Cancel

Open app

Search

Sushi 99

2.9 (93 reviews)
ModerateSushi Bars
Open • 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, 4:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Sushi 99 Photos

Business Info

SUSHI 99 ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Classy
Good for groups

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Sushi 99

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

a plate of food on a table
Isabelle C.

Food came out pretty fast. Quality is just ok since it's an all you can eat, so don't expect too much. The rice portion was very big for the sushi and some rolls and the sashimi was cut quite small. Some of the fried foods was personally too oily. Service was ok. It is one of the cheaper ayce sushi restaurants in Waterloo. They also have 10% off with cash.

Sushi 99 roll, looks like nothing special
Linda L.

In my opinion, just another generic AYCE sushi restaurant. There is nothing special that wow'ed me and makes this restaurant memorable. Yes, the price is cheaper than most at $20.99 weekday dinner with 10% cash discount, but that is about everything I remembered. The rolls seems unappetizing. Even the Sushi 99 roll, supposedly their signature roll, just look like an average sushi maki. What makes me deduct a point from an average 3 star rating to a 2 stars is because I got a really bag stomach ache after eating here. So it's definitely a sign that I should stick my usual restaurants, 168 and Kinkaku Izakaya here I come.

Just a simple photo of the nigiri plate
Dan L.

Mediocre at best, not sure what to make out of this restaurant. The interior looks nice, very good impression to start off a delightening lunch. 4/5 for interior design. That really fooled me, because the rest of the experience did not follow up. Ordered a generic list of plates: some sushi, chef's specialty (maki), tempura, udon, octopus balls(expected takoyaki), salads and soups. I was surprised of what I got. The shrimp tempura was executed well, could have been crispier but I'd say it's the only thing better than other AYCE in town; Kinkaku and Sushi 168 to name. However, that was probably the only thing I enjoyed besides the water. 4.5/5 The Black dragon roll (chef's specialty) came out first, but I could see the seaweed right past the thinnest layer of rice. Not only was it really small, but it looked very horribly put together, to the point where I would say my cat could make this better. In terms of the size, it actually makes more sense to make them small since it shouldn't really be compared to a la carte sizes, but it was just the worst maki I just ever had. The first bite I may have felt the rice, but soon disappeared and I only felt the texture of the rest of the maki: cucumber, avocado, BBQ Eel; if you call this "chef's specialty", sorry for my harsh words but be ashamed. That was awful. 1/5 Going to skip the takoyaki, I really hope it's store bought frozen takoyaki; else, you're doing something horribly wrong. Also, my partner got a sweet and sour soup and it tasted like someone dumped their post workout socks with a drizzle of sweet and sour sauce into lukewarm water; you can tell that I'm going to say it was horrendous. 0/5 Of course, it's a Japanese AYCE restaurant so sushi(nigiri) is something I'll definitely get. This is the part where I said I don't know what to make out of this restaurant. The basics of making sushi has vanished in the plate I was served. The rice was dry, wasn't really sticky and was blend; to make things worse it was a little more warmer than "warm", that ruins the harmony of the fish and the rice. Was the fish particularly good tasting? Nay. 2/5 Udon, out of all the things I expected, was surprisingly better tasting or my standards at this point probably ran back home. The noodles were too soft and didn't have the texture a udon noodle should have, but the combination of the garnish, sauce and the meat(chicken) was executed well. 4/5 Maybe I was wrong about the sushi(nigiri) and so I ordered my second batch. More egg(tamago), crispy sushi and white tuna, tofu steak, yam and taro tempura, desserts, etc. I wasn't wrong, even the most basics of all nigiri: the tamago nigiri tastes blend, rice too warm, this is far below even for an AYCE standard. Also, the crispy sushi doesn't have a nice balance of textures; the texture of tenkasu sprinkled on top of warm rice with the seaweed just doesn't round up well. Something soft with a touch of flavour should help it up. Still 1/5 Tofu steak was cooked and grilled well, except that the sauce drizzled on top is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too sweet. It should be considered as dessert for it's sweetness. 3/5 Yam and taro tempura in it's execution disappointed me a bit, the fried goodies were not as good as how the shrimp tempura was fried. Nonetheless, the yam tempura tasted average but the taro tempura in it's entirety is just too dry. Not going to comment on the dryness of the taro tempura because that was as expected, 3/5 for execution points Grilled eggplants were also served for my partner in crime but eggplants are living nightmares to me, going to trust my partner with the 4/5 rating with good texture, taste and visually(?). The fried banana was pretty good, this should rather be called "chef's specialty". 4.5/5 The overall customer service I received was peculiar at best, shitty at worst. I'm not asking for smiles, but being thrown plates onto the table and responding to inquiries as a customer with no means of hospitality is a disappointment. 1/5 Overall I'll give it a 2/5, but so far I'm giving kinkaku only a 3/5 as well, which I think has the best AYCE quality in town. Not far away from being the best in town, but all in all that was a very disappointing meal for what I've paid. I'll come back for a revisit if I hear from words of mouth that it's not as horrible anymore. To those reading my reviews, do still give this place a try since it wasn't too too bad, and maybe you'll like the other dishes you get.

Ceci Z.

This place is a strong competitor to Ye's. There is a great selection of sushi and rolls. The names are hard to pronounce but the menu lists the ingredients in the rolls which is very informative. The sushi takes awhile to arrive but they are definitely prepared with care and high quality. There is a Waterloo roll which I thought is pretty creative. The seafood are fresh and there are more choices than Ye's for a lunch buffet. The entree meat dishes are also cooked well and very tasty, I really recommend Kobi beef. The serving sizes here is quite small, but that allowed me to try a lot of types of dishes. The servers are also quite friendly and helpful in providing recommendations and refilling tea. Highly recommend.

Josh W.

Struggling to Find Good AYCE Sushi ~$20 + Tip pp Accepts all major credit cards Weekday dinner No wait Feel like the standards of the food in Waterloo have suffered with the overall economy of the city as I haven't been able to find a good AYCE sushi place in Waterloo any more when they used to be relatively plentiful. My friends and I used to have some go to places, but when I visited they said they had all come down hill and recommended this place instead. The restaurant was about half full. This place also likes using the iPad ordering system which is efficient (I remember the old paper system would result in missed or wrong orders), but was a bit disappointed that there was "No Image" for Wonton Soup (webpage under construction?) and some obvious translation issues: the "cancel confirm" button was confusing. Service was not amazing. Bus staff was slow to pick up used plates which was a bit annoying.

10/25/10

See all

26 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Isabelle C.
1
480
1731

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Dan L.
0
5
14

10 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

15 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Josh W.
55
58
491

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Clement W.
372
40
71

16 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Oreo C.
28
220
32

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Best AYCE sushi place that I've been too in the city. They also have really good take out too!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of K W.
0
9
1

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

11 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Eric F.
146
353
2986

12 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

14 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

13 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
Photo of k a.
0
70
2

15 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

12 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Faizan S.
70
66
188

10 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

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Adam R.
65
10
3

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

12 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

11 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Martin J.
115
23
0

8 years ago

The sushi is 6 parts rice 1 part seafood. I love going for a sour rice buffet. Servers were nice at least

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 3

Verify this business for free

People searched for Sushi Bars 526 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Ken Sushi - california rolls

Ken Sushi

4.2(158 reviews)
3.4 km
•$$

Was in Waterloo to grab lunch and randomly ended up discovering Ken Sushi House…read more The restaurant itself is simple and cozy, making it a comfortable place to sit down and catch up with friends. Service was friendly, and the food came out at a good pace even though it got a bit busy during our visit. We ordered a few items to share. The hwe dup bap (sashimi rice bowl) had fresh sashimi over rice with vegetables, it was light, refreshing, and a good choice if you're not looking for something too heavy. The chirashi bowl came with a nice assortment of sashimi and generous portions. The fish tasted fresh and there was a good variety. We also tried the salmon avocado roll, which was a classic, simple combination done well, and the spicy salmon roll, which had a mild kick and good texture overall. Overall, this was a solid spot for fresh sushi with good portion sizes, especially if you're looking for a casual place to eat in Waterloo.

I visited Ken Sushi House late one night in November 2025 with my partner while we were in the…read moremiddle of a show at the Maxwell. It was already quite late (around 8:30 p.m.), and most nearby sushi spots--like Exclamation Waterloo and Oka Sushi--were closed, so we were grateful that Ken Sushi House was still open and within walking distance. We ordered the small sushi boat ($60 for 40 pieces). Overall, we enjoyed it, but as someone who's had a lot of sushi, I wouldn't say it was particularly impressive or memorable. The quality was decent, though it felt a bit pricey for what was served. That said, the experience was still pleasant thanks to the very friendly staff, which made us feel welcome despite the late hour. The restaurant itself felt a little dated and could benefit from some renovations, but it was a solid, reliable option when choices were limited late at night.

Photos
Ken Sushi
Ken Sushi - Chicken teriyaki bento box

Chicken teriyaki bento box

Ken Sushi

See all

Jinzakaya - Edamame and deep fried tofu.

Jinzakaya

3.9(36 reviews)
4.5 km

Jinzakaya and Kinka Izakaya are Waterloo staples - 5 years ago, I savoured every chance I got to…read moreeat at these restaurants! Still amazing AYCE spots, but I'm probably just not built to take full advantage of the massive menu here. We came around lunch time and ordered the dinner menu, since there are a couple cannot-be-missed dishes that aren't on the lunch menu. Their strength compared to other AYCE restaurants is definitely their non-sushi options - the carpaccio, skewers, grilled shrimp, steamed egg, and beef roll with enoki mushroom are some of my favourites. I think the only thing that gives me pause is the price tag - $40.99 is a lot, especially for a student. You would have to really stuff yourself to make that value worth it. I do wish they had a couple of the chef favourites on the lunch menu so that people trying to have a cheaper meal could also try those items. Overall, it's probably still the best AYCE sushi in Waterloo. The quality is great and the dishes are tasty. Service was also pretty good, they have you write your order on a paper. I think one or two items were missed but we had no issue with following up on them.

Jinzakaya has loads of options to choose from on their all you can eat menu. There's a large…read morevariety of sushi and sashimi and their fish tastes fresh. They also provide pretty thick slices of fish. The service was amazing we had a very nice waitress who was nice and really attentive. The interior of the restaurant is decorated very well. Overall this a very good spot for sushi.

Photos
Jinzakaya - Restaurant interior

Restaurant interior

Jinzakaya - KitKat bar.

KitKat bar.

Jinzakaya

See all

The Poké Box - Seating area at the poké box with its white and pink aesthetic design

The Poké Box

4.3(84 reviews)
3.0 km
•$$

Came here for their buy one get one free grand opening special with a few of my friends and we were…read morepleasantly surprised by the great quality of food offered here. Environment: The restaurant is located at the King/University plaza, where there are ample of parking space and really convenient for those taking the bus as well. The restaurant itself is clean, well lit, and has a few seats. It's best to come in a group of 4 of fewer if you plan on dining here. The decor seems to be going for a "bathroom chic" as described by my friend -- "4 stars - delicious food, feels like I'm in a bathroom"! Lol. It's mainly because of the tiles on the wall and the uncomfortable seats. Food: The BOGO special only allowed us to order from their special bowls so we tried the Big Umami (salmon + tuna) and the one with the Duck. Quantity wise the bowl seems to be good value given that it normally costs $15 per bowl. They put a generous amount of toppings on top of the rice and the flavour was good and the fish sashimi was quite fresh. Definitely no watery/soggy texture! The food also looks damn good with lots of colours, which not only is super appetizing but also so Insta worthy!! Service: Basically fast food McDonald like ordering, no table service. When we were lining up they got someone to hand us the big cardboard menu and explained to us how the ordering works. However...they somehow managed to messed up the order. I got the Big Umami with rice and only one of them had rice while the other one was mixed greens :( definitely a little too healthy for me.....

BEST POKE BOWL EVER! If you never had a poke bowl, it is basically a bowl of sashimi (sushi)…read moretoppings topped with Rice or veggies. DELICIOUS. Perfect amount of topping, rice and sauce. And if u want more than one kind of dressing, just let them know! I ordered the Big Umami Bowl with white rice. The rice was soft but firm, not too hot not too cold. Perfect texture. Sashimi flavourful and saucy. Avocado perfectly ripped. FYI: If you love taking pictures, The restaurant is aesthetically pleasing. And!!!! They provide some picture booth accessories you can choose from to make your pictures even cuter!!! :) Overall 10-10!! Every bite is PERFECTO IN MY MOUTH!

Photos
The Poké Box - Cute (but small) seating

Cute (but small) seating

The Poké Box - Big umami - swapped the tuna for tempura shrimp

Big umami - swapped the tuna for tempura shrimp

The Poké Box - Lava Blaze

See all

Lava Blaze

Sushi 99 - sushi - Updated May 2026

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