Emma Although Sacramento is known as America’s capital of Farm to Fork and the local cuisine is definitely more traditionally American. That doesn’t mean it’s short of great Japanese restaurants. There are a ton of AYCE options here. We have compiled our top list of AYCE options that you have to try.
We have also added in our top pound-for-pound sushi spots that you need to visit.
- Raku Sushi
Address: 805 Harbor Blvd, West Sacramento, CA 95691, United States:
Price Range – $$
Hand down our favorite spot in Sacramento for AYCE sushi. Raku Sushi has two locations to choose from, but the West Sacramento location is the better option. Opened in 2008, Raku has established itself as the go-to option for AYCE in the area.
For just $17.99 for lunch and $27.95 for dinner, it’s a really well-priced option given the quality and range of choices on offer. The volcano and the Mexicano roll were the standout rolls for us. We were super impressed with the freshness and friendliness of the staff here too.
One of the other nice touches is that there is a salad bar with edamame, fresh seaweed, ginger, and other delicious bites.
Both locations do close for two days during the week. The Roseville spot on Monday and Tuesday and the West Sacramento location on Tuesday and Wednesday, so plan ahead.
Address: 1516 W El Camino Ave, Sacramento, CA 95833, United States:
Price Range – $$
Located in a small strip mall, when you walk up to this spot you can tell it serves some legit sushi. The dishes here are simple and executed really well. Like all good sushi should be.
For the rolls, the ratio of rice to fish is really good. The sushi here is made fresh to order, which sometimes isn’t the case at AYCE spots, so we were glad to see that here. The gyozas were actually the standout at Azukar and this seems to be a common trend based on the reviews that we have been seeing.
The vibe here is pretty laid back and the food here really does the talking. Dinner here costs $30.95, so it is the most expensive option we have featured on our list, but all in all a solid option.
- Aji Sushi
Address: 5239 Elkhorn Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95842, United States
Price Range – $$
Located in the Foothill farms area, Aji sushi is a solid spot for AYCE sushi. We wouldn’t say that Aji is an authentically Japanese offering and if you are a sushi purist, then this might not be the spot for you. If you’re looking for fresh fish and well-presented dishes then Aji hits the spot.
From a price point perspective, this is a reasonably priced option. The quality and range of choice are a little lower than the joints in our top two spots, but it’s still very good. Dinner costs $26.95 per person and lunch will set you back $14.95.
The specialty Aji roll with two types of tuna is really good and a must order. The dishes here are made to order and the fish is fresh. There is a limit on the number of orders that you can have. It’s limited to 3 rounds.
Address: 2151 Lemoine Ave, Fort Lee, NJ 07024, United States
Price Range – $$
Address: 2151 Lemoine Ave, Fort Lee, NJ 07024, United States
Price Range – $$
Not an AYCE option, but Kura is very reasonably priced and you can definitely eat very well for $30. The experience of the conveyor belt is also worth the cost of admission. Kura is a chain of sushi restaurants that originated in Japan. It’s a very tech-enabled experience with a tablet to order cooked items and a plate counting slot to add each dish to your bill. It’s a neat experience.
For the made-to-order dishes, there is actually an additional conveyor belt that the dishes are delivered on.
All of the small plates are $3.30 each and these range from sashimi, nigiri, rolls appetizers to name a few options. The seared scallop with Mayi is really nice and the ramen that you can order is really tasty if you don’t fancy sushi. The standard of sushi here is really nice and when you couple this with the fun atmosphere, it’s a must-visit.
Kura sushi also gamifies the meal. Once you finished your meal you feed the plates into a little slot that counts the number of plates. For every 5 plates, there is a little video that shows on the tablet and for every 15 you get a price. Now the prize is nothing to write home about, but it’s good fun if you have kids with you.
Best Cheap eat
Sakura Grill & Buffet
Address: 2344 Watt Ave, Sacramento, CA 95825
Price Range – $
Although this spot isn’t an alacarte AYCE sushi restaurant we felt it warranted a spot on our list as it does serve some decent Japanese food. The food here is good, nothing to write home about, but if you are looking for an AYCE option at a really good price. Then this is the spot for you.
Pound for Pound Best Sushi Spots in Sacramento
- Kansai Ramen & Sushi House
Address: 2992 65th St, Sacramento, CA 95817, United States
Price Range – $$
This spot is a bit of an all-rounder. When you walk in the front door you will be struck by how small this restaurant really is. It really doesn’t look like much from the inside either, but don’t let that dissuade you from chowing down here. The food here is a boom.
Kansai manages to hit it out of the park with both its ramen and sushi options. The Shoyu and the Seafood ramen are really good. From a sushi perspective, the Maki options are all delicious with the spicy crispy being the highlight.
What we also really like about Kansai. Is that it feels very traditionally Japanese. Their selection of Japanese beers and sake was really good and added to the experience.
Desert here is also a must. The ice cream macaron sandwiches are unreal.
- Banzai Sushi
Address: 6409 Riverside Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95831, United States:
Price Range – $$
Located in the Greenhaven/Pocket area of Sacramento in a strip mall this is a really solid option for great sushi at a reasonable price.
At InspoVacay we look for consistency and quality as the main elements of our review and Bansai Sushi is all of the above. Churning out dish after dish or fresh and perfectly prepared sushi is a serious sushi joint.
Their happy hour menu is also really good. Available daily from 3.30 – 6.00 pm you can get a range of dishes like Karaage, Spicy tuna roll, and Gyozas to name a few for around $6.
