Jack F.

Come for the Early Bird Specials* Once again, many thanks to Karman L. and PC W. for dragging me across the Potomac for my first Crystal City adventure. Crystal Bonsai Sushi is one of Karman L.'s favorite spots along the 23rd Street Restaurant Row and I can see why. The Early Bird Special is one of the best bargains in town. In addition to miso soup, salad, and steamed rice, you get to pick one item from the sushi bar and one item from the kitchen. Your selections from the sushi bar include a variety of sushi combinations and samplers. This works best if you're a avid sashimi diner because you get 12 slices (3 tuna, 3 salmon, 3 white tuna, and 4 or 5 thinner slices of yellowtail). By itself, a comparable order of a 12-pc sashimi tray is typically between $12 and $18. If you're here for the early bird special, pick the sashimi sampler because any other selection would reduce the value of this bargain. These are thick (1/4" to 1/2"), neat (no jagged or shredded edges) and clean cuts of fresh fish (no unusual odor or discoloration). Also, the fish for the nigri were also thick, large pieces that overlapped the rice beneath (a good sign). The kitchen selection includes a variety of dumplings, tempuras, and noodles. I've seen a lot of bad sushi bars that attempt to capitalize on the sushi trend (e.g. Suki Asia yelp.com/biz/suki-asia-w… or Temple Lounge yelp.com/biz/temple-loun… ). The end result is generally cheap ingredients but high price tags. Sushi, after all, is not something that chefs can just slop together. Karman L. told me how they were served warm rice at another restaurant and the server had the audacity to tell them that was ordinary. As much as I talk about the quality of the fish ( yelp.com/biz/nori-washin… ), its also important not to forget about the quality of the rice. Does it fall about because its too dry? (It should be sticky). Does its taste bland? (It should have a nice sweet and sour balance because of the rice vinegar and sugar). But I digress - again. 3.5 Stars - Overall, Crystal Bonsai is definitely one of the better sushi restaurants that I've visited. Unfortunately, it's not quite on par with Sushi-Ko ( yelp.com/biz/sushi-ko-wa… ) or Current ( yelp.com/biz/current-was… ) but its still a decedent sushi bar. My only hesitation is that I question whether Crystal Bonsai would still be a superb value if not for the early bird special. If I had ordered from its normal menu, I wonder whether the price-to-quality perception would shift against Crystal Bonsai's favor. *Early Bird Special is Mondays through Fridays from 4pm to 6pm and Saturday and Sundays from 12pm to 5pm.

Michelle M.

Best sushi in VA/DC area. Incredibly fresh and delicious! This is the place to go if you want authentic sushi- plain, simple, fresh- the way they serve it in Japan. :) YUM!

Angelinaaah h.

Honestly, this place really isn't that spectacular... but it's pretty good for the area. I'll give this place 2 stars b/c I honestly haven't had very good sushi in the DC/ NOVA area. And I've been looking! I do have to say that the $14.95 Early Bird Special is a pretty good deal. I got to pick one thing from the sushi bar ( 12 piece sashimi) and one thing from the kitchen (shrimp/veggie tempura) and I thought it was a pretty good deal.

Gregorio P.

Awesome sushi! It's made fresh with thin layer of rice! Highly recommended!

M L.

The food here is ok and good for a sushi fix. The service was quick and polite and the atmosphere typical for a sit / takeout place. We started with miso soup, tempora, and then several types of rolls. The miso and tempora was typical sushi quality and fare. The rolls were also done well. The rice was soft and stuck nicely. The fish and other ingredients tasted fresh. The entire meal was about $30 for two. What keeps this restaurant from a 4 or higher star is that the food doesn't break away from the norm. It's good, but not much different from any other sushi place. The inside is typical for for a take out / sit down sushi place with a rather small, rectangular length-wise seating area. There is an small covered sitting area outside with three tables or so if you want to people watch on 23rd st. All in all, the food was good but unmemorable.

Kristin C.

I really like this place. The sushi is fresh and they have a pretty good variety. It's small and may not be much to look at but often, these types of places turn out to be little gems. And this one definitely is!

Mel G.

I never knew about this fun strip of bars and restaurants in Crystal City, and I overall really like that. It was a hop, skip, and a jump away from where I was staying (the Hyatt down the street). It was nice and quiet, and I ordered the tuna and salmon sashimi, both of which were pretty good, and what would have made it great is if they put them on a bed of ice -- didn't taste super chilled, which is what I usually like.

Natasha K.

I checked out Bonsai Grill on a Wednesday night, because my friend lived a block away. I typically like hole in the wall places for my sushi...but I might have to think twice after this experience. I ordered the Yellow Tail (spicy) and the Tuna Roll (spicy). They earned 1 star for upholding the traditional complimentary bowl of miso soup with the meal, but it was downhill from there. The Yellow Tail and Tuna Roll didn't even taste like real fish. It tasted sweet, blended, and old. Like they took random tuna parts sitting around for weeks and processed it and put it in the roll, parts of the tuna even looked darker than the rest. Also, there was nothing spicy about the rolls. My friend who had eaten there before said her orders before were much more spicy. I know its a recession, but you gotta have higher standards when you are serving people raw fish. I should only get 1 star for finishing my rolls. I of course got a severe tummy ache after dinner. If you want to waste $10 bucks Definitely eat here.

Kathy D.

I've been going here for a few years for some excellent sushi and they are a really delightful sushi bar. Decent priced, good selection and great location. You have to like that you get soup and salad with your meal no matter what. They are super friendly too! So, I have a story. I was here a few months ago with my boyfriend and some friends and it totally started pouring outside. It was later, we had finished our meal, paid our bill and had no umbrellas. We're a smart crowd, right? The folks at Bonsai were clearly wrapping up their evening as well, but I guess felt our pain and came over with some edamame and took our drink order. They told us to stay until the rain passed, which it did in about 30 minutes. During that time the karaoke at Freddie's started kicking in. To this day me and my friends can't help but giggle when we hear "It's raining men" on Karaoke.

Soo W.

Went for an office lunch. Food was very fresh, customer service was good as well as the place was very clean. Nice variety also. Good value for the money.

Mike S.

This was a great little find in Crystal City's Restaurant Row! I took advantage of the Early Special and ordered a Tuna roll/California roll combo and an order of shrimp shumai. The Miso soup was excellent (I'm not usually a fan but this was great) and the salad with ginger dressing was just fine. After these courses, the main plate was brought out with the rolls and dumplings, and a side of steamed white rice. The sushi was extremely fresh and delicious. And the shrimp shumai was by far the best I've ever enjoyed. Tender and sweet, it was cooked to perfection. An excellent spot and I will be definitely heading there again. Next time, though, I will be taking advantage of their reserved parking spots right next to the restaurant. I didn't see them today and ended up parking down the street.

M. B.

I'd like to give this place 3 stars, since about 3/4 of the sushi we ordered was relatively fresh and good but it gets two stars because the shrimp in our sushi rolls tasted extremely fishy, and I felt queasy after eating it. Also, the place smelled funny.

Laura W.

Lia D.

OK, NO. Just when you think you found a good sushi joint, you AND your date get food poisoning. I don't get it. Ordered the sushi combo platter, which was tuna, cali, and salmon rolls. The price was right and the stuff tasted fine, but apparently it was full of bacteria. Gross.

Keith R.

This isn't a retaliatory spiteful review, just honest: Our experience here was quite negative. Example: Hotategai nigiri to me is a good measure of iemasu competence. A good sushi chef has selected a great scallop, knows how to present it... it's a benchmark. Mine arrived greasily pan-seared a bit with some odd panko-like topping. It was not a great grade scallop to begin with, and was unpleasant to eat. We also ordered hamachi - again, oddly greasy, which baffles me - and an eel and avocado roll that was acceptable, but not particularly exciting. I can deal with hole-in-the-wall ambiance, but the food's got to be good. This wasnt. If you like good sushi, this isn't it. Those citing the seafood as "fresh" and "high quality" clearly had a fundamentally different experience than we did. We won't be returning.

Angelica R.

Best sushi I've had in the DMV area. Food & service was good, will definitely go back.

brad j.

My sushi was squishy. It made it hard to pick up with chopsticks, and by the time I got all the green stuff and pink stuff and black stuff on it, it was dang near mutilated. Maybe I am a yokel but I wouldn't say that there was a good reason to choose this place over another. I suppose it is better than the ones at the Japanese steakhouses... When we went in, there was one other person there. It took at least 10 minutes before the lady took our order. Then, when we were finished, she waited another 10 minutes, gabbing with the chef, with the check already prepared and AFTER taking away our empty plates to bring the check. We finally had to ask for it -- again. Is this a DC thing? Why is it that waiters and waitress refuse to give me the bill?????????

Allison S.

I usually only write reviews for places that I feel pretty strongly about, and I am shocked that Bonsai Grill has any ratings higher than 2 stars. I've been to Bonsai three times, once for lunch and twice for dinner. These visits have all been within the past 6 months, so perhaps prior to that the food and odor was better. The inside of the restaurant smells like moth balls. Each time, my group has chosen to sit outside because of the smell, and each time, my food has slightly tasted like moth balls. The stench aside, the food was just okay. The miso soup is decent, but the sushi doesn't seem as fresh as other places (Sushi Ko, Sushi Taro) that I have visited. On the occasion that I visited for lunch I had the chicken Bento box which offered variety but also offered the lingering taste of moth balls. The prices are good and the service is okay, buteven writing this review reminds me of the moth ball odor that permeated the food and beverages.

Dian C.

Great sushi for the price. I would stick to the sushi as the fish is very fresh. I wasn't impressed with the one or two of the cooked dishes I've had there. The service is very slow, especially when the place is packed, and you can easily expect to wait 20 min just for the server to come buy your table.

S G.

Avoid this place if you've ever had mediocre Japanese food because you will have a new benchmark for horrible Japanese food. I live in Northern California and been fortunate to have experinced awesome Japanese food so my expectations may be a little high. I'm here on business so I'm glad my per diem paid for this not so good meal. As I'm eating the probably not so fresh sushi, I'm picturing a hellish flight back home to California. Did I pack Immodium? The texture and taste was a red flag The teriyaki beef was swimming in a pool of sugary sauce. The tempura looked more worst than my own failed attempt to make it at home and the tempura sauce was way too sweet. The quality of the good realitive to the price (a bit over priced) deserves one star but I gave two stars because the service was decent.

Farida A.

I've been here a few times because my friend insists they have good sushi. Unfortunately my friend is WRONG. The sushi is hit or miss, but usually a near-miss. If you're craving good sushi and want to stay local, get it from the Harris Teeter on Army Navy Drive.

Steve L.

I never really ordered sushi for myself before; however after I tried the Sashimi Platter that my girlfriend ordered I started trying other things on the menu. My favorite is the Fuji Roll which is pretty much a California roll with some caviar in it and then wrapped with tuna. My girlfriend said it is some of the freshest sushi she has had in this area. They always provide a lot of ginger and wasabi on the side as well. The service is exceptional. After going there once, the woman that works there knows that I am going to order the Sashimi Platter for my girlfriend.

Noel C.

The lunch specials are a great deal, particularly the bento box. I got the chicken teriyaki which came with a roll (California, salmon, or tuna--which can be upgraded to spicy tuna for 50 cents), 2 pieces of shaomai, shrimp and vegetable tempura, and miso soup and salad. I really like sushi, although I'm not a hardcore fan--I mostly stick to rolls and am more readily able to discern bad sushi from good sushi rather than great from good. With that being said, the sushi here was definitely not bad. I went here for lunch on Friday and I'll definitely be back. Oh, and the service was great, the lady was nice and friendly and even gave us 2009 wall calendars!

Victor H.

Not mind blowing sushi but not as bad as some of these reviews are saying. Service was quick, drink refills came in seconds of finishing. Sushi was good not great. The spicy tuna and spicy crab were really good, a lot of flavorful taste and spice. Way better than Harris Teeter....

Jansen W.

This was a no fail sushi place for me when I used to live in Arlington. Great prices but four stars because I'm not a big fan of the service.

Biran Z.

Probably is the best bargain out of all the sushi places that I have been to. For happy hour you get a boat load of sashimi and a choice of a dish from the kitchen for $13 along with salad and soup. The fish used in Sashimi are very good, they felt buttery, rich and soft. Inside of the restaurant is very small but never busy/crowded, it felt very intimate, kinda like eating in a Japanese home. Great place for a quiet dinner and few drinks, you probably wouldn't want to do Saki bombs there.

Elina T.

If you want fresh, no frills sushi, this is honestly the best sushi place outside of the DC powerhouse (Taro, Ko and Kaz). The sushi is always incredibly fresh, the rolls are large and the prices are hard to beat. And you get a free soup and salad with any order. Small and cozy place and service is very quick and efficient.

Kari R.

This was the worst sushi i have ever had! The Tuna roll was tasteless and the fish was stale!! Also the Shrimp Tempura was bready and tasteless too. I cannot believe what they pass as sushi... If you have been going to this place, please try out Sushi Taro (DC) or Momo sushi (Alexandria) to experience the authentic stuff. It takes years of training to become a sushi chef and this chef is just faking it!!

Jessica G.

Yum. This place has never failed me- no matter how many times I've gone. The sushi is fresh and delicious. Always my go-to sushi restaurant. The ambiance isn't wonderful, but it's an informal Japanese place, so I really didn't expect anything different.

Jennie L.

Great value for the price. It's my Saturday routine to go to Bonsai Grill. My favorite neighborhood spot! The service is very nice too.

PC W.

This is one of the best sushi restaurants around. There is only one server but she's quick and it's a small place with indoor and outdoor seating. The sushi is fresh and the fish comes in thick slices. The early bird special is a steal with 2 mix and match entrees for $13.95 and includes miso soup and salad. I've been going several times a month lately but have been a regular for 3 years.

Marty L.

I've only eaten there once, so maybe it was an off day, but this is the worst sushi I've ever had. Didn't seem fresh and had an odd fishy taste. First time, I've left a piece of sushi on the plate. Seaweed salad and miso soup was ok.

W S.

Really... just not good. Not good at all. I definitely have had much better sushi elsewhere. Will not be going back...

Bek H.

My boyfriend and I usually go to Koi Koi in Falls Church, but needed to find some sushi in the "Arlandria" area. The reviews from Yelp seemed pretty good about Bonsai, so we tried it out. Honestly, it was not good at all, perhaps they were having an off night. I typically go for the sashimi while my boyfriend sticks to his cooked rolls, both were pretty bad. The mackrel I had, which I love, was a little too pungent for me and the Toro did not have that melt-in-your-mouth quality to it. His cooked rolls (spider, shrimp tempura, etc) rolls were lacking as well. The soft shell crab tasted like it had been fried the day before and was horribly mushy. You usually can't go wrong with a shrimp tempura roll, but it was completely falling apart. I also would not recomend the salmon-skin roll, as it tasted like Lox. The most dissapointing, to me, was the pickled ginger. The entire time I was at the restaurant I kept smelling something like dirt socks or gym shorts. Turns out it was the ginger sitting right in front of me. It was definately BAD! If you go, I hope you have a better time than we did.

Andrew P.

Awesome place. Staff is very friendly, good prices and high quality. Parking can be tough as their are a ton of restaraunts on 23rd and only about 17 parking spots. Like other reviewers said, free soup and salad. The water we were served was kind of funky and I ordered a coke which turned out to be a single can...but still, go for the sushi.

sandy b.

We've been here 3x, mainly because of its close proximity. We dine here between noon - 5 on the weekend due to their good deal. The food is fresh, tasty and plentiful. The service is quick. Stopped by a 4th time and very disappointed that the only waitress there can't acknowledge her repeat customers, too me that's important. I think they deserve only 3 stars.

Katie W.

My mom was in town visiting and we decided to get sushi - I really wish we hadn't. The service was good - there were multiple waitresses and they were all very nice. I ordered the sushi deluxe (one California roll plus maybe 10 pieces of sushi). The California roll was okay - kind of tasteless but not outright bad. But the sushi. Oh, the sushi. Even though there were multiple different kinds, I can't tell you much about any of them because every roll had SO much wasabi inside that I couldn't taste anything else. I understand that wasabi is often used to keep the fish in place on top of the rice, but this was way too much. The worst part about the experience was how I felt later that night and especially the next day - it seems my stomach disliked the sushi even more than my tastebuds. Even just looking at the menu, almost everything seemed overprice. I love sushi and wish I could report otherwise, but I don't think I'll ever be going back.

Ravindran M.

Food- Was average, I had the sushi. sashimi and California rolls platter. It wasnt bad but it wasn't great either. The price was average too. Ambience/ restaurant style- This is place has good sushi, but i wouldn't recommend this place as a first preference. The restaurant is located at the strip of restaurants at crystal city and is the only sushi restaurant here, that is the reason why i visited the restaurant because there was no other option. It's a small place and the sushi isn't great. Overall- I wouldn't go back to this restaurant.

Jason B.

Two bites, one from a raw roll and one from a cooked roll. Both are equally as repulsive. I eat sushi at least 4 times a week and am in DC for work. Gross. The smoked Salmon is terrible. The spider roll tastes like spoiled crab that was dipped in a greasy bucket of oil. The eel sauce was almost undetectable it was so scarce (which I normally don't like anyway). The eel sauce, as little as it was, did taste good though. It was a lighter sweet sauce compared to the typical heavy syrup eel sauce. $20 I will never get back... And I am still hungry...

Angelo R.

Was here during my DC visit. We were looking for a quick bite to eat near the hotel. We ran into this sushi joint while walking back and forth along the strip of restaurants on 23rd st. This place is tiny so keep your eyes open cause you might pass it. The restaurant itself had just about 10 seats inside, narrow but not claustrophobic. We ordered Dragon Roll and Suzuki Roll. Dragon had good amount of eel, nice and chunky. Suzuki was a little on the gooey side...maybe because of the cream cheese filling & spicy mayo but it was pretty tasty. We just wished they had more descriptions on the menu but the pictures were quite substantial. Overall, it was decent but nothing to jump about. The service was very attentive, swift but polite. Plenty of metered street parking outside.

Maya W.

We stopped in randomly on a Friday night and the place was packed. They have a few outdoor patio tables and a few indoor tables. We sat at the sushi bar which was tucked into the back corner so that we wouldn't have to wait. The service was quick and efficient, the people waiting for tables we. We arrived were seated shortly after us. We ordered the shrimp dumplings and miso soup as an appetizer. The sushi was fresh and reasonably priced, we had a specialty roll, a tuna roll and a 3rd roll which was enough to share. This place is definitely a place to keep in your back pocket for days when you want to grab a quick meal and are in the neighborhood.

Marie L.

The restaurant is clean. The tuna is tasteless and I WILL NOT recommend my friends to go here. The people in the restaurant are nice but the food is just no worth the money. If you are looking for good sushi , please DO NOT come here. This is my every first time trying tasteless tuna, and I really did not enjoy it. It's below average. I am disappointed.

Dyonna H.

Fresh, Fast, great service. Loved it!

Courtney C.

Went for lunch and ordered the sushi and sashimi combo. It came with miso soup, salad, four nigiri, a California roll and 12 pcs of sashimi. The sushi was fresh and were good cuts. The California roll was not the typical crab salad, it had avocado in it too. Would def recommend this place for lunch. Price was reasonable for that much food. The reason for no five stars is because the salad was drenched in a peanut dressing that wasn't that good.

Hazem E.

Great location with rare dedicated parking nearby. It even has some outdoor seating. We were seated immediately but that's where the positive critique ends. Eating setup came piecemeal and took forever to take our order. Other than that service was good.Food was average at best. Right next to a karaoke bar so if you're sitting outside don't expect a romantic sushi dinner. You'll be dining on mediocre sushi to the pedestrian take of "torn" by Natalie Imbruglia.

Lauryn S.

I work nearby this restaurant and have to say it was convenient, the staff was super friendly and the sushi was delicious. Great place, not super pricey and everything was fresh.

Cody Y.

The sushi is a little overpriced for sushi whose quality isn't on-par with other places around DC, but as a small independent neighborhood sushi place it totally works. I came for the box combination, which includes Miso soup, a side salad, and your choice of one Teriyaki, Tempura, and Sushi, all for around $20-$25 per person. I can attest that the Miso Soup was delicious. The sushi was well prepared and stayed together when picked up with chopsticks (a pet-peeve of mine). I thought the sushi was well prepared and tasty, but ultimately not as memorable as other sushi I've had in the area. Solid teriyaki and tempura also. Also, be sure to order their Japanese Tea (which I'm pretty sure is just green tea) - for a $1 you can drink as much as you want. Overall, it firmly deserves the four stars, adjusted for location and size. I did not have the unpleasant experience the other reviewers had here, and I plan on going back and sampling some more of their offerings.

Billy E.

I'm not a huge sushi person, but I thought the food here was ok. I tried a combo lunch meal to have several samples; none of the pieces had much flavor. My coworker who's tried a lot more sushi than me also said his rolls were just ok. Not a bad place to go, but not very exciting either.

Chris M.

We ordered the chicken teriyaki, it was $16 per plate. The chicken was boiled and not grilled. The teriyaki sauce was bland and sweet, as if from a bottle. The vegetables were warm at best and still cold since they were previously frozen. The tempura was more like a breading and again just warm and obviously not just cooked. Miserable meal but on the plus side, the dog seemed to enjoy the leftovers.

Jules K.

There are already enough reviews that provide the details about this place. I'll just add that two very hungry adults walked in and two very full adults walked out. With a doggie bag. I also like that it is TINY, which keeps the noise level down. You should go there, but not in such numbers that I can't get over there when I want sushi.

Jackie F.

Good food, clean environment, speedy service and early bird special made things more affordable. Will definitely eat here again.

Nadine F.

Crystal Bonsai Sushi is pretty much what I expected for sushi in Crystal City. Their early bird special (until 6:30pm on weekdays) is a decent deal. It includes a pretty large miso soup, a light salad, a fish appetizer, and then you choose one item off the sushi menu and one item off the dinner menu. From the sushi menu, I got tuna rolls and sashimi. The fish wasn't like what you'd expect at a nicer restaurant, but maybe a step above what you might get from the Whole Foods prepared foods section. From the "dinner" menu, I got the shu mai (dumplings), which I think were the best part of the meal. The quality of food didn't blow me away, but it was satisfying, and service was super fast and friendly. I'll probably be back when I'm craving quick sushi, but I probably wouldn't go out of my way for it.

S F.

I moved to Crystal City over a year ago and never tried this place due to the 3 star rating. But I finally made it to Bonsai last night and was pleasantly surprised! I got the tuna and salmon combo, and eel and shrimp tempura rolls. There were 2 of us and we had leftovers too. The bill came to about $50 with tax and tip which is pretty standard for good quality sushi for the area. Our waitress was wonderful and paid a lot of attention to us because it was a quiet night, and the food was fresh and came out quickly. I usually end up going with the groupon options of Asia or Zen Bistro in Pentagon City which is medium quality sushi in a chic setting. I would definitely come back to bonsai and make it my go to sushi spot!

Ashley G.

Some friends and I created a Restaurant Roulette game centered around the "Restaurant Row" of 23rd St. in Crystal City. Once a week, we pick a restaurant name out of the bag and have to eat there, no mulligans. I don't eat sushi but pulled Crystal Bonsai Sushi out of the bag. In an effort to be adventurous, I ordered sushi instead of a more appealing chicken teriyaki sort of dish. The lasagna roll was actually not that bad. It had a really interesting flavor and I would recommend it for those trying to get into sushi and for those who already like it. I kind of wish I had asked for a fork and knife so I could have eaten it in smaller pieces (that's proabably really sacrilege, but better than gagging). I also enjoyed the soup and salad that came with our orders. I think the value is pretty good here and I'd recommend it to sushi eaters. I may not return but nothing against the establishment, I'm just not a sushi kind of girl.

Grace Z.

Awful experience. There was a hair fried together with my shrimp and I could not even pull the hair out. I understood it happens sometime and quietly asked the waitress to replace that single shrimp without disturbing other customers. However, two waitresses came and went, after checking the shrimp, no one said a word. Yes, I did not even hear a simple "Sorry". Even worse, I waited 10 minutes and the only thing that waitress gave me was my check! I am really not a fighting person and I did not want to interrupt other customers, so I left. However when I thought about this experience this morning I felt really really bad and therefore came here to share it with you guys. I will definitely never ever go back again.

Kimmy L.

This is a cute little restaurant with a quaint covered patio located in between the many many Italian restaurants in crystal city. My friends and I got a patio table on a hot hot day and ordered a lot of sushi to share. Unfortunately we left pretty underwhelmed. The rolls were packed full of rice and small pieces of fish. Our tuna rolls came out 'warm' which can't be a good sign. I mean it was pretty hot outside but sushi should always come out cold, right?!? Thankfully nobody got sick. This place has a lot of potential considering there aren't a lot of sushi options in South Arlington and the service was very friendly and efficient.

Chef T.

Miso soup was really good. My daughter order a sushi box (fresh, good portions) my son order Chicken Odon Soup. (Best ever fresh vegetables)

Benita R.

I ordered spicy tuna roll and Philly roll. I lowered my expectations tremendously when my order was ready for take out less than 5 minutes after I ordered. I was startled when the server brought me my to-go bag. I turned around and said "Oh wow, that was fast!" Anywhere else that may be a compliment but when it comes to sushi...yeah that scares me. I just imagine someone grabbing some prepared rolls out of a fridge and slamming them into a plastic box. It's difficult to write a semi-negative review without sounding like a jerk so I think I will stick with "This sushi place is not for me". But one good thing is that they do have three convenient, dedicated parking spaces close to the restaurant. THAT is pretty awesome.

James H.

Wow. Awful. I like sushi, and eat it whenever I can. I'm staying in Arlington for a conference and thought I would go to the closest sushi place I could find for a quick dinner. This was probably the worst sushi I have ever had. The rice was mushy and gross, the california roll tasted stale and bland. I hope I don't get sick. Anyone who writes a positive review has either, a) never eaten really good sushi before or b) is getting a kickback from the restaurant. Stay away. Not to mention, it was obscenely overpriced. 8 pieces nigiri and a california roll with soup and a terrible salad was $25. Stay away.

E B.

Had sushi from some amazing places and this one wasn't what I expected. The California was ok, but I've had better. Drinks are servered in a can...not a fan.

Christine V.

I needed a sushi fix so I came here. I usually go to Koi Koi in Falls Church but I wasn't about to make the drive. I quickly glanced over the menu in search for a roll that was deep fried. Healthy right? But I like something with a crunch. I found the Vegas roll, which from the picture on the menu, was exactly what I was looking for; covered in tempura and deep fried. Except, when it came out it wasn't crispy and crunchy. It was cold and soggy. I didn't want to do it, but I had to. This was the first time I ever returned food to the kitchen. I did it as politely as I could and apologized a bunch and explained that the tempura was cold and soggy. But this did not stop the manager/owner (whoever it was) from acting completely annoyed as she rolled her eyes and took my food back to the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later she came back with my new roll. I was excited to try it. This time it wasn't cold. It was hot. Hot AND STILL SOGGY! What a disappointment. I don't doubt there are other things on the menu that are good but if you're someone who likes tempura and deep fried rolls, you won't get that crunch you crave here.

Alexis S.

This place is small and simple. Their sushi is really good compared to other places in the area. The service is fast (sometimes a little pushy) and they give you free miso soup which is nice. Also, the prices are pretty good. I would definitely recommend this place!

Andy Z.

Count me in the impressed crowd. Decided to take a buddy here (one of those friends who isn't into "chick food") for his first sushi experience. They made it really easy for him to enjoy it... the soup and fish appetizer came right away, and the sushi was delicious. We kept it simple and just got a sampler. Based on other reviews the place is hit or miss with regards to freshness, but I was definitely served fresh fish. And it's not really fair to base reviews on what other people say... There is better sushi out there (and certainly more expensive), but for $16 you get a great meal. One star off because the miso soup was generic and I thought the shrimp sushi was good, not great. The shrimp dumplings were excellent.

George P.

Nice place the food if fine. The staff is great and the service is great. Wine list is fine for the area.

Adam F.

So much for "places outside DC have the best international food in the area." Not that DC has any great sushi to write home about, but this place is horrible. I don't understand how it received the reviews it has. I know it's a hole in the wall, but that doesn't excuse having unfresh fish. I had the spicy roll special, which for $18 came with miso soup, salad, a california roll, tuna roll, and salmon roll. Pretty good price had the food been more than terrible, but it wasn't. The soup was lukewarm and almost flavorless. The salad was a bit of cafeteria-style iceberg lettuce with some watered down peanut sauce on it. The tuna and california rolls were edible, but nothing special. The salmon was absolutely awful. I had one piece and left the rest on the plate because I wasn't even sure if it was safe to eat. Service was fine, which is the only reason I'm giving this two stars instead of one.

Christian B.

The miso soup is pretty much the best I had here. I also ordered several types of sushi but they all tasted bland. I couldn't taste the avocados or the cream cheese or the fishes and the eel could of used a little more sauce also.

Kevin H.

Consistently some of the best tuna and salmon sushi I have gotten in DC. They have several good combination platters that let you get both sashimi, sushi, and rolls. Staff is always friendly, and the service is prompt. And they have four reserved parking spaces.

Greg W.

Yep. I would agree that the sushi rice pretty much sucked! I ordered sushi lunch $12 which seems standard for this area ... Fish was fresh ... But the bad rice kinda ruined it. So stick with Shashimi :)

Evelin M.

Update!! Heck yeah! Just had another great dinner at this place. This is literally a one woman show. I have no idea what her name is, but she keeps that place running like clock work. The other waitresses don't know a lick of English so the lady boss is constantly bouncing from table to table serving plates, providing people's wants, taking orders to the sushi chefs, refilling water, etc etc etc. You get my point! She's great! Make sure you tip her well, she deserves it!

Diana S.

Possibly some of the worst sushi I've ever had. I couldnt even eat the Eal roll - i'm not sure which of the ingredients had gone bad - possibly all. Forced myself to eat the Alaska role, even though it wasn't very fresh either, because I was hungry, and this was my take-out dinner after a long day at work... very disappointed, thought I scored big by having a sushi place in walking distance :(

Jeremia F.

This review is going to be short and simple, sort of like this establishment. I thought this place had really good sushi and the service was excellent. I came here around lunch time on a Thursday and out of the 8 tables just about every one was full so I grabbed an open spot at the sushi bar. I order one of the sush deluxe lunch specials which consisted of I think 4 nigri and a california roll. It also had miso soup and salad included in the price. I found the fish to be of high quality and was very impressed with how quickly my lunch was finished with the amount of people in there. The price was also right in line and I consider this a successful first visit and that will be back in the future.

John C.

Love the salmon here. Great service and a nice place for a casual date or just grabbing some great sushi.

Jay L.

In short, I think this is the best sushi that there is in the area. The sushi is always high quality. I've been going here for about 5 years now, and I have literally never had bad sushi. They use REALLY generous cuts in the rolls and nigiri (I'd say each roll is 85% fish, 15% rice), and it's always presented very well. The staff is friendly, though they are sometimes a bit absent minded in their serving duties. The decor of the place is lacking, and it's not a restaurant you go to for the ambiance. These two things cause me to give it only 4 stars, but don't let that deter you from eating here. The sushi is simply awesome.

Roshni P.

I have been to bonsai sushi about 5 times now. It's close to work and pretty much the only sushi place nearby. The sushi is really good. I would highly recommend the California shrimp roll with avocado and the dragon roll. These are my favorite. However I am not very satisfied with the service. They generally serve miso soup and its free but this one time they denied saying that each person needs to order 4 rolls to get the complimentary soup. I thought this was ridiculous. Nonetheless I will come back for the sushi.

Daniel P.

I think this was the worst sushi I have ever had. It tasted like they had forgotten to put vinegar on the rice and the fish was extra..... slimy. I'll usually eat sushi anywhere from strip malls to nice restaurants but I won't be coming here for it. They did have some of the best miso soup I've had though and some really good fish they brought out as a free appetizer. So maybe just don't eat the sushi.

Jean S.

The quality of their sushi and sashimi as well as their other dishes are delicious. Friendly staff and great service. One of the best sushi in the DMV area

chris C.

Bad. Bad. Bad. This place is absolutely terrible. Spicy tuna was mushy tuna. Shrimp tempura roll was cold and soggy instead of hot and crispy. And as fas as atmosphere, maybe my expectations were too high. But uhhhh....stay away if you're a true sushi fan.

Jocelyn R.

Decided to go here based on the positive reviews. Everyone keeps saying it's the "best sushi in the area." Maybe I was spoiled by really good sushi places in California because I found this place to not be good at all. I mean the Udon was tasty. The only reason I ordered Udon was because the sushi didn't look appetizing on the (old and dirty) menus. My friend on the other hand decided to give it a try. It was horrible. Not fresh. Not fresh. Not fresh. We didn't even bother finishing the roll.

Natasha S.

This is a quaint spot that doesn't have too much to offer in atmosphere or interior design, however it does have a front patio to sit in. Which on a nice day, is always my favorite. The service was decent, and the prices are average. We ordered some appetizers, like the age-tofu and the gyozas. Nothing to cry about, but the sushi was decent. Although the rice was a tad overcooked, it wasn't rolled too thick. I love sushi that doesn't have more rice than fish, and I felt the fish to rice ratio was on point here. I thought that the two times I came here, the fish was fresh. But it they didn't have any roll combinations that really called out to me. However, the basic and classic rolls here are good.

Anjaly P.

Wow! I'm so glad I finally made it here. Food was fresh, service was quick and quality was good. I'm not an expert in sushi, but this is the best I've had in the area without going super high end. Perfect casual place too.

Hannah A.

Small. Quaint place, so go when there's not a rush. Great fresh food :)

Alan B.

Wow, this restaurant having three and a half stars is yet more proof DC is NOT a foodie town. I just got back from lunch there - for the first time based on the Yelp reviews. UGH! The miso soup was instant (Really? I've made miso soup at home many times, and it's easy to do.) Then our bentos - the California roll was warm. The tempura shrimp was out of a bag, and the coating didn't match the tempura vegetables at all, which were greasy and flaccid. My teriyaki chicken was borderline underdone and tasted about as Japanese as a Hyundai. I only ate the ends and left the majority. So too the dumplings were from a bag in the freezer, so I only ate the one, leaving the other. May Island in Alexandria or Maneki Neko in Falls Church blow this restaurant out of the water. I'd say it's what I'd imagine you'd get in a bus station in Japan, but having been to Japan four times I think even the worst food I ever had there was better than this.

Greg W.

Came here for dinner on Thursday night around 7:30. They have only about 3 parking spaces next to the building. If those are taken, I think you'll have to find parking on the street (it's plentiful though). It wasn't too crowded at that time but restaurant was full within half an hour. Our group of 4 sat inside the dining room area. Not sure what other yelpers were talking about regarding the restaurant having an odor as it smelled perfectly fine. The service was prompt and attentive. We ordered only sushi and they gave us complimentary appetizers of miso soup, a small fish dish, salad with a peanut sauce dressing, and edamame. The sashimi and the rolls were delicious! The fish on the sashimi were big in size and very fresh. The rolls were very flavorful. Favorites being the spicy tuna and fish, the eel rolls, and the spider rolls. Prices were very reasonable for the sushi. Basic sashimi for about $5 for 2 pieces, basic rolls for about $5-6. And specialty rolls for about $10. Definitely plan on coming again for good sushi!

Kristen T.

Great little sushi place! The restaurant is small, but the sushi is wonderful. Love that it comes with soup and salad too. If you want sushi in Crystal City, this is the place. I love their spicy tuna roll.

Jim T.

Everything you need in lunch sushi place: Great sashimi, Above average tempura, Nice people, good value.

Jerry V.

I've been here twice, and both times were disappointing. The décor is a little dingy and run-down. Some of the sushi was ok, but the big let-down was the eel. The first time I had eel rolls here, the eel had a really weird, rough texture. The second time, I bit into some sort of cartilage-like mass inside the ell roll. I nearly threw up. I won't be back.

M B.

Why so soggy? Went recently when there was no crowd at all on a Sunday. Sliced sushi rolls had very soggy rice. It was odd. I had read another review about the soggy sushi but thought that it must have been a unique experience for that diner. Nope. Perhaps it's the way they prefer to keep their rice moist over a long day. Didn't work for me and ended up not eating at least half of our meals.

Chris C.

Whoa!! I totally dont understand any of the bad reviews. I LOVE this place. The fish is always fresh and the rice is to die for. My favorite thing on the menu is the Chirashi. For only $18 you get a heaping bowl of fresh, thick cut nigiri on a bed of rice (usually my husband and I will get this and a roll and split them). There are no thin sliced sashimi here! And if you are a fan of white tuna.... well then, you are in heaven. With any entree you get miso soup, salad with peanut dressing, and they usually bring out random selections of fish or other appetizers (small portions). Give me some Saporo and their Salmon and Tuna any day. You cannot beat the price, and you CANNOT beat the quaility.

Alvin B.

Great little spot for the money. Nothing super-special, but a good value, nice wait staff, fresh food, and not horrendously expensive. I go pretty regularly with my girlfriend, and we're both fans. If you're into particularly complex rolls, or other such things I can't speak to what you'll get. My sushi taste is pretty simple. I can vouch for tuna, salmon, soft-shell crab, and eel-cucmber rolls. Also, the quail egg is nice.

Cassie C.

The food is just okay here. The sushi is comparable to mall sushi. The miso soup is good. Atmosphere is okay. They have a happy hour special before 6:30, and parking is free. This place is okay if you are nearby, but otherwise I would skip it.

Dan J.

Sushi was good and service was attentive, but nothing special, so I am rating them as average. Will definitely return here and making this a local standby even if I do not entertain people here.

Nicole L.

We wanted something quick - the name Bonsai just made me want to eat there. Haha. The restaurant was not crowded but we decided to sit at the sushi bar. I ordered a seaweed salad, a spider roll, fatty yellowtail and escolar nigiri. We were served complimentary miso soup and three pieces of grilled snapper. It was quite nice and tasty. The seaweed salad was slimy, it was not prepared properly. We saw the sushi chef preparing our platter but noticed a unagi roll (dragon roll) it looked fantastic but we didnt order it. It turned out my 1 stroke for spider roll went over and the waitress took it as an order for the dragon roll. After we clarified, they graciously removed the roll without charging us. That was nice. I was very impressed with the fatty yellowtail and the escolar, they were of great quality, cut flat and long, the cut provided a great surface area for tasting.

Chris R.

Definitely my favorite restaurant in terms of food on the 23rd st strip. The food is good and fresh. Nothing cutting edge here, just a decent local sushi joint. Service can be bit odd. The waitstaff seems to always be running frantically, even when the place is half full and occasionally I have to remind them to bring an item or drink. Still they are very nice. Anyways, if you live in the area, its a decent local spot. I wouldn't travel for it, but if you are nearby it'll provide a decent meal.

Marina M.

Service was extremely slow. Usually sushi places are known for having fast service but everything took forever, including getting the waitstaff to come over in the first place. Sushi was fine but nothing mind blowing. They did not bother to tell us what is what when they brought the sushi over so we had a few moments of confusion of new rolls we decided to try. Not a huge deal but still expected better. Asia Bistro in Pentagon Row is better.

Alli K.

The better of the two sushi places around crystal city... Definitely sit outside. I like the soup & salad that comes with!

N M.

Sushi was good.. Service not so good.

Matt W.

Great little sushi bar!

David K.

Anyone that thinks the quality of fish here is bad is SADLY mistaken. I have been to a million sushi restaurants around the US and this restaurant ranks WITH THE BEST! I have never had a bad meal, as a matter of fact, they have been all EXCELLENT! Why three stars?? The service is fair, and there is 0, and I mean 0, atmosphere in this place. One of my pet peeves is a sushi chef(s) that just sit there like a bump on a log and don't engage the customers (sitting at the sushi bar of course.) This place is definitely no exception to that rule. All in all, this place is an outstanding place for a MEAL, but not a good place for a NIGHT OUT.

Kerianne K.

I have been to dozens and dozens of sushi restaurants in the No. VA area- eat sushi close to 3 times a week, and I have to say that this is my favorite. This is my boyfriend and I's "go-to" sushi restaurant or just when we want to eat out. This place is fantastic! Pros- -Reasonably priced rolls- not the cheapest I have seen, but definitly not the most expensive in the DC area- and its good quality fish and ingredients. -Quick service- Usually you are in-and-out for dinner in about 45 minutes. I have never had to wait longer -Free!- dinners come with soup/salad/fish appetizer automatically with your dinner purchase no matter what you get- which is a nice touch since many other restaurants make you pay for that. -Friendly- If you come mor than 2-3 times the staff remembers you, and my boyfriend has actually had them make a specialty roll for him and each time the waitress remembers and automatically adds it. -To go- they will also do all sushi (with the soup and salad!) to go as well. -Parking- free parking which none of the other restaurants have- there is only a couple of spots but there is ample street parking. Cons- -There is no atmosphere, this is true, it is more of a 'hole in the wall" but its extremely clean and has a little outdoor porch area next to the other Crystal City restaurants. I personally think the taste of the food is more important than the atmosphere. I have never noticed a smell as some other people have stated.

Rac Leng S.

Really enjoyed myself with an order of delux sushi set. I could taste the freshness of the fish and the sushi rice was perfect too. Service was good. I minus one star because they charge you $0.99 for a cup of hot green tea which I feel should come with the meal at all Japanese restaurant.

Windi L.

While the decor of this place isn't much to write about, the sushi sure is. Bonsai offers a wide variety of sushi choices and rolls all prepared with super fresh fish. My favorite roll is the soft shell crab roll. Now normally you wouldn't think of cooked soft shell crab in a sushi roll but it was beyond yummers and it gave the sushi roll an extra crunch. Presentation was also amazing and service was top notch. I guess the bottom line is come here for a cozy dinner/lunch in a spot that offers fresh sushi and decent prices. They also have Bento Boxes available.

Byron A.

It's a modest, smallish place but the staff were very attentive and friendly, and the sushi was both nicely presented and delicious. I had some maki and sashimi; the sashimi quality was good, and the maki were well-prepared.

Si S.

This restaurant is closed on Mondays!

Eliza B.

I very rarely give scathing reviews, but this place is awful. It smells terrible, like moth balls. So pungent that the food is tainted. My husband and I decided to try it out this fall. We sat outside. As soon as the waitress opened the door, I thought something smelled funny. We ordered water and a few rolls. Both the water and sushi were inedible because the moth ball smell had seeped into the food. It was disgusting. They were very nice when I told them that we couldnt eat the food and didnt want to be charged for it. I am surprised that they stay in business with this problem.

Isabel B.

I must say, the only reason we went to Bonsai for lunch was because it is one of the few places in Crystal City with its own free parking space (only two spots, but still). Except for two tables outside, the place was empty around 11:30 am, but it still took the waitress a long time to acknowledge us, which is especially annoying given the fact that the place is tiny. By the time she finally got to us, we were ready to order. I got the seaweed salad ($4.75) and the vegetarian Ume Maki roll (plum paste and cucumber, $3.50). My friend got the Gyoza appetizer ($4.25) and the salmon roll. My salad was very small and not delicious. I couldn't tell what the "special sauce" was, but either way, I didn't love it. The roll was forgettable, nothing special about it at all either. My friend didn't like the fact that they put shrimp in the gyoza, but said that the roll was ok. Probably won't be coming back here. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. Oh well, at least parking was free.

Josh S.

My apartment was out of power and electricy due to thunderstorm and it was way too hot to stay inside without anything to do. Since I live so close to 23rd St., my roommate and I decide to go for some eats and stay cool under A/C. We ended up coming to this little Sushi restaurant for dinner. From outside looking in, it's a small, tiny, but cozy little restaurant. They do have few outside seatings for nice cool summer outings. When we got there, it wasn't all that crowded, few tables occupied, few servers greeted us. I ordered a Japanese noodle soul called 'Udon' and my roommate got a sushi entree. The entire menu seemed bit overpriced even for a Sushi place. Maybe I was expected to be cheap judging on the interior design of the restaurant. After we ordered our meals, the waitress quickly brough Miso Soup and Ginger Salad. My roommate wanted to know whether this will be on our bills or not and they weren't. I guess those are equivalent to bread & salad you get from Olive Gardens. The waitress' service was good too - fast and efficient. The entrees came out and my Udon was bigger than I expected. His sushi even looked great and fresh. We enjoyed our meals and it was delicious - he thought it's still overpriced for what he got. I think this is more suited for family-oriented restaurant than Happy-Hour like for young professional want to grab few bites of Sushi and drink up. There are plenty ot fhose trendy, overpriced a la carte, and crowded Japanese restaurants in the city. This isn't one of them. I'd personally come back again, but only if I had to like power outage event. I do believe the price is bit hige for what you'd get but wouldn't complain too much.

Michele D.

No, no, no. Not anymore. Since the time I met my girl Karman there, I've returned on two different occasions. Once a few months ago with a colleague from work and then again last night with a friend. The visit a few months ago was when I realized the quality of the food was not quite as good as it was on my first visit. I had the dinner special with the tuna sushi and chicken yakisoba. The work colleague tried a sample of the yakisoba and thought it was ok. I thought it was meh, and even the sushi was meh. Last night's visit was just off. I arrived first and walked into the restaurant. I immediately detected a unique smell that made me ask for an outdoor table (there are a few tables on the patio). I went for the same thing: special with tuna sushi, but this time, since I knew I didn't care for the yakisoba, I went with the udon. My dining companion ordered the chicken yakisoba. This time the sushi went from meh to yuk. I didn't even finish it. The udon was not bad, but really, how can you mess that up? My friend wasn't too hungry, but said that the yakisoba was ok. We were finished with our meals and our plates were sitting in front of us for a while. When our server came out, I let her know we were done. She took his plate, but not mine. My friend had arrived with a gift for me, so I really wanted to have some space in front of me so I could open it. We saw her come back out to the patio a couple more times, still not taking my stuff, so finally my friend got her attention and told her to take the plates away. Needless to say, he didn't leave much of a tip. Unfortunately, with so many other better dining choices in the area, I doubt I will be back.

Stefanie S.

The first thing to hit me when I walked in was the stench of moth balls. After getting past that and giving them the benefit of the doubt, the sushi was mediocre. My maki rolls were eh, but the sashimi platter my friend ordered looked pretty good and seemed to have better quality fish. It's nice that they include soup and salad, but the soup is dishwater bland and I wasn't a fan of the sesame peanut dressing.

Jeremy R.

Had the early bird special. I was impressed at the amount of food. I got two rolls and a noodle dish for 15 bucks. Most places charge you that for the two rolls.

Julie J.

I ate at Bonsai Sushi last night and was very disappointed. Even considering the relatively cheap pricetag, the food was not good. They have an early bird special if you arrive between 4:30 and 6:30pm during the week, but I definitely don't recommend it. The "atmosphere" is nothing to write home about, but I don't mind that much... especially for cheapish sushi, but the tofu was disgusting and the sushi wasn't much better. The tempura looked to be southern fried--not the light breading and frying you expect from a Japanese restaurant. I have eaten here before and had the chicken dinner box is not horrible, but nothing to write home about. I would avoid the sushi... seriously. Also, the service is not good. Our waitress was not even close to friendly.

Liz G.

Everytime I visit this place, the food is exceptionally fresh! The Chirashi bowl is a great price and pilled high with very tasty and fresh fish. Great hole in the wall sushi resturant and they have a few free parking spaces.

Karman L.

This is one of the restaurant along 23rd Street (Restaurant Row) in Crystal City. Service was a little slow, but food was good, price is fairly decent. I had the Tuna and Salmon Combo (7 pcs Salmon Sashimi, 5 pcs Tuna Sushi, 1 Spicy Tuna Roll) for $18.95. YUMMY!!! Sashimi and Sushi are fresh and thick sliced, Spicy Tuna wasn't too spicy (good for me). FYI - They have an Early Bird Special (mon - fri 4-6:30pm, sat-sun 12pm-5:30pm) for $13.95 - which includes one item for sushi bar (i.e. sashimi sampler - 12 pcs) and one item from kitchen (i.e. scallop tempura), and served with soup, salad, and steamed rice.

Michelle M.

This is a great place for simple, fresh sushi. I got the Salmon/Tuna combo and you get miso soup and a salad with it for 20 bucks. The pieces of fish are really big. The entree could really be split between two people. Super good! Will definitely go back!

Sully M.

Great Sushi. Simple, quaint little spot. No flash, great prices, service that was ready every time I turned around. Salmon was incredible and so was the White Tuna. On my first trip there (and I am from out of town), they befriended me within 10 minutes and by the end I was sad I had to leave. Great spot, I would recommend it again and again

Eric W.

Salmon box was good. Early bird special is a nice deal.

Tara L.

A lot of sushi around DC is catered towards the professional on the go and therefore isn't the best quality rice or fish. Bonsai is different. I've been there twice and the fish has been extremely fresh. My only complaint is that the rolls fall apart easily (maybe it has something to do with the rice) but that's really the only bad part. Both times the food has been made quickly. Major plus: They have parking next door to the restaurant. It's a difficult lot to back out of but parking is often difficult on 23rd St.

Nancy B.

I first went to Bonsai Sushi in Crystal City about six years ago. It was my first time in DC and while the meal was ok, it wasn't anything to fawn over so it wasn't my "go to" spot. A few days ago my friend and I decided to try out Bonsai once more. Upon arriving and sitting for what must have been 15-20 minutes, the waitress finally came by to get our drink order. I did try to give her the benefit of the doubt because she looked swamped so I won't hold that against Bonsai. As for the sushi and sashimi that we ordered, I was less than impressed. The sashimi appeared in chunks that needed to be sliced a little further to be edible. As for the sushi, I think the fish was minced to the part it was mush and not tasty. For me, and maybe this is a preference, I would enjoy sushi when you can see what type of sushi is rolled (eg tuna vs yellowtail) instead of playing the guessing game. I am not sure if I would try Bonsai again. If I do, I may have to test out their Tonkatsu or Katsu Don but as for the sushi, I think I'll pass.