Came here with a few friends when I was visiting and it was great! The waitress was super nice and very communicative. We went around 6pm and they were pretty busy, we waited for about 25-30 minutes which wasn't a problem at all, and the staff was super accommodating! The food was great and the portions are super generous! Inside is very cute but it is also pretty small and tight. Overall, I would definitely recommend this spot to anyone looking for a good sushi spot! :) read more

Made the trip from Hillsboro on Wednesday before the heat to eat at one of our favorites. We tried Yuubi and wanted to hit Saburo and see if it measured up as well as we remembered. Stated with the spicy tuna salad which is my wife's favorite. Had the albacore, maguro, seared albacore, creamy scallop, amaebi and Hawaiian roll. Get a side of tempura sauce for the amaebi head. Everything was amazing, to me it's on par with the other highly recommended sushi spots in Portland. I'm always happy we went and we leave full and satisfied. If it was closer, we'd eat here weekly! read more

Saburo's - Maguro, Seared Albacore, Albacore, Amaebi, Creamy Scallops, Hawaiian roll - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I really don't like to write bad reviews but in certain circumstances I feel compelled to. This place is awful. There just isn't any other way to describe it. This place was once a gem of Portland's sushi scene. Now it is a disgrace. I cannot for the life of me understand why this place is so busy. I guess because the portions are enormous and the prices are low (for sushi). Let me tell you though, you get what you pay for. The sushi rice was cold, unseasoned and felt like a brick underneath the huge poor quality fish. Don't even get me started on the rolls. I left feeling cheated and ripped off not to mention slightly nauseated. I will never step foot back in this hole. read more

Second time ever here and it's just as good as I remember! The portions are HUGE. I got a roll, a hand roll, sashimi, nigiri, and edamame all for $59 before tip. I love it here so much - would literally visit Portland just to come here. You gotta try it for yourself - trust. Spicy tuna hand roll - it's pretty long and the nori is hard to bite off but worth the work. The spicy tuna had a strong sesame oil taste that I didn't mind. Hamachi sashimi - thick cut and fresh pieces given. My favorite always! Karate roll - huge roll with 7 pieces. Lots of rice but it balanced well with the cucumber and fish. Even the chopped fish pieces in here were big chunks. Couldn't finish it all so I took 4 pieces home. Nigiri - the salmon belly felt like just a regular piece of salmon but delicious and creamy nonetheless. The toro also was good - not as buttery as I've had before but I still enjoyed. Edamame- came out steaming hot, not overly salted (more on the plainer side) which I liked. It was a good size, only got through half of the bowl in the restaurant. read more

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I came in with my friends on a Tuesday night around 8:30pm and we got seated right away. No reservation we just got lucky with timing, they have a sign in sheet for you to put your name down so if they call your name and you're not around to check in they will skip you. Inside is very small so it was kinda awkward that we had to share a table with another group. Location is an old building it can be easily missed when driving by, there is a parking lot but it doesn't hold that many cars and it's kinda tight too. Food came pretty quick once ordered. Everything I got was good but one thing I want to point out is that the seaweed in each rolls was so chewy I'm pretty sure it was stale lol. My favorite was the toro and the unagi (river eel ones). I was full quickly because of all the rice they use so just ditch the rice if you can. They don't really check on you much after you get your food so service was okay-ish. Saburo is known for their big sushi portion so the quality = the price that you paid for so if you're like a sushi connoisseur you might be a little disappointed. Overall great place to get good sushi and a lot of bang for your buck. read more

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Oh the anticipation I had for coming back to Saburo after so many years, after so many trips, and so many huge pieces of fresh, reasonably priced fish. Saburos was, in fact, the first sushi restaurant I ate at in Portland. Before kids, before a real job, even before I had a car, my wife of maybe a month and I took the buss here and gladly stood in line for an hour in the rain to try famous Saburos sushi. My pedagree solid from 3 years running and waiting at Morimoto, i expected nothing mindblowing but had heard all about the giant size nigiri and rolls, and even saw a few pics on ole Citysearch. The value and freshness is what this place was famous for. It delivered and we were fans. It was our go-to sushi spot if we just wanted to gorge on the sush and not break the bank. My how things have changed in 20 years. More expensive was expected. What we didn't bank on was the terrible attitude these people had and the horrible quality of just about everything. "Trade on your name" comes to mind. I wont ever step foot in this place again, and I'll be suprised if they are around in another 2 years. read more

The food is great i thought the seared salmon was a bit sweet but my wife loved it. I thought the rice on the nigiri was a bit overcooked and too compact but could vary. My only issue was the place was pretty cold during the winter time so better come with some coats. read more

The portions are amazing here. Giant pieces, two bites each. There was a wait but we were quickly seated. Quick, casual dining. read more

Saburo's - Variety of nigiri - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

They give you big portions for a reasonable price but the quality isn't the best. I think it's overhyped and genuinely disappointed. read more

Saburo's - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This place = Quality sushi on a budget. After many years I have returned, the sushi portions here are still ginormous and akin to what I imagine food in the one piece anime are like. Happy the food here is still very high quality. Service was super friendly and we got seated pretty quickly. ***Some new updated tips for 2023*** - get here before they open, if you arrive anytime after 5:30pm expect to wait outside for a long time. - the parking lot is very small, if you haven't come before 6pm don't bother and go find street parking. - one slice of sushi here is the equivalent of two pieces; examples being: seared salmon nigiri one piece is the same as eating two regular pieces. One slice from a 8 pcs roll is the size of two slices at a regular sushi joint. - you don't have to unhinge your jaw to eat here but it's recommended if you are attempting to one shot bite a piece of sushi. Jokes aside don't cry if the sushi breaks in your chopsticks as you attempt to bite half of it. - when you arrive head inside and write your name and number on the clipboard. If you are a larger party expect to wait as this is a small place. We got the seared salmon, creamy scallop, mt hood roll (deep fried), and the other roll I can't recall the name of but is delicious. We also got the agedashi tofu which was a wonderful starter with a side of miso soup! read more

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The storied sushi history of Portland is incomplete without Saburo's, which has been part of the dining scene for 35 years and counting. My previous review of a lifetime ago still applies, but seeing as it's been a decade plus, there are some pretty significant updates. They now use Yelp waitlist (#1) and also provide online ordering for takeout. However, some things never change. The parking is still absurdly tight, the lines always form around opening of service, the seating is limited and the place is tiny. Opening 4 hours a night has been a profitable, winning formula for them for so long that the hype has been subdued by longtime Portlanders. The two sushi chefs working in behind the counter are not going to be omakase masters, but are able to keep up with the pace somewhat to keep address the demand. Their claim to fame has always been their thick cuts of fish. Whenever the quality is questionable, sometimes bigger is not always better. Folks who are not large portions won't enjoy the Saburo experience, however, the key is to come hungry and feening for a sushi craving. The creamy scallop is still one of my go-to choices, along with their intimidatingly long unagi eel and their incredibly popular salmon belly. I can't say I love their hamachi; yellow tail should have a more translucent cut and their maguro tuna is dyed so heavily red that it bleeds onto the rice more often than not. At the end of the day, I think the rolls are their best option, in particular the spider roll and dragon roll, for its abundance and portion-to-price point. Price wise, foodflation has been as significant here as it has been anywhere. A meal of various rolls / nigiri / sashimi for 3 several years ago would have been teetering at $100 but was essentially $200 for me recently. The sticker shock (#2) is jarring for many of us who have dined here over the years. The service hasn't improved enough for me to indulge often, even if the tech has made a jump for the better. Ultimately, I'm not holding my breath for Saburo's and while I still respect the hustle, I will likely indulge in other spots before settling for their small operating window and gargantuan sushi. __________ (#1) Gamechanger always. (#2) $27 for a dragon roll? $28 for a rainbow roll? Might as well replace the nori seaweed with an actual dollar bill. read more

The food at Saburos is YUM! The portions are large and so worth the price. I'd recommend under ordering if it is your first visit! The location is kinda tight but nice. The service is a bit slow, we waited about 30 min before our order came out. This place is popular so a lot of folks arrive 20-30 mins before it officially opens. read more

Arrived at 5:15 pm, restaurant opens at 5 pm, and seated at 6 pm, no reservations. Rolls are huge and impossible to taste a little of everything in one bite. Take a bite stuff falls out, very messy. The fish is incredibly fresh and flavorful. A value for your money. Inside service is fine and its quiet. read more

Saburo's - Alaskan Crunchy $15.95 - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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My only regret is not coming here sooner! Saburo's did not disappoint at all. Came in on a Saturday with a 5 person group. We knew there would be a wait, but we didn't mind because of the raving reviews. The inside is small, with a really tiny waiting area in the front. You put your name down on a waitlist on a clipboard at the front. You won't get seated until your entire party is present, so definitely keep that in mind. Our wait ended up being ~20 minutes. I didn't know what people meant when they said the sushi rolls are massive. It's hard to fully appreciate in the photos. But wow, there truly is no other way to describe it. We got 5 rolls, 6 pieces of seared salmon nigiri, and an order of the takoyaki to share between the 5 of us. All of the rolls here were so fresh. I was shocked by some of the prices here (some rolls were $25), but when I saw the size of these rolls it made sense. The pricier rolls were definitely bigger where each piece is double of your regular sushi piece, justifying the $25 price tag. The nigiri here is also so fresh and generous in portion. Each seared salmon was longer than my palm, and approximately half the width. There is an automatic gratuity of 20% for parties of 5 or larger. During our visit, we also noticed a lot of people coming in for take out orders. I imagine this would be a great option if you don't want to wait. Don't make the same mistake I did by waiting to finally visit this place. You will not regret it! read more

Saburo's - Takoyaki - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Nice little neighborhood Sushi spot...the staff is so friendly and takes pride in their food. The seared salmon is pretty damn good and the dragon was perfect. HUGE portions and great atmosphere. Everything is fresh. read more

Saburo's - Seared salmon & Dragon roll - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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It's been awhile since we've been back here and crazy how inflation and such has raised the prices so much. Anyways we called in our takeout order and it was ready on the dot for the ETA. The salmon belly pieces were as plump and melty as I remember. The creamy scallop pieces were nice and plump. The salmon skin salad was packed with the dressing on the side which was really nice for it not getting too soggy. The scallop was my favorite piece as it was super buttery and just melted in my mouth. When I got there to pickup, there was a pretty big waiting line as usual but even then the workers were super friendly and the restaurant was bussin and lively. Was definitely worth it. read more

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My friend goes to college in the area and wanted to make sure we ate here before we left to fly home. There's a parking lot just to right of restaurant to park. Make sure you open the door and sign in to reserve your spot. They close the sign in about 15-30 minutes before they close. There were 10-20 outside the door to get in so be aware of what it might take to get in. It's a pretty small place with more chairs in the back with a beautiful mural. The portions are so big you can't fit it in your mouth. You have to take bites. A little order goes a long way. Not the best I've ever had but good portions for the buck. read more

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Amazing portions and food comes out very quickly. Service sometimes can be a bit iffy but they are frequently very busy so that's understandable. Come here everytime I visit! read more

Saburo's - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

So I went here two nights ago after driving past a few times - drawn purely by the intriguing sight of seeing crowds of folks waiting to be seated. I didn't realize the nigiri would be such a large portion that it takes 4-5 bites to finish one piece. After finishing 2 pieces and one piece of a sushi roll (which is burrito size?!?), I began to feel nauseated from the huge slab of fish draped over rice that tasted sweet like sticky rice. Due to the large size of rolls / nigiri, the ratio of rice to filling is too high, resulting in a bland / unbalanced taste, unlike traditional, small-bite Japanese sushi. Customer service is nothing to rave about either after I had to holler at the waiter who grabbed our menu and walked away without asking us if we wanted something to drink besides water. Now here's the kicker! I was overcharged $10. I paid no mind to calculate my bill until I got home. I wanted to read some reviews to see if others felt weird too about the unappetizing portion size - THAT's when I noticed that they've been caught overcharging lots of customers. I added up their listed prices against my bill and YES - I have fallen victim too. This place is awful!! read more

First visit and was shocked at how large the portions were. Very well priced for the quantity and quality of the rolls and nigiri and hand rolls. They gave us the wrong nigiri (didn't order the mackerel) so they grabbed it off our plate with their hands. Kind of gross and unsanitary. And brought the correct nigiri on a separate plate a few minutes later. But after we paid the bill we noticed they still charged for the mackerel so asked a waitress and they gave us they money back in cash. read more

Saburo's - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I am a frequent flyer at Saburo's. The food is incredible as well as the service. Amazing PDX spot that will always be my first sushi recommendation. read more

The quality is wonderful and portion as we all know was super big! The place is so popular that they are always crowded and even would have a line sometimes. My only complaint is that the place is small and considering how popular they are it can get cramped and loud but I would absolutely say give it a try! read more

Saburo's - Chef Choice Sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

When going to Saburo's, expect for there to be a wait... because there likely will be one. The shop isn't very big and a bit rundown, but inside you can tell it has been filled with love and is definitely a local favorite. The staff here are so kind, quick, and easy to talk to. When you think of Saburo's, you think of good sushi (although not the best)...and LOTS of sashimi. Their portions are gigantic. The first time I saw a nigiri I was stunned (and don't get me started on their rolls)--it takes me 3 bites for their nigiri haha. I love coming here with friends and the atmosphere is always fun and lively. Although portions are big, prices have also definitely rose and that's something you should keep in mind. Overall, this place is best when you are HUNGRY and I highly recommend checking it out. read more

Saburo's - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Largest cuts & rolls in Oregon. Largest amount of service complaints in Oregon. Largest bang for your buck sushi in Oregon. Largest wait line in Oregon. A trade-off it is. The Saburo service has become an entertaining persona to the Sellwood experience. Rude & crude is now expected. The wait is worth the wait for some ~ nothing fancy, simply too big to fit into your mouth is their signature. Louded & crowded is fun for maybe once a year? Ordering takeout ~ whatever time they give you add another 20 minutes and you will only have to wait for an additional 20 lol read more

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Everyone from Portland knows of Saburo's! HUGE pieces of nigiri! High quality fresh fish I usually recommend takeout over dining in. The wait is usually too long for me read more

Saburo's - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Upscale quality sushi and food in a relaxed and casual environment. Cute but simple decor, and generous portions. Sushi rolls could be cut into smaller bites, and could have slightly friendlier service, but the food was so delicious it still warrants 5 stars. Would definitely eat here again. read more

I was honestly surprised to see some of the negative reviews here, because my experience has been the complete opposite. I grew up in NYC and lived in LA for almost a decade, and I'd put this place up against any sushi I've had in either city. For context, I've eaten at spots like Sushi by Scratch and a lot of other omakase restaurants, so my bar is pretty high. This place isn't trying to be warm and fuzzy, and it's definitely not pretentious--but the fish has always been top quality, and the rolls are consistently memorable. I've eaten here dozens of times over the past few years, and I've never had a piece of fish that wasn't excellent. For me, it's one of the most reliable sushi spots around. Lol on these 1 star reviews... there's a line because the fish is amazing. read more

This place is so good. I've been here twice and I've never been disappointed. Their rolls are huge and it comes at a reasonable price. It always tastes fresh. read more

Saburo's - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Returned to visit 25 years after moving away and the good parts are still great. The sushi is the biggest portions you'll ever see. Hamachi is my favorite. Mackerel sashimi also so good. We could have ordered 1/2 what we did and been happy, but it was joyful to see the platters of plenty. Also, since the last time I was here, the staff is truly sweet. She got us lots of boxes for the leftovers and was charming about the excess we had. read more

Saburo's - Saburo's sign - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The food was delicious! It tasted so fresh and I loved how big the pieces of fish were cut! The nigiri was delicious and the rolls were HUGE! The restaurant is busy so I would get ready to wait for a bit! There is a bench inside but I preferred to wait outside. When ordering you pretty much write it down on a sheet how much of each thing you want and that's how they take your order! You can tell that many people love this place and the workers are hard working! It's a cute little Japanese restaurant! Definitely will come back! read more

Saburo's - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Absolutely love this place! The portions are insane and everything tasted amazing! Waited about 45 minutes and you have to be present to be seated. Came in with a party of 3 and we had to take leftovers home. The inside of the restaurant is super tight with barely any indoors wait area, so it was a struggle waiting outside in the cold. Make sure to dress warm! read more

Saburo's - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Delicious sushi and such large portions too omg! It was a little cold because we were right at the door but besides that, the waiters did a great job bussing and serving so efficiently! It is definitely very busy and you should be prepared to wait unless you get there way before doors open and line up. Overall had a pretty good experience! read more

Saburo's - Rainbow Roll - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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4.5/5 My go to place for sushi. HUGE rolls and fat pieces of fish. My favorites are the caterpillar, rainbow, sunset, sabu, and mt hood rolls. The caterpillar and rainbow rolls were most expensive, $24 and $26 respectively. Besides those ones, I think the prices are fair given the size of the rolls. As much as I want to give this place a full 5 stars, their service is not that great and they've had multiple price hikes in a span of a few months in addition to having an 10% service fee for to-go orders now. I scheduled my order ahead for it to be ready at 6:35 and we didn't receive an order confirmation until 6:30. Earlier, we were worried they didn't receive our order so called in but no one picked up. Our order wasn't ready until 7:10. I think they know their food will have us keep coming back so they don't care about the service. Regardless, I'll still keep coming back because it's just too good. read more

Saburo's - Sunset roll and sabu roll - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Tell her that sashimi was not good , she was just trying to makeup that black paper . All other sashimi don't have that problem , she was not happy we were asked about it. We are all bigger sushi lovers and know that right! Be careful what they give you and don't asked if anything wrong. read more

Saburo's - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I came with some friends who have been here before but it was my first time. The parking lot was full so we had to find street parking which wasn't too bad cause we were able to find a place close to the restaurant. Overall it was pretty good. The staff were nice and friendly. The place was full and busy especially for a weekday. Since Saburo's was busy, the ambiance was a bit noisy which I didn't mind. We came an hour before it was closing, around 8pm and got seated soon after. Took us about 10-15 minutes to decide what we were going to get but we decided to go with Creamy Scallops Roll (6pcs) , Budokhan Roll (6pcs), Spider Roll (6pcs), Unagi (2pcs), 2 orders of Toro (4pcs), Aburi Sake (2pcs) and Miso Soup. We got our order 5-10 minutes after we put into our order (quite quick). The miso was good and flavorful, one of the top miso soups I've had. The creamy scallops roll wasn't as creamy as I thought it would be, so slightly disappointed. The nori (seaweed) was hard to chew through, I'm assuming it was cause it had too much moisture and was exposed to air for too long. I would like to say my favorite would have to be the Unagi (I love eel), It's a must try. Also note that the sushi are huge, bigger than most and are quite filling. read more

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This used to be a great place but has gone way downhill since Covid. The portions are still huge, which is unnecessary, but the quality just isn't there anymore. The worst part is that prices have exploded. What was once the best value in town is now just like every other restaurant trying to squeeze as much as possible out of their customers. Honestly I'd rather spend $35 at a sushi round than eat marginal sushi at Saburo's for $80. read more

I have been going to Saburo for many years now and their service has gotten so much better! Service was attentive and great lately. The restaurant is small, but it gives a cozy vibe. The restaurant is always busy so I would recommend coming at 5:00 when they open or be prepare to be on a waitlist! Parking spot is also small - but you can find street parking which is not too bad! Come in with an empty stomach! The sushi portions are huge and is so tasty. I love the salmon belly nigiri. It is so fatty and will melt in your mouth! I enjoyed every bite! I can't wait to come back again and again! read more

Saburo's - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Great food and service; The food is beyond great highly recommend trying it out. Best sushi in Portland.

The best thing was that we didn't have to wait to get seated with 5 people. Portions were still bug and I always stop by at least once when I come home (Portland). For the size, fish is always fresh and I do think price isn't crazy if you consider the portions (not cheap though). The restaurant is old and feels a little tight, but it was emptiest I have seen it in awhile. read more

Saburo's - Roasted Salmon Skin Salad - Japanese Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Saburo's was the holy grail for me and my college friends from Hawai'i, who sorely missed their sushi and poke. It was and still is pretty budget-friendly, especially since the portions are giant. I think their nigiri and rolls are double the size and cheaper than what you'd typically get at a sushi joint. It's very no-frills and it can be very difficult to get a seat. We came in on a Friday night and were luckily one of the last two parties to be seated before they closed for dine-in. If you're a sushi snob and are all about the knifework and cuts of fish, Saburo's might not be for you. If you want fat pieces of fish and don't really care about anything else, you'll be happy. My favorites are the seared salmon, toro, grilled salmon collar, salmon belly, and salmon skin roll. Everything was just as I remembered when I visited recently. The only gripe I had (and I think it's because I've gotten older and have been able to eat better sushi) is that some of the fish was a bit room temp (and bordering on lukewarm), and our toro nigiri was kind of mushy. The salmon collar was good, but it was practically unseasoned. We were a little bit surprised that we didn't get the runs, but I trust them. TBH, you get what you pay for. read more

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