This was a real gem and some of the best sushi I've had in a long time! You have to enter a larger building and go downstairs to find Sushi-Yama. They have seating in the lobby area and a few small tables inside the restaurant as well the actual restaurant is crowded, and they have lots of supplies and some items for sale right up front. You circle what you want on a piece of paper, pay up front, and then get your meal. The two men working were so nice and sweet. One of them had his kid there as well, which I found heartwarming. I ordered the sashimi special, 18 pieces of chefs choice sashimi, and a seaweed salad. The second I tried the seaweed salad I knew I had come to the right place! It was cool and refreshing with a great texture and salty flavor. The sashimi was beautiful and made with care. The fish was cold and fresh with distinct flavors. It was high quality and a good value. I wish I lived closer so I could come regularly! read more

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I returned to this establishment for a dose of quality food at a price that should be a crime. Food from Sushi-Yama reminds me that there is a way to eat healthy, nutritious, delicious food on the cheap. Everything is made fresh, exactly as I want it. The gentleman who runs this place should get an award from the city. During a recent visit, I witnessed the owner get cussed out by a fully grown adult who asked for the bathroom code without ordering anything. I was appalled at the level of indecency and lack of courtesy. Please note that it is the restaurant's policy (and likely the building's policy) that bathroom codes are only given to customers. Please, if you see behavior like this when you're at Sushi-Yama, please, please stand up against such ridiculous and childish behavior. read more

This is a tucked away gem that really made me feel like I was back in Japan. I was craving sushi, it took me a second to find it but it's inside a building and down some stairs. Once you get to that point, it's super cute and nearly transformative, with the music, bamboo, and decor. It was a slow night in the middle of the week so I arrived and an older Asian man took my order at the counter (the Fire Cracker and miso soup) and promptly made it, and it was so fresh. The miso was great, fire cracker was so good I ordered a second one. My only thing was that the ginger was pink, and I prefer a white pickled ginger, but it all tasted good. I left feeling calm and full, which is basically how I felt the entire time I was in Japan. I loved it. I will definitely be returning on my next visit to GR. read more

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Sushi-Yama is one of our go-to spots downtown before a Broadway show or concert. Nate and I lovingly refer to it as "Basement Sushi" since it's tucked away in the basement of McKay Tower. It's definitely a bit hidden, but go in the door near Kilwin's and just head down the stairs. The vibe is quiet, cute, and a bit cramped. It feels like you're dining in a subway station so I like to pretend we're at Jiro's in Japan. The menu is pretty large but features mostly rolls and not a lot of other specialty dishes, which is okay since I usually get a bunch of maki anyway. Most of the rolls have eight pieces which is great for splitting. Order at the counter with your paper menu and then take a seat. The food may take a little bit of time to come out since there's usually only one or two people working at any given time. We usually come at off-peak times but I'm sure it can get pretty busy around lunch time. The sushi is good quality and usually pretty tasty. It's not the most creative or flashy sushi, but it's tasty and reasonably priced, especially for downtown. In terms of tiers of sushi spots, Sushi-Yama is definitely a 5-star spot for me in the casual tier. (Fancier tier spots for me are places like Jaku and Maru.) I do find some of the crunchy tempura bits to be a little stale at times, but it's nothing to keep me from coming back again and again! read more

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Hello lovelies! I have been contemplating reviewing this place, because it's my favorite hidden place in down town GR. I have grown up coming down to this amazing restaurant for years now. This place not only serves amazing food with amazing service but the location makes it unique. Down below the building that faces Rosa park circle, right below Kilwins. Is this super cute Sushi's place! Sushi Yama. Now hear me out, coming down to this location is super cool! It used to be an old bank, back in the day, so not only will you be eating great sushi, spending time with your loved ones or by yourself....you'll also see a part of history. Stop by and enjoy this really cute hidden Jem under GR. read more

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Came in on a Monday afternoon, go down the steps of the McKay tower and they have a small little sushi restaurant, with plenty of seating around the outside. So many pretty plants and great vibes. We ordered 5 rolls, the pacific, sweet potato, Vegas, Philly, and Fire Cracker. All of them were very good. Very reasonably priced as well. The kind chef even gave us some candy to try and was very attentive yet gave us our space to chat. I will be coming back! read more

Sushi-Yama - Sushi Bars Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

For the prices and quality of sushi alone 5 Stars. This is no frills kind of sushi spot in the basement of an office building. The sushi rolls were beautiful & tasty! The seating is kind of bizarre bc it's just tables in the basement of an office building! The service is good but don't expect some grand welcome or high end sushi spot. What we ordered: - 1 Yummi Yummi Roll 8/10 -1 Catepillar Roll 10/10 -2 Miso soups -1 House salad We would re order the Catepillar rol, miso soup and house salad. All were delicious and comparable to high end sushi . We would return for lunch since the food was so great!! So do yourself a favor if you love sushi and are in the area go visit, you won't regret it! read more

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We found this place after attending an expo at the de Voss center!.. Small place in the basement of McKay tower. Nice quiet environment. The 5 of us ordered 12 different sushi rolls!! Prices were very reasonable. They were all amazing! Great service as well. We were gifted a bag of as well. 5 star!! Definitely check this place out!!​ read more

Fantastic first time experience here. Great customer service and fairly priced. Will be a new go to. Well done Sushi Yama team

Sushi Yama was a great hole in the wall in Downtown Grand Rapids! I would definitely suggest to anyone looking for a quick bite of sushi. The rolls were pretty good, my personal favorite was the crunch roll and my friend's was the spicy salmon roll. All the rolls were pretty standard, nothing too special, but in my opinion good for the price. Spicy Salmon: 8.5/10 Has a nice bite of raw salmon and the chili sauce brings it together. Crunch Roll: 8/10 Everything in the roll fits well together Las Vegas Roll: 7/10 I like the incorporation of the cream cheese, it was very smooth. But the roll itself was kind of bland. There's not much when it comes to service. You just order there and then if you want to sit you can sit down to eat. But the person working there was really nice. The place was in a basement of a building, and is almost quite literally a hole in the wall type of establishment. If you're looking for a fancy place I wouldn't recommend, but if you're looking for a quick bite of sushi or on the go this could be good. read more

Sushi-Yama - Spicy Salmon Roll (Left) Crunch Roll (Middle) Las Vegas Roll (Right) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Great food some of the best in town. The owner is always there and makes everything you eat! Prices are amazingly low and the location is great! read more

Stopped here for a quick weekday lunch with friends. Sushi was very good. Soups and salad were excellent! The staff are very kind and did a great job preparing our meal. It's a cool vibe, a little sushi joint in the basement of a bank building. We had to keep our conversations down due to a massage business next door. Bathrooms required a code, but they were very clean. Definitely a hidden gem. Highly recommend. read more

Great food fast service! Very happy with it... wish I lived closer so I could order it more!

ZERO STARS. READ BEFORE YOU EAT HERE!!!! Went there for a light dinner before a concert in September and everything was perfect down to a T. Fresh fish, nice atmosphere and very friendly staff. HOWEVER - We went yesterday 11/9/24 for a light lunch for my birthday. The chef was very visibly in a horrible mood. He microwaved our miso soup, and slammed things down in front of us when he brought them out. The first piece of Nigiri we had was the Eel, and was great. I ordered a Spicy White Tuna Roll and to be honest I don't know what fish this was inside of the roll but it was NOT white tuna. It was pink but definitely not regular tuna. Could have been snapper, but still not what was ordered. The roll was decent but 100% subpar compared to our last experience. The absolute kicker was being served OLD, CRUNCHY, WHITE TUNA NIGIRI. WE BOTH WOKE UP ABSOLUTELY SICK. Praying to god we don't have salmonella poisoning or parasites. Do NOT eat here. And if you did eat here recently, specifically 11/9/24 I hope you aren't as sick as we are. The Health Department has been notified as well. read more

Sushi was great, I would come back to this spot if I was in the Grand Rapids area again! read more

Sushi-Yama - Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Finding this place was not easy, but when I got there. I was pleasantly surprised by how well put together and clean the whole ambiance was. Staff were super nice and relatively quick considering they were kinda busy. The sushi is definantly what I would consider "above average" and I would totally recommend. The price is manageable but can rack up pretty quickly. Anyway, I love this place and will be back! read more

Excellent. Don't let the location fool you. Best sushi in Michigan. A hidden gem in downtown Grand Rapids basement read more

Our Carryout order took over an hour to complete. We had to wait 30 more minutes after we got there at the time he said. He was rude, bad service. We got someone else's order after all that. The prices are significantly lower on the website than what he is charging. The sushi is exactly what you would expect to find at a Meijer grocery store. I actually have had better grocery store sushi. This place is not good quality. Truly. If you love sushi I would highly recommend not eating here, there are many other good sushi places in GR. Very very disappointing all around. read more

Came here for a conference, just stumbled on in here with my coworker and its probably the best sushi we have had ever. 10/10 recommend. You must try their house salad, the ginger dressing is to die for! read more

We were recommended this place by a local and were shocked to find out how good it was. VERY affordable sushi that is delicious!! The restaurant is downstairs in a basement-like room. We ordered edamame, miso soup, a cucumber roll, a sweet potato roll, and a crunchy shrimp tempura roll. The miso soup took longer than expected so the owner gave us a free portion of mango from the fridge which was also so good!! Definitely loved the food, the service was great, and even though it doesn't look like much, we really enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere while sitting in a corner table! read more

Sushi-Yama - Sweet potato roll, Cucumber roll, Crunchy shrimp tempura roll, edamame - Sushi Bars Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Went today for lunch and was once again impressed by the simplicity and authentic deliciousness of Mr.Kim's sushi. Because I cannot eat raw fish, one would think I have limited options but at SY one does not feel left out. It's a small secret restaurant located in the basement where the prices are just right and you can order various things to try. This time I ordered a couple California rolls, the sweet potato roll (which is tempura style my fav!) and the shrimp, avocado, cucumber roll (Also delicious). It's all about the small things and even the rice is made perfectly. Kimchi, miso, seaweed salad is good too. Highly recommend this place! Been here since it first opened and always coming back for more :) read more

Sushi-Yama - Sushi Bars Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Great food in a no frills place (it's in a basement of an office building). Probably in my top two sushi place in gr and number 1 in downtown. read more

Located in the lower level of McKay Tower. Pleasant interior. I ordered a variety of sushi and everything was very good. I would return. Quality at a very reasonable price. read more

Fantastic! Great prices and very fresh and awesome sushi. Hard to find, its in the basement- but worth finding! affordable for college students! read more

Fun little Sushi spot. Restaurant is too small to eat in. Random tables in hallway area. Great service delicious sushi. Just don't pay attention to the random people looking for the bathroom. read more

Hole in the wall sushi restaurant! Sushi was delicious!! Lunch combo D and the Firecracker roll are a good combo! The restaurant has really cute decor and has a very calming vibe. read more

Been here so many times for lunch and it is so good. Fresh, quick and fast this is the best sushi in Grand Rapids in my opinion.

Best sushi I've ever had in Grand Rapids. Amazing service, and very nice and quiet environment.

Hands down my absolute favorite place to get authentic sushi. The fish is always fresh. Not to mention, their miso soup is also my favorite i've ever had. I eat sushi frequently, so this says a lot!! read more

Sushi-Yama - Sushi Bars Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Have came here since highschool, they call me Mr.Sweet potato, amazing father son restaurant, amazing prices and the quality is to match with any other place. The ambiance if you stay in and eat is honestly beautiful and they are so awesome, haven't been there in 2 or so months but let me tell you if you want good sushi, swing on down, fill out the menu, take a seat and just enjoy. It's a good quality meal and a peaceful time. read more

everything about this place is utter perfection--the ambiance, cheap sushi, and impeccable service. I go here at least once a week and never get bored. Mr. Sushi Yama is the highlight of my day! read more

Secret Sushi!!!!! So, I'm rating this place on sort of a price to quality ratio, as Sushi-Yama has rather inexpensive sushi, but the quality is still surprisingly good. Ju is probably still my favorite game in town, but these two places are entirely different planes for me and the two can't really be compared. That being said, Sushi-Yama does the trick when I'm just in the mood for takeout or a quick, inexpensive, and delicious meal. In that regard, they blow their competition in GR out of the water. I had a hard time finding Sushi-Yama the first time, as it's tucked away in the basement of a building on Monroe Center, and only has a little sidewalk sign. It's very easily overlooked. The eat-in area is sort of in a strange elevator lobby, with the sushi bar inside a little alcove, but it's interesting and enjoyable to observe what they've done to the space. My friends and I have since given it the unofficial nickname "Secret Sushi" haha. The decor is generally pleasant (besides the fake grape vines, one of my biggest interior design pet peeves), but i superlove the presentation here. The dishes are small and pretty mismatched, but they sort of just make due, and do a great job making your meal flow visually and it all just looks very cute and homemade. In fact, everything is pretty random and sort of a makeshift wabi-sabi. Although their miso soup is pretty average, their house salad is awesome and much bigger than house salads at most other sushi places! (and a total steal at only 2$!) And the vegetarian sushi options are ample, with plenty of fried tempura veggie options and veggie options with cream cheese (as well as the standard veggie rolls you can get anywhere). But the kimchi/avocado roll and mango/avocado roll are what always bring me back here. Both are dank AF. And the owner/chef is super friendly and helpful and he gave my two friends and I a large plate of complementary mango-flavored mochi ice cream balls last time I was there, which was super sweet of him (and they were soooo delicious! what a treat!) :D A [literally] hidden gem of GR and definitely worth the trip down the rabbit hole! Secret Sushi 4evaaaaa!!!!! read more

Sushi-Yama - Sencha tea.House salad. Momomochiaisu.Fried asparagus, avocado, cucumber, cream cheese roll. Tempura sweet potato roll. Kimchi,avocado roll. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Stopped here for a snack after walking around the city. Figured the place could be really good or I'll visit the toilet later. I ordered the spicy spider California and the white tuna and ebi California. It was actually really good. I recommend and no toilet visit required after eating :) read more

Sushi-Yama - Middle spicy white tuna and ebi California. Sides spider California. Both were great. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Very odd experience here: I dined here for a Tuesday lunch Down in the basement, sit wherever, serve your own drinks, walk your order up to counter, they don't seem to care if you're there or not. Now onto the sushi, tiny pieces were served, smallest in my 30 years of sushi experience. Flavor of fish wasn't great. While I prefer smaller pieces, these were exceptionally small. Prices were on par with other's but value diminished by small servings. I only get to Grand Rapids a few times of year but do not recommend this place at all. The one positive was that the younger "helper" was nice and try's to help where he could. read more

I'd say it's a good place for quick lunch when you're in downtown GR. Staffs at sushi bar were friendly. I had one of lunch specials. It took less than 10mins to get what I ordered! Pretty impressive. It was shrimp tempura roll with California roll. It's a hidden gem [really ....since it locates down in basement level lol] read more

Sushi-Yama - Sushi Bars Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I love coming to this place! Wether I'm on the go or need to kill time before a performance, even just coming in to pick up because I don't feel like cooking tonight. This is great sushi for a reasonable price. Mr Kim has been one of the kindest people for myself to have ever met. The place is located at Monroe Center. If your looking for more, this is close to coffee and chocolate shops, night clubs and arena. Who can beat that! Plus I don't know any other sushi business that has been open as long as Sushi Yama downtown. The food is delicious and taste like it's made w/love. SY has a decent price and even more affordable during lunch which runs till 3pm. This is the only place I would go if I didn't live as far as I did. Tell your friends... read more

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You take the menu and mark how many of each item you want, and they have a great selection of rolls, priced very well (I wish I took a pic of the menu). Miso soup is 1.75, the rolls are 8 pc each, and are from 5-10+ dollars each, but we got several in the 5-8 ish dollar range. They were delicious and filling, the two of us started with 4 rolls and ordered a second round. I'd say this is the best priced and best tasting sushi I've ever had, and highly recommend. Some we tried were the Michigan roll and the Fire Cracker. We are willing to drive from Lansing to GR just to go back read more

This underground (literally) sushi spot is a great,affordable find in GR. We just beat a rush so our food was a wait but worth it. Very well made rolls. The basement space is decorated to give a small Japanese feel while you dine. There is overflow seating into the corridor. From the street you need to watch for the sign on the sidewalk. They are located below Kilwin's candy by way of a door off Monroe. read more

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If you're looking for great prices authentic sushi, look no further! This place is a great hole in the wall that has some delicious menu items. After living on the west coast and moving back to the Midwest, I was craving real sushi. I can't recommend this place enough! read more

Sushi-Yama - Sushi Bars Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I'm in love with this place! When first entering into this place I felt like I was in a Japanese grandma's kitchen, so I knew it was going to be good. And it was!! Not only that the prices are more than affordable. I love when I can order a full course meal without breaking the bank. The sushi is slightly bigger than bite size, so you get a mouth full of texture and flavor. And if your roll comes with that toasted sesame that's an extra plus. The prices range from $3.95 -$9.95 for pieces and both the ginger salad and miso soup are $1.50 ea. for just enough to complete your meal. P.S I almost didn't get the pic cause I couldn't stop eating. read more

Sushi-Yama - Sushi Bars Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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