites. Also- the ginger soda, although simple, is a great accompaniment. I say give this place a try- for what it is (and it is not pretending to be your gourmet sushi joint) it's pretty amazing.
(3)Josh M.
Forever the best punk rock sushi you will ever let into your body. The atmosphere is fierce but clean, the sushi chefs mysterious and subliminal, the menu feral while deep. I would eat here everyday if I could - but when I tried I contracted the first case of sushi rice poisoning ever recorded. Seriously - go here - tell everyone how awesome it is - and let's get the Sushi Ichiban show syndicated all over Portland.
(5)Annie C.
I stopped in here for a quick lunch a couple weeks ago. It's been years since I've come here. It used to be quick, cheap and decent. My experience recently was slow, not cheap and not good. I'm not sure what happened within the last few years. It was consistently good back then.
(2)Audrey J.
My husband and I visited Portland recently and were hungry for udon and sushi and we love family-run small places. Here you will find a warm welcome, hot ocha (tea) oiishi (delicious) food and the Sushi train!! The flavor of the Udon broth reminded me of my mother's home cooking and the Smoked Salmon Asparagus sushi was my favorite, as well as the Futomaki. Check it out we highly recommend it!!
(4)Margaret D.
For sushi trains, this train takes the cake. It's not like the one at Sushi Land that disappears in the back and makes you a bit nervous. It's short and sweet. This place is small, cheap, amazing, and before you know it you will have a stack of plates towering over you. Everything is good. This makes a great pit-stop for a weekend bike ride. Just be sure to check the hours, they are closed in between lunch and dinner.
(4)Mark J.
Not sure if the positive reviews are from the same restaurant. The sushi that I saw sitting on the train must have been on the slow train from somewhere far far away. It looked very old. The salmon nigiri had that weird 'toughness' to it that you see from something that has been sitting out too long. I choked down 2 plates and got out of there ASAP.
(2)Deanna C.
This place is the best!!! Fun atmosphere, cheap food and drinks, and the sushi was sooooooo yummy!! We had no idea how much fun this place would be and we ended up going 2 nights in a row. There is a little train that goes arouund the sushi bar and you can pick plates off it and then you pay at the end. Everything we ate was delicious and fresh and so affordable. We ate and drank until we were almost sick and our bill was 50.00. Where we live in Orange county CA we would get about 1/4 of what we had for 50.00. I am really going to miss this place, can't wait to go back to Portland and get my sushi fix.
(5)C F.
Great servers, great sushi, great atmosphere, great prices! The sushi train is super fun too.
(5)Leslie E.
I do not think i will be going back, sadly, ever. I say sadly because this used to be my favorite cheap downtown sushi joint. But the last few times the fish has been near inedible. The salmon and tuna were mushy, fishy and freezer burned, and i had quite the upset stomach all night after that. Why, Ichiban, whyyyy? Why have things sunk to such depths?!?
(1)Cissy W.
I love this place been coming here for you years!!!!! Great crew:))
(5)S Luc S.
When I was told that it was conveyor belt sushi, I thought, sure, I'll give it a whirl. I love the charm and kitsch of places like that. But what my eating companion didn't say that it was a sushi train! Like a literal train on tracks that will deliver your sushi on its little flat bed cars! That alone makes that place a total win in my book. You get nice, hearty, phatty pieces of sushi that will cramp your hand as you struggle to hold them aloft with your chopsticks. I knew they were big when I couldn't fit some pieces all in my mouth at once. And I have a big mouth. At times, I just opted to eat with my hands instead of risking injury. Apparently they have super cheap prices for their evening dining hours. Once I got my bill, I was like...HUH, REALLY? But, since I was Sgt. Not Paying Attention, I basically ate everything that I thought looked good instead of opting for the white plates. I'm glad I did that because everything I had was delicious. And for what I paid compared to other sushi places I've gone, this by far, is a new fave! I had to be careful, or I would've eaten a toddler's weight in sushi! The food quality is better than some other joints that are known for their cheap offerings. The atmosphere is a bit dank, but I just kept my head down and my chopsticks moving. The sushi chefs were nice and attentive, I really didn't interact much with the general waitstaff. All in all, I will definitely go back to ride that train again!
(4)Matt W.
It was ok. Nothing special but not bad. The options coming down the conveyor were uninspiring. The place smelled very badly (like old food and cleaning products), was dank in general and could really use an update. If felt very depressing in there. I wouldn't venture in again.
(2)James J.
Sick sushi and great prices. The chefs aren't your normal asian chefs, but the fish made up for it and they were good. 1 to 2.00 dollar 2 piece servings, very affordable. The salman skin roll is good. So is the salman and hamachi. Great for the price.
(4)Robert V.
This sushi place is OK, i had better but it is sushi and i love some sushi lol! there are good, bad and ugly sushi here! the staff is nice, i like the train, it is different and unique..
(3)Josh A.
This is the place to go for cheap and quick sushi. They have great vegan rolls and are always able to accommodate our large groups. Super great deals on Wednesdays too! I would suggest sitting at a booth- the rolls that come off the belt are usually warm, and I prefer colder sushi. Listening to The Clash while eating sushi doesn't hurt either
(4)Lora F.
Conveyor belt style restaurant, only they use a train to deliver the food. Good prices, $1 to $3 a plate, with two or three pieces each. Fresh and good flavor.
(4)Cedric J.
Fresh, fast, fun, and good music. Food: 4 (great!) Service: 2 (most of the service is by the chefs; the other staff that collect your plates tend to be hands off) Atmosphere: 2.5 (spartan, but better than it used to be) Value: 5 (a fantastic value) I have a history with this place. 14 years ago, this was the first place I had ever gone to try sushi. I was delighted. I'm still a customer. One year, a big sushi buffet opened in the mall, and I thought: well there goes Takahashi (Ichiban's former name). But I came right back. This is mostly due to the quality and value you get. The rolls aren't the most innovative or crazy, but it is a plethora of wondrous options. From unagi to straight avocado to cho-cho (a favourite) to creamy scallops, salmon skin, fresh salmon, and fried tai. They have vegan options, they have desserts, soup, teriyaki: they have it all. And I rarely walk out of the place spending more than 12$. A lot of stuff can be found on the train, but their extensive menu is really the way to go. I always order a few things off the menu. There's a lot of sushi places out there, but Ichiban is my baseline comparison based on value and quality. The fish is always fresh, I've never gotten sick there, the music usually rocks (Sushi and the Smiths or Portishead, YAY!), and there is an overall acceptance of a general youth/punkrock culture there. I'm frankly at home when my server has green hair and a nosering. Sometimes, mostly during lunch, they can be a bit slow to count up your plates. But other than that, this is a fantastic joint and I highly recommend trying it out on Wednesday night or Saturdays for their budget nights. They've recently integrated a happy hour into the place too, which I haven't been to. Nevertheless, I'm never let down, and in 12 years, I'll probably still be a regular.
(4)Alexis V.
I dont know if the secret ingredient in their rolls is crack or if it's just really delicious, but somehow I find myself walking through these doors almost weekly. The sushi on the train is good (pretty fresh, seems to have good turnover) but ordering of the menu is definitely where the bet gems are hidden. The salmon skin hand roll is the best I've had with perfectly crisped skin rolled up with green onions and a touch of not so spicy mayo. The tempura tai is great too, flakey and delicious. For other items, I like their flying fish roe (add the quail egg topper for 50 cents, so worth it) and the cabbose, a vegan roll with sweet potato and spicy chili sauce. They get pretty busy, especially Wednesday nights when most of the menu is cheap, and quality can decline a little, but the service is always pretty on top of things even if the sushi bar is a little backed up. The best part is no matter what you order, with plates starting at $1.25, you won't walk away broke. Can't ask for anything better than that
(5)Man D.
Cheap yet delicious place to grab some sushi conveyer belt style. But... You don't have to eat from the conveyer belt, which I like. They also have the little "sushi card" you can fill out & place an order so it's not "hm... What's this one... Is it vegetarian?" An important thing to note, is that the conveyer belt is actually a very long train with sushi on it. It's just something you'll have to check out for yourself. :)
(4)Ame P.
I'm a sucker for gimmicks and I have to say I love coming here to see the sushi being pulled around on a cute little train! It's your typical mass stocked assembly line sushi joint, but its definitely a step up from sushiland. The service is pretty good here and prices are affordable. However, I came here during lunch time once and there did not seem to be much variety of what was being offered on the tracks. Although they were able to make any requests, I prefer being able to eyeball a plethora of choices. Good spot for sushi, nothing too crazy or special.
(3)Patrick S.
Oh Snap! Punk Rock Sushi makes me Happy. I Heart Sushi (Takahashi) Ichiban. I especially heart them on Saturdays when they have $1.25 plates all day long. Get the Amaebi Shrimp and put a dab 'o the green on there and then Blamo! The Whuss-up-abi really kicks it up a notch on these sweet little shrimpies. Then back it up with his deep fried crispy head KerrrrUnch! And Repeat.
(4)R W.
I'm not taking any stars away, because the music is still good and it is still cheap and convenient. However today when I went, there wasn't really any sushi on the belt. I guess they are having a hard time with supplies like wasabi and sushi rice from Japan, so they have signs up warning of price increases as of March 7 (over two weeks ago). I noticed that one person came in and got a spring roll off the belt, took one bite, paid and left. Yikes. I am left wondering if Ichiban is on a downward trajectory.
(3)Pooja D.
Great sushi for super cheap. When I went unfortunately it seemed as if the chefs were a bit overwhelmed with the number of people that arrived in droves when I stepped in. Sure, had to wait for awhile for rolls to come out but it was worth it. Try the Rocket Hand Roll.
(4)Natascha C.
As good as it gets for atmosphere and service. The sushi is good for the price. The sushi here is really cheap. You get what you pay for. The train that the sushi comes on is really fun and when I have people visit we always go to Ichiban.
(5)Barbara C.
On a whim we found this place. Little hole in the wall but good sushi, great service and super prices. Had the cute little train that rolled by with dishes of sushi parading past. Prices were reasonable and very well posted.
(4)Natalie E.
This place is fun, cheap, and a refuge for part-time sushi addicts. You can special order things if you want, or just wait to see what comes your way. The chefs are nice and what little service is involved (bringing waters, bringing wasabi and ginger) is quick. The sushi itself I would give a 7 on a 1 to 10 scale. Bar stool seating and some limited table space. The train is an actual train. Fun for one to several people. Five stars.
(5)Josie C.
Great sushi for the money. Good service. Don't like the fact they are closed from 2-5 though. Kinda a bummer, I feel they lose a lot of business this way. Overall I love it.
(4)Emily L.
My one wish for dinner while I was on the west coast was to try a sushi place that serves their sushi on a conveyor belt or train and my friends were nice enough to make my wish come true and took me to Sushi Ichiban. When you first walk in, this place doesn't look like a joint where you're going to get delicious sushi, but don't let that deter you! When you sit at the bar, a little train track with a train circles around and as it passes by, you grab whichever plate of sushi you want to enjoy. The price of the sushi depends on the color of the plate you choose(it goes from white at $1.25 to green at $4.00). They keep the train really well stocked, so there is never a time where you don't have something to choose from. They not only have sushi, but they also have spring rolls, edamame, and some smaller entree plates, what looked like sesame chicken or something like that(I didn't have any, so I'm not quite sure what it was exactly). All the sushi I had was good and it was fun because I got to try a little of everything and try stuff I probably wouldn't order at a traditional sushi spot. I think I had 8 little plates of sushi when all was said and done and my bill was $16.00. Seriously, I never get out of sushi dinner for under $20.00 and have it be good sushi at that! I would recommend this place as a fun date night option or night out with friends.
(4)Stephanie W.
Some of the best cheap sushi in pdx!
(4)Alisha P.
I love this place! It's the only restaurant I know to get vegan miso.... I love miso! I sometimes order two. Beware: it gets made special and takes FOREVER to come out, especially since everything else here is fast. I order mine when they seat me, before drinks, because sometimes it still takes over 30 min. Also their agadashi can be made vegan. Their specialty rolls are truly special and the staff is friendly. I once forgot my card at home and the let me go get money w/o leaving anything behind.
(5)Tonneli G.
#NAME?
(4)Mike G.
I Love Sushi Ichiban! I go there almost everytime I am in the Burnside area of Portland! It has awesome prices, consistently good food and service and I love the music they play there as well! Did I mention that the food comes by on a model train around the sushi bar?!?! I really don't have a bad thing to say about this place and have never had a bad experience there! GO AND CHECK IT OUT!
(5)Linda A.
C'mon ride the sushi train!
(5)R T.
Stopped here while on a 24 hour visit to Portland. Wasn't expecting much. Man was I wrong. Tender fresh sushi at ridiculous prices. I'm torn between a 3 and a 4 review but seeing as five would be tops of all restaurants I give it a three but wish I knew how to do a "half" on this yelp app anyway this place is really good.
(3)Winter R.
All I got to say, is "Sushi coma" Seriously, this place had some of the best sushi that I've had in a long time. And I don't know if it's because I was drunk off a couple of glasses of wine, but it was good. I'll have to go back again to validate when I'm in Portland and sober.
(5)Harvey B.
We were in downtown Portland yesterday, walking by the river. My son said that he had heard about a great Sushi restaurant called Sushi Ichiban, which was really close by. It's in a little, nondescript, storefront & if you're not careful you can easily miss it. To say that it was crowded would be an understatement. We had to wait about 20 minutes before a table was available. Every seat at the counter was taken. Almost all of the other Sushi places put the plates on a little mobile track that travels around the counter & you can select the dishes that you like. Well Ichiban has taken it a step further, They actually have an electric train, like the ones we had when we were little, & the dishes are all on flatcars just like the real trains. I was fairly impressed by their menu, they had some dishes that I hadn't seen in any other Sushi restaurant. The tempura salmon & tempura california rolls were different than any othr Sushi restaurant & tasted really good.Unfortunately that's where all of my positive notes stop as it all went downhill from there. The service, or lack thereof, was not there. there were at least 3 servers(?) & it looked like no one knew that we were supposed to be serviced. After we had marked our selections on the order sheet we waited... and waited... and waited, until my son actually had to walk up to the counter & hand it to one of the sushi chefs. The dishes were then delivered, one or two at a time & very sporadically. It took so long between dishes that we forgot what we had ordered. My Salmon & Tuna, sushi, were both so dry that they didn't even stick to the rice that they were seved on. They also, serves our dishes without ginger or wasabi, we had to ask twice before somone brought them to the table. Living on the west end of Beaverton, I would not make the trip back to Portland to est st Sushi Ichaban. Plese go to my blog, baronsrestaurant.com to see our other restaurant revirws.
(2)alan l.
I love this place for the fast lunch. I'm primarily a nigiri eater so I put in an order and then pick something off the train while waiting. I will frequently not see anything interesting on the train and cruise down the end of the bar to look at the queue of dishes ready for the train. They encourage this but it's not obvious. I enjoy the music here and the vibe. I eat my fill here and spend about $10 which is unreal. The only caveat is that the wait for your check can be long. There's only one person for that and they are busy but catch their eye and they will be right over.
(4)Tommy T.
Sushi Ichiban is my favorite place around to get sushi! Everything seems fresh and the chefs are friendly. I usually get the vegan miso soup and few avocado nigri rolls. They even have a few specialty vegan rolls. Wow! Seems like they are one of the best vegan friendly sushi joints in town! The added bonus is the train that chugs along the tracks and the new wave/ punk soundtrack.
(5)Justin W.
Delicious, nutritious, prompt and reasonably priced... must go again. Recommended by a friend as kid-friendly and it was! Perfect place to wait for a train, the Amtrak Cascades or Rock Island Wasabi Express!
(4)Rina K.
Hey, this place is fun. Conveyor belt sushi. Train style. I enjoyed this maybe more so than I would have otherwise, considering I got lost trying to find it, and it took a good all-day to get there. Walkin' in the rain. Nevertheless, it wasn't crowded (on a Saturday), and ordered sushi was efficient (and with good options). If not a little run-down-ish looking, and kind of dark, not a bad place to eat. Convenient location (if I had known where I was going, that is). Maybe the best conveyor belt sushi I've been to in the US? Would def consider going back next time I'm in Portland and want conveyor-belt.
(4)Marc D.
I've been coming here for a while now, and this past visit will most likely be my last. Upon arriving, there was a five year old child running circles around the sushi bar. Not only was it completely annoying, and a safety hazard to the other customers and employees, but no one would say anything to the parents at all. This to me speaks poorly of their management as it went on for half hour until the family finally left. I ordered a plate of sashimi and a bowl of rice, and after 15 minutes I had to remind the wait staff that I still hadn't received my rice, in fact the waitress barely came back at all. The food was mediocre and the entire visit was disillusioning. I wish I had something nice to say about this visit, other than my bill was $10.50 plus a meager tip I left in the jar.
(2)Jeni M.
When I want to stuff my hole with sushi, this is the place I go. The sushi is good, the prices are great, and the music is ecclectically awesome. You get to see an interesting cross section of people dining here, walking through Old Town is always an adventure. I dig the Philadelphia rolls are my fave! The chicken teriyaki is pretty bombin' as well. Sometimes the waitstaff can be slow, but it's not that big of a deal ussually.
(4)Tsering S.
I am pretty much a regular here great sushi for great prices. I always order for fresh roles and it is very satisfying. Since the food here is pretty cheap, it attracts a lot of crazies ( smells pretty bad at times) . Don't judge the book by its cover, its good food they serve.
(4)Pants P.
A philosophical conundrum: Do you yelp a spot for what it is (in this case cheap conveyor belt sushi), or for how good it is in the grand scheme of things? Because here's the deal: The place is cheap. And good. For what it does, it does it well. Go with a group, or if you're walking by. Or if you're broke and want some sushi. But it's not *that* great. The rolls are overly sauced and occasionally downright greasy. The fish is fresh and will not kill you. But it's no Bamboo Sushi or Yoko's. Just don't expect it to be. It's like going to Burgerville and thinking you're going to get a burger as bomb as Slow Bar's. But, if you're looking for the cheaper, yet still tasty, version, it's there.
(3)Amber B.
This place it NOT for sushi-snobs. I wouldn't say it was gawd-awful, because I've had worse sushi before. But sushi is my favorite food so I'm picky. My complaint would be the rice mostly: it was too sweet and too sticky. Also, some of my favorites were not what I expected. I got the spicy tuna, which instead of having the creamy spicy sauce, it had some really hot red sauce, the unagi (eel) was much too hot (in temperature) and fatty. It's a good place to go if you're with friends and want sushi on a budget or aren't too picky about your sushi. One thing I found endearing, the sushi comes to you on a train.
(2)C W.
Super cozy def love this place
(4)Larry P.
Best salmon in Portland. I heard Sushi tasted better, when picked off a train. Ichiban has confirmed this. Only downfall, they're not open at 3 when I get off work :(
(5)Doriancita H.
Sushi Ichiban comes off to me as a hipster dive bar of sushi conveyor belt bar restaurant. You have options to eat at the booth or sit by the running train that has an array of sushi, salads to dessert you can just pick off and stack yo plates up! I would give their sushi a 3 out of 5, for their cheap prices ($1.50, $2, $3 plates) you can't really expect any better. My favorite thing I had their was their oyster hand roll. They also had awesome dessert options like mochi ice cream, mango and greentea ice cream. Cute place for hipsters to go on dates. Wouldn't call this the best sushi I've ever had.
(3)LAILA E.
Loved this spot! Was visiting Portland with friends and craving sushi. Turned to Yelp for some assistance and was not disappointed. Sushi was delicious and some of the freshest I've ever had! Our sushi chef, Jason, was so nice and gave us tips on all kinds of places to check out in the city. Just when we thought we couldn't have a better experience, the bill arrived. Under $30 bucks for the man and I to feel completely full plus we split a Sapporo! Will DEFINITELY be back in here on the next visit!!
(5)Leah K.
Absolutely hands down the best cheap sushi in Portland. I stop here every chance I get, and at these prices, that's a totally affordable habit. The service is good, and I love how they play 80's punk music. The sushi train is stocked with goodies and they'll make things to order too. It's pretty fast, so it's a good place to stop in at lunch. Don't miss the Rainbow Roll, nigiri, calamari, or sesame balls. YUM!
(5)Tim G.
This is a 5 star CONVEYOR belt sushi place. Please don't confuse that with some hoity-toity sushi restaurant that charges insane amounts per roll where the chef studied all of his life for the art. This is made by a friendly white-guy with an ironic mustache who makes a good roll and puts it on a choo-choo train to go around the customers. However, it tops the list of conveyor belt places, both in Portland and Seattle. The rolls were really fresh tasting, the prices were ridiculously cheap and the service was quick and friendly. The chefs were happy to talk to you while they worked and the location is great if you are visiting and staying in the downtown area. We will definitely go back to Sushi Ichiban when we want sushi and are in PDX.
(5)Leslie F.
Decent and cheap sushi, friendly staff but the place is pretty dirty. However, their staff in the last year is much better than the first few ties I visited, and their tempura salmon is..... the bomb. That's really the main reason I go to this place, if i'm craving their tempura salmon. haha!
(3)Bat M.
I love this place, to my knowledge, it's the best example of "conveyor belt sushi." Everything tastes super fresh, the staff is really friendly, and the prices are unbelievable. It's a little bit "hipster" but not in the annoying way.
(5)Sarah L.
Dirty walls and bums Make me scared to eat the fish Ichiban is cheap
(1)Heather A.
Cute little place! Love the decor. The train is cute. Love the Dragon Ball Z toys! The food and the service are excellent and the prices are reasonable. Love the cake! Try eating chocolate cake with chop sticks!
(5)Julie M.
I'd enjoyed the real sit-down dinners at the (outer SE) Takahashi a of couple times, so I went to this place thinking it might also be good. A totally different experience, and not in a good way, I must say. If you must eat - in inner NW, please visit the east side of OBI's: Obi Restaurant , 101 NW2nd Ave Portland OR 97209-3903 503-226-3826 . Yah...so... Creative, the train service some rave for - but more of a distraction, and it caused a negative aversion for me. I felt creeped-out that the food was exposed! to all sorts of air that blows in off Burnside - and also to all kinds of Patrons one doesn't know, before it comes to you. And you don't know how LONG anything has been On The Train. (Much harder to countenance than simple: On the Wagon; or not ideations) Eew. ( Try to watch the Sushi Chefs HANDs....then...o no - did that guy touch that one? ) I am happy to triy things. I'm a fun gal - but memory of that unsavory experience is on my mind, It isn't me.. it just didn't measure up. (um, sir, Please don''t sneeze on that shrimp...I might want to eat it next time around?) No Thank U. Also, I don't like wondering What the Heck it - IS.. ? Same issue with Dim Sum, no matter how politely served - not much communication. (perfect sauces for each item....whut might that be? unh - nuthin offered in terms of communication for enjoyment - or loyal Customer Return) Steamed Buns with grey meat inside? OXI. (That's Greek - for Hell NO!) Back to Origional Subject...and Oh shit, here comes the TRAIN, Again. Keeping a dang math score in my head every time something looks worthy of Tasting, just to decide if it seems worth eating - and what is tthe price to Try?. Heck no, this place was not in the enjoyable category - t all - for me. I''ve never been back. ( Guys - keep yer dang Trains to yerselves - others are not so favorably impressed! ) Favorable Takayahshi - Family style, steaming bowls of Sukyaki, or big elegant flavorful platter dinners - at the other place - - 100 blocks SE - THAT'S he REAL Takayashi. A MUCH better choice, Oh my! You can take your time there... and enjoy such great service. The real one - is worthy - and feels like a great get-away from the city. If ever u R tempted to go to the Train place - off Burnside - don't. MUST do the Other one! ah, caveat... OK, there is a Train present, somewhere overhead on the east side. But I promise, it will NOTdistract from quality of food, service, or experience. Nor be your only memory///. Head east, young... who-ever. Eat - Well ! (OK - vs OXI ... Get it? heh, Julz)
(1)Wendy C.
Just had to go see the Sushi Train to believe it! Poor Sushi Train seems to have seen better days: it experienced two derailments while I was dining there. I was amused to see it being repaired with tape: not duct tape, but scotch tape. Then realized that EVERY car in the train was held together with scotch tape. Sushi Train definitely needs some upgrades!! Nevertheless, this is a fun, cheap, cheesy place to get your lunch on for like $6. Sushi is ridiculously cheap, and I was happy to see $1 seaweed salads coming round the bend. Dining companion had something unrecognizable on rice that was amazingly delicious but sadly failed to make a second pass; avocado in my veggie roll had definitely been on the tracks a little too long. I'd come back for the people watching and trainspotting; not necessarily the food.
(4)Sarah V.
Really great price for fresh, good tasting sushi. It's missing the ambiance of pricier restaurants, and the seating at the bar isn't very comfy. But, bottom line, now that my husband and I have found this place, we can have real sushi any day of the week, not just date nights.
(4)P S.
Tried this for first time with friends the other night. Very funky Portland vibe. Sushi rolls by on a miniture train. Good food great prices and fun for people watching too.
(5)Mollie M.
I love great sushi, but I'm not a snob about it too too much. My daughter and I happened upon this place while strolling around PDX last night. Several signs told us to give it a whirl 1. We were hungry 2. There were about 20 bikes parked out front 3. it was packed! So myself and my 10 yr old daughter ventured in. It was fast, friendly, delicious, and totally in my budget. The music was fun, we definitely plan on returning. Was it super gourmet? heck no. but it wasn't priced that way either. Great easy little place. Thanks for the meal!
(4)Kelly M.
Sushi Train! Come here for dirt cheap sushi in a funny little restaurant in which your sushi comes around on a train. Don't come here for fancy, expensive sushi in a hip modern environment. So, if you know what your getting into and like sushi train like I do, you'll love it. Choo choo.
(5)Jennifer T.
Okay, the sushi is not gourmet and the atmosphere does not scream 'fine dining.' That being said, I still love this place. It's fast, cheap and easy. The staff is prompt. Perfect place to go if you are in a hurry, you'll be in and out as soon as you can stuff your face and go.
(4)Meilian J.
Love this place for instant gratification of needing food now. It's cheap, it's good and the atmosphere is always chill. They usually play awesome music and the staff is still great in the 8 years I've been coming here.
(4)chris m.
in a restaurant that can't decide on a name, at least the service is so smooth you could say it's on rails... ok, bad puns aside, this place is here because portland needs another sushi-go-round 3 blocks from sushiland/pearl! no, wait, but it is kind of twee or maybe quaint or i don't know, at least different. kinda dumpy, kinda low-variety (compared to sushiville on nw 23rd. probably about on par varietywise with sushiland, though you won't see as much on the merry-go-round, nearly every seat is a bar-seat so you can grab the attention of a chef to get whatever else you want). but still entertaining, perhaps mostly that -- as the reviewer pictures try to demonstrate, sushi in fact comes towed by a model train. wouldn't go here again except if i were pissed off at sushiland for some reason. prices similar, sushi better, up there. but there's probably not a line over here ever, whereas there certainly is up at sushiland during the lunch rush. all aboard?
(3)natalie c.
I don't even care about the sushi anymore.. I just come here to watch people pass notes to each other. The entertainment is worth a buck a plate.
(5)J W.
Cool train takes sushi around, sushi no good, sushi bad, cool train, very bad service, got our tea after dinner, tea bad.
(1)Asil R.
This place is completely on par with restaurants that serve rolls for $4, except here the rolls are between $1.25 and $3. The staff are friendly and attractive. They have disount nights. The food comes on a train. P.S. Anyone who thinks SushiLand has good sushi is automatically disqualified from giving a sushi review.
(5)Joe S.
Skip it. The portions were tiny. The avacado was clearly rotten on some of the rolls (eww). The "spicy tuna" roll was just tuna with a blob of sriracha on top. Both my date and I walked out hungry because there wasn't anything else we were interested in eating. If you do eat here, just grab the nigiri. The other rolls are just overpriced for the tiny amount of fish.
(2)erik h.
Is Takahashi objectively worth five stars? Not really, but I have to do something to offset the one star review below. Seriously, the place advertises $1.25/plate sushi served off a goddamn train. There are a number of restaurants in Portland that serve very good sushi, and this is not one of them. YOU DO NOT GO TO TAKAHASHI FOR TOP GRADE SHIT. Takahashi is for a rainy Saturday afternoon when you only have $10 but want to stuff yourself with less-than-stellar but totally decent sushi, or for when you're downtown and just feel like cramming yourself in with a bunch of other people and watching the train go around in circles. Other highlights include the endearingly ridiculous nautical theme, anonymous notes left on the train, cute staff, and the occasional sighting of mid-tier rock stars who are playing at the Roseland around the corner. Taken for what it is, Takahashi can be a lot of fun.
(5)Alison B.
We visited this place on vacation in Portland, and wish we had something similar here in Boston. As others have noted, it isn't fancy and is rather quirky, but the vegetarian sushi (and miso soup) were very good, with a great selection of things we had never had before. My favorite was the sweet potato with chili sauce and thai basil. Yummy! I think we tried almost all the veggie options (order using the little slips of paper and write in the names) plus soup and edamame, and the bill was $15. Seriously. Two people, good sushi, $15.
(4)ToriDawn S.
So I just moved here and this was my first venture out on the Portland town. The "modest" deco did not deter me given the down and dirty joints I have been honored to visit in LA, and it's a good thing it didn't. The sushi here was very good for what it was. They have colored plate pricing and the cutest train to display pre made rolls that are ready to grab 'n go. The sashimi was good, not great, but considering the price well worth it. I didn't try a roll that I didn't care for, and the ramen noodles were excellent. Only complaint would be the tempura, I found it to be a tad soggy and not as crisp and fluffy as I like. I had a great time here though, the sushi chefs were fun, and told me if I designed a roll they would name it after me...score! By the end of the evening we had consumed enough Asahi and unfiltered saki to begin sending notes around on the little train, and the folks on the other side were happy to play along. No clue how I ended up with a $51 bill from $1-2 plates, but what the heck, it was worth it. Welcome to Portland :)
(4)Eva J.
I dunno how the last person got 3 1/2 stars but I couldn't seem to figure it out. I give Ichiban 3 1/2 stars regardless of what that damned thing says! So this place is in Old Town and doesn't try to pretend it's charming. The place is clean but not new or fancy, but doesn't look run down, not too much. The cashier/waitress is like a calm and sexier Lori Petty, in fact it may be Lori Petty, where has she been these days? The music is usually some kind of buttrock but that's ok, cuz the kitshyness of the entire place is made up for by a yummie white fish that isn't on the menu that you have to ask for, but the name escapes me, like escarol or something. I just always ask for the yummy white fish that isn't on the menu. The sushi train carries a limited selection so its best to ask for something be made to order. The sake always makes a train ride better! prices are flipping awesome and it's a quick walk from the max. Awesome!
(3)hannah h.
This place was so cheap so it's hard to complain...yet I won't go back, the risk of food poisoning is just not worth it!!!
(1)Erin G.
Alright. I am a little torn on this place. I had some of the best veggie sushi rolls of my life here, and really that's what I'm looking for. I am assuming that is their forte, since the had the largest variety I've ever seen and such wonderful flavor combinations. The fish was not so good. Just not very fresh, not great quality. I am always wary with sushi-go-rounds since I am allergic to shellfish and worry I will accidentally ingest one (paranoid, I know. They are just so creepy with their little claws slimy texture!). The staff was really friendly and helpful, pointing me to the end of the train where the big stacks of plates were, most of them vegetarian. Yam tempura with cream cheese, basil and chili sauce? Wow. I will be back, but I will leave my fish eating Hubby at home.
(3)S. H.
This place has become a genuine staple in my restaruant circuit. In the dozens upon dozens of times I have gone, it has never let me down (nor made me ill, which is the best part). Is this the most exotic sushi place in Portland? Hell no, but its my favorite. The service is always courteous and fast and the sushi is always fresh (not locally sourced, I am afraid, but delicious, nonetheless) and the specials are really interesting. On my last visit (last night) I was excited to see new very well-priced specials and lots of vegan options. It was funky enough to please my teenage brother and delicious enough to please my refined father, for a "real" Portland experience during a family visit. The Derailer and the Salmon Skin Roll rock my face off every time. Don't come here for a posh, upscale sushi experience--it will be difficult to spend more than $10/person. Enjoy if for what it is: a pseudo-punk rock, delicious, hole-in-the-wall with the best sushi train in town!
(5)Ryan R.
I'm not a Sushi expert by any means, but to me Sushi Ichiban was a very decent place to get some sushi after walking around Saturday Market. Most of the dishes were cheap, $1.25. I was kind of afraid of getting sick after reading some of the reviews, but there was nothing to worry about. We even ordered some fried Oysters, and no one got sick. I would definitely stop there again if in the area.
(3)Evelyn M.
I love this place, you guys. One star lady is crazy! First of all, (at least) one of the waitresses there will give you ginger soda that she makes herself and it's so goooood (if you like ginger). Next off, I could eat infinite plates of their seaweed salad (and I usually try to when I go). The staff is really nice and even primetime on Friday nights, it's busy but I've never had to wait to sit down. The sushi here is good, you would pay more to get the same amount of really bad sushi at a grocery store. And like everybody else said, yeah it is good cheap sushi but it's not super fancy extra special $30/plate sushi. Also, they have $1.25 per plate Saturday days AND wendesday nights. Enjoy!!
(4)Conor T.
Ok sushi and things-in-cups (including seaweed salad, kimchee, and even chocolate cake) on plates which are constantly brought around the bar by a train. Neat idea, but the food's OK. For the price, though, it's justified. The lights could be a bit dimmer, though.
(3)Elena P.
Good price, variety, fun atmosphere. Our waitress turned strange towards the end of our meal and messed up our bill. She was off by $30 but when we brought up our concerns another waiter swooped in and recalculated and gave us free desserts. She never apologized but she was in space by then so it was kind of entertaining.
(5)Jayson F.
Amazing dive of a place with a sweet sushi train. The sushi is in the decent to good range, but for the price it is great. Price and atmosphere combined make this one of my favorite places to eat. I just wish I lived closer. Just go there are try it. You'll like it. BTW, Powell's bookstore and Ground Kontrol are right by it. They are great places to kill some time post sushi eating.
(5)Scott G.
Sushi is my pal, but not my best buddy. But my overall experience here made Sushi one of my better friends. What a wonderful little joint! A countless number of different types of sushi for $2. I had myself 3 veggie rolls, 2 avocado rolls, 3 spicy tuna rolls and 2 calamari rolls. All of them were delicious. And the total: $9. The best part about this place is the little train that goes 'round and 'round the big circular bar, carrying different sushi plates and desserts. Fuck yes, brother, I like sushi now. Sometimes.
(5)Kendrick R.
the best affordable sushi deals. nigiris, rolls and deserts circle around the bar on a model train. the rolls are not impressive, but the nigiris are spot on. fresher than i expected with thick cuts. plates range from 1.5 to 3 bucks. after around 12 plates and a large warm sake (6 bucks or so) the bill came out to 30 dollars including tip. not bad for 2 people! it's also a few blocks from Powell's. Service is friendly and the place is kind of divey. i know, a sushi dive bar doesn't sound appealing. but it works in this case.
(4)tara p.
I do generally like quality sushi, but I came here knowing that I was going to get cheap, probably crappy sushi, in a punk atmosphere. Sounded fine. In reality, I was scared to eat my food. I now call this place Sushi Open Sores, because the person rolling my sushi (ordered off the menu, mostly) had arms and hands that were COVERED in ACTUAL OPEN SORES! Was this person wearing gloves, you may ask? Absolutely not! We are talking many, many, scabby sores. Touching my food. Sick.
(1)Tabitha R.
So when we moved here we KNEW that the sushi was not up to the caliber of San Francisco ... and that we'd probably have to pay a lot for good sushi here. Well ... we know of one "good" place in our neighborhood but there's always at least 20 people waiting. So when hubby got a recommendation from someone for this place ... we JUMPED on it. Well ... my first clue should have been the homeless guys sitting on the street in front ... but we weren't deterred. We were determined to HAVE SUSHI in Porltland!! Well ... let me say this ... don't waste your time. The sushi comes on a TRAIN ... not even a boat ... at TRAIN!! The "chefs" (which is stretching it) are dressed in conductor hats and scarves. We ordered off the menu -- opting NOT to grab the small plates with plastic covers that kept speeding buy -- horn tooting -- practically knocking over my tea. After we got our Spicy Tuna I was willing to give the place at LOW 6. Then I did it ... I grabbed a roll off the train. I was damn hungry and the stuff we ordered just wasn't coming fast enough. THAT WAS A MISTAKE!! Nuf said/ I then downgraded to a 5 ... hubby agreed. After more thought over the last couple days ... I know firmly give this place a low three. I would say ... if you're drunk and want cheap crap go here ... or just eat the cake.
(1)Rob P.
My favorite sushi train place in Portland. Very affordable too!
(4)Eva W.
This is the closest sushi joint in my neighborhood, within blocks of my apartment and across the street from an old folks home, the YMCA, and Duniway market: The Sushi Train--reminiscent of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, only without the scary cat puppets, Daniel and Henrietta (meow meow-meow-meow). My favorite things to eat are: miso soup, spicy tuna rolls wrapped in seaweed, smoked salmon and avocado rolls. The waitresses are so sweet and Happy Joyful Sushi Takahashi Princess Ever decorates the walls in fluorescent marker. There are also the requisite ceramic cat statues, scrolls in Japanese, and a rug that is cut into three pieces on the floor. The train is dizzyingly schizophrenic with raw fish riding rampant on it's back, the decorations are ghetto, and it is hands-down my favorite sushi spot in Portland.
(5)Atsushi M.
I don't care if the food is cheap. I think it's the worst sushi I have ever eaten. 1 extra star for the music. see #2 below. I'll add that this was probably was the only place open at around 7pm on a Monday night in Portland. 1) First time... I was the only non-Caucasian person including the workers 2) First time... Hearing a playlist that included anything from DJ Shadow to Thomas Dolby in a sushi restaurant 3) First time... I was full from sushi and a Kirin for under $10 4) First time... instead of a sushi "boat" there was a train.
(2)Taryn P.
People always say they're sushi experts on here. I don't claim to be, but I eat it very often and I know what I like. The sushi here is fresh, simple, and C-H-E-A-P. It's half price on Wednesdays and Saturdays, my husband and I basically gorged ourselves on nigiri and a few rolls for a whopping $19. The train is a cute take on the Tokyo style conveyor belt. If you want anything more than cheap basic sushi, then you should probably head elsewhere.
(4)Adam S.
While this place is a fun cheap place the food can be disappointing sometimes. The train is fun to watch go around but it can go a bit to fast to see what you want until its too late and it may not be coming around again. Sometimes you need to watch out for some things that may be left on their for too long i know i have gotten a few of those dishes as well as the pork buns can be soggy sometimes which is no good. The staff is also very friendly but it can be hard to get their attention. But still the is a great place to take people and although it there might be a little wait its cheap and usually the food is good, and its a fun place to go to with friends and meet people.
(4)Nunnya B.
The first 2 stars are for the sushi, which ain't all that great. The rice paper wrapped spring rolls are awesome (yeah I know not sushi), the fresh fish is...well...not very fresh, and the maguro looks like the tuna you see in the Safeway seafood dept. Not something I'd put in my mouth. The last 2 stars are for the SUSHI TRAIN (and yes, this is Sushi Train, everyone I know has called it that since I first went there in 1995. Takahashi my A$$ahashi). The only thing that can compete is Sushi Boat at Murray & Scholls Ferry in Beaverton. REAL boats, in a little river. Too cool :D My grandfather loved his Lionel train & this looks like it. Too bad I couldn't get him to set foot in the place before he passed away. I think the same staff has worked here since 1995 too. Which says something, but I'm not exactly sure what that is lol.
(4)Joe G.
Seat yourself and no waitresses. AWESOME !!!! Sushi comes around the tables via electric train. Sushi is served on 1, 2 & 3 dollar color coded plates. Basically dim sum. If don't like what comes by grab a menu and order with the servers. Affordable, interesting and fun. All the things you like about sushi with out all the bullshit i.e. reservations, small portions, snottiness and waiting.
(5)avant de mourir ..
Cheap sushi, you get what you pay for, but fun. A good place to go with your friends, as long as you're willing to wait to take a seat around the choo-choo train.
(4)Allegra F.
chooo choooo!!! okay it's all been said before me but I just have to gush that "I love sushi train" i am so sick of every sushi boat place boasting to the the "first," "original," "seriously we're the first ever" on their paper menus. No pretense here, just good sushi, laid back yet attentive servers, and some awesome note passing. I was stuffed and my wallet was not empty and I bonded with another tofurkey lover via train notes.
(5)Carolina M.
Sushi Ichiban formerly known as Sushi Takashashi still retains its quality alternative atmosphere while dishing out tasty food at an affordable price. This place has been a God send for me while I was in my thesis year and continues to be a personal favorite due to it's location, quick no frilles just good food, satisfaction. The music you might hear while eating there is eclectic and awesome. It is also a great place to people watch; just sit at the sushi counter with a cold sake or beer and enjoy classic Oregon establishment. I highly recommend this place for people with children or the college student on a budget.
(4)Ashley T.
This is a funky li' joint in old town china town in downtown Portland. Good location and stuff and nice staff but to be completely honest it does not have the best sushi. This is the palce I would go if I was too lazy to walk up to sushi land in the rain and really needed my sushi fix. he he. Despite the so-so sushi in general their salmon skin hand rolls are to die for. Best I have ever had hands down!!
(3)Amber S.
Oh Sushi (Takahashi) Ichiban, what a place you have in my heart. You took my Sushi virginity years ago, and now it's my turn to give you mad props. Located quite perfectly right off of Burnside and a hop-skip-and-jump from Ground Kontrol (if you have no idea what I am talking about, look them up. It will blow your mind), Sushi (Takahashi) Ichiban is just down right amazing. Good prices, great service, fun ambiance! I highly suggest their home made Ginger Soda ($2 for a huge mug). Most of their seating is around the famous Sushi train (I suggest writing a little note, or draw a picture and stick it on the train-you usually get messages back from other patrons), but they do have booths for more intimate dining. They are usually super busy, but they are quick to seat you. Wednesday they have a special- White plates are $1.25 and tan plates are $1.50 each. The sushi itself is pretty good (not the best I've had), and they have a great system for ordering sushi. They have pieces of paper and pens to write you order down and you just give it to the chefs, instead of waiting to grab a server. Always clean, always fun!
(4)Abe I.
Takahashi is ok-ish. A little heavy on the cream cheese in my opinion. I guess there's edible art, and there's fattening art. It's not pricey and they have the fun conveyor belt, but the lighting and atmosphere are tragically supermarket-y, still, it's an easy, cheap eat, and it's not terrible, so if you're in the neighborhood, and you don't want great sushi, it's not too bad a choice.
(3)Landon K.
Good inexpensive sushi on a train. It's an actual train. But smaller. My kids (1 and 4) had a great time.
(4)Alice L.
Food isn't bad, environment is meh, and service is... well, inconsistent. It's also quite inexpensive, especially during their happy hours. I really dislike their environment more than anything else, and as soon as I step in I want to grab what I want and get the hell out. Oh, also, I did not like their ramen at all. On a few positive notes: excellent calamari, and their choo-choo roll, yum! Another personal favorite is the raw quail eggs; sometimes I go there just for that.
(3)jason t.
i love the sushi train, but those plates can add up fast if you eat sushi like i do. my friend and i racked up a 70 dollar tab once when we were planning to spend like ten.
(4)Andrew F.
Yes, the food is dirt cheap, thats cause they dont pay the staff to clean. This is just a filthy place. I would rather eat the sushi out of all the vagrants shopping carts than eat here again.
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