I really have enjoyed my last several meals at Sushi Joa! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Sushi Joa is a small sushi restaurant located in Town Center that is a delight.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I had vague recollections of eating here over a decade ago and found an improved dining experience in my recent meals with delicious rolls and delightful glasses of wine. The kaleidoscope roll has been my favorite so far as it has a bit of everything I like so much! While only 6 pieces I find I can't put the whole piece in my mouth as it is a substantial roll! Tuna, hamaichi, salmon, imitation crab, tobiko, and avocado all combined for one delicious hearty roll. The nigiri has been excellent as well! Each come out as delicious as the next. The service is always a delight. The servers are polite, prompt, and attentive. Water glasses are quickly refilled, empty plates whisked away, and always an offer of check-in I never feel rushed nor neglected here. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The space is tight and it can get rather crowded Friday night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]I find dining earlier helps me avoid the mass of people and it feels more relaxed.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They offer daily specials so be sure to check out the chalk board by the sushi counter. Also, if you decide you wish to regularly dine here, use the same credit card as you will earn points that will give you a discount on a future meal. Such good food and great service! read more

Decent place for Sushi, Sashimi and Japanese food options. Good Food, Good People and Good Service.. read more

See all

This tiny sushi restaurant on Mercer Island is my go to for crispy rice bites. If you haven't had them, you are missing out! Seriously. Rectangles of crispy rice with spicy tuna and a slice of jalapeño on top. I've ordered the crispy rice bites from Seastar for twice the price, and as theirs is flavorless (you literally are told to flavor it with salt!) the ones from Sushi Joa are full of flavor, ridiculously good, and makes me add this to my order every single time! They remind me of the ones I would get at Nobu in Honololulu back in the day. read more

Sushi Joa has become one of those places I can't stop recommending -- the kind of restaurant where the food is unforgettable, and the people make you feel like family. If you love sushi made with skill, respect, and a little bit of magic, this is absolutely the spot. The chef is truly an artist. Every piece that comes across the counter is crafted with care, balance, and an obvious passion for the craft. From the freshest nigiri to beautifully composed rolls, you can taste the dedication in every bite. Whether you know exactly what you like or you just say, "surprise me," you're in for something special. And the staff? Just incredible. Warm, attentive, and genuinely kind -- the type of team that remembers your favorites and always makes you feel welcome. It's rare to find service that feels this personal without being overly formal. Sushi Joa gets it exactly right. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere is relaxed and inviting, perfect for date night, a quiet solo sushi moment, or dinner with friends and family.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's become one of the true culinary gems on Mercer Island, and I feel lucky every time I sit down at that bar.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] If you haven't been yet, go. Sushi Joa is the kind of place you'll want to visit again before you've even left the parking lot. read more

First time visitor to this restaurant today. Stopped in for lunch to meet some friends. We were there during the middle of lunch service and things moved quickly. Menu featured, sashimi, bento boxes and some nice rolls. We ordered a Poké bowl and four different rolls. They were all delicious. Fish was fresh and each one had a unique sauce and flavor. Server was very attentive and kept our glasses full and removed empty plates. Highly recommend if you are in the Mercer Island area. read more

See all

Fresh fish! Delicious rolls! Amazing service and so happy we stumbled upon this spot! Will be back! Fast service too!

Pretty good sashimi and rolls all around, with nothing spectacular and nothing terribly negative. I think if one wants to look for a quick bite while craving sushi instead of looking for anything exquisite or amazingly delicious, which was what my friends and I did, then this establishment would be a good option. We ordered the sake (salmon) and o-toro (fatty tuna) sashimi, and we were given a reasonable amount with the price that was charged. The sashimi was pretty good in a standard manner. We quickly devoured it. The chicken teriyaki and chicken katsu bento box was also pretty standardly good, with a fair amount of chicken and basic salad with dressing, along with two pieces of oranges and a little bit of rice. Once again, good in a standard way. In fact, I could say the same about everything else, from the red dragon roll to the Seattle tempura roll and to the tempura ice cream. I thought they all resembled what I have had elsewhere in the United States when looking for a Japanese food place located in an outlet-looking type of place, so if you know what I mean, then this is what you would expect here at Sushi Joa as well. That's about it! One plus I will give was the playlist, which I even asked about. They put "Snooze" by SZA on Apple Music and all it played was R&B songs by similar musicians and I was totally down for that haha. But of course, that is purely my personal preference so I just want to throw that out there! read more

See all

This place is awesome! I am only tempted to give it a lower review just to keep it a secret still! haha. This is really good sushi at really good price point. It is much more affordable than any comparable sushi in either Seattle or in Bellevue! Once we came here for dinner, and now it is a monthly staple. We bring people from out of state here and they too are impressed. The service is very friendly and quick. You can usually come here at dinner time and get a table for two either right away or very very quickly. For apps: recommend the agedashi tofu for vegetarians, and the tempura jalapeno poppers with spicy salmon inside for those feeling adventurous. The tempura vegetables are also really great! When it comes to choosing a roll, there are too many good ones to recommend. I personally like the firecracker, Island, red lantern and red dragon. But honestly you cannot go wrong. If you are vegetarian try the crunchy asparagus roll. The nigiri and sashimi are also all great and never fail to dissapoint! Try this place out! Bring your friends, (just not too many so this place can still stay somewhat of secret)! read more

Sushi Joa Restaurant - Red Lantern Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Mercer Island, Washington

Their sushi is delicioussss and everyone is always so nice! [[HIGHLIGHT]]We love a good take away but sitting in the restaurant makes for a cute date night, friend catch up experience![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Highly recommend! read more

Hidden gem on Mercer Island! Very fresh and nicely presented rolls. Tempura also tasty and lightly crispy. Restaurant is also clean and casual. Service was super friendly. Must visit for reasonably priced rolls! read more

Sushi Joa Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - Mercer Island, Washington

We are very lucky to have had such a consistently excellent sushi restaurant on Mercer Island for the past 20+ years, a notoriously difficult business in a notoriously difficult local market. [[HIGHLIGHT]]But Sushi Joa continues to provide excellent, fresh, delicious food with a "neighborhood joint" vibe, friendly service, and reasonable prices.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Our service was super fast and food was great! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant was fairly empty but lots of people stopping by to pickup orders.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food tasted fresh! read more

Sushi Joa Restaurant - Miso Soup, Spicy California Roll, Firecracker Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Mercer Island, Washington

We love love love sushi joa! We live nearby and used to order from here all the time- still do a lot! Their bento box is a ton of food for like $25. And they have a ton of not sushi options too for those who don't eat fish. This is one of my fiancés favorite places and he doesn't even eat sushi! The bento box he gets comes with tempura veggies and chicken karage, it is delicious! I eat sushi and I love their sushi. It's our favorite sushi place on the island. read more

Sushi Joa Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - Mercer Island, Washington

See all

I had a class to go to with limited food options in the near vicinity. Because I had time and Mercer island was the second to last stop, I decided to eat at Mercer for a change in pace. A place that was open on a Monday afternoon was Sushi Joa. I found out later that it was a sister restaurant to Kiwami in Kirkland which I had for takeout previously. According to Google Maps, they were in the same vicinity as the Walgreens I needed to go to. However, when there you will notice that the sushi place is upstairs on the left side of Walgreens next to Pogacha Restaurant. So keep that in mind if you are driving or walking there. When I arrived, the place had no outdoor seating and the inside was nearly empty (it was Monday after 3 pm so not surprised). It was a quaint place with a good amount of tables and a sushi bar. I chose a table for the day. They had hand sanitizer at the front and the music was playing pop/modern hits (Taylor swift anyone). Because I had a class that required physical activity, I didn't eat much. I had a nigiri sampler which was good and affordable. I had miso soup which if I chose a meal option, I could have had it come along side instead of a la carte. I also had the hand rolls which I had an albacore version a negitoro one. I really enjoyed those and wished I had more space in my stomach for those items. When it came closer to 4/5 pm, more people ended up coming in either for takeout or dine in but not packed. But I remembered seeing someone's roll and though it looked pretty good. I like that they had the options to replace the normal white rice with brown rice for the rolls and it gave a standard price which isn't too common. If it ate differently, I might have considered it. They also had specials which they had a special board for. So definitely have the possibly of trying something new if you plan on being a regular. Also funny enough, I liked the chopsticks they had for eating. It wasn't typical and came rounded and pre-separated. One thing I wanted to call out is the bathrooms. I believe they are shared with Pogacha and they are weird. Though they had non unisex bathrooms, inside the door was only one stall. Plus in the ladies room, the garbage can was huge and in the actual stall while you relieve yourself. It was a small thing but I remembered it. Overall, i wouldn't mind coming back to this establishment if I am in the island especially as one of the few, relatively healthy open places on a Monday for dinner especially one where you can dine in. read more

See all

Decent sushi if you're in the area. I've had better and much worse. We got the following: - Mixed fish sashimi carpaccio (great) - Negi hamachi roll (yum!) - Unagi roll (OK) - Nigiri sampler (OK) - Ama Ebi with deep fried heads (yum!) read more

Solid 3 for being one of the only few island options. It wasn't the best but it wasn't terrible either. Some items were better than others and service was friendly enough. We ordered: Agedashi tofu (good); Crispy rice roll (fun interesting texture); Fried oysters (ok); Calamari (good); Sunshine roll (great); Salmon lover (good); Udon tofu (skip); Salmon nigiri The items were mostly fine but as a non MI resident, prolly won't return anytime soon. read more

The sushi here was amazing! And a great price especially given the location on Mercer Island. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Lunch was a little busy, all tables were full but luckily we got seated at the last spot for 4.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I'd guess typical wait is 10-20 minutes? Fish was very fresh and I definitely want to come again read more

Disappointing. Service good. Prices suggested much better quality than i received. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Everything was ok but bill was $85 for 1 person. No value here read more

Most of the sushi is okay. Unfortunately they care way more about the to go orders than their actual patrons, service suffers. Ordered the black cod today, it was mushy and flavorless--nothing like it should be or is at any other place. It lacked body, flavor and was totally overcooked--not to mention lots of bones! I let the waitress know--not even asking it to be remade, I had only taken two bites and left the rest in my plate, she asked if she should box it up when she was boxing other food, I said no it was honestly terrible, totally mushy, overcooked and flavorless. Her response "that's how it always is" and walked away. No apology, no offer of any concession whatsoever. At $25 it is about the most expensive item on the menu. One would expect them to care even a little--a sincere apology or an offer of a discount or a free dessert or anything (probably wouldn't have taken them up on anything else at that point anyway) but the indifference sealed it--sorry, no interest in spending my $$ at a place that does not value its clientele. read more

3.5 stars. Standard sushi/Japanese fare in a nice location. Reasonable for the price if you stick to the bento lunch specials. Maki and nigiri are on par. Don't get the hand roll (temaki) because they have zero clue what that is. The waitress even seemed confused when I ordered it. What came to our table was a dwarf sized mutant form of a maki roll. I've had better temaki from the Kura sushi conveyor belt, just to make my point. Would have been 4 stars if not for that order. read more

My friend chose this place for dinner as it was between Seattle and Bellevue for our friend group. I never am on Mercer Island unless I am driving through it on the freeway on my way to Seattle so I was open minded on what to expect. The restaurant is located in a little strip mall of shops. They have parking right out front in a shared lot as well as some street parking near by. The parking lot was not busy but the restaurant almost had every table filled at one point. I am not sure if this restaurant is related to the one in Kirkland, but if it is, then I had technically been here before. If not, then it was totally new to me. Either way, I enjoyed my meal of sukiyaki and a spicy tuna hand roll. The ingredients seemed fresh and like it was prepared just for me as I ordered it. The sushi my friends had looked very good as well. The price point was a little high on the sukiyaki for the amount of meat that was in it and the quality but the other dishes seemed to be priced at what you would normally see at any average sushi restaurant. If you work on Mercer Island, this seems like a great place to go for lunch or stop by for dinner. It is casual and the staff are friendly. read more

Sushi Joa Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - Mercer Island, Washington

See all

Food was great! Salmon nigiri was amazing, giant pieces of fish. All the rolls we got were good, the garden roll was a nice and tasty way to get some veg in there and the salmon lover roll was very refreshing. The 7th Heaven Roll and the Nabeyaki Udon were really good too. Overall we were very happy here. Prices were reasonable for sushi and the quality was top tier. Can't ask for more...although it would be great if the restaurant was open later. It closed at 8:30. Would definitely come here again for nice sushi that isn't $$$$ read more

First arrived at Sushi Joa and there is enough parking, but if it's a weekend I am Betting the parking would've been more difficult to find. Went in and was seated at the Sushi bar right away. The menu is decent with plenty of options whether you are a carnivore or herbivore. There are a lot of vegetarian roll options. The list of specialty rolls was also quite long, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary and traditional rolls. The food was good, the edamame was steam well just didn't have any salt. read more

Sushi Joa Restaurant - Large Hot Sake & my free Edamame - Sushi Bars Near Me - Mercer Island, Washington

See all

The service today was the worst I've ever experienced here. I've been eating here for years. This afternoon from 1:30pm -3pm with my friend while completely NOT busy; the waitress was walking away from me as I was trying to talk with her. The other waitress was doing her hair in the kitchen. The food was all the same luke warm temperature and completely uninspiring. The carpaccio was slimy and too thick, the rolls were mushy. The jalapeño poppers were good though. I never got my seaweed salad. read more

got 3 rolls all of them were fire. i'm not gonna nitpick every little thing. [[HIGHLIGHT]]this place has great customer service, plus the girls are kinda hot.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] i like the deco too fire read more

Very solid sushi. Big menu with a lot of options. Good a la carte options too. They're usually on time with their pickup times as well. Pretty good value for the price too. The staff is very nice and professional! read more

So good! Consistent. Great service! Weekly indulgence! Highly recommend! Go fill your belly!

With high expectations we entered a packed Sushi Joa & thought it must be as good as the reviews, awesome. We sat down and looked at the menu. Could not find any hot teas or whether green tea was complimentary like most high end sushi restaurants. They do give you a water craft to fill your empty water glasses, a plus for them. We ordered the tofu agedashi, and veggie tempura. We were 50/50 on the toro tataki because toro is a great piece of tuna that shouldn't be "ruined" by any sauce. Our server convinced us to order it when she raves about and told us the ponzu sauce is on the side, great we'll take it. Then we ordered the Uni, maguro nigiri (niguru on their menu which should have been the red flag), the tarantula roll, and the sea monster roll. The toro tataki was so disappointing, the toro or "fatty tuna" was overly stringy and fishy and not buttery, something I associate with good quality toro or otoro cuts. The toro definitely NEEDed the ponzu sauce. The agedashi tofu came out next either the veggie tempura. Then a plate containing the two rolls and uni came out. Presentation was okay, nothing spectacular. But where's my maguro? My friend said the Uni wasn't the best she's had. So we eat and enjoy! The rolls were delicious and large, well worth the price. And I highly recommend both rolls. Our server checked up on us twice, yet no maguro in sight. Oh well, I was getting full and figured she just forgot and since I didn't need it I didn't say anything. We were done with our food, all but one plate cleared and waiting for our check. THEN... here comes the maguro! Did she forget and when the check printed she realized I didn't get the maguro or did they have to go fishing? I told her I was full and to just box it up. Quite disappointed that the service was not top notch. If you go I recommend the rolls or the kitchen items!! Not sure if I'll be back. read more

See all

Ordered salmon, tough to chew, not my expectation for sushi. I can't say that I really enjoyed my food.

Sushi Joa is my new favorite sushi spot!! I came here on a Friday night with my girlfriends and sat at the sushi bar. The chefs were so friendly and helped us decide on some rolls. We had the tsunami roll, which was amazing, and the veggie roll with fried green beans and sauce. The veggie one was my fav, I seriously can't stop thinking about it!! Overall, a great experience at Sushi Joa, from the amazing food to the friendly staff, this is our go-to girls night out spot!! And a bonus, this place doesn't break the bank compared to other sushi spots, reasonable prices for amazing food. read more

This has been a consistent go to Sushi and bento place on MI. I love the bento choices and presentation and the hubs loves the sushi.

Best sushi in Mercer Island . One of the few places to get great blue fin tuna sashimi. Would recommend

I really like the Tsunami roll here! Not sure if this is the only sushi place on the island!!! But all I can say is Delicious!!!!

Stopped by last week and it was packed for dinner. Waited around 15 minutes for 2 seats at the bar and was in awe of watching all of the sashimi and nigiri being made in front of me. I wanted everything. Decided on salmon nigiri and it was delicious. I could eat sushi all day every day and this spot will definitely be one of our go to's being so close to us in Mt. Baker. Not enough to dock an entire star but parking can be rough. So be warned, it was a rainy night and the lot was full. I ended up finding parking along the street so it wasn't bad but just be prepared that you might have to hunt a little. read more

Sushi Joa Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - Mercer Island, Washington

We are not sushi connoisseurs at all but this is one of our new favorite places to eat. We came for the first time a few days ago and then came back today. The location is clean, the staff are attentive, and the food is very good. They remembered us and my wife's order (she likes to get the same thing every time). I look forward to coming back here on a regular basis. PS: really appreciate the quality chop sticks. read more

Sushi Joa Restaurant - Seared salmon salad. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Mercer Island, Washington

We had a girls' lunch here (sisters-in-law, aunt and cousins). The food was so good it hurt. I had the dragon roll and it was sublime (extremely fresh and full of flavor). The atmosphere is relaxed and classy. We'll be back soon! read more

Our favorite place on the island! Their roles are delicious and love the crunch asparagus role especially. The staff is always so friendly and remembers us every time. We enjoy sitting at the bar! This is a weekly night out for us. read more

This spot doesn't disappoint. Both the sushi and miso soup were flavorful and satisfying. The fish was very fresh. The order was speedy and easy for pickup. read more

The food used to be very good. After Covid their quality has been compromised in ingredients and taste. Also noticeable is the lack of knowledgeable employees at the sushi bar resulting in lower quality sushi. Hot dishes have also been compromised. The servers also appear to be untrained. I also noticed the quality of sushi rice is also lowered. read more

The food is excellent, a bit pricey but you get what you pay for! Loved both the bento box and Spivey tuna roll. The Japanese green tea is also excellent. read more