It’s Your Roll! Sushi By Design

Went to It’s Your Roll on Friday the 16^th of May. The atmosphere was great and the restaurant itself was very clean. The staff was very polite and the food was really good. While eating, the co-​owner came out and greeted us, asked how everything was, and even cleared the table. My favorite roll was the Ride Em’ Cowboy. My wfie and I will make sure to return for another date night!

If you like sushi, this is your place! A must try for everyone.

I’ll will start with the pros:
It was a very nice place. The exterior and interior were both very nicely decorated and welcoming.
The staff was very friendly and very helpful. They explained how the process of creating your own roll worked or if you wanted to just have a roll pre-​made.
Very creative concept they have going on.
My volcano roll had a good taste to it. A great combo on cool and refreshing with the cream cheese and spicy.
Cons:
If you did not want to create your own roll, there were not many choices to pick from. I ordered a philly roll and a volcano roll and made it a lunch combo. The «spicy» variations looked like salsa. I know they are not trying to be traditional, so I give them credit for being different.
I had a miso soup to go with it. It had chunks of leaves of some sort, not seaweed. And they had huge chunks of mushroom in it as well. The tofu was hard. Not impressed.
The rice on my rolls were mushy. Almost like rice pudding. Cringe. The ingredients on the inside were not equally distributed either.
Overall, I was not impressed. I will stick to my traditional places.
Edit: thank you for writing back. I changed the review after seeing the explanation for your cooling system and I appreciate you taking the time out to write back. I am glad you listen to your customers and after this, I will come back and give it a second chance.

Several months later, and It’s Your Roll continues to impress. The establishment still allows you to custom-​make your sushi, but several pre-​made rolls have been added as well. While this may benefit sushi novices most, it also holds appeal for those who are well-​versed. Offerings range from classic (California roll, Philadelphia roll) to creative (brunch roll, dessert rolls). Of these, the apple pie roll (apple on the inside, crunch on the outside, eel and white sauce drizzled on top) is a standout. It’s quite sweet, but the sweetness doesn’t overwhelm the palate (especially if you pair it with a savory roll), and the two sauces balance flavors well. The half-​roll portion yields plenty, and, at $ 5, is a good value. Sushi purists may take umbrage at this experimentation, but for everyone else, it’s hard to go wrong here.

Super friendly staff. Went in a little before dinner rush, so we had time to talk about the menu with them, and the endless options. We opted to get two of the house specialty rolls, which were great. Fresh ingredients and full of good flavor. As noted in other reviews, this is not traditional sushi. So sushi snobs need not read further, folks who just love good food… Swing by. I also Had my toddler son as well and they were so friendly to him and suggested a little kids chicken and rice plate with a fruit cup. He ate every bit of it, and he’s usually picky. That alone should tell you that it’s good.

Holy crap!!! Best new restaurant on the east coast. I’m from Hampton roads and have tried all of the sushi restaurants over there. This one, hands down, takes the ‘roll’!!! From the freshness of the fish to the quality in the craftsmanship, to the friendliness of the staff, you can’t beat it. I’ve only been twice and already my favorite restaurant. I’m going back a lot more… even if you don’t like sushi, or have never tried it, if you don’t visit this place you are doing yourself and the restaurant a huge and despicable disservice. This place is #1 on my list!!! As an educator I am always searching for excellence. Here, I have found some!!!

Well, I don’t know a lot about sushi so I have only a few experiences to compare, however, I do know what like and I like It’s Your Roll. Being a sushi neophyte, it was impossible for me to create my own roll. Fortunately, that’s not a problem as they have a number of rolls pre-​designed. I opted for the «Box of Candy» which is an assortment of rolls. I told them to surprise me. I was very happily surprised. This is a good way to sample different things and figure out what you like. Trouble is, I liked it all. How can you go wrong with wasabi on things?
Ordering is a little intimidating but they were very friendly and helpful in guiding me through the process. They now have printed menus which are helpful, so I think they took the advice of another Unilocaler. The service here is very friendly and personable. And sincere. These people really like working here and they want you to enjoy your experience.
I can’t speak for sushi aficionados, but if you’re like me and experimenting, this is a great place. The prices seemed very reasonable, too.

It’s Your Roll! is NOT a traditional Sushi restaurant and what it offers makes it unique in the Triad. It offers a wide variety of combinations and flavours NOT ONLY for sushi afficionados, BUT ALSO for vegetarians and persons who are allergic to seafood.
Pros:
1. A variety of rolls: protiens (10), fruits & vegetables (14), fillings (11), and sauces (9). The menus have suggestions for seafood based and land based rolls. You can make your own or even try «Box of Chocolates».
2. Nori or soy paper rolls.
3. Tofu and vegetables are available.
4. Every ingredient I have had is fresh.
5. Uses locally sourced ingredients (everything I asked about was locally sourced).
6. If you don’t want a roll … you can have a bowl!
7. All protiens are available non-​spicy or spicy.
8. The staff are attentive and clean their workspace regularly. This is important for those of us who can’t eat seafood.
9. The owners are grateful for any feedback and respond with enthusiasm.
10. The dining room features tables and some unique seating. The floorplan is open and light is not overly bright (for those with light sensitive eyes).
As yet, I cannot think of any «cons». I love the idea AND the execution of IYR. Last night was my 5^th visit to the restaurant and I was just as pleased and amazed as my first visit.
This is a restaurant whose employees engage in conversation with you (without being bothersome or obtrusive) and they ALL know their flavour profiles.
And now to mention the «Box of Chocolates» …
This is an item on the menu that causes a double-​take. I read the description just as 3 of the 5 persons in group ahead of me ordered it. I was thinking «Oh wow … this could go so wrong…» Each roll was unique in composition. I do not remember what went into each one, but there were different protiens and fillings combinations. The group paid and went to their table. They were excited. I, (to be honest), was expecting at least one of the rolls to be «okay» (rather than fantastic!). I was wrong. The owner came out and every tray was clean and the group was excited about what they had eaten.
You do not get much better praise than that.

My first visit to «It’s Your Roll!» came at lunchtime. I had the chance to speak with one of the owners and asked him what the biggest challenge has been relative to opening the place. Without much hesitation, he said that it’s been educating guests about how it works.
I agree. At first, I found the process intimidating. You’ll walk in and be greeted by chefs who are ready to put a wide range of ingredients into a sushi roll imagined by you.
In order to make ease my angst, I chose one of the Chef’s Signature Rolls, the Dragon ($ 10.95). Instead of designing it myself, the creativity was handled by IYR’s own chefs. It was delicious, albeit huge. The large size made it difficult to eat. That challenge increased when I realized my roll wasn’t cut all the way through. With all that being said, the flavor was out of this world with incredibly fresh ingredients.
Next time, I’ll be ready to order my own creation.
«It’s Your Roll!» is something new and different for the Triad. The flavor is great and, as long as you’re willing to put forth the effort to learn how to eat there, you’ll be richly rewarded. I was most impressed with the high level of engagement among the owners. They greeted guests and expressed genuine interest in our experience.

I’ve read through the reviews here and visited the place myself, and here are my thoughts:
This is not «traditional» sushi; really, though, the minute you see cream cheese on the menu, you should know you’re getting «Americanized» sushi, so why is this an issue? And really, that is likely to happen throughout this country, given the geographic circumstances (…). As others have pointed out, these guys don’t try to be a traditional sushi place, so please give that point a rest.
First off, you can design your own rolls, but you don’t have to; they have plenty of pre-​made options for you to choose from, so no need to worry.
My party and I split three rolls (these are huge rolls, btw) and I was very pleased with the results. The ingredients were super fresh, the flavors in each bite were well-​balanced, with the added bonus of how beautiful and appetizing each roll looked! I was particularly impressed with the delicate use of tempura shrimp; though each roll used it, they tasted very different, and the tempura was used — as it should — to be an accent of texture. I highly recommend the Island Breeze roll, which has a slight bit of kick to it.
The beer selection is decent for a start — LoneRider and Highland — though fortunately they are working on expanding the selection while also bringing in sake and wine. I wish they would carry more IPAs and similar ales; I was surprised to see the Black Mocha Stout and not the Gaelic Ale!
The staff is *awesome*. Everyone was very cheerful, helpful, and even witty, and they were very interested in helping to walk us through the process to the extent that we wanted to be helped — great job of navigating the line between assisting and letting us make decisions on our own. I showed up closer to the end of their shifts and yet it didn’t show one bit.
The restaurant space is very cool, with lots of windows and corners in which to sit (inside) as well as plenty of comfortable seating outside.
I do wish that they were a bit greener in their service practices, i.e. the containers used. I actually think serving in disposable containers is a good idea — these rolls are huge, and there will be extras that people should embrace taking home with them vs throwing out — but they could use friendlier options. Still, they’re only just starting out, so who knows what’s to come!

After seeing a bad review about this establishment I was compelled to create an account to share my experience at Its Your Roll. While some have complained that it is not a traditional sushi restaurant, you should notice it is obviously not set out to be. The ingredients are fresh and innovative. I always construct my own roll when I go here and never have found anything to be less than delicious and FRESH. The service is impeccable and the cooking staff is well educated in gastronomy. I highly recommend this for a healthy and quick lunch option. Oh and it’s cheap!
There’s nothing «limp» about it, Fred.

You have to try it!
The pros: The food is as yummy and healthy as you can get! Everything tasted super fresh and the flavors in my bowl were exceptionally well balanced. There isn’t another place like this in Greensboro. The staff is friendly and helpful.
The cons: The ordering process is a bit cumbersome. I’d recommend printed menus to help guide you through the ordering line. Everything is served in disposable containers. I’d love to see reusable or compostable ware.
Regardless, I’ll be back!

Gave this place a try last night, and I’m in love! I tried a spicy salmon roll with cucumber, extra avocado, cream cheese, and a side of ginger soy sauce. I was skeptical at first, as the spicy salmon did not look like what I usually get when I order spicy salmon (salmon topped with spicy sauce), this had the sauce mixed in. I’m glad I gave it a try, though, as it was flavorful. I could also still taste the salmon in it, and it was not overly fishy like salmon tends to get as it sits. The ginger soy sauce was a nice change, and is spicy rather than salty like regular soy sauce. They forgot my wasabi and ginger, but it took my asking for it, and they hooked me up!
The ambiance of this place is out of this world. You go in through one door and everything is laid out in front of you. You can read off the board or take a look at a menu to guide you through your journey. Then, you get to watch the employees make the sushi right in front of you. After you pay, you go through a small room where the drink machine and utensils are located. Then you walk into the bigger dining room. Each table is topped with a bottle of soy sauce and a bamboo plant. The décor is cool and creates an instant feeling of relaxation. You then exit the dining room from a different door.
A few more fantastic things:
–they recycle… they literally tell you what can be put in the recycle versus the trash
–they have an origami quarter machine… except really it’s a 50 cent machine… either way, a note on there tells how a 10 year old child makes the origami pieces… definitely a cute idea
All in all, I’m ready to go back!!!

Cool concept. Just moved to town and stopped by a week ago to see what $ 20 could buy. Apparently two rolls and a tip. I like the idea of fusion sushi, but would love to see a better option of «traditional» sushi. I had two yellowtail rolls with various addons — one had mango and cream cheese and the other was more traditional with cucumber and dakai (sp). They were decent, but they lacked that special something that I’ve come to crave. But then again… I’m partial since I just moved to Greensboro from the So. CA coastline.
From my first experience, I’d give the sushi a 2 – 3 star, but the staff is SUPER nice and 5 star all the way. I’d definitely go back and try it again.
As a side note, they do have a few kid friendly options. The family in line behind me order the California roll for their children.

I like sushi but I don’t know what I don’t like.
This place is a cross between Burger King and Fresh Market. You can have it YOUR way with fresh ingredients.
Since it was my first visit, I went with one of the few (8) menu rolls, the Island Breeze and some tempura veggies and eel sauce on the side. My roll was damn good! The veggies were good too but could be bigger portions.
My chef was not traditional in appearance (6 – 4, 230lbs w reddish brown beard) or ethnicity. Regardless, his big meaty fingers built a pretty roll and was friendly and patient (unlike traditional sushi chefs) LOL.
The décor of this place is pretty cool and it is roomier than it looks from the outside.
All on all, a good spot close to my office. I will without a doubt hit them up again!

I am generally not a big fan of make your own _​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​ (fill in the blank) when it comes to restaurant food. Usually I don’t want my «choices» to go beyond my selection of side dishes, rolls or hushpuppies, and what will be my adult beverage to accompany this meal. I also don’t care for food items where «some assembly is required», but that’s another review.
I do not do mongolian grilling, or Moe’s Southwestern, and have left Pastabilities several times dazed and confused. It may be simply a lack of vision, but I like to think I’m simply a proponent of the concept of completeness in matters of cuisine — build it, serve it, and I will eat it — but then, of course, I’m gonna review it.
As is our want, we tried a variety of items, several of which were actually of our own design. What I ultimately found out was it’s not so important whether they design it, or you design it, what’s important is what is the quality of the items it is built of.
Cali Roll ($ 7.50, with extra avocado 75 cents more) — very average version, not especially fresh tasting, and I’m still looking for the «extra» avocado.
Super Spring Roll ($ 7.99) which is a house roll of tuna, cucumber, daikon, jalapeño, orange, and tomago (Sweet egg omelet) — not bad, but again, not especially fresh tasting.
5 Piece Tuna Sashimi ($ 8) — this was simply awful — the tuna was almost black in color, and way off in the taste department. Just plain old fish, should never have been served.
Cucumber Salad ($ 2.25) — over marinated, soggy slices of cucumber — again much less than fresh tasting.
Tempura Veggies ($ 2.25) — a few thin strips of colored peppers, mushrooms, onionn, and a lone piece od asparagus. The batter was rather nice, but no snap or flavor to the veggies.
Eel Bowl ($ 9.99, plus $ 1.50 for extra eel) — we put this together, combining Crunchies, Apple, Mandarin Orange, Mango, and Salad Greens, and ask for some sauce, but never saw it. Not a bad bowl — the fruit was nice, and the eel was tasty. Pricey for what you get.
Beef Bowl ($ 8.99) — another bowl we designed., consisting of beef strips, kimchi, cucumber, daikon, green onion, on white rice. Again no sauce was there, though requested. This was a nice combination of tastes and textures, with the kimchi supplying some nice heat. The beef was tasty, though rather sparse.
All in all, not something I’d repeat. There are simply too many excellent sushi and sashimi choices around that provide better quality, better freshness, and at equal or better value.

So. My initial reaction is… Sushi. At an America place? Huh? I usually almost never get sushi at a Thai or Korean place because sushi is best at a Japanese restaurant. That’s just me and my friends I guess. I was a little confused when walking in the door. I was greeted nicely by the helpful staff however. To be safe, I ordered the salmon bowl instead. Price is a little high for less mea, a lot of rice with no drink. Though I didn’t order sushi but the look of the authenticity of the veggies and fillings for the bowl are not of my usual encounter. My salmon bowl is so Americanized. I leave it as that.
Food quality: 2
Place: 5, clean and friendly staff

You must try this super delicious!!!
Even if you don’t know what you want or your not sure how to put a sushi roll together. Thats what the staff is there for 100% knowledgable and great food at a great price. Thanks for everything :)

The guys working at It’s Your Roll! Were super helpful and friendly. When I arrived, they immediately directed me to a menu and began describing how to order here. I was impressed with the number of fillings and veggies available. I eat sushi quite often, but I’m not super informed with the types of veggies that typically complement certain proteins and think that it would have been very helpful to have some suggestions or combos to choose from (not to totally do away with the «sushi by design» idea, but rather to give some suggestions for those who need it). My husband likes his rolls simple and this was the perfect place for that. The sushi itself tasted good. The salmon that I had was tasty, however all ingredients were cold to touch. The rice had been refrigerated, which made eating it less enjoyable. Our miso soup tasted good as well, but had too many/​large pieces of lettuce.
Overall, I wasn’t sold 100%. I did enjoy talking with the staff and learning about the restaurant. I expect that they will make some changes (as this was only a week after their grand opening) and can’t wait to see how the idea evolves.
If I had to break down my review (out of 5):
Atmosphere– 4
Customer service– 5
Food selection– 4
Food quality– 3
I look forward to visiting again in a month or so.
ps. I loved the origami dispenser. Great idea!

Its awesome!!! Great fresh sushi!!!
Its not the americanized stuff, its the real thing! You go in and are greeted by a friendly staff. They explain how it works. You get to order and pick whats in your roll. You do not have to be a sushi expert either. Go there now.