Favorite sushi bar

[Robin Garr]

The last poll we did was fun, so let's have another! "Favorite" or "best" lists are always good topics for both voting and discussion ... how about sushi? Tell us your favorite Louisville-area sushi bar or sushi restaurant!

I can eat myself into the poor house there, and love every minute of it......the spicey shrimp is wonderful, and it's fun to sit at the Sushi Bar and watch them make the goodies.

Sapporo is our stand-by. I used to enjoy Sakura Blue when I lived in St. Matthews, maybe I should take the wife there next time we get the craving. It's one of my few old haunts she has never been to...

Is Maido a sushi bar?

[Robin Garr]

Is Maido a sushi bar?

I knew that question was going to come up.

Maido literally does not have a "sushi bar," and as I pointed out in the recent review, it's not really a sushi bar, it's an Osaka-style izakaya.

But that being said, Toki makes outstanding sushi, and Maido has probably 100 sushi options on the second half of its menu. I thought about leaving it off and commenting in the intro that I was only polling sushi BARS, but that just felt wrong somehow.

Raw doesn't have a sushi bar either ... it has a sushi chef who works up in a high pulpit, but you can't really belly up and watch her work. On the other hand, Raw doesn't seem to be much of a contender in this poll ...

Thanks. I really did not know. I only went to Maido once several years ago.

I agree with Robin and Ron - I think Maido is awesome and I go there more often than I go somewhere for sushi, but it is not a sushi bar.


Cheers.

Robin did at least qualify the poll in his post with "or sushi restaurant." Until I saw that I was also going to object to places that were not actual sushi bars.

Not that it really matters for a poll like this, I wouldn't want to leave out a good place for sushi merely because it doesn't qualify as a 'bar'.

I too make a distinction between Maido and sushi bars. Even though I usually have sushi when I go there, and it's very good, if I'm actually going out specifically for sushi I go to Sakura. In fact, I just went there last night, with a friend who was only having sushi for the second time ever. It was only about a month ago that she was kind of grossed out by the whole idea of it, and she was highly skeptical when I promised her that it's addictive. But sure enough, she tried it and now she loves it. I win.

Two potential additions:

1. Simply Thai. If Maido can be there, so can this! The chef (if I remember right) used to be a big sushi chef in town, and although it's a Thai restaurant they do have a sushi list with some unusual and wonderful options.

2. Jeff Ruby's. While certainly not what I'd call "traditional", at least when we ate there there was a sushi chef in the front that made special (and enormous) sushi rolls that were unusual (some were unusual/good, and some just plain unusual).

Also, while it's definitely not Japanese, the new Seviche has a "seviche bar" in the front!

[Robin Garr]

I'm a little surprised that Tokyo isn't getting any more love. I've found it one of the best over the long haul; it's short (but not really deficient) on atmosphere, but it's family owned and operated and the management and chefs really seem to care. They make great sushi and often have really unusual ingredients like aniko (monkfish liver) and fresh uni (sea urchin roe).

Maybe people don't know it because it's a little out of the way on Lime Kiln and just looks like a storefront? Or everybody's next-best choice after their favorites? Or maybe just unknown?

I went to Tokyo once with a friend who was in town with his SO because it's their favorite place. I won't say the sushi was bad, but it just felt a little lackluster compared to others. It's not my second favorite, or third, or even fourth. I might place it fifth after Sapporo, Maido, Sakura Blue, and then Fuji in Springhurst.

I probably owe it another shot, but with so many places offering sushi where I've never been disappointed, I can't really get up the gumption.

I ate at the Fuji in Springhurst for the first time in probably a year+ a few weeks back, and damn was it good.

They completely revamped their sushi menu sometime in between my visits, and the chef's on hand did an outstanding job.

Best sushi I've had in Louisville period, and I've pretty much tried them all at this point.

I voted for Tokyo. I love that place. Fabulous sushi and lots of options.

I will say the worst sushi I ever had was at that place at the corner of Taylorsville Road and Hurstbourne Lane...what is it...I'm blanking on the name. it was that bad. but it's a japanese restaurant on the corner of the shopping center with h.h. gregg.

For me, I am a little confused by all the Maido love. They are very eh for me. I like the atmosphere and the little crab purses but the sushi isnt much better than sushi I can pick up at Highland Kroger or Whole foods. Very boring and predictable. I find the places that tend to take a chance much better. Personal favorites being Sapporo(though I can do without the Rave atmosphere) and Sakura as one and two respectively. I will even throw Tokyo in there for being a bit more traditional. I think they push boundaries and present much more intricate flavors with their sushi.