Agree with Ew(w). Very mediocre sushi and looks like it has been riding the train all night. A friend of mine believes she got food poisoning from there which does not surprise me. They are not long for this Nashville world....
(1)
Liz D.
Conveyor belt sushi in Nashville, finally! I've been waiting for this day for a long time and it's finally here. The restaurant took over what used to be a Chinese restaurant. It's a big space. Too big for the conveyor belt to really get around the whole place, but it's still mostly effective. The sushi was okay- my main complaint is that they tried too hard. Too many $4 plates which had all these rolls that had way too much going on- where's the seared salmon and simple, delicious rolls? The rolls I did have were okay- not the best I've had here in Nashville, but decent. What would make this place better is more variety, more cheaper rolls and better quality food.
(2)
Dee H.
They have a great lunch special and I go often for carry out. Everyone is always very friendly and the sushi is fresh with generous portions. Love it!
(5)
Cara P.
I'm so glad a kaiten sushi place opened in Nashville!! I'm a big fan of the whole conveyor belt idea. And I have high hopes for Sushi Train. First, the interior: pleasant, simple decor. The belt is the longest I've seen, and features both tables and counter space. There are lots of tables, which I really prefer; I like to face the people I'm talking to! There are attractive soy sauce dispensers on the tables (NOT just the bottles the sauce came in & no ads for the maker on the container, a nice touch). I do wish they'd provide both regular & low-sodium soy sauce; I think regular soy sauce sort of mugs all the other flavors. I'm sure they'd provide it if I asked. Ok, on to the sushi itself: Yeah. It's good. There's a variety of rolls, and the rolls themselves are not too large. Small rolls would seem to be a minus, but not to me. I don't like those palm-sized rolls that you can't eat in one bite & that fall apart in your hand. This does not happen here. The little cards on the belt are a plus, as they not only name the roll & what's in it, they also indicate whether the roll contains raw or cooked fish. Thus, sushi beginners can feel confident in their picks. The rolls are well constructed, too. Oh, and they have a menu with both more sushi choices and Japanese & Chinese entrees, so if your group includes those who won't eat sushi at all, they're covered too. Prices: reasonable! The most expensive plate is $4. Minuses, and they are very minor ones: I'd like to see more nigiri sushi on the belt. The tuna nigiri I snagged was yummy, give me more! Like surf clam...masago...red snapper...mmm. Oh, and the belt had lots of empty space, they need to work on keeping it reasonably filled....but hey, they just opened, I'm sure they're still getting the kinks out. All in all: please, please mob this place! I've noticed that the busier a kaiten sushi place is, oddly enough, the better the quality & variety. And I definitely think Sushi Train is up to the challenge.
(4)
Ann W.
It was ok. There was a special all-you-can-eat deal on Super Bowl Sunday, so it seemed like a good time to go. The "train" was entertaining for the 12-year old at the table. The service was very good - they brought around trays of sushi since we were near the end of the train and not much made it all the way around to us. I appreciated that, since it got really frustrating watching the people at the table ahead of us take everything that was headed our way. I noticed near the end of the meal that more seemed to be coming through but it was a little late by then. It would have been nice if there had been signs or something telling what was what. You just had to be familiar enough with sushi to know what you were eating. I actually ordered off the menu, while the others did the all-you-can-eat thing. The sushi is fine, but very basic. Prices off the menu were ok, but I could see the train getting expensive if you were not doing the math along the way. So . . . it was not bad, but I don't see much reason to return. It is more of a novelty to me than anything else.
(3)
Lauren L.
I really liked the atmosphere and cleanliness of this restaurant. (I'm really careful about where I eat sushi, as we all should be.) You can choose to order off the menu, pick whatever dishes are going down the "train," or both! I was surprised that their key lime pie dessert was quite good, but I could tell they ordered it in frozen. So if you're looking for home-made desserts, I wouldn't recommend this place. The sushi is really good. Our waiter was inattentive and a bit of a jerk, but I didn't really care because everything else was good!
(3)
Terra H.
I usually don't judge a place based on only ONE experience, but my one time here was so bad, I don't think I'll ever return of my own free will. My mom and I came in after a long day of work, famished! They say food tastes better when you're hungry, but apparently not! We were promptly seated as we came in, but then we were forgotten about for about 20 minutes. Maybe we were supposed to grab stuff from the conveyor belt as we waited, but I wanted to order off the menu. I signaled to a waitress and she finally took our order. About 15 minutes later, our food came out, and I was more than underwhelmed. The food wasn't horrid, but compared to other places I've been, such as Zushimaki or Sapporo, it was subpar. As I ate my dinner (shrimp fried rice, crunchy shrimp roll, and crunchy crab roll - yes, I was very hungry), I just kept comparing it to other places, and it just wasn't good. The fried rice came in a small bowl (though it was also accompanied by soup and salad) and the rice tasted kind of stale. As did the sushi. If it's not from the conveyor belt, shouldn't it taste fresh?
(1)
Robby H.
Love coming here. Great atmosphere and excellent selection. If there is something you want that is all gone ask the waitress and she will have some made for you.
(4)
P D.
Sushi Train was fun. It has the moving beltway that goes around the restaurant .. You reach in and grab what you want and order off the menu. Is it the best sushi/sashimi I have had , no. But it was ok. The shrimp tempura was very bland including the sauce . Service was good.. It was a fun novelty to do with the teens.
(3)
Terry R.
Gimmicky. We went in at the end of the lunch service and the selection was sparse. The waitress explained that they would not be adding any items until dinner. The sushi reminded me of grocery-store sushi. The worst part was halfway during our meal I noted something in my glass. When I picked it up to look closer, there was a dirty napkin attached to the inside of my water glass. I don't know why I didn't notice it sooner, but I had already drank out of it several times. When I complained about it, the waitress said "sorry" and just brought me a new glass. After complaining to another waitress, I was eventually offered for my meal to be paid for. I appreciate their efforts, but I won't be back.
(1)
chocovore s.
The sushi is below grocery-store quality. This is not necessarily an insult, I've had tasty sushi from grocery stores, but this was pretty meh. The novelty of the conveyor belt is fun for kids (just make sure they aren't pulling off plate after plate while you are not looking). I would have given it a 3, but . . . even with minimal consumption of raw fish (three small pieces of tuna roll) let's just say that the sushi train is approaching shinkansen speed going through my digestive system.
(2)
Lisa H.
This restaurant (formerly Chef Yang's) takes the UK concept of Yo! Sushi and puts a US twist on it. The new incarnation is beautiful and modern with great seating choices. Prices on the plates are good and the types of sushi are great, something for everyone (raw or cooked). Very cold and very fresh...presentation was excellent. Will definitely return, may try something off the menu next time!
(5)
Amanda C.
Dear Sushi Train, The minute I walked through the doors, my mind started singing, "Come on Ride the Train, it's a Choo Choo Train" by the Quad City DJs. Anticipation and excitment coursed thru my little Crispy veins...however all those feelings were quelled a little bit. Sushi Train is a great place to eat....if you are at the begining of the train. As I sat down, I looked at the front of the train...and I was like, "This is going to be good!". I opted for a hot tea to drink because I didn't know how much sushi I was going to destroy. The drink menu had medium priced cocktails and beers in the 5 dollar range. As I sat down and watched the plates go by in the perfectly chilled and encased enviroment, I started to get a little depressed. The people at the front of the train were just going to town and snapping up the $2.00 classics and really intresting $4.00 plates. I saw the evidence of their loot by the little name plates that were coming down the line. Then hunger struck me and I started to make irrational decisions because I wanted to be like the people in the front of the train. Well, 2 red plates (8.00 for 6 pieces of sushi), plus a purple and a grey plate, I kinda felt a little jilted...like a lover perhaps. And then it dawned on me...Sushi Train is a metaphor of my dating life. All the good classics have been snapped up by all the people who got on board the relationship train early and all I had left was the weird $3.50 cup of a smelt roe offering or those snap decisons of I am so hungry I don't care....I will take the $4 plate (and regret it later...ha!). I give this place a solid as far as health code goes. I felt so safe with the great little encasing around the train. The atmosphere is a win too. I love the layout. Service as far as drinks and getting a very happy greeting upon entering was great too. However, if you aren't at the begining of the train, be prepared to face "dry spells" if it is crowded. Next Stop: Ordering off the menu or just coming back for lunch. I feel like I will be back if I am in the area.
(3)
Angie W.
I enjoyed my experience at Sushi Train. I have gone to Sushi Train a few times with groups of 3 or 4 people. We enjoyed the ability to take the plates off of the conveyor belt and try something new. I think it would be really nice to include the name of the roll on the plate so people will remember which roll they enjoyed and can easily grab it next time it comes around. The staff is just okay. I felt like I had to flag someone down to get refills. The prices are comparable to other sushi restaurants. It is a bit distracting to be the person siting next to the belt because everyone expects you to fetch their food choices. All in all, I enjoyed my experience at Sushi Train and I will go back.
(3)
Sue L.
What this place is: -they offer both standard sushi/sashimi/other Japanese/chinese warm dishes in addition to a long conveyer belt system that carries sushi/rolls/desserts in small portions(2-4 pieces/dish) that range from $1~$3.5 and you choose as you like. What this place is good for: - fast, slightly-better-than-packaged sushi in quantity for cheap: I had 7 different dishes from the belt during lunchtime service and only paid ~12 bucks. - as an experience (seeing how this is a rarity in the South). - well organized, fast service with modern interior. Accordingly, the quality isn't super great (go to Samurai for quality) but definitely acceptable and considering the price, it is a pretty good deal. On the belt, they had ~13 rolls/sushi types and ~3 desserts for saturday lunch service. If you need to feed your or your friend's hunger for sushi cheap, this is the place.
(4)
Samma A.
We're mesmerized at the constant kaiten sushi train sequence of different sushi plates rolling past our black marble table. The chefs were standing nearby rolling and slicing the sushi and placing the different colored plates on the conveyor belt that chuggs along with its cargo. The color coded plates are $1, $1.50 and on up. When we saw a plate we couldn't resist we just opened the clear plastic cover and grabbed the plate before it got away. The Japanese server added up our empty colored plates and the hot sake and collected our tab. It takes a little patience and a sharp eye as the sushi rolls by, but it was a fun new lunch experience. The Samurai with mango salsa and the the Pink Dragon with tuna, shrimp and crab were our favorites. We didn't have room for the Japanese tempura.
(4)
Michelle P.
I went to the Sushi Train with my husband, daughter, and several friends 2 nights ago. I thought the ambiance was fun. The service was good. The concept is also fun. A conveyer belt brings around plates of sushi and the price of the sushi varies depending on the color of the plate it's on. There is also a menu to order from. The sushi itself is ok, not the absolute best I've eaten but good. I hope it stays open.
(4)
Heather L T.
My only regret--is that I hadn't thought of this idea first.... I thoroughly enjoyed Sushi Train. I mean, come on, people..this isn't the kind of place you go to if you are looking for world-renowned sushi. It's a place to go if you want to try something funky and modern while getting your sushi at a quick pace. Sushi Train was different from any other sushi place I have been in Nashville..and for the record, there is a whopping ONE good sushi place in Nashville anyway, so I am thrilled to even have a decent one at this point. The decor set this sushi restaurant apart from all the others. It was very modern and stylish..something I could easily see in Japan or Hong Kong. Yes, commercial, but still interesting and intriguing, nonetheless. I have never seen the conveyor belt style anywhere else and I have to say, when you're hungry as f***, that comes in handy. There's nothing worse than a long wait when you're ready to chew your own arm off out of pure hunger. I enjoyed watching the hundreds of different sushi pass by on this conveyor belt, and each with a label and description of what it was. Set up above the conveyor belt is a little price list with specific colors matching specific prices which I thought was a good way to do things. I opted for about 6-7 different sushis and quite frankly, they tasted fresh and satisfying to me. I also got the fried green tea ice cream for dessert and it was delicious and nicely put together as well. I can tell ya..if you're looking for variety, quantity, decent/good quality and freshness, and also looking to get full on a VERY reasonable price, Sushi Train is where you should be. I fed myself and my boyfriend on about 6-7 different sushis and got a dessert all for about $28.00. Now if you don't think that's a bargain, what the heck is?!
(4)
Shaila B.
Love the quality of the sushi I have always gotten there and for my husband's birthday we had them put together a huge tray for his party and it looked great and tasted even better. The service usually isn't that great, but we go there for the food and it never disappoints.
(5)
Jenn R.
I'm from the west coast and have tried a dozen sushi places here over the last year. All of them have had fish that made me want to forget anything raw and just go pick up a piece of fish from Whole Foods and cook it myself . We came in late around 8:30pm and the place wasn't packed. I went for the nigiri first to see if it was going to even be edible. To my delight it was actually good. Salmon was actually good.yellowtail passed. I also ordered a titan roll from the waitress. That was also good. Spicy tuna was good.
(3)
Leslie W.
Go at lunch, and stay away from the train. This review is based on 4 visits, 2 at lunch, 2 at dinner. The food is pretty much the same at both times, but cheaper at lunch. As other reviewers have pointed out, the offerings on the train are tired and uninspiring. I've had better grocery store sushi at half the price. (Which, if you know about grocery store sushi, should tell you something.) The lunchtime plate offerings are decent ... not great, but decent. My husband always gets shrimp and vegetables, but somehow, only 3-4 shrimp end up on the plate. What I do like is that they keep the sodium under control. There are plenty of Asian restaurants that do a better job. For all the hype, the sushi is subpar. The plates are okay for a quick lunch. The fact that the place is nearly empty whenever you go is very telling.
(2)
Ian W.
Its a Chinese made sushi...the food is not decent at all...and with that quality, the sushi are way too expensive!
(1)
Chad R.
My girlfiend and I met some friends at the Sushi Train to try some conveyor belt sushi. It is located in a stand alone building right next to where Calhoun's used to be located on White Bridge Road. The restaurant was nicely and tastefully furnished and very clean. There is a conveyor belt that snakes all through the restaurant. It is all contained in glass with little panels that slide open when you see some sushi you want to try. They have the sushi on various color-coded plates so you can keep up with how much money you will be spending. I found the sushi to be good, not great, but found it was a nice place to hang out with friends and eat at your leisure. We sat near the back of the train which was a mistake because most of the good stuff was grabbed by other patrons ahead of us on the train. So when we go back we plan to snag a table near the front of the train. The staff was nice and friendly. If sushi is not your cup of tea, then they offer a menu full of alternative choices of the Asian variety. Overall, its not my favorite sushi restaurant in town but I will go back with friends.
(4)
Lauren S.
After my third visit, I believe the husband and I have finally mastered the train. Sitting towards the front of the train is definitely worth it. Mix the menu items with the train. In a typical sushi place like Sonobana, Ginza, or Wild Wasabi I walk out with a personal $40 tab. Here, a huge and tasty Crunchy Shrimp Roll (10 rolls) is $5 along with a mixture of $1.25 Fried Roll (no clue what's in it, but it's addictive), Naruto Roll, Rainbow Roll, Titan Roll, Salmon Roll. I have yet to break $20. My husband has never been more thrilled. Green tea is the powdered kind. Ask for a pot if you suck it down as fast as I do. Ample parking and good music.
(4)
Jason H.
A missed flight lead to an unexpected solo adventure day in Nashville (the kind of day in which a full-time resident can trick himself into feeling like a tourist). So for dinner, I headed over to Sushi Train, with high expectations (I mean this in a genuine way, I left the big city version of me that might've scoffed at conveyor belt sushi in a strip mall at home). I was excited by the idea of grabbing what I want, when I need it, going at my own pace, a phenomenon usually reserved for traditional buffets (but let's be honest, there is nothing too 'personal' or intimate about the pace of life in such establishments). As for the food, I was impressed by the mix of standards (pork gyoza appetizer, salmon roll, an incredibly fresh yellow tail sashimi) and the more exotic and inventive, such as a roll with tuna, apple, and jalepeno, which wasn't actually spicy but had a really bright fruity pop to it that I would've expected to taste at Las Paletas. The value is there--if you're careful. The better looking options are usually found on red plates ($4 each), with the enticing $1.25 price point reserved for simpler fare such as the asparagus roll (I didn't indulge). I would recommend getting an appetizer or entree to supplement the conveyor belt options--just the pork gyoza for me--however, I imagine the temptation to grab many little colorful plates would still be there. The stomach seems to trick the mind more at sushi restaurants than at most, I've found, and thus the little stack of empty plates builds ever higher, until some kid of will power says enough. I will be going back, next time bringing some comrades with whom to fight over who gets the last piece of spicy tuna.
(4)
Benjamin S.
Finally, a kaiten sushi bar closer to home. What was once a ho-hum asian buffet is now an awesome sushi restaurant featuring conveyer belt sushi! The prices for any given plate range from 99 cents (for an all veggie roll), to $4.00. My fiancee and I waited for what seemed like forever for this place to open, and when it did we were not disappointed. They have a great variety of sushi rolls and even some nigiri that circulate on the enclosed, chilled, conveyor. All you do is lift up the door next to your table, and reach in and grab what you want. I will say that this place just barely makes 5 stars as some of the rolls fell apart (never a good thing); but they make up for it with the variety and the fact that each line of sushi is preceded by a sign traveling on the conveyor telling you what type of sushi is next. Their spicy salmon and tuna rolls were amazing as were the regular ones. I did not find one bad roll on the line. So bring your money, cause it can add up really fast, and a big appetite, you will not be disappointed. That being said, if sushi is not your thing, they also have a selection of Chinese and Japanese dishes you can order straight from the kitchen.
(5)
Micheal P.
I was hesitant to go to this place because of the mixed reviews, but I'd obviously have to try it at some point... because conveyor belt of sushi! So, here it is. The train is novel. The sushi is just fine, but not stellar. And expensive. Seats are hard to get because everyone is excited about a train of sushi. If you, like me, ignore these reviews and go because this place has the market cornered on trains of sushi in Nashville, then here are your tips. Go early on a weeknight. If you have to wait, ask the hostess for a drink menu and someone will come by and take your drink order. When you get to the train, you'll be tempted to take a familiar roll (like salmon and cucumber), because you're hungry. Be patient. Sushi Train doesn't do basic rolls better than your favorite sushi place (and your favorite sushi place is Ginza, right??), so don't waste your money on them. Instead, wait for the specialty rolls to come around and get the surf and turf. In fact, get all of the surf and turf rolls you see. This is the one shining gem of sushi train. The uncommon ingredients blend to a bright and pleasant flavor twist on typical sushi. If I were forced to return this place, I'd sit at a non-train table and order this roll, even though I stick to bonafide legitimate japanese sushi at other restaurants (If you tell me you usually order pansy-ass crazy fried rolls, I have stopped reading your reviews). choo choo, nashville.
(3)
Kaley J.
Won't be going back...not for the train, anyways. The novelty wore off quickly. It was my first visit and I sat at my table waiting for something to come by on the train that I wanted to eat. Imagine my disappointment when I sat there for an entire rotation and didn't find anything i wanted. I finally found a few things that were not bad, but there's not much variety and while I was there, most of the train was empty....very few plates of sushi traveling around on the train. I'm not sure if this is because they sat us at the end or this is just how it is all the time. I was able to make a special request from my waitress and order something that I didn't find on the bar . And that item was delicious! if I ever do go back, I'll skip the train and order directly from the chef.
(2)
Charnelle Y.
I can't complain the lunch special is well worth the stop!!! As you seen the photos the train was well stocked, and not cheap items either! Very mixed plates, a lot of different flavors we had the following items between my husband and I... AAC Roll - Avocado Asparagus Cucumber Snow Crab Roll Spicy Tuna Roll Kani Salad Tuna Cucumber Salad Edamame Shrimp tempura roll California Roll There were few others but I couldn't keep track, the service was okay nothing to write home about! We were the first here for the day but it soon became a packed house so make sure to plan ahead! Did not get any dessert but the Oreo mousse cake looked amazing!
(4)
Tammy T.
I only came here because my friend had a groupon $30 for $15. They had a wide variety of speciality sushi for you to choose from in addition to the ones that are circling around on the conveyor belt. I ordered the spicy girl roll and out of control roll. I thought there was a little bit too much eel sauce on it so it made the sushi really sweet. The spicy girl roll, on the other hand, was really good! The seared salmon really added texture and taste to the roll and was what made the roll really stand out to me. I would highly recommend the spicy girl roll to all my salmon loving fans.
(3)
Michelle P.
This is definitely a hit or miss place. I really wanted to love this place...but I couldn't in the end. Yes conveyor sushi is a novel experience but the inconsistent quality of fish (read great salmon horrible sea urchin) and service leaves me ambivalent. The groupon deal did ease the blow a bit. The hostess sat us while taking a phone call (as in she picked up the phone as she was showing us to our seats and then scuttled off). The server was very thorough and genuine with his recommendations and catering to our needs even knowing we were primarily here for the a la carte sushi. They have beautiful presentation for their ordered rolls like the pacific roll, but personally that flavor mix was not to my taste (still beautiful though!). So while I did not find myself in love with the place it is worth say a lunch or if you really really want to catch your sushi with good company it's worth some loving on. Just please don't get the sea urchin. It broke my heart (just a little bit).
(3)
Billy H.
I woke up to a Groupon email and this place was featured as 19 dollars got you 30 bucks. I clicked over and read through the reviews on Yelp. The feedback was mixed. I decided to not purchase the Groupon because were going to be dining at lunch time and I didn't think we'd spend the 30 bucks. We entered the restaurant at 11:45am on Sunday. It wasn't too busy at that point, but it did start to fill up around 12:15pm. Fill up, not overly crowed though. They have a full sushi, Japanese, and Chinese menu you can order from, but I feel if your going to a place called Sushi Train, you ride the train. The train is a long, covered and refrigerated train that takes 12 minutes and 49 seconds to make a lap. Yes, we timed it. The items on the train are on color coded plates, each color representing a different price. The lunch (11:am-2:30pm) prices are $.99, $1.25, $1.75, $2.25, $2.75 and $3.25. For dinner (4pm-Close) prices are $1.25, $2.00, $2.50, $3.00, $3.50, and $4.00. Our server was prompt & asked our drink order & we told him we were going to have the $8.99 lunch special. It really is special. For $8.99 you'll have your pick of ANY plate on the train, except the pricey red plates. It's ALL YOU CAN EAT. The train has different rolls, from cooked to raw. It also has desserts that coast around on it. The sushi. The sushi is good. It's comparable to what you'd get at a good sushi restaurant. It isn't AMAZING, but for the price you cannot beat it. From the rolls I had, only two I didn't care for. One was because I grabbed a "Philadelphia roll" that was cooked. I didn't see the cooked part & I hate smoked salmon. It tastes like cat food (I don't know what cat food tastes like). The second one I had was a tuna roll that had been on the train too long, the rice on the outside was dryish. Overall it's a neat little dining experience & a great value for the $8.99 lunch special. I like the freshness of most of the rolls and also the ability to try different rolls & not get stuck with a bunch of pieces. Will I be back again? If I get a sushi craving & I'm in the area, you bet.
(4)
Zeb M.
Sushi Train is basically what you'd expect from its name. It's decent sushi, but not a place I would go to unless I'm pressed for time or want a cheap dinner - which can easily be cheap as long as you're careful about what plates you're grabbing from the conveyor belt. The restaurant is very modern and clean, and it's never busy when I'm there, so it's not a bad place. Just, you know. Okay.
(3)
Jason B.
Sushi Train has a great lunch special. 2 Rolls and soup or salad for $7, or 3 rolls and soup/salad for $9. The sushi conveyor is a nice touch, but the selection rarely changes. The desserts available on the train are actually really good. The peanut butter cream pie is my favorite. The Chinese and hibachi menu items have been really good in my experience. The sashimi plate dinner entree is one of the best sushi deals in town. You get 9 pieces of sashimi/nigiri and a spicy tuna roll for under $20. Only 3 stars because it doesn't stand out when compared to some of the other sushi places that are close by (Sonobana and Ninki). However, a sushi lunch for $7 is hard to beat.
(3)
Stephen C.
Really Neat idea. You go for the experience. The sushi isn't the best off the train but we also didn't get any of the extravagant types. It's really neat idea and fairly inexpensive. Also buy the groupon 19 dollars for 30 dollars
(4)
Jessica R.
Awesome rotating sushi bar! They had a good variety of rolls, as well as different apps and deserts. We ordered some fresh edamame so it would be hot (verses getting it from the rotating bar). I like that the rotating bar is completely enclosed and refrigerated! I have been to other sushi places and the rotating bar was open. Not only does the sushi stay super fresh, and at the correct temperature, but also people are unable to pick something up and touch your potential plate and then put it back, which is gross! Our waiter was also very friendly. While we were there, there was this woman across the way giving the waiter a very hard time and being very rude, in our opinion, saying her food took way too long and other various things. Meanwhile her three young children are laying on their chairs, laughing and playing loudly, and carrying on next to her. They're kids so it's not like it was bothersome, just this woman seemed so oblivious and meanwhile is complaining and being disrespectful and talking down to the waiter, saying things like "Come on, can I have my check already!" loudly enough for us 4 tables away to hear. He handled the situation well, and was respectful regardless. I appreciated that, having worked in customer service for 4 years back in the day. Overall, great experience. We will definitely go again the next time we visit Nashville.
Chooo choo. I'm a very efficient conductor at the train. Pull them, and eat them. Don't over think it. Here's how it works, the plates are color coded. Unfortunately, they add up QUICK, so the R x R crossing can be dangerous if you don't look both ways. There's also an average of three pieces per plate, so if you can, board the train with a group divisible by three. I would recommend the place, but we only go here when we can buy our train tickets on sale (groupon). Otherwise it's just too pricey. Please excuse all of the train lingo, I needed to dork out for a minute.
(3)
Molly N.
Lunch special on sushi all you can eat for $8.99. It was a decent deal and the sushi is average. Unique dining room experience bringing some Asian flair to Nashville.
(3)
Clayton M.
They really should change their name to Just Train. 30 minutes in I've yet to have more than desserts and edamame go past. The server is very inattentive, 5 occupied tables with empty drinks.
(2)
Victoria L.
Sushi delivered fresh to your table via... conveyor belt? Yes it's exactly what it sounds like, my friends. I guess Sushi Conveyor Belt isn't quite as catchy. I love sushi and the concept is really fun. I usually feel like I'm going to explode when I eat sushi simply because I can't decide on one or two rolls and end up over eating due to my severe sushi FOMO. (Fear Of Missing Out). Since the whole concept of Sushi Train revolves around getting tiny plates of sushi samples I don't have that problem here. Anything I've ever ordered off the menu was fresh. However, I know you're really here for the "train". If you're going to use the train instead of the menu, you probably want to keep your table to 4-6 people. Beyond that, the people at the far end can't see anything as it whizzes by. This takes away from the experience and could cost you a few friendships if you're not careful. Sometimes the sushi on the train isn't very fresh and they seem to have trouble keeping certain rolls stocked. If you see something you like you better grab it fast because dinner will be over before it comes back around. The restaurant is clean and I've always experienced good service. That being said, the sushi isn't outstanding but compared to what usually passes for sushi in Nashville, I definitely recommend stopping by. Be careful though, those little plates add up quickly!
(3)
Krystal S.
This place is great. My son loves it as well! We took friends there recently and were a little bummed that they don't stock the train through out lunch including the last 1-2 hours before closing until dinner. There were rolls we wanted to get, but couldn't since there was only an hour and half left for lunch (they said they stop adding rolls). I was told I could pay extra for the roll, but I took it as poor service.
(3)
Beth G.
Pretty decent for conveyor belt sushi. Service is very good at dinner not sure abt lunch never been. Habachi good too without being crazy expensive. Pretty dang good for Landlocked sushi with entertainer in the train and nice service.
(4)
Alexandra F.
I don't what it is about sushi train, but it's so good. I've never dined in, but I imagine it's and even better experience. I've gotten takeout more times than I can count and every time my order was ready quickly and correct. Their soup is awesome. Crab rangoons are killer and you get 8 in just one order which is ALOT. Everyone is very friendly. They have great lunch specials where you can get two or three rolls and soup or salad and it's very reasonably priced. Every time I eat here I want more. Can't say enough great things about this place. Order the crunchy shrimp roll! It's my favorite of the "not super expensive" rolls.
(5)
Steven G.
Fun concept. Well done. I got full before I was able to try all the variety constantly moving by. Desserts too.
(4)
Libby B.
I am always hunting for new and exciting sushi places. This one was exciting, but not really for the food so much as the atmosphere. When you walk in, you can't tell if they were going for a nightclub or weird 70's diner feel. The neon and LED lights all over suggest nightclub, but the enormous windows have a screen or something over them, it always looks dreary outside no matter what the weather. The main attraction here isn't the sushi so much as how it gets to you. A waiter brings your drinks, and then, if you're ordering from the lunch menu as I have, you pay $8.99 for all the plates you want that aren't red (the red ones are extra). A refrigerated conveyor belt snakes throughout the restaurant, with placards before each dish revealing what they are. When you spot a dish you like, simply lift up one of the tube doors and grab it! They don't seem to restock too often, so you might be out of luck if the dish you want doesn't appear on the first go round...or the second.The sushi itself is all right, but it didn't stand out to me in any way. The dishes seemed heavy on the tempura and spicy mayo, and the healthier options seemed smaller and less exciting on the plate. My verdict: Sushi Train will satisfy a sushi craving (on the cheap), and give you some novelty along the way. Lunch with coworkers, sure - but try something more upscale if you're looking for say, a date spot.
(3)
Mike S.
This place is worth checking out with a groupon, esp for dinner. Their all you can eat for lunch is pretty decent as well (apparently just $9!) Some of their entrees are kind of weird, like adding cream cheese to sushi, but I suppose that as a Southern thing ;) For my first time I would just check out the train and not order anything from the menu. The biggest thing about raw fish is that it NEEDS to be fresh, and I be found it to be reasonably so. My only complaint is that there is too many tuna dishes and not enough of the others, but that's a personal thing.
(4)
Kyron C.
I give it three stars because you should know what you're getting yourself into to; the place is called Sushi Train don't expect it be super great. You're paying mostly for the train.
(3)
Ryan K.
This is the first conveyor belt style sushi place I've visited thus far and truthfully the whole concept of it is pretty neat. There is a lot of convenience in being able to pick and choose from different sets of rolls and paying for them in a sort of a la carte fashion. What they do is color code the plates and then price them out at different levels depending on that color. At the table I was at one could see the chart with the colors and prices fairly easily. As far as the food quality goes the sushi was around the average for what I've had in my travels to date. I would definitely say that for the cost the sushi is a rather decent deal and it's quite easy to get a full belly without losing an arm and a leg. I'd definitely suggest it as an interesting place to try out.
(3)
BethAnn S.
Apparently my children will eat anything that comes on a conveyer belt. And happily spend stupid amounts of money to do it. The time I went there and the belt wasn't even working? Sigh. The only reason I begrudgingly agreed to come back here after my first horrible experience was because of a Groupon. The fact that they have a Groupon should have been a warning that nothing had changed. We got edamame out of the gates, then waited, and waited and, you know, waited some more for the things we wanted. There was ample California roll, and some other creepy rolls, but the standout dragon roll went by once never to be seen again. About 30% of what was in there was some bizarre dessert concoctions that I think they served pilots before the bombing of Pearl Harbor to reinforce the idea that life was not worth living. Thirty minutes of nothing but *blargh* rolling by and my chidren getting increasingly cranky when the waitress finally offered to have the chef make us what we were waiting for. At which point, I just wanted the check and a memory that would allow me to talk myself out of the next groupon and avoid driving by here for my children who seem to forget the suckage that is Sushi Train in a matter of weeks. i've seen the sushi train thing work well in other venues outside of Nashville, but wow, this place is missing the mark. They really could have something good with this location too which makes it particularly pathetic.
(2)
Alex P.
You can order things off the menu like hibachi, bento boxes or teriyaki but people come here for the experience of the sushi train. All you do is grab what looks good to you off the sliding tray. Plates are color coded. Lunch prices are $.99, $1.25, $1.75, $2.25, $2.75 and $3.25. Dinner prices are $1.25, $2.00, $2.50, $3.00, $3.50, and $4.00. With 3 plates and a coke, I walked out spending $9 for lunch. I was full and the sushi tasted good. Id say it's not as cheap as it seems but it's definitely not expensive. The sushi is smaller than usual, so two plates really is like one dish. All in all, it's fair and I'm coming back.
(4)
Anne B.
This is an amazing concept. The train is worth the trip. My daughter and I dined from the menu and the train. Very good service from our waiter. My first time here, my daughter has been several times. I will be going back. The plates are color coded so you know the prices. There is a sign displayed the color plates near your table.
(4)
Michael L.
The fish is incredibly fresh. Many creative rolls. Deserts are really creative as well. The service was friendly, prompt and went above and beyond. The atmosphere is unlike anything in Nashville, making this place one of a kind. A full menu is also available for those not in the mood for the train. They also have a limited bar, typical of most sushi joints. Prices are very reasonable. Across the menu, dinner is $0.75 more per item.
(5)
Shayla M.
This was some of the best sushi! Reasonably priced! And overall a lot of fun!!! I will definitely be back!
(5)
Meg S.
My mother and I came here for lunch and will definitely be returning! Lunch prices were completely reasonable and the food was so good! I've never had better teriyaki! Even the miso soup and fried rice were fantastic. This place is great!
(5)
Jonathan B.
It's known for the conveyor belt with their sushi on it. The concept is unique to Nashville because its not common at all - it might also be the only sushi place doing it. (locally) The few times I've gone I've always tried to be seated near the preps at the beginning of the line to get first dibs. As far as the sushi goes it just tastes like your run of the mill sushi. It's not amazing but its not bad by any means. There are definitely better sushi places in town but if you're wanting to grab a quick bite with no hassle then this is a good place to come to. Their service is always quick but I don't think I've ever actually ordered anything on the menu. I've only ever pulled from the conveyor.
(3)
Mary V.
Choo-choooo. Cute concept. It's nice to see Nashville finally have a conveyor belt sushi restaurant since they are all over LA and Chicago. I like coming here for lunch for the sushi because it's grab-and-go. I eat in 15 minutes and head on to the Target just behind the restaurant. The plates are color coded, and there are signs everywhere so you know exactly how much you're going to spend whether you have 2 plates or 14. The sushi has always been fresh and they have some interesting rolls. The portions on these plates are not full-size rolls FYI. This allows for the lower prices. The plates are 75 cents cheaper during lunch, but they have more options during dinner. I've never ordered food from the Menu, but my coworker who usually does says it's been hit or miss. Their menu consists of Chinese dishes you can get just about anywhere. They have a few Japanese plates as well. Nothing to write home about. Check the hours for lunch and dinner. If you go too early, they won't have a lot of rolls out yet. If you go too late, they stop making rolls at a certain point. If you don't see a certain roll you want, you can always order it. Location - Good. Parking - Great. Service - Fair/Good. Sushi - Good. Menu - Fair/Good. Pricing - Good.
(4)
Hall W.
I was super excited that I finally found a Sushi conveyer in town... and zoomed to it right away... So the to start on a positive note - YES they do have really attentive service... - YES there is a wide selection of sushi - Holly crap... this is the best priced Sushi I have ever seen... Now on a down side... - They don't do a really good job of refilling the train, because only half the options on the train were even available... - The sushi is okay - a little bit better than packaged sushi - this is one of the more schizo interior decorating gigs I have ever seen...
(3)
Queen B.
All the reviews that said how mediocre this food is --- was right on. Had a daily coupon for this place and thought I'd try it. Fish seemed stale - old - not moist - but dry, like it had been sitting around for quite a while. Cute idea, great gimmick, but they really need to improve if they want to stay in business. I would not return.
(2)
Lisa B.
No. Just no. It seems you can only have a decent experience here if you go at the beginning of a meal service and are the only people in the restaurant. I would have given Sushi Train a solid 3 stars after my first lunch experience a while back. My mistake was trying it again for dinner last night. Yeah, yeah, the sushi is on a conveyor belt and you grab what you want. Neat. Except the sushi is mediocre at best and the selection is terrible (unless you like every single sushi roll fried). And if you aren't sitting near the front of the 'train' don't count on getting anything you want during dinner. They tell you to take the sign out and place it on your table if you want something that they're out of. I tried that, and the inattentive waitresses noticed about 30 minutes later. (And one of them angrily exclaimed "GOOD LORD!" when told by another waitress that she was about to hand us the wrong plate) IMPORTANT: BEWARE THE LETTUCE WRAPS!! If you're picturing something on par with, or slightly cheaper quality than Pei Wei, think again. It was basically dog food served with limp, wilted lettuce. I still can't figure out what all was in there, but there were chunks of corn, slimy mushroom bits (i hope) and chicken that looks and tastes like it came from a Fancy Feast can. Our first choice appetizer was edamame, but the browning, sad looking stuff on the conveyor belt made us look at the menu. Also, don't expect your appetizer to be an appetizer. By the time we got said dog food, we had already finished everything else. Sushi Train hangs on to a second star by the skin of its teeth due to our first experience. If you're going to brave the train, I'd recommend going early for lunch (cheaper train prices) and insisting on sitting near the front. And dear God don't order the lettuce wraps.
(2)
Casey H.
I had a Groupon for Sushi Train and it's really close to the house. The service was pretty good - they were polite, quick and attentive. The conveyor belt with your choice of sushi is awesome but the quality of the fish or size of the rolls is mediocre at best. I hear that the fried rice w/ beef and chicken but then again, he doesn't really have taste buds. :X Quick in and out dining experience.
(3)
Carie W.
It was good. Some of the sushi was NOT impressive. The menu items were good and they do serve sake. For what we spent, I feel we could have had a better selection elsewhere
(2)
Kim P.
My husband and I here frequents here. Don't expect fancy sushi here. Then again, sushi is not meant to be fancy. Sushi was made to be a quick and easy to eat meal. If you want just basic sushi and not have to wait then this is the place to go. We go here after a long day of work, too hungry to cook, and have little patience for waiting on our meal. Now if you want good sushi beyond the basics and is willing to get there, our favorite place is called Fugiyama in Clarksville, TN. We've tried many sushi restaurants in the Nashville area and have not found an impressive sushi restaurant. We were quite surprise that the good sushi we were looking for is in Clarksville, TN. It's the best so far since living in TN otherwise I would need to I fly back to Boston for sushi.
(4)
Cody H.
So the sushi isn't top notch here, but it is still pretty good. The environment is really cool though. There's a large selection of sushi, and it's in small portions so you can have a good assortment without going broke. Sit near the chef station so you get first pick!
(4)
Caroline H.
Eh. I think Sushi Train's problem is that the train is too long and the menu is too big! The sushi isn't BAD...it's just not that high quality. I've been here twice and did the train the first time and the hot dinner menu the second. My train dinner was just OK, but was pretty fun to pull stuff off the train. It ended up being kinda expensive for mediocre sushi, but I had a nice time. I opted to try the hot dinner meal the next time and asked our waitress for details regarding a specific tofu menu item (Ma Po) and all she could tell me was that it was a tofu dish with spicy sauce. No other details. So I went for it (was this a mistake? maybe). And, just as she told me, out came a plate with tofu and a red, gelatinous spicy sauce. It was like an entire grocery store block of medium-firm tofu chopped up on a plate with sauce. No vegetables. No frills. Just tofu. With sauce. The tofu was just heated, not pan fried or anything so it was really soft which some people may prefer, but I certainly do not. It was definitely edible. My boyfriend gave me his mushrooms from his Yang's spicy chicken to give me some texture to my mush pile. It just really wasn't my favorite, but it WAS cheap and a huge portion (comes with rice, salad and soup too!), so there's that. Additionally, I never got a water refill. The waitresses were nice and all, but really couldn't give us ANYTHING when it came to our menu questions. The restaurant is huge, which I think might be a detriment. I wish that the train were just a small feature of a great Japanese restaurant, but sadly, that isn't the (refrigerated, sushi-filled) case. Sorry, sushi train, I probably won't be back.
(2)
Christian M.
I absolutely, L0VE L0VE L0VE this place! I've been going here since it first opened in the year of 2013 and Ive been accompanied by the same exact waitress since. If you ever go, ask for Kipley! I promise you she is the best! If served by her, you'll never leave disappointed! She knows my usual, the Salmon roll with a sweet tea and yum yum for my dipping sauce. I usually attend the Happy Hour special where you can choose from 2 to 3 different types of sushi rolls. Added is a salad or soup as well. You can never go wrong with this place!
(5)
Danny N.
Cool concept as the closest conveyer belt sushi to downtown Nashville, but the product lacks anything setting itself beyond grocery store quality. I didn't choose any rolls that tasted bad, but also nothing blew me away. I don't see it staying in business though I don't wish such. I probably wouldn't return unless a group of friends was already going.
(3)
Nina G.
This place is awesome!! This is 5 star quality for cheap sushi in a landlocked state - no easy feat people! It's a nice break from the standard boring ol' restaurants and the lunch deal is stellar - $6.99 for 2 rolls and a miso soup or salad. Good for: solo lunch during work hours, lunch with co-workers, lunch with friends.
(5)
Susannah B.
I can't really write a bad review because I know everything is "you get what you pay for." But regardless, the sushi seemed a bit old. I was actually afraid to try the crab sushi because it actually looked terrifying. But overall I can't really complain. Cheap meal, mediocre sushi.
(3)
David O.
The Sushi Train does not go "toot toot." Overall I'd say its pretty good, but I think the pricing making me feel awkward about really digging in. The Better Half was right in that we usually pay more for Sushi at other places, but it still felt expensive and we were hungry later. Perhaps my miserly ways were the problem, I don't know. However the sushi WAS good (Especially the Nashville Roll and the Samurai Roll) so I have no complaint taste wise. Now that I have been though, I can't say I'd rush back.
(3)
Abby H.
This was the first time I had ever been to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant and loved it! I had bought a Groupon and thought I would give it a try. It was fun and the sushi was pretty good! You didn't have to worry about ordering a whole roll and then not liking it since the plate make it more manageable- however I enjoyed most of what I tried. I will definitely be back!
(4)
Cory B.
This place is cool! My wife and I have been looking for a sushi restaurant with the conveyer belt system for awhile now, as it creates a kind of novelty dining experience. We've only lived in Nashville a few months now, so when my wife saw their ad in the Scene, we jumped at the chance to eat mobile sushi. The overall atmosphere is semi intimate and somewhat communal with small tables and bright colors. The conveyer belt winds through most of the restaurant offering small plates of sushi at interval pricing. Pricing per plate also varies by lunch or dinner times. We happened to go on my wife's birthday during lunch. When we got there, there were only about 5 other people which was good, because it meant that we wouldn't have to wait long for sushi or worry about missing out by being at the end of the train. During lunch, prices range from $0.99 to $3.25. And if you go on your birthday you get $15 off if you spend $50 or more. It's quite a deal during lunch, because we had a hard time reaching $50 to begin with. My favorite thing about the train is that they offer more than just sushi on the train. They have appetizers like edamame and Asian style salads, and desserts like cheesecake and brownies. Sushi Train also offers food other than sushi. They have a menu with noodle dishes and other items. They also have tables away from the conveyer belt for larger parties. I highly recommend checking it out.
(4)
Michelle H.
Here's the deal. Sushi Train is a cool thing to experience once. It's the only sushi place in Nashville like it (that I'm aware of) and if you're into trying new things, you'll go and be all "WOW! SUSHI ON A CONVEYOR BELT!" Then you'll taste it and be all "Ohhhhh . . . right . . . sushi on a conveyor belt.". The setup-brightly colored plates roll by with three or four pieces of sushi. Each plate is labeled with the type of roll and what's in it. Each color equals a different price amount, also clearly labeled. You reach in and grab what you want. The good thing about this is you're likely to try things you wouldn't normally try. Jalapeno, apple, steak roll for four bucks? Why not! The bad side of this is it's sushi on a conveyor belt. I'll confess I never ordered anything off of the menu. Friends of mine did and said it was very good. (The sesame tofu dish.) It takes forever for the menu food to come, which is brilliant on their part, because guess what you'll end up doing while you wait? That' s right. Eating sushi off of the conveyor belt. When the novelty wears off, check out Samurai. ;)
(2)
Christine R.
Horrible experience for the whole family, especially for my son. He thought train meant "train", yet it was a conveyor belt of ugliness. There's no comparison to Genki Sushi in Hawaii, where a bullet train speeds up your order in style with touch screen ordering, extremely high-tech. This place is so lame, they outta be ashamed of how they're fooling customers...false advertising. All the items looked dry going 'round & 'round, tasted stale. I can only imagine the plastic screens cover some of the unfreshness, as most sushi places are served open air. Our waiter couldn't juggle more than two tables, and forgot my son's drink. I gave them benefit of the doubt and ordered some items off their menu and Chinese food, which I should have known any place that does Chinese & Japanese is not authentic. I was right, everything tasted nasty, my son disliked their kung pao chicken...it didn't even taste like chicken. My husband refused to eat, and he's Caucasian, a country cowboy who has been spoiled in SF to know the true meaning of authentic Asian food. Yuck, yuck, yuck!!!
(1)
Corey W.
So I've been to this place four times now with mixed results but overall I would give them good marks. First the service. The servers have always been very accommodating. You can tell they are new at it but always very accommodating and friendly. A few of them need to work on their English, but their friendliness always made up for this. All but the first time I went it has had fairly good foot traffic and the first time I went was a week after it opened. Never had a bad wait except on Sunday when they had an all you can eat Sushi train. Now the food. So I have had both off the train and off the menu. All the off the menu items I thoroughly enjoyed. It's mostly Japanese with a few other Asian dishes. If you find the train off putting (your loss) you can order rolls off the menu. Definitely try their tempura banana's and ice cream for desert. Now for the train. The novelty alone makes the trip worth it. Me not being terribly patient love the fact I can sit down and be eating within minutes. I timed it, it does take about 15min for the conveyor to make one full pass but I usually find something I like after a minute or 2. The other thing I love is I can get just 3-4 pieces from 3 or 4 different rolls for the same price I could get one roll of all the same. One issue you will have though, if you come on at a time they are packed and your at the end of the train it will be hard to get something you want. I've gone on a Friday night though and was sat at about the middle and had no troubles. Go on a Sunday and get seated at the end and you'll feel like the guy who went stag to the prom. Sitting by the punch bowl hungrily eying all the rejects no one else wanted. Some are scared off by the thought of sushi sitting around, but it travels in a refrigerated tube, and last time I checked they are touting a score by the local health department of a 98. If you don't like the thought of it being in a perfectly fine REFRIGERATED tube for 30 min or so before you eat it, order a roll off the menu.
(4)
Katie I.
I give them 6 months top. Tried about 5 different kinds of sushi on the sushi "train." It tasted like krogers sushi. Everything tastes premade and the salmon was far from sushi grade quality. Ordered my kids chicken yakitori and rice. The yakitori was huge chunks of chicken with red and green peppers on a skewer. It was more like kabobs than traditionally thin sliced teriyaki tasting yakitori. The chicken was terribly seasoned. It had hues of cinnamon and cumin, I believe. Kids wouldn't touch it and my kids love all foods, especially any type of chicken. We decided to get out while we could and ended up shelling out $30 for hardly anything- we were starving. Then as we are paying, my son projectile vomits his entire dinner everywhere. It was a terrible experience. Will stick to sonabana for good sushi.
(1)
Lucy O.
When we got there not much customer was there, but we were seated way behind the corner. Almost end of the belt... All the same sushi we could find and just keep waiting and waiting. And not many variety of sushi was on the belt. It is little trouble some to open and close rid every time when you want to take sushi. Little over priced. Recommend you eat burger before you go there.
(2)
Nickie G.
Come on ride the train! Choo choo ride it WOO WOO! So my brother and I sometimes have sushi dates and we decided to go try the train now located near Target on White Bridge Road. It is in the old Chinese place, but even farther back in the day it used to be a Quincy's. Yeah. Old skooool. We had to wait for a seat near the train, but only for a few minutes. The train is actually a glassed in, refrigerated, conveyor belt that snakes throughout the seats in the restaurant. Just the idea of it is pretty fun. The food is on different colored plates and the charges for each color are posted. There are signs in the conveyor belt beside each type of sushi so you know what it is. All you have to do is reach in and grab it. You can also order off the menu so we got some pot stickers from there and started grabbing sushi. The pot stickers were pretty good and the sauce they came with had nice flavor. As for the sushi...well...it is a step above Kroger sushi but it isn't going to blow your mind. It is very average at best. I had the basic salmon sushi, yellowtail sushi, and tuna sushi and they weren't bad but not awesome either. The surf and turf roll was good. Some of the rolls had fried components and it kind of lost the flavor of that since it is cold in the conveyor belt. Some of the rolls were good, some were weird, but it was fun to just grab whatever you want at that very moment. I suspect a lot of this is much better when ordered straight off the menu. Plus I could have had sashimi and avoided a lot of that rice that just fills you up. Oh, note that they do have wine/beer. And that they bring a fortune cookie at the end of dinner (isn't that Chinese and sushi is Japanese? No matter, I liked it.) Our waitress was sweet and quick to get our check and fill up drinks. The manager of the joint was a sassy fun Asian girl that came over to chat with us, semi-flirt with my brother, and even offered us a beverage. As I was already on glass 2 of chardonnay I passed. But she was fun! Is the sushi going to blow your mind? Not likely. But don't overlook the novelty and FUN of the sushi train. It's nifty.
(3)
Caleb H.
The lunch menu is a good place to start. I got 3 good size rolls for $9. You have a decent selection of some of the basic rolls and can supplement from the train for some of the more exotic rolls based on your tastes. Everything tasted fresh. Would definitely come back.
(4)
Kaleena 'Kala' H.
My fiance and I decided to try out this place after hearing about it from a friend of ours. We had heard about the restaurant while it was under construction, so we were excited to find out that it just opened. The atmosphere was very nice and I loved the look of the restaurant...it had its own modern uniqueness to it. The staff was very friendly and also took the time to explain the concept of conveyor belt sushi to us. I loved the variety of sushi that was offered on the conveyor belt and tried different ones, including the California Roll, the Crunchy Shrimp Roll, and the Shrimp Avocado roll. All were very tasty and fresh! One of the things I loved about the conveyor belt was that they also included a sign that showed the name of the roll and the ingredients in it. Once we were full, our waitress added up our total by the number of color-coded plates we had (prices ranged from 99 cents to $4.00), which were quite a bit since we were very hungry, lol. They also offer traditional Japanese and Chinese food on a separate menu, which was a plus. I haven't stopped thinking about their sushi all day since we left the restaurant because it was very delicious...I hope to go back soon to try more of their food!
(5)
Jennifer P.
Sushi Train takes your average sushi experience and puts it on wheels. When I first walked in, I didn't expect the whole restaurant to be one big conveyor belt. That was pretty neat. Like the serving style, the atmosphere was very modern too. Lots of natural textures and bright colors. Sure, the sushi isn't the best Nashville has to offer but I thought all around it was alright. Some of it was definitely Publix quality, but you'll have that. The best roll I had was some Crazy Girl roll that had eel. It definitely didn't make me sick AT ALL so don't believe that malarkey. haha. All in all, this idea of this place is pretty fun and although the sushi didn't blow me away I had a really good time experiencing it.
(3)
Jessica M.
I really enjoyed this place. The sushi was great & I loved being able to try different kinds since the portions on the "train" are smaller. Prices are reasonable as well & it's a nice atmosphere. I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Edna P.
My daughter and I had a fantastic experience there. The food was very fresh and we couldn't stop eating. I am looking forward to taking the rest of my family there when we go visit our daughter that just started her college at VU. It was entertaining to see the food go by you and reasonable pricing. The service was nice. We were never in a sushi restaurant that the food rides by you and you get to pick and choose. Like I said very entertaining and different. We are from the west coast and wish something like this was close to us. I recommend this place highly.
(5)
Jessi K.
I actually signed up for a yelp account just to write this review, that's how bad it was. Being a sucker for both sushi and all things gimmicky, I had been wanting to check this place out for awhile. Finally went a couple of night ago for dinner before a night out. I can be a bit of a picky eater when it comes to certain ingredients, so I opted to order off of the menu rather than get my food off of the train. I should have known what I was in for when my miso soup came. It tasted like somebody had dumped a whole shaker of salt into it, and had only a single piece of tofu that might have been the tiniest I've ever seen. My friend ordered the tempura appetizer, and the shrimp was not tempura battered, but breaded with panko. Strangely, the veggies that came with it actually were battered, so it's probably a good indicator that the shrimp came out of a box. My boyfriend ordered some Chinese dish of chicken and broccoli, but couldn't eat it as the chicken was very undercooked. I got the Dream Roll without cucumber, and had to force myself to finish it only because I was starving and didn't have time to get food elsewhere afterwards. I kept taking out components to figure out what was making it taste so awful, but I never could pinpoint the culprit. It was all bad. I had intended on getting desert off of the train, I assumed the Oreo mouse pie was probably made elsewhere and therefore might be ok (which it was) but the waitress was really pushy about asking which one I wanted and insisted on finding it along the conveyer belt for me, rather than letting me get it myself, thus taking away even the gimmicky fun of the experience. Also, around halfway through our meal, we all noticed little bits of something floating in our water. Overall, the only good thing was the unopened bottle of nigori we ordered, but even that was overpriced. Save yourself the disappointment and go across the parking lot to the always-on-point sonobana! Or literally anywhere else.
(1)
Alan W.
I love the concept of Sushi Train, sit down and let all the wonderful different varieties of sushi come to you! The all you can eat lunch buffet is incredible, even if it doesn't include some of the best rolls they make. Anytime I'm looking to get my Sushi fix during lunch you can most likely find me at Sushi Train with a stack of plates off to the side and a big smile on my face!
(4)
Amanda Y.
Would definitely recommend giving this place a try. It is an enjoyable experience watching the "train" and seeing what comes next. Some of the sushi is a little basic, but they have good unique rolls. Wasn't impressed with the Crab Rangoon, but it is a sushi place. Give this place a shot for your next sushi craving!
(4)
Charles H.
Okay, this sushi is probably not "4 star" worthy but the experience and value deserve top marks. The concept (which I believe is common in Japan) is different than any other Nashville sushi joint. The sushi revolves around the restaurant and diners are able to select which dishes they would like. Again, the sushi is mediocre but the value, concept and excellent service get top marks in my book!
(4)
Ashley V.
This is a fun concept, & it gives you the freedom to try a lot of different rolls. Each plate has 3-4 pieces, so you can try lots without getting stuffed. Plus, it's fun to watch all the options come by on the conveyor belt. The one downside: for anything you have to order, the service is slow.
(4)
Ruiqiu K.
2013/071 I'm going to buck the trend to say that I actually liked it here. Of course, my friend and I had the luxury of: a.) Time. We arrived at 4:37, a few minutes after they started their dinner service. b.) Location. We were seated near the front of the conveyer belt. c.) Attentive service. Coming in early, we didn't have to compete with other diners for the waitress' attention. She filled our waters several times. We're both from the west coast, so the novelty of "kaiten zushi" / conveyer belt sushi wasn't what we came here for (although I did find the conveyer belt longer than I expected it to be). We both have husbands who don't like sushi so we decided we could go together. Although we got there early, the chefs were still rushing to get the sushi prepared. I'd say it was still a good 10-15 minutes until the conveyer belt started moving. We were in no hurry. Place is new, so it was clean. I didn't care much for the lighting -- it was too low / yellow. My vision isn't the greatest. so low lighting made the large font announcing the food slightly harder to read than it should. We both ordered miso soup from the menu, but we intended to get whatever interested us from the belt. Because they had just started dinner service, the same dishes came around about twice. By the time we left, there were definitely a lot more variety. Unfortunately for my friend, the one dish she wanted (her go-to dish) came after we had settled the bill. We were surprised that the belt started off with a lot of desserts. Maybe they were intended to be there a while. There were a lot of sushi with random fruit on top or cream cheese. And there was the traditional fare, both cold and hot. Because we were there early, I could have confidently tried the hot food; any later and I would have stuck with the cold. The belt was slow enough that you shouldn't miss what you wanted, but fast enough that the food cycled through in time for you to get what you want. I'd say the sushi was good. I still won't question where they source the fish. I've been dying for sushi that I didn't care. Overall, because we were able to get (mostly) what we wanted and got out within 45 minutes, it was an enjoyable experience. Perhaps this review would be reduced by a star had we come in after 5. By the time we left, the place was already filling up quickly.
(4)
Allison B.
The food on the train is cold, so it's the quality of grocery-bought sushi. & when I went, the food I ordered off of the menu took forever to get, and it was nothing special at all. My advice? Go across the parking lot to Sonobona. They're AMAZING!!!
(1)
Monica P.
Sushi was good, but I've had better. They do have a variety so that's a plus. I just don't like where the conveyer belt is placed. You would have to ask to sit in the center to be close to it & so you can grab what you want.
(3)
Alice H.
I agree with some of the other posters--the food is just fine, but you know what? It's a gimmicky kind of place and I had fun. After reading several of the reviews, I was disappointed to be seated near the very end of the train, but perhaps we were there when it was slow enough that it didn't seem to matter. It's not amazing food, but I'll be back for sure. I do wish there would have been some more low-end cost items, but even still, it was good and fun!
(3)
Jacob T.
This place really is the best bang for your buck Sushi restaurant in Town. Being well versed in Sushi, I truly respect the food at this place. They have tastiest, best size servings in Town as well as a full Asian menu. Check it out during lunch time! Very affordable off-the-train Sushi of all kinds as well as the $9.00 3-roll lunch special which I personally always get and I choose the Salad as my side. Their House Salad Dressing is so good.
(5)
Tripp E.
Don't diss the train. People smirk at the novelty of conveyor belt sushi but there's something there, it's a great way to sample smaller amounts of many different rolls. There's a silly sense of urgency because you don't know if that one you want to try will come back around but that's the fun of it. I pulled off a salmon and yellowtail sashimi, I did not expect to see straight sashimi choochoo'ing down the line. I went with 2 friends using an Amazon local coupon but blew that $30 value on 2 bottles of Nigori sakè. We didn't order any food off the menu, no edimame, soup or desserts, just belt sushi. With STUFFED bellies we racked up about $65 of food before tax between the 3 of us, that's seems pretty reasonable to me. We all thought the fish tasted fresh and the rolls used quality ingredients. One of us liked the Snow White (white tuna roll) but did not see anymore coming so we asked the server and she snagged one for us! We also found and ate salmon roe wrapped in an artfully cut cucumber cup, surf clam and octopus nigiri. I look forward to going back but maybe I'll skip the overpriced Nigori.
(4)
Jason S.
One of the saddest sushi experiences in Nashville or perhaps anywhere. Turned into a novelty because of the "train" experience. You too can simulate the same experience in your home, just get some day or two old sushi from Kroger or Publix and push it around on your counter, add some train sounds. Or, if you are a jackass with little to no taste, claim you love it, as you watch the dollops of excrement and rice shuttle past you. (Make sure you hyrdrate thoroughly, because when the violent gastric reprisal starts, you're going to want to be ready) AVOID. (previous review much more funny but deleted due to offensive content)
(1)
Tracy F.
Ew. I came to Sushi Train with my coworkers in its first couple of weeks of business. The lunchtime crowd was sad, as we were seated near the one other table of people in the whole restaurant. After watching the train for awhile, we decided we weren't comfortable ordering many of the options available--most of the rolls looked as though they'd been on the train since the beginning of time, which does not fare well when it comes to "fresh" fish. We were too scared that we'd get food poisoning to enjoy any of the sushi options. All of us decided on the hibatchi, 2 of us going with the tofu and the other going with the chicken. All of us were extremely disappointed with the cold food, the small portions, and the lack of flavor. We were also disappointed by our server, who seemed upset with us because we decided NOT to just pull food from the train, but actually order something she'd have to bring us. Before our food had even arrived, we'd already decided we would never come back to Sushi Train again. If you're in the mood for sushi, choose Sonobana (practically next door), instead.
(1)
Matt S.
I am not afraid to admit that I enjoy a good gimmick with my meal, so here is your third star, Sushi Train. If the spectacle of conveyor belt sushi is alluring to you, as well, and you find yourself here, my advice would be to find a seat in the first third of the line, preferably somewhere that gives you ample time to make your decisions as the plates approach, but also a wide selection. Take what you like and enjoy the disappointment of those further down the line when their favorite dishes are already snatched up. The sushi tastes fine, except for the Surf and Turf roll, which I thought was above average yummy, with a good marriage of beef, apple, jalapeno, and seafood. The steak was especially nice, with a light torching on the outside and a rareness on the inside that made it go along nicely with the texture of the sushi roll. Alas, my sushi math--which consists of adding red plate plus blue plate plus yellow, etc., then subtracting the total from the amount you intended to spend on dinner, then calculating the velocity of the approaching train car of tamago and factoring that against the statistical probability and length of time until you will see it again in the next sushi cycle--is not especially good, so I ended up spending more than I typically would on sushi that was not as tasty as I would typically expect it to be.
(3)
Jason M.
This place is disgusting. It's really hard to say anything beyond that. The sushi quality is significantly better at publix down the street. The only thing I would recommend is the ice water...delicious. No riding that train again.
(1)
Misty M.
Darn good sushi! The atmosphere is super cool and you get such a wide variety of rolls both raw and cooked. It was awesome trying different rolls. The signs are super informative too telling you what's on each roll. Super yum!
(4)
Rachel M.
Ok, so I noticed that whatever this used to be (it escapes me...was it Chinese?) had suddenly turned into something called Sushi Train when I was running over to Target on my lunch break one day. I was like "and so close to Sonobana?" The only reason I even noticed it is because the building that housed Calhoun's is gone and you can see in that direction now. I remember thinking "Well, I'll look that up on Yelp later and see what other braver-than-me people are saying." I'm very particular about sushi...if it's a new place I want other people to have tried it first. So, thanks, all who have written reviews before me. Anyway It was the Friday before Christmas, and my husband and I actually had the same day off of work (you'd think that since I'm off for a whole week every other week this would happen more often, but it doesn't). We had already had cheeseburgers from Hoss's Loaded Burgers for breakfast-starting the day off right and all that-and we were trying to decide what to do for lunch (to give you a time frame, breakfast was at 1 in the afternoon, so it was about 6:30 when we were trying to decide this). I suggested this place because my husband has always been enamored of kaiten sushi bars as was beyond excited when I told him we had one now. We hopped in the car and made the trek from Smyrna to White Bridge Road. Since it was the Friday before Christmas, I don't know if the crowd there was indicative of a normal Friday night crowd, but it wasn't that busy. The hostess told us it would be about 20 minutes. We were seated in under 10 minutes. We got lucky and got the two seats at the very beginning of the conveyor belt...as in, we were the first ones to see what was coming around. It doesn't take much to excite me. As mentioned in previous reviews, the plates are different colors, and each color is for a different price. Off the top of my head, red is $4.00 (the most expensive) and light blue is the cheapest ($1, I think). When you see something you want, lift the door and grab it. I was elated to find out that the conveyor belt was covered and refrigerated. I have a thing about people potentially breathing on my food. I want as little of it done as possible. I can't stand buffets. Also, no hot sushi. Yay! I'm getting off track... You can have your meal two ways: order off the menu (you can get larger sushi rolls, noodle dishes, rice dishes, appetizers, etc) or grab your whole meal off the conveyor belt. My husband and I had the bright idea that to save money we were going to order something off the menu and then 'supplement' it with a couple of plates of sushi a piece. Yeah...don't do that. After I saw all of the different kinds of sushi go by, that's all I wanted. I think I ate one noodle out of my plate of chicken udon (I didn't like it very much, either...but I think it was me, not the noodles). We ended up grabbing like 8 plates of sushi. I recommend the 'Crazy Girl' roll. It's a $4 one, but it's worth it. There was one roll that looked very interesting, but we were too chicken to try it. I think it was called 'Surf and Turf,' and it had several types of fish and green apple. Their Spider roll is good as well. There was also one called the Naruto roll that went around right when we sat down, but by the time that part of the belt came back to us it was all gone. We waited for it the entire time we were eating and for about 30 minutes afterward. Finally my husband mentioned it to our server, and she was like "Oh, I can tell them to make it for you!" So if there's ever something you're craving or wanting to try and you don't see it, just ask for it. The roll was on the conveyor belt in less than 5 minutes, and it was well worth the "if we had known to ask for it" wait. Long story short: we loved it. It's a fun thing to do for date night. I totally recommend it.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Karen M.
Agree with Ew(w). Very mediocre sushi and looks like it has been riding the train all night. A friend of mine believes she got food poisoning from there which does not surprise me. They are not long for this Nashville world....
(1)Liz D.
Conveyor belt sushi in Nashville, finally! I've been waiting for this day for a long time and it's finally here. The restaurant took over what used to be a Chinese restaurant. It's a big space. Too big for the conveyor belt to really get around the whole place, but it's still mostly effective. The sushi was okay- my main complaint is that they tried too hard. Too many $4 plates which had all these rolls that had way too much going on- where's the seared salmon and simple, delicious rolls? The rolls I did have were okay- not the best I've had here in Nashville, but decent. What would make this place better is more variety, more cheaper rolls and better quality food.
(2)Dee H.
They have a great lunch special and I go often for carry out. Everyone is always very friendly and the sushi is fresh with generous portions. Love it!
(5)Cara P.
I'm so glad a kaiten sushi place opened in Nashville!! I'm a big fan of the whole conveyor belt idea. And I have high hopes for Sushi Train. First, the interior: pleasant, simple decor. The belt is the longest I've seen, and features both tables and counter space. There are lots of tables, which I really prefer; I like to face the people I'm talking to! There are attractive soy sauce dispensers on the tables (NOT just the bottles the sauce came in & no ads for the maker on the container, a nice touch). I do wish they'd provide both regular & low-sodium soy sauce; I think regular soy sauce sort of mugs all the other flavors. I'm sure they'd provide it if I asked. Ok, on to the sushi itself: Yeah. It's good. There's a variety of rolls, and the rolls themselves are not too large. Small rolls would seem to be a minus, but not to me. I don't like those palm-sized rolls that you can't eat in one bite & that fall apart in your hand. This does not happen here. The little cards on the belt are a plus, as they not only name the roll & what's in it, they also indicate whether the roll contains raw or cooked fish. Thus, sushi beginners can feel confident in their picks. The rolls are well constructed, too. Oh, and they have a menu with both more sushi choices and Japanese & Chinese entrees, so if your group includes those who won't eat sushi at all, they're covered too. Prices: reasonable! The most expensive plate is $4. Minuses, and they are very minor ones: I'd like to see more nigiri sushi on the belt. The tuna nigiri I snagged was yummy, give me more! Like surf clam...masago...red snapper...mmm. Oh, and the belt had lots of empty space, they need to work on keeping it reasonably filled....but hey, they just opened, I'm sure they're still getting the kinks out. All in all: please, please mob this place! I've noticed that the busier a kaiten sushi place is, oddly enough, the better the quality & variety. And I definitely think Sushi Train is up to the challenge.
(4)Ann W.
It was ok. There was a special all-you-can-eat deal on Super Bowl Sunday, so it seemed like a good time to go. The "train" was entertaining for the 12-year old at the table. The service was very good - they brought around trays of sushi since we were near the end of the train and not much made it all the way around to us. I appreciated that, since it got really frustrating watching the people at the table ahead of us take everything that was headed our way. I noticed near the end of the meal that more seemed to be coming through but it was a little late by then. It would have been nice if there had been signs or something telling what was what. You just had to be familiar enough with sushi to know what you were eating. I actually ordered off the menu, while the others did the all-you-can-eat thing. The sushi is fine, but very basic. Prices off the menu were ok, but I could see the train getting expensive if you were not doing the math along the way. So . . . it was not bad, but I don't see much reason to return. It is more of a novelty to me than anything else.
(3)Lauren L.
I really liked the atmosphere and cleanliness of this restaurant. (I'm really careful about where I eat sushi, as we all should be.) You can choose to order off the menu, pick whatever dishes are going down the "train," or both! I was surprised that their key lime pie dessert was quite good, but I could tell they ordered it in frozen. So if you're looking for home-made desserts, I wouldn't recommend this place. The sushi is really good. Our waiter was inattentive and a bit of a jerk, but I didn't really care because everything else was good!
(3)Terra H.
I usually don't judge a place based on only ONE experience, but my one time here was so bad, I don't think I'll ever return of my own free will. My mom and I came in after a long day of work, famished! They say food tastes better when you're hungry, but apparently not! We were promptly seated as we came in, but then we were forgotten about for about 20 minutes. Maybe we were supposed to grab stuff from the conveyor belt as we waited, but I wanted to order off the menu. I signaled to a waitress and she finally took our order. About 15 minutes later, our food came out, and I was more than underwhelmed. The food wasn't horrid, but compared to other places I've been, such as Zushimaki or Sapporo, it was subpar. As I ate my dinner (shrimp fried rice, crunchy shrimp roll, and crunchy crab roll - yes, I was very hungry), I just kept comparing it to other places, and it just wasn't good. The fried rice came in a small bowl (though it was also accompanied by soup and salad) and the rice tasted kind of stale. As did the sushi. If it's not from the conveyor belt, shouldn't it taste fresh?
(1)Robby H.
Love coming here. Great atmosphere and excellent selection. If there is something you want that is all gone ask the waitress and she will have some made for you.
(4)P D.
Sushi Train was fun. It has the moving beltway that goes around the restaurant .. You reach in and grab what you want and order off the menu. Is it the best sushi/sashimi I have had , no. But it was ok. The shrimp tempura was very bland including the sauce . Service was good.. It was a fun novelty to do with the teens.
(3)Terry R.
Gimmicky. We went in at the end of the lunch service and the selection was sparse. The waitress explained that they would not be adding any items until dinner. The sushi reminded me of grocery-store sushi. The worst part was halfway during our meal I noted something in my glass. When I picked it up to look closer, there was a dirty napkin attached to the inside of my water glass. I don't know why I didn't notice it sooner, but I had already drank out of it several times. When I complained about it, the waitress said "sorry" and just brought me a new glass. After complaining to another waitress, I was eventually offered for my meal to be paid for. I appreciate their efforts, but I won't be back.
(1)chocovore s.
The sushi is below grocery-store quality. This is not necessarily an insult, I've had tasty sushi from grocery stores, but this was pretty meh. The novelty of the conveyor belt is fun for kids (just make sure they aren't pulling off plate after plate while you are not looking). I would have given it a 3, but . . . even with minimal consumption of raw fish (three small pieces of tuna roll) let's just say that the sushi train is approaching shinkansen speed going through my digestive system.
(2)Lisa H.
This restaurant (formerly Chef Yang's) takes the UK concept of Yo! Sushi and puts a US twist on it. The new incarnation is beautiful and modern with great seating choices. Prices on the plates are good and the types of sushi are great, something for everyone (raw or cooked). Very cold and very fresh...presentation was excellent. Will definitely return, may try something off the menu next time!
(5)Amanda C.
Dear Sushi Train, The minute I walked through the doors, my mind started singing, "Come on Ride the Train, it's a Choo Choo Train" by the Quad City DJs. Anticipation and excitment coursed thru my little Crispy veins...however all those feelings were quelled a little bit. Sushi Train is a great place to eat....if you are at the begining of the train. As I sat down, I looked at the front of the train...and I was like, "This is going to be good!". I opted for a hot tea to drink because I didn't know how much sushi I was going to destroy. The drink menu had medium priced cocktails and beers in the 5 dollar range. As I sat down and watched the plates go by in the perfectly chilled and encased enviroment, I started to get a little depressed. The people at the front of the train were just going to town and snapping up the $2.00 classics and really intresting $4.00 plates. I saw the evidence of their loot by the little name plates that were coming down the line. Then hunger struck me and I started to make irrational decisions because I wanted to be like the people in the front of the train. Well, 2 red plates (8.00 for 6 pieces of sushi), plus a purple and a grey plate, I kinda felt a little jilted...like a lover perhaps. And then it dawned on me...Sushi Train is a metaphor of my dating life. All the good classics have been snapped up by all the people who got on board the relationship train early and all I had left was the weird $3.50 cup of a smelt roe offering or those snap decisons of I am so hungry I don't care....I will take the $4 plate (and regret it later...ha!). I give this place a solid as far as health code goes. I felt so safe with the great little encasing around the train. The atmosphere is a win too. I love the layout. Service as far as drinks and getting a very happy greeting upon entering was great too. However, if you aren't at the begining of the train, be prepared to face "dry spells" if it is crowded. Next Stop: Ordering off the menu or just coming back for lunch. I feel like I will be back if I am in the area.
(3)Angie W.
I enjoyed my experience at Sushi Train. I have gone to Sushi Train a few times with groups of 3 or 4 people. We enjoyed the ability to take the plates off of the conveyor belt and try something new. I think it would be really nice to include the name of the roll on the plate so people will remember which roll they enjoyed and can easily grab it next time it comes around. The staff is just okay. I felt like I had to flag someone down to get refills. The prices are comparable to other sushi restaurants. It is a bit distracting to be the person siting next to the belt because everyone expects you to fetch their food choices. All in all, I enjoyed my experience at Sushi Train and I will go back.
(3)Sue L.
What this place is: -they offer both standard sushi/sashimi/other Japanese/chinese warm dishes in addition to a long conveyer belt system that carries sushi/rolls/desserts in small portions(2-4 pieces/dish) that range from $1~$3.5 and you choose as you like. What this place is good for: - fast, slightly-better-than-packaged sushi in quantity for cheap: I had 7 different dishes from the belt during lunchtime service and only paid ~12 bucks. - as an experience (seeing how this is a rarity in the South). - well organized, fast service with modern interior. Accordingly, the quality isn't super great (go to Samurai for quality) but definitely acceptable and considering the price, it is a pretty good deal. On the belt, they had ~13 rolls/sushi types and ~3 desserts for saturday lunch service. If you need to feed your or your friend's hunger for sushi cheap, this is the place.
(4)Samma A.
We're mesmerized at the constant kaiten sushi train sequence of different sushi plates rolling past our black marble table. The chefs were standing nearby rolling and slicing the sushi and placing the different colored plates on the conveyor belt that chuggs along with its cargo. The color coded plates are $1, $1.50 and on up. When we saw a plate we couldn't resist we just opened the clear plastic cover and grabbed the plate before it got away. The Japanese server added up our empty colored plates and the hot sake and collected our tab. It takes a little patience and a sharp eye as the sushi rolls by, but it was a fun new lunch experience. The Samurai with mango salsa and the the Pink Dragon with tuna, shrimp and crab were our favorites. We didn't have room for the Japanese tempura.
(4)Michelle P.
I went to the Sushi Train with my husband, daughter, and several friends 2 nights ago. I thought the ambiance was fun. The service was good. The concept is also fun. A conveyer belt brings around plates of sushi and the price of the sushi varies depending on the color of the plate it's on. There is also a menu to order from. The sushi itself is ok, not the absolute best I've eaten but good. I hope it stays open.
(4)Heather L T.
My only regret--is that I hadn't thought of this idea first.... I thoroughly enjoyed Sushi Train. I mean, come on, people..this isn't the kind of place you go to if you are looking for world-renowned sushi. It's a place to go if you want to try something funky and modern while getting your sushi at a quick pace. Sushi Train was different from any other sushi place I have been in Nashville..and for the record, there is a whopping ONE good sushi place in Nashville anyway, so I am thrilled to even have a decent one at this point. The decor set this sushi restaurant apart from all the others. It was very modern and stylish..something I could easily see in Japan or Hong Kong. Yes, commercial, but still interesting and intriguing, nonetheless. I have never seen the conveyor belt style anywhere else and I have to say, when you're hungry as f***, that comes in handy. There's nothing worse than a long wait when you're ready to chew your own arm off out of pure hunger. I enjoyed watching the hundreds of different sushi pass by on this conveyor belt, and each with a label and description of what it was. Set up above the conveyor belt is a little price list with specific colors matching specific prices which I thought was a good way to do things. I opted for about 6-7 different sushis and quite frankly, they tasted fresh and satisfying to me. I also got the fried green tea ice cream for dessert and it was delicious and nicely put together as well. I can tell ya..if you're looking for variety, quantity, decent/good quality and freshness, and also looking to get full on a VERY reasonable price, Sushi Train is where you should be. I fed myself and my boyfriend on about 6-7 different sushis and got a dessert all for about $28.00. Now if you don't think that's a bargain, what the heck is?!
(4)Shaila B.
Love the quality of the sushi I have always gotten there and for my husband's birthday we had them put together a huge tray for his party and it looked great and tasted even better. The service usually isn't that great, but we go there for the food and it never disappoints.
(5)Jenn R.
I'm from the west coast and have tried a dozen sushi places here over the last year. All of them have had fish that made me want to forget anything raw and just go pick up a piece of fish from Whole Foods and cook it myself . We came in late around 8:30pm and the place wasn't packed. I went for the nigiri first to see if it was going to even be edible. To my delight it was actually good. Salmon was actually good.yellowtail passed. I also ordered a titan roll from the waitress. That was also good. Spicy tuna was good.
(3)Leslie W.
Go at lunch, and stay away from the train. This review is based on 4 visits, 2 at lunch, 2 at dinner. The food is pretty much the same at both times, but cheaper at lunch. As other reviewers have pointed out, the offerings on the train are tired and uninspiring. I've had better grocery store sushi at half the price. (Which, if you know about grocery store sushi, should tell you something.) The lunchtime plate offerings are decent ... not great, but decent. My husband always gets shrimp and vegetables, but somehow, only 3-4 shrimp end up on the plate. What I do like is that they keep the sodium under control. There are plenty of Asian restaurants that do a better job. For all the hype, the sushi is subpar. The plates are okay for a quick lunch. The fact that the place is nearly empty whenever you go is very telling.
(2)Ian W.
Its a Chinese made sushi...the food is not decent at all...and with that quality, the sushi are way too expensive!
(1)Chad R.
My girlfiend and I met some friends at the Sushi Train to try some conveyor belt sushi. It is located in a stand alone building right next to where Calhoun's used to be located on White Bridge Road. The restaurant was nicely and tastefully furnished and very clean. There is a conveyor belt that snakes all through the restaurant. It is all contained in glass with little panels that slide open when you see some sushi you want to try. They have the sushi on various color-coded plates so you can keep up with how much money you will be spending. I found the sushi to be good, not great, but found it was a nice place to hang out with friends and eat at your leisure. We sat near the back of the train which was a mistake because most of the good stuff was grabbed by other patrons ahead of us on the train. So when we go back we plan to snag a table near the front of the train. The staff was nice and friendly. If sushi is not your cup of tea, then they offer a menu full of alternative choices of the Asian variety. Overall, its not my favorite sushi restaurant in town but I will go back with friends.
(4)Lauren S.
After my third visit, I believe the husband and I have finally mastered the train. Sitting towards the front of the train is definitely worth it. Mix the menu items with the train. In a typical sushi place like Sonobana, Ginza, or Wild Wasabi I walk out with a personal $40 tab. Here, a huge and tasty Crunchy Shrimp Roll (10 rolls) is $5 along with a mixture of $1.25 Fried Roll (no clue what's in it, but it's addictive), Naruto Roll, Rainbow Roll, Titan Roll, Salmon Roll. I have yet to break $20. My husband has never been more thrilled. Green tea is the powdered kind. Ask for a pot if you suck it down as fast as I do. Ample parking and good music.
(4)Jason H.
A missed flight lead to an unexpected solo adventure day in Nashville (the kind of day in which a full-time resident can trick himself into feeling like a tourist). So for dinner, I headed over to Sushi Train, with high expectations (I mean this in a genuine way, I left the big city version of me that might've scoffed at conveyor belt sushi in a strip mall at home). I was excited by the idea of grabbing what I want, when I need it, going at my own pace, a phenomenon usually reserved for traditional buffets (but let's be honest, there is nothing too 'personal' or intimate about the pace of life in such establishments). As for the food, I was impressed by the mix of standards (pork gyoza appetizer, salmon roll, an incredibly fresh yellow tail sashimi) and the more exotic and inventive, such as a roll with tuna, apple, and jalepeno, which wasn't actually spicy but had a really bright fruity pop to it that I would've expected to taste at Las Paletas. The value is there--if you're careful. The better looking options are usually found on red plates ($4 each), with the enticing $1.25 price point reserved for simpler fare such as the asparagus roll (I didn't indulge). I would recommend getting an appetizer or entree to supplement the conveyor belt options--just the pork gyoza for me--however, I imagine the temptation to grab many little colorful plates would still be there. The stomach seems to trick the mind more at sushi restaurants than at most, I've found, and thus the little stack of empty plates builds ever higher, until some kid of will power says enough. I will be going back, next time bringing some comrades with whom to fight over who gets the last piece of spicy tuna.
(4)Benjamin S.
Finally, a kaiten sushi bar closer to home. What was once a ho-hum asian buffet is now an awesome sushi restaurant featuring conveyer belt sushi! The prices for any given plate range from 99 cents (for an all veggie roll), to $4.00. My fiancee and I waited for what seemed like forever for this place to open, and when it did we were not disappointed. They have a great variety of sushi rolls and even some nigiri that circulate on the enclosed, chilled, conveyor. All you do is lift up the door next to your table, and reach in and grab what you want. I will say that this place just barely makes 5 stars as some of the rolls fell apart (never a good thing); but they make up for it with the variety and the fact that each line of sushi is preceded by a sign traveling on the conveyor telling you what type of sushi is next. Their spicy salmon and tuna rolls were amazing as were the regular ones. I did not find one bad roll on the line. So bring your money, cause it can add up really fast, and a big appetite, you will not be disappointed. That being said, if sushi is not your thing, they also have a selection of Chinese and Japanese dishes you can order straight from the kitchen.
(5)Micheal P.
I was hesitant to go to this place because of the mixed reviews, but I'd obviously have to try it at some point... because conveyor belt of sushi! So, here it is. The train is novel. The sushi is just fine, but not stellar. And expensive. Seats are hard to get because everyone is excited about a train of sushi. If you, like me, ignore these reviews and go because this place has the market cornered on trains of sushi in Nashville, then here are your tips. Go early on a weeknight. If you have to wait, ask the hostess for a drink menu and someone will come by and take your drink order. When you get to the train, you'll be tempted to take a familiar roll (like salmon and cucumber), because you're hungry. Be patient. Sushi Train doesn't do basic rolls better than your favorite sushi place (and your favorite sushi place is Ginza, right??), so don't waste your money on them. Instead, wait for the specialty rolls to come around and get the surf and turf. In fact, get all of the surf and turf rolls you see. This is the one shining gem of sushi train. The uncommon ingredients blend to a bright and pleasant flavor twist on typical sushi. If I were forced to return this place, I'd sit at a non-train table and order this roll, even though I stick to bonafide legitimate japanese sushi at other restaurants (If you tell me you usually order pansy-ass crazy fried rolls, I have stopped reading your reviews). choo choo, nashville.
(3)Kaley J.
Won't be going back...not for the train, anyways. The novelty wore off quickly. It was my first visit and I sat at my table waiting for something to come by on the train that I wanted to eat. Imagine my disappointment when I sat there for an entire rotation and didn't find anything i wanted. I finally found a few things that were not bad, but there's not much variety and while I was there, most of the train was empty....very few plates of sushi traveling around on the train. I'm not sure if this is because they sat us at the end or this is just how it is all the time. I was able to make a special request from my waitress and order something that I didn't find on the bar . And that item was delicious! if I ever do go back, I'll skip the train and order directly from the chef.
(2)Charnelle Y.
I can't complain the lunch special is well worth the stop!!! As you seen the photos the train was well stocked, and not cheap items either! Very mixed plates, a lot of different flavors we had the following items between my husband and I... AAC Roll - Avocado Asparagus Cucumber Snow Crab Roll Spicy Tuna Roll Kani Salad Tuna Cucumber Salad Edamame Shrimp tempura roll California Roll There were few others but I couldn't keep track, the service was okay nothing to write home about! We were the first here for the day but it soon became a packed house so make sure to plan ahead! Did not get any dessert but the Oreo mousse cake looked amazing!
(4)Tammy T.
I only came here because my friend had a groupon $30 for $15. They had a wide variety of speciality sushi for you to choose from in addition to the ones that are circling around on the conveyor belt. I ordered the spicy girl roll and out of control roll. I thought there was a little bit too much eel sauce on it so it made the sushi really sweet. The spicy girl roll, on the other hand, was really good! The seared salmon really added texture and taste to the roll and was what made the roll really stand out to me. I would highly recommend the spicy girl roll to all my salmon loving fans.
(3)Michelle P.
This is definitely a hit or miss place. I really wanted to love this place...but I couldn't in the end. Yes conveyor sushi is a novel experience but the inconsistent quality of fish (read great salmon horrible sea urchin) and service leaves me ambivalent. The groupon deal did ease the blow a bit. The hostess sat us while taking a phone call (as in she picked up the phone as she was showing us to our seats and then scuttled off). The server was very thorough and genuine with his recommendations and catering to our needs even knowing we were primarily here for the a la carte sushi. They have beautiful presentation for their ordered rolls like the pacific roll, but personally that flavor mix was not to my taste (still beautiful though!). So while I did not find myself in love with the place it is worth say a lunch or if you really really want to catch your sushi with good company it's worth some loving on. Just please don't get the sea urchin. It broke my heart (just a little bit).
(3)Billy H.
I woke up to a Groupon email and this place was featured as 19 dollars got you 30 bucks. I clicked over and read through the reviews on Yelp. The feedback was mixed. I decided to not purchase the Groupon because were going to be dining at lunch time and I didn't think we'd spend the 30 bucks. We entered the restaurant at 11:45am on Sunday. It wasn't too busy at that point, but it did start to fill up around 12:15pm. Fill up, not overly crowed though. They have a full sushi, Japanese, and Chinese menu you can order from, but I feel if your going to a place called Sushi Train, you ride the train. The train is a long, covered and refrigerated train that takes 12 minutes and 49 seconds to make a lap. Yes, we timed it. The items on the train are on color coded plates, each color representing a different price. The lunch (11:am-2:30pm) prices are $.99, $1.25, $1.75, $2.25, $2.75 and $3.25. For dinner (4pm-Close) prices are $1.25, $2.00, $2.50, $3.00, $3.50, and $4.00. Our server was prompt & asked our drink order & we told him we were going to have the $8.99 lunch special. It really is special. For $8.99 you'll have your pick of ANY plate on the train, except the pricey red plates. It's ALL YOU CAN EAT. The train has different rolls, from cooked to raw. It also has desserts that coast around on it. The sushi. The sushi is good. It's comparable to what you'd get at a good sushi restaurant. It isn't AMAZING, but for the price you cannot beat it. From the rolls I had, only two I didn't care for. One was because I grabbed a "Philadelphia roll" that was cooked. I didn't see the cooked part & I hate smoked salmon. It tastes like cat food (I don't know what cat food tastes like). The second one I had was a tuna roll that had been on the train too long, the rice on the outside was dryish. Overall it's a neat little dining experience & a great value for the $8.99 lunch special. I like the freshness of most of the rolls and also the ability to try different rolls & not get stuck with a bunch of pieces. Will I be back again? If I get a sushi craving & I'm in the area, you bet.
(4)Zeb M.
Sushi Train is basically what you'd expect from its name. It's decent sushi, but not a place I would go to unless I'm pressed for time or want a cheap dinner - which can easily be cheap as long as you're careful about what plates you're grabbing from the conveyor belt. The restaurant is very modern and clean, and it's never busy when I'm there, so it's not a bad place. Just, you know. Okay.
(3)Jason B.
Sushi Train has a great lunch special. 2 Rolls and soup or salad for $7, or 3 rolls and soup/salad for $9. The sushi conveyor is a nice touch, but the selection rarely changes. The desserts available on the train are actually really good. The peanut butter cream pie is my favorite. The Chinese and hibachi menu items have been really good in my experience. The sashimi plate dinner entree is one of the best sushi deals in town. You get 9 pieces of sashimi/nigiri and a spicy tuna roll for under $20. Only 3 stars because it doesn't stand out when compared to some of the other sushi places that are close by (Sonobana and Ninki). However, a sushi lunch for $7 is hard to beat.
(3)Stephen C.
Really Neat idea. You go for the experience. The sushi isn't the best off the train but we also didn't get any of the extravagant types. It's really neat idea and fairly inexpensive. Also buy the groupon 19 dollars for 30 dollars
(4)Jessica R.
Awesome rotating sushi bar! They had a good variety of rolls, as well as different apps and deserts. We ordered some fresh edamame so it would be hot (verses getting it from the rotating bar). I like that the rotating bar is completely enclosed and refrigerated! I have been to other sushi places and the rotating bar was open. Not only does the sushi stay super fresh, and at the correct temperature, but also people are unable to pick something up and touch your potential plate and then put it back, which is gross! Our waiter was also very friendly. While we were there, there was this woman across the way giving the waiter a very hard time and being very rude, in our opinion, saying her food took way too long and other various things. Meanwhile her three young children are laying on their chairs, laughing and playing loudly, and carrying on next to her. They're kids so it's not like it was bothersome, just this woman seemed so oblivious and meanwhile is complaining and being disrespectful and talking down to the waiter, saying things like "Come on, can I have my check already!" loudly enough for us 4 tables away to hear. He handled the situation well, and was respectful regardless. I appreciated that, having worked in customer service for 4 years back in the day. Overall, great experience. We will definitely go again the next time we visit Nashville.
(5)Heather R.
Remember that game on Pokémon Stadium in which you had to eat sushi off the conveyor belt? The one where I always thought, "Wouldn't it be the coolest if this was an actual thing?" Turns out, that is an actual thing. Sushi Train is definitely an experience that everyone should try once. Sushi goes by your table on a conveyor belt, and it is your task to be attentive and quick enough to grab the good ones as they go by. You are charged based on the number of plates you have at the end of the meal (each color is worth a different amount, going up to $4 for the most expensive--prices are eminently reasonable). Of course, if you are not really a sushi eater, you can always skip the super-fun part of this whole restaurant experience and opt to try hibachi or Chinese food off the more traditional menu instead. Now, while there is something delightful about grabbing sushi off a conveyor belt, the delight tends to fade once the food is motionless in front of you, largely because the sushi is only okay. It has a nice personality, but you wouldn't want to go out with it again.
(3)Ellen F.
Chooo choo. I'm a very efficient conductor at the train. Pull them, and eat them. Don't over think it. Here's how it works, the plates are color coded. Unfortunately, they add up QUICK, so the R x R crossing can be dangerous if you don't look both ways. There's also an average of three pieces per plate, so if you can, board the train with a group divisible by three. I would recommend the place, but we only go here when we can buy our train tickets on sale (groupon). Otherwise it's just too pricey. Please excuse all of the train lingo, I needed to dork out for a minute.
(3)Molly N.
Lunch special on sushi all you can eat for $8.99. It was a decent deal and the sushi is average. Unique dining room experience bringing some Asian flair to Nashville.
(3)Clayton M.
They really should change their name to Just Train. 30 minutes in I've yet to have more than desserts and edamame go past. The server is very inattentive, 5 occupied tables with empty drinks.
(2)Victoria L.
Sushi delivered fresh to your table via... conveyor belt? Yes it's exactly what it sounds like, my friends. I guess Sushi Conveyor Belt isn't quite as catchy. I love sushi and the concept is really fun. I usually feel like I'm going to explode when I eat sushi simply because I can't decide on one or two rolls and end up over eating due to my severe sushi FOMO. (Fear Of Missing Out). Since the whole concept of Sushi Train revolves around getting tiny plates of sushi samples I don't have that problem here. Anything I've ever ordered off the menu was fresh. However, I know you're really here for the "train". If you're going to use the train instead of the menu, you probably want to keep your table to 4-6 people. Beyond that, the people at the far end can't see anything as it whizzes by. This takes away from the experience and could cost you a few friendships if you're not careful. Sometimes the sushi on the train isn't very fresh and they seem to have trouble keeping certain rolls stocked. If you see something you like you better grab it fast because dinner will be over before it comes back around. The restaurant is clean and I've always experienced good service. That being said, the sushi isn't outstanding but compared to what usually passes for sushi in Nashville, I definitely recommend stopping by. Be careful though, those little plates add up quickly!
(3)Krystal S.
This place is great. My son loves it as well! We took friends there recently and were a little bummed that they don't stock the train through out lunch including the last 1-2 hours before closing until dinner. There were rolls we wanted to get, but couldn't since there was only an hour and half left for lunch (they said they stop adding rolls). I was told I could pay extra for the roll, but I took it as poor service.
(3)Beth G.
Pretty decent for conveyor belt sushi. Service is very good at dinner not sure abt lunch never been. Habachi good too without being crazy expensive. Pretty dang good for Landlocked sushi with entertainer in the train and nice service.
(4)Alexandra F.
I don't what it is about sushi train, but it's so good. I've never dined in, but I imagine it's and even better experience. I've gotten takeout more times than I can count and every time my order was ready quickly and correct. Their soup is awesome. Crab rangoons are killer and you get 8 in just one order which is ALOT. Everyone is very friendly. They have great lunch specials where you can get two or three rolls and soup or salad and it's very reasonably priced. Every time I eat here I want more. Can't say enough great things about this place. Order the crunchy shrimp roll! It's my favorite of the "not super expensive" rolls.
(5)Steven G.
Fun concept. Well done. I got full before I was able to try all the variety constantly moving by. Desserts too.
(4)Libby B.
I am always hunting for new and exciting sushi places. This one was exciting, but not really for the food so much as the atmosphere. When you walk in, you can't tell if they were going for a nightclub or weird 70's diner feel. The neon and LED lights all over suggest nightclub, but the enormous windows have a screen or something over them, it always looks dreary outside no matter what the weather. The main attraction here isn't the sushi so much as how it gets to you. A waiter brings your drinks, and then, if you're ordering from the lunch menu as I have, you pay $8.99 for all the plates you want that aren't red (the red ones are extra). A refrigerated conveyor belt snakes throughout the restaurant, with placards before each dish revealing what they are. When you spot a dish you like, simply lift up one of the tube doors and grab it! They don't seem to restock too often, so you might be out of luck if the dish you want doesn't appear on the first go round...or the second.The sushi itself is all right, but it didn't stand out to me in any way. The dishes seemed heavy on the tempura and spicy mayo, and the healthier options seemed smaller and less exciting on the plate. My verdict: Sushi Train will satisfy a sushi craving (on the cheap), and give you some novelty along the way. Lunch with coworkers, sure - but try something more upscale if you're looking for say, a date spot.
(3)Mike S.
This place is worth checking out with a groupon, esp for dinner. Their all you can eat for lunch is pretty decent as well (apparently just $9!) Some of their entrees are kind of weird, like adding cream cheese to sushi, but I suppose that as a Southern thing ;) For my first time I would just check out the train and not order anything from the menu. The biggest thing about raw fish is that it NEEDS to be fresh, and I be found it to be reasonably so. My only complaint is that there is too many tuna dishes and not enough of the others, but that's a personal thing.
(4)Kyron C.
I give it three stars because you should know what you're getting yourself into to; the place is called Sushi Train don't expect it be super great. You're paying mostly for the train.
(3)Ryan K.
This is the first conveyor belt style sushi place I've visited thus far and truthfully the whole concept of it is pretty neat. There is a lot of convenience in being able to pick and choose from different sets of rolls and paying for them in a sort of a la carte fashion. What they do is color code the plates and then price them out at different levels depending on that color. At the table I was at one could see the chart with the colors and prices fairly easily. As far as the food quality goes the sushi was around the average for what I've had in my travels to date. I would definitely say that for the cost the sushi is a rather decent deal and it's quite easy to get a full belly without losing an arm and a leg. I'd definitely suggest it as an interesting place to try out.
(3)BethAnn S.
Apparently my children will eat anything that comes on a conveyer belt. And happily spend stupid amounts of money to do it. The time I went there and the belt wasn't even working? Sigh. The only reason I begrudgingly agreed to come back here after my first horrible experience was because of a Groupon. The fact that they have a Groupon should have been a warning that nothing had changed. We got edamame out of the gates, then waited, and waited and, you know, waited some more for the things we wanted. There was ample California roll, and some other creepy rolls, but the standout dragon roll went by once never to be seen again. About 30% of what was in there was some bizarre dessert concoctions that I think they served pilots before the bombing of Pearl Harbor to reinforce the idea that life was not worth living. Thirty minutes of nothing but *blargh* rolling by and my chidren getting increasingly cranky when the waitress finally offered to have the chef make us what we were waiting for. At which point, I just wanted the check and a memory that would allow me to talk myself out of the next groupon and avoid driving by here for my children who seem to forget the suckage that is Sushi Train in a matter of weeks. i've seen the sushi train thing work well in other venues outside of Nashville, but wow, this place is missing the mark. They really could have something good with this location too which makes it particularly pathetic.
(2)Alex P.
You can order things off the menu like hibachi, bento boxes or teriyaki but people come here for the experience of the sushi train. All you do is grab what looks good to you off the sliding tray. Plates are color coded. Lunch prices are $.99, $1.25, $1.75, $2.25, $2.75 and $3.25. Dinner prices are $1.25, $2.00, $2.50, $3.00, $3.50, and $4.00. With 3 plates and a coke, I walked out spending $9 for lunch. I was full and the sushi tasted good. Id say it's not as cheap as it seems but it's definitely not expensive. The sushi is smaller than usual, so two plates really is like one dish. All in all, it's fair and I'm coming back.
(4)Anne B.
This is an amazing concept. The train is worth the trip. My daughter and I dined from the menu and the train. Very good service from our waiter. My first time here, my daughter has been several times. I will be going back. The plates are color coded so you know the prices. There is a sign displayed the color plates near your table.
(4)Michael L.
The fish is incredibly fresh. Many creative rolls. Deserts are really creative as well. The service was friendly, prompt and went above and beyond. The atmosphere is unlike anything in Nashville, making this place one of a kind. A full menu is also available for those not in the mood for the train. They also have a limited bar, typical of most sushi joints. Prices are very reasonable. Across the menu, dinner is $0.75 more per item.
(5)Shayla M.
This was some of the best sushi! Reasonably priced! And overall a lot of fun!!! I will definitely be back!
(5)Meg S.
My mother and I came here for lunch and will definitely be returning! Lunch prices were completely reasonable and the food was so good! I've never had better teriyaki! Even the miso soup and fried rice were fantastic. This place is great!
(5)Jonathan B.
It's known for the conveyor belt with their sushi on it. The concept is unique to Nashville because its not common at all - it might also be the only sushi place doing it. (locally) The few times I've gone I've always tried to be seated near the preps at the beginning of the line to get first dibs. As far as the sushi goes it just tastes like your run of the mill sushi. It's not amazing but its not bad by any means. There are definitely better sushi places in town but if you're wanting to grab a quick bite with no hassle then this is a good place to come to. Their service is always quick but I don't think I've ever actually ordered anything on the menu. I've only ever pulled from the conveyor.
(3)Mary V.
Choo-choooo. Cute concept. It's nice to see Nashville finally have a conveyor belt sushi restaurant since they are all over LA and Chicago. I like coming here for lunch for the sushi because it's grab-and-go. I eat in 15 minutes and head on to the Target just behind the restaurant. The plates are color coded, and there are signs everywhere so you know exactly how much you're going to spend whether you have 2 plates or 14. The sushi has always been fresh and they have some interesting rolls. The portions on these plates are not full-size rolls FYI. This allows for the lower prices. The plates are 75 cents cheaper during lunch, but they have more options during dinner. I've never ordered food from the Menu, but my coworker who usually does says it's been hit or miss. Their menu consists of Chinese dishes you can get just about anywhere. They have a few Japanese plates as well. Nothing to write home about. Check the hours for lunch and dinner. If you go too early, they won't have a lot of rolls out yet. If you go too late, they stop making rolls at a certain point. If you don't see a certain roll you want, you can always order it. Location - Good. Parking - Great. Service - Fair/Good. Sushi - Good. Menu - Fair/Good. Pricing - Good.
(4)Hall W.
I was super excited that I finally found a Sushi conveyer in town... and zoomed to it right away... So the to start on a positive note - YES they do have really attentive service... - YES there is a wide selection of sushi - Holly crap... this is the best priced Sushi I have ever seen... Now on a down side... - They don't do a really good job of refilling the train, because only half the options on the train were even available... - The sushi is okay - a little bit better than packaged sushi - this is one of the more schizo interior decorating gigs I have ever seen...
(3)Queen B.
All the reviews that said how mediocre this food is --- was right on. Had a daily coupon for this place and thought I'd try it. Fish seemed stale - old - not moist - but dry, like it had been sitting around for quite a while. Cute idea, great gimmick, but they really need to improve if they want to stay in business. I would not return.
(2)Lisa B.
No. Just no. It seems you can only have a decent experience here if you go at the beginning of a meal service and are the only people in the restaurant. I would have given Sushi Train a solid 3 stars after my first lunch experience a while back. My mistake was trying it again for dinner last night. Yeah, yeah, the sushi is on a conveyor belt and you grab what you want. Neat. Except the sushi is mediocre at best and the selection is terrible (unless you like every single sushi roll fried). And if you aren't sitting near the front of the 'train' don't count on getting anything you want during dinner. They tell you to take the sign out and place it on your table if you want something that they're out of. I tried that, and the inattentive waitresses noticed about 30 minutes later. (And one of them angrily exclaimed "GOOD LORD!" when told by another waitress that she was about to hand us the wrong plate) IMPORTANT: BEWARE THE LETTUCE WRAPS!! If you're picturing something on par with, or slightly cheaper quality than Pei Wei, think again. It was basically dog food served with limp, wilted lettuce. I still can't figure out what all was in there, but there were chunks of corn, slimy mushroom bits (i hope) and chicken that looks and tastes like it came from a Fancy Feast can. Our first choice appetizer was edamame, but the browning, sad looking stuff on the conveyor belt made us look at the menu. Also, don't expect your appetizer to be an appetizer. By the time we got said dog food, we had already finished everything else. Sushi Train hangs on to a second star by the skin of its teeth due to our first experience. If you're going to brave the train, I'd recommend going early for lunch (cheaper train prices) and insisting on sitting near the front. And dear God don't order the lettuce wraps.
(2)Casey H.
I had a Groupon for Sushi Train and it's really close to the house. The service was pretty good - they were polite, quick and attentive. The conveyor belt with your choice of sushi is awesome but the quality of the fish or size of the rolls is mediocre at best. I hear that the fried rice w/ beef and chicken but then again, he doesn't really have taste buds. :X Quick in and out dining experience.
(3)Carie W.
It was good. Some of the sushi was NOT impressive. The menu items were good and they do serve sake. For what we spent, I feel we could have had a better selection elsewhere
(2)Kim P.
My husband and I here frequents here. Don't expect fancy sushi here. Then again, sushi is not meant to be fancy. Sushi was made to be a quick and easy to eat meal. If you want just basic sushi and not have to wait then this is the place to go. We go here after a long day of work, too hungry to cook, and have little patience for waiting on our meal. Now if you want good sushi beyond the basics and is willing to get there, our favorite place is called Fugiyama in Clarksville, TN. We've tried many sushi restaurants in the Nashville area and have not found an impressive sushi restaurant. We were quite surprise that the good sushi we were looking for is in Clarksville, TN. It's the best so far since living in TN otherwise I would need to I fly back to Boston for sushi.
(4)Cody H.
So the sushi isn't top notch here, but it is still pretty good. The environment is really cool though. There's a large selection of sushi, and it's in small portions so you can have a good assortment without going broke. Sit near the chef station so you get first pick!
(4)Caroline H.
Eh. I think Sushi Train's problem is that the train is too long and the menu is too big! The sushi isn't BAD...it's just not that high quality. I've been here twice and did the train the first time and the hot dinner menu the second. My train dinner was just OK, but was pretty fun to pull stuff off the train. It ended up being kinda expensive for mediocre sushi, but I had a nice time. I opted to try the hot dinner meal the next time and asked our waitress for details regarding a specific tofu menu item (Ma Po) and all she could tell me was that it was a tofu dish with spicy sauce. No other details. So I went for it (was this a mistake? maybe). And, just as she told me, out came a plate with tofu and a red, gelatinous spicy sauce. It was like an entire grocery store block of medium-firm tofu chopped up on a plate with sauce. No vegetables. No frills. Just tofu. With sauce. The tofu was just heated, not pan fried or anything so it was really soft which some people may prefer, but I certainly do not. It was definitely edible. My boyfriend gave me his mushrooms from his Yang's spicy chicken to give me some texture to my mush pile. It just really wasn't my favorite, but it WAS cheap and a huge portion (comes with rice, salad and soup too!), so there's that. Additionally, I never got a water refill. The waitresses were nice and all, but really couldn't give us ANYTHING when it came to our menu questions. The restaurant is huge, which I think might be a detriment. I wish that the train were just a small feature of a great Japanese restaurant, but sadly, that isn't the (refrigerated, sushi-filled) case. Sorry, sushi train, I probably won't be back.
(2)Christian M.
I absolutely, L0VE L0VE L0VE this place! I've been going here since it first opened in the year of 2013 and Ive been accompanied by the same exact waitress since. If you ever go, ask for Kipley! I promise you she is the best! If served by her, you'll never leave disappointed! She knows my usual, the Salmon roll with a sweet tea and yum yum for my dipping sauce. I usually attend the Happy Hour special where you can choose from 2 to 3 different types of sushi rolls. Added is a salad or soup as well. You can never go wrong with this place!
(5)Danny N.
Cool concept as the closest conveyer belt sushi to downtown Nashville, but the product lacks anything setting itself beyond grocery store quality. I didn't choose any rolls that tasted bad, but also nothing blew me away. I don't see it staying in business though I don't wish such. I probably wouldn't return unless a group of friends was already going.
(3)Nina G.
This place is awesome!! This is 5 star quality for cheap sushi in a landlocked state - no easy feat people! It's a nice break from the standard boring ol' restaurants and the lunch deal is stellar - $6.99 for 2 rolls and a miso soup or salad. Good for: solo lunch during work hours, lunch with co-workers, lunch with friends.
(5)Susannah B.
I can't really write a bad review because I know everything is "you get what you pay for." But regardless, the sushi seemed a bit old. I was actually afraid to try the crab sushi because it actually looked terrifying. But overall I can't really complain. Cheap meal, mediocre sushi.
(3)David O.
The Sushi Train does not go "toot toot." Overall I'd say its pretty good, but I think the pricing making me feel awkward about really digging in. The Better Half was right in that we usually pay more for Sushi at other places, but it still felt expensive and we were hungry later. Perhaps my miserly ways were the problem, I don't know. However the sushi WAS good (Especially the Nashville Roll and the Samurai Roll) so I have no complaint taste wise. Now that I have been though, I can't say I'd rush back.
(3)Abby H.
This was the first time I had ever been to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant and loved it! I had bought a Groupon and thought I would give it a try. It was fun and the sushi was pretty good! You didn't have to worry about ordering a whole roll and then not liking it since the plate make it more manageable- however I enjoyed most of what I tried. I will definitely be back!
(4)Cory B.
This place is cool! My wife and I have been looking for a sushi restaurant with the conveyer belt system for awhile now, as it creates a kind of novelty dining experience. We've only lived in Nashville a few months now, so when my wife saw their ad in the Scene, we jumped at the chance to eat mobile sushi. The overall atmosphere is semi intimate and somewhat communal with small tables and bright colors. The conveyer belt winds through most of the restaurant offering small plates of sushi at interval pricing. Pricing per plate also varies by lunch or dinner times. We happened to go on my wife's birthday during lunch. When we got there, there were only about 5 other people which was good, because it meant that we wouldn't have to wait long for sushi or worry about missing out by being at the end of the train. During lunch, prices range from $0.99 to $3.25. And if you go on your birthday you get $15 off if you spend $50 or more. It's quite a deal during lunch, because we had a hard time reaching $50 to begin with. My favorite thing about the train is that they offer more than just sushi on the train. They have appetizers like edamame and Asian style salads, and desserts like cheesecake and brownies. Sushi Train also offers food other than sushi. They have a menu with noodle dishes and other items. They also have tables away from the conveyer belt for larger parties. I highly recommend checking it out.
(4)Michelle H.
Here's the deal. Sushi Train is a cool thing to experience once. It's the only sushi place in Nashville like it (that I'm aware of) and if you're into trying new things, you'll go and be all "WOW! SUSHI ON A CONVEYOR BELT!" Then you'll taste it and be all "Ohhhhh . . . right . . . sushi on a conveyor belt.". The setup-brightly colored plates roll by with three or four pieces of sushi. Each plate is labeled with the type of roll and what's in it. Each color equals a different price amount, also clearly labeled. You reach in and grab what you want. The good thing about this is you're likely to try things you wouldn't normally try. Jalapeno, apple, steak roll for four bucks? Why not! The bad side of this is it's sushi on a conveyor belt. I'll confess I never ordered anything off of the menu. Friends of mine did and said it was very good. (The sesame tofu dish.) It takes forever for the menu food to come, which is brilliant on their part, because guess what you'll end up doing while you wait? That' s right. Eating sushi off of the conveyor belt. When the novelty wears off, check out Samurai. ;)
(2)Christine R.
Horrible experience for the whole family, especially for my son. He thought train meant "train", yet it was a conveyor belt of ugliness. There's no comparison to Genki Sushi in Hawaii, where a bullet train speeds up your order in style with touch screen ordering, extremely high-tech. This place is so lame, they outta be ashamed of how they're fooling customers...false advertising. All the items looked dry going 'round & 'round, tasted stale. I can only imagine the plastic screens cover some of the unfreshness, as most sushi places are served open air. Our waiter couldn't juggle more than two tables, and forgot my son's drink. I gave them benefit of the doubt and ordered some items off their menu and Chinese food, which I should have known any place that does Chinese & Japanese is not authentic. I was right, everything tasted nasty, my son disliked their kung pao chicken...it didn't even taste like chicken. My husband refused to eat, and he's Caucasian, a country cowboy who has been spoiled in SF to know the true meaning of authentic Asian food. Yuck, yuck, yuck!!!
(1)Corey W.
So I've been to this place four times now with mixed results but overall I would give them good marks. First the service. The servers have always been very accommodating. You can tell they are new at it but always very accommodating and friendly. A few of them need to work on their English, but their friendliness always made up for this. All but the first time I went it has had fairly good foot traffic and the first time I went was a week after it opened. Never had a bad wait except on Sunday when they had an all you can eat Sushi train. Now the food. So I have had both off the train and off the menu. All the off the menu items I thoroughly enjoyed. It's mostly Japanese with a few other Asian dishes. If you find the train off putting (your loss) you can order rolls off the menu. Definitely try their tempura banana's and ice cream for desert. Now for the train. The novelty alone makes the trip worth it. Me not being terribly patient love the fact I can sit down and be eating within minutes. I timed it, it does take about 15min for the conveyor to make one full pass but I usually find something I like after a minute or 2. The other thing I love is I can get just 3-4 pieces from 3 or 4 different rolls for the same price I could get one roll of all the same. One issue you will have though, if you come on at a time they are packed and your at the end of the train it will be hard to get something you want. I've gone on a Friday night though and was sat at about the middle and had no troubles. Go on a Sunday and get seated at the end and you'll feel like the guy who went stag to the prom. Sitting by the punch bowl hungrily eying all the rejects no one else wanted. Some are scared off by the thought of sushi sitting around, but it travels in a refrigerated tube, and last time I checked they are touting a score by the local health department of a 98. If you don't like the thought of it being in a perfectly fine REFRIGERATED tube for 30 min or so before you eat it, order a roll off the menu.
(4)Katie I.
I give them 6 months top. Tried about 5 different kinds of sushi on the sushi "train." It tasted like krogers sushi. Everything tastes premade and the salmon was far from sushi grade quality. Ordered my kids chicken yakitori and rice. The yakitori was huge chunks of chicken with red and green peppers on a skewer. It was more like kabobs than traditionally thin sliced teriyaki tasting yakitori. The chicken was terribly seasoned. It had hues of cinnamon and cumin, I believe. Kids wouldn't touch it and my kids love all foods, especially any type of chicken. We decided to get out while we could and ended up shelling out $30 for hardly anything- we were starving. Then as we are paying, my son projectile vomits his entire dinner everywhere. It was a terrible experience. Will stick to sonabana for good sushi.
(1)Lucy O.
When we got there not much customer was there, but we were seated way behind the corner. Almost end of the belt... All the same sushi we could find and just keep waiting and waiting. And not many variety of sushi was on the belt. It is little trouble some to open and close rid every time when you want to take sushi. Little over priced. Recommend you eat burger before you go there.
(2)Nickie G.
Come on ride the train! Choo choo ride it WOO WOO! So my brother and I sometimes have sushi dates and we decided to go try the train now located near Target on White Bridge Road. It is in the old Chinese place, but even farther back in the day it used to be a Quincy's. Yeah. Old skooool. We had to wait for a seat near the train, but only for a few minutes. The train is actually a glassed in, refrigerated, conveyor belt that snakes throughout the seats in the restaurant. Just the idea of it is pretty fun. The food is on different colored plates and the charges for each color are posted. There are signs in the conveyor belt beside each type of sushi so you know what it is. All you have to do is reach in and grab it. You can also order off the menu so we got some pot stickers from there and started grabbing sushi. The pot stickers were pretty good and the sauce they came with had nice flavor. As for the sushi...well...it is a step above Kroger sushi but it isn't going to blow your mind. It is very average at best. I had the basic salmon sushi, yellowtail sushi, and tuna sushi and they weren't bad but not awesome either. The surf and turf roll was good. Some of the rolls had fried components and it kind of lost the flavor of that since it is cold in the conveyor belt. Some of the rolls were good, some were weird, but it was fun to just grab whatever you want at that very moment. I suspect a lot of this is much better when ordered straight off the menu. Plus I could have had sashimi and avoided a lot of that rice that just fills you up. Oh, note that they do have wine/beer. And that they bring a fortune cookie at the end of dinner (isn't that Chinese and sushi is Japanese? No matter, I liked it.) Our waitress was sweet and quick to get our check and fill up drinks. The manager of the joint was a sassy fun Asian girl that came over to chat with us, semi-flirt with my brother, and even offered us a beverage. As I was already on glass 2 of chardonnay I passed. But she was fun! Is the sushi going to blow your mind? Not likely. But don't overlook the novelty and FUN of the sushi train. It's nifty.
(3)Caleb H.
The lunch menu is a good place to start. I got 3 good size rolls for $9. You have a decent selection of some of the basic rolls and can supplement from the train for some of the more exotic rolls based on your tastes. Everything tasted fresh. Would definitely come back.
(4)Kaleena 'Kala' H.
My fiance and I decided to try out this place after hearing about it from a friend of ours. We had heard about the restaurant while it was under construction, so we were excited to find out that it just opened. The atmosphere was very nice and I loved the look of the restaurant...it had its own modern uniqueness to it. The staff was very friendly and also took the time to explain the concept of conveyor belt sushi to us. I loved the variety of sushi that was offered on the conveyor belt and tried different ones, including the California Roll, the Crunchy Shrimp Roll, and the Shrimp Avocado roll. All were very tasty and fresh! One of the things I loved about the conveyor belt was that they also included a sign that showed the name of the roll and the ingredients in it. Once we were full, our waitress added up our total by the number of color-coded plates we had (prices ranged from 99 cents to $4.00), which were quite a bit since we were very hungry, lol. They also offer traditional Japanese and Chinese food on a separate menu, which was a plus. I haven't stopped thinking about their sushi all day since we left the restaurant because it was very delicious...I hope to go back soon to try more of their food!
(5)Jennifer P.
Sushi Train takes your average sushi experience and puts it on wheels. When I first walked in, I didn't expect the whole restaurant to be one big conveyor belt. That was pretty neat. Like the serving style, the atmosphere was very modern too. Lots of natural textures and bright colors. Sure, the sushi isn't the best Nashville has to offer but I thought all around it was alright. Some of it was definitely Publix quality, but you'll have that. The best roll I had was some Crazy Girl roll that had eel. It definitely didn't make me sick AT ALL so don't believe that malarkey. haha. All in all, this idea of this place is pretty fun and although the sushi didn't blow me away I had a really good time experiencing it.
(3)Jessica M.
I really enjoyed this place. The sushi was great & I loved being able to try different kinds since the portions on the "train" are smaller. Prices are reasonable as well & it's a nice atmosphere. I'll definitely be back.
(5)Edna P.
My daughter and I had a fantastic experience there. The food was very fresh and we couldn't stop eating. I am looking forward to taking the rest of my family there when we go visit our daughter that just started her college at VU. It was entertaining to see the food go by you and reasonable pricing. The service was nice. We were never in a sushi restaurant that the food rides by you and you get to pick and choose. Like I said very entertaining and different. We are from the west coast and wish something like this was close to us. I recommend this place highly.
(5)Jessi K.
I actually signed up for a yelp account just to write this review, that's how bad it was. Being a sucker for both sushi and all things gimmicky, I had been wanting to check this place out for awhile. Finally went a couple of night ago for dinner before a night out. I can be a bit of a picky eater when it comes to certain ingredients, so I opted to order off of the menu rather than get my food off of the train. I should have known what I was in for when my miso soup came. It tasted like somebody had dumped a whole shaker of salt into it, and had only a single piece of tofu that might have been the tiniest I've ever seen. My friend ordered the tempura appetizer, and the shrimp was not tempura battered, but breaded with panko. Strangely, the veggies that came with it actually were battered, so it's probably a good indicator that the shrimp came out of a box. My boyfriend ordered some Chinese dish of chicken and broccoli, but couldn't eat it as the chicken was very undercooked. I got the Dream Roll without cucumber, and had to force myself to finish it only because I was starving and didn't have time to get food elsewhere afterwards. I kept taking out components to figure out what was making it taste so awful, but I never could pinpoint the culprit. It was all bad. I had intended on getting desert off of the train, I assumed the Oreo mouse pie was probably made elsewhere and therefore might be ok (which it was) but the waitress was really pushy about asking which one I wanted and insisted on finding it along the conveyer belt for me, rather than letting me get it myself, thus taking away even the gimmicky fun of the experience. Also, around halfway through our meal, we all noticed little bits of something floating in our water. Overall, the only good thing was the unopened bottle of nigori we ordered, but even that was overpriced. Save yourself the disappointment and go across the parking lot to the always-on-point sonobana! Or literally anywhere else.
(1)Alan W.
I love the concept of Sushi Train, sit down and let all the wonderful different varieties of sushi come to you! The all you can eat lunch buffet is incredible, even if it doesn't include some of the best rolls they make. Anytime I'm looking to get my Sushi fix during lunch you can most likely find me at Sushi Train with a stack of plates off to the side and a big smile on my face!
(4)Amanda Y.
Would definitely recommend giving this place a try. It is an enjoyable experience watching the "train" and seeing what comes next. Some of the sushi is a little basic, but they have good unique rolls. Wasn't impressed with the Crab Rangoon, but it is a sushi place. Give this place a shot for your next sushi craving!
(4)Charles H.
Okay, this sushi is probably not "4 star" worthy but the experience and value deserve top marks. The concept (which I believe is common in Japan) is different than any other Nashville sushi joint. The sushi revolves around the restaurant and diners are able to select which dishes they would like. Again, the sushi is mediocre but the value, concept and excellent service get top marks in my book!
(4)Ashley V.
This is a fun concept, & it gives you the freedom to try a lot of different rolls. Each plate has 3-4 pieces, so you can try lots without getting stuffed. Plus, it's fun to watch all the options come by on the conveyor belt. The one downside: for anything you have to order, the service is slow.
(4)Ruiqiu K.
2013/071 I'm going to buck the trend to say that I actually liked it here. Of course, my friend and I had the luxury of: a.) Time. We arrived at 4:37, a few minutes after they started their dinner service. b.) Location. We were seated near the front of the conveyer belt. c.) Attentive service. Coming in early, we didn't have to compete with other diners for the waitress' attention. She filled our waters several times. We're both from the west coast, so the novelty of "kaiten zushi" / conveyer belt sushi wasn't what we came here for (although I did find the conveyer belt longer than I expected it to be). We both have husbands who don't like sushi so we decided we could go together. Although we got there early, the chefs were still rushing to get the sushi prepared. I'd say it was still a good 10-15 minutes until the conveyer belt started moving. We were in no hurry. Place is new, so it was clean. I didn't care much for the lighting -- it was too low / yellow. My vision isn't the greatest. so low lighting made the large font announcing the food slightly harder to read than it should. We both ordered miso soup from the menu, but we intended to get whatever interested us from the belt. Because they had just started dinner service, the same dishes came around about twice. By the time we left, there were definitely a lot more variety. Unfortunately for my friend, the one dish she wanted (her go-to dish) came after we had settled the bill. We were surprised that the belt started off with a lot of desserts. Maybe they were intended to be there a while. There were a lot of sushi with random fruit on top or cream cheese. And there was the traditional fare, both cold and hot. Because we were there early, I could have confidently tried the hot food; any later and I would have stuck with the cold. The belt was slow enough that you shouldn't miss what you wanted, but fast enough that the food cycled through in time for you to get what you want. I'd say the sushi was good. I still won't question where they source the fish. I've been dying for sushi that I didn't care. Overall, because we were able to get (mostly) what we wanted and got out within 45 minutes, it was an enjoyable experience. Perhaps this review would be reduced by a star had we come in after 5. By the time we left, the place was already filling up quickly.
(4)Allison B.
The food on the train is cold, so it's the quality of grocery-bought sushi. & when I went, the food I ordered off of the menu took forever to get, and it was nothing special at all. My advice? Go across the parking lot to Sonobona. They're AMAZING!!!
(1)Monica P.
Sushi was good, but I've had better. They do have a variety so that's a plus. I just don't like where the conveyer belt is placed. You would have to ask to sit in the center to be close to it & so you can grab what you want.
(3)Alice H.
I agree with some of the other posters--the food is just fine, but you know what? It's a gimmicky kind of place and I had fun. After reading several of the reviews, I was disappointed to be seated near the very end of the train, but perhaps we were there when it was slow enough that it didn't seem to matter. It's not amazing food, but I'll be back for sure. I do wish there would have been some more low-end cost items, but even still, it was good and fun!
(3)Jacob T.
This place really is the best bang for your buck Sushi restaurant in Town. Being well versed in Sushi, I truly respect the food at this place. They have tastiest, best size servings in Town as well as a full Asian menu. Check it out during lunch time! Very affordable off-the-train Sushi of all kinds as well as the $9.00 3-roll lunch special which I personally always get and I choose the Salad as my side. Their House Salad Dressing is so good.
(5)Tripp E.
Don't diss the train. People smirk at the novelty of conveyor belt sushi but there's something there, it's a great way to sample smaller amounts of many different rolls. There's a silly sense of urgency because you don't know if that one you want to try will come back around but that's the fun of it. I pulled off a salmon and yellowtail sashimi, I did not expect to see straight sashimi choochoo'ing down the line. I went with 2 friends using an Amazon local coupon but blew that $30 value on 2 bottles of Nigori sakè. We didn't order any food off the menu, no edimame, soup or desserts, just belt sushi. With STUFFED bellies we racked up about $65 of food before tax between the 3 of us, that's seems pretty reasonable to me. We all thought the fish tasted fresh and the rolls used quality ingredients. One of us liked the Snow White (white tuna roll) but did not see anymore coming so we asked the server and she snagged one for us! We also found and ate salmon roe wrapped in an artfully cut cucumber cup, surf clam and octopus nigiri. I look forward to going back but maybe I'll skip the overpriced Nigori.
(4)Jason S.
One of the saddest sushi experiences in Nashville or perhaps anywhere. Turned into a novelty because of the "train" experience. You too can simulate the same experience in your home, just get some day or two old sushi from Kroger or Publix and push it around on your counter, add some train sounds. Or, if you are a jackass with little to no taste, claim you love it, as you watch the dollops of excrement and rice shuttle past you. (Make sure you hyrdrate thoroughly, because when the violent gastric reprisal starts, you're going to want to be ready) AVOID. (previous review much more funny but deleted due to offensive content)
(1)Tracy F.
Ew. I came to Sushi Train with my coworkers in its first couple of weeks of business. The lunchtime crowd was sad, as we were seated near the one other table of people in the whole restaurant. After watching the train for awhile, we decided we weren't comfortable ordering many of the options available--most of the rolls looked as though they'd been on the train since the beginning of time, which does not fare well when it comes to "fresh" fish. We were too scared that we'd get food poisoning to enjoy any of the sushi options. All of us decided on the hibatchi, 2 of us going with the tofu and the other going with the chicken. All of us were extremely disappointed with the cold food, the small portions, and the lack of flavor. We were also disappointed by our server, who seemed upset with us because we decided NOT to just pull food from the train, but actually order something she'd have to bring us. Before our food had even arrived, we'd already decided we would never come back to Sushi Train again. If you're in the mood for sushi, choose Sonobana (practically next door), instead.
(1)Matt S.
I am not afraid to admit that I enjoy a good gimmick with my meal, so here is your third star, Sushi Train. If the spectacle of conveyor belt sushi is alluring to you, as well, and you find yourself here, my advice would be to find a seat in the first third of the line, preferably somewhere that gives you ample time to make your decisions as the plates approach, but also a wide selection. Take what you like and enjoy the disappointment of those further down the line when their favorite dishes are already snatched up. The sushi tastes fine, except for the Surf and Turf roll, which I thought was above average yummy, with a good marriage of beef, apple, jalapeno, and seafood. The steak was especially nice, with a light torching on the outside and a rareness on the inside that made it go along nicely with the texture of the sushi roll. Alas, my sushi math--which consists of adding red plate plus blue plate plus yellow, etc., then subtracting the total from the amount you intended to spend on dinner, then calculating the velocity of the approaching train car of tamago and factoring that against the statistical probability and length of time until you will see it again in the next sushi cycle--is not especially good, so I ended up spending more than I typically would on sushi that was not as tasty as I would typically expect it to be.
(3)Jason M.
This place is disgusting. It's really hard to say anything beyond that. The sushi quality is significantly better at publix down the street. The only thing I would recommend is the ice water...delicious. No riding that train again.
(1)Misty M.
Darn good sushi! The atmosphere is super cool and you get such a wide variety of rolls both raw and cooked. It was awesome trying different rolls. The signs are super informative too telling you what's on each roll. Super yum!
(4)Rachel M.
Ok, so I noticed that whatever this used to be (it escapes me...was it Chinese?) had suddenly turned into something called Sushi Train when I was running over to Target on my lunch break one day. I was like "and so close to Sonobana?" The only reason I even noticed it is because the building that housed Calhoun's is gone and you can see in that direction now. I remember thinking "Well, I'll look that up on Yelp later and see what other braver-than-me people are saying." I'm very particular about sushi...if it's a new place I want other people to have tried it first. So, thanks, all who have written reviews before me. Anyway It was the Friday before Christmas, and my husband and I actually had the same day off of work (you'd think that since I'm off for a whole week every other week this would happen more often, but it doesn't). We had already had cheeseburgers from Hoss's Loaded Burgers for breakfast-starting the day off right and all that-and we were trying to decide what to do for lunch (to give you a time frame, breakfast was at 1 in the afternoon, so it was about 6:30 when we were trying to decide this). I suggested this place because my husband has always been enamored of kaiten sushi bars as was beyond excited when I told him we had one now. We hopped in the car and made the trek from Smyrna to White Bridge Road. Since it was the Friday before Christmas, I don't know if the crowd there was indicative of a normal Friday night crowd, but it wasn't that busy. The hostess told us it would be about 20 minutes. We were seated in under 10 minutes. We got lucky and got the two seats at the very beginning of the conveyor belt...as in, we were the first ones to see what was coming around. It doesn't take much to excite me. As mentioned in previous reviews, the plates are different colors, and each color is for a different price. Off the top of my head, red is $4.00 (the most expensive) and light blue is the cheapest ($1, I think). When you see something you want, lift the door and grab it. I was elated to find out that the conveyor belt was covered and refrigerated. I have a thing about people potentially breathing on my food. I want as little of it done as possible. I can't stand buffets. Also, no hot sushi. Yay! I'm getting off track... You can have your meal two ways: order off the menu (you can get larger sushi rolls, noodle dishes, rice dishes, appetizers, etc) or grab your whole meal off the conveyor belt. My husband and I had the bright idea that to save money we were going to order something off the menu and then 'supplement' it with a couple of plates of sushi a piece. Yeah...don't do that. After I saw all of the different kinds of sushi go by, that's all I wanted. I think I ate one noodle out of my plate of chicken udon (I didn't like it very much, either...but I think it was me, not the noodles). We ended up grabbing like 8 plates of sushi. I recommend the 'Crazy Girl' roll. It's a $4 one, but it's worth it. There was one roll that looked very interesting, but we were too chicken to try it. I think it was called 'Surf and Turf,' and it had several types of fish and green apple. Their Spider roll is good as well. There was also one called the Naruto roll that went around right when we sat down, but by the time that part of the belt came back to us it was all gone. We waited for it the entire time we were eating and for about 30 minutes afterward. Finally my husband mentioned it to our server, and she was like "Oh, I can tell them to make it for you!" So if there's ever something you're craving or wanting to try and you don't see it, just ask for it. The roll was on the conveyor belt in less than 5 minutes, and it was well worth the "if we had known to ask for it" wait. Long story short: we loved it. It's a fun thing to do for date night. I totally recommend it.
(4)