Sushi-Zen
2457 N Harrison St, Arlington, VA, 22207
Sushi-Zen Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Arlington for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2457 N Harrison St
Arlington, VA, 22207 - Phone (703) 534-6000
- Website https://www.sushizen.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Patrick B.
Great sushi. Inexpensive. We've been there twice, once for sushi and once for noodles. Both times we were happy with the results. Taste was on point for the cost. The decore is charming, reminds me of something out of San Francisco. One of those hole in the wall sushi spots. Service is prompt and polite. We will be back.
(4)D G.
I'm lowering my previous review out of disappointment from my recent dining experience. I picked up lunch to go the other day and was extremely disappointed that they put a hot and steaming deep fried roll inside the same plastic to-go container as my completely raw sushi roll. The result when I got home was a soggy friend roll and a steamed raw roll that was completely unappetizing (picture sweating raw tuna that was turning light pink from being cooked by the steam). Also, both the salmon and tuna in my rolls were very fibrous and full of sinew. I felt like I got the reject cuts in my roll. The roll slices were also cut extremely large and could not be enjoyed in one bite as they are supposed to be. I did not enjoy my rolls and was very disappointed. The miso soup was delicious as always but the salad dressing was more mayonnaise-y than I remember. However they were very generous with the to-go salad, which is often not the case at sushi places. The teriyaki lunch special was delicious and no complaints there. They were also very kind and made special child chopsticks for my son which was a very sweet gesture that did not go unnoticed. I'll be giving sushi-zen another shot because I'm such a long time customer but was very disappointed with my most recent visit.
(3)Mary Kate M.
Lunch review ... I have to admit the quality of their teriyaki chicken and veggie/shrimp tempura bento box was on point. It was really tasty! I got it to-go, and my interaction with the lady who took my order over the phone and the ladies who welcomed me when I came in were pleasant and hospitable. It would be worth trying their sushi.... it's just a matter of when.
(4)Kristen D.
This place is a neighborhood gem. The Cruncy rolls, Blue Fire and Outrageous rolls are some of my favorites. I like that the sushi is moderately priced but very good quality. The sushi chefs do a great job with the presentation of the sushi as well. For those who don't like sushi as much, I would recommend trying their sweet potato roll (tempura sweet potato inside a roll) or their chicken teriyaki dish. They make their own teriyaki sauce. The miso soup and the salad with ginger dressing is very good. Staff is very friendly and I love sitting at the bar to chat with the sushi chefs. Please look no further than Sushi Zen for some great service and quality food.
(5)Tom M.
Just a follow up review to share how great the food and service is at a Sushi Zen. I love coming here - it's always friendly with a greeting the minute you enter the door. The servers are friendly but not pushy (I hate the server who has to check after every bite if things are ok... Trust! If there's something wrong I'll find you.) always quietly refilling your hot tea and water, and if you sit at the sushi bar you'll get a warm greeting from the chefs, too. So on top of the great service, you get great food here. Tonight I had a sashimi appetizer with Toro and New Zealand Salmon - for only $16! Combined with a couple of rolls and I'm one happy man! The food is always awesome, but tonight's was just a little more yummy because of the sashimi. The food is prepared with lots of TLC - all of the sushi chefs take pride in their work. Don't just take my word for it - this place was Best of Arlington 2014 for best sushi.
(5)Jamie G.
What a great find for a sushi restaurant in Arlington. Tried many sushi spots in DC and VA and this has been the best so far. Ordered the Virginia Roll & Salmon Avocado. The salad dressing was yummy also! If you join the rewards club, they will give you a coupon for your next visit.
(5)Brooke B.
My friends took me here for my birthday. The food was good and I honestly don't have anything bad to say about the place. They have other food if you don't want raw fish. I only noticed that because a few of my friends got steak or chicken and not sushi. The staff was super nice and service was good. It was a little difficult to find but otherwise good. The place was packed.
(4)Stan B.
Best Sushi in the Arlington area. Always have great experience eating here. The service is excellent and the prices are fair.
(5)Nic T.
I love me some sushi and this place delivers on all fronts. I just had an extravagant birthday dinner with the works. Sashimi. Nigiri. Rolls. Tempura. Miso soup. It was all delicious. First things first: The spicy rolls are actually spicy with a good kick to them which is really hard to find. The sauces they put on everything somehow tastes fresher than other places I've been to. Also they had uni that was perfect. I mean I am trying to think of a downside to this place. The service was excellent and very friendly, the amount of fish you get on each piece is beyond generous (Honestly the rolls were just filled to the brim). The owner and his son work behind the bar making everything which is adorable and authentic. This place is a rare find if you love sushi go here and order everything.
(5)Francis P.
I've been coming here for 9 years. They won best sushi 2014. Friendly staff and outrageous food.
(5)Benjamin E.
A personal favorite. As a family we get the large sushi boat which fits for about four people. I love the convenience of it being next to Harris Teeter.
(4)Heather B.
Took the kids to lunch and saw a sushi place so we figured we would try it since it was near thier school. We ordered 2 different shrimp tempura rolls, a soft shell crab roll, California roll, and some sashimi. We all got muso soup and salad. The sashimi came out first. Not too bad. The fish was sliced a little thin. We ordered 8 pieces of white tuna and 8 pieces of salmon. The sushi came out next. The portions ended up being quite large. We couldn't finish it all. It was a decent filling lunch for four people.
(3)Andrea N.
Can't believe I didn't try this place sooner, since it seems that the kids and I are risking death in this crazy parking lot a few times a day. Gosh, it just gets busier and busier there, but so many good businesses and not enough land; what are you going to do? The staff at Sushi Zen is super nice. I went there with my 4 year old daughter, not expecting that she'd eat a thing. (in fact, we arrived with a full bowl of Tutti Frutti for her). They were very nice about her bringing in outside food and also brought her paper to color. I got salmon teriyaki and it was delicious. Teriyaki can sometimes be too sweet, but this was just a marvelous, well-balanced sauce and a good sized portion of fresh salmon too. A very nice neighborhood sushi place, well worth consideration if you have not tried it.
(5)Chinky L.
If you have those American taste buds or aren't a sushi-snob, this place is for you! The food here is very bland. The rice is very very dry and the seaweed is old, as well. I've eaten at way better sushi places, such as Koi-Koi and Sushi-Yama. The service was horrible, too. Don't forget, how big customer service is. The place is located in a strip mall, Besides a Starbucks and Harris teeter, so expect to drive around for about 30 mins looking for parking. Expect the server to come around A LOT and apply pressure for you to order. Also, expect long wait for the food to be served and the tea to be refilled. Oh, and... EXPECT THE CHECK TO BE ABOUT 100 for a party of 3. I'm so pissed that the quality of food and service came out to be more expensive than eating at Chart House in Alexandria. In fact, other sushi joints don't cost a fraction of what this shitty place did, and the food and service is betterrrrrr. Like, wayyyyyy better!!
(2)Jennifer R.
Both the miso soup and salad dressing were overly salted. But my rolls were great and the salmon was truly fresh. A good first visit!
(4)Jackie M.
This was my first time trying this restaurant and I liked a few things. I ordered for pick up and it was ready on time and customer service was nice. Also, the sushi tastes very good. However, for the price I expected the specialty red dragon roll to be bigger. My phili roll was poorly made the salmon looked sloppy and the amount of cream cheese in each roll was drastically uneven. Again the sushi did taste good don't get me wrong but this was my first and last time ordering from here again
(2)Giovanna S.
This is my go to sushi place. The food is amazing, the restaurant is inviting and comfortable. If you love sushi then you have to try sushi-zen.
(5)Tom C.
Amazing sushi the best I have ever had! The ingredients were so fresh. The staff was very nice, and welcoming. I would come back every week.
(5)Michael B.
only been here once and i only got a beer, but i'm planning on going back and will update accordingly.
(3)Elizabeth M.
I've been going to this wonderful gem for years and it's always wonderful! They have a winning combination of the best sushi and a great staff! Try their salad! The dressing should be a dip. My current favorite roll is the super crunchy roll. Order it and you won't be disappointed! For dessert, have the lavender ice cream. It's a great end to a great meal
(5)Brian L.
Okay, it's not really as bad as "supermarket sushi" .. come on guys, give them a bit of a break. It's not bad, it's not spectacular. I go here on rare occasion; my mother, despite being Asian, refuses to eat raw fish. But the good thing about this place is that they have a number of non-sushi Japanese dishes to choose from. She loved her salmon. The unagi was lackluster, I've had much better a number of other places. I had something called the outrageous roll. It wasn't outrageous, but it had a nice combination of soft and crunchy textures. The prices seem a dollar or two higher than it should be, considering these are not that elaborate or flashy. I wouldn't mind coming in here once in a while. I don't know the area very well anymore, but surely better sushi can be found elsewhere.
(3)Ursula E.
Was hungry and craving sushi zen specifically, the doors were opened when we walked in (3:30pm). But they were "closed" until 5pm. Big thumbs down to you!!! Not my fave place anymore. If you are closed until a specific hour, then stay closed!
(1)Alex F.
I experienced this restaurant for the first time this past weekend. I was thoroughly impressed with the attentiveness of the waitress and quality of the fish. Id recommend a try to any casual sushi fan like myself as well as the experts.
(4)Cp T.
Great solid place for sushi. Can get busy, so patience is a virtue that you shall be greatly rewarded for. The sushi sashimi combo is fantastic and everything was extremely fresh. They have interesting dishes like the sushi roll lasagna which was fantastic. They even have sushi kids menu. A good solid place for sushi!
(4)Ellen H.
Eating at Sushi Zen is like going home for dinner. You have an attentive mother, father, and son team who bring out amazing food. I always leave with a full belly and a warm heart!
(5)Lewis M.
Sushi Zen is my go-to restaurant when I need to fill my sushi cravings. Sushi Zen has been open for almost twenty years, and management understands what it takes to run a successful restaurant. Every time I go, they have new items on the menu, and I am always satisfied with the quality of the fish, rice, etc. I have NEVER been let down by the quality of ingredients even though I have been going here for a few years now, and have tried just about everything on the sushi menu. The customer service is also great, I was frequently checked on by the waitress but never felt rushed or pressured to leave. We also had the owner of the restaurant come to our table several times to check on things. The most notable thing about my experiences at Sushi Zen is that each meal I have there is better than the last. The people at Sushi Zen are absolutely committed to serving the customers the finest sushi at whatever cost, and I can always trust them to deliver exactly what I need. Sushi Zen sets the bar for sushi restaurants, if not all restaurants, in the Northern Virginia area. It is simply a must-try.
(5)Anthony I.
Have I really never reviewed Sushi Zen? I go here about 3 times a week for lunch and dinner and everything is always spectacular. Let me begin by starting with the obvious, fresh, delicious fish. Every sushi restaurant needs top quality fish and Sushi Zen has it. Not only is it fresh but the rolls and sashimi are prepared perfectly, everything is always perfect. Every meal starts with some of the best miso soup that I have ever had and it only gets better from there. I am a huge fan of their sashimi, the chefs, Chef Yuh, Chef Brian and Chef Carlos are truly masters. Their skills at the counter are unparalleled, their plating and presentation are stunning and some of their rolls are truly creative. I have never had a bad meal here, my go to dishes are any sashimi platter, the blue fire roll, the Arlington roll and my new favorite, the chai tuna roll, AMAZING! Sit at the sushi bar and watch the chefs prepare some amazing dishes and ask them for something special, you will never be disappointed! Chef Carols makes everyone feel like a regular, he knows your order after 2 visits and makes you feel like you are the only customer he has! Sushi Zen is a gem, if you are craving sushi, look no further.
(5)Steve K.
The food was delicious .. but the service I got from my waitress was phenomeninal. Came to eat for dinner and my waitress welcomed me with a friendly smile and till the end of my dinner, made sure that everything was okay. Thankyou! Will be back
(5)Scott Z.
Sushi Zen in moderately priced and the staff is efficient. Their sushi is alright but it doesn't really wow me either. The restaurant decor and ambiance is a little dated. I've found their servers to always be pleasant. If you are looking for a quick meal, this place will fit your needs. If you are looking for something a little more upscale/fancy, this might not be the place you want to go to.
(3)Lee F.
I found this to be pretty good although pricey. I got the Udon soup with tempura. The tempura was very good. I liked that a lot. And the soup was not bad, but the broth was a little too salty and a little heavy on the seaweed taste. I also got the salmon nigiri sushi which was good. However, the portions were smaller than other sushi places, and it didn't seem quite as fresh. The service was okay. The waitress was friendly, but I had to ask for silverware and wasaabi, although she fixed both very quickly. Overall, not bad at all, but it's just not something I'm going to seek out frequently due to the price.
(3)Henry N.
This place is so good! It's not like other sushi places I go to. The service is not fast but not slow. They have a sushi bar you can sit at or you can sit at a table. They give a side of vegetables if your getting one of there specials. It's in a strip mall. The parking is not very good in the parking lot, so I suggest to park in the lot near pet-smart and just walk over.
(4)Carly L.
This is one of my favorite sushi places. First off, there is no smell. Even a lot of "authentic" and well-reviewed sushi places in the area smell like rotten fish. Clearly, if the restaurant is cleanly and knows what it's doing with seafood, it won't smell. At Sushi Zen there is not even a whiff when you walk in. The decor is quaint and inviting, and allows for an intimate dining experience. There is ample seating at the sushi-bar so you can watch the artists at work, as well as tables accommodating small parties which are separated by screens. Whenever I go I've ordered sushi a la carte. If you order over a certain amount, they include miso soup (rich and delicious) and a small garden salad (with that intoxicating dressing I can't replicate). My personal favorite is the Spider roll, with soft shell crab and avocado. It's truly delicious! There is a large selection of nigiri, as well as traditional sushi rolls and also lots of Chef's Specials. There's also a fairly ample vegetarian selection, and a decent amount of seasonal specials. If you're lucky, they'll have the Toro nigiri in stock; order if you can and you won't be disappointed! The waitstaff is always friendly but I will admit that some are better than others.
(4)Ladan M.
Fresh. Three days later and hubby and I are still talking about our meal. Seared salmon roll was perfect. Lightly seared, still fresh on the inside, just enough tempura flakes to give a slight crunch. Feel like family every time I go there.
(4)Meredyth K.
This is one of my regular places for sushi. The chefs are great and the sushi is always fresh. Their menu is a little limited and they just increased their prices a little, but it's still very competitive. The staff isn't as attentive as I would like, especially when they get busy, but the service is always professional. I absolutely love their miso soup and salad. And their customer club is great, regularly mailing coupons and deals.
(4)Juliet K.
got a fairly large order for 4 to go. we ordered when we got there, and they were quick to make our order. we ordered 7 different types of rolls, miso soup and salad, seaweed salad, and age tofu. we also ordered the lavender honey ice cream and ate while we waited. disappointing: the age tofu was just ok. its much better at some other places. the "crust" around the tofu wasnt right. I also thought the lavender flavor in the ice cream was too overpowering. although it was good, i wish the lavender was muted just a bit. the wasabi was not strong enough. had to use almost ALL of it to get the normal punch of that wasabi flavor. good: fresh, delicious rolls. the one roll with the shrimp tempura in the middle and tuna and avocado on top was amazing. I forget what it was called. we also replaced the philadelphia for fresh salmon instead of smoked salmon.
(3)Patrick C.
Still an excellent place for sushi. My wife and I always sit at the sushi bar and have fun conversations with the sushi chefs. Their sashimi special always tends to have more fish, and better quality fish, than the sashimi platters I've tried at other sushi restaurants. My only wish is that unagi/eel was a part of that dish. My wife tends to order various maki rolls, and those are always really tasty. They definitely don't skimp on fish in their rolls (see the pics I just uploaded); some other places I've tried basically give you rice balls instead of sushi rolls Quite frankly, I still don't understand the negative reviews considering the restaurant is pretty packed on the Friday and Saturday nights that we go, and their takeout business seems to be thriving. I believe that much of the repeat clientele is a bit older and doesn't necessarily tend to be the same demographic that utilizes Yelp a lot, and as a result a lot of the reviews skew downward.
(4)Bela P.
Really great sushi, and I've never had a problem with service. I usually sit at the sushi bar and the guys making the sushi are super nice and interactive. Nothing fancy about the setting, but it gets the job done. Also, if you ask super nicely, the ladies will let you change the channel on the big TV in the corner...score.
(4)Jackie R.
So the sushi at this place is great.. actually maybe the best i've had in Arlington and i've been here for 4 years now.. the only reason I didnt give it more stars is because of the service.. my friends and I did go towards closing but they were rude the second we walked in the door. The girl had the worst attitude I was beyond offended but the sushi came out and was so good that I overlooked it. I will be getting sushi from then from now on but probably for take out.
(4)Ben E.
My girlfriend and I have made this a weekly go-to spot and are convinced that this is one of the top three sushi joints in Arlington. Their sushi is fresh and super tasty. Everything roll is wrapped neatly so the rice doesn't stick together, the seaweed is so soft and moist and the spices are perfect. We've had nights where the service has been overwhelmed due to high volume and they'd comped our appetizers. Great service and a neighborhood feel.
(5)Paul W.
My revised review: Well, word has gotten out! Damn you Arlington Magazine "best of". I have bumped it up to 5 stars because they added more staff and the service reflects that. I've been going here for over 12 years (100+ times) and never had a bad experience
(5)Jackie B.
so as I reviewed before the sushi was great but the service not so much. Well since then I've been back twice and the service was far better and the sushi still just as fabulous. fave new sushi place for sure :) thank you!
(5)Lottie Y.
The taste of the rolls here is average. The portion is very big though. Each roll is about 50% bigger than what I have had else where. I recommend their sweet potato roll and soft crab roll, which are very special.
(3)Ryan B.
I really wanted to like this place. However, after paying $17+ for soggy chiken katsu with virtually no panko, a paltry serving of rice, and bland misoshiru, I struggle to recommend it. While I was pleased by the visual presentation of the food, the dish itself is bland and spiritless. I would have thought they'd have more pride in their work. I have also had their sushi, which while satisfying, was small in portion (thin neta) and thus over-priced.
(2)Ryan S.
Took a spicy roll combo home for lunch. Although missed the soup and salad it usually comes with, it was still as delicious as always. Great local place to go for sushi. Highly recommended dine-in and carryout.
(5)Elle E.
My go-to neighborhood sushi joint for more than 10 years now. On most days, the restaurant's owner is on hand making sushi at the sushi bar. I find fish that's always fresh and tasty, the miso soup soothing and yummy, the simple salad coated in an awesome dressing, and the service very friendly. (though it's true, some members of the waitstaff are far better at their job than others.) I love straight raw fish -- whether sushi & sashimi -- though I've lately begun exploring some of their 'specialty' rolls. I'm becoming a big fan of their soft-shell crab roll and their rainbow roll. My friends and I rarely order 'cooked' appetizers or meals, but the few times we have, I haven't been disappointed at all. In the last few years, they've introduced a 'Royalty Rewards' program for regular/returning customers. If you haven't signed up yet, I recommend it. About once every 6-8 weeks my husband and I get a coupon in the mail offering us a $5 or $10 discount on our next meal. It's a good deal, and doesn't costs you anything to sign up (although I noticed the owners wife can be a bit pushy about getting people to sign up for it.)
(4)Carcel H.
Wow, where'd all these bad reviews come from? I am in shock right now... I could not disagree more with these bad reviews!! Sushi-Zen is one of my favorite Japanese restaurants, and I only have a couple! I love their AMAZING sushi, especially the Sophia roll! If you've never had this, you must definitely try it. Go, now now now! I rarely sit at the sushi bar by myself, but at Sushi-Zen, I would do it in a heart beat. The people behind the bar will make you feel as comfortable as if you're actually dining with somebody else! Another thing I love about Sushi-Zen is how fresh their ingredients are. I remember my first time having toro, and I had it at Sushi-Zen, and I just fell in love! I craved toro for a couple weeks after that. I tried a couple of other restaurants' toro, and they definitely did not suffice. I love their salad dressing, which they make themselves! You can't really find a lot of restaurants that still make their own dressings and things like that, and I was surprised to learn that Sushi-Zen did. You can eat their dressing with ANYTHING, because it is that AMAZING! I love Sushi-Zen! Don't let these bad reviews stop you from going if you've never been! Judge for yourself, because TRUST ME, you will keep coming back!!!
(4)Michelle L.
I'm very picky about my sushi, but at Sushi Zen, its not bad, especially for the Northern Virginia Area. The atmosphere is very pleasant, the service is always great, and prices are about average. I like their spicy tuna and their speciality rolls, AND YOU DONT EVEN TASTE THE FISHY-NESS (which is always an A+).
(3)Scott S.
I had no idea this place was even here. Awesome lunch specials (changing daily). We got sushi boxes for pretty cheap, it was like 10 bucks if I remember correctly. There was a ton of different sushi, made for us on the spot, and it was fast too. I was really really happy about it.
(4)Jeffrey S.
I have to honestly say I think 2 and 1/2 stars would be more appropriate, but bottom line, there are far greater sushi restaurants in Northern Virginia. The service is good,... very good considering we were seated at the very front of the restaurant obscured from the sushi bar by a room divider. The problem was more with the inconsistencies with the food. The tuna and salmon sushi were not the smoothest nor freshest that I have tasted. Really good versions of either can practically be gummed apart, these required chewing. The octopus was also a little tougher than most other places as well. The three different rolls I tried, however, were good, to include one special that was topped with sweet potato strips. Some oddities, the beers weren't very cold, both the wasabi and ginger were missing on a boat of sushi for the table's dining party and the tossed salad dressing tasted no special than a slightly spiced mayonaise. Overall an okay experience, but I'm sure every reviewer has at one time or another had better.
(2)Roy J.
First of all, I was surprised to see such a low star rating when I looked up this place. I have been coming here for the past 5 years since I moved to the area. I have ate sushi from all over the country and this place is pretty damn good. Their sushi portions are good, everything always tastes fresh and delicious! The restaurant itself is very small so it is separated by these 5 foot high paper walls. Both of which do not bother me at all, but like I said it is a very small place and can get a little noisy. I believe the owner is Japanese so you know it is authentic. He is usually sitting behind the bar but sometimes when it is busy you can see him making sushi. There is ample parking, although since it is located in a strip mall, it can get packed at times. The reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5 is because the staff is not too friendly. However, sushi is the best you will find in the area.
(4)Zoe B.
The prices don't seem too much higher than your average sushi place on first glance, but my fiancee and I always end up looking at each other at the end of the night wondering how we spent $80+ on dinner. The menu is huge and kind of all over the place. The house salad is my least favorite of all of the sushi places I frequent (the ginger dressing tastes like it is mostly mayonnaise...gross). Other than that, the food is very good, but not the best for the price. The sushi boat has a yummy selection & is good for sharing. It's a nice date restaurant. The staff is always very friendly. Overall, I would go back and enjoy it, but it's not my favorite.
(3)Foodie C.
This wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Maybe the power of Yelp has made the management reevaluate their food. They used to be amazing and apparently went through some bad reviews. It was actually not that bad. Except the service wasn't the greatest. Oh yes can someone let me know if my glass of water has arrived i asked about 5 times for water I almost called in the take out number
(3)Liz K.
Boy oh boy ... I can't believe all the low ratings. This place has very good sushi. It is always clean and FRESH. I have never had a bad meal here. Maybe the service can be kind of harsh but the food is always good.
(5)Kasha W.
Pretty good sushi, rolls are kind of meagerly sized....good times though. Good service
(3)Jessica M.
In a word-- disappointing. My dining companion and I have been looking to support local businesses, and I can say without a doubt, we will never be back. Overall, the food was disapointing, probably 2 stars. The service knocked it down another. We waited at the front of the restaurant for a few minutes unsure if someone saw us enter. We were finally seated, but were not offered menus for 5 minutes. By the time the waitress returned to take out drink orders, we had already filled out our Ala carte menu. 15 minutes to get a water refill, 10 to get the check and another 5 to get change. Essentially, a highly frustrating experience. The ambiance of the restaurant itself is all wrong-- it is sectioned off into small quarters with cheap "japanese" wall sectioning. It looked tacky and made me feel like I was in a jail cell. My dining companion and I started out with two miso soups and edamame-- both equally meh. The miso lacked tofu, tasted mostly of green onion and was overwhelmingly salty. On the contrary, the edamame wasn't salted enough. We orded two Rock n' Rolls (eel, avacado and cucumber) a tuna avacado roll, a softshell crab roll, a spicy salmon roll, and a spicy scallop roll. In all of the rolls, the rice was overcooked and sloppy. The eel was overcooked and crunchy--almost inedible. Both spicy rolls were bland and mushy. The softshell crab didn't have much taste and the tuna avocado was just fair. What surprised me most was how many tables were filled in the place. People! Stop giving this place business! I get fresher, tastier sushi at Whole Foods!
(1)Nina P.
This place is terrible. I know I can be snobbish about sashimi because crap sashimi doesn't cut it for me and I'm used to eating at Tachibana but seriously, if Yama and Sakana in Vienna can run fairly affordable restaurants with great rolls and fresh fish, what is wrong with this place? Even a simple roll (spicy salmon) was so sub-par. I hope people who like this place will try Yama or Sakana and understand that there is such a good thing as good sushi that might be a couple dollars more but worth it. The people were nice though.
(1)Dan T.
In the restaurant business they say that great service can sometimes make up for bad food, but great food never makes up for bad service. Delicious food at this sushi restaurant, but the dining room is filthy and the service is deplorable! The gyoza appetizer was a tad salty, but not horribly so. The specialty maki rolls we ordered were decent-sized portions and had great flavors. The Japanese Lasagna was one of the more original rolls I've ever had. Service was pathetically slow. We were sat at a dirty table with no menus, silverware, or drinks, for about 10 minutes. We had plenty of time to watch the two servers run around with great enthusiasm, but not much direction. We also had plenty of time to discover that the salt & pepper shakers and soy sauce bottles hadn't been cleaned in months. They were sticky, discolored with grease, and were otherwise disgusting. Another 10 minutes before drinks were delivered, then another 10 before our order was taken. No exaggerations here...we timed it! After we finished eating, another 15 minutes before a check was processed. In fact, the server who took my credit card kept running to and from the kitchen WITHOUT the processed check in her hand! This was a bit disconcerting...the restaurant was close to closing at this time, and she was trying to reset the dining room. So where was my credit card? "It's coming! It's coming" she said. New wait staff and a thorough cleaning would make this restaurant a great place. Until then, I'll pass.
(2)Jeff H.
I've been here twice now in the last year. Despite the bad reviews I've read on here, I've been impressed with this place. I've had a wide variety of their nigiri sushi (tuna, boston mackerel, salmon, flounder, etc) along with their rolls and everything has been fresh and tasted great. I'm not quite a sushi conosseuir (may be spelled wrong), but I will keep coming back here. Even my filipino fiancee who knows sushi better than anyone thinks this is the best place in Arlington. Friendly service too! Average prices.
(4)Dian C.
Man, people either love it or hate it here, huh? Well I'm squarely in the middle, 2.5 stars! I'll round up since I don't believe Sushi-Zen deserves the 1 and 1 1/2 stars other reviewers have given it. While it is a tad bit on the expensive side. I've found their portions to be generous and their service to be good (as good as an Asian establishment can get). About their sushi: the fish was relatively fresh and there is a wide range of choices for rolls. I got their scallops with "special sauce" sashimi; while the scallops were fresh, the abundance of mayo overpowered them. I would say Sushi-Zen would suffice if you're not a sushi snob, but if you're really picky about your fish, you can probably find something wrong with Sushi-Zen.
(3)Marye I.
Good little place to satisfy your sushi cravings. The miso soup, cucumber salad and edamame were all standard (that's a good thing) and the sushi itself tasted very fresh. Would go again.
(4)Heather B.
This is actually 1 1/2 stars. I've dined here plenty of times in the past (when I'm looking to have a good conversation) the service takes forever and the sushi is really horrible. And their mi-so soup...have no idea what it is but it just tastes wrong. The only reason I keep coming back is because of the location. I decided to switch to take-out because I couldn't stand the wait anymore but the quality of the sushi is still the same....awful. It never really tastes fresh and has copious amount of unnecessary rice. The price bothers me too, definitely too much for what they're providing. I would suggest walking two doors down to Harris Teeter and picking something out of the fridge, might not taste better but you're not spending as much or waiting on it.
(2)Remy M.
I only had a take-out experience. Not a lot of meat in the rolls...a lot of rice. One roll had more filler than fish. I want fish! If I wanted an avocado, I'd buy one. That being said, everything tasted okay. Nothing remarkable, I'll say.
(3)John B.
I'm not really sure what kind of establishment Sushi Zen is trying to be. From the moment we walked in the service was just lacking in all aspects. We had to wait five minutes at the door before we had to walk up to the sushi bar to tell people we wanted to be seated. After we were finally sat it took another five minutes for a server to take our drink order. Another 10 to get simple fountain drinks and our order. When we were actually fortunate enough to get our food it was of rushed frozen variety and the sushi was adequate at best. From the time we were sat until the time we got the sushi, almost an hour. Another thing to keep in mind if you are looking for a place to take a date, this is not it. Screaming kids, fighting families, and grumpy retirees make this a place fit only for the above mentioned. My recommendation is skip this place and spend your money at Endo Sushi instead.
(1)Liz L.
I've been here a number times because it's convenient for my friends in Arlington but I just CAN'T TAKE IT anymore! I have never disliked a restaurant so much in my life! And it's not because of the shabby out of date looks, sub-par food, or dingy-looking dining area. Nor is it the tacky cut out severely dusty foam Chinese words hanging from a string from the lights, it's the service. Some of the waitress have been super slow. Like my friend and I are the only one in the restaurant, we each ordered one small thing and felt straight up forgotten, slow. Some waitresses are down right catty, it's really hard to get me pissed but they have done just that! Once I met up with some of my friends and all I wanted was a soup and the lady scoffed at me, gave me a look and told me to 'next time take it to go'. Um, excuse me, I'm here to socialize with my friends who are ordering meals, so that seems like a dumb idea to take it to go. I guess you don't want my money?? The food is OK, not really that great to keep going back to with service like that, and for that reason I refuse to go back even if my friends want a convenient local sushi place. I've straight up told my friends I didn't want to meet there and that I'll be happy to drive everyone to a different location. Sushi-Zen is lucky they have a good location, otherwise they would be dead.
(1)Todd J.
after having tried sushi rock, Asahi, Hikaru, and Endo - all in courthouse, I decided to give sushi zena shot. I found Sushi Zen to be the best of these restaurants. Yes, the service is a little slow, but the quality of the sushi was fantastic (by DC area standards). Prices were very reasonable and the portion sizes were excellent. We got 2 miso soup, tempura, 3 special rolls and 2 hand rolls. with Tip it was $75 and we ate a lot. i highly reccomend sushi zen and will go back.
(4)Mal D.
Overpriced and not very good at all. I'd rather go to Harris Teeter next door.
(2)G L.
I love this place! Every time I come back to the DMV area I go here because it is so good. I know I can trust the freshness of the fish and will always have a nice waitress. Not to mention, the salad dressing is good enough to drink (not kidding, people!). Not sure what these other people are talking about, maybe they came on a really busy night as it can get crowded.
(5)E C.
I should have driven an extra 10 minutes and gone to Menekineko. The freshness of the fish was fine, good portions also, but the rolls were not wrapped very well (it started to come apart when I picked it up) and the Inari was flat (literally). Oh, and there was too much rice used in the roll. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt--maybe I got a newbie rolling my sushi behind the bar, but that's a sign of poorly made sushi and definitely unacceptable for the price. I wouldn't go back.
(2)James T.
Executive summary: Good value, good sushi, good service. Details: Some weeks ago I had a bad experience at Sushi-Zen. A waitress/manager incorrectly refused to honor a discount coupon I had been sent by Sushi-Zen. This particular manager on other occasions had shown a decidedly unfriendly attitude (no smile, ever, even when I attempted levity), but when she said that the coupon toward an entree did not mean one of their sushi-boats, we had a disagreement and we left. I wrote a fairly detailed and clear letter of complaint to what I thought was the corporate headquarters in NYC. As it turns out, each Sushi-Zen is independent, there is no trademark on the name, and the one in Arlington, VA is in fact its own headquarters. It is not owned by any other company. In any event, I wrote reviews on Yelp (though, curiously, I don't see it here now) and Facebook that detailed this experience and rated the restaurant as "methinks not" because of the service issue, though I did say the sushi was always good. Tonight we returned due a letter of apology from the owner. There had been problems with this person I characterized as the manager and she was no longer working at this restaurant. We now are again enthusiastic diners at Sushi-Zen. Between the frequent-diner reward program and their meal choices (boats, they're called) the pricing is reasonable, the fish is always very good, portions reasonable, service good. In fact, reviews I have read here about poor service have never been validated through our own experience. The only reason I don't rate Sushi-Zen as a five-start restaurant is that I really restrict that rating for exceptional experiences. There is one sushi restaurant in DC that would get the five-star rating, but it is more expensive, farther away, and presents slightly larger pieces of sushi. There is yet a third place in Arlington that has exceptionally good prices at lunch but the pieces are small and the ratio of rice to fish somewhat higher. I was always tempted to hide the rice in my shirt pocket but never had the nerve. Anyway, Sushi-Zen in Arlington is just fine and should never disappoint anyone.
(4)Chris W.
Wow... That was awful. Ate 2 pieces of my spicy cali roll, 1 piece of my scallop roll, and 1/2 a piece of my eel sushi. Nothing was fresh, never order a scallop at this place and the eel was cold rubber. Ugh... now I'm walking down the strip mall to taqueria poblano to eat something that won't make me sick. What a waste of $20... ABSOLUTELY DISGUISTING
(1)Ed S.
Wow! I can without hesitation say that this place has the WORST quality sushi I've ever had, and that includes the stuff in the cooler from the grocery store. Unlike some other reviewers, I thought the prices were reasonable. However, the quality of the fish was really lacking. Most of the pieces of fish were rubbery and lacked any sort of texture or flavor. Stay away!
(1)Bill M.
At a sushi joint, moreso than in other restaurants in my opinion, how much you like the place depends on what you order. But at Sushi-Zen, it didn't seem to matter what you got. It was all bleh. They have a large menu with a good deal of variety, but everything we got last night (a mix of nigiri and maki - both traditional and specialty) was either not pleasing to me or simply ok. Not tasteless, but not flavorful either. Like when you eat a black cherry snowcone made of packing peanuts instead of ice. Service seemed ok for us on a Saturday night, and price wasn't an issue. But I doubt I'll be going back any time soon. The hunt continues for good sushi in Arlington...
(2)Tommy L.
The food here is terrible! The sushi is really bland and the chicken teriyaki was just a slab of chicken breast with some canned teriyaki sauce poured over it! And then they charged about $16 for it!! The tempura was ok. The miso soup also tasted like it was from a can. Avoid this place! Even the sushi they serve at Whole Foods is better!
(1)Robert H.
Good sushi and appetizers. I haven't had the traditional dinner items so I can't comment. Service can be a little on the slow side.
(3)Jason D.
I came here for lunch with my girlfriend and we had a pleasant experience. I got the 3 roll combo (tuna, salmon, california) w/ miso soup and salad for $9. She got a bento box with shrimp&veggie tempura, 3 nigiri rolls, veggies, and a california roll for ~$10. For the price, the sushi was good enough (better than a grocery store) and the portions were generous. The service was prompt (in and out within 35min). It's a strip mall sushi joint---go with the appropriate expectations.
(3)ike s.
I'm a self-loathing fan of Sushi Zen. It's some of the better sushi in the 15 minute driving radius, but the service is beyond abysmal. They're understaffed, inept, and often rude. If you go, sit at the bar.
(3)Mike C.
Typical strip-mall sushi place, complete with non-English speaking staff and confusion abound. Tried using a restaurant.com gift card which did not say excludes alcohol in the general terms or the restaurant-specific terms set forth by the establishment. While they accepted the GC, and were kind enough to include the 2 sakes we had ordered at that point, the process took forever and was very awkward. I can't help but feel they lured me in since hey have the opportunity to clear that up on the GC. Prices were average for a 3-star place like this.
(3)Evan D.
So I'm torn about this rating. The food was amazing, but we had the rudest service from our waitress. We came into the restaurant about 30 min before close. We were handed menus and told to "hurry up with our order" because the kitchen was closing. Once we got our food, we were told "here is your food, you can't order anything more because we're closed." I'd love to come back, but I'd had to inconvenience them by ordering food while they're still open.
(2)Jina K.
This place is one of the worst sushi I have ever had. Service, food, atmosphere, cleanliness-- horrible, horrible, horrible. There just too much rice on the rolls, not enough meat, and double the amount of unripe avocados than needed. Service was terrible; slow and unresponsive. The udon soup had frozed carrot, brocoli and green beans -- frozen vegtables you would get at Giant. Never ever go back there. Not worth the money.
(1)Jess R.
Wow...most of these reviews pretty much hit this place on the head. I was pleased with my Tempura and salad when I first came here, but the sushi rolls were EXTREMELY small. To be honest, it was insulting. I actually feel really bad about taking my parents here when they visited and wanted sushi - but this was before we knew about Endo Sushi (see other review). Plus, the price was too high for the quality and amount we ordered. You can get twice as much at Endo and pay the same. Plus they never ask if you want dessert or more refills on your drinks or tea. :( Thumbs down. The parking lot is bad and it's not near a metro. Only one star because the tempura was ok.
(1)Jaime C.
As a graduate student I got to work on a student consulting team for Sushi Zen. During the semester I got to know the family that owns the business and they are great. I ate there quite a few times and I found the food to be delicious! They are what I would call "American" portions of Sushi. They really try to be family friendly and help people new to the cuisine. That may hurt their authenicity but I eat a lot of sushi and I found it to be up to par with the more expensive, "authentic" sushi places downtown.
(4)Jessica C.
I agree with Patrick C. This is one of our favorite spots for sushi so I don't understand the neg reviews. My BF and I go here at least once a month and it is always busy! Our favorite rolls are shrimp tempura and Pacific roll. I find the sushi affordable and extremely fresh!
(5)t l.
I was very unimpressed with the sushi here. I thought it was overpriced and nothing special. I most likely will not be ordering from here again...
(2)Stephanie N.
If you're having a bad craving and really need to have some sushi, this place will do it in a pinch. However, its not a place I would frequent if I didn't live down the street from it. The sushi is pretty standard and not memorable, but the people seem interesting. Its ok I guess
(2)Erica B.
I had visited Sushi Zen about six months ago when I moved to Arlington and remember being impressed with the food (both sushi and entrees) and the prices. Tonight I went in for sushi an left disgusted (and much lighter in my wallet). There is a minimum $15 order for ordering sushi a la carte and so I ended up getting the cheapest sushi platter, the sashimi with rice for $17.50. What I got was 16 "pieces" of sashimi, each about the size of 1/2 a normal small piece of sashimi. It came with salmon, tuna, squid, octopus, and flounder. Each tkind asted really fishy and definitely not fresh. The salad that came with the platter was brown-edged iceberg lettuce with a watery, icky sweet mayonnaise dressing. After the 9% Arlington tax, pre-tip bill was $19. Definitely not worth it when I could have gone to Bonsai in Crystal City for early-bird and gotten so much more for $14. I am NEVER going back.
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