Sushi King

we went with our kids for lunch and the server was the rudest person we have had. She never smiled, never came by and gave nasty looks to our kids all the time.
The susho wasn't so good either for the price they charge. Not going there again

Posted 07/30/09

I came back with some trepidation. Last time service was reaaaaaally sloooooow. That was for lunch in December '08. Ate there tonight and everything arrived promptly. Waitress was attentive until it got pretty busy, but she was still within the bounds of respectable service. Last time, I thought I'd been totally forgotten. Ordered two specials and a sushi roll. Both specials were good (sake steamed clams and a yellowtail roll concoction). Mango sorbet is very good.

The only weird and unpleasant point was that I was struck at the door with that body odor/pencil shaving/cumin smell. At first I thought it was coming from one guy standing near the entrance, but once I was seated I realized it permeated the whole place.

Pros: had some interesting menu items & specials

Cons: what's that smell?

Posted 07/14/09

GREAT FRESH SUSHI, ALWAYS!

Prices are a BIT HIGH!!!!!

Parking is easy!

Service is WONDERFUL, the hostess' are very attentive.

When you walk in be prepared to be greeted by the sushi chefs! They are awesome, very outgoing!

Pros: Fantasy Roll!

Cons: Pricey!

Posted 05/31/09

This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Houston. I eat in or out about once a week and the sushi is always fresh, especially the yellowtail. After living in San Francisco for a few years eating very fresh sushi, Sushi King is one of the few places in Houston that even comes close and is affordable for sushi. I have enjoyed everything I have ever ordered on the menu and I agree that the food and sushi is consistently good.

Pros: Fresh Sushi, Friendly Staff

Posted 01/02/09

I eat carefully when I dine in a restaurant, especially sushi. Sushi King is one of my favorite places. Their sushi qualities are the best, you can acratualy taste the difference on the freshness comparing others restaurants. And so far sushi king is the only place I discovered that has the best and freshest uni (sea urchin) all the time! It's easy to serve good sushi for one day, but it's hard to serve good and fresh sushi everyday. The consistency of Sushi King makes them a place that I can eat rest assured.

Pros: Fresh Sushi and Sashimi that you can eat with no worry

Cons: Needs more parking spaces on Fri. and Sat nights.

Posted 11/28/08

Sushi King has the yummiest sushi by far in all of Houston! I order a different roll every time and I'm always happy! However, I'd have to say my favorites are the Dragon Roll and the Fantasy Roll. But EVERYTHING is delicious!

Pros: Great sushi

Cons: A little too expensive in my opinion, but I'll pay for it because it's so damn good!

Posted 10/06/08

Looking for a true umami experience? From the wonderfully crafted Chawa mushi (Japanese custard) to the expertly prepared sushi, Sushi King has captured the perfect taste of Japanese flavor. Paired with the nice selection of saki and Japanese beers, you will reach flavor enlightenment. The staff is always very courteous and friendly making all customers feel welcome. Our most gracious and professional waiter Gabriel is the best and I highly recommend asking for him. His food and drink suggestions are always right on the mark. I have visited on many occasions and the taste, quality, freshness and staff have consistently wowed me. Sushi King is truly a wonderful dining experience. I would highly recommend a visit.

Pros: Taste, quality, freshness and staff

Cons: none

Posted 10/02/08

Went here today with a group of work buddies. The food was mediocre, nothing that really blew me away as far as sushi goes. (On that note, I would highly recommend Oishii on Richmond for those who want great sushi).

The thing that really ticked me off, and maybe it's just because I was a waiter for many years, was that they have a 'policy' of not splitting checks into more than 3 separate checks. Considering this is the electronic age, and every electronic point of sale ("POS") that I've ever seen or heard of allows you to set up 'pivot' points on an order, I don't understand why more waiters don't take the extra 2 seconds to push the 'pivot order' button to keep everyone's checks separate from the get-go.

Now, maybe it's just me... maybe the high class joints I worked at just had better training (note: I worked at Applebees and a chicken wing restaurant), but I was told to do that from day one so that, at the end of a meal, in the SERVICE INDUSTRY that is waiting tables, when guests asked to split the check, I could smile and say "Sure, no problem," knowing that it would only take me 2 additional seconds to print out the separate checks. The waiter actually told me that it was "my job" to let him know that we wanted separate checks prior to ordering. Now, I will agree that letting him know prior to ordering would have been a COURTESY, but my mates and I were in the middle of some 'deep' conversation and it merely slipped our mind.

Further, at lunch time, as a waiter, you have to assume that people want separate checks, especially professionals. That's another one of those things they tought me at the finer dining restaurants... which brings me full circle back to why it is important to use the "pivot points' function of your electronc POS.

In my opinion, this restaurant is a POS (the other kind), and I will not be returning. The food is overpriced and the service (totally separate from our semi-rude waiter) was a bit slow.

Pros: None.

Cons: Below average food for above average price.

Posted 08/19/08

The minute you walk in the door they are ready to seat you, the server arrives to take the drink order almost immediately, even if the place is busy....you put the order in and end up waiting and waiting and waiting, but it's worth the wait. This is the consistently best sushi in Houston; from the rolls to the sushi, I haven't had one I didn't like yet. I like to sit at the sushi bar and watch them when I go alone.

Pros: parking a plenty, service

Cons: waiting for the sushi

Posted 06/04/08

The sushi was great once it was brought to us, but customers who showed up 30 minutes after us, received their food before we did. When we got up, our rolls were sitting at the sushi bar. I'll go again, but ONLY for the rolls. I might sit at the sushi bar next time.

Pros: Great sushi

Cons: bad service

Posted 04/03/08

OK Here's the deal. We went on a Friday to have a little sushi action. The edamame was crisp, hot, and nicely seasoned. The spicy tuna roll was fresh and tastey. The salmon special roll, on the other hand, was a little puny but it tasted good. Big Tex wanted to have a little sea bass, but it was not available. Overall, the sushi was not bad.. Here is the deal on the ambiance. The piano music made for a romantic atmosphere, but unfortunately there were some issues. Big Tex does not like to smell fish when he enters a sushi restaurant. ( Folks .... you need to clean a little better). The place was a little drafty, but the bigger issue was the bathroom. Sticky floors!!! Osaka is a better value and choice, but I would return.

Pros: live piano music, good spicy tuna roll

Cons: sticky bathroom floors, smell of fish

Posted 01/31/08

Average server make per hour: 2.15
Average tip out ( 8% of total sales ) ( the server has to give 8% cash of the total sales to the restaurant so they can split this with busboys and kitchen chefs)
Tip:
Average: 15%
Good: 20%
Excellant: 25%
Superb: over 25%

*If a customer leaves 8% tip to a server; the server makes ZERO dollars.
*If a customer leaves no tip to a server, the server will have to pay the 8% tip out from their own pocket and served that customer for free, the server end up paying for the customer eating there.

Please keep in mind that all servers try very hard to accommadate to all your demands.

Pros: Excellant waitstaff

Cons: people who dont know how to tip!

Posted 01/08/08

My wife and I have visited a number of Japanese restaurants in Hosuton and this one has one of the best and freshest selections of sushi in the city. It's not the best but the qulity is consistent adn the service is good.

I recently tried the platter of sashimi at lunch time with a number of Japanese beers. Food was delivered promptly, the sashimi was very fresh and well presented adn the service was outstanding. My wife tried a tempura dish (prawns) and wasn't overwhelmed.

Stick with the sushi and avoid peak times (Sunday) for best service.

Posted 12/31/07

Sushi King has the best sushi in all of Houston. I have been to several different places, but that place beats them all. They have some of the best rolls I have ever tasted. The food is always so fresh and they make these amazing sauces for different types of rolls. I have turned many of my friends onto Sushi King, and they all have the same responses as I did the first time I went. I highly recommend Sushi King!!!!

Posted 10/13/07

Went with two friends on Saturday for lunch and was immediately turned off by the music. Don't play "club" music when all I want to do is relax on a Saturday afternoon. When the sushi finally came, we immediately noticed a very distinct "fish" smell. Not a single piece of sushi tasted good. Tasted like the fish has been sitting around for a couple of days. Not good, at all!! Like another review said, maybe it was an off day, but they've obviously had a couple and I don't intend to return to find out. Plenty of other sushi places out there and this is not worth the price.

Pros: parking

Cons: price, quality

Posted 09/25/07

This is where I go when I want to eat good sushi. It does have a corny name, but the food here is very good. I've never had any of the problems that other people had. It is not as trendy as other sushi places in Houston, but the food is the best I've had. The hannah roll appetizer is one of my favorites. We saw Yao Ming there once too, which I thought was cool. Its really low-key, and sometimes has a guy playing a piano. Also, compared to the other sushi restaurants, it is inexpensive.

Pros: sushi, price

Posted 07/19/07

I came to sushi king on a sunday night and lord my food took soo long. My server took approxiamtely 15 minutes to bring out drinks. then took another ten minutes to come back to our table to take the order. i waited another forty minutes for the food to come out. when we were ready for the bill. we looked around for our server and saw him laughing and talking to the manager. we had to wave down a busy boy to tell him to get our server. the server came with the check and took him about twelve minutes ( i started timing him) to come back to pick up the check. i voiced my opinion to the server and asked to speak to the manager. after waiting for some time, the manager never came over to our table. we gave up and just walked out.

Pros: none

Cons: slow service

Posted 05/22/07

I am a regular at sushi king for some time now and never really experienced any problems until now... On Monday night which was a extremely slow night, ( three tables at the time) my order took over fifty minutes to come out .... I was pretty upset with this and asked to speak to the manager. i waited for the manager to come out but to no avail she did not come speak to me. I asked the waitress why the manager has not come to my table she said the manager was too busy to speak to me right now. That was absurd! Customer should come first regardless of how busy you are... about twenty minutes later the fat manager arrived. i have no idea why she took so long, maybe she was too busy stuffing her face with food... I politely told her my problem with how long the food took and she started giving me this attitude. she said that if i was unsatisfied then i should go to someplace else. I will never ever recommend this place to anyone; not even to my worse enemy! the downside: i still had my appetite even though the food took so long, but after seeing the nasty fat manager, i totally lost my appetite..
PRO: Great great food
Con: seeing the fat manager and food is no longer great

Pros: ambience, food

Cons: rude female manager

Posted 05/20/07

My boyfriend and I come here at least twice a month. We love sushi. We have been to different sushi bars in houston, but this is by far our favorite. The last time we sat outside which was perfect since the weather has been perfect for sitting on the patio. The waiter was very attentive and fulfilled our every request. We love this place. The Julie crunch is to die for. The flavored sake is really good.

Pros: Everything!!

Cons: Friday nights its pretty packed.

Posted 04/24/07

Sushi king seems to be centered more around atmosphere than the actual food. It's a bit pretentious for the quality of sushi they offer and the high prices they sell their food at. If someone takes me then I have no problem eating there but it's not somewhere I'd spend my own money.

Pros: location, atmosphere

Cons: prices

Posted 04/16/07

My wife and I usually go elesewhere for sushi but tried this place out for a change. The sushi was very average - some good but some pretty chewy and of dubious quality. The service wasn't great either - lots of harrassed looking waitresses.

Posted 03/14/07

My fiance and I decided to try Sushi King due to the reviews on this website but neither of us enjoyed it at all! Our server rarely came around leaving both of our waters empty throughout the majority of the meal. Not only was the service subpar but the sushi just didn't taste fresh. Maybe they were having an off day but neither of us will be back to find out!

Posted 01/18/07

I enjoy the sushi here. The price is around the middle of what you expect for a place like this (going for the lounge type atmosphere). I like the setup... its pretty, and there is both a bar and a long sushi bar. There are even a few lounge type tables to the side. As for sushi quality, its average to good. I haven't had truly amazing sushi yet in Houston (except maybe at one place that is too pricey for me), but I was not disappointed with anything that I tried here. Its delicious and well proportioned. The bar is nice and has decent prices compared to some other places. My only gripe is that they seem to have a lack of experience or general knowledge about the sushi business, as illustrated by two incidents. I'm used to ordering sushi off of a paper menu, where you use a pencil to write how many of each item you want. When I asked to see it so I could make my order, the two servers I dealt with had never even heard of this concept before. In addition, the regular rolls are not listed on the menu. The menu only lists nigiri and specialty rolls. By regular roll I mean a roll that's seaweed on the outside, rice in the middle, and a little fish in the middle of that. I like them because they are less expensive than nigiri, but just as filling and still quite flavorful. I asked about this, and again the two servers had no clue, so they got the manager. The manager informed me that even though the normal rolls were not listed on the menu, they would make them for me and my party. He mentioned that it would be six pieces. He never provided prices, and my party and I decided to stick to ordering off the menu to avoid any disputes over the price of the unlisted rolls. This is unprecedented and inconvenient. If they got over this problem I'd consider them much more highly. They are less pretentious than many of their competitors, and have a great setup that is very conducive to conversation. The sushi is also pretty good.

Pros: Great place to relax after work for a drink, a chat, and some food!

Cons: Inexperienced servers, no regular rolls

Posted 12/27/06

Go here for great Sushi! They will pamper you and you will get some of the best Sushi ever.
I recommend anything!

Pros: Great Sushi

Posted 11/15/06

Very fresh sushi and good portions on the rolls. I have lunch here about once a week and the service is excellent, not ever too crowded. Sushi rolls are impressive.

Pros: Blissful Sushi Rolls

Cons: --

Posted 11/12/06

place is ok. fine in fact. but amongst the other serious top-notch sushi places in houston - it doesnt even compare. everything is good, nothing is great, prices are kind of high for what you get. overall nice if youre in the nighborhood, but dont make any big effort...

nice decor, piano bar is interesting... kinda

Posted 11/04/06

My brother and I eat at Sushi King no less than twice a month and we both love it. The sushi is always fresh and presented masterfully. They have tons of traditional Japanese cuisine and also modern twist on traditional favorites. It is pricey (as all good sushi is), but you do get what you pay for and the freshness is excellent and well worth it. The only thing I wish they would improve on is their ika (squid): It is slimy and you can tell that it was frozen (as they often serve it half thawed). Everything else is wonderful and often they have a live pianist and the ambiance is amazing.

Pros: Fresh, Traditional, Original

Cons: Frozen Ika (Squid)

Posted 10/19/06

The new management is doing wonders for this place. The new menus are exquisite. Finally they match the decor. I was talking to the bartender because the martini's are so much better than they used to be. He let me know they have a new manager who is helping them get the bar and the kitchen together. He was tasting wines and coctails when I was at the bar and this guy REALLY seems to have some SNAP! I also hear they have hired a new chef for the kitchen who has worked at a rival place in town and I LOVE his food. I cannot wait to see what happens next. All I know is that I will be back soon to see what new changes are happening. If you are a regular customer then you can already see the changes happening, but if you haven't been in a while you should come back soon. This restaurant is not only going to have the freshest sushi in town, they are gearing up for something Houston has never had. An upscale Asian dining experience that you don't have to fight the club kids for. YEA!!!

Pros: Easy Parking, FRESH SUSHI

Cons: Small space make a reservation

Posted 08/11/06

If you're a fan of rolls, order the Cowboy (tuna/beef) , Lion (crab), and Julie Crunch (don't know, but it rocks!). I've been to this restaurant over half a dozen times now, and the food never dissappoints. The service has always been uncertain, but Friday night, we had a winner in Kelly. One of the best servers, and Stormy the bartender is as nice as they come. My friend and I have already picked a day to come for their happy hour sushi specials. I just love this place!

Pros: amazing rolls, nice wine selections, piano player

Cons: not enough booth seating

Posted 07/24/06

Once again all the reviews are wrong. How is it possible that this fine establishment didn't make the top 10 list? The Shushi is tremendous and the staff is extremely friendly. I love sitting at the sushi bar and talking with all the chefs as they construct their masterpieces.

Pros: Excellent food, cheap prices

Posted 07/24/06

Sushi King has a great ambience to it. When I go there late (around 11), the restaurant is still pretty packed and the service is quick. Strangely enough, when I went one afternoon and there were very few people there, the service was horrendously slow, but I was with a good friend and we had had lots to talk about, so I was okay with it. Normally, service is a bit on the slow (but courteous) side, so I don't recommend setting up blind dates here. When going out with a couple of friends or a close lover, this place is excellent for talking about anything and everything. The sushi good enough to make up for the slow service in my opinion.

Posted 06/17/06

My husband had his first experience with sushi at this restaurant just a couple of days ago, and he absolutely loved it. The sushi is excellent. Miso soup... some of the best I've had. The Blackend Tuna was awesome. We also ordered the Chicken teriyaki...chicken is bland and the potato salad was a bit strange, but edible. The woman assisting us was very kind and personable, but very slow. Go with someone you like talking to because you're going to be there a while. Otherwise, be sure to sit near the man playing the piano, so you can have a good distraction. The music was quite nice. Overall, a very good experience.

Pros: excellent sushi, great ambiance

Cons: a bit slow

Posted 05/05/06

Went to Sushi King last week on a Friday and everything was awesome. Despite the long wait, we were seated promtly after we had some cold sake at the beautifu bar. Atmosphere was great, our waitress was really helpful and attentive, and the food she suggested was just top of the line. Just like she said, the kind crab sunomono will make me come back for more. Sushi quality is among the best I've ever seen and I'm a frequent sushi-eater. Its a great place to meet singles and mingle too, nice crowd!

Pros: top quality food, great service, great ambiance

Cons: no valet

Posted 03/23/06

We went for lunch and they had great service, a big selection and some really good combos. The waitress was really nice with my friend about changing his order at the last second.

Posted 02/21/06

This was the second time my wife and I went to Sushi King and again we were blown away. This time we took some friends with us and they simply loved it. The sushi is what you go for really. This is probably the only place that I am satisfied of the quality of the sushi and I have been to alot of places. The ambiance is stellar which is a good thing considering if you see the restaurant from the outside you wouldn't think so. Definitly recommend this place.

Posted 02/05/06

The place looks great and all the sushi we ordered was really good, but the service was really terrible. We were seated for about 20 minutes before anyone acknowledged us and then they didn't apologize. It took a really long time for the sushi to come out and again, nothing was said.

Pros: looks great, good sushi, easy parking

Cons: service, slow

Posted 01/08/06

I was pleased with the cleanliness of the restaurant, the attentiveness of the staff, the menu/wine list selection, and the quality of the sushi rolls. But, one roll I ordered had too much Special Sauce on it! I can't remember which one it was, but it would have been better with about half as much condiment on it. The sweetness of the sauce overpowered the taste of the fish and veggies. Next time I'll ask for the sauces on the side, or request just a little dab. Other than that, it was great!

Pros: Tasty, Attentive service, Good parking

Posted 01/05/06

I've tried several rolls on the menu, but the Julie Crunch and Cowboy top my list of favorites. Decent selection of wine. Service is inconsistent.

Posted 01/03/06

I took my wife to Sushi King for her birthday, and the entire staff made it a great evening!
Our waiter mentioned some items for us to try (Soft Shell Crab), and they were spot on!
The Sushi was fresh and the rolls they made to order (I replace the Avacado in the Cali roll with Jalapeno)
The Staff also suprised my wife with a great sing along and a picture!
This place has a great upscale feel without the dresscode!

Pros: Awesome Patio, Great Staff, Great Sushi

Cons: None

Posted 11/08/05

This past weekend, all the other popular sushi restaurants in town were booked so we opted for Sushi King. The interior was pleasant, the staff friendly, and the piano man was a comical, entertaining feature. Unfortunately, the ambiance didn't make up for the unpalatable food. The portions are terribly small, even for a Japanese joint, and most of the rolls were covered with creamy sauce! Let the fish and rolls speak for themselves! To top it off, service was painfully slow. We wouldn't rush back.

Pros: Decent Prices, Nice Atmosphere, Good Bar

Cons: Small Portions, Bad Presentation, Not Good Taste

Posted 11/07/05

Michael, the manager of this fun, beautiful restaurant makes our visits fit for a Queen. We are always greeted with a hug, great suggestions regarding new dishes or specials and topped off with champagne. When you feel like you want to be pampered this is the place to be! The food is fresh, creative and we are constantly learning about new dishes. The owners of this establishment are so kind and gracious. We learned about Sushi King from years of eating at Kaneyama. This is the upscale version of Kaneyama but both are great quality, healthy food.

We are weekly diners between both restaurants and are treated like royalty at both!

Pros: friendly management, great ambiance, fresh creative fish

Cons: service can be slow

Posted 10/30/05

We attended a birthday party for a friend on the patio at Sushi King. The waitstaff went out of their way to make us comfortable in our own area and the sushi was great. We loved the rolls especially. The whole drink menu was really extensive and I enjoyed a couple of nice martinis. Great place for a group of friends for casual dinner and drinks.

Pros: nice patio, great rolls

Posted 10/04/05

I highly recommend this sushi for all sushi goers whether new or experienced. I found the ambience excellent! I loved the atmosphere and I thought the piano was an excellent touch of class. I also appreciated that every table has low-sodium soy sauce! This has become my new sushi spot that I frequent at least once weekly! If you are a roll lover they have the largest and best selection in Houston!

Pros: Good Value, Nice size pieces, Trendy

Cons: Slow Service

Posted 06/30/05

This was an amazing meal. I was a bit skeptic at first, because the sign outside the restaurant looked slightly unprofessional. However, upon entering the restaurant, I realized that this is top quality sushi after viewing the menu! Their menu puts Miyako's and Blue Fish's to shame. They have so many varieties and creative rolls and even have kobe beef and a bunch of grilled entrees. Service was excellent, layout of the restaurant is breathtaking, food was delicious and amazing and the perfect temperature and texture! I have dined at MANY fine sushi restaurants around Houston, and this impressed me actually even more than my previous favorite Azuma's! I hope this restaurant gets discovered...it's such a gem and the owners are the nicest people. THe sushi was so fresh and delicious, I'm craving it now! RUN don't walk to this place! You won't regret it!

Pros: good prices, extensive menu, friendly waitress

Cons: NOTHING!

Posted 05/08/05

Sushi King is a poor excuse for a Japanese restuarant. The hand roll looked like it was made by a 5 year-old kid. The service was decent, but does not make up for the food at all. The entrees were very bland, they did not even have all the proper Japanese condoments. It's ridiculous! I assure this place will not stay open very long, they have no clue what sushi is!

Pros: Ambiance

Cons: Value, Quality

Posted 04/13/05

I had a great experience there.The sushi was great. We went as a group and we tried all differend kinds. My favorites are the Lover and Fantasy rolls.Others were good too. I do like the classy set up.We went on a Sunday evening, so no proplems with parking or getting a table. I recommended this to another friend. Will go again!

Pros: Inexpensive, Clean

Posted 03/03/05

I highly recommend it. I have been to five other sushi restaurants in houston but this is by far the best one.

Posted 02/13/05

unfortunately the worst experience. liked the design aspect, but bad service and far below expectaions quality of food. poor rolls, bad fish (fishy) even the soy sauce was watery. apoloetic reaction by the manager and refusal by the owner to face the complaint. the restaurant business is tough... if you call yourself "king" you should ave your matters under control! it's only the first week, but as owners of an existing sushi restaurant, the experience doesn't show. good luck!

Pros: furniture, location

Cons: , quality, timelyness

Posted 01/19/05