SENTRY - WATCHING RESTAURANTS El Tataki Sushi Fusion 1410 E Southern Ave Tempe, 85282 I must confess I have never been to a Japanese Mexican restaurant in all my travels. Mexican food is almost unheard of in Japan and Japanese food is almost unheard of in Mexico, but here it is folks. Companion and I went for lunch and ended up eating supper there. I began by ordering edamame with garlic. I loved it. Edamame is one of my favorite snacks and I had never had it with garlic on it before. A nice twist on a favorite food. Companion ordered a vegetable tempura while I ordered a shrimp tempura. Whoever did the frying certainly knows their art, as all of the tempura was absolutely fried to perfection. The veggies were al dente and the shrimp were large (about 3 inches long) and very tender. Most shrimp tempura in other places is overcooked and the meat is much tougher. The plates came with a number of onion rings on them and once again, they were perfectly cooked. Companion also ordered pork gyozas. They were perfectly cooked as well. I wanted to try something from the sushi bar, so I ordered Unagi (eel nigiri). They were perfectly made with the proper amount of eel sauce on it along with ginger and wasabi on the side. Portion size was good and flavor was excellent. In Japan when the brutal heat of summer comes it is often said, "Doyo no Ushi no Hi" which means have you had your eels today. With this being the second day of summer, it was certainly appropriate to order them today. We also ordered fried rice and that was the only part of the meal that neither of us enjoyed. The rice just didn't have the right flavor or texture. After each of us had some we left the rest. Finally, it was dessert time. Also time for something that neither of us had ever had before - Fried Cheesecake. Our waitress Ximena brought out a huge, towering chunk of Cheesecake which was surrounded by whipped cream and had chocolate sauce and strawberry all over it. Wow! If you go there this is an absolute must to order. Probably several thousand calories, but who's counting? It was outstanding. This was a thoroughly enjoyable meal which because of portion size we could not finish. The place is immaculate and the music and lighting are most suited to the younger crowd. Date night perhaps? 5 stars read more

Overall, my experience with the food was pleasant. However, the checkout process left a bad impression. When it came time to pay, I felt pressured into leaving a tip. The waitress selected a 25% tip on the payment terminal without my authorization, even though I had intended to leave no tip. That felt dishonest and left me questioning the integrity of the service. Just be careful when paying and always double-check the payment screen before completing your transaction. Unfortunately, it seems some waiters and waitresses may try to take advantage of customers by adding or selecting tips without their consent. read more

This place was on my "want to try" list for a while, and I'm so glad I finally did. Everything we ate was unique and flavorful. We loved the pulse and vibe of the place. It's more of a date night kind of vibe but it was a great stop for us for lunch. Loved it. read more

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Went on a date here and the ambiance is very sexy. Low lighting and instagramable decor. We came late and only had an hr to eat, and service was kind of slow. However the food was very good! I Mexican inspire roll that came deep fried but we got it 'natural' it had bacon, cream cheese, chicken and Monterey Jack. It was so sooo good. We also tried the tempura appetizer which was just okay. The margarita was fantastic! read more

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Wow this restaurant is beautiful inside. Very modern and chic! Totally unexpected as the surrounding area and exterior are unassuming! I started with the cucumber salad. I'm glad I was warned it's large. It is hugely generous and has delicious slivers of crab and pieces of shrimp. Then I moved on to the Creamy Sake Roll. Wow!!! It is huge and beautiful! Basically accompanied by a side salad! They were so great about modifying this to my taste! I so appreciate when chefs are willing to play based on a customer's unique interests! I also got to try the salmon tempura! So good! Almost reminded me of tender calamari. So good and delicate! Service was lovely! Kasandra is so warm and welcoming, very attentive and prompt. Music was great! Ambiance stunning! Prices seem a bit on the high side but definitely worth trying given the unique twist, generous shareable portions, freshness, and overall experience! One salad and a roll and I am beyond full! My only suggestion would be to offer a few less expensive, smaller portioned options for people who love to sample multiple items or have a small appetite but truly the decor and overall experience here is one of casual elegance. Chef Elliott was so warm and clearly creative! Chefs aren't always so open to modifying their menu items but he said if I'm happy he's happy! Well, I'm happy! AND, if you're lucky enough to sneak a peak when he's in his groove, you might catch him dancing to the beat while he prepares your food! Manager Julio is just lovely. Shared a bit about the history of the restaurant and noted he has several establishments locally. I look forward to trying the others! The happy hour menu here is ample also so as great excuse to stop by for happy hour or an early dinner! read more

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I hate leaving bad reviews. This is the 3rd time I've been to this place, maybe 4th. Anyway, we were the only people there as it was an odd time. Ordered a spicy watermelon marg for my daughter and a lime margarita for myself. I asked if they could do a Grand Marnier floater on my marg. Server was confused. I said, they just drizzle the top with Grand Marnier. Get the drinks. The watermelon marg was not good. I flagged her down and said, you know we've been here before and this Marg has always been a hit but this one tastes off. It's too "watermelon'ish". She replies "it's a watermelon margarita". I know! We've had them several times and this one isn't right. She said, "it's a WATERMELON margarita". I think we offended her. So I said, just bring a Diet Coke. We order. I get the chicken yakisoba, I ask that they put extra cabbage in it. Extra, extra cabbage please. If you have to charge me extra for the cabbage, that's fine! We get three rolls and ask for eel sauce please! Here is my bill. I was charged for a shot of Grand Marnier- which clearly wasn't in there. I was charged $3.75 for veggies and there was maybe ONE piece of cabbage. I was also charged $1.75 for eel sauce. WHAT? We were celebrating a career victory and April knew, but they literally sat a family with two kids in a high chairs beside us. Keep in mind. The entire restaurant was EMPTY. April brings the thingy to pay and stands over my shoulder waiting and staring at my guests. Literally stands there while I try to figure out a tip. No apologies. No offers to make anything right. I'm so bummed as the previous experiences have been great. Maybe it's the shift? In any event, I won't be back sadly. read more

El Tataki - Charge for eel sauce? Not taking the gross marg off the bill? Also, it was a celebratory lunch and I didn't want to ruin the mood. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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Drove from Los Angeles to Arizona for my sons 32nd bday dinner. He recommended this place for sushi. From the front of the house to the server was exceptional. The rolls we ordered were all super delicious! My daughter ordered some type of pineapple cocktail which had a very funky aftertaste almost like a band-aid and the ribeye teriyaki was full of fat I almost gagged. Makes me wonder if the cooks knew what they were serving because they put a load of bell peppers on top of it. The girls did an awesome job by surprising my son for his bday. Side note they don't offer nothing complimentary for bday desert. So sorry I have to give you a 4 star read more

El Tataki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

The viva Las Vegas was my most favorite food that we tried there on our first visit to the restaurant. While our server was very nice, prepare to wait a really long time for your food. The server apologized a few times and said they were short staffed. If you are willing to wait quite a while, like close to an hour, the food is quite delicious. The restaurant is very clean. The options were so many. I suggest getting all your food at once. We delayed and waited again for the extra Rolls. Which were still tasty. We were in good company so we just chatted all evening with our friends. read more

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This place only accepts reservations for larger groups. Luckily we were seated quickly. The atmosphere is great, some of the rolls are weird, but that was why we came. We started with jalapeño poppers then got a Mango roll, El Tataki roll and Carne Asada roll. I mentioned that we were celebrating our anniversary and to my surprise they brought us ice cream with a crazy candle at the end. We enjoyed our experience and had lots of leftovers for the next day. read more

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Everything was so good from the appetizer to the sushi! They have so many rolls it was hard to decide which to get! We will definitely be back to try more! read more

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Beautiful restaurant! Very modern and loved the vibes. Our waiter checked up on us regularly and shared his favorite appetizers, we ended up picking the jalapeño firecrackers and they were delicious. We tried a couple different dishes during our visit. I got to say I was impressed with the ceviche, haven't had a good ceviche in a long time. Perfect for a date night, we did a couples date night and enjoyed the open bar and having so many drink options. We will be adding this to our date night rotation! read more

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Amazing and top notch as always. High quality fish, with solid portions for everything. read more

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Ordered take out here a few times, really good specialty rolls. I love the combination of flavors and they are consistent with the quality. Can't order here often because it's far from me and $20/roll, but they are addicting! They do take a while to be ready and charge for take out over the phone, so I'd be patient and have your card ready if you are not dining in. read more

El Tataki - Fiesta roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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Wow. Our friends invited us here knowing how long we had been regulars at the Sweet Tomatoes that used to occupy this space. The first thing that stands out is the decor. It is really elegant and dimly lit. There is a bar area with some great TVs to watch sporting events, and the rest of the place is full of tables and booths for couples or much larger groups to have dinner. Nice to see it transformed into a really cool restaurant. A Mexican Japanese fusion sushi place where you can also get tacos and other cultural dishes. We stuck with the sushi offerings. Appetizer - edamame, of course. They have it regular, garlic, or spicy. Service was a little slow and the excuse was under-staffing, but honestly, we saw plenty of staff working hard. I just think they were fairly busy when we were there. Gave us plenty of time to catch up with our friends. What we had - and LOVED. The Gila Monster roll (although it falls apart the easiest), the Viva Las Vegas roll, and the Jojo roll. All of these are highly recommended and what we will definitely start with the next time we are there. This is a fantastic place to go for a birthday - we saw six or seven sparkling celebrations. Wonderful spot for guests visiting the area, too. read more

The food was amazing and the service was top tier!! Thank you to Diana for the amazing service..The ambiance was a nice futuristic vibes and a nice house music like you're in Ibiza. But for being our first time I couldn't complain. They were quick and efficient and the flavors were a hit. I will say that the mango roll was interesting because it had a balance of lemon and jalapeño with salmon that was great. If you're in the area check out this nice gem. I'm not a sushi person that's my fiancée lol but I would definitely would come back read more

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Super yummy and cute vibes place! Perfect for date night, celebrations or family dinner! Sushi was flavorful and spiced to perfection. Love that they gave us ponzu to balance the flavors. The server Valerio was very friendly and attentive. I took my friend for her bday and he respected that she didn't want to be sung to. The drinks were reasonably priced! We liked our mojitos! The edamame was some of the best I've ever had! Next time I go will be a date night! Glad there wasn't a wait either on a Friday night. They Do NOT take reservations so take that in mind when taking a much larger party! read more

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Slow service and expensive. Dark. I had to use my phone light to read the menu. I wasn't impressed the the Mexican Asian fusion sushi. It was more traditional Japanese. However, for a Friday night, it was busy. I can't recall what I ordered but it was a sushi roll that was on fire when it came out to my table. I ate it all. read more

El Tataki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Fusion sushi and other japanese items with a mix of mexican style. The type of rolls are found in Mexico, and they are often accompanied by generous, spicy, and creamy sauces. An example of similar style can be found in Sonora, from Tabú chain restaurant. Quite refreshing, and plenty of flavours. Very nice ambiance with low, warm light. Professional, friendly, and efficient service. read more

El Tataki - Tataki roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Food was good! Good portion amount worth your money. Drinks were yummy as well &' service was good! Our waitress was very attentive &' made sure we were good our whole time being there. Will be back again for drinks and dinner! Overall a good experience, music was a vibe along with the atmosphere inside. read more

El Tataki - Cucumber Twist - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Q: Why did the sushi go to the beach? A: Because it wanted to become a California roll! CEO Jeremy Stoppelman beat me to the 1,400th review. I think it's a sign to write something already, and what better way to commemorate a milestone review than with sushi? I remember visiting their first location by the Cardinals Arena, and I wasn't impressed. I've had takeout from the Avondale location, and it was okay. But this Tempe location? I gotta say, I'm impressed. The JoJo Roll and Corden Bleu Roll were the winners (especially the sauce that comes with the Jojo Roll). The El Tataki Roll wasn't bad either. I also had some of my friend's yakimeshi fried rice and gueritos appetizers. Both were also very good. It's gorgeous inside. You wouldn't be able to tell that this place used to be a Sweet Tomatoes. Keep in mind that you're not getting an authentic Japanese experience. El Tataki is very much in the business of Mexican-Japanese fusion, and it's great! Itadakmasu! read more

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I went in for an early solo dinner. Ordered the yellow tail and one roll, which I forgot the name of. Unfortunately, I was not impressed with the roll. The yellowtail was fresh and tasty. Service was decent. I'm disappointed the menu was changed and there's no more pictures, which in my opinion help a lot when ordering. I went on a Friday at 3pm. The ambiance was calm and they were too busy as they had just opened. read more

El Tataki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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This was our first time going to this restaurant. It was recommended to my husband by a friend. We will definitely be going again. Everything we got was delicious. The wait to be seating wasn't long and the service was amazing. read more

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Vegas/High End vibes in Tempe. Whether you want Mexican sushi or all the traditional elements of authentic sushi, this is your spot. The sushi was incredible! The rolls were huge also, maybe 10-12 pieces per roll. Great spot for large groups or birthdays. I was seriously super impressed! I can't wait to go back. They have a great bar area where the sushi chefs are hard at work and the music playlist was The service was great and we were in an out at decent time. There was a little bit of a wait on a Sunday night, but only about 15-20 minutes. Their menu is HUGE! This will be one of our top sushi spots in 2025! read more

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First time coming here. The place was very pretty, a little more upscale look to it. There was a nice bar and sushi bar. Food was decent. They had a lot of cocktail choices and margaritas. The mango margarita I had was a little too sweet for me though. read more

El Tataki - Margaritas - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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Service was amazing and quick, even on Valentine's Day, which got pretty busy. The food was amazing and fresh. A very nice place to take a date with a romantic ambiance to it, and a beautiful presentation of food. Ximena, our waitress, what's super attentive without being disruptive and she knew the menu very well for recommendations. 10/10 best sushi restaurant we've been to, and we've been to many all over the country. I definitely recommend it for the food and experience. traditional Japanese and some Mexican fusion if you're feeling adventurous. read more

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Having visited El Tataki in Avondale I was happy to see one open on the East Side! The restaurant is gorgeous and gives the true Japanese feel especially with the cherry blossoms. The food is amazing as expected and the drinks were spot on. We went at a time of day when the restaurant wasn't packed so we were able to have a conversation and hear what the staff was saying to us. The only drawback is this can be a fairly pricey place to dine so bring your credit cards!!! read more

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The food here is amazing! The service was great, too. We liked the sushi so much we ended up getting 4 rolls and were so stuffed! The tacos were great as well. The vibe inside is romantic/modern, but casual enough you can relax on pretenses. Definitely coming back for more! read more

This place has date night vibes but also fun with family and groups. Food was very good, recommend the ceviche, JoJo sushi, El Crabby roll and edamame with spicy sweet sauce. Generous portions! We will be coming here again and hope it's a Mariachi night. read more

Absolutely love their food and customer service! The creamy sake roll is one of my ultimate favorite rolls of all time. They accommodated my extended family one time and the food was brought out in a timely manner. Even when I order to go, they label each container so I know what's inside. Definitely recommend!!! read more

El Tataki - Sushi rolls and margarita - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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10/10! Everything tastes really fresh and the service was excellent! The drink wasn't my favorite, but I wouldn't take points away from the experience. read more

El Tataki - Sushi rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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OMG, where can we start?? 1st time my husband, daughter and I went was New Year's Eve Day, the sushi was so good that we went back on January 4th and brought both our daughters. We had several questions regarding the sushi, the servers were extremely helpful in answering our questions. The Beer my husband ordered was served in a cold frosty glass. It was busy both days, but we got our food right away. If you're looking for a place to go on a 1st date, this is a good spot. read more

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El Tataki Sushi brings together traditional Japanese Sushi and the popular Mexican Sushi fusion originally created in northern parts of Mexico (Sinaloa and Sonora). Over 50 varieties of sushi fusions! This restaurant has a beautiful ambience. The staff are so friendly with a classy demeanor . The food is delicious! This is my new favorite spot . We ordered: FIRECRACKER JALAPEÑOS Served With Cream Cheese, Crab, Tuna, Orange & Eel Sauce TOSTADA DE CEVICHE Shrimp cooked with lime juice, red onion, cucumber, avocado, maggi house sauce SUICIDE ROLL Shrimp tempura, spicy salmon, cucumber, avocado, cream cheese, topped with seared yellow tail, jalapeño, spicy ponzu, sriracha, togarashi, eel sauce & suicide sauce (very very spicy). KATANA ROLL Shrimp tempura, crab, cucumber, avocado, topped with seared yellow tail, jalapeño slices, spicy ponzu, green onion & sriracha. CARNE ASADA ROLL Carne asada, tomato, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, cucumber, avocado, cream cheese, orange & eel sauce (deep fried). read more

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Our waitress was amazing her name is Alex! Highly recommend her as your server. Make sure to ask her for her recommendations (she's worked here a long time and has tried many items) We got a Salmon Shashimi, chicken fried rice, a Fiesta Salmon roll and khamakaze roll. My daughter and I both LOVED the khamakaze roll! read more

El Tataki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

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A great hidden gem for Sushi in Tempe,AZ. I received exceptional service from our server Leilanie. She was prompt to assist my friends and I while providing great recommendations for Sushi. I'll definitely will be returning to this restaurant and specially ask for Leilanie!!!. . read more

The over look of the place is nice for a date night and like the rest of the chain it has good tasting food. The server was polite and promptly took our order. read more

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Late at nite,drifting over from a local sports bar. A curious place that had evaded my willingness to discover, maybe too high and mighty looking. Fear not the roll was exquisite the creative infusion brilliantly demonstrated and the price became completely incidental to the oral experience which remained sovereign and emotionally persuasive. Try for yourself and dissolve deeper existential doubts that may nag at you.Wrll done read more

The food was delicious and the portions were great! The service and overall vibe were great too. I'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend. 10/10 ! read more

This place was amazing the food was so delicious and the restaurant as a whole was such a vibe

Tried out this new sushi spot Friday since it was Lent and it did NOT disappoint!! The atmosphere was amazing, they had a DJ and I am thankful they didn't crank up the music like some other restaurants do. The service was great as well!! I loved the cherry blossom tree they had right when you walked into the main restaurant. I definitely recommend this place to anyone who loves sushi!! There were an abundance of rolls you could choose from! I enjoyed the baked roll and definitely can never go wrong with a classic philly roll. read more

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Completely baffled by the 4 star reviews. This is not a 4 star restaurant by any means. The best thing they have going is the decor. Very cool and trendy. That's where the good stops. The menu is weird and the rolls were very expensive for a minimal amount of a substance. Like one tiny piece of fish on top. Drinks were so ridiculously weak and expensive. There were crying children. And the staff was completely unhelpful. This one is a hard no for me. I don't get the appeal. Our dinner was $80 for a small appetizer, 2 rolls that tasted like they came from the grocery store, and 2 drinks. read more