Sushi Roku

If you like Sushi... No! I mean really like Sushi, then this place isn't no big deal unless you are trying to impress a girl that doesn't know any better. Make sure she glances at the check, she might ...you know. Anyway, the food might look pretty but it's not that great.

Pros: the place look cool

Cons: the food didn't taste good, and was very very slim

Posted 12/09/08

I have heard this place is really good, but I haven't actually been there personally. I hope to go some day and enjoy all the food people speak so highly of.

Posted 11/17/08

The lounge area is very nice but the service there is terrible. I went with my boyfriend and the waitresses are always dressed provocatively. This last time I was there the girl kept bending over in front of him showing her cleavage. Every time she would come to our table she would bend over and do this. The other girl was wearing a dress so short that I could see things I did not want to see as she was cleaning the tables. This is very uncomfortable as I am trying to have dinner with my boyfriend.

Pros: very good area

Cons: bad service

Posted 11/07/08

Definitely has the look to impress- the dishes are not bad either but a little on the expensive side. The location of this restaurant is obviously superb and the interior design is beautiful. Great for large groups or couples- service can be a bit unpredictable but some very nice dishes are on offer.

Posted 10/25/08

I love this place! Try the miso Rock shrimpand their sea bass rolls to die for. Been to all their locations Pasadena and Bev Hills is my favorite.
Try their YUZU margarita

Pros: amdience, romantic and fun at the same time

Posted 09/24/08

I've been here a few times and really like the music they play. Their food is good but not the best if you want fresh sushi or sashimi. A little over priced considering their sushi is not excellent. Stick with the fusion dishes and you will not go wrong.

Posted 03/05/08

I've gone to Sushi Roku in Pasadena several times( although I urged my party to go elsewhere, I optimistically gave the place a chance again and again-but NO MORE)..and every time it is such a disappointment. The service is so pretentious as if the waiters were to get a beating if the didn't give me their "forced" smiles and I felt I was up against an aggressive car salesman than a waiter. The sushi has consistently been horrible. On this particular night I came to see why. Able to understand Japanese I overheard a manager speaking to one of the sushi chefs about the Toro (the most expensive fish) thawing out, and having to sell the older fish that day! I was going to speak up to that manager but he was so rude to begin with, I opted to share the message on this site instead. If I am going to get thawed out fish I'd rather go support a small mom and pop establishment where I will get more appreciation and sincerity.

Pros: nice interior design

Cons: food

Posted 02/23/08

I've gone to Sushi Roku in Pasadena several times( although I urged my party to go elsewhere, I optimistically gave the place a chance again and again-but NO MORE)..and every time it is such a disappointment. The service is so pretentious as if the waiters were to get a beating if the didn't give me their "forced" smiles and I felt I was up against an aggressive car salesman than a waiter. The sushi has consistently been horrible. On this particular night I came to see why. Able to understand Japanese I overheard a manager speaking to one of the sushi chefs about the Toro (the most expensive fish) thawing out, and having to sell the older fish that day! I was going to speak up to that manager but he was so rude to begin with, I opted to share the message on this site instead. If I am going to get thawed out fish I'd rather go support a small mom and pop establishment where I will get more appreciation and sincerity.

Pros: nice interior design

Cons: WORST SUSHI for top $

Posted 02/23/08

Me and my girlfriend decided to go out to dinner. We decided to go to our casual sushi place ( WOKANO ) Pasadena. We been there several times before. It was my birthday, I kind of wanted to stay home, busy work week. But my girlfriend convinced me. That?s why I wanted to go somewhere casual. We got seated ,ordered our drinks. Showed our I.D. The waiter comes back to us, stated that my girlfriends I.D. is fake. I asked to speak to the Manager. The Manager comes and informs us that they can check if its real or not. I told her you should of checked it
before hand. After we were wrongly accused, we decided to take our business elsewhere. I?ve been working in the hospitality Industry for 15 years. As a Guest Service Agent and Concierge. Never have I been treated in such a manner. I was shocked that they would let there patrons get up and leave with no apology.
Thinking that are night was ruined. I remembered that Sushi Roku has a location in Pasadena. When I worked in West L.A . I use to send them a lot of business. Cause the luxury hotel I worked for was just one block away.
Once we got to sushi Roku. I explained to the hostess. We did not have a reservation. She had us wait a couple minutes, but we were seated promptly. I was impressed from the time I walked in. To signing the 30% percent gratuity. The waiter was patient with us ( NEW CUSTOMERS). The service was impeccable, the food well presented and delicious. The ambiance was great.
This restaurant has it all. Thank you Sushi Roku for making a un pleasurable night, a night to remember.
P.S. Never heard back from the Manager?s from Wokano. Even after we emailed them about our situation. But that?s O.K. I will never step foot in that establishment again

Posted 02/21/08

I can't stand pretentious restaurants...and this one fits the bill. Filled with wannabe Abercrombie losers and "young professionals" who can't see beyond the next day as far as spending habits.

Lord knows, there are tons of places like that in LA but this place happens to be close to where I live. We thought it would be a nice place to go but the ludicrious prices for what you get pretty much makes this place worthless.

Pros: Location...you can go to alot of other places around it.

Cons: Pricey, obnoxious, wannabe hang-out.

Posted 02/13/08

Just had my fifth meal there, three times for the Omakase course. Sushi is not bad but not worth the prices they charge. You can get them just as good or better for far less in places like Oomasa in Little Tokyo. Their fusion dishes are questionable. Fusion Cuisine is a product of those who failed to achieve the master level in any one style, someone said, and I agree.

Omakase course turns out to be most interesting and rewarding, despite its high price and my misgivings about the fusion food. I was not disappointed it in the past. The one I had tonight, however, didn't agree with my system for some reason. Three of us ate the same course, and two of us had upset stomach later in the evening. The third is feeling fine, so I cannot say for certain that the food there was the cause. And honestly speaking, I did not find anything suspicious in terms of the taste or the smell in any of the raw items we consumed. We enjoyed them as usual. The dessert was a bit on the rich side, so perhaps the ice cream and rich chocolate didn't agree with hot sake. We will try the Omakase again in a moth or so, and until I find the reason to feel otherwise, I would continue to recommend the place. Go for the Omakase, and enjoy the thrill.

Posted 02/09/08

I'm still on my sushi hunt in Pasadena, and decided to try Sushi Roku. The restaurant had a nice ambience, and I was hopeful. The cocktail selection was interesting, but the food was a bit of a let down. It was "fine". Nothing exciting, nothing terrible. It is a bit expensive, and the food that we had didn't seem to justify the price.

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Pricey

Posted 12/28/07

Sushi Roku is amazing. I've been to both the Santa Monica location and the Pasadena location. The Pasadena location is my favorite with an extremely friendly staff and wonderful atmosphere. The food is wonderful- the kobe beef skewers are the most amazing appetizer on the menu and the sushi is not only fresh but beautifully presented. The shima roll and katana roll are my favorites, each lending a wonderful burst of flavor. The shima roll has a tiny piece of cilantro on top which gives the sushi a refreshing touch.
I would definitely reccomend Sushi Roku. Although both locations are great, I would say that overall I've had better experiences at the Pasadena restaurant. The staff is always friendly and welcoming, reservations are easy to make- and even without a reservation they do everything they can to accomodate your party as soon as possible. Not a pretentious place, delicious food, welcoming staff and a great atmostphere. I highly reccomend it!

Pros: fresh, tasty sushi; diverse menu; beautiful decor and excellent ambience

Cons: parking can be tricky in old town on busy nights- i would opt for valet

Posted 12/09/07

Sushi Roku used to be really good, I don't know what happened. You are paying for the atmosphere of this place, but the sushi and food are overrated. The sushi chefs are way over the top with their constant greetings. A pet peeve of mine, they served the dinner entree with the appetizer and when we told the waitress about it she didn't understand or just played stupid by naming the items we ordered. To top it all off the bartender needs to pour a little heavier.
If you're a guy on a first date and not really want to feed the girl - go here.
If you want real sushi then I guess we have to trek to Sushigen in downtown la, or heck even Famima sushi was better than this.

Pros: Nice decor

Cons: Overrated, over priced.

Posted 09/02/07

Nice decor, the the food was just average. If you are really a true sushi fan, you should not expect good sushi. But if you are one of those people who refers to california rolls as "sushi," then you may like this place. I probably would not go back again just for the food, but it's a good place to go with friends or people you want to impress.

Pros: Ambience, alcohol

Cons: Food

Posted 08/18/07

I didn?t know there was a Sushi Roku in Pasadena until I saw it tucked back off of the main street. My friends and I decided to check it out. The service was great and I was pleased to see many non-sushi dishes since I am not the most adventurous. I highly recommend the Spicy Shrimp dish, it was fantastic. Will definitely go again.

Posted 08/06/07

Sushi Roku is not the place to spend your birthday. Large parties aren't welcome here as the service is so slow, no one eats at the same time. The clincher is that you can't bring a birthday cake unless you want to pay an additional $2.50 per person charge for them to serve it for you. I have never heard of a restaurant doing this! I could understand if I was bringing a dessert that they make themselves. With nine people in the party, the bill was $350.00. We'll never go back and this was a regular stop for us. The cake charge just let me know that I need to spend my money elsewhere. Incredible.

Pros: Ambiance

Cons: Service, Trendy

Posted 08/05/07

Yes, the reviews are true. This place is very white, except for the sushi chefs, and very noisy.
If you want quick service and quality sushi, sit at the bar, not the tables.
Don't order any rolls. They have a tendency to fall apart before they even enter your mouth.

Finally, request for omakase (everyone's great but Toyota-san is just fabulous!).
Yes, omakase can be a little pricey (starts from $40 per person) but you will not be disappointed.
The most recent omakase we had ranged from roe shooters, fresh oysters, 8 nigiris (including toro and sweet shrimp), assorted sashimi and rolls, and finally a petite-four kind of dessert (vanilla bean panna cotta, fudge brownie, fried banana drizzled with caramel, and raspberry sorbet) on the house!
Artful presentation, fresh tasty sushi, and entertaining conversation.
The omakase definitely makes up for the noisy and wannabe japanese atmosphere.

Pros: fresh tasty sushi (only if it's omakase)

Cons: very noisy and not authentic at all atmosphere

Posted 07/30/07

I don't care if it's expensive. I don't care if I have to wait to be seated. This is the best place to have sushi in Old Town, maybe all of Pasadena.
The restaurant is beautiful, really "Zen." The servers are professional and freindly. Not to mention prompt, even when it is packed. If you are overwhelmed by the extensive menu just ask them for guidance, they are only to happy to assist. My husband will only eat sushi here (on the East side of town.) The matchbooks are so flipping cute. Well, they are! We eat here once a week or so and have never had a bad meal or a bad dining experience. If you want to have an incredible Japanese dinner, then stroll through the heart of Old Town, look no further. Sushi Roku rocks.

Pros: Yum Yum Yummy Sushi, beautiful interior.

Cons: Kind of pricey.

Posted 07/08/07

This is a great little place to have some sushi with friends, and family. The atmosphere is great! The sushi is okay, nothing out of the ordinary. The service is good.

Pros: The ambience

Cons: parking

Posted 04/28/07

If you like being part of the "see and be seen" crowd, Sushi Roku is for you. This place is all about where you are seated and who might be sitting next to you. The sushi is always fresh but, honestly, it's no better or worse than a dozen other sushi restaurants in the area. The prices though, off the charts. I have been here a few times and always resent the check just a little bit when it arrives. The service is generally fine but I could do without the attitude of about 60% of the customers. One dish that is worth every penny (and, ironically, is not sushi): the filet mignon wrapped asparagus appetizer. I could eat these all day.

Posted 01/18/07

Me and my boyfriend went there for the first time and my first impression was great. The ambiance is very romantic. Everything we tried was great the and server was very knowledgeable. I asked so many questions and he could answer them all w/ good detail. We had a yellow tail sashimi appetizer plate, he had fillet mignon, I had sushi rolls and Japanese scallops sushi. I even had a sake sampler (recommended for novice sake drinkers). We shared a dessert which was really good and unique.

Pros: Ambiance, great food

Cons: Parking, price

Posted 01/08/07

my boyfriend took me to Sushi Roku for my birthday, and it was fan-tabulous... first of all, the interior design and decor already caught ur attention. we were first served w/ our drinks. i had a fusion martini, and my bf had their house beer "Red Sun", which were both wonderful. we then had out appertizers, toro, yellowtail, and uni sashimi, and their special of the day, sashimi salad. i have to say the sashimi salad was a bit disappointing due to the tiny portion; however, the taste was delicious. their sashimi was of top quality, but be aware of the "market" price when u order toro... we paid $32 for 4 small pieces... yikes... in terms of main dishes, we were actually a bit skeptical about it cuz we heard from other friends that they were just so-so... i tried the chilean sea bass, and my bf had the rib-eye steak, and they were both wonderful... we definitely had to disagree w/ our friends on this one. we finished off our meal w/ a fried banana spring roll dessert, which first off... it was very creative and yummy, and second, they knew it was my bday, so they wrote "happy birthday" on the plate, plus a candle for me... i have to say this was quite a wonderful bday i had...

Pros: food, drinks, ambience

Cons: value

Posted 12/19/06

Can't beat it...it is a nice location with great prices...We had sushi here and found each piece more delectable than the last

Posted 11/03/06

ambience ambience ambience! beautiful. this restaurant is beautiful. the food is good, but the plates are small. the sake is good also. the service is a bit slow sometimes, but the food wait isnt too long.

Posted 11/02/06

Nice ambience, I love thier bar that you can have nice cocktails while you wait for seating. Appetizers are pretty good but I think the sushi is average and it was too expensive for the avarage sushi.

Posted 10/13/06

The menu was not as diverse as I had expected for a higher end sushi restaurant, but the basics were fresh, beautifully presented and delicious. The Yellowtail Scallion rolls were fabulous, and the chocolate lava cake for dessert was divine. I would definitely go back as the ambience was very soothing and the service was excellent. However, if you're looking for a long list of novel rolls, I would go elsewhere.

Posted 09/24/06

We ususally don't eat trendy, but this place was recommened, and it was well worth it. Sometimes fushion does not work with sushi, but at this place, the orignal sushi dishes were delicious. The service was friendly and helpful. I even got a beautiful birthday dessert, with a little candle, and the plate said, "Happy Birthday, Lynn" What a treat!

Pros: fresh, fresh fish, great service

Cons: a little dark, but I guess some people like that

Posted 09/06/06

Staff was friendly, although service was sometimes slow. Visually nice, but very loud. The sushi is excellent, but as others have pointed out, the hot dishes may not satisfy. The sea bass was a disappointment. Teriyaki shrimp was mediocre. A trendy kind of place, but overall not great value.

Pros: Great sushi. Parking is validated. Very friendly staff. Nice decor and lighting.

Cons: Very noisy; hot dishes so-so; service can be slow.

Posted 07/30/06

When eating in Old Town Pasadena, Suhsi Roku is my hands down first choice. The quality of sushi is very high, really fresh fish. I like that many of the items are inventive. The atmosphere is excellent with a very happening bar area. Service is warm and friendly. Truly, a great place.

Pros: Food, Bar/Lounge, Service

Posted 07/19/06

Nice place to have dinner or grab lunch. Not the most romantic atmosphere, but the food is pretty good. The miso eggplant dengaku is a must-try appetizer and the tempura lobster tail is great too. Sushi is mediocre. Portions are small. However, staff is wonderful. Green tea creme brulee for dessert is a good choice.

Pros: Great food, Attentive staff

Cons: Small portions, pricey

Posted 07/04/06

As with any trendy place, sushi roku is tastefully decorated. If you find that the tables are full, the bar/lounge area is very comfortable as well if you just want a casual place to eat with lots of activity around you. But I would say as all the other reviewers, this is not a pure sushi place, you would probably want to go for somewhere a bit more intimate.

Posted 06/04/06

The ambience is great. Stick to some of the specials and special sashimi dishes. The traditional sushi is average with prices 30-50% higher.

If you want great traditional sushi go somewhere else, if you want creative items with a nice date atmosphere with money no object, then Roku is recommended.

Pros: Ambience, Special dishes

Cons: High prices

Posted 05/14/06

My wife and I had reservations this Valentine's Day for dinner at this restaurant. Very impressed with the freshness of their sushi. Their entrees were very tasty and satisfying. Our server was friendly and patiently explained several dishes to us. Service was prompt and attentive to our needs. Empty glasses and bowls didn't linger more than a couple of minutes before someone took them away or re-filled them. The wait for our food was a bit a long, but it might be because it was Valentine's Day and extremely busy for them.

Posted 02/14/06

Simply stated: There are many sushi restaurants in Pasadena. How do they all stay in business? Bar none, Sushi Roku serves the freshest most innovative sushi in town. I love the interior, it is sleek and cool and beautiful all at once. The prices are a little high, but all good sushi seems to be somewhat pricey. I do not care about that at all if the dinner is a memorable one. Sushi Roku has yet to let me down. I love going with a group. It is also a great place for parents- if raw fish turn them off, steer them towards the fab teriyaki chicken.

Pros: Delicious Sushi, Gorgeous Restaurant, Love the local

Cons: Obnoxious Service

Posted 11/18/05

The regular sushi is good, the specialties sushi is better and more creative.
Even the rib-eye steak is very tasty and juicy.
The only drawback is the service.
Why? My server are very aggressive in asking me for drink orders. They are more attentive if I order and keep ordering more drinks!!!
Surely, Sushi Roku make a lot of profit in their drinks... but that shouldn't be the only way to be attentive to your customer.
I don't drink that much, but I do eat the best and a lot of it.
My sushi food bill alone goes up to $100, that food only, but drink portion is only $10.
Beside that bad service from not ordering enough drinks, the food is very good as well as the surrounding which is hip and trendy. Sure, bring a date and get her drunk while you enjoy that sushi!!!

Pros: Specialty sushi, Rib-eye steak, Trendy and hip place.

Cons: service can improve.

Posted 11/09/05

I just went here for a special occasion and I can't even begin to describe how wonderful everything was. The food was delicious (we tried almost every roll on the menu as well as tempura and plain sushi) and the service was amazing. Our waiter was very friendly and patient (as we had a large group) and it was one of those places where you drink gets refilled and old plates get taken away without you even noticing. The chefs were all extremely friendly as well. This place is at the top of my list.

Pros: sushi, service, everything

Posted 10/18/05

When a restaurant does several things right, somebody will usually attack the ambience, and try to down play the WHOLE experience as being "foo foo", "all hype", "trendy", "over priced", etc, etc, but I think if your looking for value than you'll love this place because quality is something thats being over shadowed by the millions of restaurants sprouting up everywhere delivering the cheapest and the biggest kind of california, poki, etc. rolls. Sushi Roku offers a great balance of value thats driven by quality ingredients, experienced Sushi Chefs (Shin'san) and a unexpectedly impressive kitchen menu. The Colorado Lamb was very good! It was prepared perfectly (med. rare)!

Pros: Exp. Sushi Chefs, Kitchen Menu, Earthy Ambience

Cons: Some bland kitchen..., ..menu items

Posted 08/13/05

I don't understand how Roku's managed to crop up all over L.A. I was drawn by the location and decor but the food is completely lackluster. Had the lamb, which was delicious, but the sushi was not fresh-that's just scary!! I've had better teriyaki at Yoshinoya. The service is slow and indifferent-again, have had better at fast food joints. If you're looking for ambience and not good food or a good time-save your money and visit a museum.

Pros: Ambience

Cons: , Service

Posted 01/22/05

The food was great (pretty Americanized) and we didn't have to wait at all, very fresh seafoods and the filet mignon was the tenderest I ever had in America. All in all, it was very delicious and I will definitely be visiting Sushi Roku in the very immediate future. However, I wouldn't put Sushi Roku at the top of my list with regard to the setting and environment. Pretty small and squishy (we were lucky to get a private bordered off area, but still), and quite excessively loud with very limited lighting. Their price was generously low for the quality of foods and services they offered. Very nice place. Yep, I will definitely return, but maybe not to the Old Town branch. Their drinks list was short though, and the watermelon martini was horid. Try the Fusion though.

Pros: Price, Freshness, Speed

Posted 11/06/04