Getting out to eat when there's a 1 year old at home and no family nearby it a real chore. After 3 reservation cancelations we finally made it out to Sado. And per usual, my made-in-St Louis husband had all the stories of all the different women he took on dates over the years to this location when it was Giovanni's. The building is beautiful, an Italian deco look. The interior is also done quite well but my god they smash you in like sushi sardines in a can. I was closer to the neighbor stranger than my partner across from me. I heard their entire conversation but had to ask my partner "what?" over and over again. I literally had to do a squat shimmy (with my butt under the table top) to squeeze out when we finished (for ref. 5'8" 160 lb). It was very uncomfortable. The gin martini was nice but bam the flavor impact was huge. If you're not adventurous, skip it. The cafe oka drink was amazing. Nippon Tartare was a hit. Tempura broccolini was good but way more tempura and hardly any broccoli. The lemon creme with it had a nice citrus smash. I'm a fan of mackerel nigiri but prefer it with lemon almost every time. Their was good but not the best ever. Nikkei Maki had a fresh feel with the mango and papaya - recommended. The hamachi crunch was also a solid choice but you can't go wrong with all those ingredients. The semi freddo was pretty good. Service was good, but they are a restaurant that automatically tacks on a 20% service charge then asks for additional gratuity. JUST RAISE YOUR DAMN PRICES if you're going to make a gratuity mandatory, then say no tips please. I can't stand this practice. It's not a gratuity, it's just increased prices by 20%. That drives me nuts. It's like the gym that has a $50/year "maintenance fee". We spent about $300 on the two of us. Well, more like $520 for the four of us if you count the table next to us that participated in our dinner and I saw their bill. read more

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One of our favorite #stlouispescatarianapproved spots just launched their new Social Hour. We loved it! @stlouispescatarians on instagram. It's every Tuesday to Thursday from 5:00-6:00 pm We tried the cocktails Boulevardier and Tom Collins! The poke bowl and bang bang shrimp were fantastic. And, of course, what trip to Sado is complete without some nigiri. We had the tuna and hamachi. We also ordered a few rolls not on the social hour menu. Always fresh... so good! Chef Nick does it right! read more

Awesome sushi, service, ambiance while a perfect price point! Really enjoyed the isaam hamachi!! read more

Sado - Sushi Bars Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

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I came here knowing I would be very satisfied and of course, they delivered. When the owners had Nippon Tei in Ballwin, the sushi and non-sushi dishes were as good. I am writing this review a couple weeks after our visit so I dont remember the exact name of the rolls. Here's what we ordered: 1)seaweed salad/calamari salad-both were great, refreshing and a good portion, despite it being salads 2)Japanese eggplant tempura-perfectly crispy 3)Japanese pumpkin hot tasting in green curry sauce-OMG! This dish was outstanding and tasted almost like meat 4)Shibo maki(salmon belly)-delicious 5)Honomono maki (blue crab meat)-also good 6)Akami maki(fatty tuna)-this was our favorite roll. It had a really spicy kick at the end 7)Chop shop-hibiscus infused rum... I think this was my cocktail. Also, it was not supposed to be too sweet, I did find it a little bit sweet. Everything tasted sooooo good. I will be coming back again to try the sashimi read more

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This is an excellent place for a really cute date night definitely for special occasions unless you got money you know spend that it's very high quality sushi very fresh. It's just delicious. It has lots of flavors with every bite. The different sauces in the dips the miso paste like everything about the food here is high-quality and delicious. The customer serve the weight staff and the sushi chefs. Excellent the hostess love them. They're very knowledgeable and helpful and oh my God I just love the ambience in the environment and the music is definitely a nice vibe. Very chill. Nice it's it's a nice up class type of spot. read more

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First time here. We tried to make a reservation through their website and the site was showing all booked til 1 month from the day. So we picked a day with a late dinner time, bc that was only option available. While we were waiting for a month, I saw availability & walk-ins welcome ads popping on their Instagram. So their website is misleading. I already lost my trust because they are trying to make them look like they are so good and they make you think it is impossible that they give you a seat. Setting all the expectations higher.. Then I heard from people that they are getting a table whenever they want because their friends work there. Good to know! :) I have been their sister restaurant Indo a year ago and it was a mind blowing experience. Sado is definetly cheaper - price and overall quality-wise. Since we learned that walk-ins are welcomed, came here with 2 of my friends before our reservation time. They immediately gave us seats by the bar, but drink bar not sushi bar. This place is already loud, sitting by the bartenders, hearing them making drinks.. it was hard to hold a convo with my friends. I was looking for a peaceful dinner like I had at Indo sitting by their sushi bar, watching chefs prepping food.. Food: Ordered octopus was a little chewy but still good meat and came with spicy sauce made me cough, it goes well with seafood. Side dish -steamed rice- helps eating it. My friend's order Fish custard was tasty, came with fish eggs. So soft, just like custard, no fish chunks, no chewyness.. I highly recommend. Also friends ordered 5 plates of different nigiri and makis, they like them all. Whiskey cocktail came with a huge ice cube with laser printed flower on it. Cool looking drink! They serve carbonated tap water and tastes like chlorine. We didn't like. Their big sushi bar area inside looking cool and quiet. We wish we were sitting there. Some of the bartenders are newbies, they also help with food orders and checks. They definitely don't want you to sit there for hours. They poked my friend with the check to remind us "it is time to go home!" :) Haven't been for months but I prefer "Indo". Hopefully they are the same good quality. read more

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The food was great! Definitely expensive but the quality is very nice and you can tell the ingredients are super fresh. The drink is amazing as well, definitely is a good place to treat yourself or friends. It would be a good option if everyone share the meal and the bill, wouldn't be that much after. A lot of options on the menu and the location is very nice. Will come back again read more

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Yummy yummy yummy! Was super excited to try this place and it did not disappoint! The place is bigger than I expected but pretty tight inside. Menu is large and honestly was a bit overwhelming at first. Our waitress was super helpful with navigating it. We started the evening with drinks. Drinks were yummy and the ice was cool; Sado was engraved on it! I had the lollipop drink, kimboshi, which was good! My husband had the dragon of echigo, which was super tasty. Also tried the cafe oka, which I also recommend. I cannot tell you what we had to eat except that it was yummy and looks beautiful. Food came out pretty quickly so I didn't take all the pictures of it I should have, but posted some. Tip is included and it was pricy, but that's what I expected! Would love to go back again! read more

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Great dining experience! Food and service were spectacular! The ambiance was so soothing! We tried: Crab Rangoon(recommend) Mushroom Steam bun(recommend) Marinated Japanese eggplants (recommend) Shibo Maki(okay,don't recommend) Tempura Maki(recommend) Vegetable maki(Don't recommend) Miso ginger salad(Recommend) Salmon Aguachile(Recommend) Gyoza(Recommend) Vegan crispy rice(Recommend) As for the desert, Nerigomma semiafredo(I don't recommend) and the toffee pudding(it was okay,wont recommend it either). Try Chocolate torte instead. Parking on the street,it's free and you should be able to find a spot. read more

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So glad I got to try @sado.stl Sado, one of Stl's newest restautants, on opening day!!!! The food, cocktails, and service is CHEF'S KISS!!!! 10/10, highly recommend. We ordered a dish from every section in the menu and there are NO regrets. You pay for quality cuts of fish, the freshest ingredients, and I love that an auto 20% is added for the staff but you can tip extra. They were so busy opening night, which was to be expected, and overdelivered on the experience. If you have to try one thing, GET THE NIGIRI. Everything is bomb but I will be dreaming about that buttery nigiri melting in my mouth, for DAYS! They even offer valet parking (bring cash) because parking in the hill can be tough. Do NOT wait! GET A RESY ASAP!! read more

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As frequent fliers at Indo, we were thrilled to hear that a sister restaurant was opening at a similar caliber. We went in with high expectations and looking to celebrate an anniversary. Environment/Service: If you're looking for aesthetics but still in an approachable setting then this is the place. A small bar area opens into a larger dining area and chef's counter. Our server was wonderful and took the time to answer our questions and recommend their favorite menu items. They also took the initiative to course our meal perfectly as we ordered everything at the start. We were slightly rushed through some portions of our meal as people were trying to clear away plates we were still working on. The music was quite loud at times and took away from the atmosphere. Also be aware that there is an automatic 20% gratuity added to all checks. Food/Drinks: We started with the kinboshi and dragon of echigo cocktails, both of which were unique and flavorful. The stamped ice cube was a nice touch as well. We found the vegan crispy rice in the hot tastings to be unmemorable and at that price point, expected more. It was heavy handed on the teriyaki/soy sauce. We were between the nippon tartare and black tea kanpachi so we asked our server to surprise us and they picked the kanpachi. While the combination of the citrus and light fish was refreshing, neither of us were thrilled with the black tea ponzu sauce. The Tiger cry roll was divine and was easily the favorite dish of the night. We finished our meal with the madai nigiri and hamachi tataki (one of the best preps of hamachi we've ever had!!!). Rating: 3.5 but rounding to a 4 for the high points of the experience including interior decor, our server, cocktails, and the Tiger cry roll. If given the choice between Indo and Sado, we will choose Indo every time. This place is fine to try once but if you want stellar food without the frills we would recommend skipping Sado and going to Indo. read more

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My friends and I went to SADO as our 2nd dinner! LOL! We weren't able to make reservations, so we did a walk-in and the wait was about 2 hours, so we ate lightly somewhere else while waiting.... Time worked out perfectly! After we drove back to the Hill, our table was ready! For those who did not know.... SADO and INDO is owned by the same owner. Formerly also owned Nippon Tei before opening SADO. We ordered: - Isaan Hamachi (My fave at INDO) - Pork Belly Steam Bun - Mushroom Steam Bun - Brussel Sprouts (the best ones you'll ever have) - Hirame - Masu - Benitoro (3) - (My fave at SADO) - Hokkaido Uni (2) - Fried Twinkie Everything was delicious! I was only sad they didn't have the Santa Barbara uni. I feel it has a bit of a cleaner taste than the Hokkaido uni... even though Hokkaido is supposed to be better. Just my preference! Prices are a bit high so can't go as often, but can't wait to go back! Great ambiance! Clean restrooms! Great service! read more

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Best fish/sushi in St. Louis and their other entrees and appetizers (Japanese pumpkin,Brussel sprouts) were all excellent. I'll be back!

One of my favourite places to eat for sushi! The quality of the dishes are high, the fish is fresh and the esthetic of the dishes make every bite all the more savory. I've been here several times in the last few months and have yet to be disappointed. Dishes are on the pricier side but so worth it. read more

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Food - my fav sushi was mushroom. I'm not vegetarian. No one is more surprised than me. Yes, yes I did do the chefs tasting. Ambience - def my aesthetic. That bar tho. The bathroom...how are they keeping that orchid alive with no light? The space is ikea'd to the max. GET A RESERVATION. Please note they do charge if you don't show so don't take your flaky friend. Parking on the hill is...a form of punishment for shoplifting in some countries. read more

Our server put a lot of effort into making our meal an all around experience. From the start they explained the best way to order and made it exciting where it could've been intimidating. They tailored the order we received each course based on flavors which was a cool touch. Best sushi in St. Louis!!! Our favorites were the maki with a cherry salsa and the maki with jalapeno read more

Quality of food was excellent. We went there at 5:30pm on a Sunday to celebrate our 15th anniversary. The restaurant wasn't fully booked which we really enjoyed the more mellow vibe. The staffs were friendly and taking time to explain the menu. Wagyu and sashimis (both fatty ones and lean ones) melt in your mouth style! They were so wonderful and felt like omakase quality. My first time trying uni and it was fine. Wasn't like omg wow what is this type of feeling. Overall I would prefer to have the custard be more like steamed egg prep instead. Tiger cry and lollipop cocktail were just ok. I loved akami maki and next time would try other makimonos. Looking forward to try other items on the menu in the future. Even though the restaurant did ask for special comment and I did mention anniversary. The staff didn't seem to be aware of it so nothing special for us was done and that was fine. We didn't expect anything :) I'm happy to support Sado's owner to thrive in St. Louis! read more

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Forgot to review when I celebrated my birthday here last summer - WOW. Probably the best dining experience I've had in STL, and I've lived here 15+ years. We sat at the sushi counter and loved the experience. I noticed 1 thing go awry while I was there, and the team went over-the-top to "make it right" which was pretty impressive. I couldn't even tell you all the food we ate - because we just went mostly with what was recommended by the staff, and it was phenomenal. More than anything, I noticed that while this is probably a special occasion spot for most, the vibe was FUN at the sushi counter. read more

Incredible new sushi place (same owners as indo / nippon tei) opened Sado down in the hill. We got to try a small portion of their menu, but everything we ordered was an absolute banger. Didn't order and Nagiri / sashimi but we did get the sashimi on the side on some of their rolls Flavors of their sauces definitely stand out; great, delicious, variety, and unique. Service was excellent, great place for date night, but we also saw some kids in here so appeals to a more casual dinner as well! Will definitely be back to try more! read more

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My parents were in town and we wanted to go to a nicer dinner somewhere. I had heard great things about Sado, so we decided to check it out. My mother is Japanese, and she LOVED it. That says a lot. We went for Social Hour (happy hour) during the week, and everything was delicious. We never really eat vegetable rolls, but we took a chance on the spicy avocado maki and it was maybe our favorite thing we ordered. My mom ordered another lol. Another very delicious dish was the poke nachos. So good!! We tried dishes that were unique, knowing that the place isn't going for traditional Japanese fair, but more of a contemporary/fusion place. Honorable mention to the salmon maki - the fish was very fresh and the flavor was rich. Seems like a great date night spot. I'll be back for sure! read more

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I have been waiting for this place to open for months and OMG was I impressed! A sushi-focused restaurant on the Hill from the same chef as Indo (perhaps my favorite restaurant in STL!) Count me in! What we ordered: Cocktails Wabi Sabi Kinboshi (so so yummy!!) Food Hamachi Tataki (nigiri) from the Fish Market menu Madai (nigiri) Masu (nigiri) Miso Ginger Salad Old Yokai Maki (sushi roll) Pork Belly Steam Bun Black Tiger Prawn Tempura Wagyu Hot Rock... mouthwatering And a Fried Twinkie for dessert! So thankful I was able to snag a table during opening week! The hype is definitely worth it. Each item we ordered was better than the next! I couldn't get enough. Food and cocktails were delicious as expected and the service was top notch. Make a reservation ASAP! They're booking up super quick! Cant wait to go back again to try out the rest of the menu! read more

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This is one of my favorite restaurants in St. Louis. Everything was so good. Everyone there was so friendly and the service was so fast. The ambience was very welcoming and relaxing. The music was not too loud, but was present. parking could be a challenge on a busy day, but definitely worth the stop. This is not a cheap dinner spot, but the quality of food is very good and definitely worth it. This is the best meal I've had in a while! read more

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Birthday dinner for mom at @sado.stl we wanted to try everything (and I think we almost did) my favorite part about this place is the opportunity to share everything with the table and try a bit of all the food. The vibes are great with nice lighting and beautiful tables and artwork. Our sever was also amazing and I wish I remembered his name because he was super helpful! I couldn't tell you everything we got, but I could tell you it was all very yummy! make sure to make a reservation because table fill fast! Thank you for making this birthday extra special @sado.stl! read more

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Sado provides a refined take on Japanese cuisine in St. Louis, with an emphasis on quality and presentation. The sushi and sashimi are fresh and beautifully prepared, showcasing the chef's attention to detail. The menu also offers a variety of hot dishes, giving diners plenty of options to explore. The ambiance is calm and sophisticated, making it an ideal location for a quiet dinner or special occasion. While the pricing reflects the high quality, the experience is worth it for those who appreciate fine Japanese dining. The wagyu hot rock was my favorite, it was 3oz A5 Wagyu beef seared with Ishiyaki stone. Hands down my favorite restaurant in St. Louis!! read more

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Visited Sado for the first time with my girlfriend who had been there once before and overall I enjoyed myself and the food, and would likely return in the future. We ordered the tasting menu. Roughly 10 plates priced at $120 (small plates but make sure you come with an appetite because it will fill you up and for that alone I think the price is very reasonable). The first plate was probably my favorite of them all. Himachi with the Coconut Naam Pla, a sauce that I should've kept to pour over everything else (it was that good). Others pros: the design and ambience of the restaurant (modern but warm and cozy), freshness of the fish, heavy rotation of tuna (my favorite sushi fish), gyoza (pork & chicken mixture seemed weird but really worked + the ginger and scallion sauce was also delish, although the rice crunch on top did not add anything IMO), and the play on PB&J with the dessert (only hang up is that the ice cream was served too cold so unable to cut through it with the spoon at first so once it broke I thought my spoon was going to crack the plate!). Finally, the cocktail called Pillow Talk is to die for. Honestly it should be listed as a digestif or dessert drink as well because the coconut vanilla whip on top is luscious (Think of that crack vanilla cold foam you can't live without from Starbucks). However there were a few cons: the timing of the plates were very random. Sometimes they would drop off 3 dishes at once and other times you'd sit without a dish for 5 minutes, both scenarios off-putting. There are multiple food runners and sometimes they would not provide an explanation of what the dish was unless you stopped them and pressed them on it (remember it's a tasting menu so you don't know ahead of time what you are getting which makes the explanation important). I thought the fried prawns were a bit salty so serving them with a salty sauce and literal white salt to dip in was overpowering. I also had some shell leftover in one small bite that was unpleasant. The tuna roll was topped with scallion and ginger and unfortunately I could not taste any of the ginger. Finally, the last dish was a big, beautiful salmon filet with crispy skin and a great sauce (remember what I said about filling?!). However you are given just 1 large spoon and chopsticks when seated so how do they expect you to chop up and eat it? You will need a knife and fork to make bite sized pieces but can then use your chopsticks after that I guess? Also given it's a tasting menu, this large dish didn't make a ton of sense (again I took home a whole salmon filet so not entirely upset by this, just felt out of place is all). read more

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A neatly decorated, deceptively large place (with rooms off the main entrance). We have a friendly, very helpful server and all the staff were quite attentive delivering food, clearing dishes immediately, replacing plates, and filling drinks. Even though it is a Japanese restaurant, the menu is really tapas style with the food coming out in similar fashion. So you basically are eating continuously once the first dish(es) arrive. This also helps explain why I said plates were replaced - so that we'd have clean ones for the various types of food we ordered. We actually didn't order any sushi/sashimi/nigiri. However our server had a little amuse bouche brought to us (even though it came while we were eating our first couple of dishes) of seared salmon nigiri. It was delicious, as a good sushi place should have. What we ordered were: miso ginger salad, gyoza, salmon yaki, octopus yaki, broccolini tempura, and prawn tempura - lordy we were stuffed at the end. And we had two hot teas - herbal for me, oolong for the wife. Teas were very smooth and great to cleanse the palate between dishes. All of the dishes were multi-level and complex. The flavors were dense and lingering. For example, the gyoza came with a cheese lace shelf topping them, and various scallions and herbs on that; all this in a shallow layer of not overly sweetish soy sauce. I assume the gyoza were fried, then finished on the cheese on a griddle. with everything turned over and garnishments applied atop the cheese. As another example, the broccolini tempura came covered in fresh, finely ground aged parmesan and an umami aioli that I couldn't get enough of. read more

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If you don't read this full review, read this: sit at the sushi bar!!! I've been to Sado twice, and the second time sitting at the sushi bar with my husband was hands down one of my favorite dining experiences in St. Louis. Sit at the sushi bar, order a bottle of wine, and try a bunch of small plates & nigiri while you watch these incredible chefs prep it all in front of you- It makes for the perfect date night or night out with a bestie or two! The quality of food you get at Sado is insane. The ingredients are fresh, the flavors bold, and the preparation is so well executed. On the hot apps side, we love the gyoza (it tastes just like Nippon Tai!!), crab rangoons, and the chawanmushi- a crazy unique seafood custard dish. As far as the nigiri/sashmimi, you cannot go wrong with any of them! We get the benitoro every single time we're at a Nick Bognar restaurant, and we always love anything with bluefin tuna. My husband loves the king crab, and I'm obsessed with the uni. It is expensive, but the quality of ingredients makes it well worth it. I will say I think Sado is better for small groups rather than large groups, and I think to get the best value the sushi bar is a must. read more

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This is the best sushi in St. Louis. Lovely atmosphere, great service. We love coming here.

The food was really ok. Not great, not special or memorable. And the dining experience was lacking.

Don't be fooled by the great reviews. This place is highly overpriced for sub-par seafood. The service was great, but the sushi chefs seemed uninterested and spent more time chatting about their weekend plans than focusing on the food. Portions were disappointing--$25 for a single piece of nigiri, and the tuna was smaller than minnows! They claim to be Japanese, but honestly, it doesn't feel authentic at all. read more

Delicious hot food.. waiters/bartenders .. a little too pretentious for me... ask before you take a plate or drink pls when the bill is almost $300 pls.... It's basic gd service.... Took a star off for that sorry... Overall good quality 100%.. service um yawn.. get over yourselves... food runners and front of house was perfection btw... read more

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Everything was divine. When I say top tier delicious I mean it. Perfect place for a date night. It's low lit and intimate. I will definitely return sooner than later. I loved everything. Miso Ginger Salad was everything. It reads busy but everything aspect of it goes together perfectly. I loved it. Only note is that the lettuce comes in whole pieces and the no knife is provided so it's a bit difficult to eat. Especially if you're trying to be cute or mindful of the people watching you since the tables are extremely close together. But where there is a will there is a way lol. Gyoza Dumplings were beyond eye catching when they arrived. They come sitting in the sauce which is pretty good for me as a sauce lover. They were hot and fresh and very tasty. Spicy Tuna Roll I didn't try because it was my dates roll and I wanted to save room for my food but she loved it. Tiger Cry Roll was mine and it didn't disappoint. The yellowfin was perfect on top. It also had crab and scallions. I didn't take a menu picture to show all the ingredients but it was perfect. Trust me. Try it. read more

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Best time to go is during their social happy hour! I love when they have small bites to try! It can be pricey so go when you have some money to spend which is why it's so nice to go during happy hour and not break the bank. Everything is so fresh and intimate, lighting is low. Perfect date night or a treat yourself meal. Walk ins plenty so check their IG. read more

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Mind blowingly delicious. Chawanmushi, Akami maki roll. Hamachi collar. Bluefin otoro. Cocktails. Each & every dessert. All freaking delicious. It's best to be adventurous here. You are guaranteed to be pleasantly surprised. Thank you for the wonderful service & delicious eats. Will be back. read more

Probably one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. Dropped an absolute bag here, but thoroughly enjoyed myself in its entirety. read more

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Came back for their new happy hour menu and again was not disappointed! Everything I had was amazing! The service and ambiance was good as well. This has be one my go to spot for some good food and drinks!! read more

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What I've said only once or twice before, I'll say about Sado. This place deserves ABOVE a 5 star rating. There is nothing even a tad subpar here. The attention to detail in everything they do is incredible. You can't help but smile walking in, knowing you're in for a high end experience. The interior is charming. Dimly lit, and feels very upscale without being pretentious. The service is a top notch experience as well. I absolutely loved the small plates, which allowed me to sample a good handful of what they had to offer. Though with the entire menu both eye catching and mouth watering, I was already planning what I'd have to try next time around. Ordering all at once which was recommend, it was very clear they are super intentional about how your plates come out and compliment each other. The first dish of the night, the wagyu tartare was my absolute favorite. I will say too that the gochujang brussel sprouts were the absolute best sprouts I've ever had. Also, the akami maki being one of, if not The best rolls I've ever had. I'm absolutely dying to get back already! Bravo Sado. read more

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I give a high rating for the great service and attentiveness of the staff. Ambiance is nice and contemporary. I would rate the food that I ate 3.5 stars. The quality is pretty much expected given the prices. For starters I had the Hirami Usuzukiro and Japanese pumpkin. The hirami was okay. It's basically flavored by ponzu and some zest but I would have like it a little fresher. I really like the Japanese pumpkin with the coconut sauce. I'm thinking it's something I can try making at home. I also had the Japanese squash tempura which I think was over battered and I couldn't really taste the squash. The rest of my meal consisted of various fish nigiri. I found it delightful to try out the variety of fishes they had and opted to not order the usual salmon or tuna. Each piece was uniquely flavored and the staff suggested that I eat everything without soy sauce. My only grip with the nigiri is the size. The size of each piece is about half the size that I'm accustomed to eating. So for the price of each piece I'm paying I feel kind of ripped off for the small portion of fish I get. I will say my favorite was the hamachi tataki. Sorry i didnt take any pics of the nigiri but theres plenty of pics from other reviewers. I would like to try the other menu items. There's not a lot of high end sushi places to pick from in town. I'll consider Sado again when I want to splurge on some sushi. read more

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Since 1995, my family and I have been looking for quality Japanese restaurants in St. Louis. Being immigrants from Japan, we have high standards for authenticity. Most decent ones closed down and the rest have been mediocre quality of raw fish to some places serving borderline rotten ika nigiri (squid). For the past 4 years, I have moved out of state but come back to St. Louis at least twice a year. Knowing full well that this was a Japanese-fusion restaurant, and owned by Chef Nick Bognar, my husband and I were excited to try their Omakase. The server asked what our budget was, any preferences or dislikes, and let the chef create our menu. Full disclosure-- our budget was $150 per person (total of $300) because we wanted to see what all this restaurant had to offer. Guava Matsuri (non-alcoholic): Refreshing, good guava flavor. Perfect for hot evenings. Would recommend. Miso Ginger Salad: Unlike most other miso ginger dressing, this was not overly sweet or overly "ginger" flavored. Good balance of umami and variety of vegetables, including thinly sliced and fried renkon. I personally could have used less dressing but I am a minimalist when it comes to flavoring. Shrimp tempura: 5 stars for having togarashi and salt. In traditional tempura restaurants in Japan, they often will not even have tsuyu (the dipping broth) and offer just salt. This is because in Japanese culture, we are all about enjoying the flavors of the natural ingredient so we traditionally avoid condiments and alternations to ingredients. When possible, we use the most subtle ways of flavoring our foods. Obviously, with Westernization, more recent Japanese cuisines will have increased flavorings. The tempura breading was a little too heavy for my preference but better than majority of the tempuras in the midwest. Salmon aguachile: Salmon sashimi with slices of chile, and apple pieces. I honestly could not tell you all the ingredients that went into making this dish but great creativity in the flavoring profile. Umami, sweetness, and an ever-so subtle kick of spice. If you like salmon sashimi, this is worth a try. Gochujang brussel sprouts: Objectively, it's a good dish. I think people who like gochujang or a little bit of spice will like this dish. Subjectively, I was not a fan for couple reasons. 1) It was too heavy and vegetables should not be heavy. 2) The flavoring was so overpowering that when the nigiri came out, I had to stop eating for a while to cleanse my palate so that I could enjoy the lighter flavors of sushi. When doing any sort of omakase or course menu, it is never a good idea to have customers eat a strong flavored dish before a light flavored dish. Because of this, I could not finish this dish. Kinmedai, scallop, and uni nigiri: The raw seafood was probably one of the best (if not the best) I have had in St. Louis. I don't think I have had uni this delicious in a non-costal state. Obviously, California has better and cheaper ones but for St. Louis to have this quality?? We were both very happy. One BIG downside to their nigiri, and one of the biggest reasons for taking a star off, was the sushi rice. Although making sushi rice seems pretty simple, the ratio of the ingredients really make or break the entire nigiri and maki. Majority of the St. Louis sushi are overly salted and simply disgusting. I often will order sashimi to avoid putting the sushi rice in my body. Sado did not have the salt issue. However, the vinegar permeated a little too much that I was not able to enjoy the seafood and its natural flavors to its fullest. I started taking off half the rice in order to enjoy the actual seafood. This may have been an off day for them--who knows. But if a place is going to serve sushi, I do expect the basics to be solid. The freshness of the seafood and the flavoring of the rice are CRUCIAL. Also, if I am being super picky, the tightness of the rice could be improved. Sushi was originally created to be eaten in one bite with three fingers. The rice is not supposed to fall apart at any point. But I have yet to go to a restaurant outside of the west coast that make sushi rice to perfection. Branzino Yaki: A little strong on the flavoring once again, but overall great. What blew me away and one of my favorite dishes of the night was the side of papaya salad. It had just enough of a Japanese fusion twist -- I could have ordered this by itself and eaten the whole thing. Great idea on the chef to combine the papaya salad with the heavy flavoring of the fish. Side note: the rice was hard and felt like it had been sitting out for some time. Was not able to finish the rice. Satsumaimo Custard (Dessert): It was an autumn flavor with the apple pieces, kurozato (black sugar, more molasses than brown sugar), and pudding like satsumaimo (Japanese sweet potato). Would 100% get again. Overall: Would recommend. This place has great potential. Service was 10/10. Our server even surprised us with a gift of uni nigiri!! read more

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We came on a Sunday evening and we did the Omakase. You tell them your budget and they make the choices for you. This is the way to go. We haven't eaten much raw fish but we were really interested to try here and we were glad we did! Bridget was our server and she developed a great plan for us. The yellow tail in curry sauce was so good, each nigiri we tried was delicious and so fun to try. We also got the Waygu to cook on a hot rock and it was not only phenomenal, melt in your mouthy waygu but also delicious. The vegan crispy rice was also delicious! Everything was phenomenal! We got some cocktails as well momento mezcal drink and garden party were our favorites. Also some delicious sakes. Everything was coursed out great and we got to take our time, excellent service. This is an exceptional place! read more