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Sushiyama
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
371 Broadway EVancouver, BC V5T 1W5
Neighbourhood: Mount Pleasant
(604) 872-0053
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
71 reviews for Sushiyama
Review Highlights
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"1) Awesome rolls / excellent quality sashimi." In 21 reviews -
"A friend turned me onto the sushi pizza." In 3 reviews -
"...head, I love their mango mango roll, their crunch roll and..." In 4 reviews
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71 reviews in English
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Review from Jena J.
Vancouver, BC
5/8/2012
Really? i would have thought this place was off the hook at 5 stars but i guess not.
it was really busy when i went but my friend and i got seated at the bar. I noticed right away the price of food was lower so i was a bit concerned for how good this would be.
Like i said it was packed so clearly they are doing something right. we ordered pretty much right away. The friendly chefs handed us our food at the bar, everything seemed very fresh. we both inhaled our food, got the bill and peaced out.
i asked for extra ginger and they forgot, that is why a star is missing but no ones perfect. -
Review from Brian D.
Vancouver, BC
5/8/2012
Robin M.'s review is right on. I was just about to write the same thing. Dirty. Messy. Possibly worse than normal because we were coming in at the end of the evening around 10:30pm (a plus was that they were still open at this time). For example, there were lettuce leaves underneath our table and chairs.
I ordered about 12 pieces of Nigiri. All of them had way, way too much wasabi that it overwhelmed the pieces. Other people in the group ordered the sushi rolls (which is the norm for me) and I assume those are still as good as I remember.
That being said, Sushiyama has provided me with many years of yummy sushi, so I will be back again, but likely for takeout. -
Review from Nicolb T.
1/31/2012 6 Check-ins Here
The only way to describe Sushiyama is that it's everything you need, right when you need it. No frills.
Being open until 11pm - sometimes 12am! - it's the best place to order takeout after a long, long day of work. Pick-up is usually within 20 minutes, and this way, you can skip the line-up.
Their inconsistency in quality and service earned it 3-stars. It's by no means the best, but it's also a decent, inexpensive alternative to the options within the same area.
In the past 4 years as a patron, I've found approximately 3 pieces of fish bone in my sushi. I also tend to skip the "special" rolls, as I've once ordered the Mango Mango roll, and received a last-ditch-effort, awkwardly put together roll with dried daikon as a filling. Horrible.
I will, however, recommend the Chirashi Don. For its value ($9.95?), you will get the randomest assortment of whatever fish the sushi chef has on hand. Now if only I could request extra tako..Listed in: I Eat Where I Live.
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Review from Michaela B.
Vancouver, BC
5/2/2012
This is my favourite sushi joint in all of Vancouver (which is quite a feat, as we Vancouverites know). I can forgive the crazy waits around peak meal times, as long as I can get a couple servings of their delicious tuna tataki in my mouth as soon as I get seated (I could happily eat that stuff every day of my life). The prices here are beyond reasonable. I've ordered enough food to fill our entire table (with some assistance, of course) and our bill was still miraculously under $50. How is that possible?! Everything on the menu is delicious, the service is great, and it's a 10 minute walk from home. Perfection!
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Review from Jesse T.
Vancouver, BC
Go to Sushiyama if only for the Sunomono Salad and (SUPER MEGA Sized) Sashimi. Open conveniently late (12 or 1), I've had consistently tasty and reasonably priced pseudo-japanese meals here. Their Sashimi pieces are indeed massive and their Sunomono is packed with broccoli and prawns. Looking over some of the other reviews it seems poor hygiene has been an issue for some, so far I haven't noticed but will now be on the lookout.
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Review from Trish L.
Vancouver, BC
4/13/2012
Yummy and cheap. The food is good for what you pay for. They have a large selection of items on their menu. I really enjoy their sushi pizza which is a crispy rice cake on the bottom, topped with california roll like filling and slices of tuna and salmon sashimi on top! Their rolls are all pretty good too and because it's korean owned they use gokujang for their spicy tuna roll which is different and yummy! They are busy pretty much every night. I suggest making reservations or calling ahead, but make sure you call over an hour ahead of when you plan to arrive!
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Review from Tamara L.
8/18/2011
I came here because a friend of mine has been telling me for months how awesome it is, and how I HAVE to try it.
So, so, so mediocre.
Husband & I tried the Salifornia, Caterpiller, Philly, Dragon & Crunch rolls. I suppose the Salifornia was best of all these.. though that is not saying much. The Dragon roll was carelessly packed full of chewy salmon, and honestly it was all I had to chew and swallow one piece. The 'Crunch' roll should be renamed the cold, chewy, flavorless roll... Not crunchy in the slightest. Not fresh, cold tempura.
Iiiiiii dunno. I could go on and on. This place had been hyped up for me, and it was extremely disapointing. It's basically your average, run of the mill Vancouver sushi place. There are 500 other places exactly like this in the city. It's nothing to write home about. -
Review from Robin M.
7/7/2011
Years ago when I lived just off Main, Sushiyama was my go-to place for good, cheap sushi. The place was always slammed (like waiting for a table, slammed), and the food was consistently pretty good - especially for the price. Also, the chefs are entirely sweet and friendly and would always - without fail - stop to greet me.
But then something started to happen, something very unsettling. The place got dirty. I'm used to a dive, sure, but this was like 'Imunna not feel so good after' kind of yuck. Also, the food quality started to go down at the same time. The hot food has never been good, but I'm talking about the sushi here. Everything started tasting like old deepfryer - blech. The love that I'd grown accustomed to just wasn't there.
All of that said, I'd still go back in a pinch. I'd just close my eyes, and maybe get takeout.Listed in: East Van, Sushi All the Time, Eatin' Cheap'in Vancouver
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Review from Ju D.
Vancouver, BC
4/14/2012
Awesome. I always get the same dish: vegetarian box. it's got every right, and it's very tasty, best Goma-ae I've had in Vancouver. The service is always great too.
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Review from Callie H.
Vancouver, BC
8/24/2011
Best value and quality of sashimi I've found in a very long time. For around $8 you get 7 very large pieces of tuna and wild salmon (only .25$ more for the wild instead of the farmed was appreciated). Miso soup was piping hot, ebi sunomono was generous and had nice big prawns instead of the little bitty shrimp you sometimes get. Mango mango roll was actually not as good as I had hoped... it was a bit dry and lacked the 'oomph' I like in a fish/fruit roll.
But, will definitely go back. Not the BEST sushi restaurant you'll go to, but consistent quality, service is quick and friendly, prices are fair. -
Review from Aaron H.
Vancouver, BC
2/6/2012
Delicious sushi and very fresh udon soup for take-out. They packages it in parts, so combining the soup ingredients kept it all super fresh. Excellent quality.
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Review from Jessica O.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 4/4/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Sure, it still tastes good and it's refreshingly cheap but I have to downgrade my review for a few reasons.
First - why on earth is this restaurant so dirty? Everytime I go to Sushiyama there is garbage on the ground - balled up dirty napkins wtf? If I am ingesting raw fish in your restaurant can you make sure that it is clean?
Second - on a similar note, after waiting 5 full minutes for the ladies, I stepped into the men's. And then stepped out. There was urine soaking the floor in spatters and drips, clearly a build up through the day and not just from one bad egg. They are lucky that this was AFTER I had eaten, otherwise they would have lost my business.
Third - the fish, specifically the tuna, is cheap and unpleasant each time I go, leaving my mouth coated with a slightly rank metallic taste. I have found bones in my sushi more than once - stomach turning.
Fourth - the dirty deepfrier smell that often pervades the space is nauseating.
Alright, so why the two stars? Why not one? Despite what should be dealbreakers, the sushi is often yummy and its quick and cheap. But I just can't keep doing this, I can't keep pretending that these problems don't exist. I'll head to Toshi instead, thanks!Listed in: Jessica's Eateries to Avoid!, Vancouver Sushi Hits and…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/27/2010
During the fall and winter semesters I am here so often I refer to it as my office, arriving at… Read more »
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Review from Shannon B.
Coquitlam, BC
2/8/2011
Way past dinner time on a week night and this place was PACKED. It seemed to be a popular east van sushi joint but I kept my expectations low, as I always do the first time at a restaurant that serves raw fish. Sushi is serious business.
Even though there were a few groups of people waiting my friend and I were seated right away, as there were only two of us. The waitress sat us down at a table with some menus and about thirty seconds later another waitress brought us some goma-ae. My friend and I stared at each other in confusion. The wait staff was extremely busy and we sat there with our menus down and the mystery goma-ae on the table for about ten minutes until someone brought us a plate of some kind of raw fish and we had to explain that we hadn't even ordered anything yet.
Once all the confusion was worked out, we ordered our food and it arrived surprisingly quickly considering how busy the restaurant was. I wasn't particularly hungry and had a Philadelphia roll and a few pieces of salmon nigiri. The roll was excellent but the nigiri had little smears of wasabi hidden between the rice and fish. I HATE when restaurants do that. If I wanted wasabi in my salmon nigiri I would put it there myself. ANYWAYS.....
My friend had some sort of dinner box and beef tataki. I tried some of it and it was good. I would go back here (if I was in the neighborhood, I wouldn't go out of my way) because the food was pretty decent although there really wasn't anything special or particularly memorable about this place. -
Review from Malloreigh M.
Vancouver, BC
1/19/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I'm not sure why we hadn't been to Sushiyama before, but when my girlfriend and I visited for the first time we were pleasantly surprised. Even though there was a great table open, and we were seated next to the kitchen (kind of insulting), we were still impressed by the efficiency of the multi-member service team. The food was good, too, and cheap, and came out really quickly.
Kind of a neighbourhood gem. I would say this is the best sushi in the Main and Broadway area, though as a vegan that's probably not something I can say with any level of certainty.
Edited to add that we visited again last night with our obnoxiously drunk friend and still got really good service, even if she was dropping her chopsticks and occasionally yelling. Good show, Sushiyama! I hope we left a big enough tip to make up for that.Listed in: Shushi
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Review from Michelle L.
North York, ON
8/6/2011 6 photos
My fav place in the area!! This place is packed in evenings but it is worth the wait. I like their selection and creativity in their menu. The service at this place is amazing. Waiters/waitresses are very attentive. good portions too ~!
Some of their special rolls/dishes are a must-try!! This place has been around for many years and i find that new dishes are added onto the menu over the years where you cannot find them elsewhere.
: ) -
Review from Shannon A.
Vancouver, BC
1/24/2011
Dine-in experience is definitely much better than the take-out experience at Sushiyama. But even then, it still pales in comparison to my beloved Jako.
The sushi is fresh, tasty and moderately priced. And apart from being mistaken for a 'Simon' on the phone (my voice isn't THAT deep) the service is good :)
The yam tempura roll was a disappointment for my better half because he loves yams and is not very fond of shitake mushrooms - their roll had both. He also had a 'does not compute' moment when he first saw them because at Sushiyama yam rolls are inside out rolls (yam on outside, rice on inside).
With the bevy of sushi options available in our area I think we will skip Sushiyama in future and keep hunting for Sushi Heaven :) -
Review from Kirsty M.
Vancouver, BC
7/11/2011
Best sushi in Vancouver HANDS DOWN!
Its always so fresh! I go here when i want my hit of Sushi Pizza. ( what is that you ask....) the most amazing creation. A flat round base of rice which is fried and them with crab, avocado, spicy mayo and chucks of sashimi on each piece. TRY IT!
Best sashimi i have ever had in Vancouver! -
Review from Joshua N.
1/22/2011
Very good sushi. This place was hopping on a Friday night, we had no reservations and had to wait about 20 minutes for a table for two around 8pm.
We had the sushi pizza -- and I highly recommend it. Sashimi and California roll filling on a "crust" made of rice tempura. For sure the best part.
We also had 3 specialty maki rolls: a "Salifornia roll", which had cooked salmon in it and was served hot (not my favorite of the night); the Yama House roll, which is a large sushi roll with assorted fish and seafood in it (this was my pick, but I like octopus, so beware); and a caterpillar roll, which was BBQ eel maki wrapped in avocado.
All this, and a tempura appetizer, for $20 per person (incl tax and tip). There were plenty of cheaper items on the menu and I don't doubt that you could eat your fill for $12-$15 if you made more conservative choices than we did. But hey, sometimes you gotta splurge.Listed in: Main Street
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Review from Nicole F.
12/14/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I popped in here for a quick bite with a friend last night and was pretty pleased.
I've tried bits and pieces of their takeout veggie platter that shows up at parties sometimes courtesy of Jessica O.
I asked them to make me a yam and avocado roll (I know, I'm so exciting) which they were happy to do, and it was interesting to see that the yam tempura was draped across the top of the avocado roll. This is awesome, because I hate how little avocado is included in the roll at most places normally. Very delicious!
The inari is really good too, if you take the slices of mushroom out. It isn't hard to do since inari is essentially a purse without a zipper...
All this with a bowl of miso soup came to just over $8. My wallet and I were happy.
I'll definitely be back! -
Review from Marc Daniel E.
Surrey, BC
This is one of my favourite Japanese restaurants in the city. I make it a point to come here at least a couple of times a month. Unfortunately I live out in the suburbs so I don't get a lot of chances to come. IF I lived a lot closer I'd be going here at least once a week.
The sashimi here is FRESH, with a nice creamy taste to it. The Hamachi sashimi here is the best I've tried in the city. I LOVE my sashimi and Sushiyama never disappoint. Either their Assorted or Deluxe Assorted sashimi platters are good.
I also love the Sushi Pizza. Its made with deep fried rice as crust, topped with california roll filling, some tobiko and topped off with a Salmon or Tuna sashimi. IF you don't like raw fish, you can have it modified with BBQ Eel and Smoked Salmon, also very good. I highly recommend you try the Sushi Pizza here, simple but tasty!
They have quite the variety of rolls here as well, I've only tried about half of the list but was very satisfied with all of them. The bento boxes are HUGE, very filling!
If you call ahead of time they will take your reservations. I've never had to wait more than 5 minutes to be seated. Every time I make a reservation for a bigger group, we always get seated on time!
Give this place a shot and ENJOY!! -
Review from John K.
3/5/2011
Decent sushi, but what surprises me are the prices!! Boy is it affordable!! Sushi pieces are a decent size. Quality is good. The box dishes are healthy portions and really affordable. I would definitely come back here again. Very good bargain for what you get.
It's owned by Koreans though. I can expect that from a East Coast sushi restaurant, but for Seattle/Vancouver area, I would think that there would be more Japanese owned sushi restaurants. -
Review from Trevor J.
Vancouver, BC
9/3/2010
It's the same every time - great food, mediocre service.
First let me rave about the food! The portions are nicely sized and not overly packed with rice like some places. Their sushi chefs have a refined sense of taste where more is not necessarily better.
A few of my favourite things are the Tuna Tataki for its vinegarette and the Dragon roll for pairing cream cheese and bbq eel.
The service and ambiance leave something to be desired but they can afford it with lines out the door every evening. The servers aren't particularly nice and the walls in the new part of the restaurant are decorated with bad sushi promo pictures. Boo! for bad decor!
So bring your own good attitude, don't be in a hurry and enjoy the awesome sushi. -
Review from Ken C.
Burnaby, BC
3/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Simply put? Fast food sushi!
Korean run, great prices and extremely quick service! We ordered 8 dishes and they came out nearly one after another within minutes!
Everything was delicious, the portions were really good and fresh.
There were 5 chefs behind the bar which explained the speeds dishes were being put out. Who knows how many more were in the kitchen making the cooked dishes!
I've never been by the place before, but I'm told that it's regularly quite busy and reservations are recommended. Although, with the speed the dishes are put out, table turnover rates are pretty quick and I wouldn't imagine you would have to wait very long for one either way.
There was a slight hiccup today when we showed up as it appeared they lost the reservation we made the day before, but luckily, a table had just freed up and we were seated immediately. It might be a good idea to double check the reservation the day of just to be sure, but this may just have been an isolated situation.
Definitely going back to try it again! -
Review from Giovanni A.
Vancouver, BC
3/29/2011
This is my new goto place for sushi. It's fresh, delicious and consistent. Whoever created the salifornia roll is a genius. Another favourite is the monkey tear roll and the sashimi is fantastic. The Toro melts in your mouth.
For the quality of food they are putting out, their prices are low. -
Review from Trish W.
Vancouver, BC
11/11/2011
I went here on a Thursday night, around 7:45 and waited about 15 minutes for a table for two. The place was pretty busy and there were some people waiting ahead of us.
Once we were seated, they brought tea right away. I ordered the veggie combo 1 (with yam rolls, avocado rolls, and kappa rolls) and some agedashi tofu. The yam rolls were awesome. They had radishes and shiitake mushrooms in them, with the tempura-ed yam on the outside of the rice. Phenomennnnaaaalllll. The combo also came with miso soup, which I don't really like so my friend ate it. He said it was good. Agedashi tofu was yummy, but super hot.
My friend also ordered the appetizer tempura, and by the time we were finished the rest of our meal, it still hadn't arrived. After he mentioned it to the waitress it was out in about three minutes.
All in all, it was really good sushi, I just wish they had brown rice available. Service was generally pretty good (they were excellent about offering more tea, but forgot an order item) and the price was right. For two people, the bill came to around 35$.
Bottom line: Give it a shot! -
Review from Alex B.
East York, ON
9/25/2010
Not sure why so many people like this place.
The sushi is ok.
The service is ok
The prices are strictly ok
Hmmm ...
Ummm ...
Other then that I didnt find it anything special and to be honest they should lower their prices a little or create different combos. -
Review from siobhan d.
Vancouver, BC
11/7/2008
Oh Suhiyama
Your sushi is delicious
Your kitchen so slow
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Britain's have their "locals" (pubs), Vancouverites have their "locals" (sushi spots!) Sushiyama is my Local. It's the place I go for dinner when I don't want to put on mascara or brush my hair. One wants to give their regular haunt top marks but I just can't go above a 3 stars here.
The pros of Sushiyama:
1) Awesome rolls / excellent quality sashimi
2) Priced like a cut-rate take-away joint.
3) Casual atmosphere
4) Specialty items not on the menu are available (just ask) - for example, Sushi Pizza!
5) Hearty portions
The cons of Sushiyama:
1) Food arrives in random order. You may end up waiting for a dish after all your companions have finished eating.
2) Particularly if you order a hot item from the kitchen.
3) Dingy, low-budget decor. Go for the food, not the atmosphere.
4) Noisy and crowded most days after 6:30 pm. Not in a mid-town atmospheric way.
When I started going to Sushiyama, it was a little place frequented mainly by locals, a jealously guarded secret. Since then, it has expanded to take over the storefront that was next door, thereby doubling in size, and yet its busier than ever. When your food is this good and this reasonably priced, word gets around. And it more than makes up for the idiosyncrasies that are unique to Sushiyama.
For example, tickets seem to be filled in reverse order. So, for example, you order edamame and teriyaki chicken in that order, you might get your teriyaki chicken first, even though you imagined you would have your edamame for an appetizer. It will still taste great as desert though. So there is that.
Most of the frustrations of having a meal here can be overcome by simply ordering everything "family style". That way everyone can enjoy the food as it arrives, and the order wont matter so much - no one will be left waiting for food to arrive after everyone else has eaten. -
Review from cat h.
Vancouver, BC
10/25/2011
aside from Maguro in Ladner, this place is hands down the best sushi around. Its always packed which is good news for fish turnover. Each time I go in its consistently good. Foodies like consistency. Nice service and enough staff for the customers. The korean guys doing the prep are sweet and willing to answer any questions. I just wish they would bring my tofu starter before my main:( Other than that the place rocks. Tasty green tea and great miso. Simple things are always important.
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Review from Miranda L.
Vancouver, BC
8/9/2010
I was so excited about trying this place before heading out to the Biltmore, and the swarms of people confirmed it's quite popular.
... And, I would have probably liked it, had they not totally ruined my food.
One of my rolls had prawn in it, and they'd somehow managed to CHOP TINY PIECES OF PRAWN TAIL UP AND DISTRIBUTE IT THROUGHOUT MY ROLL.
Needless to say, there's no better way to turn someone off than forcing them to pick tiny disgusting sharp pieces of tail out of their mouth.
Pffflechghsdgowefohsdfhothhhhhhhhhh -
Review from Nick M.
10/20/2011
This is only the second time I've eaten here, because my daughter who lives nearby highly recommended it. We had some very nice nigiri, and also a fantastic sushi pizza..(a must). The rolls were fresh, and flavourful,...sure this place is missing ambience aplenty, but if you want decent sushi at a decent price, I recommend trying this place.
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Review from Nessa K.
Victoria, BC
10/15/2011
Excellent sushi. Good quality and cheap - probably because it's so busy! Highly recommend Monkey's Tear for those who like Philadelphia rolls (not the best). Sashimi is cheap, big portion and crazy fresh. Worth the wait at dinner time!
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Review from Karen S.
Vancouver, BC
11/7/2008
This is probably one of the best neighbourhood sushi places around. It helps that its location (Broadway and um, which province? Brunswick I think?) is kind of in the middle of a bunch of neighbourhoods.
The dishes are relatively cheap and very tasty. Also they have about a million different kinds of interesting rolls that you won't find anywhere else. My favourite is the crunch roll, which has prawn tempura and yam and some other stuff. It's a delicious combination.
They're very efficient in there and the place is always hopping (I've actually seen lineups outside, which is pretty impressive in a city with 3 sushi places on every block), which means the food is always fresh. That's usually a bit of a concern for me with sushi joints -- avoid the ones with no business, as raw fish gets dicey pretty quick when it's sitting around. -
Review from Roland I.
Surrey, BC
9/4/2011
Decently priced, but place needs air condition & bathrooms need some updating, but were clean. Service was alright. Food was good.
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Review from Reena M.
4/3/2009
Unlike Samurai Sushi, this place actually deserves its 4 stars. The sushi is delicious. Service for me has been pretty quick. The only complaints I would have is that they don't have the combo's after 9pm and the miso soup sometimes comes luke warm. :( The price is pretty reasonable. For two people we usually run the bill up to about $24 including tip.
I've tried the seared tuna with ponzu sauce, california rolls, kamikaze roll, and tempura. I found the ponzu sauce too vinegary; the cali rolls are great; kamikaze roll was interesting but it's not my favorite spicy sauce--I would order it again though; and appetizer tempura is alright--for the veggies they only gave me starchy vegetables like pumpkin and yam and I prefer carrots and zucchini--anything non potato-y. But that's just me. I'm a little strange.
That being said, I know I will come back. I find their food good. And I'd be interested in trying other things on the menu. And I can see why other people would give it 4 and 5 stars! I don't think this place will disappoint.
It's open till midnight! -
Review from Anthony C.
10/1/2010
Tried this place with a friend the other night and was pleased, not blown away, but not dissatisfied either.
The price/quality balance is pretty excellent, but the quality is not tops. Not bad at all, but there are many places in Vancouver that are much better quality. Considering the price, I'll probably be back, but I have my own staple sushi place (see my other reviews...) so I'll only be back with friends. That said, it was sort of fun coming here since its so crowded, and plenty of Japanese people in attendance which is always a good sign. The waitresses are seemingly Japanese immigrants/visitors to Canada as well, another good sign.
The black cod was pretty good, and the wild salmon sashimi was excellent (hard to screw this one up, as long as the fish is good quality and fresh, which it was). Wasn't a huge fan of the spider roll, which is usually one of my faves.
Either way, A-OK. -
Review from Jack n.
10/5/2011
They served the best Japanese food that I have had with the right price. We visited there slightly past lunch hour and were served well.
We ordered a bunch of Maki and Sushi, all the raw seafood were really fresh. Will definitely visit that restaurant again. -
Review from karen c.
Vancouver, BC
4/23/2010 1 photo
When I first walked in, I was super shocked that Sushi Yama was busy! It was 9:30PM! Even after we left, the tables were all filled.
I loved everything that we ordered. Boston Roll, Kingsgate Roll, Spicy Salmon Nigri Sushi, Alaska Roll and an order of Salmon Sashimi. I thought that the rolls were a little small except for the special rolls, but it was super tasty!
Service was decent. I didn't expect much either. Table was a little sticky :S
Overall, I'll be coming back FOR shizzle. -
Review from Rheanna F.
Vancouver, BC
8/4/2010
Okay, i am totally waffling between a three and a four here... but i'd rather send someone over with lowered expectations than idealized sushi dreams.
This place is either one of my favorites or is... not bad. I could eat their tuna tataki until i become pickled from the insides out by the delicious, tangy vinegar dressing it floats in OR i could be so grossed out by their greasy sashimi bento that i can't finish my meal (speaking of which, i need to go throw out my week old leftovers from that particular dinner)
Yea, you heard right. GREASY sashimi. Like, i dipped my salmon in soy sauce and saw oil bubbles in there when i lifted it out.
This place scores high when you order one of their fancier rolls or- let me just mention it again!- the tataki, but i find that when you order cheaper items or their bento, the quality is a little lacking.
Their service is patchy at best. They are either ABYSMAL at timing out when your food arrives, or they constantly forget someones meal and just tell you 'oh, that one takes longer to prepare' (even if it's something like a california roll) Do they think we don't know half that stuff is churned out like fast food? Last time we were there everyone had their food for a full fifteen minutes and was almost done eating by the time my disappointing sashimi bento arrived.
Their servers aren't quite my favorite either... Once, a pescatarian friend of mine ordered the veggie bento, but our server brought him a beef teriyaki box. When he told the waitress he had asked for the veggie bento, she flat out said no you didn't you asked for beef.' When my friend politely assured her that he did not, due the fact that he has not eaten beef for two years, she kept insisting he said beef. My friend argued with her and eventually she said she'd go get a veggie bento made asap... although before going to the kitchen, she grabbed another waitress, stood four feet away from our table speaking in angry-sounding Chinese and gesturing at us.
I think when i started coming here years ago i would have given it five stars, but my love for it is waning... Those fuckers are soooooo lucky i love their tataki.Listed in: Sushi
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Review from Koto K.
Vancouver, BC
6/1/2009
Sushiyama is a Korean-owned restaurant. That being said, I remember the first time I ever went and I was super surprised at the quality of presentation and flavours.
These guys are popular because of the Rolls.
Not much excitement in the ways of hot foods (do no eat Gyoza, it's probably factory made, sashimi isn't cut the right way..they've been slabs of low quality salmon and tuna although I'll eat the tuna tataki or the garlic snapper on their appetizer menu because they're semi-cooked)
That being said, the BEST rolls they have are:
1) Salifornia roll (it's the California, wrapped in salmon then deep fried in Tempura batter, it's huge)
2) Sakura roll (it's a refreshing roll as I like to introduce it to friends, but you HAVE to demand the Ponzu sauce which it says it comes with it on the menu but they never bring it!)
3) Crunch roll, Yam roll (they have the tempura yam on the outside, so good!), and all the other Classics (Dynamite, spider etc)
Family style is definately preferred. I've never heard how disorganized it was when eating there and it's probably because that's how we've always ordered the sushi there.
Take-away can be pretty efficient, so usually we go in and see if there seems to be more take-out orders or people waiting to be seated and then decide from there! Either way you won't be disappointed! -
Review from Adelina W.
Richmond, BC
7/4/2010
I left Sushiyama not very satisfied. Full, but not satisfied. After reading all the reviews here, I was excited to try this place, but it wasn't what everyone hyped it up to be. We started off with salmon sashimi. The pieces were HUGE but not complaints there.
Next came our sushi. We ordered the spicy tuna roll, chopped scallop and the mango mango roll. I was disappoitned to see that the only thing that made the spicy tuna spicy was the addition of some hot sauce on top. The chopped scallop was okay, but the mango mango was weird! It was salmon and tuna with mango in a roll, but the mango overwhelmed the declicate flavours of the salmon and tuna and the whole piece was very dry. It was lacking some sort of sauce.
We also ordered a tempura udon which was fine. The udon was chewy with a nice spring and the tempura wasn't too oily. Finally we ordered some fried squid and this was a huge disappointment. The batter didn't stick very well to the squid and most of the pieces had more batter than it did squid. Once you bite into a piece, the batter slid right off and you're left with a tiny piece of squid. I did not enjoy this at all.
Service was a bit slow. It took us nearly 10 minutes to flag down a waitress to get our bill. Everything was decently priced, but quality was lacking. All in all, Sushiyama has some decent offerings (sashimi, chopped scallop and udon), but otherwise I wasn't that happy with the food.
