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    Sumo San

    3.9 (179 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Sushi Bars
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Sumo San Photos

    Business Info

    SUMO SAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Sumo San

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    Reviews With Photos

    Klara C.

    We came here to eat pretty late around 9 and glad they were open till 10. Only one main server and one if the Sushi chefs helped serve us. We ordered a bottle of sake - Sho Chiku Bai Nigori and that was pretty good. You got a little more of that rice taste due to it being unfiltered. We ordered quite a but- the Spicy seafood soup, Beef garlic fried rice, eel and uni Sashimi. We ordered a variety of sushi - octopus and we also got a caterpillar roll. I don't recall everything we got but it was all very good and good cuts with not too much rice. I really liked the flavor of the seafood soup. It didn't have a lot of seafood, some shrimp, fish and imitation crab meat. There was some noodles and cabbage in there too. Loved the way it tasted though. The beef garlic fried rice was also good and flavorful but I wish it had more garlic in there. Overall a great Sushi spot.

    Nick D.

    Fresh sushi, great prices, downtown location in Richmond Virginia and no frills interior what more could you ask for!

    Garlic Fried Rice with Shrimp
    D P.

    We from California busting Virginia. So happy I found this place. Amazingly fresh sushi. Melts in your mouth delicious. Expertly made! The owners work here and you can see the passion and love that goes into the food. The ponzu sauce they served with the sashimi was amazing. The rolls have just the right amount of rice, not too much as to over power you. Everything was put together to provide the perfect amount of love to each ingredient in the sushi roll.

    Birthday fun
    Rebecca H.

    It's the whole experience that's going to make you want to keeping coming back to Sumo's... and tell them Rebecca sent you!! Ok here's what you need to know the the foods good, the ambience is welcoming and chill but can also be turned up if you get the Sake bombs going!! Side info- the main personality Victor has the best laugh, it's infectious, Drew is my main, he works hard at serving up sake bombs for me and my people when we come in...boss lady cooking in the back has got it going on! Service is great, upbeat, friendly and FUN!! The food.. my favorites are Crouching Tiger and the basil Chicken. The miso soup is great.(better than a lot of other restaurants). Let be honest I'm more about Drinks here- you have to try the sake bombs! This is a fun time and is so fun with a big group or just your one favorite person. I highly recommend!! You haven't had a sake bomb until you've had it Sumo Style! Thanks for allowing me to celebrate my birthday there! It was amazing!

    Rainbow Roll,  Crunchy Shrimp
    Emily B.

    I had recently moved and wanted to go out for a nice meal to celebrate! My boyfriend and I decided Sumo San seemed like a great choice. We walked in and were seated immediately on a Saturday, which was great! For appetizers we had the edamame and the rock and roll shrimp. These were both delicious. I loved the presentation of the rock and roll shrimp and thought the appetizer was delicious and inventive. Our service was very good in that almost-invisible way -- my boyfriend's drink was refilled 2x and before he had to ask both times. We had several rolls together and really enjoyed all of them. My favorite was the crunchy shrimp and my date loved the octopus sushi. Definitely recommend!

    Green tea and large house hot sake
    Kendall C.

    This place was pretty calm for a Friday night dinner, the music playing was Pop music which felt funny for a Japanese restaurant, the service was really good and for the most part the food was enjoyable. My food was not as good as I wanted it to be, but I also accidentally ordered the wrong sushi, so I plan to be back and see if what I actually wanted is a little better. My husband really enjoyed all of the sushi that he had. The portions were a good size. They have several vegetarian options including vegetarian friendly sushi. The house hot sake was also very good and the large was a lot of sake!

    Clayton R.

    The first thing I noticed when I walked in is that this place has a lot of charm. Clocks on the wall telling time from different cities across the world and a sushi bar positioned just the way I prefer it, which is where I sat. The edamame was good....I mean, hard to mess that up. Although you would be surprised, I've seen (tasted) it. Then had Yellowtail Sashimi, was very fresh and the chef made an outstanding sauce to dip it in. Followed that with a Spicy Tuna (added crunch) roll. Very standard roll, but was also very good. The final piece to my Sushi Fill-Up was the Crouching Tiger roll - highly recommend this one! Shrimp tempura, cucumber , avocado and tuna topped a few 'sweet and spicy sauces' made for one delicious roll. This is the spot for sushi in Downtown Richmond!

    Tony A.

    I'm not sure how my lunch party ended up here but we did. Almost immediately my lunch partner started to complain about the smell. I think it was a psychosomatic result after reading Dawn's review. I personally didn't think the place smelled bad. Then again my nose in autumn doesn't work very well. After the complaints about the smell subsided the focus then shifted to the taste of the tap water. Again, I didn't think the water tasted bad. If that wasn't enough, my lunch buddy then had a complaint about the fountain drink taste. Good grief Charlie Brown, take what you read on the internet with a grain of salt. Having learned my lesson about eating sushi in Richmond during lunch (read my Osaka review) I was determined to NOT get fooled again. I went all out and ordered this wicked Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon roll. I was perfectly happy with this and devoured it. We settled up and left. Would I return? I suppose I would. Was it a mind-bending tour de force of the taste buds? Not really. I had a perfectly normal experience here and would have to rate Sumo San a solid 3.

    Rock and roll appetizer!
    Jeff Y.

    I have yet to TRULY find a Japanese restaurant to frequent for my Japanese cravings, but at least I've tried a couple more Japanese places now. Sumo-San on Main St. is within walking distance from my apartment, so I was bound to try it eventually. At one point during my dinner, it started pouring outside; fortunately, I stayed dry indoors while I enjoyed my food! We ended up sitting at the "sushi bar," although in my opinion, it was more like a bar counter you would find in a bar establishment than an authentic sushi bar (after all, we didn't order sushi directly from the sushi chef, and the sushi chef didn't once acknowledge us). Our waitress was nice, but a little slow in bringing our menus and serving us in general. My friend really liked Sumo-San's cute decor, but for me, I'm partial toward more traditional Japanese decorations. The place kind of had a East-meets-West fusion atmosphere; it was far too dark and flashy to be what I think of as a Japanese restaurant. Granted, I realize that Sumo-San is not trying to be authentic; I just really miss the kinds of places I go to in California. =\ The two of us shared three cut rolls (Caterpillar, Hot Night, and fried sweet potato) and an appetizer (Rock 'N Roll Shrimp Guacamole & Chips). I was not very impressed by the sushi at all. Not only were the rolls rather small (in diameter), but the rice on the outside was overly smushed. The minimal amount of unagi in the Caterpillar roll was disappointing. The one redeeming quality was the appetizer. That wasabi guacamole was genius! The shrimp tempura was delicious with guac (I never would have thought to pair the two), and the chips were extra crisp without being too thick and hard. To top it off, the dish was served in a martini glass! This starter was lots of fun, and I would come back to Sumo-San just to have this appetizer as a snack! =P

    Niku Roll ($8.95)
    Nicole P.

    I don't give 2 star reviews that often, so this hurts! Just so you know, we came on First Friday, place wasn't packed, but a good amount of folks in there. Even though I like the location of the restaurant, the service and the atmosphere of the restaurant. I was mostly bummed out by the sushi. This place is in Shockoe Bottom, and there's a sushi place apparently right across the street. (Boyfriend tells me that once we are in the restaurant and since he was at Sumo San the weekend prior, I thought it'd be a good option.) It's a small little place, easy to walk past it if you're not use to the area. The decor is homey, I think that's the best descriptor of it, just random little knick knacks everywhere. A lovely origami paper crane chandler(?) by the bar area. We ordered drinks: Boyfriend got the Sapphire Martini ($8), very gingery, not all that sweet. I got the Pamatini ($8), citrus flavors, a light sour taste, pretty decent. I finished my drink before his so I'm going to say that I enjoyed it at the time. We ordered an appetizer: Soft Shell in River Stone ($7.95), I never had soft shell crab until this dish. So I'm probably the worst person to critique it. However it tasted grainy, the boyfriend stated that's how soft shell crab is due to the shell. Which makes sense, but the natural flavors of the dish tasted off to me. You have to use the sauce they give you to kinda mask it. Onto the Sushi: Salmon Hand Roll ($4) Decent, I only took one bite because it was just one for the boyfriend. But the salmon (and all the sushi we had this night) had this taste that reminded me of supermarket sushi? Ouch. Rainbow Roll ($9.50), Crunchy Shrimp Roll ($9.95) and Whitefish Roll (forgot the price of this one!), had this taste that I had to mask with either the drizzle, soy sauce or roe that was on the sushi. It wasn't the same sushi that I had in May when I was in NYC, that tasted fresh, the flavors worked so well with each other... This didn't taste fresh, or the sushi wasn't seasoned properly. Niku Roll ($8.95) was the boyfriends decision to end our night at this place. this is probably the most AMERICAN sushi I've ever had. The steak in the sushi wasn't tender enough, it was tough and didn't mesh well with the asparagus and rice. PASS. Maybe that sushi place across the street is better? I'll find out soon enough. I say pass on this sushi joint. Maybe it was just a bad night, but first impressions mean a lot. And I'm sure there's somewhere else that can do sushi better.

    Salmon avocado roll, Seaweed Salad and Miso Soup
    Haley W.

    Absolutely love this place!! Always fresh, delicious and reasonably priced sushi and more. Both the chef and server are incredibly kind and make the experience well worth it. Got a salmon avocado roll with crunch, miso soup and seaweed salad for $13 total! Check it out if you're in the Richmond area.

    Alaska Roll and Sumo Attack
    U. U.

    Takeout this week from Sumo San was the best idea I've had in a minute. Our sushi was fresh and delicious. They didn't skimp on portions and their potstickers are really delicious. I loved everything about our meal, down to the presentation. Great service and they threw in a free slice of key lime pie. Definitely know what my go-to sushi spot is going to be! Highly recommended

    Garlic fried rice w/ chicken.

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    11 months ago

    Food is always fresh and Amazing! Also Victor always takes great care of you! Try the Hot Night!

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    1 year ago

    Spent $100 just to get food poisoning. I am so sick this morning. My friend is sick too. Awful experience

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    3 years ago

    Good flavorful food. Interesting and tasty rolls. Good and quick service. Staple restaurant where the food is consistently good!

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    Trouvaille

    4.8(38 reviews)
    2.1 miThe Fan
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    Did you know "Trouvaille" in French means "find?" And not just "find," in the everyday use, but to…read morefind as if you are so fortunate! Well! Never has such a delightful eatery been so aptly named! Trouvaille is a glorious find indeed! Mind you, if you read my reviews you will see I know a bit about good cocktails and better food! So context: I was completely blown away by this little tucked away spot on Lombardy Street in Richmond's glorious Fan neighborhood. To begin: Top shelf alcohol, merged into glorious soothing cocktails expertly blended and presented as swanky as any NYC or SF bar! If you like an expertly blended Manhattan this is the place. Next time the old fashioned or anything frankly on the menu! For dinner: I had the gnocchi with fresh spring peas in a light cream sauce with the kind of tender savory chicken one dreams of. The whole thing was an imaginative yet comforting fusion of Japanese-Italian-American comfort food. Think: deconstructed chicken pot pie! Hubby had the short ribs which melted in my mouth alongside a perfectly crispy yet tender Japanese inspired (Korean?) rice cake next to perfectly unctuous kimchi!! Just amazing! I traveled the world in every bite! Umami perfection. But I skipped telling you about the appetizer of fresh spring salad with arugula, burrata, and just fresh everything. The dressing was a tiny but overpowering but totally tolerable because of the perfect tang and balance of creaminess. So good and the serving was beyond generous! We ordered delicious Homemade... like a truly homemade fresh loaf of bread arrived with perfectly not-too-sweet strawberry (what?) butter!! And save room for dessert! The oh so thin crepe cake with uh-mazing strawberry sauce and sweet (not too) crème was just light and pleasing. Again I could feel/taste the Japanese influence And then! An on the house chocolate pot de crepe had me swooning! This with our Malbec wine was like heaven on earth. Finally? The bill. So freaking reasonable! We spared no expense and had a bottle of wine! Nothing but pleasure here. The bill was a pleasure to pay! And I love thoughtful decor! I am happy to report: The vibe is incredibly cool, too. Think Gothic-minimalism meets the gilded age. Such a glam space but not in the least bit intimidating. I am in LOVE! Don't miss this place. I see Michelin stars in Joe the Chef's future. Mr. James Beard get to Trouvaille if you want to see the best of Richmond! You will not be disappointed.! We will be back for sure. Hope to see you there!

    Excellent meal, service, and ambience. Elliot, our server was incredible. Great recommendations and…read moreeven accommodated an off menu request. We ate about half the menu and everything was delicious!

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    Trouvaille - Interior

    Interior

    Trouvaille - Crab toast

    Crab toast

    Trouvaille - Add gin to your mocktail

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    Ginza Spot - Tonkotsu Ramen

    Ginza Spot

    4.6(67 reviews)
    13.0 mi
    $$

    This is just fast food to me. I bet very little of the food is truly made in house…read more My husband and I wanted to get takeout but wanted to try something new to us. I've been seeing Ginza Soot but haven't tried it. My husband wanted ramen (we usually go to Takara) and we saw Ginza had ramen on the menu so we decided to try it. We ordered takeout: -Korean wings half regular and 1/2 spicy. They were just okay. Better Korean wings are available around town so I'd skip these next time. - Beef gyoza- reminded me of the frozen ones I buy from Lotte or Trader Joe's. They were okay but I didn't get the 'made in house' vibe from these. I've had better. Wouldn't order them again. - Pork tonkatsu ramen spicy. Granted it was takeout, but the package seems like it was assembled and stored in the fridge until someone ordered. The broth had to be heated up. It wasn't great. Wouldn't order it again. - general Tao's chicken spicy. This was way too sweet and not a hint of spiciness. The broccoli was overcooked. This is on par will mall Chinese food. Actually I've had better general Tso's at the mall kiosk. I bet the drinks and teas are good. For food, this one is not for me. This goes in the once and done column for me.

    I found this place by chance and decided to try it. When you enter, you can order at the counter or…read moreat one of their kiosks which conveniently takes your card too. Then, you sit down and wait for them to take the food to your table. The place was very clean and the cashier was very nice. We decided to order an appetizer called Takoyaki Ball. It comes with 6. This is an acquired taste, but not bad at all.It has a strong fishy smell. Also, we ordered a poke bowl with 2 protein choices, another poke bowl with 3 protein choices. You can pick from a variety of ingredients and everything looked fresh. We also had the General Tso chicken with broccoli and white rice. Let me tell you, it was VERY HOT. Not spicy hot, like blow on your food as you eat hot, so be careful. It was very flavorful though and I took some leftovers and reheated in the air fryer just fine. My husband tried a watermelon drink with a clear ball at the top that made for an interesting conversation. No, he didn't swallow it. Definitely try this place. It had many other things on the menu.

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    Ginza Spot - Inside

    Inside

    Ginza Spot - Chicken Chashu Bowl

    Chicken Chashu Bowl

    Ginza Spot - Classic Thai Tea

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    El Barco Marisqueria - Deliciousness

    El Barco Marisqueria

    3.9(11 reviews)
    7.6 mi

    This restaurant just opened last month and I am glad that I took a chance and tried it. My…read moreassumption that is was a seafood buffet was highly incorrect. The atmosphere is very nice and there is ample space. It was a Monday evening and it was big busy. The menu is vast and there are plenty of options that will make you have to make some executive decisions. Please give the staff patience as they seem to be working on a limited staff AND your food is cooked to order. THAT is to be appreciated as it is well worth the wait. Our cuisine concierge was also the bartender (they have a nice drink menu). The manager came to our table twice to check on us and I appreciate the direct customer service. We were provided with complimentary fresh shrimp ceviche and chips before our meal. It was delicious. I ordered the Pasta El Barco. The portion size for the cost matches up greatly. The mussels and shrimp were cooked perfectly. I was not expecting the clams to be diced, but they were a pleasant addition of flavor throughout the meal. The bread that it is served with.... Please soak up all of that sauce with it. MY GOSH!! He ordered the Texas Fajita and it came out SIZZLING. It needed a tad more seasoning on the meat. The shrimp and chicken were delicious and perfectly cooked. Make sure to specify the type of tortillas you want to accompany your fajita fillings. The Sangria is definitely homemade. That is a great thing. He tried the Mojito Jamaica and said that this will be his go-to drink when we come. We will definitely be back.

    I ordered the pasta el braco and this is what I received. Soaked in butter. I tried to get the…read morebutter out with paper towels, after 4 bounty towels I gave up. Update: I called the restaurant to see if I could get a refund, was told the manager wasn't available, then after I told them I uploaded pictures on google, the young lady got the manager and I kid you not, he said I shouldn't have left a google review, I should've just called. And then he tried to bs me by saying the pasta had just setttled. After being reprimanded for uploading a review I told them I wasn't comfortable coming back in for a refund and asked if they could do it over the phone to which I heard the manager say since she wants to be bold and post online she can come in the store. Anyways worst experience ever

    Photos
    El Barco Marisqueria - Inside.   Each table is hand carved with hand painted scenes on the booth tops and chair backs. Amazing.

    Inside. Each table is hand carved with hand painted scenes on the booth tops and chair backs. Amazing.

    El Barco Marisqueria - El 14 roll

    El 14 roll

    El Barco Marisqueria

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    Fighting Fish - Monster Roll on the left and I can't remember the roll on the right but it has tuna and delicious!

    Fighting Fish

    4.5(403 reviews)
    3.1 miScott's Addition
    $$

    Sushi is legit! The…read moremenu offers many specialty rolls and traditional rolls such as sashimi, nigiri. We started off with some fried tofu (not pictured) and followed up with two specialty rolls. For two people, this was plenty to fill us up. The Monster roll is pretty filling with its size, tuna, and a piece of tempura. The roll on the left (forgot the name), was a nice balance to the heavier Monster roll. I thoroughly enjoyed the specialty rolls! Service was great! We were running behind our reservation time and I called to let them know. We still got our table when we arrived! They told us about the happy hour and we got some drinks and an appetizer. Water was always refilled. Ambiance is low key. Great for catching up with friends and families. Bathrooms had cool, neon lighting like you're at the club. Would definitely come back (which I did)!

    Cute location, very nice ambiance for dinner and seems like a great spot for date night. There's…read moreplenty of street parking. I ordered with a buy one get one deal through Uber Eats. Yume Roll and Jeff roll on bogo. They were actually a bit smaller than I expected. I ate all 4 rolls in one sitting. Some of the roll pieces were kind of thin but it was worth it with the bogo deal. Still pretty good flavor. I liked the Jeff roll with tuna, it seemed like a pretty thin topping and had a nice little kick from the jalapeño. The Yume roll had good flavor but it felt like the filling with the crunch was a lot of the filling which made it a little bland, nice crunch and simple flavors.

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    Fighting Fish
    Fighting Fish - Tuna tacos. Yum! Spicy.

    Tuna tacos. Yum! Spicy.

    Fighting Fish - Yellow Tail rolls

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    Yellow Tail rolls

    Sumo San - japanese - Updated May 2026

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