TL;DR WORST RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE. Waited over three hours for food with no apology. Charged 18% gratuity. Genuinely I think it was one of the worst restaurant experiences I've ever had. There was a group of 10 of us, and we had called beforehand asking if they could seat us. He said if we came right on time at 6:45 PM they would seat us. We arrived at 6:40 PM and it took till 7:15 to seat us. And then after we put in our orders at around 7:30, it took until after closing at 9PM to get our food. During this whole time, they gave us no updates on our food; if they told us that our food had only started to be made around 9:00, we would have left and gotten food elsewhere. They kept saying that it wasn't their fault and we didn't receive a single apology. They also would give other smaller groups of people the same orders that we got before us, although we were seated first. I think it would've been fine if they had taken ownership for the delayed food and not keeping us updated but they very much blamed it on our party size (which they had been informed of on the call) which made no sense because we didn't control the kitchen. On top of all that they charged us 18% gratuity even though we were sitting at a restaurant for over three hours for food. Worst customer service and experience. The owner was quite rude even though we tried to be nice about the whole situation, but no accountability was taken from their side. read more

Pros: big sushi pieces, fresh, all garnish like scallions are real fresh, saba has this interesting smoked dried flakes on top that taste great. Cons: Naka San (owner) makes sushi like he's on the back of a box truck on the west side highway. Total mess and does not hold together. Basically a neighborhood place, no frills and fast service read more

Naka Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

Came here a few weeks ago on a Friday night around 8pm and it was completely packed so I didn't get to try it. Went there today, Saturday around 6:45pm and it was completely empty. The waitress wasn't very friendly but the the sushi chef made up for it! Not only was he friendly but the sushi was pretty good. Fresh fish and its definitely different than the other sushi places in the area. Small authentic menu as well, no long list of Americanized rolls. Got the Naka #2 roll and it was four large rolls. People started pouring in around 7:30. This place is worth a try. read more

Naka Sushi - Naka #2 - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

Went here for the first time today. I had been told that it is the most legit, Japanese-owned sushi restaurant in Santa Cruz. I've been wanting to try it for about 2 years now but had never gotten the right opportunity. This place has the hands down best sushi in Santa Cruz. Don't be turned off by the appearance. It is very "hole-in-the-wall." But that's what gives it its appeal in a way. I was very surprised as to how large the sushi rolls were. Usually if you're paying 5.50 for a Hosomaki, you don't expect it to be very large or filling. But it was. I got a Hamachi-Green onion "Negihama" Hosomaki and an order of Aji. The order of Aji was also huge~! It came out very fancy, with Shiso leaf, bonito flakes and some ginger on top. All in all, it was great and i will go back again! read more

Naka Sushi - Delicious !! - Japanese Near Me - Capitola, California

Best fish in town. Sushi rice is absolutely perfect. I've literally never had a bad experience at naka.

WORST SUSHI. We got Naka togo to our home in Capitola, and we began the meal. My Ebi-Ten roll had an odd taste that left me in shock. I only ate one piece before I had to run to the trash to spit it out. Ridiculous. The Nigiri was loaded with wasabi and the fish did NOT taste fresh. Overall dissapointed and it did not fulfill my expectation. NAKA NO! read more

On vacation and found this place. Naka had great sushi and decent prices. Friendly staff and fast service. Will definitely visit again when I am in the area. read more

Okay, so here's the deal: there is really only one decent Sushi restaurant in Santa Cruz, and this is it. I have lived in SC for over 40 years and have been to every sushi restaurant in town, and every one that's ever been in town. I traveled to Japan for the first time in 1981 and have traveled there and back dozens of times since and have lived there. You may ultimately not agree with my tastes, but I promise you that I have a very clear notion of what to expect from my Sushi. That said... Naka is a quiet little place. It's on 41st Avenue, but it's down past all of the hustle of the mall. I do not recommend them because they are "the most traditional sushi restaurant", but for the most part, I'd say they are more traditional than most Santa Cruz restaurants. They did a good job of catering to evolving American tastes (the usual array of fancy rolls) without pandering to the weird or the awkward (peanut butter, cream cheese, etc.), and without losing the charm and elegance of the more traditional offerings such as their Nigiri sushi. One thing that will strike any customer is that their style of preparation of their Nigiri sushi is very unusual, the amount of fish (or shrimp, or whatever) is very unusually large. This could be seen as very non-japanese, though I have been to sushi restaurants in Japan that, as their "thing", did exactly this. What really sets Naka apart though is what should set a sushi restaurant apart. The ingredients are exceptionally fresh, the fish is well selected (though I cannot say from where it is sourced), and the result is that the flavor is always clean and satisfying. But it really does not stop there. Again, as you would expect from a quality restaurant in Japan, there is a fine attention to the detail of every other thing as well. The Unagi is perfectly broiled. The amount of salt on the Edamame is not too much or too little. Their tea is quite a bit better than the tea you will get at any other Japanese restaurant in the area. Even the rice is very good. If you order something that comes with plain rice (I would recommend the Nabeyaki Udon quite highly), before you eat anything else, just take a bite of plain rice. You will see that they buy good rice. All of this adds up to what I would say is by far the best sushi in the area and, for those things I have tasted, which is most but not all of the rest of the menu, the best Japanese food in the area. A few items some people might not like: this is not an inexpensive place to eat. It is not even close. I have no idea who puts two $ for the price in their Yelp reviews. Even without any kind of drinks, you should not expect to pay less than $50 per person, and if you really intend to enjoy the experience, I would probably budget $100. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very casual. I like that, it is very typical of a "mom and pop" type restaurant you would find in Japan, but in some cases this can be a little awkward given the high ticket price. Some people really expect a lot of atmosphere for this price. The atmosphere at Naka is extremely authentic, but it is, as I said, very casual. On that note, there is also a Television there. Normally, I hate this, but here they keep the volume off and it always shows Japanese channel content (usually Sumo wrestling when I am there). I do still consider this a minor detractor, but for the quality of the food, I can ignore it. Last, but not least, recently the service is... well... typical for a Santa Cruz restaurant, which is to say... rather poor. So don't be in a hurry, and if you get cranky at poor service in restaurants (how could you survive living in Santa Cruz if you do?) then you might not be as happy a customer. Never the less, despite these little items, this is one of my favorite restaurants in Santa Cruz county. It is definitely a jewel of the Santa Cruz dining scene. read more

Naka No. I don't how this place has such a high review on yelp. Of our party of four no one liked the sushi. We did like the sumo wrestling on the tv and sake. The staff was great. The sushi drug the place down with the pieces having the girth of a burrito and only four pieces. They fell apart every time they were picked up and taste was minimal. read more

Best sushi in town with a wonderful staff. A real treat to experience in person or sneak away with take out.

Fresh sushi, great service and awesome presentation make this a go-to stop for sushi in Santa Cruz!

Under-rated gem in Capitola. The fish portions on nigiri are some of the most generous I've seen, and their freshness is top notch. Our Saba maki (normally a tiny, simple roll) was impressive. Chef is heavy-handed with the wasabi, so look out for that but otherwise it's almost impossible to go wrong here. read more

Waitress/owner rude. Did not have any cooked food. Limited menu items. I understand we r in pandemics and restaurants need help. But they have been quite rude in handling take out orders. read more

Mr. Ty M ! Be sure not to worry about me. I am well traveled, and I assure no luck needed. If you misunderstood my review, Safeway sushi is what I was served at Naka! I was just trying to figure out why the establishment is charging double in comparison to the local competition. Since you are so concerned, instead of attempting to be humorous, why don't you tell your people to stop ripping clients off for profit and take care of its customers! Otherwise keep your mouth shut, UM KAPISH!? And as I suspected the business is not even willing to address:) good luck read more

The sushi chef was a jerk his fish was deffently not fresh the prices where outrageous. I cant believe any one would eat there.

The rolls are sliced so big that they fall apart on the first bite and then you just have to shovel the rest into your mouth for the second bite using your chop sticks. The cucumbers are very thickly sliced, unusually thick. And the rice was a bit mushy and gummy. And the roll ends were a bit sloppily riced. Definitely not the best sushi I've had. In a positive note, the place is quaint, I believe the owners and employees are of Japanese decent, and they are friendly. Some of the rolls are unique flavored, like eggplant tempura filling. It was tasty. read more

This place was one of the amazing sushi places we have been to, everything was fresh. Everything we had was yummy. There was a couple who sat down and asked for albacore and the sushi chef replied "you want Albacore go across the street". It kind of made us think of the Seinfeld episode with the soup nazi. Don't get him upset. Hubby likes Albacore but now we didn't dare ask for it. The place was kind of small. The locals come here. We would come here again. read more

This is traditional Japanese food as good as it gets. The people running it are the real deal. Yum!

Yesterday before coming to Naka Sushi I saw a review on yelp first. I liked the miso soup, that`s why I put 2 stars. I ordered hot pot with tofu with addition for shrimp. I did not like the hot pot and you gave me 1 SHRIMP. $2 for 1 shrimp. Total with a tip= $30. Better if I would go to Subway next door to order tuna sandwich for $3.99 instead. Too PRICEY because of the Fairfield Hotel next door!!! read more

Don't listen to the negative reviews. Those people are simply ignorant and have low standards of what good sushi is. To blame someone for not understanding your English too well is a joke, you're embarrassing yourself and making yourself look rude. Why is the menu limited? Because it's not a hyped, Americanized piece of shit establishment. What you'll find is the most authentic sushi experience in Santa Cruz. Naka is probably the best sushi spot in Santa Cruz and Monterey county! It isn't influenced by Americanized rolls like Sushi Totoro or I Love Sushi. It's super authentic in presentation, style, and taste. Naka serves only nigiri and hand rolls, and combinations of nigiri rolls that are absolutely amazing and it's enough to get you full and satisfied. If you're not a fan of wasabi, make sure you ask for no wasabi or you'll be in for a surprise when ordering fin fish nigiri! Also, best uni (sea urchin) I've ever had in my life. I highly recommend going here for an authentic experience. Props to Naka himself for being the only chef, reminds me of the hardwork and passion that Jiro in Jiro Dreams of Sushi (documentary) has. read more

I just wanted to update my review because I think it's really lame to leave a 1 star review because you can't get an order to go and because you upset the staff. The staff here are friendly enough, but if you're going to insult them and ask for orders to go, maybe you should eat elsewhere. People are so entitled. MAYBE, just MAYBE, they don't want to serve sushi in to go containers, which ruin the experience? Also, complaining that the portions are large!? What...the...hell? I swear, you girls shouldn't be allowed out to eat. read more

Very friendly . Busy and the food want presentable and delicious. Will be going back again .

Oh man as good as it gets. This place is small but powerful Truly great food and possibly the best sushi in town. The two curry dishes are out of this work authentic... Go here even of you have to wait it is well worth every minute that you wait... read more

Outstanding sushi.large portions of freshest fish. Uniformly of highest quality and presentation. Naka does it right.truly a master sushi chef for real connoisseurs of sushi. An experience not to be missed!Not the same intimacy or atmosphere of the old location which was truly unique. More impersonal. Blame it on progress. read more

Well since this Benjamin B let the cat out of the bag,here we go. I cant belive that Pink Godzilla Sushi can stay in business and even get voted for best sushi in the county while being right across the street from Naka. One place is loud,hectic and serves small portions of factory sushi. The other is a laid back mom and pop restaurant (Naka and his beautiful wife Kiko). The portions are huge and the ingredients are the highest quality available. Naka once told me "When I go to the market some mornings they have toro,its very good but expensive. other mornings its just expensive. Why would I want to serve you that?" Why indeed. Well than Mr. Benjamin B now that everyone knows, we will be standing on 41 St smoking cigarettes waiting for a *&%@! table! Thanks buddy. read more

I get it being a long-time former industry person. Valentine's "we don't do to go orders"... It's one of the craziest days of the year. But with a toddler and wife in tow, and hoping to enjoy a step up from a burrito on our travels, we decided to stop in after unsuccessful phone call. "Can you do a take out order"? "No not tonight" - no apology offered. The place opened 3 minutes ago... They could have easily accommodated our order. It was 1/3 full at most. Small place. With a toddler with us I attempted to be respectful and take our meal to go as to not subject fellow sushi lovers to a huge mess and noise galore. "Ok. What's your reservation availability? Do you have space for 3? Yes? Ok, I have a one year old with me. We can sit down and make an enormous mess and take up space and add nothing positive to the ambiance, or you can make $150 on our order and we will take our sushi and go". "(Running away and no clue how to respond) and finally a fake, scared, "sorry" from the "host". So, thanks Naka. You lost out and we spent $20 at the Mexican place up the road. Check my review of another sushi place in Santa Cruz that understands first impressions. You could have a great place. We'll never know, but now you can enjoy this 1 star review. An addendum after reading through some of the other similar reviews of awful customer service. You are not a Michelin star establishment. You can't just make up your own rules because you are "that good". This sentiment is likely lost on you, but you need to hear it. Your Zagat service score would be abysmal. Learn how to treat people or keep being a miserable old timer, locals who also don't have a clue type of place. Any guest could become a regular. Your practice is just bad practice. read more

Best blue fin tuna. Quality sushi every time! Recommend it for anyone who likes less Americanized sushi.

I ate here once. Looked briefly at the menu, ordered typical fish. Ordered Toro which was on the specials board. I don't remember any details about the interacitons with the staff - which was a 50+ year old Japanese woman. I ordered, my food came. No problem. The sushi was the best I've had in the US, and should have been at least double the price. I think if you have big problems at a restaurant, it might be a good idea to look at yourself first. I'm sure these Japanese people grimace all the time from the barbarian behavior of their customers. Consider yourselves lucky to not be on the menu. read more

Let me come clean and say that I go out to this place WAY to often and now consider the owners as friends. So, as a regular, I get special treatment. Yes, this is one of those places where service does differ depending on who you are. What doesn't differ is the food. The outstanding quality and large portion size for the price was the same from day 1 when my husband and I walked in as strangers. So, as someone who has been eating here for YEARS, let me offer the newbies some advice: 1) Go during the week 2) Go early 3) Sit at the sushi bar 4) Order an appetizer to start -- something traditional. I suggest the Agadashi Tofu or the Sunomono with Tako (no clue on spelling) 5) Order the Sashimi combo dinner and ask for Chef's Choice - but mention what your favorites are and if there is anything you don't want. 6) Complement the chef if appropriate 7) Be polite. 8) Use chopsticks 9) Use MINIMAL amounts of soy and wasabi 10) Be patient Yes, the place is kinda funky. Many of the odd decorations are from customers. Think of it like a fridge with pre-school art projects taped on it. Yes, sometimes the service is slow. Be aware that it's a mom&pop gig -- literally - with 1 daughter in the kitchen. So, if it's a full house, they're working as fast as they can to serve you. Yes, sometimes they can be gruff, but that's cause they don't know you yet. And, they've had to endure so many drunk losers coming over from across the street that they're gun shy. It's a small place, and they want to serve their regulars well. Unless they think you're serious (see rules above), it will not go well for you. All I can say is I am very glad I perservered. This is seriously the best fish I've ever had, and I find that the hosts are warm and generous. You just have to get to know them. My personal favorites are: * Tamago (he makes it himself -- a rare thing these days) * Uni (won't touch it anywhere else) * Hamachi Kama (when I'm looking for cooked fish) * Ebi-Ten Roll (unwieldy yes, but good) * Unagi (this is what it should be) * Aji Nigiri So why not 5 stars? I agree about the rolls being too big. Now that I am a regular, I can ask for a "special skinny" roll with my list of ingredients. But for his other combos, it's tough. I would also wish for more diversity sometimes, but I understand they're a small business so that's a challenge for them. And lastly, I also wish the decor was a bit less worn in spots. But, I keep coming back and sending my friends too. read more

It only took me 6 years of living in Santa Cruz to try Naka Sushi and now I feel like an idiot. I had convinced myself that Santa Cruz sushi was unbelievably bad and ridiculously priced. I thought places like "I Love Sushi" and "Sushi Totoro" and "Mobo" defined Santa Cruz sushi joints. Naka proved me wrong. Truth be told, my friend and I only tried Naka because Pink Godzilla was closed. Which I KNOW is a terrible sushi place, but I had told myself I was on budget (past tense because we ended up at Naka, a place where the word budget should not be used) and I wasn't planning on ordering sushi, even though it might be my greatest love. Ever. We walked into Naka and had no idea what to expect. We'd both heard that Naka had the best sushi in town but judging from the rugged exterior (to put it mildly) and dimly lit interior, we were skeptical. We were greeted by The Wife and she was quick to tell us that they would only be serving sushi. So sushi it was. We ordered the Naka #1, Naka #2, and Spider Roll. Each was HUGE. True, you only got 4 pieces of each roll, but each slice was like 3 inches in diameter. At first glance, it seemed as if there was a ton of rice, something I do not like to see when I order sushi. But it actually worked since the rice was impeccably seasoned - just sweet enough and not too vinegary. And the rolls were stuffed with tons of fresh fish/soft shell crab. Even though the rolls were good, they were also the biggest mistake of the night as (a) they were gigantic and thus extremely difficult to eat, but more importantly (b) the fish they serve at Naka is so fresh and supple and tasty that it should not be wasted by being in a roll. I really wish we had just gone the sashimi route or had least done omakase nigiri. Next time. I did order an uni nigiri at the end of our meal though because I was seduced by the thought of really good, really fresh uni. It was phenomenal. I will say this place is on the pricier side, which is saying something in Santa Cruz, home of the overpriced/subpar sushi. Rolls are about $10 (there are only 5 or so) and nigiri/temaki/maki ranges from $5-$12 depending on the fish. But in my opinion it's more than worth it as the quality of fish is so high. While we were there the restaurant was full (as in 4 tables were seated, which is pretty much all they can handle comfortably) of regulars. Each party was chatting nonchalantly with Naka, the sushi chef, and raving about the food they were eating. I can see why. I can't say I'll be back in the near future and Naka will now be a luxury meal to save for, but it is definitely my new go-to for superb sushi. read more

Hands down the best sushi I have ever had. I consider myself to be extraordinarily fortunate as my parents took me to sushi from a very young age. As an adult it is one of my favorite ways to spoil myself. However now that I have been going to Naka, it just does not seem worth it to me to eat sushi anywhere else. No matter where I go, if I do, I am disappointed because it does not come close to the quality of Naka. So now it is the only place I go to. Sure if someone wants to take me somewhere Ill try it and honestly I would love to be pleasantly surprised with a place that is better but so far this has not happened. I have taken both of my parents there, who both have world-wide sushi experience and they both agree. The thing about Naka is just simple, top quality sushi. You will not get fancy rolls with all kinds of strange things in it, as they offer a small menu. However the fish quality is by far the best I have ever had and the serving sizes are the most generous. An order of Nigiri at Naka is easily twice the size as you would get almost anywhere else. You also will not get a fancy atmosphere, posh decor, or kiss up service. The family that runs this place are very kind sweet people but they are not candy coated and are comfortable being firm and clear. Dont come to Naka with an obnoxious group of party people because you will most likely get turned away at the door. If you are respectful then you will be treated with respect (Why is this novel?). My recommendation is to try their Aji, one of their specialties and a rare treat. I do not like mackerel anywhere else. Also the Sake Nigiri, Hamachi Nigiri and Unagi are insanely good. Naka is my favorite restaurant in the world and I have it listed as my last meal on earth. If you love sushi then you must try it but be double warned, arrive with a respectful behavior (free from belligerent friends - they can join the rest of the "baka gaigin" across the street at pink godzilla who are more concerned with parting, gimmicky atmosphere and mediocre food). At Naka enjoy the simplicity of pure masterful sushi. read more

The best sushi in town, hands down. If you want real Japanese style sushi this is the spot. Best sake nigiri, Cheri is OG

It's just too funny to read negative reviews about this place that are based on at least one of the following: 1. A large party (6 or more) 2. A heavily-impacted holiday or arriving after 8pm 3. The menu 4. The prices Do not go here if it's a super busy holiday or you're bringing a lot of people. It won't work out. Save yourself the trouble and disappointment. The kitchen closes down around 8pm. Naka Sushi is about the FISH. It is a true mom n' pop joint where only 3 people are working (chef, kitchen, house). The portion sizes are enormous and the quality is outstanding. Go here if you want to experience the best Nigiri on the central coast of California. Go to one of a zillion other local places for deep-fried rolls and sake bombs. read more

I have finally found sushi nirvana and it is in Santa Cruz. Okay, maybe not an experience on a heavenly level (you'll see as you read on), but my god, for a transplant like me who was an LA local, it was hard to find a high-quality sushi place in the Santa Cruz area. Seriously. This was the 4th sushi place I tried here and they were all disappointments until now. This is honestly the best sushi I've had. (You'll see this statement bandied about a lot. I kid you not in this instance.) Their specialty is their non-rolls such as nigiri (fish on a bed of rice) and sashimi (just straight fish). It was the freshest and lovingly prepared sushi I've eaten. We got the mackerel, eel, yellow tail, octopus, halibut, tuna, and the salmon nigiri. ALL of this was fabulous. If I HAD to rate them, my faves were the tuna, salmon, and eel. With the nigiri, such as the salmon, you could tell how fresh it was not just from the taste, but from the vibrancy of color. (Believe me, I've had some shitty, faded orange salmon sushi before.) Also, and this is a big draw for me, the portion sizes for nigiri (and I assume for the rest of the sushi) are twice as big as the average place. I was surprised when they brought it out. Usually nigiri can be eaten in a bite. These took a few! Usually, increased portion-size is a sign they're trying to make up for the lack of taste. Nope, not here. And I thought the prices were incredibly reasonable! There's one big caveat to eating here however (well, this and the fact the place is TINY. No big groups, yo!): the waitress/hostess. The second we walked in, the first thing--no hi, hello, or welcome--from the waitress was, "The wait is an hour. Are you fine with that?" We were, but jeez, a simple greeting and a smile would've been nice. You could tell, that was her personality though: no nonsense, no BS. (Also, I suspect she's the daughter of the nice, older Japanese couple who own the place. The dad is the sushi chef, and the mom is the business end.) Basically, bottom-line: come here for the sushi, not the service. In the end, the food outweighed any bad negative interaction we had with the wait staff. read more

As a foodie, the quality of the atmosphere or the service is not as important to me as the food. But to set your expectations, this place does look a bit modest. The bathroom flooring looks like it has been there for generations. The art work on the wall is affixed via thumb tacks and scotch tape. The early American style light fixture was Japanized by adding a Japanese lantern to the bottom of the fixture. For me, I find the decor amusing. Our server, who is most likely the wife of the sushi chef, was wearing a plaid shirt and jeans. It looked like she could have just finished working on her garden. I actually found this honest and refreshing. Her service was subtly friendly and efficient. But the fish. Wow. The fish gets 5 Stars. The portions are generous and the quality is very good. We had the Hirame, Maguro, Aji, Sake, Hamachi and Unagi. I like that you get your choice of having the your fish in either nigiri, maki or hand roll. To balance out the raw stuff, I also had a Spider Roll. It was quite possibly the largest spider roll I ever had. The legs kinda tasted like potato chips. The Unagi hand roll was equally huge and tasty. We also ordered grilled white chicken meat and it was very tender while slightly crispy on the outside. Probably the best chicken I ever had in a J restaurant. As stated in the other reviews, if you are looking for fancy concoctions along the lines of something like a Monster Pokeman Firecracker Ginger Crunchy Underwear Roll, then perhaps other restaurants may better suit your tastes. But if you love quality raw fish in huge portions, then you can't go wrong with Naka Sushi. Mr. and Mrs. Naka Sushi I look forward to visiting your restaurant again in the near future. Thank you for the great meals. read more

I came here with very high expectations from reading previous reviews/hearing Ashley C. rave about it. All I can say is that Naka Sushi did not disappoint! When I come to higher-end sushi places, I like to stick to sashimi/nigiri as I feel that's where a good sushi joint will shine. So we ordered: Sake - 5/5 - Naka Sushi likes to top their sake with a little tobiko and green onions. This in addition to the very deep orange fish(which we attributed to the leanness of the fish) made for a very flavorful combination. I would say this is the best sake I've ever had. Hamachi - 4.5/5 - The hamachi was the only nigiri we ordered that came out undressed, but it came in the biggest portions. While it was very good, it stood out the least in both flavor and looks. I wouldn't say this hamachi differs from other good sushi joints. Hirame - 4/5 - This was my 2nd time having hirame (the first being at Ocean Blue Sushi Club, and it was not a pleasant experience), and I was pleasantly surprised. While having a very strong fish flavor, it wasn't overpowering. Still, probably my least favorite item of the night. Aji - 5/5 - This was what I really came here looking for. All the reviews praise it, Ashley C. praises it, etc. So, good or bad, this nigiri had Asian-parent high standards whilst traveling from my plate to my mouth. But wow! The bonito, ginger, and green onion dressing made for a wonderful combination. I couldn't even find a way to describe the aji as it was just so tasty without a real fishy component to it. We had to go for round 2 and get some more :). Overall, Naka Sushi was a wonderful experience. Huge portions, gorgeous fish, and a friendly environment will keep me coming back for more! I even got to practice some of my Japanese with Naka's wife! Next time I'll definitely sit at the bar and try to get Naka a little red in the face ;). read more

Went in for the first time and was pleasantly surprised the roll are huge! And the Pablo shrimp and curry was delicious it is beautiful and quiet inside and has a welcoming energy will be returning read more

This place is a real Japanese owned and operated sushi restaurant serving the top quality fresh fish. I have been coming here about once a week for the last 8 years or so, and the quality of the sushi has been consistently superb. There's only one sushi chef so when the restaurant is full, the wait is expected and it can be a very long. If you don't want to wait very long, it's better to come back when they're a little less busy (But don't come in late evening. They sometimes run out of sushi rice and/or certain fish so they stop order early. They also close kitchen early.) My favorite sushi are: Hamachi, Uni, Sake, Ika. I normally don't order rolls because they're too huge for me, but I love their spider roll. They have Hamchi Kama special sometimes, and they are so yummy. I also like their seaweed salad and tako salad. From the kitchen, Agedashi Tofu and Softshell Crab are really good. Don't come here if you: - are not nice. This place is operated by two people and they're busy. - are looking for a romantic date spot. - don't drink sake or beer. You gotta have some hot sake while waiting for sushi. - like Americanized sushi. - want to use Amex. They won't accept it. - Are expecting Mochi ice cream dessert menu. They don't have it. But if you love ice cream, Penny's Ice Creamery is across the street and they're open until 10PM. So, go there after Naka. read more

Restroom is for customers only. Twice on the front door. Wow! Then signs telling customers not to touch things and another sign that they 'reserve the right to refuse service' Warm, Inviting. First impression is 'this place is dingy'. Then, I ask for a chirashi (sashimi on a bowl of rice) -Something every japaneese restaurant will make for you. "Sorry, no Chirashi, Order from Menu" Then I told the lady to have the chef serve us his choices, anything "Order from the menu", she replied Sticky place setting on top of that and I tell my adult son that we have to get out of here. But, we're starving. We order two rolls and planned to leave after eating them. We were headed across the street to Pink. The rolls were very good and tasted great. We agreed to give it another chance and ordered some more off the menu. The food was very good! The service was flimsy. The attitude was 'Hey, this is my house, deal" I'll go back, the food was good enough to put up with the other stuff. Maybe the regulars get taken care of better. Has to be a three. Better service maybe 4, add some paint and this place could be a 5! read more

Although the food was good, the portions were way too large. When a piece of sushi is the size of my fist (no joke), I just lose my appetite. It made the whole experience difficult and NOT worth it. I'm sure we've all tried taking a bite out of a sushi roll. It just doesn't work and the whole thing falls apart leaving one long strand of seaweed dangling from your mouth. My plate turned into a pile of uneaten rice. I looked around and people were pulling the pieces of fish out of their rolls and eating everything a la carte. Whats the point of a roll if you can't eat it all in one bite? It's too bad because the quality of the food was quite good. read more