Consistently delicious food, both hibachi and sushi. Great, quick service. Good prices.
(5)
Derrick N.
Nothing really compares to this place. Prices, service and food. Inside is so nice and i really feel like I'm in a Japanese house or of the sort. Must try for sure. Better yet must keep coming back!!!
(5)
Chris M.
Met a friend for lunch the other day and his sushi roll was pretty gross. Fire roll maybe. Udon noodle soup was ok but nothing great. Nothing special but the staff is nice and the food is usually decent. I came in looking for a spicy crab soup that I saw on a 100 things to eat in Memphis. The soup was a spicy coconut/curry broth that was good but it did not even have real crab in it. Don't know that it is a must eat. No wait. It's not. The steak hibachi lunch was pretty good and the steak was well cooked. The fried rice was probably my favorite. I've only been here five or six times but it's never busy. Probably won't rush back.
(3)
Rob C.
My favorite sushi place in memphis. Located on summer ave where all the great ethnic food places are (in my opinion). The place is small and homey, the staff is so polite, and the food is ALWAYS good! Great for sushi or hibachi, but it's not like a Benihana where they cook in front of you. Must try the tuna tataki and the spicy crab soup!
(5)
Dawn M.
We tried Elena's Taco and Elwood's Shack but both were closed on Sunday. After a quick Yelp check we decided on Ryu. Located in a small strip center across from Bargain Hunt the outside looked third world ...or maybe fourth. The interior had anime playing, a sushi bar and several tables with Oriental design chairs and geisha patterned upholstery. The art was large modern prints. Service was great and both our sushi and teriyaki were excellent. Prices and serving size were reasonable. Seems to be popular with groups. There were only two other couples.
(4)
Jerica B.
Always good. Always. The Sashimi Bento Box is my stand-by, and I'm alway pleased with the sushi. The soup and salad is great. Price is right. I've been here over a dozen times. No complaints.
(5)
Jolynna M.
It doesn't look like much from the outside, but don't be fooled. If you're into sushi, you will be very pleasantly surprised by what you find inside. The atmosphere is quaint, relaxed and comfortable and the service is first rate. All the servers are really friendly and appreciative of your business. Now let's talk about the food. The sushi is always good and the prices are even better. Most rolls are about 5 to 6 dollars. You won't find a better value than that in the area.. And they have an early bird special, offering a 3 roll combo for only $9 before 7 pm. They have Hibachi here as well, priced better than anywhere in town, and also offer an early bird special of $12 for the whole Hitachi meal. I so love a good deal.
(5)
Shaun B.
Upon moving here from Southern California, I felt as if Sushi would be a culinary dish I would miss greatly. In my first week I went to a meetup event at a different sushi establishment and was immensely disappointed in the quality of the sushi. I had felt that my viewpoint was reinforced. But then a girl there had told me that she would introduce me to a better sushi establishment in town. When that girl and I started dating, she had brought me here to Ryu Sushi. We drove up and initially I was concerned; the area seemed a bit sketchy, the little strip mall run down, and next to a strip joint. However, once we walked in, much of my reservations went away. The ambiance was very nice; the restaurant is very clean with light wooden floors and bright colorful Asian artwork. To my surprise, the establishment was rather empty; a pattern that still blows me away to this day. We were greeted by a friendly server and we had ordered a pot of tea, an assortment of sushi, and combo fried rice. The pot the tea came in was an elegant blue and white designed pot which served to add to the ambiance. We then got our fried rice and sushi and my eyes lit up, as it had appeared that my previously held belief of quality sushi being a thing of the past was erroneous. Once I had tasted the first piece of the Dragon roll, I knew I had found my new Sushi home. After a great meal, we decided to try the fried cheesecake. I am already a huge fan of cheesecake and figured this would be pretty good; it was far more than that. After a great dinner we got the check, and it was very well-priced for the quality and quantity of food. After an amazing experience, the lady and I continue to have equally amazing date nights here time and time again. There is no reason for this sushi establishment to be slow at any time; this is probably the best value sushi place in town. Next time you're craving sushi, give Ryu Sushi a try; you'll be glad you did!
(5)
Samantha B.
I've come with a group to play games and with just one other friend to get quick sushi. Both times were excellent. Sadly they open at 5 and close at 9 on the weekdays and we didn't get there until 6 so we only got to play a few games. However, it was a fun experience. I will admit the tables aren't exactly designed with games in mind, but the fact that they encourage people to play is still neat to me. We got a variety of things and desserts. Three of us got sushi, one friend got a bento box, and hubby got hibachi chicken. My vegetarian friend liked her tofu sushi but wished they had offered a kind with some sort of sauce, spicy or just flavorful. I've noticed this at most sushi places: if there's no fish there's no pizzazz. So maybe next time we can ask them to add something to it. I did not like their ginger salad because the dressing was pretty watered down. But their onion soup was fantastic. Summary: I don't know if I would want to bring a larger group here for game night, but I would bring any size group here for food. Sushi in order of Awesomeness: - Deep Fried Tornado Roll - Spicy Nola Roll - Eel Roll - Cowboy Roll (tastes better with soy sauce) - Crunchy Crab Roll - Fire Roll (with soy sauce) - Onion Soup Didn't like: - Ginger Salad - Fried Tofu Roll
(5)
Brooke K.
This is our go to sushi spot! The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because the waitress we usually get is awful. The food is so good an reasonably priced. My boyfriend gets the nigiri combo and the fish is always fresh. I always get the cooked rolls and the yabi ebi is awesome! The gyoza, egg rolls, and combo fried rice are go to items.
(4)
Amanda E.
I love me some sushi! It's not really something I think of as an affordable date option, I've been known to run up $80 sushi tabs. But, with a little research in finding the right location, a partner with agreeable taste and a little strategy it can be done. The largest expenses for a business are typically payroll and rent, but since servers make so little in the restaurant industry you can be sure rent is the biggest expense. So, if you go to the part of town where the rents are lower you can find that there's better pricing on the menu. My favorite sushi spot in Memphis just happens to be next to a strip club. It's actually nice inside, and the neighborhood is not scary. This place is usually pretty quiet, when we arrived there were five other tables but they had all cleared out by the time we finished. I really don't understand why. The sushi prices are very reasonable: When the bf and I go here we always split a pot of tea and get waters. The pot gives us each two cups We then share four rolls of sushi. For most people this is probably plenty but we like to eat. So, my advice to like minded people is to get a soup or salad, it will help fill you up and give substance to the meal. Two of our rolls are fried. It's a southern thing y'all! This particular visit we gto the dragon roll, yellow tail, and two fried tornado rolls - so good! Don't get me wrong, I love sushi at fancy places where they have you take off your shoes, sit on the floor and give you private paper wall rooms so I'm not saying don't go there but a little less authentic sushi experience can make it more accessible. Besides, sharing food is kinda fun.
(4)
Dusty L.
I don't know why we don't go here more often. Every time we do go it is pretty good. The sushi is not the best in town, but better than other places. The fried rice is REALLY good.
(4)
Amber M.
I feel like I am not qualified to review this place, but for those of you who do not like sushi, like me, but are going with a friend... I'm here to help! So for dinner you have about three options, if I remember right. Chicken teriyaki and two other plates that have some sort of seafood in them. I wasn't given a lunch menu so I'm not sure what there is to offer there. The chicken teriyaki was pretty good, but honestly I don't think I would go back to pay $16 for it again. Their onion soup was very good, but it had French's crispy onions in it and that was just a little strange. Overall, I think you'll be able to find something there other than sushi but your options are limited and the prices are a little high.
(3)
Robert G.
Ok im gonna start off saying im in memphis they are not exactly known for their sushi!! Ive eaten at quite a bit of sushi places all over the us. Sooooo with that being said this place is horrible!!!! They had only one beer in bottles and that was kirin ichiban i like sapparro with my sushi! And they were all out of sake!! How does that happpen at a sushi place!!! The food was made my hispanics now im not trying to sound racist being a hispanic myself knowing that we can anything. But call me old fashioned i think it should be made by the Asian descent! The napkins were cheap square ones. The beer i drank 2 bottles was past due nov 6th of 2014! The "sushi" rolls were not wrapped tight they kept falling apart. After i waited for them for over 45 mins for 2 rolls! Service here was non-existent! The rolls which were the spider roll and memphis roll were not very good at all. I guess i should thank this place ive been wanting to lose weight and i have this feeling i sure will tonight!!
(1)
Ken R.
For my sushi selection, I relied on the smartphone app Swarm (Foursquare's successor) for advice. The overwhelming favotites were the "Fire" and "Rock 'n Roll" (previous named "Kalisu") rolls, so I got them along with Ryu's "Memphis" roll. All three choices were quite good, with the Fire roll being the best among them. Despite its name, the Fire roll was mildly spicy, for the chili sauce gave it enough heat to make it tasty without suppressing everything else in it. Speaking of that, the shrimp and cucumber added a crunchy dimension to the Fire roll that made it a delight to eat. There was also crunchy shrimp in the Rock 'n Roll, topped with a creamy crab topping and a lot of soy sauce that combined for a very good sushi roll that I hope to have again. The Memphis roll, with its raw salmon and cream cheese, was decent although it didn't scream "Bluff City" when I ate it. If it were left to me, I would have gone with smoked salmon to honor Memphis' barbecue heritage. Nonetheless, I liked it and along with the other sushi rolls and fried rice (good enough to hold its own with Asian Palace), which made for a very nice dinner. Along with my sushi, I drank two bottles of Kirin Ichiban, the malty Japanese pale lager at $3.50 apiece. Ryu is trying to stay competitive with nearby restaurants with beer prices that are very agreeable. Overall, I liked everything I had at Ryu Sushi Bar and will likely become a frequent patron. The staff at Ryu are very friendly and will appreciate your business, so give it try whenever you're in the Berclair neighborhood. You won't regret it. To read my complete review, including thoughts about competitive beer pricing, go to kensfoodfind.com/2015/02…
(4)
Veronica X.
Sometimes marriage is hard. You have to keep making compromises to make it work, so here is our deal at Ryu: I gave up my fling with eel rolls and he broke off his long affair with spicy tuna rolls. We ordered the Memphis Rolls for an obvious reason. Maybe I am actually a traditionalist, so the small slice of cream cheese in each roll kind of threw me off. I read the description but was expecting it to be more subtle. After all this is Memphis not Philadelphia (no pun intended). We also tried the Crispy David Rolls for a less obvious reason. They filled us up pretty quickly, and then it hit me: they were kind of like deconstructed spicy tuna rolls! That's so unfair and needless to say: we will be trying other rolls next time. Since I can't live without my daily servings of vegetables, we ordered the tempura vegetables. Zucchini, mushroom and sweet potato were all good. Though the tempura batter was not as crunchy as I am used to, it was not that big a deal. The dipping sauce has tons of grated daikon radish in it which you probably won't find in a chain restaurant. The interior was quaint and clean. I think we really could work out our differences just by coming here more often. And who knows, shopping together at the Asian market next door might just be the ultimate bonding experience.
(3)
James S.
This is a good place to eat, good pricing. Although we have found other Sushi bars in a better area.
(3)
Amber M.
So I'm a weeeeee bit torn on this one. Here's why: STARVING and TIRED after driving and being in the car for 17 hrs, all I wanted was something to eat. I didn't want a heavy meal knowing that it was 8 at night. Ah Ha!! Sushi! Lets get sushi.... Found Ryu and looked at the first few reviews and decided I'd give it a whirl. Walked in and the place was rather empty. Rut-ro....hmmmm. We proceeded to order our take out and while I waited, I started looking at all the pictures and reading the signs on the wall. And then I saw it. The health score rating. I gulped loudly and slowly/calmly got my Hubs' attention. I pointed to it and with my eyes wide. 85 health score as of 10/2012. Have you seen that commercial with the two guys eating the messy BBQ and his friend sees the health rating go from an A to a C and that said friend smacks the BBQ out of his friends hands?? That's what I wanted to do but I didn't want to make a scene. Clearly they had to be sanitary enough or this place would have been shut down a long time ago. I walked away with food in hand and prayers in the sky. The sushi wasn't the best, but it was suprisingly decent. With no health issues. So I dunno...I don't live in this area so not sure if I'd come back even if I were just passing through.
(2)
John K.
Beautiful restaurant, the sushi was really fresh and the service was great. The only bad thing was they couldn't serve any saki because of their liquor license was being renewed but the food was great.
(4)
Paul C.
We came here to Ryu to an empty restaurant on a Sunday afternoon after the urge for good sushi and sashimi took over my body. We decided to come here since we were still on the quest for our go to Japanese spot in Memphis. We ordered 2 orders of red snapper, salmon, and yellowtail a la carte, since each order came with 3 pieces and each order is right around 3.75. Price was definitely superb. We also got 3 rolls; 2 spicy rolls and a cooked crunchy crab roll. The sashimi wasn't really cut properly, but it was good fish. The pieces were just a tiny bit undersized, but the price of the fish was cheap anyways. The presentation of the rolls was definitely a D, but the taste of the rolls a B+. They looked bad, but tasted good. Good, not great. All things considered, this place really should be a 3.5-4 stars for Memphis Japanese restaurants, but really should be 3-3.5 stars when compared everywhere else. Ryu Sushi Bar will satisfy those cravings for sushi and sashimi, but just don't expect your taste buds to be massaged!
(3)
Amanda J.
We went last night (8/2013) and apparently the air was out. We were sweating before the waitress took our drink order. We both ordered two rolls. I got the Memphis roll and the Fried Tofu and I got an order of egg fried rice. It took a while for our food to come, but that's expected with a sushi place. The thing is, we only got our sushi. The waitress said that my rice was on it's way. No big deal. We start eating, and we have both finished our rolls (I'm a slow eater), and my rice still hasn't arrived. I finish my beer and finally she brings my rice. It's still hot, but I'm not the most adept at using chopsticks so I had to go after the waitress for a fork. The food overall was decent, but not the best sushi I've had ever. I don't think we'll go back, but this is mostly because we have a regular place and we were just trying this.
Ryu used to be our go-to quiet sushi spot. We're on the prowl for another after our last visit. It seems like the servings have gotten smaller while the prices have stayed the same. The Sashimi is supposed to come with three pieces, but only two arrived on all but one. We waited to tell the waitress, but she was the only server there, waiting on six tables. So we ate. I told her at the end of the meal, and she said she'd tell the chefs for next time. No other offers of any kind. This all sounds a little petty, but we're the easiest customers of all time, it really doesn't take much to make us happy. It's ok, I showed her, I only left her 18%. =P Three stars because it really is well prepared sashimi and nigiri, but the rolls are tiny, Ask how many pieces of each come with the rolls, sashimi and nigiri, so you're not left with a $60 tab and a half-full belly. The atmosphere/decor are nice and inviting. Usually quiet, younger couples.
(3)
Jakiah D.
I love this place, but my experience is limited to takeout & eating at the sushi bar.
(5)
SueZ P.
I'm in love with Ryu! After having fairly mediocre sushi experiences in Memphis, I finally tried Ryu. It reminded me of some of my favorite sushi places in Los Angeles = unpretentious, affordable, and most importantly - GOOD. On my first visit to Ryu, I meant to order sushi (nigiri), but must have checked the wrong box because the server came with three orders of sashimi. The cuts of yellow tail were melt-in-your-mouth delicious, but I was nervous about the bill. To my pleasant surprise, my orders of sashimi were only $4 each! Wah! Unheard of in LA. In addition to their sashimi, I recommend trying a rice-free roll. I like the King Crab roll; instead of being wrapped in seaweed and rice, it is wrapped in cucumber. It is a delicious and refreshing treat!
(5)
Kerry C.
Ryu oozes atmosphere. In addition to the disco balls, there's a long sushi bar, a few TVs, and several large Japanese paintings (the one we were sitting next to was a Lichtenstein-esque collage depicting people in the throes of what looked to be some rather serious ennui). The main dining room is cozy and dark in a way that makes you feel sort of like you're eating underground. I started with the spicy crab soup. It was a small, appetizer-sized bowl of spicy broth, mushrooms, green onions and lots of imitation crab meat. As far as soup goes, it was near perfection. The only improvement I would make would be to put it in a bigger bowl - after I finished, I sat there and had a little internal debate with myself on whether or not it would be OK to order seconds. The sushi was excellent. The deep-fried salmon roll was filled with salmon, masago and cream cheese. The Tokyo roll had tender raw tuna, avocado, crab and cream cheese. The Crazy roll wasn't too insane - it was stuffed with crab, avocado and masago and topped with raw whitefish and green onions. The rolls were a little heavy on the masago - it seemed like it was used like mortar anytime there was available space. That said, all of the ingredients were incredibly fresh and the presentation was lovely.
(4)
Huyen T.
I went there for dinner with my mom, usually I order the sushi rolls to go but...that day I decided to eat there and try their Bento box. Since I was addicted to those served near my college. I ordered my mom and myself their bento special. Which came with rice, meat, salad, and half a California roll. I was completely disappointed. The rice was plain American rice, not true Japanese short gain rice. The salad's peanut sauce...wasn't what I would expect. It was some sort of brown sauce with bites of ginger in it. I couldn't even taste it with the salad. The meat was good, but without hood rice. It just ruin the whole meal. Then the sushi....was it even sushi? They didn't use Japanese sushi rice...and they surely did not try to make it into sushi rice because it was missing vinegar and it was falling apart in front of me. The box itself was expensive and not good... I also one sushi roll, the fire roll, it is a rip off! I've had better elsewhere. The sushi rice was falling apart, the sauce that topped the roll was the Vietnamese hot sauce. Uh...come again? I will never come back here again. FYI, this place is owned by Vietnamese. And the sushi chef....smh. You are better off going to grand buffet to get sushi. At least it taste better than this place.
(2)
Colleen G.
I'm always on a quest for new and interesting sushi. Ryu was next on my list. I found it to be an average experience. Our server was fantastic. She was on the ball, and super friendly. Food was prepared quickly and tasted fresh. My favorite roll was the Fire roll, and I enjoyed the tempura vegetables too. My biggest disappointment was the masago that seemed to be everywhere up in my sushi. I can take a little bit, but man it was just too much for me. There seemed to be a lack of air conditioning while we were there. But it was also 100 degrees outside, so maybe I was just really overheated that day. I might go back, but it's not on my top 3 of sushi restaurants in Memphis.
(3)
Vim I.
Casual sushi bar on Summer Ave. If I had to describe it in one word i'd probably say "underwhelming." Although the sushi menu had some interesting options, the three rolls we had left us unsatisfied. We had the Crispy David (which is not really a roll but a small bite made with fried rice, fish, jalapeño, and spicy sauce). The next best was the Crazy Roll--although it was decent, I felt like it was lacking some punch to the flavor. We also had the Hanamaki--which was too bland. The Spicy Crab Soup was good but would have been so much better if it was made with real fresh crab instead of imitation crab. Maybe they were just having an off-day...
(3)
Shanette P.
One of my fave sushi bars in Memphis. Inexpensive, fulfilling hibachi & deliciously fresh rolls. Great fried rice. Awesome spicy crab soup! AND you can bring in your own bottle of wine...what more could you want?! The atmosphere is quaint & intimate, yet casual... Only gripe, too many gnats!!!!
(4)
Catie W.
i love this place. The building it self has character. I've been eating here for years and I've not had a bad experience every time I've gone. The food is great and the staff is wonderful. It's an added plus that's its reasonably priced too.
(4)
Sheila D.
Why the hell does everyone think this place is the shit? I think it's a hipster thing. After all, only white people like sushi. Everyone is probably just really excited to be eating in a sushi dive in a cautious part of Memphis. Their sushi is okay, but seriously, you can go anywhere and get better or equal. They also had shitty drinks, like only bud light or miller. WHAT! I got a lemonade which I did not enjoy. I'm not a total hater. I'm just saying.
(2)
Andrew B.
I came here on a Tuesday night at 7:00 pm. It was very empty. The decor is very traditional. Very expansive cooked and fried roll options. I ordered a ginger salad, fried calamari roll, and a spicy California type roll in a cucumber. The salad was good, but nothing too creative. The rolls arrived and were relatively sloppy, and lacked the precise creation usually found at a sushi bar. Most that were labeled spicy were lacking spice. The Cali/cuke roll lacked taste and tended to fall apart fast. If I was to come back I wouldn't order any of the same rolls.
And, here I had thought that I had already found my favorite sushi bar. I was wrong. This is a nice restaurant that manages to be open and cozy at the same time. The menu is a fun surprise, with traditional and more American/Asian rolls to please your palate. Check out the Cowboy Roll -- which incorporates fried chicken, or show your local price with the Memphis roll -- a combo of salmon, cream cheese, and avocado. On average, rolls ran about $5.95. With so many selections to choose from, one could spend a mint.
(4)
Jennifer G.
I would recommend all my sushi loving friends to this place and have :) Friendly staff and very clean bathrooms. The chef makes the best rolls in town and the sushi is always fresh, some of the biggest rolls in Memphis! My favorite restaurant by far in Memphis.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Logan H.
Consistently delicious food, both hibachi and sushi. Great, quick service. Good prices.
(5)Derrick N.
Nothing really compares to this place. Prices, service and food. Inside is so nice and i really feel like I'm in a Japanese house or of the sort. Must try for sure. Better yet must keep coming back!!!
(5)Chris M.
Met a friend for lunch the other day and his sushi roll was pretty gross. Fire roll maybe. Udon noodle soup was ok but nothing great. Nothing special but the staff is nice and the food is usually decent. I came in looking for a spicy crab soup that I saw on a 100 things to eat in Memphis. The soup was a spicy coconut/curry broth that was good but it did not even have real crab in it. Don't know that it is a must eat. No wait. It's not. The steak hibachi lunch was pretty good and the steak was well cooked. The fried rice was probably my favorite. I've only been here five or six times but it's never busy. Probably won't rush back.
(3)Rob C.
My favorite sushi place in memphis. Located on summer ave where all the great ethnic food places are (in my opinion). The place is small and homey, the staff is so polite, and the food is ALWAYS good! Great for sushi or hibachi, but it's not like a Benihana where they cook in front of you. Must try the tuna tataki and the spicy crab soup!
(5)Dawn M.
We tried Elena's Taco and Elwood's Shack but both were closed on Sunday. After a quick Yelp check we decided on Ryu. Located in a small strip center across from Bargain Hunt the outside looked third world ...or maybe fourth. The interior had anime playing, a sushi bar and several tables with Oriental design chairs and geisha patterned upholstery. The art was large modern prints. Service was great and both our sushi and teriyaki were excellent. Prices and serving size were reasonable. Seems to be popular with groups. There were only two other couples.
(4)Jerica B.
Always good. Always. The Sashimi Bento Box is my stand-by, and I'm alway pleased with the sushi. The soup and salad is great. Price is right. I've been here over a dozen times. No complaints.
(5)Jolynna M.
It doesn't look like much from the outside, but don't be fooled. If you're into sushi, you will be very pleasantly surprised by what you find inside. The atmosphere is quaint, relaxed and comfortable and the service is first rate. All the servers are really friendly and appreciative of your business. Now let's talk about the food. The sushi is always good and the prices are even better. Most rolls are about 5 to 6 dollars. You won't find a better value than that in the area.. And they have an early bird special, offering a 3 roll combo for only $9 before 7 pm. They have Hibachi here as well, priced better than anywhere in town, and also offer an early bird special of $12 for the whole Hitachi meal. I so love a good deal.
(5)Shaun B.
Upon moving here from Southern California, I felt as if Sushi would be a culinary dish I would miss greatly. In my first week I went to a meetup event at a different sushi establishment and was immensely disappointed in the quality of the sushi. I had felt that my viewpoint was reinforced. But then a girl there had told me that she would introduce me to a better sushi establishment in town. When that girl and I started dating, she had brought me here to Ryu Sushi. We drove up and initially I was concerned; the area seemed a bit sketchy, the little strip mall run down, and next to a strip joint. However, once we walked in, much of my reservations went away. The ambiance was very nice; the restaurant is very clean with light wooden floors and bright colorful Asian artwork. To my surprise, the establishment was rather empty; a pattern that still blows me away to this day. We were greeted by a friendly server and we had ordered a pot of tea, an assortment of sushi, and combo fried rice. The pot the tea came in was an elegant blue and white designed pot which served to add to the ambiance. We then got our fried rice and sushi and my eyes lit up, as it had appeared that my previously held belief of quality sushi being a thing of the past was erroneous. Once I had tasted the first piece of the Dragon roll, I knew I had found my new Sushi home. After a great meal, we decided to try the fried cheesecake. I am already a huge fan of cheesecake and figured this would be pretty good; it was far more than that. After a great dinner we got the check, and it was very well-priced for the quality and quantity of food. After an amazing experience, the lady and I continue to have equally amazing date nights here time and time again. There is no reason for this sushi establishment to be slow at any time; this is probably the best value sushi place in town. Next time you're craving sushi, give Ryu Sushi a try; you'll be glad you did!
(5)Samantha B.
I've come with a group to play games and with just one other friend to get quick sushi. Both times were excellent. Sadly they open at 5 and close at 9 on the weekdays and we didn't get there until 6 so we only got to play a few games. However, it was a fun experience. I will admit the tables aren't exactly designed with games in mind, but the fact that they encourage people to play is still neat to me. We got a variety of things and desserts. Three of us got sushi, one friend got a bento box, and hubby got hibachi chicken. My vegetarian friend liked her tofu sushi but wished they had offered a kind with some sort of sauce, spicy or just flavorful. I've noticed this at most sushi places: if there's no fish there's no pizzazz. So maybe next time we can ask them to add something to it. I did not like their ginger salad because the dressing was pretty watered down. But their onion soup was fantastic. Summary: I don't know if I would want to bring a larger group here for game night, but I would bring any size group here for food. Sushi in order of Awesomeness: - Deep Fried Tornado Roll - Spicy Nola Roll - Eel Roll - Cowboy Roll (tastes better with soy sauce) - Crunchy Crab Roll - Fire Roll (with soy sauce) - Onion Soup Didn't like: - Ginger Salad - Fried Tofu Roll
(5)Brooke K.
This is our go to sushi spot! The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because the waitress we usually get is awful. The food is so good an reasonably priced. My boyfriend gets the nigiri combo and the fish is always fresh. I always get the cooked rolls and the yabi ebi is awesome! The gyoza, egg rolls, and combo fried rice are go to items.
(4)Amanda E.
I love me some sushi! It's not really something I think of as an affordable date option, I've been known to run up $80 sushi tabs. But, with a little research in finding the right location, a partner with agreeable taste and a little strategy it can be done. The largest expenses for a business are typically payroll and rent, but since servers make so little in the restaurant industry you can be sure rent is the biggest expense. So, if you go to the part of town where the rents are lower you can find that there's better pricing on the menu. My favorite sushi spot in Memphis just happens to be next to a strip club. It's actually nice inside, and the neighborhood is not scary. This place is usually pretty quiet, when we arrived there were five other tables but they had all cleared out by the time we finished. I really don't understand why. The sushi prices are very reasonable: When the bf and I go here we always split a pot of tea and get waters. The pot gives us each two cups We then share four rolls of sushi. For most people this is probably plenty but we like to eat. So, my advice to like minded people is to get a soup or salad, it will help fill you up and give substance to the meal. Two of our rolls are fried. It's a southern thing y'all! This particular visit we gto the dragon roll, yellow tail, and two fried tornado rolls - so good! Don't get me wrong, I love sushi at fancy places where they have you take off your shoes, sit on the floor and give you private paper wall rooms so I'm not saying don't go there but a little less authentic sushi experience can make it more accessible. Besides, sharing food is kinda fun.
(4)Dusty L.
I don't know why we don't go here more often. Every time we do go it is pretty good. The sushi is not the best in town, but better than other places. The fried rice is REALLY good.
(4)Amber M.
I feel like I am not qualified to review this place, but for those of you who do not like sushi, like me, but are going with a friend... I'm here to help! So for dinner you have about three options, if I remember right. Chicken teriyaki and two other plates that have some sort of seafood in them. I wasn't given a lunch menu so I'm not sure what there is to offer there. The chicken teriyaki was pretty good, but honestly I don't think I would go back to pay $16 for it again. Their onion soup was very good, but it had French's crispy onions in it and that was just a little strange. Overall, I think you'll be able to find something there other than sushi but your options are limited and the prices are a little high.
(3)Robert G.
Ok im gonna start off saying im in memphis they are not exactly known for their sushi!! Ive eaten at quite a bit of sushi places all over the us. Sooooo with that being said this place is horrible!!!! They had only one beer in bottles and that was kirin ichiban i like sapparro with my sushi! And they were all out of sake!! How does that happpen at a sushi place!!! The food was made my hispanics now im not trying to sound racist being a hispanic myself knowing that we can anything. But call me old fashioned i think it should be made by the Asian descent! The napkins were cheap square ones. The beer i drank 2 bottles was past due nov 6th of 2014! The "sushi" rolls were not wrapped tight they kept falling apart. After i waited for them for over 45 mins for 2 rolls! Service here was non-existent! The rolls which were the spider roll and memphis roll were not very good at all. I guess i should thank this place ive been wanting to lose weight and i have this feeling i sure will tonight!!
(1)Ken R.
For my sushi selection, I relied on the smartphone app Swarm (Foursquare's successor) for advice. The overwhelming favotites were the "Fire" and "Rock 'n Roll" (previous named "Kalisu") rolls, so I got them along with Ryu's "Memphis" roll. All three choices were quite good, with the Fire roll being the best among them. Despite its name, the Fire roll was mildly spicy, for the chili sauce gave it enough heat to make it tasty without suppressing everything else in it. Speaking of that, the shrimp and cucumber added a crunchy dimension to the Fire roll that made it a delight to eat. There was also crunchy shrimp in the Rock 'n Roll, topped with a creamy crab topping and a lot of soy sauce that combined for a very good sushi roll that I hope to have again. The Memphis roll, with its raw salmon and cream cheese, was decent although it didn't scream "Bluff City" when I ate it. If it were left to me, I would have gone with smoked salmon to honor Memphis' barbecue heritage. Nonetheless, I liked it and along with the other sushi rolls and fried rice (good enough to hold its own with Asian Palace), which made for a very nice dinner. Along with my sushi, I drank two bottles of Kirin Ichiban, the malty Japanese pale lager at $3.50 apiece. Ryu is trying to stay competitive with nearby restaurants with beer prices that are very agreeable. Overall, I liked everything I had at Ryu Sushi Bar and will likely become a frequent patron. The staff at Ryu are very friendly and will appreciate your business, so give it try whenever you're in the Berclair neighborhood. You won't regret it. To read my complete review, including thoughts about competitive beer pricing, go to kensfoodfind.com/2015/02…
(4)Veronica X.
Sometimes marriage is hard. You have to keep making compromises to make it work, so here is our deal at Ryu: I gave up my fling with eel rolls and he broke off his long affair with spicy tuna rolls. We ordered the Memphis Rolls for an obvious reason. Maybe I am actually a traditionalist, so the small slice of cream cheese in each roll kind of threw me off. I read the description but was expecting it to be more subtle. After all this is Memphis not Philadelphia (no pun intended). We also tried the Crispy David Rolls for a less obvious reason. They filled us up pretty quickly, and then it hit me: they were kind of like deconstructed spicy tuna rolls! That's so unfair and needless to say: we will be trying other rolls next time. Since I can't live without my daily servings of vegetables, we ordered the tempura vegetables. Zucchini, mushroom and sweet potato were all good. Though the tempura batter was not as crunchy as I am used to, it was not that big a deal. The dipping sauce has tons of grated daikon radish in it which you probably won't find in a chain restaurant. The interior was quaint and clean. I think we really could work out our differences just by coming here more often. And who knows, shopping together at the Asian market next door might just be the ultimate bonding experience.
(3)James S.
This is a good place to eat, good pricing. Although we have found other Sushi bars in a better area.
(3)Amber M.
So I'm a weeeeee bit torn on this one. Here's why: STARVING and TIRED after driving and being in the car for 17 hrs, all I wanted was something to eat. I didn't want a heavy meal knowing that it was 8 at night. Ah Ha!! Sushi! Lets get sushi.... Found Ryu and looked at the first few reviews and decided I'd give it a whirl. Walked in and the place was rather empty. Rut-ro....hmmmm. We proceeded to order our take out and while I waited, I started looking at all the pictures and reading the signs on the wall. And then I saw it. The health score rating. I gulped loudly and slowly/calmly got my Hubs' attention. I pointed to it and with my eyes wide. 85 health score as of 10/2012. Have you seen that commercial with the two guys eating the messy BBQ and his friend sees the health rating go from an A to a C and that said friend smacks the BBQ out of his friends hands?? That's what I wanted to do but I didn't want to make a scene. Clearly they had to be sanitary enough or this place would have been shut down a long time ago. I walked away with food in hand and prayers in the sky. The sushi wasn't the best, but it was suprisingly decent. With no health issues. So I dunno...I don't live in this area so not sure if I'd come back even if I were just passing through.
(2)John K.
Beautiful restaurant, the sushi was really fresh and the service was great. The only bad thing was they couldn't serve any saki because of their liquor license was being renewed but the food was great.
(4)Paul C.
We came here to Ryu to an empty restaurant on a Sunday afternoon after the urge for good sushi and sashimi took over my body. We decided to come here since we were still on the quest for our go to Japanese spot in Memphis. We ordered 2 orders of red snapper, salmon, and yellowtail a la carte, since each order came with 3 pieces and each order is right around 3.75. Price was definitely superb. We also got 3 rolls; 2 spicy rolls and a cooked crunchy crab roll. The sashimi wasn't really cut properly, but it was good fish. The pieces were just a tiny bit undersized, but the price of the fish was cheap anyways. The presentation of the rolls was definitely a D, but the taste of the rolls a B+. They looked bad, but tasted good. Good, not great. All things considered, this place really should be a 3.5-4 stars for Memphis Japanese restaurants, but really should be 3-3.5 stars when compared everywhere else. Ryu Sushi Bar will satisfy those cravings for sushi and sashimi, but just don't expect your taste buds to be massaged!
(3)Amanda J.
We went last night (8/2013) and apparently the air was out. We were sweating before the waitress took our drink order. We both ordered two rolls. I got the Memphis roll and the Fried Tofu and I got an order of egg fried rice. It took a while for our food to come, but that's expected with a sushi place. The thing is, we only got our sushi. The waitress said that my rice was on it's way. No big deal. We start eating, and we have both finished our rolls (I'm a slow eater), and my rice still hasn't arrived. I finish my beer and finally she brings my rice. It's still hot, but I'm not the most adept at using chopsticks so I had to go after the waitress for a fork. The food overall was decent, but not the best sushi I've had ever. I don't think we'll go back, but this is mostly because we have a regular place and we were just trying this.
(2)Thomas G.
Really awesome. I had a hibachi entrée. Super delicious, friendly staff, nice decor.
(5)Colin B.
Ryu used to be our go-to quiet sushi spot. We're on the prowl for another after our last visit. It seems like the servings have gotten smaller while the prices have stayed the same. The Sashimi is supposed to come with three pieces, but only two arrived on all but one. We waited to tell the waitress, but she was the only server there, waiting on six tables. So we ate. I told her at the end of the meal, and she said she'd tell the chefs for next time. No other offers of any kind. This all sounds a little petty, but we're the easiest customers of all time, it really doesn't take much to make us happy. It's ok, I showed her, I only left her 18%. =P Three stars because it really is well prepared sashimi and nigiri, but the rolls are tiny, Ask how many pieces of each come with the rolls, sashimi and nigiri, so you're not left with a $60 tab and a half-full belly. The atmosphere/decor are nice and inviting. Usually quiet, younger couples.
(3)Jakiah D.
I love this place, but my experience is limited to takeout & eating at the sushi bar.
(5)SueZ P.
I'm in love with Ryu! After having fairly mediocre sushi experiences in Memphis, I finally tried Ryu. It reminded me of some of my favorite sushi places in Los Angeles = unpretentious, affordable, and most importantly - GOOD. On my first visit to Ryu, I meant to order sushi (nigiri), but must have checked the wrong box because the server came with three orders of sashimi. The cuts of yellow tail were melt-in-your-mouth delicious, but I was nervous about the bill. To my pleasant surprise, my orders of sashimi were only $4 each! Wah! Unheard of in LA. In addition to their sashimi, I recommend trying a rice-free roll. I like the King Crab roll; instead of being wrapped in seaweed and rice, it is wrapped in cucumber. It is a delicious and refreshing treat!
(5)Kerry C.
Ryu oozes atmosphere. In addition to the disco balls, there's a long sushi bar, a few TVs, and several large Japanese paintings (the one we were sitting next to was a Lichtenstein-esque collage depicting people in the throes of what looked to be some rather serious ennui). The main dining room is cozy and dark in a way that makes you feel sort of like you're eating underground. I started with the spicy crab soup. It was a small, appetizer-sized bowl of spicy broth, mushrooms, green onions and lots of imitation crab meat. As far as soup goes, it was near perfection. The only improvement I would make would be to put it in a bigger bowl - after I finished, I sat there and had a little internal debate with myself on whether or not it would be OK to order seconds. The sushi was excellent. The deep-fried salmon roll was filled with salmon, masago and cream cheese. The Tokyo roll had tender raw tuna, avocado, crab and cream cheese. The Crazy roll wasn't too insane - it was stuffed with crab, avocado and masago and topped with raw whitefish and green onions. The rolls were a little heavy on the masago - it seemed like it was used like mortar anytime there was available space. That said, all of the ingredients were incredibly fresh and the presentation was lovely.
(4)Huyen T.
I went there for dinner with my mom, usually I order the sushi rolls to go but...that day I decided to eat there and try their Bento box. Since I was addicted to those served near my college. I ordered my mom and myself their bento special. Which came with rice, meat, salad, and half a California roll. I was completely disappointed. The rice was plain American rice, not true Japanese short gain rice. The salad's peanut sauce...wasn't what I would expect. It was some sort of brown sauce with bites of ginger in it. I couldn't even taste it with the salad. The meat was good, but without hood rice. It just ruin the whole meal. Then the sushi....was it even sushi? They didn't use Japanese sushi rice...and they surely did not try to make it into sushi rice because it was missing vinegar and it was falling apart in front of me. The box itself was expensive and not good... I also one sushi roll, the fire roll, it is a rip off! I've had better elsewhere. The sushi rice was falling apart, the sauce that topped the roll was the Vietnamese hot sauce. Uh...come again? I will never come back here again. FYI, this place is owned by Vietnamese. And the sushi chef....smh. You are better off going to grand buffet to get sushi. At least it taste better than this place.
(2)Colleen G.
I'm always on a quest for new and interesting sushi. Ryu was next on my list. I found it to be an average experience. Our server was fantastic. She was on the ball, and super friendly. Food was prepared quickly and tasted fresh. My favorite roll was the Fire roll, and I enjoyed the tempura vegetables too. My biggest disappointment was the masago that seemed to be everywhere up in my sushi. I can take a little bit, but man it was just too much for me. There seemed to be a lack of air conditioning while we were there. But it was also 100 degrees outside, so maybe I was just really overheated that day. I might go back, but it's not on my top 3 of sushi restaurants in Memphis.
(3)Vim I.
Casual sushi bar on Summer Ave. If I had to describe it in one word i'd probably say "underwhelming." Although the sushi menu had some interesting options, the three rolls we had left us unsatisfied. We had the Crispy David (which is not really a roll but a small bite made with fried rice, fish, jalapeño, and spicy sauce). The next best was the Crazy Roll--although it was decent, I felt like it was lacking some punch to the flavor. We also had the Hanamaki--which was too bland. The Spicy Crab Soup was good but would have been so much better if it was made with real fresh crab instead of imitation crab. Maybe they were just having an off-day...
(3)Shanette P.
One of my fave sushi bars in Memphis. Inexpensive, fulfilling hibachi & deliciously fresh rolls. Great fried rice. Awesome spicy crab soup! AND you can bring in your own bottle of wine...what more could you want?! The atmosphere is quaint & intimate, yet casual... Only gripe, too many gnats!!!!
(4)Catie W.
i love this place. The building it self has character. I've been eating here for years and I've not had a bad experience every time I've gone. The food is great and the staff is wonderful. It's an added plus that's its reasonably priced too.
(4)Sheila D.
Why the hell does everyone think this place is the shit? I think it's a hipster thing. After all, only white people like sushi. Everyone is probably just really excited to be eating in a sushi dive in a cautious part of Memphis. Their sushi is okay, but seriously, you can go anywhere and get better or equal. They also had shitty drinks, like only bud light or miller. WHAT! I got a lemonade which I did not enjoy. I'm not a total hater. I'm just saying.
(2)Andrew B.
I came here on a Tuesday night at 7:00 pm. It was very empty. The decor is very traditional. Very expansive cooked and fried roll options. I ordered a ginger salad, fried calamari roll, and a spicy California type roll in a cucumber. The salad was good, but nothing too creative. The rolls arrived and were relatively sloppy, and lacked the precise creation usually found at a sushi bar. Most that were labeled spicy were lacking spice. The Cali/cuke roll lacked taste and tended to fall apart fast. If I was to come back I wouldn't order any of the same rolls.
(2)Heidi P.
Nice atmosphere. Comfortable seating. Decent food.
(3)N. P.
And, here I had thought that I had already found my favorite sushi bar. I was wrong. This is a nice restaurant that manages to be open and cozy at the same time. The menu is a fun surprise, with traditional and more American/Asian rolls to please your palate. Check out the Cowboy Roll -- which incorporates fried chicken, or show your local price with the Memphis roll -- a combo of salmon, cream cheese, and avocado. On average, rolls ran about $5.95. With so many selections to choose from, one could spend a mint.
(4)Jennifer G.
I would recommend all my sushi loving friends to this place and have :) Friendly staff and very clean bathrooms. The chef makes the best rolls in town and the sushi is always fresh, some of the biggest rolls in Memphis! My favorite restaurant by far in Memphis.
(5)