Fuji

Hit up the sushi bar upstairs, and you’ll definitely get the best seat in the house. The sushi and sashimi were top notch, and the rice to boot was bang on. I ventured deep into the eel and toro, though it was never my expectation or intention, and am I glad i did. I will most certainly be back the next time I’m in Portland. Many thanks!

Why does it take an hour to get sushi? I can understand if the place was packed, but it wasn’t. Short staffed maybe? But it’s sushi… it shouldn’t take an hour after we place ourorder to receive our food.
As far as the pieces of fish — they were small. I was very disappointed. Nothing really stood out to me except the fact my stomach began to digest itself since I was so hungry waiting for my sushi. I shouldn’t exaggerate, but it did take an hour to receive our fish. Sigh…

Despite appearing crammed into a small corner spot on Exchange Street, Fuji is actually an enormous establishment with two floors of seating. The downstairs area has the full bar and half-​dozen hibachi-​style (teppanyaki) grills. This review pertains to the hibachi dining experience.
Waiter service was apathetic yet adequate with erratic dish removal and water refilling. The hibachi chef was extremely friendly and put noticeable effort into entertaining the younger in our dining party. He did an excellent job providing entertainment during dinner.
The hibachi-​prepared food was very well done and my medium-​rare steak (New York) was expertly cooked. The appetizer salad and soup were mediocre at best and added little to the meal. The «appetizer shrimp» were tasty but offered at an unusual time.
The hibachi meals were all ~$ 20, which seemed expensive for the food alone. I finished my entire meal but everyone else in my party opted for to-​go boxes.

I was very amazed at how tired-​looking the inside of the restaurant was (we ate in the upstairs dining room), especially since I remember coming here years ago and thinking it was really kind of fancy. It could really use a good makeover; the walls had marks on them, and I saw chipped and broken furniture and décor. And don’t get me started on the «Eric Clapton’s Greatest Hits» cd on repeat.
The (taped together) menu could use a makeover too. It was ok, but disappointing for a place that’s been around for so long. It seems like the hibachi is the better way to go though, so I would try that next time.

Hibachi here is fantastic but was very disappointing I my dining room meal. They were out of most of the entrees and the portions were extremely small. Will only eat hibachi here.

My family friends and I came to fuji’s. It was my first time while they are regulars. Walking in I noticed the the awesome décor that consisted of paper lantern lights and paper walls that made it seem you were actually dining in Japan. My friends recommended the wild pork belly and I happily obliged. it was awesome! It had the right blend of spices and the flavor was extraordinary. It is a pretty small portion so if you’re tryna get fulI recommend getting it as a side. I also ordered a my tai which is putting me on my ass. Still good doe. Peace.

I have been to Fuji many a time in my life and I am sure I will return. My parents really love eating here and for some reason, my non foodie friends are obsessed with this place and hibachi.
A couple of things:
–The food is solidly good. not great. not mind blowing. It is nice that this place is fairly consistent and I know what to expect. This is true for the hibachi, the sushi, and the food from the regular kitchen. It is one of the only places where you can get actual Bibimbap in Maine and not want to immediately cry. I would say that the food gets a four star for quality and a three star for authenticity.
–The service is meh. While the hibachi chefs are mildly entertaining, the rest of the staff leaves something to be desired. While not outright rude, I have never (not exaggeration) had a server or host who showed any enthusiasm or emotion other than bored ice princess. This is definitely a two star deal.
–The atmosphere is okay. I see where they are going with the fake Asian decorations, the fake trees, etc. The bathrooms are clean, however, and the building looks well kept.
Overall, I don’t hate it and I will be back when friends or family demand it. I wouldn’t personally chose this as my favorite Asian or otherwise restaurant, but I have no negative feelings.

I would give it 4 stars but its a little over priced and the service was lackluster. Try the jalapeño tempura, very good!

This spot is absolutely huge! You can’t tell from the outside, but when walking in, there’s a main floor and then a downstairs area with a bar and more seating.
I went for lunch with a friend and we got the Hawaiian bomb roll, the golden calamari roll, pork gyoza and another sushi roll I can’t remember right now haha but everything was so good! Extremely fresh, filling, and the Hawaiian bomb definitely packed some heat! I also was in love with the calamari; crispy and not too chewy.
The service was just ok. Not a personable girl, seemed really quiet/​shy, and the bathroom was a walk to get to, but besides that, I’d definitely come back for the food! So delicious

I’ve been coming to Fuji for 5 years, and today is the last time. This is a place that makes great (I assume) money for it’s self off of whatever wedding or graduation parties they have in the basement (hibachi), while they milk whatever they can off the «sushi» upstairs. They suck, and don’t get me wrong, they still make some nice noodle dishes and salads (although not on this visit) and there are glimpses of their past in a few items, but for the most part it’s bland, boring, sometimes bad, micro-​sushi, with a strong emphasis on micro. It’s lackluster, I don’t know how else to put it. Lackluster micro-​sushi, there, I’ve said it. And most of the wait staff doesn’t have a clue or care as if Fuji’s turn employees over ever week, which is always your best sign of management that’s nuts (which always effects the food)

I’ve been coming to Fuji since 2007 consistently and I have to say that as of late it has been letting me down. There was something lack luster about the food the last time I was in there, it just wasn’t the same. Their spicy tuna roll is mushy instead of an actual piece of tuna with some spicy sauce. So now I just order a tekka roll and ask for a side of their spicy mayo. I will be back to give them a try because I just can’t let their spicy scallop roll and avocado salad go. Also, If they bottled their house dressing I would buy it.

Absolutely delicious food. Don’t forget to try the tempura jalapeño! The staff is incredibly nice and gave us a table 2min before closing. *Note that the real closing time is 9:00 (not 10, as Unilocal lists). What a delicious way to start our stay in Portland — enjoy!

Convenient place to pick up to-​go sushi, and the price isn’t bad either. I always get exactly what I want and I never have to wait more than 10 or 15 minutes. I’ve done the hibachi downstairs a couple of times. Also very good, and easily priced. The girls there are always super friendly and I get great service whether I’m doing take-​out or dine-​in.
One concern: last time I went in, I had to wait a very long time for my credit card to process. Like ten minutes of me standing there waiting for their machine to read my card. And it wasn’t just me– there were other people waiting too. The servers said that this happens often because their equipment is so old but the owners don’t want to
spend money for new stuff. I almost had to say forget about it and go back to work.
I will continue to go but I hope for the server’s sake they update their equipment!

I have not visited the sushi restaurant. I’ve only come here for the hibachi. The food I think is excellent as it may very well be the best fried rice I’ve ever had. I’ve had everything on the teppanyaki menu except for the lobster so far. I have been impressed with the depth and flavor without a large number of seasonings and ingredients. Sometimes simple is just better. The teriyaki chicken, salmon, ny strip, and filet are all cooked well and moist. The chefs do a good job getting a perfect medium rare on the beef.
It’s a bit loud and crowded during a busy night. I wish it was in a larger space, but in the old port loud and crowded is usually the norm anyways.
The experience itself is very entertaining as the chefs make an attempt to engage everyone at the table and keep everyone entertained. It’s still fun to watch even after multiple visits. It’s the perfect night out for a birthday party or just with a group of friends.

6:30−7pm on a Friday night in winter. It was not busy here. I was the only person in the sushi bar. There were clearly some new hires as the hostess/​server and a new guy behind the sushi bar stocking the chefs up that hadn’t even been there long enough to understand the head chef’s accent.
It was awkward. With the new people. The head sushi chef was easily frustrated by the new people’s understandable mistakes. It wasn’t like it was super busy and stressful to cause the short temper. I felt borderline stalked bec the new girl behind the hostess desk kept walking by but wasn’t confident yet. I get it. But the sushi chef complaining to the other server about a mistake she made entering a change to an order in the computer was a little unprofessional to do right in front of a customer sitting at the bar. The poor kid behind the sushi bar was so confused by the other sushi chef’s accents at one point, I felt really bad for him. But he got in a groove slicing things and that resolved.
Now for the sushi. I had the sushi regular that comes with 7 pieces of nigiri sushi, chef’s choice and a California roll. It wasn’t bad. But I wasn’t blown away. And towards the end, I felt like the sushi pieces were biting me back because almost every single one had some hidden wasabi surprise inside. That may be some people’s thing, but not mine. It was so much, I started wondering if they were trying to cover up the taste of the fish…
I really wanted to like this place a lot. It was a close, easy place to walk to from where I live. It looks so cute as is near some of my favorite shops downtown, but this experience was so very disappointing.

Guys,
I found a fantastic combination in the Fuji restaurant: Sushi and spicy scallop roll with iced cinnamon ginger tea! Can’t beat this quality of taste around here. Guys you gotta try them! I guarantee that you will love them even you don’t favor sushi and roll. Tastes so good!

Have eaten here since I was a kid and living in Maine. My mother is Japanese and we have gone many times as a family. Good sushi selection, many options.
I would recommend any of the raw choices. Specialty/​chefs choice are good. Saketini pairs very well, as the cucumber infusion is refreshing.

We should have taken the hint and turned around and walked out when it took, no joke, over ten minutes for someone to even acknowledge us standing at the hostess stand. No hostess was in sight and the multiple waitresses and sushi chefs walking by did not even say a word. Finally, a waitress noticed us looking undoubtedly annoyed and sat as at a table.
Our waitress came over looking panicked and sweaty. She gave us water, but then did not acknowledge our table for another twenty minutes.
We finally flagged her down and she gave a quick apology, or more like a plea for us to understand that she as very busy that night. At this point, we were clearly ready to order drinks, apps, and entrees.
The food itself was really good, which was a pleasant surprise after our experience this far. We got a rainbow mako roll and another that had shrimp tempura in it. Both were great! We also got two dinner boxes which were both eaten happily.
However, service once again reared it’s ugly head towards the end of our meal. A friend dropped her chopstick and asked for a fork instead, but after ten minutes or so, we realized it was never coming and had to go ask the hostess, as our waitress was nowhere in sight. Then, once we got the check, we had to find someone again to give our credit card to because again, our waitress was nowhere in sight.
I hate giving only two stars on a restaurant whose food was actually good, but unfortunately service is a huge part of the dining experience and it certainly had a negative impact throughout our dinner.

Oh Fuji, you always confuse me with what I want to rate you…
Lets start with the food — I haven’t explored the sushi very much here but tried a piece of friends sushi on occasion. Nothing is every impressive looking or tasting and the selection is typical for a middle end sushi place. Lets put it this way, I don’t come here for sushi, and wouldn’t suggest this be your sushi go-​to.
The hibachi food is typical in flavor, look and variety. It is not Benihana in flavor by any stretch. The chicken and steak are cooked appropriately but the meats aren’t super fancy seasoned nor exciting in flavor. The look of the dishes is … blah … for lack of better words. I’ve seen Chinese take out look better on a plate. That being said, its decent. as in I finish my plate, but don’t dream of eating here nor coming for the food.
So why do I even keep coming back? Well, its a great place to come with friends and have a fun meal. The drink menu is limited although there’s a good selection of sake, but there are a few different selections… nothing that will excite a beer geek or a cocktail lover. The chef’s are fun and personable and make the place worth going. It is definitely not the top notch hibachi show and there’s not super fancy tricks. Its pretty much the same tricks each time actually. With all this talk, why don’t I rate it a 1 star? Well, for some reason its always fun and I’m happy when I leave … I’m sure the great company is what helps. To having a place that I always leave happy and allows our group to have a good time, I give a second star… this is NOT your foodie place to go however.

Call for hibachi reservations if it’s a Friday or Saturday, especially in the summer. (PS The later the reservation, the more rowdy you can expect the place to be, so make earlier reservations if you plan to bring the kids.) I have particularly fond memories of coming here for dinner for my Bachelorette party and being seated with and next to a few other Bachelorette groups.
The value is excellent — you get a small salad, soup, 2 shrimp appetizers, stir fry with noodles, rice and your choice meat (or vegetarian). They take care to ask if anyone at the table has allergies and will separate your food from everyone else’s if you do.
The chef interacted well with our group on this particular visit, even during some questionably acceptable conversations, and the waitress put up commendably with the antics of a few in the party. Unfortunately the food quality and portion sizes just don’t seem to be the same as I remembered.