Prime Blu

We’ve gone back a few times since the end of the summer and I remain pleased with Prime Blu. It’s never been very busy when we’ve eaten (both times at lunch), so no issues getting a table.
The half-​price sushi includes a huge variety of items and works all day, which kind of surprised me. It even works for the expensive rolls ($ 15~+), so quite a bargain.
They had changed around the menu and added several Korean items, though I’ve never tried any of them. I have been pleased with the quality of the fish they have available and will continue patronizing this location. One of the better sushi joints in Lawrence.
The restaurant is undergoing an ownership change, so the place isn’t serving alcohol for the time being. In the mean time, this article on 6News says you are able to BYOB:

Under new management Prime blu is now my favorite sushi spot in KANSAS! Rolls are huge !!! Half priced all day everyday! Love love love love love

We have tried this place twice. I love their drinks here as well as the food. The service has always been pretty spot on here. The only thing I cannot wrap my head around is the nightclub feel for this place.
If you are looking for decent sushi at a great price then definitely check this place out. They have better cooked rolls, however, than the traditional tuna rolls but still not bad overall.
The only thing that kind of irks me about this place is the fact that you have to ask for wasabi every time. I understand some people might not want it but I am the person who always needs wasabi and it would be nice if they just automatically bring it to you but not really a big deal.

There are ONLY two reasons this place gets 3 stars instead of one: 1. There food has been really good each time we’ve gone 2. Summertime half off sushi. Their service is probably the worst have experienced at any restaurant anywhere. Whether it be rudeness, an hour wait for just for the food order … With nothing more than just a «it happens» attitude, telling us they’re closed when the doors are open and the sign is out front, wrong food orders … consistently, it has been terrible. Come fall, there may only be one reason to go there and that might not be enough.

I’ve been to Prime Blu twice now. The first time was average to below average for the most part. It took a long time to get seated. It took a long time to get the food. The classic rolls were a nice size. The super tiger roll was good. The surf clam tasted off because I’m sure they rapidly thawed it in the kitchen from a frozen state right before serving it, but the rolls were fine. The server seemed confused when I was ordering. She didn’t bring us the food. She didn’t refill our drinks. All she did was take the order and bring the check. She might have been new so I let it go. Overall the experience was below average but the food was pretty good for the most part.
I wanted to give them another try. The second time was even more disappointing than the first.
–Stood around waiting to get seated.
–Got seated at a crappy high table instead of a booth because the booths were dirty.
–The table was dirty.
–The little soy sauce dish had food in it that floated to the top when I poured soy sauce into it. That’s nasty.
–Did I mention the dirty booths? Many booths nearby were empty but still had dirty dishes that had not been removed. That’s an unpleasant sight and shows the servers or cleaning staff aren’t on top of things. No one bussed even ONE booth the entire time I was there. No wonder we got stuck at the lone high table near the bar.
–The place wasn’t very busy but it took over 30 minutes to get 3 classic rolls and 1 premium roll.
–The classic rolls I ordered, spicy salmon and spicy yellowtail, were about A THIRD of the size they were they first time I went to Prime Blu. The pieces were literally the diameter of a quarter and they were not thick either.
The waitress either didn’t notice or didn’t care. When I brought it up she said that «well the chefs don’t all make the food the same way». She didn’t speak to her manager. No attempt was made to remedy the situation. I still left over 20% tip because it wasn’t her fault, but the service was poor overall and if I hadn’t been a server in the past I wouldn’t have been generous with the tip. A server is supposed to pay attention to the cleanliness of the tables in their section and pay attention to the food. I’m sure she realized it was taking forever to get our order because she did rush it over shortly after the chefs finished making it.
I’ve been to Wasabi in Wichita (same owners or something I presume because it says «Prime Blu by Wasabi» and the menus share probably 85%+ of the same items). The food at Wasabi was always consistent and the rolls were never tiny. The NW Wichita Wasabi location also has half price sushi all the time.
The interior is ridiculous but forgiveable. Poor service, long wait time when the place isn’t busy, dirty dishes and dirty table, poor service from staff, and wildly inconsistent portion sizes isn’t forgiveable and there are far too many other restaurants in Lawrence to put up with that many problems. Prime Blu needs to get its act together.
I won’t be going back and I don’t recommend Prime Blu at all.

The sushi during the summer with their half off deal makes this place 5 stars. Otherwise I would probably give it 4. I like it. It’s not amazing but it’s good. Their spicy scallop roll though is my FAVORITE. Give it a try!

The Japanese burrito, Ichiban and Sydney roll were DELISH! Plus every roll is half off right now. We will definitely be back!

The bento box was alright. The atmosphere was weird, felt more like a club when I was expecting an upscale Sushi restaurant. We were also alone there around lunch time.

If you haven’t been here, then go during the summer, while the sushi is half price. After that, you will be able to get better prices at the new Yeah Sushi. I thought the Flaming Torch sushi at Prime Blu was interesting. It bakes in the flames on your table until the flames go out. It is good.
On balance, I liked the sushi at Yeah better, but the half price sushi at Prime Blu is hard to beat during the summer. For example, at Yeah the Tropical Beach Roll, wrapped in cucumber, is larger, better, and less expensive than the Heaven Roll, wrapped in cucumber at Prime Blu. But with the summer 50% discount, the Prime Blu version is a better buy.
Unlike Yeah, which has no liquor license, Prime Blu has a full bar.

My daughter and I ordered 3 rolls and each had a glass of wine. Total – $ 34!!! How can you beat that?!
The rolls were delicious and Tim was a fantastic server. Thank you Prime Blu for offering your half price rolls ALL summer! Everyone should try this place…3X now and it’s been wonderful!

Very reasonably priced rolls. The sushi was not really well made (some of the rolls were falling apart) but they all taste great. The Ninja roll is my personal favorite. Beautiful slices of tuna wrapped around veg with a tangy seaweed and greens salad dressed in an Asian vinaigrette. The service is quick and the staff is very friendly.

Decent sushi, decent service. Would recommend ordering everything WITHOUT sauce, unless you enjoy sweet sauce on simple food. The reason I go for sushi is for a clean, uncomplicated meal. The disco lights could go, but hey, I know they are trying to get the younger crowd in and not the people that have been eating sushi for twenty years or more. Overall pretty good, will go again.

First, let me say that if you are offering ½ price sushi all summer, chances are that we’re going to get along just fine.
And that’s great news for Prime Blu, at least until this promotion ends. I was intrigued about this place for awhile, as I am the first person to welcome any new local sushi establishments. And that ½ price promotion was all I needed to get in the door.
First, the good news. The sushi was pretty good, with our sampling a variety of rolls. The Spicy Tuna Roll (our usual go-​to) was a little sloppy, sometimes falling apart when I used chopsticks to pick up a piece. But they used generous chunks of tuna, which was great. And it was ½ price. The other specialty rolls were better constructed and tasty as well. And did I mention they were ½ price?
Now the bad news. I understand they are trying to reach the college student market with their design-​fusion of danceclub-​meets-​restaurant, but the douche-​palace black/​blue color scheme with the lazer effects and the various LED lighting that is constantly shifting colors… man, it’s obvious they chose to be nightclub first, restaurant second (a fact further solidified by their choice to put the bar in the middle of the restaurant and hide the sushi bar aaallllllll the way in the back). As a non-​clubbing adult, I have to say the space exudes an extremely cheesy oontz-​oontz vibe, which is distracting even when eating. Everything else being equal, give me the lighter, brighter, décor of sushi joint WA down Mass street any day. Service was fine.
Once this ½ price sushi deal goes away, we won’t choose this place over WA, or even Yokohama (which has it’s own décor issues, albeit not quite the disturbing level of Prime Blu), because I just can’t stomach the nightclub feel of the place. But as long as they are serving ½ price sushi… table for 2 please, and hold the oontz.

My husband and I went there one night after a friend had told us about how great the food was. The service was horrendous. I’m assuming get friend was in the booth 3 down from ours because she spent more time there than checking to see how we were doing. My husband ordered a beer thanks for bringing it to him. The sushi was mediocre I think WA was better. Definitely will not be going back.

Went here for lunch today, waited at the hostess station for 15 minutes. Even walked to the back of the restaurant to find a server or anyone to seat me or even acknowledge I existed.
The food might be okay but if you can’t get seated or even find a server in the entire restaurant at which I made a lap of twice before I just walk out. then know one will ever know if the food is quality or not.
Thanks for not serving me. Ohh and the tables that were seated all looked pissed because of the shitty service. I know this because one of the guys that was actually seated said he had no idea where any one was and he had been waiting on his check for over 20 minutes!

Certainly a good sushi place, but we really felt like chopped liver. I don’t understand. Is this a nightclub that serves sushi, or a sushi place that is dressed up as a night club.
When we walked in, the building has a massive fish tank. It is very impressive, though I never understood having a fish tank in a sushi bar. Is it to imply freshness? Not sure how many steak houses have cows grazing out front. I digress.
We had to search for some service because we were hidden behind the Sea of Japan. Granted, it was an off peak time, but your job is not talking with your co-​workers at the bar. Keep an eye out!
The sushi was pretty good. I feel in Lawrence I’ve had better at Wa’s, but it just destroys Yokohama.
I’m sure I’ll be back, but in the mean time tone down the club lights during regular business hours a little?

Best new sushi place in Lawrence! Awesome young atmosphere.

The service was good.
The atmosphere was more like a club than a restaurant, which may be some peoples thing, but it doesn’t get off a lawrence vibe.
The food was… Less than spectacular. We ordered two rolls and a tempura udon. In both the Cajun and the flaming roll the spicy tuna was complete mush in my mouth, not pleasing. The tuna on top of the Cajun was suppose to be seared, it was partially, but the cuts of fish were thin and falling apart as was the salmon on the other roll. The fish did not have a fresh texture. The tempura udon broth was excellent, but the noodles were on the tough/​chewy side. Overall, not a bad set up, but I wouldn’t go there again. The person I went with only went because I wanted to try it and he didn’t want to order anything raw because on the previous visit the fish seemed old, and he is an avid sushi eater.

Amazing late lunch. Great friendly service. Sushi was the best in Lawrence. A great place for a date! And they kept everything coming out in a timely manner! It’s a new place but has definitely made a great first impression! We will be back!

I know Kansas seems like a long-​shot for good sushi, but this place has a great selection, very fresh fish, and eager, friendly staff.
We were the very first customers to walk in on their first day open, and our lunch was spectacular… so I took a different crowd back for dinner the next night.
Try the Guacaholy, a deep-​fried spicy-​tuna-​stuffed appetizer. It’s incredibly decadent.
I love the Ichiban, my usual at the sister-​location Old Towne Wasabi in Wichita.
Eventually I’ll try everything, but two visits in two days has gotten me a great start!