Crave Sushi

Great food, it’s just a little dingy. The fish is fresh and they’re pretty quick. It’s just that this inside looks like it needs a fresh coat of paint. And the outside… lets just say a new location wouldn’t hurt. But don’t be fooled by appearance, this place is worth trying out!

Although we were in a serious rush, our server was very nice and informative about what was available. Our server tried to accommodate all of our sushi needs and made us feel very welcome. I was hoping for a couple of different options but they did what they could for our previous experiences with other sushi places. They did have good Happy Hour options. The food was pretty salty, even after we asked for no salt on our meal but we went with it. I do like the environment and the location, that is a serious plus. I hope to try Crave again so I can bump up the rating!

Crave has been consistently good ever since I first started going there 4 – 5 years ago. I especially enjoy the happy hour on Sundays when it is all day happy hour. Their cheetah role is one of the most interesting and delicious rolls that I have ever had. I do think it is a little bit expensive so I don’t order it every time I go. They used to have a happy hour on the cheetah roll on Sundays which is when I used to order it every single time. Everyone that I have introduced to crave has really enjoyed it. We hosted a bridal shower at Crave and it turned out very well. The only thing I would request is that they please update some of the booth seats as they’re starting to look worn and it gives a different feel to the restaurant. Over I would highly recommend this place for sushi.

Crave Sushi caters to the young professional/​Millennial crowd that resides and socializes in the Midtown area, which is reflected in the décor and vibe of the restaurant. Think plush leather chairs and top 40 pop/​hip hop music playing. Staff is young and mostly non-​Japanese.
My husband and I came here because we had a
coupon we were gifted (long story) and decided why the heck not? They also offer a $ 20 off your meal coupon on their website. The coupon deal was confusing, because you can’t combine it with ANY other deal, including Happy Hour. So when you use the coupon you just get standard menu pricing, fair enough.
We ordered a variety of rolls and sushi, small plates, and an entrée. Service was mediocre. Overall, a solid 3 stars. If you’re looking for the best sushi in Houston, it’s not here, and you’ll have much more authentic experiences at countless other places. But Crave Sushi serves it’s purpose. Probably won’t return because if I’m going to throw down $$$ on sushi I’d rather do it at Kata Robata.

Waiter was fine, refilled my water whenever I needed it. Only thing was the actual quality of the sushi itself. I went during happy hour, so everything was a little cheaper, which is always nice! Ordered fried squid (10/​10, would recommend) and a roll of sushi (some soft-​shelled crab roll). The fried squid was fantastic, I downed that bad boy like oxygen. But the sushi… oh how could it go so wrong. The rice was WARM. I’ve never had sushi where the rice was warm unless it was deep-​fried in panko or batter. It also didn’t have the vinegary sushi rice taste that I oh so adore. In fact, the whole sushi tasted pretty freaking bland; like grocery store sushi microwaved for 30 seconds.
I had to force myself to eat that sushi because I paid for it. But I didn’t enjoy it at all. But the fried squid was at least a saving point. So It wasn’t all that bad.
So in the end, would I come back? Maybe. I wouldn’t recommend that soft shelled crab roll to anyone though.

Wasn’t really fresh, seemed warm and not quite to my liking. There are definitely better sushi places out there. Other than that, atmosphere was pretty nice.

Never will order the spicy mama ever again in my life. I eat spicy food all of the time and this burnt my mouth. I literally cannot taste my food. I am pretty sure they just covered it in cayenne pepper and I just killed every taste bud in my mouth. The crab puffs are good but I am just upset at how they think that roll is even edible

Suzie and Arlen were stupendous, as always. When Savanah and Bridget are, it’s no different. Stopped in for a snack and, as per usual, I was treated like royalty. And a friend. Like a royal friend.
Happy hour menu is incomparably inexpensive. The hamachi carpaccio will make your taste buds your b****. Get on top of the spicy garlic edamame. Sake keeps arriving. The 002 roll does the MI-​6 kill agents, like Mr Bond, justice. It will shake AND stir you. Never a crowd during happy hour, either. And the same deals apply all day Sunday.
And the manager sure takes care of his team.

been here a few times, and it was decent sushi. The last few times have been pretty terrible. Not only low quality fish, but horrendous service. Almost like the servers were trying hard to be bad. Also, it is curious why it is never busy, always nearly empty? I wouldnt recommend. It is not cheap either
$ 34 for a serving of substandard toro? No thanks. Go somewhere else.

Best sushi I’ve had in Houston the Crave cheetah roll is a must-​try I will be back
Also had the 002 were all very good lemon lime squeezed onto the roll
Also the atomic rainbow was very good ask them for some habanero masago on the side

I thought the location was a little pricey for the location and atmosphere of the restaurant.
Nothing really special about their sushi with the exception of their Hot Cheetos roll. The California roll was just eh, but the Hot Cheetos was a nice surprise.
The Kobe burger was also just okay, their fries were actually better.
The staff was nice. I wish their prices reflected the location a little better though.

I have to be honest, having not read the other reviews, I can’t get my head around why the overall score would be so low.
I’ve been here twice recently, once during Sunday happy hour and once during a weekday, and while this certainly was not the end all be all of sushi, there really is very little to complain about.
Don’t drive here, but then, it’s midtown and you knew that. You knew that, right?
Is the music a bit loud? Eh, yeah. But then, I’m old.
High.
Quality.
Fish.
Rolls.
Not.
Primarily.
Tempura crunch.
Or.
Spicy sauce.
Do you really need to know anything else?
If you do, grant us all a favor and stay away. Yeah?

Crave has everything going for it: hip setting, attentive servers, beautifully plated rolls. But in terms of the sushi, I think it’s a classic case of trying to do too much. In my mind, sushi should be elegant, simple, and delicate. Crave goes for ostentatious flavor and presentation, and sometimes it doesn’t quite work.
To prep our palates, we began with a steaming bowl of miso. This course set a subpar tone early. The broth wasn’t salty enough, the raw mushrooms were tasteless, and there wasn’t enough seaweed. No matter, hopefully the main attraction would be more promising.
First up: the 002 Roll, i.e., ceviche masquerading as sushi. Pretty decent, with strong citrus notes and a deceptively fiery kick at the end.
The Pink Panther roll is one of the most offbeat preparations I’ve ever seen. Each morsel is massive, wrapped in pink rice paper and topped with healthy slabs of peppercorn tuna. Looked gorgeous, but couldn’t really pick out a distinct taste. Which is remarkable considering it’s literally stuffed with six different types of seafood. Again, a little too aggressive on the flavors here. The tuna topper was the best part though and gave the dish a sweet, peppery finish.
The New York, their take on a classic unagi roll, was one of the better eel-​based preparations I’ve had. The sweet unagi glaze, toasted sesame seeds, and creamy avocado cooperated to provide a subtle harmony the other dishes lacked.
Finally, the Spider Roll was my least favorite of the day. It was 80% veggie, with a sliver of soft-​shell crab that was neither crunchy nor particularly flavorful.
The meal had its ups and its downs, but ultimately balanced out to a pretty average experience. I’ll have to drop by for dinner and see if it’s any different.

For a restaurant in midtown, this restaurant certainly did not live up to its expectations. The décor and appearance was appealing but the food was fair.
I came in during happy hour on a Monday evening with a couple of friends. Nigiri was 1.50 and rolls were $ 5. There was probably only one other table.
In general the sushi rolls tasted standard. The rice from the sushi had a bland taste, the spicy tuna was not even spicy, and the vegetables were not fresh. However, the service was great.
You pay for what you get here.

OK, so I was in Midtown between appointments and was craving some sushi — so why not go to Crave Sushi, right?
Short version: A loud, garish restaurant where the service is not up to par (which the owners probably already know) and the food is more expensive than other areas. Avoid it.
Long version: As all you Unilocalers probably know, I have a soft spot in my heart for Japanese cuisine. It goes back to when I was a teenager and first read «Shogun» by James Clavell. The fact that I also came of age in the 1980s was another factor. But I digress.
Crave Sushi, located in Midtown, is the only spot left in a strip center that has seen better days. Small parking lot, not too much overhead — that’s Crave.
However, knowing that good things come in small packages, I was hoping that the food and service would offset this little hiccup.
Unfortunately, I was wrong.
First, let’s talk ambiance here (or a reasonable facsimile). The place is a nightmarish study of glitter-​meets-​Asia here. Loud pop music blaring overhead doesn’t exactly instill in you the peaceful aura of a «Teishoku-​ya» restaurant you’d find in Japan. And the plastic chopsticks are hideous.
Now, let’s talk food. Crave Sushi’s lunch menu is, well, limited. Granted, they do have lots of sushi combos and roll variations — not to mention their $ 20-​all-​you-​can-​eat lunch. But the other stuff on the menu just knocked me for a loop because of their non-​traditional fare.
For example: the «Slap-​Yo-​Mama Ramen.» Really, Crave? REALLY? Who are you marketing this product to, anyway?
Or the Kobe beef burger with mac and cheese. *Eyes rolling here* You are kidding, right?
So I did the combo with two sushi items (chef’s choice), a temaki (hand roll) and a shrimp tempura roll. Miso soup or house salad came extra with it. (I knocked off one star for that — if other places can add these for free, then Crave should be able to as well.)
Now for the service — or, I should say — the lack thereof. Water wasn’t refilled properly, tea wasn’t brought promptly, and of course the waitress forgot my miso soup. *Shaking head here*
What bothers me is that the food was pretty good — the miso (when I finally got it) had a wonderful flavor to it, with chunks of tofu and mushrooms. The sushi platter ($ 11) included salmon and mackerel, along with a BIG shrimp tempura roll and California temaki. All were flavorful and fresh.
Still, I had to ding them another star for the gari (ginger). It wasn’t pink but cream-​colored, which indicates that it was old. Only very young ginger will develop the slight pink tint that is common for high-​quality gari in Japanese sushi bars. The wasabi (horseradish) was A-​OK.
However, my meal took unconscionably long because of the inept servers. The place was not filled to capacity, but you wouldn’t have guessed because of the lack of service. I couldn’t flag a server to save my life. Why not hire more help? Is it that hard to find servers?
My forebodings were justified, because on the receipt it said: «If our service did not meet your expectations, please let us know.» Obviously it has been pointed out to them in the past. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been addressed.
So here’s Peter’s Exit Assessment: I will most likely not be back to Crave Sushi. There are better places in the neighborhood to dine in peace and serenity with better food and service.

Update: I have spoken John, the manager of Crave, three times since I posted this review. He provided me with a refund and took my concerns and comments very seriously. Hopefully he can address whatever issues occurred during my visit.
Original posting:
Food poisoning! Spoiled food! Unsafe kitchen conditions! That is what I crave when I think of Crave Sushi!
I dined at Crave Sushi at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, 01-​12-​2016, with a business colleague. Our dining experience was uneventful and the sushi was ok (not great). We ordered the following (food is ranked on a scale of 1 to 5 (worst to best)):
1. Gyoza — 3: Ok, but were greasy and coated with oil.
2. Tuna poke — 4: Actually pretty good. Not what I’ve had in Hawaii or California, but not bad.
3. Pink Panther roll — 3.5: Spicy and tasty, but the pieces were way too large. I believe that sushi pieces should be bite sized. These were 3x too large.
4. Big Texas Roll — 3.5: Spicy and tasty, but, again, the pieces were 3x too large.
5. Service — 3.5: Ok, but not great.
So, based upon what I ordered and the ratings that I gave, you must be wondering why I gave Crave a 1-​star rating. Let me tell you the rest of the story…
As I was finishing my meal, I ordered the following to take home to my wife:
1. Crunch Time roll
2. Chef’s L roll
3. Cucumber avocado roll
4. Gyoza
5. Seaweed salad
The waiter brought out my to-​go order in a well-​organized bag as I paid my bill and I then left for my drive home. When I got home at 9:00 PM, my wife untied the bag and opened the boxes containing the sushi. When she did so, the smell that erupted was not pleasant. She took one bite of the cucumber avocado roll and almost vomited. It was completely spoiled. The seaweed paper was spoiled, rice was spoiled, and the avocado’s color was off. The rolls with fish were completely spoiled. We had to throw out the sushi and the seaweed salad. The gyoza appeared to be ok, but we threw it out as a precaution.
I woke up with food poisoning at 1:00 AM. I suspect that the sushi I ate was starting to go bad and I didn’t detect any off-​flavors due to it being spicy.
Based upon other reviews I have now seen of Crave, I have to question the hygiene of their kitchen and sushi bar. I am going to contact the Harris County Health Department and request that they do an inspection. This place is a danger to the public.

Decent sushi in a convenient location in Midtown. There’s a decent-​sized parking lot (for Midtown) and street parking as well. We went there during lunch because, lezbi honest, their lunch specials are the
. They have $ 20 all you eat sushi rolls (includes spider, spicy tuna, philadelphia, california, etc — all the basics) which includes a soft drink, as well as themed roll specials (for example, $ 7 for spicy tuna combo — a spicy tuna roll and 3 pieces of any nigiri you want). I also got a chicken teriyaki bowl for $ 7. Woowee.
It’s a GREAT deal and makes it okay that the sushi is not Uchi-​level. Not sure if I’d feel the same way if we’d gone at dinner time. Service was great as well. Received a free spicy garlic edamame for checking in — woohoo!

This place is located in the trendy area of midtown. Small and quaint, trendy look on the inside.
We had the cheetah crunch roll which is huge and tasty. The fried mushroom appetizer is to die for. I also had the shaggy dog which was bland, so I had to ask for a spicy mayo drizzle.
The negative– somethings are not as advertised. For example, I ordered a drink called a papa smurf. The drink promoted having fresh blueberries in it which is one of the things that made it sound awesome, it did not. For it to be $ 11 (yes 11 freaking dollars, insane) it should be as advertised. Also the drink was the size of basically 2 shots, not work $ 11!
And let’s not forget the table of frat boys playing a shot game that had them banging on the table and yelling at least 4 times. Excuse me, this is a restaurant not a bar! But management should have told them that not me. This is the reason why it’s 3 stars instead of 4.
Overall a good place but a little pricey and noises! Definitely worth a shot… I just wouldn’t order drinks!

I visited Crave on a week day during lunch time hours. It wasn’t crowded. The staff was attentive. The food display is very pretty and the food tasted pretty good. I like the décor as well, it has a grown and sexy vibe. I got the lunch special for about $ 6 and it comes with a lot. Lastly, they had tasty mints for you to grab on your way out… always a nice touch.

The daily lunch deals are a good amount of food for a good price. I got the spicy tuna lunch combo for $ 7 included 3 pieces nigiri and 8 roll pieces.
They have an awesome deal $ 20 all you can eat sushi that I didn’t get today but will be back to get! The edamame was $ 5 and we all got water.
Arlen was our sever and he was very attentive. They made special changes to our roll orders to have the ingredients we wanted. Come here for lunch!