I've had very expensive sushi, I've had all-you-can-eat-make-you-sick sushi, I've had store-bought sushi, I've had pretty much all types and prices of sushi without actually going to Japan (but I'm hoping to this year!) Happy Sumo for me is about a 7 out of 10 for Utah sushi bars. The rolls are all pretty good, but they still don't have that out-of-this-world taste that other sushi bars seem to create. This past time we visited we had the Surf & Turf Roll (the steak was burned), Samurai Roll (one of my favorites), and Mango Mamma Roll (very good if you like fruit). The price reflects the better quality so expect to pay around $10-15 per roll. The atmosphere is nicer than most since it's an actual restaurant and NOT a throw-up-some-decorations in a strip mall and call it good restaurant. The waiters/waitresses are generally all good-looking college-aged kids and they run around quietly doing their jobs so no complaint on the service. I've never had much more than a 15-20 minute wait no matter what time of day or night and it's much more conducive to business meetings if you're looking to impress and still get decent food. read more

The Happy Sumo - Surf & Turf Roll, Samurai Roll, Mango Mamma Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Provo, Utah

Great spot! We ordered about 10 rolls and they were all good. My favorite was the Lavish. The fried cheesecake bites were a delicious surprise at the end. Our server was attentive and fun. We'd absolutely go back! read more

After a decidedly lackluster to outright bad experience at the location in Gateway, I was none too eager to resume this particular chain, but events being what they were and foolishly believe the word of a kinda sorta generally reliable source, I went for it. On an unrelated to this note, I probably will entirely reject further thoughts of going to anything at Riverwoods. What an unholy pain in the ass to park at... *Ahem* That aside, this is a very nice place inside. Ambiance is fantastic. The appetizers are also solid. I ordered a few and found very little fault with those, other than wanting to bash the kitchen staff upside the noodle with a fry pan when I saw the wonderful shishito peppers coated in a vague stab at what I supposed was a tempura batter. That's a definite strike there. Spring rolls were probably the best thing I had, though execution there could be improved on the rolling and the calamari was acceptable. Better to not have so much batter, kids. Coke Zero on tap was nice, but mix predictably also needed work. As to the sushi...this is yet another fusion-y place that doesn't do fusion well. So, good if you like lots of rice and sauce, but if you want things like fresh fish, for instance, you will do better going elsewhere. I will leave off with what is fast becoming my unintentional mantra for this type of place and simply say, this is 50% sushi at full prices. YMMV, depending on how much ambiance is worth to you. read more

The Provo location has gone downhill! last week we waited to be seated while the front desk just chatted with each other for 10 minutes. Then we got seated and waited 35 minutes. No one came and even gave us water or came to say they would be with us. They had several workers and they kept just going in back and kept talking to each other. The table next to us had waited forever just to pay. We finally got up and left since no one came. They weren't even full. We decided to try again tonight and ordered to go and it wasn't ready 20 minutes after promised and once again they weren't busy. The chicken was super dry and my husbands meat tasted really old and weird. Within two hours both him and our friend had problems in the bathroom with their food. At least this time the front did try to help to get us our food. I don't know what is happening to Happy Sumo but I think the staff needs to learn to concentrate on their customers and stop just chatting and hanging out! read more

Yesterday we went to happy sumo after tubing the provo River. Our server was soooo freaking amazing I wish I could remember her name. She is incredible! The Sushi was phenomenal. I got the playboy and the one she said was her favorite it had crab on top and something melted I cannot remember the name. And we had plum saki and ended up taking a bottle home. Freaking delicious. Phenomenal quick service. Had a great time. Thank you! read more

This is my go-to sushi spot in Utah Valley. Pro tip: order a chef's special from the sushi bar! I've never been disappointed with the custom rolls they make. The staff are all super friendly and whenever food has any delay/mistake, they've always been great about communicating and fixing things. If I'm not in the mood for sushi, spicy Szechwan chicken or beef yakisoba always hit the spot. read more

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Great food! I don't eat a lot of Sushi but after eating it here I want more. The service was helpful and happy. My order was ready when promised. read more

Quick service and awesome management. Super clean and well kept location. Their sushi is always good quality and made fresh.

The food was actually pretty good. This would be a 5 star review if I didn't have food poisoning. My first symptom started 43 hours after eating here and are still going 33 hours later. Since I was the only one who ate fish and everyone I've eaten with recently doesn't have symptoms I'm pretty confident this is where I got it. I'm not writing this to be mean. I just want to make the owners aware so they can check supplies and food handling. Thanks read more

The service was great, but the food was not any better than what you might get at panda Express, and we paid almost $75 for the dinner. I wouldn't recommend this place. read more

Mango Mama is my favorite! The service is always so great and friendly. The Cabana roll is also good too

The sushi is average. The issue we had when we went was the sushi rice wasn't seasoned at all.

Overall thoughts: As far as sushi in Provo goes; it is right on par with all of the other joints in the area. However, there are things that could make the augment the experience that does not deal specifically with the food. The atmosphere (3 stars) - Nothing too special about the interior of this restaurant. It is clean and inviting, but it does feel like a chain, and there isn't too much that is memorable about the aesthetics of the space itself. The food (3.5 stars) - The food itself was good. While I did not venture to try the Nigiri and Sashimi, the rolls themselves were tasty. They have a solid mix of more traditional rolls, as well as more Americanized fare. Both of which were quite delicious. Service (3.5 stars) - The service we received was prompt, courteous, and constant. Value (2.5 stars) - While the food and service were solid, the amount I paid for 4 rolls of okay sushi was quite surprising, especially since I still went away hungry after the fact. SIDE NOTE: They do have a VIP membership you can sign up for which will give you deals on specific nights, on specific dishes. If I were to use one of these deals, I would most likely rate their value a bit higher. read more

This place has a no substitution policy for the nigiri on the combo platters. I wanted a substitution of the offered nigiri for one that was lower in price (but still would pay the same price for the combo of course). They wouldn't do it. Sure enough, as I expected, I did not like the nigiri that came with the combo and did not finish it. I can get sushi like what I got here anywhere. I don't like stupid policies and hope they get rid of this one. read more

My family loves sushi and we decided to get on the wait list while at the Riverwoods to see Santa in December. After about a 40 minute wait we were notified our table was ready. After being seated, We waited for an additional 10-15 minutes with no service -not even water. I finally called the front desk and asked if I should place my order online or if a server would be helping us. They eventually sent a server to place our order. When the sushi came out it was TERRIBLE. The salmon in one roll was so chunky it was hard to gag down. The tuna in the spicy tuna roll was soggy to the point the roll was falling apart when we attempted to pick it up. My son got the bento box and said the white rice was hard and the chicken was flavorless. It's hard to spend $100 on a meal that is as harder to gag down than fast food. Terrible food , terrible service. We won't be back. They didn't even try. read more

Totally impressed. When someone suggest sushi on a Monday in land-lockville, I usually pass. I'm glad I came. It was slammed busy but the rolls were awesome. I had both of their spicy rolls, volcano something, and they were great. I hate when they drown rolls in tobiko, but these were perfect size and great sauces and flavor. Would definitely come back again. read more

The sushi was great but the service was amazing. Alix was our server and she was on top of it which made the experience just THAT much better. read more

Worst sushi rice ever! I mean how hard is it to get the recipe right, a little rice wine vinegar and some sugar, to compound the issue the rice was cold and hard. The fish on the nigiri was decent but the rice was so distracting I couldn't enjoy it. Granted it is Utah, but Ahi Muse (the all you can eat sushi place) around the corner is better. For the price this place is a major fail. read more

As a California native I am quite picky when it comes to sushi. To me, this place is just ok but I always come back because you just can't beat the happy sumo Tuesday deal! read more

Happy Sumo is a great magician. While they are mesmerizing you with their sleek décor, dim lighting, sexy booths, and attractive servers, those same attractive servers are putting plates of mediocre sushi in front of you. But as you take a bite, all you are thinking is how pretty your sushi looks, and how chic the restaurant is, and before you know it you've swallowed, without ever noticing your not-that-impressive- food. You are good Happy Sumo. Very good. But I see through your illusion to what you really are: average sushi that is not worth the trendy price. read more

I love this place! Here are some of my favorite items on the menu: Starters: Crab Wontons Edamame Miso Soup Thai Lettuce Wraps Salads: Seaweed Salad Rolls: Baja Firecracker Utah Sweetheart Rainbow Crunch Vegas Sunset & Rock N Roll Dessert: Mochi Balls Yummy Place and Fun/Nice Atmosphere. Great date place. read more

I've frequented Happy Sumo for the past 3 years now. It's a very, very hit or miss experience. On a good night: The price matches the quality of the food. It's obviously not the best sushi you're going to eat (if you have had a wide range of sushi) but it's 10-15 dollars a roll. And if you sign up for the VIP email list, you get half off. So we're talking about 5-7 dollars a roll. If I don't feel like spending big, this is totally worth it for me. On a bad night: You'll wait 5-10 mins between seeing your waitress, the food will come out after 45+ mins of waiting, the raw fish on your sushi will be way too warm (not sitting on enough ice or something), and your waitress will mess up your order/ticket several times. Unfortunately, the bad nights far outnumber the good...I have trouble returning to Sumo because it's just happened far, far too many times. Try Shoga in Orem instead. read more

Let me preface this review by saying Happy Sumo used to be one of my favorite restaurants... until tonight. This was my first time at the Orem location and I was a little worried because I had read some recent reviews about this location not being very good. Despite the reviews I went and had some of the worst sushi I've ever tasted. I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to your basic roll. We ordered the Mango Momma, Vegas and Bacon Rolls. When they first brought the rolls I noticed right away that they looked different from the rolls I had ordered at the Salt Lake location. The rolls were smaller and they tasted old, bland and lacked the typical fresh textures and flavors. Other reviewers aren't kidding when they say quality has dipped big time. The bacon roll was one of the worst things I've tasted and it was truly a disappointing night. The service was also horrible. The waitress hardly paid attention to us and even appeared to avoid our table as it was evident my wife and I were both having a hard time choking down our food. We were nice to her and didn't complain at all but she could tell we didn't like it. She rushed us out of there as quick as possible. I don't know if its just this location or all the Happy Sumo's but this food is not nearly as good as it used to be. I give this 1 star because it used to be such a great place to eat and it's taken a complete nose dive on the food quality, taste, and service. Don't waste your time or money. Your local Smiths or Harmons probably has better sushi than this place. read more

Roommates wanted to go out to sushi. It's half off day at this place (They said Happy Sumo but I heard Shoga, which was the only reason I tagged along). Well it's my first time going here and the second I saw the menu I knew it wasn't gonna end well. Sushi roll with chicken in it? Bahahaha that's a terrifying sight. Ordered the sumo sampler, the baja and the frida roll. Sampler: The prawns were not firm but rather soggy and flavorless. Wontons and pot stickers were okay. The peppers were the only things I like. Proportion was small. Granted it was half off, it wasn't a horrible deal. The rolls: Sushi rice was laughable. Ginger was the cheap pink kind. Wasabi was the weak powdered stuff that you mix with water. The tuna in the baja was brown and old. The flavors of the baja did not go together very well but rather funky tasting, not in a good way. The frida roll suffered the same faith and were made with old ingredients. First time, and last time. read more

My family has raved about his place for years now and I'm never one to jump in the car and go eat sushi....BUT last night I did and was pleasantly surprised! It was a busy Saturday night, so a carload left early to get on the wait list. They were told it would be a 90 min wait, which turned out to be only 30 min! The restaurant seemed small for how busy they were. They shoot out a text when your table is ready, so we walked around and enjoyed the fun atmosphere at this fun shopping area. I loved the variety of non-sushi items on the menu. Those who loved sushi, devoured it and I nibbled on a few pieces as well. My favorite was the mango roll. It was like a dessert. I mostly ate the sampler plate with fried shrimp and crab cakes. We had a great server and enjoyed free re-fills. At the end of the night, she asked us if we would like our last re-fill in a to-go cup! What an extra delight. Great prices for the VIP guests and loved the mints. Now I can go with my family and we can all enjoy a meal together! Thanks Happy Sumo for making us all HAPPY :) read more

SOME OF THE BEST SUSHI IVE EVER HAD! I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes to be seated and service is awesome. It is very delicious and definitely recommend coming if you want good quality sushi ! :) read more

Good sushi, but for some reason the serving staff think they don't have to provide any reasonable level of service. It's like they think they're doing you a favor by allowing you to eat at their restaurant. Again, good sushi, but not the service I'd like to see. read more

Food was average. . The rolls were a bit bland. The server forgot to bring the soy sauce dipping bowl. .. read more

The Happy Sumo - So we came in for lunch and saw this tuna sitting on the counter. Forty minutes later, it's still sitting there... Last Visit - Sushi Bars Near Me - Provo, Utah

One of the more trendy sushi places around. The atmosphere is dark, cool and the servers fashionable, of course. One of the more cooler aspects - the take-out menu. It's the size of a business card that houses the entire menu...including a map at the back, directions and all. Again, back to the trendy thing. The menu itself is lined up with non-traditional sushi rolls. Instead, almost everything has cream cheese or some weird aspect to it...such as jalapeno. Scour the menu though, I'm sure something will spark your interest as they have a wide selection. Not into sushi? That's alright since they have an actual sushi-free dinner section in the back of the menu. Served with white rice, they look amazing. The sushi itself was fresh and actually very yummy. Prices are a little steep but considering the location I guess that's acceptable. To sum things up, this is definitely not your typical "I-feel-for-sushi-for-dinner" places, it's more of a "I've-got-a-hot-date" or "Impressive-business-dinner" sushi joints. read more

So who is this happy sumo, and why is he happy? Sorry, maybe you all like this place, but I found the sushi incredibly flavorless and stale. Almost as if they had pre-rolled everything. I do admit that I might have come on an off night, and in full disclosure, my wife loved her veggie sushi roll (but honesty, how can you screw up rice, avocado, and tempura veggies anyway?). But the noddles were cheap, the fish was crusty, small in portion, and, as I said, flavorless. Maybe I should give them another try; for right now, there are better sushi places around for me to spend my (somewhat) hard-earned money. read more

The sushi is decent and the entrees are for the most part satisfying. The service is usually poop. The girls that work there are so caught up on flirting with the guys who frequent that it's hard to get seated, let alone good service. One thing Happy Sumo has going for itself is their VIP deals. The prices are actually doable when you go at the right time with your VIP pass. read more

Become A VIP at the Happy Sumo Website and you will get great deals!!! Yes the Happy Sumo is expensive what good sushi is not expensive??? So become a VIP member its free. My wife and I can go on a Friday night after 9pm and get $60 of sushi/ appetizers/ and desert for $30. Don't believe me check the website www.happysumo.com All special rolls/appetizers/ and deserts are half off! Every month you are emailed a calendar what day and time all the deals for the VIP members are. This is a great way to lower the cost of Happy Sumo. Love there sushi and go at least once or twice a month. For your birthday they through you an extra $15 in gift certificates to be used on a weekday. This is a great place for sushi lovers and first time sushi tries there is a lot of variety on the menu, Recommended Rolls Mango Mamba Roll Vegas Roll Funky Roll Firecracker Roll (spicy) Surf and Turf Roll Call in and reserve a table before it will save you a wait time. read more

In my opinion this place is too expensive for what you really get. Come on, I mean how much do think raw fish on rice really cost? Service is slow and they charge you for refills on your soda. I say find a cheaper place. The sumo may be happy because so many people will spend so much money there, but many are not so happy when they get the bill and they wait too long for service. Skip this place is my suggestion. I have been once and do not desire to return. read more

The Sushi here is excellent and the prices are reasonable, especially if you go on VIP night. The management, particularly a gentleman named Eric, greeted us personally and helped us get the best deal with the VIP rolls. Food was served promptly, even on a busy night, and the servers were very kind. Cons: We sat at a table for two right next to another couple, and we were so close I could hear every word of their conversation. Also, the lettuce for the lettuce wraps was served dripping wet with a few browning parts, and wasn't at all in a convenient shape for filling with delicious stuff. read more

Love this place! I've been to lots of Sushi restaurants and I always end up comparing it to Happy Sumo. I don't know if I've ever tried a bad roll here. In fact, I rarely eat the same thing because I'm always happy with all the other choices, and there are A LOT of choices. I'm always surprised at how little I wait at such a popular restaurant. Plus, there's always the option of sitting at the bar and getting your food quickly. The managers, hostesses and wait staff are always really friendly and helpful with suggestions. But, if you're at a loss for what to order, the Vegas Roll will never disappoint. Love the Orem Happy Sumo!!! read more

If you rate this restaurant 5 stars you've never had good sushi. Rice was soggy. Fish not fresh. Too much sauce. The rolls have good ideas for ingredients but the actual food is lackluster. Service was good but this might be the worst sushi I've ever had. I've never left sushi on a plate before eating here. read more

My husband and I go here on the regular. One of our very favorite places to get sushi (and we've tried sushi all over the place!!). A little more expensive, but we think it's worth it! Great service, great food, lots of options for those who don't like sushi as well. They also have discount days if you sign up for their VIP emails. Also, try the tempura cheesecake or mochi ice cream if you have a sweet tooth. read more

After a few days in Provo, my standards have come down. Our checklist went like this: 1. Are the open? 2. Do they serve alcohol? And Happy Sumo fit the bill. The food was standard (according to the waitress: "some people say it is as good as P.F. Chang's!") but not exceptional. The portions were enormous and I would have been happier not eating so much of it, but I came hungry and left without being poisoned so I'll consider it a success. read more

No, the sushi isn't good "for Utah." It just isn't good. There are better places in the county and much better places in the state. There is almost no real sushi. This is a sushi bar for people who hate sushi. read more

First, I used to love this restaurant but over a little while now I've noticed that the sushi has gotten to be mediocre, which for the price is pretty disappointing. If you're a VIP member and you go on a two-for-one night that's not too terrible however. Second, the service. I don't know what is going on behind the scenes here but it needs to be fixed. Most inattentive waitresses I've ever had. And I don't see them busy with other people. They just kind of... disappear. I hope this place gets back to how it used to be: a customer-friendly establishment with excellent quality food. read more