The restaurant is located along the side of a major street, so we parked about a block away and walked over, which was not an issue for us at all. From the moment we stepped inside, the experience completely shifted. The interior is truly spectacular--quiet, intimate, and thoughtfully designed. The space is petite yet incredibly intentional, and it immediately evokes the feeling of being transported to Japan. While I've never personally been to Japan, this restaurant genuinely took me out of a Western setting and placed me into what felt like a Japanese dining experience. Each table is sectioned off with dividers, which adds a layer of privacy while still maintaining an open, welcoming atmosphere that reminds you that you're still in the United States. It's a perfect balance between intimacy and accessibility, and it contributes greatly to the overall ambiance. I ordered the karaage meal, which came with a cabbage salad and rice. At first, I was concerned it might not be enough food, but it ended up hitting the spot in ways I didn't expect. While I could have eaten more, I was genuinely satisfied and comfortable by the end of the meal, which speaks volumes about the quality and balance of the dish. When placing my order, I also requested soup and mentioned to our server that I had been coughing earlier. Even though I wasn't actively coughing in the restaurant, she went out of her way to bring me hot tea to help soothe my throat. That level of care and attentiveness went well beyond expectations. She was incredibly polite, well-mannered, and made sure we felt genuinely taken care of throughout our visit. The value here is outstanding--not just for the food, but for the service, atmosphere, and overall experience. Everything comes together seamlessly, and it truly feels like a home run. There was no long wait to be seated; we walked in, told them how many people were in our party, and were seated promptly. For dessert, I ordered the matcha cheesecake. I went in with certain expectations based on what I was used to, and while it leaned more toward a New York-style cheesecake flavored with matcha rather than a traditional Japanese-style cheesecake, it was still very enjoyable and well-executed. Overall, everything--from the value and location to the food, service, and atmosphere--was excellent. I would absolutely recommend this place and plan to return the next time I'm back in town. I'm looking forward to trying more items on the menu and bringing more friends along with me. A sincere thank you to the young lady who went above and beyond to ensure we had a wonderful experience. read more

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Camon is a great sushi spot with more of an intimate atmosphere. When I went on a Thursday at 5pm it was super quiet and perfect for a relaxed meal. We got the happy hour special (3 rolls for $30) , and I was very impressed! This is officially my new favorite sushi spot in the area. The service was excellent. Our server truly anticipated all of our needs and we were seated right away, though I'm not sure if that's because we were there early. The sushi itself was amazing, and I will definitely be back! read more

Camon Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I've been going here for 21 years. Hands down the best sushi I've had in Columbia. I live in Charleston now but I stopped in last night on my way back home. The owner learned from the original owner and has carried on the legacy well. read more

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Can we take a moment and give a round of applause to this amazing establishment, please? I mean really! Bravo to the chefs, the server we had tonight & the owner/manager! I thought my son and I had found the best sushi restaurant in the midlands before, until we ate dinner here tonight. If I could, I would give this dining experience 10 stars. Everything was perfect. Camon is a little hole in the wall restaurant that exudes an air of Japanese tranquility. From the moment you open the sliding door, to being served a cup of hot green tea after you are seated, this place just feels like a true authentic Japanese restaurant should feel. As my son put it, "it's a vibe in here." The young lady who served us tonight was pleasant, soft spoken, polite and attentive (and not in an annoying way kind of attentive). We began with the takoyaki. Oh my word! The way it melted in my mouth with all the flavors and textures was astonishing. My son took one bite and it was literally eye opening for him. It was his first time trying takoyaki and he loved it. I almost wish I had not let this be his first one because I fear that now, none of the others will ever compare. That's how good it was! Then, we ordered some sashimi, the dragon special and nigiri. All of it was superb!! We had to have more. We ordered a spicy tuna roll, some steamed shrimp shumai and mochi for dessert. Again, it was all a superb! read more

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I went a few days ago, and the sushi is just not the same. The prices of their maki have gone up and the quantity feels smaller compared to how it was a year ago. They no longer have sashimi and nigiri combos, so you kinda need to order à la carte. Inakaya is the #1 spot for sushi in the city hands down. read more

So, So, Sushi. Lovely indoor seating area with a welcoming environment. Staff was friendly although not too accommodating. For this trip we sat at the sushi bar thinking service would be quick ... wrong were we. Servers nor sushi chefs paid us much attention. While prices were reasonable sushi did not pack home the same fresh flavors found out others. Camon has some signature rolls as well as your standard options. I ordered the Columbia roll which menu said was to be include, omelet, shrimp, imitation crab, avocado, eel, and cucumbers. Sadly I found the roll to be less of the aforementioned and heavy on rice. I also ordered miso soup which sadly never came :( I will give it another try, perhaps for there Happy Hour which runs M-F until 6:30. read more

Camon Japanese Restaurant - Columbia Roll - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Finally! Legit sushi! This place is definitely getting another visit. Since moving to the midlands it's been tough finding good sushi. Everyone seems to recommend someplace that ends up disappointing. This place hit it out the park. The sushi rolls were good sizes, the fish fresh and buttery texture. Order more than you are expecting to eat because they can take a while to complete orders. There are Plenty of interesting items on the menu. Worth my time and money! The service was traditional and professional and the ambiance was pleasant and peaceful. read more

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Sushi was delicious...especially the yellow tail. just be informed no alcohol license at this time if you expect to have a beer or glass of wine read more

Wouldn't allow me to order takeout after stating they offer takeout.... Won't be back. Won't be sad if they close either

Camon Japanese restaurant is definitely an unassuming and small eatery, but it's punching way above its weight class! The sushi here is top-notch and I would come here again weekly if I was local. Located in Downtown Columbia near USC, they boast some of the finest sushi around. Every type we had was mouth-watering. Our favorite by far was the Camon II roll and the salmon nigiri. Absolutely divine flavors and so fresh. Another top contender was the Dragon roll with crispy fried eel. What made this experience even greater was the intimate setting with calming music and an expert waitstaff. Our server gave us many recommendations and all of them were good and the chef himself gave some insight as to why he prepares his dishes this way. I can't wait to come back and sip some green tea while I devour more sushi! Follow me on Instagram @ GullahEatsCHS read more

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The host is very attentive. The atmosphere is amazing , most authentic I've experienced. Felt like I was actually in Japan. The sushi is the best ever and my curry was to die for. The dessert was not too heavy and was excellent. I highly recommend. read more

The Japanese food was authentic. Sushi was amazing. The server was friendly. She was fast to serve our food and kept drinks filled. The atmosphere was very much Japanese style. Try the desserts. Not heavy and sweet. Just right. Prices were very reasonable. read more

This place has such a cute atmosphere, welcoming you with a sliding door and warm lighting. Service was very accommodating as well. I had the Lifesaver roll and the Camon II roll, my friend had the cold soba, and we shared the veggie/shrimp tempura. It was all delicious and we will definitely be back when we're in Columbia! read more

Camon Japanese Restaurant - Veggie/Shrimp tempura, the lifesaver roll, the Camon II roll, and cold soba dish - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I traveled a lot including tokyo. This place is great for food with super reasonable price. read more

2 orders of California rolls. 2 trips. I had to go back because they didn't put extra masago. When I returned, instead of remaking it, he just dumped the masago on top of the rolls. I called to complain about this to the owner, who just said. "I'm sorry about that." No offer to refund the money OR offer free rolls the next time. I have been a steady customer of Camon since I moved here in 2019. The food is overpriced but fine. Apparently, they don't care if they provide good customer service. Camon has just lost a customer. read more

Camon Japanese Restaurant - California rolls with masago dumped on top. - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Some of the best sushi I've ever had in my life. Real hidden gem right in downtown cola. Very sweet lady who waits the tables, and the atmosphere is very calming. read more

Loved this place. Great sushi and great service. The sushi came out quick and was so good. Just a hidden gem.

Food was sooo delicious!!! It was my first time ever having Japanese curry and it definitely met my expectations of what I thought it would taste like. Our sever was very polite and attentive. The guy that seemed like the owner was very sweet, he would open doors for us and other guests as well. The inside of the restaurant made me feel very cozy. All the paintings and decorations, the overall interior of the restaurant made me feel like I was in Japan read more

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Service was great but that's about it. Food was awful. Gyoza tasted like it was frozen and just reheated. The soup was like a bowl of salt with flavoring. And the steak bowl (I can't remember the name on the menu) tasted like pot roast. It had potatoes and carrots - just like a pot roast. That's fine but NOT what we expected at a Japanese restaurant. One star because the food was awful. read more

Hole in the wall! Food: Fish was really fresh and everything was tasty. Not the most extensive menu, but I prefer my sushi more basic anyways - no fancy "sexy" rolls, like a lot of commercial places trying to be too American. Ordered scallop nigiri, camon iii, cold tofu dish, sashimi appetizer, yellowtail roll and seaweed salad. Only complain is the camon roll came with spicy mayo on top - maybe I didn't catch this in the description. Wasn't expecting it but overall didn't change my opinion of the food. The sushi chef offered me white soy sauce - something newer that I haven't had before - and it was nice, a little on the lighter side. Was pleased to try something new. Price: Very reasonable. Atmosphere: Quiet but not too quiet. The inside looked authentically Japanese in a simple way. Pleasantly surprised compare to the lackluster storefront. Was decently busy. Service: Admittedly a tad slow, but with only a sushi chef and one server, it wasn't nearly as slow as one would expect. Both were super friendly and attentive when present, not making too much conversation but enough to make you feel welcome. I kept drinking my tea quickly and my server would always be coming by to fill up my cup, and even provide a new tea bag every now and then - without me asking. Overall, this family operated sushi place is wonderful! Support them and try some great sushi at the same time. read more

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Hi! I want to add to my review. The Camon 3 sushi roll is usually what I ordered and was always delish!! Their Wasabi sauce is on fire! Love the food, service and ambience is okay too! 5 stars! read more

My friend and I came to this restaurant and were both unexpectedly surprized with the quality of our sushi. We typically don't like cucumber in our sushi, but the way the "sushi masters" here thinly slice the cucumber before putting it in the sushi makes it amazing and not overwhelming. One thing I love about this restaurant is that everything on the menu has a little bit of wasabi in it, not enough to be considered "spicy" but enough to where you can taste it if you look for it. I'm not a big fan of pickled ginger but that's all they have here, it's not bad I just prefer regular thinly sliced ginger.. (My freind really likes the ginger they have here) The servers here always have a good knowledge of what's on the menu, and can answer any question you have. I gave this restaurant a 5 star review because the service is great and the food is even better. I definitely recommend this restaurant to any and all sushi lovers. read more

This is the best sushi in Columbia. As evidence, I offer the bad reviews, which are almost universally people with no palate whining that it's not covered in sauces. I class this easily with Kinja in Augusta and Wagaya in Atlanta. Highly, highly recommend, and the only sushi place I go to in Columbia. read more

My husband and I and 2 of our friends were in the area and decided to try this place out. It was a huge mistake. The wait staff welcomed us when we first got there and then it was all downhill from there. The place was pretty empty. There were maybe just 2 or 3 tables other than us. We ordered 2 spring rolls & vegetable tempura for appetizers and 2 tonkatsu curries, a special dragon roll, salmon nigiri, tuna nigiri, a spider roll, and a crunchy spicy shrimp roll for the entrees. The miso soup and house salad came out maybe 10-15 min after we ordered. That was standard Japanese restaurant soup and salad. Nothing special. That appetizers didn't arrive until about 45min later. The spring rolls were falling apart and the vegetable tempura was undercooked. The vegetables were still raw and the batter had no color. After we finished the apps the entrees didn't arrive for another 30min. What the server brought out was the biggest disappointment of the night. You would expect that after all the waiting the food would at least be good. It was the saddest looking spread I've ever seen. Only 1 tonkatsu made it to the table. The proportion of rice to tonkatsu and curry was way off. They cleared about 1/4 of the plate for 2 baby carrots and maybe a tablespoon of corn. They got the other order of tonkatsu curry completely wrong and instead brought out a plate of chicken teriyaki. The portion size was way off. It looked more like a kids meal than an adult entree. They're special dragon roll was a complete joke. It cost $16.30 for the smallest roll I have ever seen in my life. Barely had any soft shell crab and all you could taste was green onion and cream cheese. The salmon and tuna nigiri didn't look or taste fresh nor was the fish properly cut. They put way too much wasabi between the fish and rice. So much that you could barely even taste the flavor of the fish anymore. Wasabi is meant to enhance the flavor not hide it. The spider roll was a complete and utter disappointment. It was the blandest roll my friend had ever eaten. The crunchy spicy shrimp roll wasn't any better. It had one job, to be spicy. It had no spice and was bland. To top it all off the food was wildly overpriced and our wait staff never apologized to us for the wait times. There's nothing worse than walking out of a restaurant feeling hungry and like they've robbed you. Poor customer service and even worse food. Honestly the worst restaurant experience I have ever had. 10/10 would never come back or recommend to anyone I like. read more

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First time ever visiting this place. I ordered for pickup but as soon as I got inside I really wish I just stayed there. It's so cute and the sushi is pretty good! I ordered the Camon III roll and it was beautiful and tasty! I can't really comment on the service because I did order for pickup but the greeter was very polite! read more

Camon Japanese Restaurant - Camon 3 Roll - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Most authentic sushi in town. Sticks true to traditional Japanese techniques and does not Americanize sushi or deep fry rolls. Very friendly staff and environment! read more

On my first night in Columbia, I was seeking a sushi bar to fulfill my craving. Camon was around the corner from my hotel. When I first walked in, it was quite packed for a random Tuesday evening. There were only two servers and they were overwhelmed. I asked to sit at the bar, and sat between a group of three on my left and a gentleman on my right. I noticed immediately that the guy to my right was speaking Japanese to the sushi chef, which is a welcome sound. I spoke to the man, who was in town on business from Kyoto. He eats at this restaurant every time he comes to town, so that is a good sign! He was eating zaru soba which was not even on the menu. To my left were three coworkers, the guy immediately next to me eating sushi for the first time. That was fun to watch. The chef was very friendly, and his associate (a woman, yay) was also working very hard. I ordered hot green tea and filled out my first form for sushi. I think I waited almost an hour for my first round, which was evident by the very busy restaurant. When I was about to get my food, the female chef offered me two pieces of maki, which was a kind gesture. The man to my right had already left, and the guys to my left were eating tons of food, so I was quite hungry. The chef then presented me with my order. I appreciated that I could order one piece of nigiri at a time rather than having two per order, so I could try more. My first round included nama sake belly, uni, hamachi, hotategai, saba, anago (a rare treat for me!), amaebi with fried head, ika, and tako. Everything was oishi! I also had a salmon skin hand roll, which was tasty but not too crispy and also very small for the price. I hesitated ordering more because of the wait, but the server assured me it would be relatively fast. It was not, but it was worth the wait because the quality was decent. I ordered another nama sake, hamachi, and uni and tried hirame as well. Given how busy it was, it was very hard to get a refill on tea and I did not have a glass of water, so I often was without anything to drink. However, the atmosphere was pleasant and it is clearly a popular place given how busy it was on a Tuesday evening. My meal took almost three hours though which is definitely too long for a solo diner. I would still recommend trying it if you like sushi and have a little patience, as the chef is Japanese and the food is great. read more

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The restaurant was fairly quiet with only five other tables. I ordered a sushi/nigiri plate. I was served room temperature miso soup. The flavor was strong. The rice served was okay. My sushi plate didn't come with squid nigiri as advertised. I've had better sushi at cheaper places. It's not bad but it's not good either. I docked stars because my order was lost. I waited over a hour for my food. Disappointed with the flavor, cooking, and customer service. I don't recommend this place. read more

LEFT PURSE & WALLET!! I hope to get in touch Monday to get it. If you are an employee please reach out as soon as possible Great food & service read more

Sushi was delicious but the rolls were a little small. Quality of fish was amazing tho, my main gripe was the cleanliness of the restaurant. It had a smell like old dish water and looked kinda dingy. Fellas this isn't the place if you're trying to show out on date night but... I've you and your significant other have gotten past that phase and you're looking for a small quiet spot with good sushi.. this is it read more

A hidden gem in Columbia, I almost didn't want to review it to keep it to myself. It was a beautiful and dining experience that also felt authentic. The sushi was very fresh and high quality. Staff were very polite and attentive. I highly recommend trying the green tea, it was very quality! read more

Camon Japanese Restaurant - Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

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Camon's a cute little sushi spot and a place you wouldn't think to stop at by the exterior appearance. The interior feels warm and cozy with a lot of screens to separate smaller tables for privacy. They provide a little form to check off what you'd like to order, and we got the nigiri sashimi combo, a rainbow roll, a spider roll, and a couple of other individual pieces of sushi. The rainbow roll, sashimi, nigiri, and octopus that I tried tasted very solid, and it was pretty refreshing to have sushi that's not doused in one type of sauce or another. Unfortunately, the spider roll fell short, as there was an overabundance of rice rolled in. Waitstaff was very friendly, but it did take a bit of time for our food to come out. Very pleasant dining experience overall. read more

Camon Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Before I start, I really need to get this off my chest. I'm so tired of reading reviews from self-proclaimed sushi snobs and reviewers who have "eaten sushi all over the world." I can't even take reviews seriously when it's prefaced like that because I'm too busy rolling my eyes. Back to Camon. Firstly, they have uni on the menu. Secondly, they don't serve deep fried sushi rolls loaded with sweet glaze and spicy mayo. Thirdly, I'm about 95% sure by his accent that the gentleman preparing my sushi is Japanese. Legitimacy confirmed in my book. I ordered nigiri a la carte - scallop, sweet shrimp, yellow tail, tuna, squid, salmon roe, and sea eel... amazingly fresh, and the sushi rice was perfect. I was even given the fried shrimp heads and a couple pieces of sushi on the house. Staff was friendly and answered all my questions. I ordered take-out and noticed how well packaged everything was when I got back to my hotel room. It's the small things, and I really appreciated it. The only letdown was that uni was not in season when I stopped in. Tomorrow is my last night in town, and I plan on stopping in again before I head out. Thank you for the terrific meal, Camon! read more

Camon Japanese Restaurant - Nigiri - sea eel, sweet shrimp, scallop, squid, salmon roe, yellow tail, tuna, and a couple pieces of California roll on the house. - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I came here for the happy hour menu. My boyfriend and I ordered the chicken teriyaki set. The happy hour price was $12.00 which came with two fried gyoza, three California rolls, miso soup and rice. The usual price was about $17.00 so it would be best if you went before 6pm. The sushi chef was Japanese and the restaurant had a very traditional feel to it, and kind of made me feel like at home. All the waiters were very kind and the restaurant is quite small so there's no need for you to wait to get the waiters attention. The waiter would come and check if we needed water like almost every minute. The place was family friendly, and a lot of the customers were regulars. People knew the menu and they knew the chef. It was a very warm atmosphere. The food was also great. I really loved their hamachi which I ordered separately from the chicken teriyaki set. Too bad they didn't have my favorite sushi Toro, but the salmon made up for it. I would definitely come back and try their appetizers and other dinner meals. read more

Camon Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Dined here on a Friday night, being slightly over organized at times I made reservations for two at 7:30, I arrived around 6:45 to find the restaurant...empty. Needless to say, no reservations required! I was planning to sit at the bar and wait for my husband to arrive but there is no actual bar where one could just get drinks and relax, there is a sushi bar however that sits right in front of the chefs. I ordered a glass of wine that could not have been more than a 3-4oz pour, slightly disappointing. We started with the house salad and miso soup, both were delicious. We then ordered a spicy tuna roll, spicy shrimp crunch and a candy roll. All of these were great! The spicy tuna had a lot more rice then I prefer, and really wasn't that spicy in my opinion. My favorite was the candy roll, the fresh tuna on top was excellent and super fresh. We also received a complimentary roll to start, I believe it was a spicy crab crunch? We really enjoyed it. All in all this place is a must try for sushi lovers, the service was quick and good, the sushi is super fresh and it was even a little romantic with the low lighting and relaxing environment. This place really is a little hidden gem in Columbia, its location is not great, but there is ample street parking surrounding it. It's located on the corner and the sign "Camon Sushi Bar" is in neon yellow writing. Beware, they do not have yum yum sauce here! :( read more

Camon Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

I came here with friends for prom dinner. The atmosphere is really nice and the whole place has a nice feel to it. When we were seated a waitress immediately came to greet us, however, she did not let us place individual drink orders instead she brought us all waters. We ordered the special where you're supposed to get two appetizers (sashimi or tempura), two entrees, and two desserts. After we received our salads and appetizers, we waited approximately 30-45 minutes just to get our entrees. When we finally finished eating our food (that was excessively bland might I add), our server rarely came by and we didn't get to eat desert because we were already late to our prom. I suppose our food could have been better if our group was smaller, however, the restaurant should not have sacrificed their quality just because we had a large group. All in all, do not expect good food or service from here if you have a large group and a set time to be somewhere. read more

Camon Japanese Restaurant - Sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Columbia, South Carolina

Since the closing of Sushi Yoshi [R.I.P.], I have been desperately searching for a place to get great Sashimi. We arrived at this location and were told to take a seat. 15 minutes later, we still do not have a menu and my fiance goes "I'm thirsty." The older gentleman walking behind us overheard this and brought us two waters and left. There was only 1 or 2 other tables in this restaurant and multiple staff members standing around. A waiter eventually shows up about 25 minutes later and asks for our order, to which I reply that we need a menu first. To make a long story short, this was a horrible visit. The worst part was the older gentlemen kept looking over at my fiance to the point where she was uncomfortable. It was not that it was creepy, but the fact that he kept looking over at us yet did not do anything to provide or get us service. After 35/40 minutes of a waste of time, I had my large sashimi order ready to hand in, and noticed the female at the sushi counter kept looking up at us. Despite the fact that she kept looking at us, still we awaited to turn in our order. At this point we just got up, walked out, and will never return. I'm sad I did not get to visit this place prior to the new ownership. read more

After a long day of driving, my friend and I were eager to get out of the car and eat copious amounts of sushi. On a Wednesday night, street parking was readily available in front of the restaurant. They seem to have two doors, only one of which you're supposed to use? And then there is a vestibule with a sliding Japanese style door with a sign on it about how to open it. It was a little weird. They weren't busy, so we were seated immediately and both promptly ordered about $50 worth of sushi. The chef actually sent over a small crab roll on the house, which was a delicious start. Edamame and miso soup were up the usual standard. We both got the sashimi combination (15 pieces) and two additional rolls. The sashimi was delicious. Nicely sized pieces, velvety smooth, just perfect. For the rolls, I got a rainbow and a dragon special (no cream cheese -- yuck!). Now, these are not normally spicy rolls, as I don't like spicy. However, on occasional bites, I encountered...something spicy. It was still delicious, but a little bit odd and disconcerting. Service was good (one would hope, given how quiet it was). However, my water glass had a chip in the edge that I was careful to avoid. Also, they offer a 10% student discount and we mentioned to our server when we ordered that we were students, but it wasn't clear on the bill if the discount had been applied. Overall though, this was some delicious sushi and an excellent welcome to Columbia. Yum! read more

My fiancée and I went here just expecting a passible sushi dinner after a long day downtown. What we got was the best sushi either of us have ever had. We're probably not the most frequent sushi eaters, but we both love it and go out of our way to try new restaurants, and my fiancée has tried her hand at making it a couple of times. Now, to what makes it good- the fish selection is widely varied and fresh, and the nigiri is served with the wasabi under the fish, which according to my fiancée is exactly how it is supposed to be served. We also had some excellent mochi ice cream, and thought the price was very fair for all of it. I would recommend the nigiri and sashimi dinner, which also comes with a couple rolls as well. read more

So, I would give this place a three outside of Columbia, but given the choices available, it's closer to a four here. The atmosphere is great. The sushi is ok, but fairly bland. The rice isn't flavored well with vinegar. The rice/filling ratio is too high. And the spicy crunchy rolls (a house special) are far from spicy. All-in-all, it's ok sushi, but not as good as the premium price would indicate. read more

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