Saji-Ya

I had high hopes for this sushi resturant. The atmospher is wonderful, the server was amazing but the food fell short. The quality was fresh but I found the flavor underwhelming. The manager graciously removed one of the rolls from our bill. I was not expecting that.

Experienced staff makes this spot exceptional. The drinks are great and the drink specials are even better. Sushi is worth the price and the ambiance is relaxed yet stylish. Dine here, if you want a delicious dining experience and a nice addition to your Instagram story

A good spot on Grand Ave. to get sushi. It's not the same as before they closed, but it's still not bad! We ordered the Shrimp Tempura Bento, Sushi 7 Combo, and Jurassic Marc 26. Good food, but more on the expensive side for quantity.

First time being back since the reopening and there was a lot left to be desired. The food was as amazing as I remember, but the ambiance, charm and service were lacking. For example, we had to order our appetizers 3 times before they actually got put in and it’s a super open concept which makes it so very loud. I loved this spot so much before, I hope they can figure some things out to make it a better experience.

Seriously mediocre. We got a takeout order and the rolls were small with almost no fish in them. $18.50 for an eel roll that has a single very thin piece of eel in it? We spent almost $60 to eat mostly rice for dinner. Too bad because their space is nice looking. Seaweed salad was decent.

The new Saji is BACK and better than ever. I’ve been going to Saji for years and I was so impressed with the service, hospitality of literally everyone who we interacted with, and the FOOD. Calamari, Manny, and spicy tuna rolls were superb. Special shout out to Preston our server and Tou behind the sushi bar for making the meal that much better. We can’t wait to be back! 💟

Consistently great service and food. Grab a seat on the outdoor patio, sip some sake and enjoy. Have been going here for years and have never had a bad experience. Their happy hour is a good deal with discounts on many food items and drinks

I was a regular at the old location until I moved out of state and I would always visit when I was in town. This was my first visit since the reopening and I enjoyed it very much. The focus on the quality of the food has not changed and the atmosphere of the new place is a nice upgrade. The staff is great and attentive, the fish is fresh and well prepared. I will be back next time I'm in town.

Amazing sushi! The service was quick and never felt like we were waiting. I had an old fashioned, which tasted great. For an appetizer I got some potstickers and they did not disappoint! I got a variety of sushi and I have to say, you could get any sushi here and you would jot be disappointed! Had a great time and would definitely come back!

We tried their Nice new digs. The service is friendly. The menu is varied much more than just sushi but many awesome sushi plates. Need to search for parking

Fun for date night or a group of friends! Ambiance screams of modern, luxurious Asia. Definitely photo friendly! However the food quality should be higher for these prices, so I took off one star. Service was friendly but slow at first. Food was good, but not great. Here's what we had: - Miso & Egg Drop Soup (3/5) way too much garnish for both soups. - Salad (3/5) fresh salad, but too much dressing - Sushi 7 Combo (4/5). For $46 the quality should be higher. The fish was yummy, but the rice tasted like stale grocery store sushi. And the rice to sushi ratio was too high. - No. 9 Roll (4/5) Roll was plated beautifully, but again I was expecting higher quality ingredients for a $21 roll. - Bubbies Mochi (5/5) This tiny $4 dessert was my favorite. We chose strawberry, but they also offered red velvet and mango flavors. It's vanilla ice cream, with a thin coating of flavored mochi. It was fun to see Saji-Ya re-born to be so beautiful!We used to frequent this restaurant 10-20 years ago, but this new Saji-Ya is vastly different.

Quality food! Everything from their appetizers to sushi, bento boxes, lunch or dinner specials. You can casually meet a friend, do date night, family dinner and you won't be disappointed. The staff are all knowledgeable about every item on their menus. Great food, great company and atmosphere all around!

We loved dinner and our server was attentive and friendly. I ordered the truffle shuffle, which was so flavorful, my only complaint is there way wayyyy too much rice in the roll. The sashimi was the star of the show. Definitely the freshest fish we've had in the midwest. I also loved my lychee martini! It's clean with cute decor inside. Nice patio too.

So absolutely happy Saji-Ya is open again! Our waiter Preston was fantastic! The sushi chefs were fabulous and on point! The chef's recommendation on the specials were so delicious! Will be recommending to ALL and definitely coming back sooner than later!

We are long time customers, and had been eagerly anticipating the reopening. Sadly, we have never had such a disappointing meal from Saji-ya. We ordered several different large sushi rolls. The rolls with shrimp were filled with very overdone, and over battered shrimp. The rice was gummy and not at all like it was in the past. The scallop roll smelled a bit off, and was not eatable. Actually, none of it was good enough to eat... we threw it away. I will end by saying we were expecting higher prices, but given the food quality, prices are way out of line. We won't be back any time soon.

We have been going to this restaurant for 20 years.They completely from the ground up new building new everything they did a great job on this restaurant top notch everything from the dragon on the wall to the lights and the colors.The appetizers were out of this world we had the steak it was amazing.they have least thirty different kinds of Sushi and they will custom make one for you also.There were six of us eating and everyone said best Sushi in Minnesota.They have the best chefs around.If your within 100 miles of this place go there the sushi is the best I've had.

It occurred to me that I don't eat, or post about, near enough sushi. Well, after the euphoric dining experience we had last night, that's certainly going to change. Restauranteur and just all around gracious dude, Peter Kenefick, owns this joint along with Dixie's and Emmett's right next door. We're regulars of the latter-mentioned and it was long overdue for us to venture over here. Sushi is for sure the ultimate dining experience; for the pallet, conversation, presentation, and complementary flavors. And for this reason I'm almost always intimidated by it and really want someone else to pick things for me. As luck would have it, we came to the right spot. Along with the wide array of sushi and sashimi on the seasonal menus, Chef Noe is vigilant about checking in with servers to know what drinks and starters are coming to the table and can custom build some things to complement your experience, if you choose to go this route. He also welcomes any custom rolls a guest may want off menu. Brilliant. Roll 1 ~ inside: tuna, salmon, hamachi, ginger. Outside: crunchies, spicy salmon mix, truffle oil, powdered seaweed, eel sauce. Roll 2 ~ Inside: shrimp tempura, spicy mayo, cucumber, cilantro, shiso. Outside: avocado, snow crab, eel sauce. **texture and taste with both these rolls was just out of this world. I won't even begin to try and describe everything going on here flavor wise cause Instagram has a character limit. Wow...** Gyoza ~ pan fried dumplings served with savory and spicy dipping sauce. **always a solid choice as a starter. These were, perfectly crispy and delicious** Special thanks to manager Pat as well! My new sushi bar has been set and I'm Livin for it!

The new Saji-ya is good. The food was fresh and very tasty, we had sashimi, edamame ,seaweed salad,house salad and miso soup .We also had two kind of rolls, one cooked and one with raw as part of our group didn't like raw fish. We will return to try a few other items. My biggest complaint would be the noise level and privacy. Only two little private areas that I could see otherwise your stuffed in very close to your neighbors!

Saji-Ya was once one of my favorite sushi restaurants in the cities. I took my family there tonight, excited to show them that Minnesota can do sushi well! The once classy Japanese vibe was replaced by a much more modern feel. There were some truly beautiful parts of their decor. The place felt smaller than its previous form, but it was vibrant. The service was mediocre at best. We were seated quickly but waited over 10 minutes for our server to introduce herself. The wine list is minimal, but it's a sushi restaurant so that's not all that bad. We had the spicy edamame and gyoza for appetizers. Both were quite good. It turns out that was the peak of our experience. The sushi we ordered was presented nicely but the quality of the ingredients were not what we had hoped for. The nigiri came to the table dull in appearance, like the maguru sat out and dried for the last hour. The tuna in the maki and other dishes was sinewy and did not smell fresh. My son enjoyed the crispy shrimp roll, so that was probably the highlight of the main course. I'm sorry to say but we will not be back. Still trying to find quality sushi in Minnesota.

Service was good, new location was nice but the fish was buffet quality. Very disappointing.

I'm so happy they came back! Food and service was amazing. I can't wait to take my mom there and see that what my dad was part of starting still exists

Great service, excellent food! Check out the Pablo Escolar roll, spicy edamame & crispy spicy chicken wings. We were seated promptly, food was fresh & delicious.

Usually when you eat sushi there's a high likelihood that you will leave still hungry or your wallet incredibly light. That said, the Sushi Combo is 7 pieces of Nigiri and a roll... but it is also accompanied with a bowl of miso soup and a salad. This was a good amount of food for a sushi entree priced at $25. I really liked the salty Miso! The sushi was average. The texture of the nigiri was spotty. Some being moist and delicious while others having seemingly dry edges. The cocktails were Wayyy to sweet.

First time visit, we have always enjoyed sushi, just hadn't found you. We ordered take out. Very good attention at the front desk. And I observed what must be a regular greet the fellow at the front. Your staff told him that he had held a table for him right around the corner. The wife thanked him as she passed by. We got to know JR down at Wasabi Fusion for a couple of years, miss him. Doll ordered the salmon steak Bento, I ordered the sushi combo. We could not stop saying how good the fish was, both raw and cooked. Really good quality fish, and plenty of it. You have a nice looking dining room and a small patio on the ground floor, I think there was also a second story patio. Can't wait to explore the rest of the menu.

We called and made reservations for early dinner, and everything was perfect. COVID-19 compliance, friendly greeter, sat us and brought drinks out quickly. We ordered various small plates and a couple sushi. All was delicious!

I'm still trying to figure out why this restaurant is not rated 5. The quality of their food, the service everything is a 5. People need to frequent this place more. Honestly it is also the only Sushi restaurant that actually serves coffee, always a plus in my books.

Just drove by this place to check it out. It's closed down. Looks like it will become a residential community. Construction is just about to begin.

Saji-Ya is one of my favorite sushi spots in St. Paul. Being located on bustling Grand Ave, it is super convenient to have that big parking lot as a guaranteed place to park. Be certain to stop in for their happy hour specials (dine-in only) from 3-6pm Monday-Saturday, and 4-6pm on Sunday. They have some truly delicious sushi rolls, with the Wasaki Roll being one of my favorites! 5 stars for Saji-Ya!

I highly recommend this place for sushi. The fish quality is amazing. My husband and I went there after a recommend from Eater.com. The food looks so beautiful. I was very happy with what I ordered. We are definitely planning on a return visit soon. I would recommend coming here.

Yummy...yummy sushi on Grand Ave. Late Thursday evening dinner with my gal pal. I had sushi, vegetarian egg rolls, and a martini. We sat on the patio to enjoy the weather. The server was friendly and attentive. The food was satisfying and filling. The egg rolls were a tad too greasy for me but still edible. I will definitely go back to Saji-Ya again!

A friend recommended this place, so me and a few buddies decided to try it out. I had the chicken teriyaki bento box. The bento box was good. Mine came with a deep fried onion, a small seaweed salad, broccoli in a sauce, chicken covered in teriyaki sauce, and rice. Overall, it was good, but honestly, nothing amazing. One of my friends had the steak bento box, and the rest had sushi. They all commented how it wasn't anything amazing or memorable. Saji-ya is a restaurant that serves good food, but it's not a place to make your way out to go to. Their bento boxes are quite overpriced during dinner hours. If you're in the area and is craving Japanese food, give it a try.

Took my husband here for a surprise date. It was both our first time and the impression of the indoor decor was beautifully designed and detailed. Their sushi is fresh and their menu is vast in unique rolls and also traditional rolls you would find in other restaurants. We had a feast of rolls and appetizers, vow that we come back soon but haven't had the time. Will come back with a more detailed menu breakdown soon~

This restaurant is located within the same building as Dixie's on Grand. I would recommend making reservations for this restaurant at dinner time, especially in the summer months when the outdoor seating is available. The hostess was extremely friendly and very quick to seat us at our table. The ambience is very quiet and comfortable, the tables are arranged to allow for conversations to remain somewhat private. The servers are extremely friendly and helpful, they will also provide input on the menu if asked. I found the menu to offer a wide variety of Japanese cuisine and some great drink selections as well. The teriyaki rib eye skewers are very good, I prefer the teriyaki sauce. The same with the chicken skewers and I prefer the steamed rice and egg drop soup as well. The menu has much more to offer in terms of variety. I found all of the meat they serve to be of high quality and prepared very well. If I could utilize chopsticks without taking a day to eat I would attempt but I do like to eat my food in a timely manner, the choice is yours. Regardless of how you eat the food is excellent, so enjoy. Cheers!

I took my girlfriend here for her birthday dinner. We had a several of their rolls, a bottle of saki, enoki mushrooms, and a birthday dessert. Their sushi is fresh and tasty. We both enjoyed the rolls. The No. 9 roll has shrimp tempura and spicy mayo inside; salmon, avocado, eel sauce and sesame outside. Their rainbow roll has shrimp, cucumber inside; seven varieties of fish outside. Both are very long rolls and you are getting a lot for the price. We finished off the Dai-Ginjo Saki which is one of the best saki's I've tried. The birthday dessert was fantastic. We shared the chocolate tower cake which is nice layers of chocolate cake and ganache filling and frosting. However, the presentation for her birthday was freaking fabulous! It came out with fireworks! It had a cone sparkler shooting sparks about two feet up into the air. No singing, no noise makers, just fireworks!

I've been coming here on and off since 2005. They have had subtle changes over the years, but the consistent things are good sushi, tasty drinks, and good friendly service. The menu is diverse and offers good food from the kitchen or the sushi bar. Hibachi requires a call ahead reservation. They have a smattering god Japanese vodka, gin, and whiskey (note: try the IWAI, it's Legit). They have A great selection of sake (try the unfiltered or ask if the owner Pat has a recommendation for something unique) and a good if small selection of local craft and Japanese beers. Bottom Line: they aren't cheap but Saji-Ya is a great place to come in, relax with a drink and have a good bite to eat. Parent Note: changing tables in both the men's and women's bathrooms. Limited but good options for kids.

Absolutely fantastic!!!! I have been going here for 13yrs and never once had a bad experience. My absolute favorite sushi restaurant in St. Paul. And the staff is equally as fantastic and so polite. I have nothing but praises for this restaurant

Good but not the best sushi I've ever had. It's better than sushi tango in uptown though! I liked the seating and the sake was good. Happy hour made it really affordable and a great date! Our waiter was very nice too. Food came out quickly.

The food was just not good for the price they charge. The sushi at Cub Foods would have been more satisfying for me and my wallet...even though my friend treated. My friend and I ordered the Tonkatsu as an appetizer, pork chop breaded in panko with a sauce they call the Bulldog, which was a brown tangy sauce. The panko crust fell right off the pork, it's wasn't even clinging by any standard, shit just slid straight off. The pork was white and chewy. Sauce was too thick. I could have made it better at home. I went with a sushi combo, it came with 5 pieces of nigiri sushi with a tekka-kappa roll, miso soup and Saji-Ya house salad. Soup was mediocre, the salad dressing was like a bland thousand island and not memorable. The nigiri pieces were fine, but there was this weird tofu rice piece. It seriously looked like animal skin wrapped around rice. I can't believe I even tried a bite, it was super sweet and unappetizing. The decor screams "trying too hard." Seating was all black, we were in an area where we had to step up onto a platform but then down into a booth. Wasn't comfortable to get into or to sit at because there was too much space between the table and bench on both sides. Or server was super nice, our water was filled quickly, and she asked us if we needed anything frequently...it sort of came to a point when it was too much asking. I hate to complain about too much service, but even my friend after the 5th or 6th time she came by asked if it was rude that he was annoyed by it. Although I appreciate it, it just starts to interrupt the conversation at the table too often. I doubt I'd be back. Probably plenty of other places in the area to try.

I'm a California girl and LOOOOVE Sushi, so I'm super happy to find a nice sushi bar here in Minnesota. A little pricey, but seems about standard prices for Minnesota. The staff is super friendly and kept me company as I was dinning alone. They even remembered my bosses coming in the day before talking with them. My check total was around $38, I love their veggie rolls(appetizer) also had their Twister roll and one other that I can't remember the name. I was there during Happy Hour and had their happy hour white wine( yummy)$4.50 a glass nice :)

Saji-ya was my first sushi love. Their menu is huge! So many options and not enough stomach for it all. Their HH menu looks really good so I definitely already have plans to come back and have HH here. It was restaurant week and we stopped in for lunch. For $10, you get 2 takoyaki, shrimp or veggie tempura, a dynamite or spicy tuna roll, miso soup and 2 nigiri?? That's one damn good deal. I was pretty stuffed with that alone but we also ordered Kama(grilled yellowtail cheek). That cheek was huge! I couldn't eat anymore so the bf was all on his own with that. I did take a few bites and it was so tender, mmmmmm.. I will definitely be frequenting Saji-ya a lot more now that I'm closer to it again.

I was in St. Paul on business and one of my colleagues recommended the five of us try the sushi here. We just made the end of happy hour and were able to get one drink each (mine was cold sake) and two appetizers, gyoza and edamame. The edamame was decent. I did not try the gyoza. I also ordered the takoyaki and three sushi rolls: Yellowtail, spicy tuna, and the salmon and cream cheese roll. I tried to order the Uni sushi on the menu, but they said they don't have it during the week. The takoyaki was really good- flavorful but small, with a little bit of octopus in it. I probably could have ordered and eaten two more servings. The sushi was good. The spicy tuna was the best, salmon and cream cheese roll was OK. The yellowtail did not taste too fresh. We sat across from the bar so service was really good. Our food came out quickly. I wish I had gotten another order of takoyaki.

Came on New Year's Eve. Great service right off the bat. Ordered pork dumplings, edamame, chicken skewers, and the shrimp and beef bento box. All delicious and come out promptly. Finished off with green tea ice cream. Definitely would recommend getting the Saji-Ya Special to drink.

The hosts and waiter were really welcoming and prompt with their service. Space had a nice set up. Loved that they served complimentary edamame, fried gyoza and seaweed salad--which tasted decent. We ordered a 6-piece tuna roll which tasted great. Unfortunately our main entree -- the chicken ramen was terrible. It was watered down with no depth of flavor.

I would say this is probably my favorite sushi spots in the twin cities. The rolls are always beautiful, fresh and flavorful, we love that there are vegetarian options as well. Our go to order is the veggie roll, spicy edamame, harumaki and an order of the Japanese pickles for a palate cleanser between each bite. I'm only taking away one star because the orders have been consistently late for pickup by 10 minutes or more but we keep going back because the food is excellent!

Sometimes being a fan of a place is more about the food and atmosphere, although I do really like the atmosphere here. This place is all about the memory. One of my best friends and I ate here and had one of the best times ever. Lots of laughs at my expense. I had ordered one of their salads which had avocado which I was very excited about. Love huge chunks of fresh avocado. Not paying too much attention and diving into my salad, I harpooned one of the green chunks that happened to be one big ass pile of wasabi. I know the two look nothing like each other, but when you're lost in good conversation nothing else matters sometimes. I spent a fair amount of time in the bathroom trying to get my eyes back to their normal color and blowing my nose in hopes to rid the intense sting from the wasabi. Shiat! I have had wasabi, but never in a big chunk. The sushi we shared was alright, but somehow didn't hit the spot. Charming atmosphere, friendly service and good memories for the most part.

I've been craving sushi for weeks now and finally made it in to Saji-Ya. Decor and vibe of the place is on point. We were there at lunch, so we took advantage of the awesome deals. Started out with the complimentary edamame which was well cooked and seasoned. I got the Friday Sushi lunch special, which had a Philly roll, egg drop soup, and a salad... for $9!!! Tons of food and good quality and easy on the wallet. Husband got the Katsu Don bowl, it was ENORMOUS and only $12.50. He said it was good and definitely got two meals out of it. The server was super knowledgeable about Gluten Free options on the menu and they even had GF soy sauce! This place is definitely in the rotation for lunch spots and I'm excited to head back for dinner soon.

I usually don't waste any time with writing bad reviews but I felt it was important to comment on our experience with their Teppanyaki today. I simply believe they don't bring their A-team on a Sunday. The chef was nice but is not ready to do this yet. He admitted that they are short handed and he's usually making sushi. Everything was either over cooked or undercooked. The beef and lobster kinda tasted the same. All buttered up and garliced out. No good flavors. Service was so so. Other reviews seem good in general that's why I think the bottom line is that they charge a good amount for this and I'm happy to pay $$$ for a good meal. But if the restaurant can't do a good job on a Sunday - just don't offer Teppanyaki on a Sunday then....

This place is exceptional.We been going there for 20 years.Always fresh seafood and great service too.Noni the head chef is amazing he can do anything.If your within 100 miles of this place you have to go.They have the best staff there too.Greats drinks and full bar and wine and saki.

Best Japanese Restaurant in the Twin Cities. Great selections, wonderful presentation of the food, beautiful filet portions of the sushi, terrific service and priced reasonably!

Sushi before a show is hit or miss. Sometimes you eat so much that you are uncomfortable sitting afterwords or the fish doesn't hit you just right and you're in for a long night. I've visited a number of sushi places in the cities and Saji-Ya is a reliably delicious restaurant. The atmosphere is what you expect of a sushi place. Saji-Ya shares a building with another restaurant so parking and the waiting areas can get a little cramped. I usually pick a few sushi rolls that are a little different than the standard philly/spicy tuna/Etc. The specialty rolls didn't disappoint. We had a truffle oil roll which was very well balanced and impressive. Truffle oil is hit or miss for me as it often overpowers the other flavors. This roll had a great blend of flavors that hit you at different moments while you enjoyed your bite. My favorite for the night had thinly sliced lemon on the top of the roll. I haven't had a roll like this before but each bite was a fantastic bright pop of lemon balanced with a spicy kick that made us fight for the last piece.

The sushi is great. Do not bother with their wings. They're under seasoned and a little dry.

I've been coming to saji ya since I was a child and it will always hold a special place in my heart. The sushi is authentic and delicious. The staff will always go above and beyond to make sure you have an incredible experience! Love you guys!

3.5 stars We went on date night recently to try another sushi place. We had 2 rolls, edamame, and my wife had wings. The edamame and wings were decent, pretty basic, but good. The sushi was good. Not great, but good. The service was good and the patio area was lovely on a summer Friday night. Overall; I'd go back for happy hour on the patio, but wouldn't recommend it as a top sushi place.

Sushi is one of my favorite meals and this place knows how to serve up delicious sushi. Coming in towards the end of the night (1 hour before it closed) I was worried the staff would not be happy. But they were beyond gracious and almost happy that we were there. I'm also a fan of sitting at the sushi bar to watch all the action. This was a great choice as the two sushi chefs were very entertaining and participated in a great conversation. As I'm going through bit of a tuna craze right now, they convinced me to get sashimi (I'm more of a sushi roll type) and boy was I beyond satisfied. I don't even remember the last time I haven't order miso soup at a Japanese restaurant and would consider myself a miso coinsurer, let's just say if there was a competition they would make the top three. Along with an order of edamame, we order a few sushi rolls. This is probably ranked one of my favorite sushi spots in the twin cities areas and I can't wait to go back!

I ordered takeout for lunch yesterday. I wanted something warm I work just a few blocks away. It was convenient and the employees were kind. I wish I could give a better review and I'm sure they serve better sushi since that's really what people would normally come and get here. But I ordered the Japanese Tonkatsu Curry it had a very mild curry cooked with beef which was good. Potatoes and carrots served with tonkatsu and rice. Tonkatsu is a breaded deep fried pork cutlet. I wish I would of liked this dish more but the curry was a bit bland and I wanted something with more liquid. Given the breaded meat it kinda just soaked it all up. I also ordered a seaweed salad that was a bit bland. A soup came with the lunch special and I thought that was the best part. I'll probably try to order lunch again from here next time I'll go for sushi! Also I was a little sad I didn't get napkins or chopsticks/utensils. Overall I'm down to try something new from here!

Saji-Ya: A place where, if you aren't a party of 5 or more, they get you a drink and appetizer, then ignore you for a full HALF HOUR! I ended up not even getting the entree I came for.

Wonderful restaurant with a great variety of sushi and other delicious food options. Very pleasant atmosphere and great experience! Employees were very attentive and very nice! Very enjoyable night out with an extensive drink menu too! Thanks for the opportunity and we will be back...

I've been there a couple of times, and have only had so-so experience with the food. I decided to take my mom here because we wanted to try their traditional menu. We ordered grilled enoki mushroom, hamachi kama, salmon skin salad, and agedashi tofu. The best thing that we had were probably the complimentary edamame, hot tea and agedashi tofu. Everything else was below average. The worst dish would be hamachi kama. It was so burnt on the outside that the fish had an incredibly bitter tasting. Ive never been to Japan so I dont really know if traditional grilled fish is supposed to be all burnt. My mom has visited Japan numerous times, and she's never experienced all burnt grilled fish there. The salmon skin salad was ok. The veggie and dressing were good, but again the salmon skin was incredibly burnt and incredibly bitter, and that completely ruined the dish. The grilled mushroom was so-so. I think I'm pretty much done with Saji Ya. I wont return.