For our money, Paradise Sushi in Santa Rosa and Petaluma are the outright winners for your money. Unlike other all-you-can-eat sushi bars, they don’t over wrap with rice, just to make you full.
Sane people approach an all you can eat sushi bar with the same caution as, say, a trapped opossum. Which is to say with an equal mix of amount of extreme fear and unbridled fascination. We have evolved as a species to seriously question the combination of highly perishable raw seafood at value prices for good reason. Chinese buffet “sushi” steam tables have only reinforced our instinct to run screaming.
But hope springs eternal for that raw food of the gods. Fortunately, BiteClub found two contenders worthy of two-chopstick salute for their endless sushi bars: Santa Rosa’s Hikuni Sushi Bar and Hibachi and Paradise Sushi in Petaluma (now also in Santa Rosa!).
For about $19 per person ($22.95 for dinner at Paradise), you can order nigiri (the typical “sushi” with a piece of fish placed on a neat pile of rice), maki rolls or hand rolled sushi from their specialized menus until you plead for mercy.
These are not buffets, and the rub is that you have to eat everything on the plate before you order more (including the rice), you can’t share, you can’t do take-out (duh) and some of the prime cuts of tuna, salmon or costly uni are extra (or not on the menu). But when a single Rainbow Roll typically costs $14 or more, two people can come out ahead on the deal.
Serious sushi snarfers can inflict damage. At Paradise Sushi, our server assured us that several high school football players were regulars, and the record number of rolls eaten by one person: 13. “I don’t know where people put it,” she said.
Be prepared to cool your heels if you’re going several rounds. Sushi is a hand-made item, and people paying full price will likely bump your order down, along with those football players ordering 13 California rolls.
You’ll be expected to finish what you order (or pay a penalty), so be judicious in your selections. Also, it’s usually wise to stick to the basics, rather than use this time to explore. We found that out by accidentally ordering “ikura” rather than “uni” and having to down a half-cup of giant orange fish eggs. Ack.
Overall, we found the all-you-can-eat sushi hovers in the “utility” category, rather than truly great, but sometimes you just need a fix. Cheap.
Paradise Sushi & Grill Santa Rosa
119 Fourth St., Santa Rosa
Paradise Sushi & Grill
20 E. Washington St.
Petaluma
781-9695
Hikuni Sushi Bar and Hibachi
4100 Montgomery Dr., Suite C
Santa Rosa
539-9188.
Just noticed the old date on this article. We went there yesterday expecting all you can eat for $19. It is now $40 for all you can eat!!
Paradise does a real good job with their all you can eat menu, and include a ceviche roll that is a “must try,” regardless of whether its all you can eat.
I had enjoyed hikuni a few times, because I live close by, and think Paradise may be a better choice for some because their rolls are a bit more interesting.
I agree about the big sushi bills and growing young men…my son is on sushi like a harbor seal on a steelhead…to ask whether we want to go to hikuni or paradise we just call and bark into the phone…..
PS. Ceviche rolls at paradise are PM only, not lunch.
For the record, Paradise Sushi is also in Rohnert Park. I have been to both Paradise and Hikuni….by Far, Paradise is the better, of the two. No sashimi at Paradise, but it is really a great meal for a great price!
Don’t let anyone tell you what should or should not be eaten in an ‘all-you-can-eat’ format. Do what you want.
…for me, I LOVE sushi and can easily rack up a $100 sushi bill without even thinking about it. So I was going to be eating a lot anyways, so an all-you-can-eat option makes a lot of sense. Besides, as Heather points out, it only takes a couple of rolls to get get to $20 anyways, so even if you pay for all-you-can-eat, you’ll still be ahead of the game, even if you don’t put away sushi like I do.
Also, as far as the freshness and quality of the fish, Paradise is great. (They also have most of their regular menu available for all-you-can-eat, which is rare with sushi places.) They learned their sushi chef skills in Renoux/Tahoe, where ALL sushi places have an all-you-can-eat option. What it does is drive more customers in the door, which means the fish sells regularly, which means they are regularly getting fresh fish. And I know for a fact that owner of Paradise turns away fish if he doesn’t think it is high quality enough.
They learned their skills in Tahoe?!?! Move over Jiro!!!! Lmao!!! Not sure which is more sad, that you’re impressed by that, or that you would profess “quality” and “fresh” from a place like Paradise. Just goes to show that 99% of the population in this country knows absolutely nothing about sushi. Thanks for the laugh though! And yes, by all means, “do what you want”…enjoy your bargain basement “sushi” thinking it’s something special.
He probably thinks Olive Garden is “authentic” Italian food, or Red Lobster is “fresh high quality seafood” too.
Just so you know, Houston is a food writer I respect very much. I’m glad he chimed in. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t think Olive Garden is “authentic”. But if he did, I wouldn’t be judgmental. People are allowed to like what they like. Sheesh.
Oh wow…he’s a “food writer”. Him and 9 billion other people online.
Somehow, all you can eat and sushi don’t belong together. It’s not supposed to be a gorge fest. #MissingThePoint
All you can eat Tempura would go over great in America. Like plaque on arteries.
THANK YOU!!!! Nice to see that at least one person realizes this!!!
Eat, eat, eat till the last tuna is gone. Mmmm!
Tell my 18 year old son that. Really. I spend about $65 taking him to an “okay” sushi spot. I spent triple digits on his 16th birthday at Hana. On a weeknight when we want a raw fish fix (one roll, and maybe three nigiri for me, double that for him) I don’t want to spend that much.
Lots of judgment. Yikes.
Quality costs money, there is no way around it. I would rather save up my money and wait to eat at somewhere truly exceptional, even if it meant spending a small fortune, rather than go cheap or the AYCE route. To each their own I suppose.
“Best” and “all you can eat” is a non sequitur.
Not all you can eat but I have had many great meals in Sushi Hana in Sebastopol.
We will NEVER set foot in Hikuni again! The place is filthy and the service is next to non-existent. Imagine what the parts of the restaurant where the public doesn’t get to see looks like! Never, ever again.
totally agree. horrible place
Paradise Sushi is great. Fresh fish, freshly made rolls, hand rolls and Nigiri.
Individually made, it’s NOT buffet. You order a few rolls & or Nigiri at a time. Some waiting is required.
They have a nice sized restaurant in Petaluma, (opening a 2nd location on Rohnert Park Xpressway soon.
Waitresses are friendly and prompt, lunch is busy, dinner is always packed.
They have a lunch price, dinner price & child’s price.
My 12 year old son, his mom & I have been going since they opened.
Sushi has been his favorite meal since he was a toddler.
Being a mom on a budget, Hikuni in great for my two teenage sushi eaters. Sushi can be very expensive. Granted its ususally worth it. But as for all-you-can-eat. It works. Thanks Hikuni 🙂
Hikuni used to be my favorite middle of the road sushi place ever before they started their all you can eat sushi. The service was always spotty, but I came to expect that and really enjoyed the food.
Then along came the all you can eat sushi the service was still spotty but the sushi was good. Now the sushi is terrible and inconsistent and the service is even worse than ever before. I still go back every couple of months hoping they have fixed their problems, not so far.
The worst part of it all is they are just down the street from my house and it used to be great to have good sushi so close.
I really miss when Tosaki in Sebastopol did All You Can Eat. They really were the best, the price was good and the sushi was amazing. They had to stop doing it because people were abusing it, refusing the pay for what they could not eat. Such a travesty.
Say what?
“… you can’t share, …” and “… two people can come out ahead on the deal.” 🙂
Maybe that was poorly worded…what I meant was you can’t go in and just pay $16 and have two people eat the all-you-can-eat. You EACH have to pay the full amount. But for $32 if you eat a few rolls and a bunch of nigiri, you financially come out ahead (in my experience) of just ordering the rolls and sushi a la carte.
Also I wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that any time I’ve been to Hikuni for their all you can eat the service is ATROCIOUS. I understand that your other customers are paying more than I am because of your all you can eat option but that’s your choice. No matter who I’m there with we always end up waiting way too long (45-60 minutes) for one round of rolls when the place is relatively empty (just us and two or three other people in our area). Sometimes we get miso soup and salad, other times no. Sometimes we get our drinks. Sometimes we don’t. So the service is definitely spotty but I understand that they’re losing money running all you can eat deals. My friends and I always try to tip huge to make up for what they lose in their deals but we have a hard time tipping large when parts of our orders aren’t given to us and we have to run around trying to find our waiter because it’s been an hour and we haven’t had any food or water. We chased the waiter down asking for green tea for an hour and a half before just giving up and asking for it to be taken off of the bill.
The last time I was there, I took my brother and sister-in-law who were here from out of town and we waited three hours for a salmon skin roll that was ordered in the first round and they said they were almost done with it when we were walking out of the door. They asked if they could box it, which admittedly was kind, but we were already out the door.
Seems to be better in theory. But I like that there are at least two places in the area that offer all you can eat sushi.
Here’s a hint from a chef I know who goes often: go at off hours. That means late on a tuesday or between lunch and dinner. If u try to go Friday or Saturday night u won’t be happy. Also skip the salad at Hikuni. Blech
Also, Mr. Jason went yesterday and said the service was pretty bad at Hikuni. It’s a trade-off. You sit in the “pen” and get pretty surly waitstaff, but you get all-you-can-eat. I mean, I wouldn’t take a date or guests. This is power-sushi eating.
Both of those times were during the off hours to offset those crowds. Can’t win em’ all I guess. 😉 Thanks though, Heather! Appreciate the tip.
SO TRUE!
Let’s just say I’m glad there is another option. I like a little fish with my rice.
Rice costs pennies…why in the world would you be “penalized” fro not eating all of your rice? That is nuts, and I have been frequenting all-you can sushi establishments for over 15 years throughout our state, and have only seen this twice.
Also, the “all-you can eat” motto brings people in to try certain sushi they may have not thought about ordering before. If something you order does not please your taste buds (or quite frankly tastes awful) and you don’t want another bite of that disgusting roll, why in the world would you be forced to digest it before you can taste another roll? This is insane.
If these two establishments are worried that someone is “wasting” their all-you can eat meal, either stop calling it all you can eat, or give smaller portions at a time.
I think the point is to try to slow people down and offset the whole “all you can eat” aspect of it by making the rolls wayyyy to rice heavy to fill you up so you’ll order less. That’s definitely been my experience at Hikuni at least.
They claim that the charge is in place so that food isn’t wasted although I completely agree with you.
Can you get sashimi instead of sushi at Paradise? I don’t want the rice.
Also, FYI, my family and I tried the sushi place next to the Mystic Theater in Petaluma…Kabuki. Luckily getting there in time for “Happy Hour”…(as otherwise, I’d have to float a loan to pay for what they/and I eat). The food was very good, the waitress was on top of things and personable, and it was about 2/3’s of what we would normally pay. We were especially glad to find Hamachi Kama on the menu.
It would probably be safer for you to just eat the rice than what they try to pass off as “fresh fish” at Paradise, or any of these “all you can eat” joke places. Quality comes with a price, no way around it. These places all push quantity, which sadly equals garbage. But the masses don’t seem to know any better and sadly eat it up. Raw fish is the LAST thing I would ever want a “bargain” on. Frightening.
I agree.
All commercial fish, raw or not , is frozen at some point.
Quality, safety, preparation, cultural respect, taste, connection all are factors for consideration.
Save up for the good stuff – mentally and fiscally .
Amen sister!!!
I love Hikuni!