Best Sushi In The Sacramento Area
Mikuni Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar
4323 Hazel Ave.
Fair Oaks, CA 95628
(916) 961-2112
www.mikunisushi.com
Hands down the best Sushi in Northern California. Now located in several spots including Midtown Sacramento, Roseville, Elk Grove and even Denver. But this is where it all began – the original location on Hazel in Fair Oaks. This is an ugly strip mall it seams each year, another store is gutted and Mikuni is expanded. You get a loud greeting here. Taro – the founder – has created a great place for Sushi and not Sushi lovers. The rolls – Fair Oaks and Marilyn Monroe – are killer with their special sauces. But if you want to get daring, try the Spider Roll. It's one of those things you don't really want to look at while your eating, but the soft shell crab is just killer. If you get there at 7pm on a Friday night, bring comfortable shoes – you will be standing around a long time.
Blue Nami Sushi & Sake House
8807 Greenback
Orangevale, CA 95628
(916) 988-2300
www.bluenamisushi.com
This is hands down the second best Sushi in the Sacramento area. Ironically, it's just a seven minute drive from the Hazel location of Mikuni, so this is prime overflow territory if you ignored my warning and went to Mikuni at 7 p.m. on a Friday night. Once again, it's all about fresh stuff and getting creative with raw fish and fancy sauces. I actually like the sea steak more here than Mikuni, and the Fire Cracker will do some damage in all the right ways. The Orangevale restaurant is small and cozy, and once again, in a really ugly strip mall. This keeps the trendy yuppies away. They have a Roseville location, but I always say, spend money in Orangevale.
Taro's by Mikuni
1735 Arden Way #200
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 564-2114
www.mikunisushi.com
I was expecting Mikuni – and I got some of it, but they mix up the menu a bit – keep you guessing. And instead of an ugly strip mall on Hazel, you're in a real mall on Arden. This is a popular place for lunch. A little cozier – but still a lot of yelling. What is it about guys who roll raw fish and rice? And the prices, not so nasty.
Taka's Sushi
11773 Fair Oaks Blvd.
Fair Oaks, CA 95628
www.takassushi.net
The sushi game has always been competitive in Sacramento. And while the bar has been raised through name recognition, people say Taka's is as good as any of the marquee names. It's small, almost un-hip by design, but the head chef says laying low has helped them. With the new R Street complex down the block, Taka's is getting new customers all the time. And since it's in a residential area, locals can simply walk down the block.
Nagato
2874 Fulton Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95821
(916) 489-8230
www.nagatosukiyaki.com
When you step inside Nagato Sukiyaki, there's no doubt who's the boss. Owner Fumi Dawano has been at the head of this Japanese restaurant for 40 years. She and her husband, Yoshi, were married in 1970, and soon after started a restaurant called Danny's, an American-style diner. But their culinary roots ran too deep, and eventually, Danny's became Nagato. Fumi and Yoshi's son, Don, runs the sushi bar. He says their customers have stayed loyal because the restaurant hasn't changed its style just to be trendy. Owners say the modern rock and roll is the best selling sushi roll.
