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    Saburo's

    3.5 (1.6k reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Sushi Bars
    Closed 4:30 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Saburo's Photos

    Business Info

    SABURO'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Saburo's

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    Reviews With Photos

    Richard S.

    Still the best Sush in Portland. Bring a VERY VERY sharp knife so you can cut the HUGE slabs of sushi as they're way too large to pick up and gobble down in one bite, SERIOUSLY !!! I used to give them 5 s BUT their prices doubled in the past year or two. GREAT food, not a bargain like it was. Thanks Donald.

    Somy K.

    Wow the portions are huge here. I wasn't sure what to expect with the size portion but the fish was super fresh. The salmon and tuna were amazing. You only need 1-2 pieces and maybe a roll or two since they are so big. Our server was on top of things and took great care of us. The space seems small, but I didn't get to see the back. I'm definitely coming back.

    Katrina V.

    We were told that there can be a long wait at Saburo's since they don't take reservations, so we decided to arrive 10 minutes before 5pm, which was listed as their opening time online. We came to find out that the place was already open and had several parties inside already. Luckily the place wasn't totally full yet, so we were able to get seated right away. For those not so lucky upon arrival, you would put your name on the waitlist. Seating appeared to be limited despite there being a back room that extended the restaurant. The tables felt like they were on top of each other. I begged my pardon to the customers next to us while awkwardly squeezing my butt between our tables. Our eyes were hungrier than our stomach. We ordered a ton of items but did not realize how big the pieces were going to be. The slices of fish on the nigiri were greater than an inch thick, but that also meant they came with a lot of rice. The regular rolls were nearly like small burritos. That said, you can say that you get your money's worth there. We ordered the following: - Agedashi tofu - Mixed tempura - Calamari - Aji nigiri - Creamy scallop nigiri - Salmon belly nigiri - Seared salmon nigiri - California roll with real crab - Alaskan roll - Salmon skin roll I thought that everything was just OK, and my biggest gripe was that the California roll with "real crab" was really made with imitation crab. Next time I would just get the salmon belly and creamy scallop nigiri.

    Assorted place of nigiri and sushi. Nigiri is so big
    Timothy L.

    Very good sushi quite a wait but the nigiri size and the presentation are great! Always a favorite in Portland!

    Farah A.

    Saburo's is my regular sushi spot and it never disappoints. The portions are enormous and always fresh. My go-to is their salmon toro, it's consistently fresh and melts in your mouth. They also have many varieties of rolls to choose from. The staff is friendly and efficient despite how busy it gets. If you're craving generous cuts of sashimi or rolls that actually fill you up, this is the place. I always forget how big their portions are and end up overordering every time, but the leftovers are always great. The wait can be long. They don't take advance reservations or phone holds, so you'll need to put your name down and wait nearby. All parties must be present before being seated. My usual wait time is around 30-40 minutes (the more ppl the longer). I took one star off because the space is very small and can feel cramped, and it could be a bit cleaner. Expect to wait outside since there's no indoor waiting area. Parking can fill up quickly, so street parking is usually the best option.

    Miki M.

    When I think of local legends and bang-for-the-buck spots, Saburo's comes to mind. Although I've known about this restaurant since I was little, it wasn't until recently that I finally went. Knowing how busy it gets, we came right around opening and were some of the first customers in line, so we got seated right away. The decor has all the elements of an authentic Japanese restaurant, it instantly felt cozy and familiar to me. We ordered and the food came fairly quickly, like 10 minutes after we placed our order. Do not underestimate the size of their sushi! If you're ordering just sushi, I'd say about two nigiri and one roll is plenty for one person. Also the quality of the fish is superb. I'll quote my friend who said it's authentic sushi but in an American portion. My favorites were the Creamy Scallop, Torosake, and the Sabu Roll, to name a few. I'm already dreaming of the next time I can go back!

    Duc K.

    I've been a loyal follower of Saburo's since 2020 and I felt compelled to write a review to thank them for never letting me down. This is my go to restaurant for whenever I'm craving sushi. Their sushi is so enormous, fresh and tasty that me and my friends would always drive 40-50 minutes from Hillsboro down to this part of Portland. Staff are always friendly to me and my friends even when they're handling large amounts of customers so I appreciate them for that. If you do try Saburo's on the weekend, I recommend lining up at 10-15 minutes before opening to avoid a large wait time. Restaurant is very clean and homey so I recommend this place for any sushi lovers or for catchup with friends. I also guaranteed if you take your dates here, you'll leave an everlasting impression

    sunset roll, creamy scallop, ikura, unagi, anago
    Tani N.

    this cute quaint sushi restaurant is bustling ! we came here on a whim and there was a bit of a wait so i would definitely recommend timing your visit well ! otherwise, the sushi was delicious and humongous (another thing we were unaware of). we got a bunch of creamy scallops, ikura, unagi (freshwater eel), anago (sea eel), and a sunset roll ! my favorite was the creamy scallop, but everything was so so tasty !

    7 spider rolls 14.95
    Mahogani M.

    Food~ First time trying this A-1 fresh, 7 huge spider rolls w/ no sesame seeds definitely worth it. You're giving chopsticks, wasabi, ginger, and plenty of soy sauce. It would nice if they would use to go container but, it's tightly wrapped with Saran Wrap. Service~I was greeted immediately and, the server was so nice. He gave me to go menu and, I was given plenty of time to look over all the options. All of the Sushi preps greeted me as well with a smile. I didn't have to wait long (5 mins) even though they were very busy. Ambiance~It's great vibe there music playing as well as a tv but, low enough that you can hold a conversation. I did get my order to go but, I definitely will be back to dine-in to receive the full sushi experience. It's a parking lot but, it was full so it's street parking on both sides. I would highly recommend giving them a visit.

    Nina J.

    When I was told that the portions here were huge, I certainly underestimated just how big it was. The nigiri is thrice the size of normal places and I was full off of three pieces of nigiri and one piece of the roll. The roll itself is as big as a sushi burrito. My favorite was the seared salmon. I felt that the eel was lacking in some smoky flavor. There is seating in the back of the restaurant.

    Sarah M.

    No reservations, very tight knit space, no waiting room, sign up sheet near front door, they don't take phone numbers so you're forced to wait around the small doorway/outside until they call you or you risk being skipped. Went at peak time, Saturday at 6pm. Waited about 40 minutes before we were sat. Ordering is done by writing the amount of which item you want on the dry erase menu. Food came out pretty quick, MASSIVE portions. Great value for your dollar. Fish quality was good, not the best I've had but fair for the price. Although it's good value, the massive portions just aren't my cup of tea. It's hard to really enjoy the meal when my mouth is so full and your sushi is falling apart from having to take it in bites. Service is mid, they don't check on you often & are not warm but they get the job done. 18% gratuity charged to parties of 5 or more. Overall, it was nice to experience once but I don't think I'd return. The sushi experience isn't for me. Sushi is meant to be eaten in one bite & I can't enjoy it as much with the massive portions. The waiting also didn't add to the experience for me. I don't like that they don't take down numbers. We had to wait in the rain to make sure we didn't get skipped. As an avid sushi lover, the quality of the sushi is okay at best, definitely nothing to rave about.

    I don't think there was enough..
    Anthony C.

    My 3rd time here in the last 12 years and each time is a great experience. The food, service and ambience of the place makes it that much more enjoyable. Firstly, you get a bang for your buck, a lot for the price. It's fresh and delicious and be sure to get here early to beat the crowd, though weekdays from Monday to Thursday are doable and not very bad, but Friday and the weekend are good luck. You can't go wrong with what you order here as it's all delicious and tasty so go ahead and try some and start out with a little bit of miso soup..

    Jocelyn C.

    INSANE portions !!! the fish was fresh and the cuts were super thick. service was slow, but they were super busy and small seating area. my favorite was the seared salmon nigiri. would totally come back to order just a big plate of that. honestly, just shocked about the portions because i've never seen a sushi place give that much fish. definitely must try ordered: salmon nigiri seared salmon nigiri sunset roll sabu roll salmon roll broiled hamachi collar

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    Saburo's Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Saburo's

    Do they have parking lots or I have to park on the street? Is it difficult to find parking?

    they have a parking lot. you can also park in the street if it's full!

    How many pieces come in each order of Nigiri, such as the Salmon belly? Thank you!

    2 pieces of nigiri in each order! They are really big, probably equal to 3-4 regular nigiri in other restaurants.

    As of August 22 are you open for dine in at 5pm with waiting list as you were prior to covid?

    As of April 2022, Saburo's has only the small back dining room open for dine in, only a few days a week. Take out is still most of their business.

    Dine in available?

    Yes!!! Limited walk in only, no wait list yet. I was there a few minutes before 5pm on Thursday July… Read more

    When do you plan on reopening? Take out just isn't the same.

    Limited walk in only, no wait list yet. I was there a few minutes before 5pm today Thursday July 29th and there were a couple of guys all excited about being first to dine in.… Read more

    Will Saburo's be open soon for take-out?

    They have opened on June 1st for take out only. Dine in is still unavailable.

    Is Saburo's closed during COVID-19?

    I have no idea, wish I knew!

    Do they do call in orders to go?

    No. They are so popular, you have to show up and be seated, then pack all that you ordered to go. This is only fair to all of us who wait in line for a table. Take out orders do not get priority over in person dining.

    Are they open on New Year's day?

    No they will be closed

    Do they do take-out orders?

    Yes they do. But you need to wait in line in order to take it to go. Haha

    Do they take reservations? Good time to try to eat there?

    They do not take reservations. Show up at least an hour before you want to eat because there will be long wait time! Parties bigger than 4 may take longer. It's a small… Read more

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    Hamono Sushi

    4.2(228 reviews)
    3.6 miDowntown, Southwest Portland

    This was one of the best sushi places/experiences that I've had. I wasn't really sure what to…read moreexpect for the Omakase portion but the steamed egg with Uni and salmon roll was delicious. I really appreciate that you have the opportunity order other things after the Micah is done. It gives you a lot of opportunities to try out other things or double down on things that you really enjoyed. The $20 sake tasting was a big value. The owner had a great recommendation for all the different sockets that they offered with all the sushi. Next time I'm in Portland I'll be sure to come back here

    Soooo good. Quality AYCE with awesome service. It's interesting starting off with 2 plates of…read moreomakase before getting to do the AYCE, labeled as the "omakase tasting". I thought they were going to be fillers but they tasted great and actually put new fish I've never had before on the map for me! Some of my favorites were - kanpachi - kome buri - ama ebi - salmon (I liked it more than the king salmon, maybe I have peasant taste) - toro The omakase was well thought out as you can see and we even enjoyed the miso soup. I think the price tag of $100/person can initially be steep but you can easily spend this much on these nicer orders. I was also worried they might drop the quality during the AYCE portion but it continued to be delicious and service was consistent throughout (there was another group of 13 people so service was a bit slow having to divide time between the rest of the restaurant and them). I highly recommend this place and will for sure come back. Some delicious quality fish and my new favorite if I'm coming hungry!

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    Hamono Sushi - Soy Sauce

    Soy Sauce

    Hamono Sushi - Wagyu with uni

    Wagyu with uni

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    Momoyama - Keeper Roll - special for the day

    Momoyama

    4.3(233 reviews)
    4.1 miPearl District
    $$$

    TL;DR Delicious, Umami filled sushi with special respect to the craft…read more Where to begin with this sushi restaurant? With a combined 115 years of experience this restaurant shines with what feels like authentic sushi. We were there with a group of four and were seated promptly for our reservation at 5:45 PM. Our server Ben was an absolute delight and brought vibrancy and genuineness to his service. So shoutout to Ben. I was a bit disappointed that they were unable to accommodate my Tokyo Tea request for a cocktail (I'm always about efficiency when drinking ) but the cocktails that we did receive were elegant and refreshing. But now to the meat of the review or should I say fish? We were taken on a journey through the Toyosu fish market or so I'm and had several delicious rolls such as the Yama roll, Salmon and Scallop, Jamison and the simple California roll. We also had two of the nigiri the salmon belly and the unagi which were both fall apart tender deliciousness in your mouth. Needless to say I am looking forward to our next visit and would love to experience their version of an omakase since the quality was there.

    We had a very different experience with Momoyama this time, and unfortunately it was disappointing…read more We previously dined at Momoyama and thought the food was excellent -- beautiful presentation, high-quality sushi, and a gorgeous setting in the Pearl District. Service was average, but the food more than made up for it. Because of that first experience, we decided to place a fairly large takeout order for a family dinner last night. Big mistake. We were told the order would be ready in 30 minutes. We arrived on time only to discover they had not even started preparing it yet. The explanation was "a computer issue," but nobody called us to let us know there would be a delay, and no real apology was offered. By the time we finally got the food, we were already late for dinner and had to head straight home. When we opened the bag, the nigiri had been packed so poorly that everything was jumbled together in a heap. We literally spent 10 minutes trying to reassemble the sushi ourselves. What disappointed us most was the way management handled the situation afterward. We called expecting that a restaurant positioning itself as upscale would want to make things right. Instead, the manager argued with us, reviewed security footage, and claimed that because we briefly checked the bag at pickup, the order must have been fine when it left the restaurant. We checked that the boxes were there -- we did not open every container because we trusted the restaurant to package the food properly. The bottom line: the dine-in experience may still be worth it because the food itself is genuinely very good, but based on our experience, order takeout at your own risk.

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    Momoyama - Clean and comfortable interior.

    Clean and comfortable interior.

    Momoyama - Unagi nigiri

    Unagi nigiri

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    Saburo's - japanese - Updated June 2026

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