I used to get food from this place at least once a week for 10 years. Due to COVID and change of ownership, the menu became very limited And I stopped going for two years. I decided to give it a try again and boy, am I disappointed. I ordered Katsu curry and volcano tuna don. The Katsu pork was over fried and garnish of tempura crumbs on volcano tuna don were completely soggy. They also sell potato salad in a dipping sauce container for $3.5 ..... the whole meal costs $41.56 (after taxes) With two entrees and a small potato salad. I probably won't go back in the future. read more

Samurai is one of the best casual Japanese places in Tucson! It's kind of difficult to see from the main road and is a hole in the wall restaurant. I strongly recommend their sushi dishes. My favorite is the tuna don volcano. For about ~$11, you get a generous portion of fish. Pro tip: order the don volcano in a to go box because it's easier to eat than in the small bowl it comes in. They have limited staff, so food can take longer depending how busy they are. For example, Saturday lunch at 1pm was packed. They had a line and every table was full. Our food took 20 minutes. Samurai seating is limited and isn't very handicap friendly because of the small space. I always leave satisfied! read more

Samurai - Tuna don volcano style to go - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Well they have finally done it. They have ruined what Hiro (owner of Ikkyu) started and made it so a loyal customer of over 15 years won't be back. I stopped getting the Akuma, and Ginger Pork because they started getting such low quality meat. Yet, I would still go get their Katsu Curry as it was still great. I came the other day and man oh man they finally ruined that also. The pork cutlet was so burnt that most of it was not edible, the rice and curry you could tell where left over from the day before. The rice was almost crunchy on the outside and super dry, and the curry was so thick it was like oatmeal you made with half the water recommended. I ate about 1/4 of it and threw it away. So sad to see them ruin a good staple place in Tucson. The new reviews speak for themselves. Go to Ikkyu on Orange Grove. Hiro owns that and he was the original founder and owner of Samurai. He will give you the quality that Samurai use to be. So so sad. read more

I used to come here a lot a long time ago, they must be doing something right because they are still there and the majority of their neighbors are gone.. We ordered spicy miso ramen, tonkatsu ramen, teriyaki chicken don, curry pork katsu and takoyaki. everything was awesome.. Their ramen put JA to shame and they don't put bbq sauce over thier takoyaki, I think it's eel sauce, the same sauce you get when you order unagi/anago sushi. read more

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Ramen? Check. Donburi? Check. Sushi? Check. Came here on a (packed) Tuesday night. Ordered the unagi roll, salmon nigiri, side potato salad, and a beer. The cashier lady was nice enough to give two little cups of (hot!) wasabi peas with my beer while I waited for my order. As for the sushi itself, the unagi roll was subpar. The sushi rice was warm and fell apart. There was a lot of sweet sauce and not much unagi or cucumber. The salmon nigiri was very good. Nice, thick slices of fresh salmon. There's just something about sushi made in the kitchen, served in a paper food tray, with no dish to put your wasabi and soy sauce that kind of cheapens the experience. Potato salad was okay. More like mashed potatoes, and after having the real deal in Japan--that stuff beats almost any American version. From other reviews, it seems this place is known for their spicy tuna volcano don and all things other than sushi. But, I want to try everything on the menu and this place just isn't a go-to for sushi. Everything else is great. And for the love of god, someone help the poor cashier woman! She manages the register, takes phone orders, cooks (probably), AND serves the food. AND she's super smiley and friendly during even the busiest dinner rush. There are other people in the kitchen, but this woman is a machine! Get some additional help and the waits won't be as long. 11/26/16 UPDATE: Shoyu ramen here is the best. Plentiful noodles, vegetables, good chunk of pork, and a very flavorful broth. Will try miso ramen next. Hoping for udon as well. read more

Samurai is great, 4 star with Tucson curve for sure. I usually come here whenever I crave Ikkyu up by Lee Lee but don't have time to drive all the way up there. Parking: tons of parking, Samurai is tucked in the middle of a random empty strip mall so it was easy to find, even at night. Ambience: if you're here for a romantic sushi date night, you're at the wrong place!!! This spot is a simple mom-and-pop shop with crowded tables and no fancy decor/ no table service. Just good food. You order your food and find an open table to eat, my fave kind of quick and delish fish meal! Food: pretty solid portion, the price is just a bit higher than Ikkyu but that's ok. They have daily rolls specials that are super affordable. Most of the items on the menu runs about $10 which is not bad at all for the freshness and authenticity! -Tonkotsu ramen 4/5 with AZ curve: pretty standard with solid soup base, lots of veggies such as bamboo and beans sprouts BUT they only give you one slice of char siu D: and no egg... I'm a fattie who needs her meat -Donbuki bowls 4/5 for the tuna bowl and 3/5 for the salmon bowl. I'm not sure if I liked the finely chopped salmon. However, volcano style spicy tuna is my go-to here! My friend says that the Chirashi here is very fresh and filling, so I'll make it my mission to try that next! ~Update: I tried the Chirashi bowl: decent amount of fish; but a bit pricier than other place at $18.~ read more

Samurai - Chirashi bowl - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The sushi wasn't that great. I'd put it a little below grocery store stuff. Maybe it was the really sweet sauce on everything. I'm guessing their curries and ramens are better based on the reviews. Will probably try that next time. read more

I've been coming to Samurai for years, and the food and service has always been fabulous. I started coming here while I was in college, my Japanese class had a group outing to Samurai one evening, and I've been hooked ever since. My favorite thing to get off the menu is definitely the katsu curry, I don't usually like spicy food but the flavor of the curry is too good to pass up. Their ramen is also amazing, the miso ramen is the best one in my opinion. Honestly I've never gotten something from here that I haven't liked. read more

I think this restaurant may be under new ownership. Something has changed, and the quality isn't what it used to be. We went once recently, and noticed the food wasn't the same quality as before. We chalked it up to inconsistency possibly due to COVID stresses. But just gave it another shot. Drove from across town, only to find out "We closed the kitchen early tonight." Yikes. It's sad when an old favorite declines. read more

Okay the menu officially listed on Yelp is just a fraction of what they have. See my pictures for more menu items. This gem is a bit hard to see from the road, so you could miss it if you're not looking for it. It reminds me of Ikkyu on La Cholla and Orange Grove, which is one of my favorite restaurants. But dare I say Samurai is a little better than Ikkyu? While they have menu items in common (spicy tuna volcano don is comparable in both flavor and price),Samurai offers more variety, including sashimi, which is a huge plus. Seating is a little better at Samurai, although I only spent a few minutes in the restaurant as I was ordering dinner to-go. My dad and I both had the spicy tuna volcano don and shared the salmon sashimi. They were delicious! Salmon tasted fresh and was very soft. I can't wait to stop by again and try other dishes. read more

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This place is not at all like it used to be. We used to love going here because of the fast service and delicious Japanese food. We always like to get the spicy salmon don but it's not at all like it used to be. Now it is plain, no flavor, and very expensive. I had a coupon through Uber eats so I decided to give it a try again even though I tried it with the new ownership and it still wasn't as good but I thought I would give it another chance. It was definitely a mistake because it tasted like something I can just make at home. Literally fishy salmon over rice. Zero flavor. I most likely won't be going back. I used to go to Samuari instead of Ikkyu but now I'll have to go there instead. It's much much cheaper plus you can get the spicy tuna don volcano style for $11 instead of like $15+ read more

Good food. Not too pricey and good service. Good noodles. Didn't try anything else however

It's good sushi, but it is pricey. Some rolls are big and while other rolls are small. It really depends on what you get. The takoyaki was alright. The ramen was ehh it wasn't worth the money. I recommend getting this for like a lunch or dinner. read more

I have been dining here for literally all of my life. I have tried many dishes here, however what I almost always fall back on is just the simple teriyaki don. You will not find a better teriyaki don in Tucson, this I promise you- not at Ikkyu, Raijin Ramen, or anywhere. The only time I have had a donburi that was better than Samurai's was at a restaurant in Japantown in San Francisco. The service has always been great, too. Oh, also the inari is legit as hell. read more

This place has been here for years, and I used to eat here often. I hadn't been there in years, but I dropped in for lunch the other day. I had a fish roe hand roll and a bowl of rice with pork and cabbage in a spicy ginger sauce. The sauce was too hot for my taste, so I didn't care much for it. read more

Best. Tuna. Don. EVER! Seriously. Get the Volcano Tuna Don and you will not regret it. I made the mistake of ordering sushi too because from the pictures it didn't look like a lot of food, but it is! The Tuna Don is so filling, I had to take almost my entire roll and half of the don home! I got the baked scallop roll which was easily re-heatable and still good three days later! I love that they have a water station for people who don't drink soda or tea! I always love having the option to refill my own water. The lady who works the counter is super sweet and brings out your food right away. I will have to convince myself to skip the Tuna Don so that I can try the Heart Attack and the Crunch Roll some time! read more

Samurai - Volcano Tuna Don - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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I found my new food obsession, watch out! Please be advised that this 5 star rationale is for the superior value of great quality, reasonably priced, quickly prepared Japenesse food. The interior is your run of the mill ultra casual Asian restaurant. Serve your own water and utensil station and all. But oh wait! The food! We got chicken udon, chicken curry, an unagi roll, an Alaskan roll and a super hero roll. The chicken in the curry and udon was very tender and easily fell apart in my mouth. The curry itself was homestyle like a really good mommy made it just for you. It had stewed carrots and potatoes that were also well cooked and tender. The udon was not elaborate but hit the spot. The broth was spicy and had vegtables, chicken noodles. The sushi was my personal favorite. The super hero roll was a little to big for chopsticks but well worth the difficulty. The unagi was standard in a good way. The standout was the Alaskan roll, with a large slice of fresh salmon topping the generous portion of perfectly ripe avocado and imitation crab. The spicy sauce and green onions rounded it out. As I starred at the last bite, I could feel my taste buds starting a countdown timer determining a quick return. Overall: awesome read more

Samarai is a little hole in the wall place with friendly service and delicious aromas filling the air. I ordered the Shoyu Ramen, which comes with pork and vegetables. I was happy with the amount of vegetables, and the pork is also a good size. The broth is good, but my heart belongs to another Ramen place in town, so it's hard to live up to my favorite. However, I did enjoy my bowl of Shoyu Ramen, which left me satisfied and full. I'll definitely come back to try other items on the menu. It's nice that there's even an outside booth for additional seating. How often do you get to see a booth outside? :) read more

Samurai - Shoyu Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This is my favorite sushi spot in Tucson. I LOVE those volcano dons. My boyfriend loves the sushi. Everything I've ever had here has been fresh and yummy. read more

Gather round, children, and behold a tale that is both true and enchanting. The protagonist, who calls himself Action Jackson, was once a college-aged slacker with no social or life skills, about to embark his college education at the UA. He had arrived from Phoenix, and Tucson was unbeknownst to him. Luckily, his roommate's father previously lived in Tucson and suggested this fine Japanese eatery. What follows is a hazy memory. But it is rumored that after sauntering up to the counter and ordering "a katsu curry, please", his life was never the same. From the first morsel that savory breaded pork cutlet entered his mouth, he was fully converted. Whatever religion Samurai adhered to, Action J. pledged to be their enthusiastic TV evangelist. A comrade in arms, flying the same colors and banner. While this tale dates back to 2006 when Action J. still lived in Tucson, he still fondly remembers the many years of his patronage. In fact, many a night he sits at home nursing warm memories of all that he sampled there -- ranging the special, to the gyoza, to the teriyaki chicken... If you roam the streets of Oracle road at night, it is said that Action J.'s ethereal visage can be seen wandering, wishing good tidings to all and bidding them to partake in the Samurai. And don't forget to order an RC Cola. read more

Authentic Japanese food prepared by a Japanese chef. I saw two reviews here complaining about the Teppan Chicken dish. I know that they sometimes forget to serve the ginger sauce that is supposed to go with this dish. If so, it will be bland. I know my Japanese food so if they missed something, I tell them and they make it right, i.e. ponzu sauce with Albacore sashimi. If you want healthy and reasonably priced dinners, this is the place. This is the kind of fast food that one can eat almost every day without feeling guilty. read more

Samurai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Pretty reasonable prices.This place used to be owned by Ikkyu, so the layout is nearly the same--reasonably healthy food served quickly in styrofoam dishes. My friend had the curry don, and that was very tasty, with a good amount of curry spice. I love their 60 cent Japanese style potato salad cups (resembles cold mashed potatoes). Returned the next day and bought nearly $70 worth of various dishes to feed the family. I really liked the spicy albacore don they have as one of their specials. Service is friendly. Decor is very low on frills. I gave it five stars for what it is--fast Japanese food. Only wish it was open longer (and on Sundays!). read more

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small togo restaurant, very tidy. The staffs are very nice. We ordered the curry chicken. It's the best curry I have ever had. We also ordered some sushi rolls and volcano tuna don. They are all so good. We will be back soon. Yum! read more

I don't know that I've ever left a one star review anywhere but this was a super disappointing experience. The Gyoza was deep fried which is appropriate for Chinese but never for Japanese. The tempura udon was so sour we couldn't eat it. The tempura items and anything else that was deep fried appeared to be cooked in old oil. Both the ramen and Udon noodle dishes were over-cooked with super mushy noodles and flavorless broths. We also tried the Katsudon which like other items was over-cooked. It was dry and nothing like you'd expect for decent Katsudon. It feels like a legit Japanese restaurant at one time that was subsequently purchased by Chinese or Vietnamese who have no experience or appreciation of actual Japanese cooking methods and are using their familiar cooking styles and sensibilities. Sincerely hope they can elevate their game because we're struggling to find legit Japanese food in Tucson. read more

Katsu Don was good, quality and portions have improved from years past. My biggest gripe is I asked for a cup of water and they said NO FREE WATER you can buy our bottle water. A place that skimps on offering complimentary ice water to customers makes me question where else are they skimping. read more

The tuna don volcano style is so delicious. Tried the Katsu don which is also great. We had the shrimp shumai and takoyaki as well. yummy

This place is one of those hole in the wall that you don't know about until someone tells you about it. The food is fantastic, the place is clean and the staff are very friendly. Is this place cheap because they are small, no, but very much worth the money. I would come here more, however I live more East side. Come in and give them a chance. read more

I discovered Samurai after already trying out Ikkyu. I'm not sure if they are owned by the same people, but the similarities are there, not only in menu items but also in taste and quality of the food. Like at ikkyu, I went with the spicy tuna don volcano style, which was just as good as the one there. I also tried an order of the Takoyaki, or fried octopus balls. Takoyaki is a Japanese street food. Drizzled with eel sauce, the airy texture with tiny octopus chunks works well with the salty, umami sauce. read more

Samurai - Spicy tuna son volcano style w/ miso soup - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Mediocre. Sushi roll tasted old. Edamame had fungus. Every individual sauce container hardly had sauce. They need to put more love into the food. Would not recommend to any one. read more

I went here for lunch yesterday. Its a very casual small restaurant. It was warm in here so I don't think the air conditioning is very strong. I loved the spicy tuna don and will definitely be back for it. Good price and portion at about $10. read more

This is my favorite place to eat in Tucson. I was kind of skeptical at first when I saw the restaurant. It is owned by Japanese and very authentic Japanese plates, and some creative Japanese food. My favorite is Volcano Spicy Tuna Don with side order of Potato Salad and Edamame. They make excellent Edamame with perfect texture. read more

Samurai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Quick and friendly service. Easy to find parking. Curry is alway what I get. Also love their sushi sashimi. Will go back again.

The best Japanese restaurant in this part of town and by far my favorite Japanese restaurant for door-dash.

I had been wanting to come down here for years and years, but it's tough to do so since it's only open for lunch. Finally, while biking down Roger trying to think of what to do about food, I remembered this place and stopped in. This is about as hole-in-the-wall as you'll get at a Japanese place. The tables are like any cheap fast food place but the kicker is that you're not paying cheap fast food prices or getting cheap fast food. However, you are getting your food served in fast food styrofoam containers and offered with fast food cheap chopsticks. I don't know that I'll be back just because it's pretty pricey: something like $7 for a meat-less lunch soup and it didn't fill me up. read more

Delicious at good prices. Haven't gotten sushi here, but I usually alternate between the volcano tuna don and miso ramen. Flavors, texture, price is all good. Ingredients seem fresh. I like the volcano tuna don cuz the fish is fresh and the sauces combined with the fish and rice just taste oh so good. If you can't eat a lot, make sure you don't eat too much rice in each bite. I can't imagine eating this for leftovers and it being good...so eat less rice so you can finish it. The ramen is good too. Broth is good, noodles and other toppings are good. I think the meat was a little salty for me, I don't remember how much noodle they give cuz I love noodles, but I think it was a good amount. Not too much not too little. This time I'm trying a pork yaki udon, stir fried udon noodles with pork and veggies and I added egg to mine. Flavor is good. Noodles are nice and chewing. Only complaint is that the egg is undercooked for my liking, and wish there were more noodles =[ otherwise still good!! read more

Samurai - Sushi clock! No too busy at 1215 for lunch - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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This is my favorite sushi spot in Tucson. Plastic silverware and foam plates allow them to keep prices much lower than your average sushi place as well. read more

I found out about this place through another Yelper's review. Let me just say that I've been looking for some dank ramen where I wouldn't have to go all the way to Obon, downtown. This place really exceeded my expectations. I ordered the Alaska roll and the spicy tonkotsu ramen. My fiancé ordered the curry over soba noodles (not pictured) So delicious and the atmosphere was chill. We will both be returning! read more

Samurai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Go-to takeout spot in town. Quick and easy! Fast good eats especially for the winter. Service is always good!

Mom and pop shop! I love this place, I've eaten about half of the menu and can't say I've been disappointed yet! Highly recommend the chicken teriyaki, fire-y chicken and the spicy tuna bowl. They get packed around lunch time so plan accordingly. read more

They get five stars from me simply for having the most amazing volcano tuna don. What can I say about it that hasn't already been said before? Nothing really, you just have to try it for yourself. It's so darned good I will drive 45 minutes from where I live in the middle of nowhere just to get my fix. I've had several other menu items, but I can't say I like them as much. Specifically, the seafood dynamite was my least favorite because it just tasted like a mouthful of mayo, and the shoyu ramen was very bland. But no worries, I don't need anything else from their menu. Volcano tuna don I heart you. read more

Samurai - Shoyu ramen - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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