We were on the east side and decided to try Jacknife which is affiliated with RED. Parking can be a little tricky; there's some street parking, but it really depends on your luck. Thankfully, we came around 1 pm after the lunch rush, and managed to find a couple of spots. We ordered online ahead of time, and pickup was quick and easy. When I walked in, I didn't immediately see my name at the pickup area, but the cashier was helpful and handed me my order right away. The packaging was really nice, and we got the lunch special (half bowl). The flavor was good overall, though the rice was a bit overcooked and on the mushy side. I also would've liked a little more salad dressing. That said, the salmon was fresh, and the portion size was decent. At $18, it's on the pricier side for lunch, but the quality and amount of food made it worth it. read more

See all

Stopped in for dinner on a Thursday night. Lots of seating available, it wasn't too busy. I ordered the salmon nigiri and orange crunch roll. Both were good but pretty expensive. Decent spot for quick sushi. read more

Jacknife - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Delicious, fresh, thoughtful sushi rolls. Lots of options, order at the counter or at the self serve computers. Very clean, very modern, wonderful staff and lots of seating options indoor/outdoor. read more

See all

Their sushi is consistently good. I like their sauces- like the sesame chili oil and the packaging is super cute and organized nicely. I like the pick up out of lockers set up when you order take out. It is pricey but the rolls are huge and super filling so it makes sense. Yum! Thanks Jacknife read more

Jacknife - OH SAY CAN SUSHI STEAMED EDAMAME - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Really tasty fast-casual sushi! They have a unique spread of rolls as well as sauces. I tried two vegan rolls, green machine and the currysmatic and they were really good and unlike any sushi I have ever had before. The person I was with had the rainbow roll and a poke bowl and said that the fish was excellent and fresh. The packaging makes it really easy to take to go as well read more

Jacknife - LIVING ON THE VEG, RAINBOW, CURRYSMATIC - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Always the best choice for casual sushi in Madison. Sometimes hit or miss with rolls. This time, the Nola roll was interesting - because of the combo of corn and tuna, but probably a personal preference. Spicy salmon did not seem as fresh as usual. Pear pressure is always my favorite, I really love the crunchy jicama and pear combo. Presentation was beautiful, as always. Also worth mentioning that Jackknife's ordering is always a quick and an efficient process. When you online order, you can just walk in and pick up your order from one of the cubes. Make sure to sign up for rewards! read more

See all

Came in for the two roll special and it was fantastic. It came with a side of miso and I upgraded to their "fancier" rolls for a few dollars. Super filling, fresh, and healthy lunch for downtown diners! read more

Jacknife - ANGRY BADGER, PEAR PRESSURE, MISO SOUP - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Fast food type sushi. Lots of choices. You order at the counter and the food is brought to your table based on the number tag they give you. Nigiri, rolls, even noodles. Obviously not the same as a sit-down traditional sushi place, it was way better than I expected. Good portions, freshly made, clean, all good. 3.5 stars. read more

Jacknife - Rainbow and yellowtail - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Jacknife is a counter-style sushi/noodle/rice bowl spot. The space is clean, open and bright, with fun wall art and decor. I like to come for sushi, but the bowls seem to be the best bang for your buck. I've tried all the vegan sushi rolls, but my favorites are the Mighty Mushroom and Green Machine. I also like the cold sesame noodles. They carry some fun drinks, if a little over priced. I've never had an issue with it being too busy and not being able to snag a table. Overall, it's a great casual spot to get fresh and tasty Japanese food! And bonus points for having a vegan menu. read more

Jacknife - MIGHTY MUSHROOM and GREEN MACHINE - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Jacknife is a really fun place to grab a bite to eat. I love the witty catchphrases and designs in the interior. Everything is neatly setup and organized too in terms of getting silverware, water, extra sauces, etc. Food wise, the sushi is good! Ramen you can find better at other places though. read more

Jacknife - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The take out is so easy and ordering on the website also. Food is always top notch I'm a big fan of lunch special with a roll and bowl.

My wife and I love Jacknife, especially when we're on the run. Love their crunch salad, gyoza and of course selection of rolls. Service was efficient, as we were in a hurry. Staff is always super friendly and location super clean! read more

Great food!! Awesome service!! Very helpful. Everything went very smoothly. Thank you

Takeout from Jacknife. First thing - the containers are great and convenient - really feels like a meal. They've definitely improved their quality since opening. The rice quality is great - and the shrimp was cooked to perfection. The portion sizes were also great, well worth the price! read more

Jacknife - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

HOLY CRAP!!! This is one of the best places in Madison for lunch right now. For $16 you get any half bowl and ANY roll. The miso pork belly bowl was so delicious! Plenty of food even for a half a bowl. The pear pressure is a popular roll for a reason. Such fresh salmon. The green machine and King Kong (not pictured) were absolutely fantastic as well. We received our order about 6 minutes after ordering and the workers were so nice and helpful with ordering! They provide high quality soy sauce too :) new favorite sushi spot. The place gets plenty of natural light and has free Wi-Fi. Only thing I wish they had were backs on all their chairs, but that's so minor overall! CANNOT wait to try more of their rolls and bowls read more

Jacknife - MISO PORK BELLY BOWL - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

High quality food at a modernized sushi joint. Service is always great. The setting is good for a quick lunch and is very nice when the patio is open. The pickup order area is super cool so pickup may be the way to go! read more

Great family friendly sushi and noodles. Delicious tasting and flexible for a variety of dietary needs. Food comes quick and affordable, especially on Sunday's when kids eat free! read more

Let me just say DANA IS AMAZING! She helped me pull off a large catering order with just one day's notice and handled everything with total professionalism. She was organized, persistent, and made sure every detail was perfect. I bombarded her with a million emails and instructions and she never once wasn't anything but kind. I couldn't have done this without her help!! Best manager ever!!!! read more

Jacknife is an amazing must try place for sushi lovers in Madison!!!! This is a casual sushi spot or upscale fast food place for sushi and sashimi! I was extremely impressed with every interaction I had with the workers that worked there. Who is the hiring manager? :) First, I had called to ask some questions about the menu and the lady was extremely courteous and informative. When I got to Jacknife walking into a beautiful, modern, well cleaned atmosphere with great unique wall decor, my order was taken care of by a very friendly gentleman. My order came out to me lightning fast and I specifically remember being served by the same gentleman who had a really amazing smile. It was nice to be served with an awesome, warm, genuine smile! :) I tried the King Kong & Ebibody Rock sushi rolls which had an excellent impressive presentation and absolutely delicious!!! My favorite out of the two was the king Kong which was black tiger shrimp, cream cheese, avocado, & spicy aioli! I plan to go back to try more items on the menu! My only little thing that sort of threw me off was the price point or after tip it seemed a little pricier than I was expecting but I still enjoyed the sushi & excellent customer service! It really made a huge difference! read more

See all

This is a go to for me in Madison. I love their pick-up system for to-go orders. It is safe and your meal is very protected. The lunch deal is such a good economic decision and you get so much food!! The dietary restrictions are clearly marked on each menu item. read more

Ok Madison folks we have a new sushi place in town!!! The creators of RED have come up with a fast paced Sushi joint offering delicious sushi rolls, vegan rolls, dumplings, bowls, and salad. Located on E. Washington this is going to become a go to spot for amazing sushi, fast service, and relaxed dining experience. I love RED and the moment I knew they were coming up with a new restaurant, I had to try it. LOVED it!!! We had the steamed edamame , streamed shrimp dumplings, avocado roll, Xoxo roll, spice spice baby roll, sea smoke roll and protein bowl. All of the rolls were so fresh and tasted amazing. The dumplings were fantastic, you must try. The edamame's were great as well. I loved that they had so many vegan options on their menu. I will be back to try the other items on their menu. Madison go check out this place NOW!! Highly Recommend. read more

Jacknife - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Rating (maximum points = 5) Value for money: 5 Cleanliness: 5 Food Quality: 4 Customer Service: 5 Look and Feel (Ambiance): 5 Thank you, Come Again?: 4 When I heard that this fast/quick-service casual sushi spot are from the makers of RED (upscale sushi), I had to give it a try. I'm currently traveling on a work trip and was craving sushi. In fact, I was craving it so much that I ordered sushi for lunch and dinner for multiple days. Five days in a row to be exact! Jacknife fed my sushi cravings for two of those days and is a great go-to spot when you need something fast and casual. Bowl & Roll (Best Deal) $16: This combo includes a small portion of a poke bowl of your choice and one roll of your choice. Keep in mind the selections of poke bowls and rolls are limited to specific menu items if you want the deal. I chose the Pear Pressure Roll (rice, seaweed, salmon, pear, spicy mayo and hemp seeds) and the Lei'd back poke (rice, salad, salmon, edamame, carrots, sprouts, and a creamy mayo based dressing). All the fishes were made fresh and prepared at it's best (as much as it possibly can be) for a fast casual dining restaurant. Miso Soup $2.50: this soup was okay and was a salt bomb. I do appreciate the diced tofu and thick seaweed pieces in there. Overall, I would return to Jacknife to satisfy my sushi craving. If you are in a rush and you need to go somewhere quickly, this is the place to go. The team prepares all of the food fast and and have a very efficient ordering system. They also offer Tamari as a gluten free soy sauce substitute. Would you go? Let me know. Follow me for all the sips and trips. read more

See all

So was in town for work and was looking for a reasonable sushi place! This place popped up so have it a try! Here are the pro's -service is friendly and fast -sushi was fresh and good portions For the price -super clean and bright -price is very fair -rolls, bowls, soup, and variety of craft drinks The non pro's -not a lot of variety of rolls -the brown rice was dry Overall, it was a good first experience! I really like the jalapeño salmon roll! It was extremely tasty and definitely a home run! Two rolls, large Sapporo, side of rice and tip was under $35! Definitely a good value. read more

Jacknife - Left is the jalapeño salmon and right is the spicy spicy roll! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

It's excellent. Their roles are really hard to beat. And the manager with the purple hair, she's great, when we opened our order, it was not right and she was so apologetic. Adjusted the bill and remade some of the food. She really went overboard to make sure that we were happy. read more

My mom is obsessed with the Jacknife and always begs me to come here. The sushi is always SO fresh and I adore their salmon nigiri. I love that they have so many unique vegan sushi options, as that can definitely be a rarity when it comes to sushi. My favorite roll that I've tried here would definitely have to be the King Kong Roll. I do wish that they had a couple more fun salmon-based rolls, as the Pear Pressure wasn't my favorite combo. The staff is very friendly here and the food tends to be ready very fast. The vibe in the restaurant is very nice & they even have a kids area with coloring supplies and toys. read more

Jacknife - King Kong & Nola Roll Lunch Combo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Got some carryout from Jacknife while sitting with my kid at an audition in the MYARTS building since they are on the same block. Big fans of RED Sushi so was excited to check it out. Place was clean and contemporary, service was friendly and organized. Rainbow roll seemed a little short and small in comparison to other sushi places. Dumplings were steamed and not pan fried, which I think is an important distinction. read more

See all

Love jacknife. Freshest sushi in town (also Red but same owner). Our go tos are King Kong, spicy salmon and the mushroom one! Also great service! read more

Jacknife - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We had something for everyone- we enjoy the build your own option at Jacknife: Currysmatic, California, Teriyaki Chicken, Spicy Shrimp read more

Jacknife - Currysmatic, California, Teriyaki Chicken, Spicy Shrimp - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Really fresh sushi. The miso soup is full of flavor and generous bits of seaweed and tofu.

I have been searching for the best ramen in Madison and I'm pretty confident I found it! Came in for a lunch special ($16!) and ordered a bowl and roll with a 1/2 bowl of ramen and a sushi roll-- I was so impressed by the quick service and the quality of the meal. The ramen broth was flavorful, the pork belly was tender, and I loved all of the other add-ins. The sushi roll was fresh and delicious! The lunch deal even came with a soup or salad. It was a good amount of food for a great price. I came off peak lunch hours and got a table easily. The atmosphere was relaxed, the restaurant clean, and the service was great. Loved all of the creative touches in the space as well! Overall, I loved the food I had here and have already come back for more. Highly recommend! read more

Jacknife - BOWL & ROLL - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

The online ordering was super slick. I also really like all the food allergies that you can pick from, it felt safe for my celiac daughter!

Dinner here before a show at the Sylvee and it was a great choice. I had cold sesame noodles (heat!!) and dumplings and my partner had the Baja bowl. So great to enjoy a drink with our meal in a fast casual way so we could get in the line for the show that much quicker! It was easy to grab a table on a Monday night. Had to indulge in a mochi as well! I'm not the biggest sushi fan but love a good bowl and dumplings so there are a few choices here for someone else like me - don't let it stop you from trying if your friends all want to go here and you don't like sushi! It's clean, brightly lit, relatively fast, and in a fun neighborhood. read more

ALWAYS EXCELLENT!!! Never felt a hair of a reaction, and that's so rare with Asian cuisine for me. Love Jackknife and Sushi Red

Obsessed. I've enjoyed everything I've eaten here, from sushi (great rice!) to noodles. I think they have the best miso soup in town, which is a weird flex but valid. They don't skimp on the tofu or seaweed. The space is clean and bright, a bit impersonal but it doesn't feel cold. Friendly, kind, patient service. A family with a bunch of kids was there at the same time as me recently and the counter girl couldn't have handled their choas better. And they're quick! It's not a table service place, it's all counter service. Which is fine by me. I kind of wish they had a bar, though. Definitely recommended for something quick and light. Sushi picnic date, anyone? read more

Great quick counter service spot. Been several times with good consistency. Neon tiger may be my new favorite roll. Love the matchstick crab in the rainbow roll as well. Nice little side patio in the summer read more

Jacknife - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I was super surprised by how good this "fast food" sushi turned out to be! My fiancé we're staying across the street at Hotel Indigo and walked to Jacknife to grab takeout for our hotel. We got the miso soup, Pork dumplings, edamame with chili oil, Pear Pressure Roll, & A bowl! Everything was delicious but those Pork Dumplings stole the show! Chewy and full of filling with just the right amount of sweetness! You absolutely need to mix the dumpling sauce with the chili oil and pour that over the edamame too. 10/10 would go back and get 2 orders of those dumplings with edamame & extra sauce and be Golden! Definitely didn't feel like "express" sushi quality. It was so good we forgot to take photos! read more

I came in near closing time for a fast dinner and it was indeed quite fast! Less than 10 minutes in my food was out. Service was quick, ambiance was clean and modern, but not great for big groups. I can imagine that this is a great grab and go quick lunch place for people between breaks. My three stars is mostly for the food to price point ratio. I paid nearly $30 with tip, so if you are looking to have a budget form of sushi, this is not it! The green machine I thought was more flavorful and a stand out compared to the sea smoke roll. The combination of vegetarian ingredients I felt was unique and tasty compared to the standard plain old cucumber or avocado roll. The sea smoke roll I felt like had too much bonito flakes and the rice ratio to filling was a little too high for my liking considering the price. Additionally, I feel like the role wasn't cut well because I had to like tear the sea smoke roll apart. This wasn't to say that the food wasn't good, because it was and it filled the hunger that I had beforehand. Perhaps my perspective is skewed since hearing it was coming from the owners of RED made me have too high hopes perhaps. I think I will stick to the sit-down experience at RED, but would recommend Jackknife for those who perhaps are on the run, desire good quality sushi, and don't mind paying extra for a more exciting variety. read more

See all

The lunch special was a great deal. Half portion of a bowl and a sushi roll for 16 bucks. I got the Basil pesto bowl and shrimp roll. The bowl was delicious! The sushi was really good and filling! The ginger soda was more gingery which I appreciated and I would come back again! read more

Jacknife - Basil Pesto Poke Bowl and Shrimp Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Came for lunch at noon on a Saturday. We got The Spice Spice Baby and the Jalapeño Biz sushi rolls under the lunch specials. +2 beers because beer is yummy with sushi!! Wonderful presentation and generous portions. Everything is not salted to our liking and even had asked for some . The Jalapeño Biz sushi roll needed more jalapeño kick to it. The sauce that came with the pork dumplings was a little flavor lacking but we added soy and Sriracha and it was delicious. All in all... Very good and not a bad price. We will be back!!! PS... The music selection is awesome!! read more

See all

Unique menu and welcoming environment on a Monday evening. There were four vegan roll options, two cooked rolls and the rest were raw but all very unique combinations. We got the protein bowls, one with chicken and one with raw salmon, both good BUT don't mix the sauce in with the rice until you try it. You can get the bowl with rice or with greens or quinoa and I think the sauce is meant for the greens. Despite the casual vibe they had clean porcelain plates like you'd get at a restaurant and glasses if you're dining in. I plan to go back and try the rest of their menu. read more

See all