Giving a bad review is not what I enjoy doing unless it's absolutely warranted. My visit to Sushi Zanmai (Boulder, CO) was short-lived and less than positive on a Saturday before 6 pm. My poor experience has absolutely nothing to do with food quality, the menu, or pricing. I had read several reviews about Sushi Zanmai - many had made claims that it is one of the best sushi places to visit in Boulder. While I cannot comment on their food, I can comment on their service. Our party of 3 arrived just before 5:30 pm on a Sat night. Upon arriving and letting them know we had a 3 person party, the front of the house staff decided it would be a good idea to seat us at a small 2 person table and to bring over an extra chair. When we asked for a larger table (made sure that we were polite and not overly demanding), we were told that they could not seat us at a 4 person table because we only had 3 people in our party. However, they did offer us the option of waiting for a 3 person table and would seat us when one came available. What? Yes, 3 person tables exist in the wide world of eateries, but I have never heard of not seating a 3 person party at a 4 top. To not seat a 3 person party at a 6 or 8 top makes sense for sure, but Sushi Zanmai was being ridiculous here. After being given the run-around about why we could not be seated at a more reasonably sized table for a party of 3, we took our hard-earned sushi dollars elsewhere and spent them with pleasure. Upon arriving at Hapa (Boulder) were promptly seated at a 4 person table with our 3 person party. Wise up sushi Zanmai - there is A LOT of good competition out there for dining dollars. You and your staff should not miss out on an opportunity to seat 3 diners with sushi money in their wallets because you refuse to seat 3 people at a 4 person table. I guess Sushi Zanmai does not need the business - I'll gladly take mine elsewhere in the future. Sorry sushi Zanmai - I'll continue to go elsewhere for my sushi needs. read more

I have eaten sushi coast to coast and in probably 30 local restaurants. Tonight I had the worst sushi I have ever had. It was salty, with flavorless fish. If you are craving sushi, go anywhere else and you will be happier. read more

Management was exceptional and sushi chefs are beyond amazing. All staff was above and beyond and food was authentic and delicious, as always! read more

Sushi Zan Mai is our go-to special night out for dinner. We've been regulars for years, and the owners and staff know us, which makes a big, big difference. The front dining room is lively to loud, so if you're more in the mood for quiet, choose one of the private rooms. We always start with Orion beer, big enough to share. If you've never tried it, you're in for a treat: it's perfect with sushi. Try the Kaki Fry: perfectly fried oysters with a delectable sauce. I'm from New Orleans, and know good oysters, and they are not easy to find in Colorado. We've narrowed down our favorites, so ordering is easy: the Z9 roll has avocado, salmon, yellowtail, smelt roe, unagi, and fried shrimp on the inside. It is consistently roll-your-eyes-back heavenly. The salmon nigiri sushi is sine qua non. Yellowtail is almost always delicious, and the smelt roe nigiri is awesome. We like one fresh water eel (unagi) as a sort of dessert. Happy Hour is 5-6:30, and you can pig out without topping $75 for two. Getting to know the owners and staff at a good restaurant makes dining there a particular pleasure. They are more than kind, professional, and generous to us. Always have been. read more

Easily the worst sushi I've ever had. The only reason my rating is so high is that the service was quite good and courteous. The fish on the Nigri Sushi tasted very old and looked uninspiringly stale. After we ate at Zanmai, my wife wouldn't eat fish for days (even cooked fish!). This is unheard of - she's the one who introduced me to sushi in the first place. Their miso soup was tragically bland, and their soy sauce was so salty that I couldn't put it on my sushi. Another reviewer claims that this is the best sushi in Boulder; take this as a warning about the abysmal quality of sushi in this town. Take my advice: if you want decent sushi in Colorado, stay in Denver. read more

MOSHI MOSHI!!!! Always a pleasant trip here. The fish isn't as fresh as you can get, but come on, we're in the middle of the country so quit bitching and enjoy the wonderful preparation. Not a great place for a private evening, get ready to buddy up with the people next to you. read more

Stopped in for some Tatsuage (bite-sized pieces of fried chicken), corn cream croquette, sushi and some bi-ru (beer) on as Saturday night since we were parched a and little hungry. The food was just as good as I heard it was but it was a bit of a downer since all the raucous behavior caused by the frat and sororiety girls really made us feel a bit old. We took care of that pouring eachother sake for a sake bomb and taking home a keepsake karate headband ($6). read more

We were recommended this sushi joint by our cab driver and I wish I could kiss her for the good rec. The z-no 9 sushi roll was the best thing I've ever eaten. Doug the sushi chef did a great job with every roll we had though. Our serve Dao was helpful and patient - as we partook in the sake bomb special (headband included). All in all, great atmosphere, sushi and sake!! read more

Mediocre food, I would give it 3 stars because my dad came out to visit a few years ago when I was in college and they had his favorite Japanese folk songs for karaoke. He belted out a few tunes and he rocked the house. I brought it down to 2 because one night I went there and woke up the next morning with hives all over my body and ended up in the emergency room. Compared to other Japanese restaurants, this is popular because of the entertaining chefs (possibly the connection to Trey Parker and Matt Stone?...the owner's been in a few of their flicks). Surprisingly, there are a few other places in Boulder that are better. read more

I love this place, I work across the street and go there a lot for lunch. They have the best sushi on Pearl St. The customer service is great and they have some of the best bento boxes. read more

Wanted to find a quiet sushi establishment on a Monday night. Sushi Tora was closed and It was too cold to walk to Hapa on the Pearl street mall. Quickly seated with hot sake and green tea. Both warmed us up. We love green teas at Kasa, Sushi Den, and Hapa -- but here we found it too bitter for our taste and the $1 no refill. Might as well just focusmon the cheap hot sake. Even though your order was placed promptl, partying sushi chefs seemed in no hurry to serve up any portion of our order. Pieces and rolls eventually arrived compiled on a single platters with simple, cafeteria--like presentation. Overall, the sushi was tasty, although falling apart. You never think you are dining on Sushi Den creations, but, when the bill arrives: $40 including a flask of hot sake, you feel like you got what you laid for, Three stars for cheap hot sake, pleasant servers, and affordable sushi. read more

WORST SERVICE EVER Sever was rude and did not care about our table. Walked by us several times while we we literally trying to get his attention. When he finally came to the table he said "sup" to see what we needed. Food quality itself has gone downhill. read more

Check out their great lunch specials, they're a great deal just off of the pearl street mall.

What do I like about Sushi Zanmai? No frills! I can get good ole nigiri and sashimi and its still carefully prepared and fresh (as fresh as it gets in Colorado). Simplicity is key. read more

A long legacy in Boulder, all night happy hour on Sundays, fresh fish, friendly/prompt/attentive service, every time. A great hot menu of noodles and tempura for those that aren't sushi-inclined. Two thumbs way up. read more

This place is my absolute favorite. My go to sushi place. The staff is always so warm and welcoming. They're always full and busy which is a good sign since you know they're selling a lot so it's always fresh. It's always consistent and delicious. Fun atmosphere! It does get loud so don't come here if you're expecting an intimate dinner. Super casual and fun! read more

It was my first visit, for my sister's birthday, who had been before. We asked about Saki bombs and the waiter informed us that they offer a "kit" which includes a large 22oz sopporo, a large 10oz of hot sake, and a headband. We had never done Saki bombs before so ordered a set. The waiter knew we had never done them before, yet didn't give us any guidance on how to do it, and even exclaimed "sorry, most people actually know how."... That was awkward. The firecracker and poke rolls were great, edamame was good too. The vegetable dumplings were AMAZING! We also got peanut butter chocolate mochi, which is a a favorite of ours. All things were great, including the amazing birthday celebration they out on! The only negative was our waiter. He acted like he wanted us to leave from the moment we walked in, and wasn't helpful when we had questions. Granted, we have a pretty rambunctious group, but I have never had someone respond so poorly and with such a blatant lack of interest in our experience. It was too bad. I will probably give this place another shot down the road. This cute little spot with amazing food and drinks deserves great service to go along with it. read more

Sushi Zanmai - Poke rolls on the left, firecracker rolls on the right. - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Everything was pretty disappointing except the Colorado roll (the one with raw beef). Well, the fried oysters were OK. All other rolls we ordered were not good. The seaweed salad is totally a joke. read more

After being a patron of this restaurant for many years (going at least once a week) and even being invited to their anniversary celebrations, I no longer go there. The reason is service. One day I had asked for steamed rice. It was undercooked when it was served. After politely asking for a third time to have it served properly or the way it usually was served, with a smile I asked: "are you trying to tell me not come back here again? To my surprise, the server replied: "the kitchen said that is the way it is and we are not going to change what you were served and frankly, we do not care if you come back". I brought this immediately to the owner's attention and he said nothing. If you want great sushi, go to Sushi Tora. read more

I'm a sushi connoisseur and have been sampling sushi all over the state (and the country) for 20 years now. My very first sushi experience when I was 8 years old was here at Sushi Zanmai. I have eaten here on many occasions over the last 20 years and have never been disappointed. One of their rolls that deserved honorable mention is the firecracker roll. You must have one of these! I don't even remember what's in it, just that it's dank as hell! Now down to basics, the menu of course has the classics and the ambiance is great! I would recommend Sushi Zanmai as one of my top picks for sushi in Colorado. read more

The sushi here was fresh and delicious. The negi toro was on their specials menu, so we ordered a roll. I've never thought of myself as a fatty tuna lover, but this roll was fabulous! It was very loud (80's big hair rock and gaggles of yick-yakin' diners) and there were many crashes as big groups of diners enjoyed their sake bombs. It was super busy and our server forgot to bring out the salads we had ordered. But he made up for that by making excellent sake recommendations. Atmosphere wise this place rates 2 or 3 stars, but the food was great (except for the Death Roll) so I rate it 4 stars. By the way the Death Roll, which my boyfriend just had to order, was gross. I like hot, spicy food, but this was just kinda nasty, with pure capsaicin oil and cooked salmon. Also, a word to the wise: They do not offer hon-wasabi even though they seem like a place that would. read more

this review is only about their karaoke on saturday nights. let me just say that i go karaoke allllll the time and this is by far the funnest place that ive done it at. the whole room gets into whatever song you sing. it could have been that i got lucky on the night that i went but everybody crowds by the stage and is singing along with you. its kind of a small room so if you want to go for karaoke you better go early or else you wont have a seat.... and theres not much room to stand. since the karaoke is only from 10-midnight if you want to sing you're going to have to tip. alsooo order the sake bombs bc they give you those cool fun japanese head band things to tie around your head!! read more

Awesome sushi and excellent salmon nigiri, the best I've been able to find in Boulder. The happy hour is awesome too!

I'd give this place a much higher review if I was judging it on its food or it's serving staff. But, if you're here on a Saturday night, you're clearly here for the karaoke. So give up your hopes for a good time because the dj and the mc can be real rude, horrible assholes. Be prepared to wait 2 hours because they'll give up your space to others who bribe or grant them favors. As an establishment that prides itself on good service, they clearly don't understand what it is. read more

I have been to Zan Mai at least two dozen times over the last few years and it is my favorite place in Boulder. While I normally like sashimi here it is all about the rolls, which are fantastic in their variety and quality. I especially enjoy the death roll and orange crush. They also sell the sake glasses they use in the store. read more

Zanmai, hands down serves the BEST sushi in Boulder. Because they stay so busy, many times the wait time for your food to be served is a bit frustrating, but the employees (sushi chefs, wait staff, hostess) are always polite and friendly. The food is great, but with the repeat serving delays I've personally experienced, I have to give them 4 out of 5 stars. I'll definitely go back, as Zanmai is my favorite in Boulder. Enjoy!:) read more

One of the best Japanese restaurants in Boulder and has been since ive been in town since 1990. They have very fresh sushi, amazing chicken teriyaki and the best miso soup! Kind of expensive but sooooo yummy. Fridays and Saturdays are fun if you like loud fun places, oh yeah karaoke on saturday nights can be extremely entertaining. Very busy on weekends so you may have to wait to get a table. read more

I basically grew up on Zanmai, and every time I visit boulder it's a must eat. However this time the service was beyond bad. 20mins went by after we were seated before water even arrived. The server was practically non-existent and when he did bother stopping by our table he was not helpful in anyway. It took almost 2 hours to get our food, and that was after complaining twice to the hostess, who also did nothing. It was a Monday night, they were not busy. Not sure what was going on, but I might have to go elsewhere for sushi next time I'm in town :( read more

Sushi Zanmai pleasantly satisfied a craving for a sushi lunch on a Friday afternoon. We snagged a couple of seats at the sushi bar and were greeted immediately. The dining area is small and at 1pm on a Friday, it was pretty full. Lunch service is only until 2pm and then they close before reopening for dinner service, so don't plan on coming here for a late, leisurely lunch. Based on the tips of some other Yelpers we ordered the Firecracker roll. Everything was good about this roll except for the spicy, creamy mayo they squirt all over the top of it. I'm not a fan of creamy sauces drenching my sushi rolls. The rest of the roll was very good - but if I were to order again, I'd specifically ask for the sauce to be left off. The rest of our order was great - typical sushi rolls - but our favorite of the lunch was the eel and yellowtail nigiri. Both were very fresh and tasted excellent. Other reviews have commented on the lack of freshness of the fish - but perhaps it simply depends on what day you arrive and when the shipment of seafood came in. I'm glad we finally tried this place out and I'm sure we'll be back. read more

Uh yeah, this is a SUSHI restaurant but the sushi's not that great. Yes, they have a great lunch deal but I would rather visit Hapa or Sushi Tora or the other place on Walnut (I can't remember the name). Skip Zanmai, the only reason it does so well is because it's right on Pearl. read more

I went to Sushi Zanmai last night for the first time and I liked it. I had always heard a lot about it from friends who went to CU as it seemed that the combination of sushi and karaoke made it their top Boulder sushi spot. I did not experience the karaoke but I did have the sushi and it was darned fine! Nothing that blew my mind but the fish was fresh and nicely presented. The service was a little spacey but not bad at all. I would definitely go back! read more

Always a great time. The sushi is very well done and presented, the specials are always choice, and make sure you order the Stop, Drop and Roll. read more

Tried this place out for lunch yesterday and was impressed. Pricey, but excellent quality. Server seemed to know his stuff. Unfortunately, we arrived at 1:15P, had laid-back service and were told it was last call as our sushi was placed in front of us at 2P. read more

The sushi here is....just so so fresh! The atmosphere is young and hip and alive. I'm someone who thinks that I'm going to be spending good money ($80-150) on a place in one night, the atmosphere had better be worth some of the money too. They welcome every customer with a loud phrase, and you're seated almost immediately during happy hour. The only restaurant with fresher sushi in Boulder is Sushi Tora, which is much more expensive. Service -a little on the slow side, because we go during happy hour. They mostly forget to check back on tables and when they do, you have to remind them of your already empty drink etc. Other than that, friendly and quick on their feet. Food- very very fresh sushi. I've seen Japango and Sushi Katsu use dried up fish to get rid of it. At Zanmai when I sit at the sushi bar, I always see the chefs inspect the fish as it's being cut and if it doesn't seem right, the whole thing is trashed. I love that I like how they always put quality first instead of wanting to slide by with a bad quality fish beause it's been sitting for hours. Their rolls aren't that great...To be honest, I think they're a waste of money. They have maybe 10?11? on the happy hour menu and they all taste the same, or kinda bland. But a couple are good like the spider roll. I come here for sushi and sashimi so rolls aren't a big deal t o me. read more

After years of good service, today we had a bad experience. My husband and I couldn't get a table because the empty tables supposed to be for larger groups. Note: there was no reservations and other two larger tables were being used by couples. The allegation was that those couples got there earlier and they could be seated and after that time the tables were being saved for larger groups. So sad we had such impolite and disconnected treatment, especially because we couldn't celebrate our 19* anniversary as we wished. read more

Service was really good. They didn't tell us how to order since we had never been there but you have to write it down and give it to them! It's pretty cool. Something I've never experienced read more

Seems like the issues of a month ago have been (for the most part) resolved. We went back last Friday, and the quick service and quality were back. The only thing that continues to "plague" them are if you order anything tempura (i.e. Kaki Fry or Caterpillar roll). In the past, we have always gotten our Kaki Fry quickly, and the Caterpillar roll with the other sushi. However, due to some kitchen changes, we actually got these last - about 20 min after our other sushi. Not a big deal - just FYI if you order these! read more

Cozy neighborhood sushi bar with a delicious menu. What keeps bringing me back is the sake marinated snapper and authentic ume shiso rolls, yum! read more

Consistently rated "best of Boulder" for a reason. Good service. Great fish. They do have some of the absurd fried/mayo/cream cheese rolls that are unfortunatly too popular in sushi restaurants now, but the real sushi is still top notch. By far my top place for sushi in Boulder. Go during the evening happy hour (6ish) for an even better deal! read more

I chose this establishment based on a recommendation from a friend who lives in Boulder. The place was packed when I ate here on a Thursday evening and they have a pretty good selection of items. I ordered the deluxe combo sashimi, avocado maki roll, salmon and avocado roll, and spider roll. Everything I ate here was solid and the fish was fresh. The rolls were not very innovative or special, however. Prices are reasonable, however, and the server was attentive. read more