Sushi Gin

Clarification based on a question: If you are wondering why they always ask for your groupon or any other coupon AS YOU ARRIVE, it is because that allows them to bring out the full price menu vs. their every day discount menu. You will very likely end up with no discount at all, or even pay more, depending on what you order. That’s the way they «roll». And yes, they aren’t cheating, read the fine print, just don’t expect a real discount unless you order very carefully.

Let me preface this review saying the only reason I am giving it 2 stars and not 1 is because we have come here many times, years ago before we had kids and really loved this place. Now that we come here with our 2 year old, it’s a different story. They should list this place for no children because that is the vibe they give off. We’ve always sat at the sushi bar, even twice with our daughter but when we came in they told us we couldn’t sit there because kids cry and other people don’t like it. My husband made remarks that we’ve sat there before so she said she would ask the lady that makes the sushi and she said it was fine. But we had to sit way at the end behind the wall. I’ve never felt my business so unwanted and it was humiliating. I understand how kids can be but they could’ve handled it differently. On top of that we waited over an hour for some mediocre sushi. We will never come back and I will be telling all my friends with families to not go there.

Good experience overall. We used a
gift card and was asked to surrender it before we ordered, which was different. The sushi chefs are Mexican and the sushi that came out reflected the lack of genuine sushi crafting skills. My parents have owned a couple sushi and teriyaki restaurants so that’s how I can tell.
We ordered a sushi combo and was never asked of we wanted the California or Tuna roll. They chose the California for us, which was typical cause of the low overhead. I was not happy about that. The green tea was expensive also.
I did enjoy the prompt service and nice atmosphere while dining.

I’ve been to Sushi Gin many times, but I had not been in several years since I moved downtown. Tonight I was concerned when I saw so few cars in the parking lot on a Saturday night. I went in anyway and found that it was just the same as I remembered. Even though the interior is in serious need of a remodel, the food is still solid. The miso soup was delicious. Their sushi is not the best I’ve ever had, but it’s always good and reasonably priced. I’m sure I’ll go back when I’m in the area.

I like this place for eat-​in or to-​go. I’ve tried about ten or so rolls, a other random things, I can’t complain. The place is kind of quaint and charming. Not my favorite place, but I like to come here every few months. Today I got a lunch special to go and it was ready in about 5 minutes.

I like to go here for their lunch special, 2 rolls and another half roll for only $ 10, can’t be beat. They also have some other nice lunch specials. But any other time they are just a bit pricy. Their service can also be a bit iffy. Sometime I wonder if they only have 2 servers for the whole place. I had to wait almost 30 mins from the time I order to the time I got food, which is not good considering I only got an hour for lunch. Other times it has been fine. Overall this is a favorite sushi spot.

Super yummy. The chicken cutlet is friggin amazing, juicy tender perfection. So is the Udon and the hamachi Kama. Best tempura in town. I have written about this place before and it just deserves another 5 stars.

Been here a couple of times, but not by choice. The first time, we sat at the sushi bar, and the sushi chef accidentally pricked his finger with the knife. Mind you, at the time, he was NOT wearing gloves. So, he turns around (I guess to hide from the guests), sucks the blood out of his finger, then he proceeds to start making sushi again!!! OMG I could not believe he did that.
On another visit with a few buddies, the waiter didn’t really provide the best service, so we left him a mediocre tip (hey, mediocre tip for mediocre service, right?). When we were walking to our cars, the waiter came outside and asked us why we gave him such a poor tip! WOW.

Excellent! We had a blast here with an expired Groupon. That was a bit of a problem for them at first and they had a huge book of numbers that they were trying to locate my Groupon. I thought that whole exercise was a bit tacky as it made it seem like I might not be on the up-and-up…must be my Wyandotte County tags… annoying…anyway, the food was delicious and well presented and the server was pleasant, polite and helpful. We ordered a small sush plate that was delicious and artistic. I had shrimp and vegetable tempura and it was magnificent. Crunchy and flavorful. Tempura is high on my list. The Lunch Sushi combination was perfect for people not experienced with sushi. I’ve eaten sushi a lot but never certain what I’m eating. Don’t care. Love it!

Update: Just kidding, we won’t be back.
We went to Sushi Gin a second time, and we were so disappointed. We sat at the sushi bar, which usually means that you can talk to the sushi chef and get some personal service. That wasn’t the case here. I got the impression that the sushi chefs didn’t really know much about what they were serving. Our waitress was so slow and paid little attention to us. The drinks I ordered were absolutely terrible — they were so sugary that I couldn’t finish them.
We left there knowing we wouldn’t come back, even though we had a decent first experience.

Sushi Gin surprised me with high quality Hamachi, Maguro, and Saba. The Nigri is cheap, ranging from $ 1−2ea. The rainbow rolls are nice. For the cooked sushi folks, try the Cherry Blossom rolls. The shrimp ceviche is pretty refreshing as well. I will come back to try their prawns (fried heads, tge rest is raw) seems tempting.
Bring lots of patience when you come here. Good food will take time. Besides, having sushi should be a slow sake sipping experience.
Cheers.

I have been visiting Sushi Gin for the last 12 years, and it has always been a steadily good Japanese restaurant. But in recent years, the quality of the seafood has noticeably improved. I used to visit Sushi Gin for the budget-​friendly «happy hour» which offers $ 1 nigiri sushi, but now this inexpensive deal can also claim good quality fish that brings Sushi Gin high on my list for sushi restaurants in Kansas City.
I usually order sushi ala carte to take advantage of the happy hour deals. Happy hour is offered until 7:30pm. Happy hour also includes deals on appetizers when visiting during the week (for some reason, Sunday alone seems to not have the full happy hour; good deals on sushi, but not discount on edamame, agedashi tofu, etc.).
In the past, I liked to order the chirashi sushi. Chirashi sushi comprises sashimi served atop a bed of seasoned sushi rice. It used to be a great deal; however, several years ago someone must have caught on to my scheme, because the prices were increased to no longer favor ordering this dish. I have ordered individual individual nigiri sushi and rolls of maki sushi from the ala carte menu ever since.
It has been a long time since I have ordered sukiyaki from this restaurant because, when I did, it was served in a hot bowl already made and assembled, as opposed to in a hot pot wherein the diners add meat, vegetables, noodles, etc. Perhaps I will try this order again in the future (when the weather cools down; sukiyaki is more of a cold weather meal), but I will ask if the dish’s authenticity has improved before I do. (Because sukiyaki – and shabu shabu – is a group dish, it is only available for parties of two or more, so disappointment can reach the entire table instead of just the individual if expectations are not met.)
Like many in Japanese restaurants, the staff is very friendly to families with kids. My twin toddlers love to eat edamame and sushi rice (sticky rice seasoned with rice vinegar and a bit of sugar) and they’ve become quite fond of sharing my miso soup and agedashi tofu. Be aware that there are booths and traditional seating available. While older kids love sitting on cushions on the tatami, children requiring high chairs will need a western-​style table. The restaurant does have high chairs, and the straps work (I cannot believe how many restaurants have high chairs with broken straps/​clasps!)
Mmm… All this talk of Sushi Gin has me longing for some of my favorites – ikura (salmon roe), sake (salmon), maguro (tuna), hamachi (yellow tail), and tako (octopus) – I think I’ll pitch a visit for Japanese food to my family for supper tonight!

My roommate saw a Groupon for Sushi Gin, and since we had been craving sushi we decided to try it. We got there early into dinner-​service, and it appeared to be fairly busy. We took this as a good sign. The wait to be seated was only 5 – 10 min and I assume this was only the case because they seemed to have a single server for the entire floor.
We ordered sake and appetizers (soup), which came out right away. It wasn’t until we ordered the actual sushi that the problems started.
First, it took *forever* for the sushi arrive, but when it did we both enjoyed it. Since the Groupon was for $ 30, we decided to go ahead and order another round of sushi, but that was definitely a mistake. It took over an hour for the second platter of sushi to arrive. It looked like the sushi chef was working by himself, but by this time the place has cleared out.
There was a table across from us that was really, really upset about their wait. They were refusing to pay for service and didn’t want the sushi when it came out.
Also, they do not accept American Express here.

Some of the freshest fish in town. Actual Japanese staff.
Probably the best Nigiri outside of Nara in the metro. The salmon quality is always top notch. However their Tuna nigiri can be hit and miss. There’s been some turnover in staff, but the Mexican guy from Sakura came over so there should be some stability soon.
The miso soup is just right. Not too weak and not too salty. Their in-​house rolls are very good. I suggest the Sushi-​Gin and the Super Bowl roll.

The restaurant is quite standard and their sushi is alright. Nothing stood out, so unless I am in that area and really craving sushi, I would not make a special trip just to visit this place.

I had a groupon for Sushi Gin so I decided to go there for lunch with a friend. The groupon was for $ 30 so we ordered an appetizer and two entrees.
First…the food…
My friend wanted chicken teriyaki but with noodles instead of rice. The server said that was impossible. We tried logic on her, and said we didn’t even mind paying more. They have lo-​mein on the menu, so they undoubtedly have noodles in the kitchen. After she couldn’t comprehend logic, he decided to do lo-​mein. I ordered a sushi roll and we ordered calamari for a starter. The calamari was very bland. No salt whatsoever. My friend’s meal came with miso soup. He took one spoonful and said «this tastes like ass» (his words, not mine). Our food came and it was not great. I didn’t try his lo-​mein but it didn’t look appetizing and he said it was not good. The sushi roll I had was nothing special.
The snafu…
I handed over the groupon and the server said, «oh, no that good only for dinner.» I said that it didn’t specify but only said it was «dine-​in only». She walked away and within 30 seconds was back and said they couldn’t accept it. A tall skinny older man came up and without introducing himself as the manager told us that he couldn’t afford to accept groupons at lunchtime because he would lose too much money. Not my problem. And again… no logic. $ 30 is $ 30 whether it comes from his lunch or dinner service. He said no, that Groupon had made the mistake and he was not going to honor it. It would put him out of business! Um, perhaps the tacky décor, (weird curtains hanging in lobby that you have to walk through with your face touching them, just as everyone else did before you) bad food and lack of good customer service is what is going to put you out of business! I didn’t want to make a scene, though there may have been only one other table occupied, so I paid and left. And then I stewed. About a half hour later I called. He answered the phone and didn’t say the name of the restaurant. I asked «is this Sushi Gin?» He said, «Yes, we’re closed.» I asked if he was the manager. He said yes. I told him that I was really unhappy with his combative tone and how he handled the matter. He said that I was the one at fault because I didn’t tell them about the Groupon when I arrived. So I got even more annoyed. I asked him if he cared about Unilocal reviews. He said no. He said to come back for dinner and he would honor the Groupon. I told him he was dreaming if he thought I would EVER set foot into the place again. And told him that I would write an honest Unilocal review about the experience. He said that’s fine.
So, if you want horrible service with attitude in a restaurant that has a funky (not in a good way) vibe and bad Asian food, go to Sushi Gin. And if you are also not familiar with logic or good customer service, this is your place!

Tried sushi gin recently on the recommendation of a friend. The parking lot was crowded and the restaurant filled with patrons jamming to a «dentist’s» version of the beatles.
First three star problem — the hostess. I don’t mind surly management/​greeters, but I’d prefer «how many» or even «good evening» instead of «do you have a groupon?» She seated us and reiterated again «no groupon?» No. We later observed her yelling at two patrons who entered the restaurant floor instead of staying in the lobby. A word to the wise, wait behind the decorative fabrics in the lobby.
Second three star problem — the server. Kind and friendly fella but painfully slow.
The food, however, was pretty good. I had «assorted sushi a,» seven pieces of sushi, tuna roll, and soup for 13.95. not a bad deal considering places like Nara. My wife ordered a couple rolls. We weren’t disappointed by the food especially for the price. I’m by no means a sushi connoisseur, but I was impressed (except for the octopus — avoid that one) with the quality compared to other places I’ve tried.
Better service would have spelled a better review. I would go back to sample some more menu items.

I truly believe people who pay more for something think they’re getting a better product or service. This simply is not true. Sushi Gin is good. It’s not the best sushi ever but its on par with most places around the KC area that charge twice the price. I eat here about once a week for lunch and get a ton of sushi for under 20 bucks. I love sushi an can’t afford to eat it once a week anywhere else. The place is a little run down and dimly lit. I typically sit at the bar so I don’t deal with the wait staff often. If you like paying more for the same sushi go right ahead. I don’t like to throw my money away.

I bookmarked this place to try their ramen out. I came on a Saturday around 1:40pm. I didn’t think I was going to make it since I live pretty far away but I made it before 2pm since that’s when they close on a Saturday. The parking lot was really small, but luckily I found a spot.
There were a lot of people here but still a few tables available. It was really dim inside of the restaurant. I was given a lot of menu (a couple of sushi menus and a lunch special menu). The ramen was on the lunch special menu. I ordered the Japanese Style Shoyu Ramen with Pork ($ 9.95) and also ordered the sushi special (1 California Roll, 1 Spicy Tuna Roll, and a choice of any highlighted items on the sushi menu which I chose the Volcano Roll) for $ 7.95.
The service was extremely slow. I waited maybe 5 – 10 minutes before I got a salad. The salad was nothing special. I waited probably another 5 minutes before my sushi and soon after the Japanese Style Shoyu Ramen. I thought the ramen was good and it was in a large bowl. The sushi was okay and didn’t think it was anything special.
There was a small sign that said cash only if the check was under $ 10 so just make sure you have cash if you’re ordering under $ 10. No personal checks. There will be a 18% service charge for separate checks on parties of 3 or more people. There will be a 15% service charge for parties of 5 or more people.
If the service was a little faster, then this would be a good place to eat; otherwise, it’s just okay at best in my opinion.

Although, sometimes, I like fusion sushi, nigiri is always my favorite. My review is based on nigiri only because I rarely tried something else in this place – sometimes, I did not even look the menu and just ordered from the sushi list. The nigiri is very good for Midwest (I have lower expectation). The white tuna, super white tuna, egg, and salmon are all very good. With the happy hour, the price is not expensive. Sometimes, I tried firecracker (if I remember correctly), it is very delicious. The service can be slow but not intolerable.
Again, for nigiri only, I love this place.