Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Samurai Sam's

    3.8 (45 reviews)
    InexpensiveJapanese
    Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Order Samurai Sam's Takeout or Delivery

    Samurai Sam's Photos

    Business Info

    SAMURAI SAM'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Good for groups
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Samurai Sam's

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Edythe M.

    I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious this bowl was. Healthy options were hard to come by in this neighborhood The bowl was freshly prepared and the ingredients were all well seasoned. Staff were super friendly and helpful as this was my first visit

    a plate of chicken and rice

    Man this hits the spot !!! Good food at an affordable price would highly recommend!!!!!

    Not brown rice
    Jeff B.

    The food is always good but is always so inconsistent the price is different every time the level of rice is different every time the extra vegetables are almost non-existent it's really not that hard to replace chicken with vegetables sometimes there's a charge sometime there isn't but you always have to bring it to their attention if I'm taking off chicken saying replace it with vegetables do I really need to pay extra money for that? It's like going to McDonald's you have to check the bag before you pull away from the drive-through!

    The General Sam's Chicken Bowl looks as good as it tastes!
    Christopher B.

    There's a specific reason why I am submitting a review of another chain. Samurai Sam's is close to work for me, but more importantly, the menu features more healthy options than the average fast food joint. This is important to me because I am still on my New Years diet. Frankly, I've eaten at this location several times over the last couple years, and I've never walked away regretting my lunch. The variety includes an all vegetable bowl to brown rice options and of course, the proverbial egg roll. Not to mention the variety of limited time menu items, such as my most recent selection. Me and a colleague stopped in for lunch this week and right away, the promo photo for General Sam's Chicken Bowl caught my eye. In fact, my photo (below) of the entree shows how appetizing this choice is. Plus, the sweet and spicy sauce sealed the deal. I requested brown rice and enjoyed every bite. Ask yourself this. When was the last time you saw snap peas in a fast food restaurant? The only down side to this location is the very crowded parking lot at lunch time. It feels narrow and there doesn't seem to be enough parking. If that's the case. You can always find room on 48th Street. Bottom line, the menu is always pretty tasty. And the only way to make it any healthier would involve walking to the restaurant.

    a bowl of rice and chicken

    See all

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Barton D.
    55
    80
    14

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Good healthier options. Fast and nice service. Super nice people! Near Ability 360 gym.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Edythe M.
    97
    217
    180

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ib I.
    0
    12
    0

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ranjeet O.

    Ranjeet O.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jeff B.
    7
    114
    116

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ranjeet O.

    Ranjeet O.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ranjeet O.

    Ranjeet O.

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Deni G.
    1947
    1629
    4431

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ron S.
    0
    22
    72

    5 years ago

    The food is fresh, healthy and tasty! Everything is great! Highly recommend to everyone! We could eat here every day!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Andy G.
    210
    83
    65

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Delicious teriyaki bowls. Tender chicken and fluffy rice. Will definitely be going back.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Consistently tasty with healthy low carb options! I love their steamed veggie bowl with chicken or beef. I add sesame seeds and salt.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of M L.
    0
    25
    0

    7 years ago

    Food is good the customer service from the younger male was awful! he made me feel rushed when it wasnr even busy and was also rude.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Samurai Sam's

    You might also consider

    Shio Ramen & Crudo - Tonkatsu

    Shio Ramen & Crudo

    4.6(98 reviews)
    3.2 mi

    Came in for lunch and it was good! Shio Ramen & Crudo is the sister restaurant to Sushiholic, which…read moreis 2 doors down. I like the interior decor of Shio with cute cartoon cats slurping noodles and interesting looking wood panels on the ceilings and walls. On Friday around 1:45pm it wasn't busy at all. The staff were all friendly, and food came out right away. The lunch special essentially is a discounted price bowl of ramen from $17 to $13 and some additional sushi options at $4 (limit 1). We opted to try 2 different types of ramen so we could share-- Tonkatsu and Spicy Miso. Both solid flavors and my main gripe is that for some reason my tonkatsu bowl used a different type of ramen noodle that was thinner and less chewy than the Spicy Miso. I liked those noodles better. The pork that comes with the ramen is delicious! Rainbow roll was good and I probably didn't need to order the tootsie roll, as it was essentially a rainbow roll minus the fish on top. We tried the green Matcha IPA from Kyoto for fun and because we love Kyoto, it was pretty good. I'd come back on happy hour to try other items and have a drink.

    We went to this restaurant tonight and were surprised to see reverse happy hour Monday-Saturday…read more It is right across from office buildings at Sky Song so they are probably busy at lunch and are encouraging more dinner visitors. The interior is sleek and hip with a cool wooden sculpture covering one wall and the ceiling mimicking waves or the keys of a played piano. We ordered the spicy garlic edamame, veggie spring roll, bonito Udon bowl with shiitake and a spice bomb, chicken karaage and a spicy tuna roll. All were solid and the servers are prompt and friendly. This place now has very limited sushi options as a sister restaurant dedicated to Sushi is 50 feet away. Solid restaurant.

    Photos
    Shio Ramen & Crudo
    Shio Ramen & Crudo - 3 hand rolls-salmon yuzu, yellowtail ponzu, negi hama

    3 hand rolls-salmon yuzu, yellowtail ponzu, negi hama

    Shio Ramen & Crudo - Takoyaki

    See all

    Takoyaki

    Xami sushi - Xami roll

    Xami sushi

    4.9(87 reviews)
    3.8 mi
    $$

    What a great surprise. We found this restaurant, Xami Sushi, in what used to be a rougher part of…read moretown and now it's an outstanding sushi spot. When you first pull up, you might think, "maybe I should keep driving," but don't doubt yourself. Go inside. The place is clean, bright, and welcoming. The owner actually took our order and was happy to chat and also offered to customize anything we wanted. He really cares about the food and how it's presented, and it shows. I think they've been open here for about two years, and they're doing things right. We were there for lunch and I had three basic rolls (tuna, salmon, and Philly), and my wife went for the more adventurous rolls. Everything came out fast, fresh, and with generous portions of fish. Every bite was delicious. If you're anywhere near Broadway Road, give this place a try. It's fun to explore a different part of town and discover a restaurant that delivers on great sushi. Highly recommend...

    Have you ever dated someone who is homely as a mangy dog but had a certain charisma, intelligence,…read moreand desirability that was in stark contrast to their general look? That's Xami Sushi. Was the sushi delicious? Was it fresh? Was it presented beautifully? Were the rolls creative without being ridiculous? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. OMG yes. This place is butt ugly, sitting in a dirt parking lot nextdoor to a ramshackle house with a "Beware of dog" sign on a busy four lane road in a quasi industrial area. Service was kind and attentive. Professional. The sushi chefs were young and enthusiastic. Go ahead and go on this blind date. Don't judge her by her looks. Love her to the end of your days because she's truly the one.

    Photos
    Xami sushi - Sushi Bar

    Sushi Bar

    Xami sushi
    Xami sushi - Viva las Vegas

    See all

    Viva las Vegas

    Zu Izakaya

    Zu Izakaya

    4.5(1.9k reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    Popped into this place for our last meal before leaving AZ and it did not disappoint! We were the…read morefirst people in. When we walked in it had a very fishy smell, so it kind of made us second guess our choice. But we went for it anyhow. The greeter/server was very pleasant and sat us. It was very clean inside with ample space between seat. We browsed through the menu and started with our usual edamame and pot stickers. The edamame was salted well throughout where a lot of places just put the salt on top only. We ordered a couple varieties of sake which were both good. Out of all of the things we ordered the karange skewer was just a little more oily than were use to, but still good. The spicy salmon roll had really great flavor and the lollipop roll was probably one of the better versions that we have had. The musubi was giant to say the least, it was good, but offered a bit too much rice. Overall the food and service was great and we were very happy that we ended up here!

    On a Sunday evening, after checking out the Desert Botanical Garden, I was looking for some food in…read morethe area. I came across Zu Izakaya and it's great reviews as one of the options. I love Japanese food so my decision was made. I drove over and parked in their complimentary lot. Ambiance (3.5/5): I've been to Japan and there are plenty of izakayas there. Think of them as small bars which often serve solid food. Zu fits that bit. It's a relatively small restaurant, probably seats about 30 people. and it's pretty no frills for a Japanese spot. I was seated at a booth in the corner of the restaurant. They have free WiFi which is always a good touch. Service (3/5): Service was friendly, though a bit inconsistent. My waitress wasn't as attentive as I would have liked. The type of service where you have to flag them down to get what you want and to close out. Drinks (4/5): Zu has a nice menu of Japanese and Korean beverages, including sake, soju, Japanese beer, and more. With that being said, I just had an iced green tea. Food (4/5): I got a nice variety. I went with the Japanese sausage off of the grill menu, the OBI mayo roll off of the sushi menu, and the cheese corn off of the appetizer menu. Let's start with the sausage. It's a small item, two small sausages, but absolutely delicious. The sausage was bursting with flavor and basted in a sweet sauce. Minus the portion size, perfection. The cheese corn also hit the spot, but the execution was off. The corn is served on a hot platter, and unfortunately some of the corn on the edges was badly burnt. The type of situation where they should start over. Which they didn't. Lastly, the OBI mayo roll is essentially a California roll with marinated warm shrimp on top in a mayo sauce. I didn't love the hot and cold combo (shrimp and sushi), but outside of the temperature, it was a delicious roll. All in all, a very food meal. My only gripe with Japanese food is that it can get expensive quick. Given that Zu is in Tempe, I was hoping that prices would be a little cheaper. With that being said, they do have a solid happy hour (and reverse happy hour) with both food and drink specials. Next time I stop by, I'd like to check out some of their Korean options. I focused on the Japanese stuff this time (which makes the majority of the menu). Next time around, the bulgogi is calling my name!

    Photos
    Zu Izakaya - Lots of inside seating options

    Lots of inside seating options

    Zu Izakaya - JJAMBBONG POT

    JJAMBBONG POT

    Zu Izakaya - NIGIRI OMAKASE

    See all

    NIGIRI OMAKASE

    Zu Izakaya - ASU - Inside atmosphere

    Zu Izakaya - ASU

    4.5(307 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Kitchen open late

    My first time at Zu Izakaya was a blast! I came in with a group of 5 and were seated quickly. Our…read morewaitress Tiana was very attentive and helpful as we decided our orders. Overall, the place has a fun vibe with lots of string lights and Japanese decorations. They have happy hour twice a day. We came during their 9-11PM happy hour (we love a late night happy hour!) Lots of options for sushi, drinks, and appetizers on the happy hour menu. The spicy tuna roll was a refreshing roll with just the spicy tuna, cucumber and rice. A simple roll that still has a good spicy flavor but not too overpowering that it takes over your meal. The Vegas roll is a classic if you like fried rolls! Can't go wrong with this one. The nigiri was top notch. The yellowtail nigiri quite literally melts in your mouth and the flavors are buttery and soft. It's my personal favorite whenever I want nigiri. The salmon nigiri was also very good. Slights sweet but if you add soy sauce it balances it out. The jjambong pot was so filling. We ate this after the sushi. It's enough to be shared with 2-3 people and includes a mix of some seafoods, enoki mushrooms, onions, and ramyeon with a spicy broth. The noodles were good, the broth was delicious and not too spicy if you're not a person that handles spice well. My only complaint is that we had about 6-7 mussels but only 2 pieces of shrimp. It would've been nice to have a more even distribution of the seafood but other than that the taste was amazing. With the happy hour it was incredibly affordable. Even without the happy hour I would definitely come here again. 10/10!!

    I absolutely love this place! The details, especially down to the gold chopsticks is amazing. It's…read morea fantastic date spot!

    Photos
    Zu Izakaya - ASU
    Zu Izakaya - ASU - Hotpot, Assorted Tempura, Galbi, Oysters, Chicken Skewers

    Hotpot, Assorted Tempura, Galbi, Oysters, Chicken Skewers

    Zu Izakaya - ASU

    See all

    Harumi Sushi Bar - Downtown - Hot Havana Roll (~$17)

    Harumi Sushi Bar - Downtown

    4.6(3.2k reviews)
    5.6 mi
    $$$

    My partner and I originally chose this place because we heard they light one of the sushi rolls on…read morefire, which immediately sounded like something fun we had to try. Funny enough, this actually wasn't even the exact restaurant my partner had been thinking of when he brought it up, but honestly I'm so glad we ended up here anyway because the food was REALLY good. We ordered the flaming ohmygod sushi roll, and man... it was amazing. Not only was the presentation fun, but the sushi itself actually tasted incredible too, which sometimes isn't the case with more "gimmicky" menu items. It was so good that I literally ordered another roll to-go and took it on the plane back home with me because I already knew I'd be craving it later. That alone should say enough about how much I liked it. I also tried the matcha martini, and it was honestly one of the best cocktails I've had in a while. It had the perfect balance of matcha flavor and alcohol where neither one overpowered the other. Sometimes matcha drinks either taste way too earthy or completely lose the matcha flavor under the alcohol, but this one was super smooth, flavorful, and really well done. The restaurant itself also has a really nice atmosphere. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating, and the indoor area definitely has a more upscale vibe than your usual sushi spot and that makes the experience feel a little more elevated and perfect for a date night. On top of all that, the servers were super friendly and provided genuinely great service throughout the meal. Everyone was attentive, welcoming, and made the experience feel really comfortable and enjoyable. Overall, this place completely exceeded my expectations. Great sushi, fun presentation, amazing drinks, friendly service, and a really nice atmosphere. I'd absolutely come back again.

    Great sushi at pretty good prices. There was a bit of a wait since it was a weekend. I don't…read morebelieve they take reservations so it's a good idea to get there early. The cocktails were unique, but the sushi stole the show. The interior is trendy, lively, and young. The only other complaint was they only had 2 individual bathrooms so it was a 20 minute wait just to use the restroom.

    Photos
    Harumi Sushi Bar - Downtown - Bar/waiting area

    Bar/waiting area

    Harumi Sushi Bar - Downtown - Mt. Fuji Roll (~$17)

    Mt. Fuji Roll (~$17)

    Harumi Sushi Bar - Downtown - Bite View

    See all

    Bite View

    Samurai Sam's - japanese - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...