Buddha's Favorite

Let me start off by saying the food was really good. The poke tasted fresh and the miso soup was very good as well We had a group of 10 and we all didn’t have any complaints about the sushi itself it was very good. But the service wasn’t that great. They took a long time to take our order and the food took a long time as well, and when we did get our food it came staggered. Some food came and others were waiting for 15-20 minutes for their food after. They weren’t really attentive to our group. We had to get up and ask for ginger because they didn’t come to our table much. But the sushi was excellent and the place itself is nice and next to the water. So that’s pretty neat.

Had dinner on Monday 4/28/05. Food was decent, the tempura veggies were delicious and the rainbow roll was nice and fresh, although pretty small and narrow. The Pacific oyster we ordered was NOT good at all, sadly. Other food was ok. Service was subpar, the young woman serving the outside was inattentive and short with her responses. Needs a chat with management. We talked with the table next to us about how hurried and disinterested she seemed to be with our service; both said they wouldn’t come back. The atmosphere just didn’t seem welcoming last night, sadly. It was freezing and took forever to turn the heaters on. The hightop table we were at was next to the windows for the inside, and halfway through our meal someone shut the blinds inside abruptly cutting off the light by which we could see our food. We had to use an iPhone flashlight to see what fish was on top of the rainbow roll, to see the bill, and to sign the receipt. Just a lame experience from start to finish. The free “I Like It Raw” stickers were cool, though. 🤷

So so so disappointed. Have been to Buddha’s 5+ times and love it and had the worst service ever tonight. I made a reservation a week in advance for 7:30 and we arrived at 7:25 and were not seated until after 8 with little to no apology from the hostesses (except for the awesome lady who may be the manager/main host and helped us decide what to order while we were still outside so thanks to her). We ended up sitting at a 4 top w 5 people which is fine, except for the fact that we watched multiple 4 tops be seated before us that came after us. When we sat down we literally watched a group we had arrived at the same time as LEAVE because they were done eating. We ordered immediately after sitting down because we had so much time to decide earlier. Food came out quickly but in a seriously atrocious order: rolls and main dishes before ANY of the apps (most concerning was a full poke bowl served three courses before miso soups), which imo is really weird and I have never seen before at a sushi restaurant. The servers didn’t clear any of our dishes as we ate, never filled our waters, and our soy sauce was empty (see photo attached). I was eating with my friend who is a hostess at a different restaurant and she said at this point they would’ve taken stuff off the bill. As people who have worked in the service industry, I ALWAYS tip 20% and today couldn’t justify tipping that much on a $200+ meal with honestly subpar service and hosting. Wanted to show my friends from out of town my favorite restaurant in Newport and am thoroughly disappointed. Food was great though (see photo attached LOL we did clean the plates)

I’ve never felt the need to write a review until now, but this restaurant left me completely infuriated. I made a reservation for my birthday dinner at 7:30, only to be told to wait when I arrived. Fine—I waited. After 40 minutes, they finally came over to inform me that the only seating available was at the sushi bar and that if we wanted a table, it would be another 20 minutes. That is absolutely unacceptable for a confirmed reservation. To make matters worse, during this time I watched at least three parties of three and two parties of two get seated ahead of us, even though their reservations were at 8:00. The only reason? They seemed to be acquaintances with the servers. That kind of blatant favoritism is unprofessional and shows zero respect for paying customers. We ended up leaving without even eating. This was our very first impression of the restaurant, and it will definitely be our last. If management cares about customer experience, they might consider training their staff on professionalism—or at the very least, honoring reservations instead of playing favorites.

This is hands down the best sushi that I've ever had. I love the fresh wasabi and salmon carpaccio was absolutely delicious. I also like the fact that I got a custom role made the way I want it with salmon skin and gobo. The service is great Nicole her staff get 2 thumbs up

Located on the pier on the Lido Peninsula, the small sushi restaurant is a must. The view is outstanding. The atmosphere is perfect. Reservations are recommended as this place fills up fast. The fish was simply amazing, and the service was perfect. Really can't say enough! Highly recommended!

excellent food but... had to wait 30 minutes for seating on a Sunday night,reservations made well in advance. was told inside seating only was available. it's really loud inside. had to wait 50 minutes for the main entrees. great place for casual dining if you have a lot of time. wait for outdoor seating

If I could give this restaurant 10 stars, I would! Nicole has made out it a memorable experience every time we come! We’ve been here every few months & always choose to spend our anniversary at Buddha’s Favorite. The host, staff, & especially Nicole are very accommodating & welcoming. No matter what food we order, everything is so fresh and quick! We try something new everything we visit, but our absolute favorites are: Jamie’s Crying, Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice, Stinky Roll, Back Flip, & the spicy garlic edamame! My boyfriend & I have been coming for the last 5 years and can’t see us ever going anywhere new in Newport! Thank you Nicole & thank you Buddha’s Favorite staff for making our anniversary one to remember. This restaurant is such a Newport exclusive! If you are ever in the area, definitely check this place out!