Sakana-Ya Sushi Bar

The sushi was delicious. Many great options, and tons of available sushi. The conveyer belt was always full of different roles. Additionally, you had the option to order small hot dishes (crab Rangoons, dumplings, etc). They also had normal meals available as well. The sushi was priced per plate color (Yellow=12$, Blue=8$, etc). And the sushi was half priced! Definitely recommend.

what a cool place! came here for dinner at the conveyer belt sushi bar, and it was so fun! watching your food go past you on a converter belt was so cool, and the food was great! i’d recommend the shrimp tempura roll. great stop for a bite to eat!

Conveyor belt sushi in Syracuse, ya that is right. In Armory Square area, you will find this little restaurant cranking out sushi for locals and tourists. We were shocked to find it, and after already eaten lunch, we had to try. The sushi rice was very good. Fish is what you expect for sushi in North America, acceptable, but it's not Japan. However, the winner here is the 50% off during happy hour and the conveyor belt experience. Will be back with the kids.

(3/13/2025) Update, second trip was way better. I went with a friend to the dining room for restaurant week and foe thirty bucks a person we got stuffed with amazing Asian cuisine. We loved it. Friendly staff and great food. Very clean and quick service. (First review 8/7/2024) So my sister and I went on a Monday which is apparently half off most items and it was interesting. We had all sorts of rolls. The plates are color-coated to indicate the price and it's easy to figure out but check to see if it's a half-off time window. I didn't realize we were saving until we got the check. I went for my birthday, having not had sushi in years and it was a good experience.

I mean you can’t really get better than sushi on a conveyor belt. The atmosphere is great. The conveyor sushi belt is such a cool and fun concept. They have easily 20+ sushi options going around at all times. We sampled about 10 different varieties when we went and were not disappointed. The sushi bar is currently running half off sushi form the conveyor belt so not only is it delicious sushi but also a stellar price. This place was a blast and everything fresh and delicious. Can’t wait to go back. Keep in mind, prices are listed by the color of the plate and it’s easy to eat a lot of sushi and rack up a large tab so keep that in mind.

The atmosphere was clean and bright with a general feel good vibe. The sushi I had was very good. The mango had tuna in it and it was very refreshing taste that was both sweet and spicy. The she so hot roll also was very good. I like hot but this wasn’t super hot but very flavorful. My friend got orange chicken and it was good. My wife got bee bop ( Korean dish) and she loved it. The waiter was very friendly and helpful

I loved this place! Cheap half price sushi on Monday, conveyor belt sushi is always a blast. But the real treat was when i ordered some fresh The 007 and fruit rolls were 🔥🔥🔥 Absolutely delicious. I went back 3 times for those alone. They also had great crab Rangoons for the price And my server was so so so nice! His favorite roll was also the fruit roll, younger with glasses. I'm sorry i didn't get your name!!! Super super lovely, great service, very nice and welcoming

Stopped here while in Syracuse and I was seated as soon as I walked in. I decided to eat here because they advertised half priced specials! Food did not disappoint — and I’m pretty picky about sushi! Only critique was that it was a bit hard to see what sushi you were getting (though they did have color coordinated plates which made it a bit easier). Overall, definitely recommend if you want a quick and inexpensive meal!

Food was amazing. We sat at the bar. It was my first time having revolving sushi. It was difficult to figure out the rolls. You could order the rolls you wanted if you didn't see them and the server would find them for you or have them made. They had tempura, Rangoon, spring rolls revolving, too. The ambiance was minimal, everyone was around the bar, so there wasn't much interaction.

They have a great happy hour and maybe when I was there - maybe missed the crowd so I didn't have quite the same selection as the menu. The sushi was fresh and our waiter was nice. It would be a great first date spot or a first time trying sushi since it's so easy to sample a little bit of everything. They had a fruit California roll and it was surprisingly good - like we went back for seconds on it.

Very impressed by my to go order lunch box. My order was made and delivered in a timely manner. The ingredients were fresh and the food was delicious. The lunch box was a great value, can't wait to order again!

(4.5/5) Took a trip down to this restaurant because I was craving sushi and soup! It's very lovely interior, a bit dim but still nice! I ordered the Chirashi dinner and hot and sour soup (forgot the pic). The sushi restaurant that splits into two rooms, one is the sit and dine area and the other is the conveyer belt sushi section. I chose the sit and dine because I wanted something soup. I have been to the conveyor belt section once around 2 years ago when I first visited Syracuse and it was amazing! Food: (9.5/10) Chirashi Dinner $23.95: 12 pieces of sashimi with a bed of rice underneath! Comes with miso soup. The fish all tasted fresh, nothing smelled bad nor did I get sick afterwards. Tuna, salmon, yellowtail, shrimp, and imitation crab are the only ones I know from looking at the bowl. The others were unknown. But they were still delicious! Salmon is my favorite one! The only thing I wished was that the rice was warm or maybe on the side. I understand it was because the fish was on top but I like my rice warm. (8/10) Miso soup was decent, nothing fancy but good (9.8/10) Hot and Sour Soup $4.95: probably the best hot and sour soup I've had in a long time! They do have less veggies in the soup compared to other restaurants but the flavor is to die for. It has a slightly thick consistency which is what I look for. It definitely has a kick which is great. It's also not too vinegary and perfect for the cold season. (10/10) Service: It was a cold winter day, I was the only one there. The lady at the desk took my order and gave me the food within 10 minutes! Fast service and didn't bother me until I was done which was nice! Overall I was very satisfied and full! Will return to order their other items like bento boxes.

I've been a long support of Sakana. Their service hasn't always been great but not awful and they have half price sushi so I always support. However, last night will be my last night. I brought my two girls to try sushi for the first time. I also had another friend join us. For the first half of dinner everything was normal. I had to wave down to order but it's okay. The problem became when an older gentleman came and started waving his hands around us and trying to grab our plates and yelling towards us . I can't tell you what he was saying because it was in his native tongue which isn't the problem but the problem was the overall actions towards us. After some confusion and clarification one of the waiter calmly tells us there's a group of 4 waiting for a table and the older gentleman wanted us to move down one to make room. We were happy to agree and shift down. However, the older gentleman didn't wait (we were moving btw) he went to grab my girls plate and moved them on the other side of my friend 2 seats away from me. While still speaking very rudely and loudly at us. Still couldn't understand but facial expression and tone of voice said it all. That is where they lost me. Then for the rest of dinner they completely ignored us. We didn't ask for anything else. As we were getting to pay I expressed how uncomfortable and unpleasant that experience was and the waiter just smiled and nodded. There's better sushi somewhere else. I'll pay full price if it means my kids and I do not get such a horrible experience

Sakana-Ya is a fun experience with good sushi. It's nice inside and the SUSHI bar is fairly large with a good amount of seating. We did the conveyor belt for lunch on this visit. There's a solid selection of Sushi on the conveyor belt with a variety of prices marked by the color and design of the plate. It can certainly get pricey quick so I'd recommend finding a half price day to attend. Service was fast as we got to sit immediately and the belt was moving. They are very quick to clean up the covers of your plates, but you'll keep your plates and they will total the cost at the end of your dining. Nothing blew me away, but it was nice to try a wide variety of sushi dishes. I recommend giving it a go, I think you'll be pleased that you did. Enjoy!

always get sat immediately, service is quick when i order what i don't see on the belt. wish the portions were a bit larger but for trying a bunch of stuff its a great option

I've been going to Sakana-Ya for years and will continue to do so for as long as I live in Syracuse. It's been a staple for me since I've been in high school. Sakana-Ya is a conveyor belt sushi spot with more traditional dining on it's opposite side. Recently, I believe during the heart of the pandemic, it received a major renovation that made the space somehow more modern than it was before (bye-bye tricky mirror!). The spot looks great. The food, while admittedly, is not the best sushi I've ever had, is certainly good- especially for the price. They used to offer half-priced sushi on Mondays but every time I've been since the place opened up again has been that same "half-price". Admittedly, this is probably the right price for their sushi as there's typically only about four pieces per plate. I genuinely have never had a bad meal here and will stop whenever I need to scratch my sushi itch. They also serve Charm Soju- a favorite of mine, which I can't seem to find anywhere else. For the best experience, go during a prime dining time as the sushi will be more plentiful and won't have sit around as long. I genuinely love this spot even with it's flaws and wouldn't hesitate to recommend anyone to go there. Props to the sushi chef with glasses and earbuds in- that guy has been there literally every time I've ever been there and I can't imagine how many podcasts this man has listened to. Please, if you are looking for a sushi fix, don't overlook Sakana-Ya.

I've been out maybe five times since March 2020, and two of them were here. The first time I ever had sushi was here about 15 years ago. I've been coming here for special occasions ever since, learning my favorites by appearance. With all the sushi I've had, I probably couldn't name the ingredients of a single sushi roll... and for that I guess we can thank their conveyor belt delivery and color coded plates. It only comes back to bite you if you want sushi from any other venue, where you can't wait for the one you want to pass by your face. I've only ever been here on Monday, half priced day. I'm sure we're probably missing some selections, but we're more than happy with what we get when we come here. Usually by the time we make it here, we're so deprived of sushi we can barely contain ourselves when we're sat in front of an infinite rotating loop of our entire week's dreams. Seating can be a little tight, I'd guess there are something like 20 seats available. Large parties are tough to manage, but it'll work out if you're okay waiting. Being sat directly next to strangers can make the experience more interesting. The limited seating also means they won't want you to linger too long. Once you start to slow down, they'll start hitting you up for the check so they can get new people in. Like I mentioned, I don't have a very fluent take on the menu, I just know which ones I like and grab the one (or three) I want next. Today, we ordered some General Tso Chicken and Salmon Teriyaki from the entrée menu. I went with the salmon when they didn't have Lamb Chops left. The idea was to cut the sushi with some other food and maybe order less, but we ended up ordering the same amount of sushi and taking half of our other food home. The salmon teriyaki was so tender, and crisped all around the outside. The broccoli, baby corn and peppers sat in the teriyaki sauce and was great to have on hand during a sushi binge. The General Tso chicken was the best I've ever had. Great cuts of tender cooked chicken, fried crispy and bathed in the best General Tso sauce ever. They use sesame oil in their sauce, and it makes all the difference. I'm more of an amateur when it comes to sushi, so I won't weigh in in any useful way when it comes to quality. But for me and my girlfriend, coming here has been the carrot and the end of a long stick. It's been one of our favorite incentives to get through some very challenging weeks, and I hope the place sticks around for a long time.

Very good sushi, and lots of other choices for the non sushi people........ The bottle price on wine is amazing compared to most places! Not a lot of choices but a few good wines in each flavor......

3.5 stars. Came here on a Saturday evening and was able to snag a table on the non-conveyer belt side. We tried the rotating bar side first, but we were told to just sit down and wait and there were a few others sitting already. We tried a couple of rolls and a chirashi bowl. The rolls were decent, though were pretty small/skimpy on fish (for $10 and $15 especially). The sushi fish was very nice in the chirashi, but pieces were very thin/small. Even though the meal was decent, everything was just terribly pricey (about $70 after tax and tip for what you see pictured and we weren't very full). In addition, service was very slow (we had finished and waited about 15 minutes before we could flag someone for the check). Overall, decent sushi, but probably will try some other places first.

Conveyor belt sushi is always so fun! The sushi here is really good and there's a large variety. There's a good mix of classic sushi rolls and more creative rolls. There are also select appetizers on the conveyor belt, though they don't show up very often unless requested. The cheesecake trio is probably my favorite item, which was so unexpected! The conveyor belt has half price sushi, so it's an amazing value. Service is okay, but at the conveyor belt you aren't on the servers' radar, which makes it difficult to order drinks or other items. Overall a really fun and worthwhile dining experience!

My friend and I tried a late dinner here and we had such a nice time!! We tried so many new types of sushi and the conveyor belt added some fun to our meal. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that they had half price sushi! Most of what we ate was a mystery since there weren't any labels but everything was really tasty. Next time I definitely want to try one of their milk or thai teas and some new sushi!

This place is great ! A little bit confusing to know & pick exactly which roll is which coming around but the workers are so friendly & helpful. We loved everything & the price was amazing!

I love coming here! Can't beat half price sushi ! The only seafood I eat is crab meat but there's still a lot of options, crab Rangoons are always a hit ! And the Fruit sushi the glaze/sauce they use for it is amazing. I tried the veggie Gyoza I had no idea what it was but I wanted fried food and it was delicious. I came in at about 9:30 and the hostess is usually in a better mood since I've been here almost 10 times but tonight she didn't seem in the particular mood not sure if it's was because I came in 30 mins before closing but I was finished at 9:50. She kind of dropped my plates next me and my To go container which I wasn't happy about but I figure it's been a long day I guess and she wants to go home. But anyways it's always a nice vibe in here and good music.

So I needed something to eat when I got in late into Syracuse. The sushi was okay, I only got an avocado roll and soup, so I didn't have a lot to really review, but the service was really nice and fast. The avocado, my only complaint was that it was a bit not ripe, but it was good, the place was clean, my food was quick and warm (and cold). The tofu in my soup was a bit small and underwhelming but the broth was good. I would eat here again.

Very cool sushi spot downtown with good specials Monday and Wednesday (I believe it is their half off special). I like sitting in the conveyer belt side because the food is much more accessible. In the dining room sometimes the staff takes a while to come back and check on you. Overall I do recommend this place for sushi lovers

Good and affordable conveyor sushi spot. Fun fact: it takes a dish 7 mins and 53 seconds to return to you, enough time to take down another plate if needed.

Pretty good sushi. A good place for Monday night. Half Price Sushi. The restaurant has nice decor. Service was good

My boyfriend and I visited the sushi conveyor bar section on a Friday night when they had half off their plates. We had about 10 different small plates and paid around $50. I think the value of the meal for half the price was okay but I would not pay regular price for their plates - it's simply not worth it. Parking to get to this restaurant was a bit of a hassle on Friday night but hey -- that's what happens on a weekend in downtown Syracuse. We were greeted and sat quickly and were given water immediately. The water glasses were a bit dirty though. The plates on the conveyer belt are color coded and they help you understand the price of the plate you're going to grab. We ordered a variety of plates and rolls such as edamame, crab Rangoon, California roll, eel roll, salmon roll, fried banana among other things. I wasn't very impressed with anything and a bit disappointed at the quality. I ordered the taro bubble tea and it was probably the worst tasting bubble tea I've ever had. The tapioca bubbles were light brown - not the regular black. The tea was super thick and unlike anything I've ever had it. I probably won't be back and won't recommend it to friends but if you want to get the experience of sushi on a conveyor belt - give it a try during a day they have half off their plates.

Do NOT RECOMMEND #1 thing is that for party if 4 sitting at the conveyor belt they added 20 percent tip. But on TOP OF THAT they give you your credit card receipt with SUGGESTION FOR ADDITIONAL TIPS! when I asked the lady if the tip was already added she blatantly said NO, ADD TIP HERE. when I pointed that it was ALREADY added she just smiled and walked AWAY. Let's keep in mind there is NO SERVICE, you literally take things of the conveyor belt yourself. #2 conveyor belt sushi was about 2/3 stars. Everything had hot sauce added and smothered in mayo. Each plate is HALF a roll so it's really not that good of a deal, price wise. #3 the 50 percent off is a gimmick, it's 50 percent off everyday. Which still doesn't make it a good deal given portions and quality.

The sushi. B+/A The service. C- The fact that we didn't realize it was half-priced sushi day. A++++++++++ If indifferent service + good sushi is an agreeable combination for you, then this is a place you should visit. To be clear, the only time I feel it's worth it to go here is on half-price sushi day. Most of the rolls and items on the menu are some iteration of salmon-tuna-shrimp-maybe eel-and mayo. So for sure if you've got a hankering for basic sushi and need something in a pinch, this is the place. Each time I've gone, the server has had a pretty blasé attitude. My advice is that you have your drink and food order ready to go when he approaches you because once he sets something on your table, he's not coming back.

went on a weekday when they had the half off sushi day and we were the only people there. the host wasn't the best. she was really pushy and rushing us to order but when we were ready to order she was no where to be found. also the guy behind the counter was just sitting and using his phone the whole time so it just felt awkward. the whole experience was awkward and just uncomfortable for me and my partner. also when i was leaving i tipped the hostess and wrote on my receipt and while i was walking out the front door she stopped me and told me my tip was incorrect and made me feel pressured to tip more.

This is hands down my FAVORITE sushi bar. If you are a visual person this is the place for you! You have all options right in front of you, and reasonably priced!

The restaurant has a pretty good variety of sushi roll options at the rotating bar. The night we went (Saturday night, around 7pm probably) there were very few people sitting at the rotating bar. There were minimal selections rotating around, but you can order specific rolls from the waiter at the same price of the rotating bar. PLUS, every day is half price sushi. That was really amazing. It took a bit to get a side order of eel sauce and spicy Mayo. There was only one guy rolling sushi rolls, but he was doing a great job and in-the-zone, kudos to him!

I enjoy sushi and this was subpar. Their prices are that of a higher quality sushi restaurant, and I did not think that the food we ordered was worth some of the prices. Particularly the sushi. I also ordered their spicy ramen and a bowl. The pork in the ramen was over cooked and tough to chew. The bowl had a ton of rice in comparison to the meats and veggies. Their bubble tea tasted good, but the tapioca had an odd texture.

So insane. The sushi was not that fresh. I only had one roll because everything else looked pretty old. As soon as we paid the owner told us we had to leave. Very rude. I wouldn't come back based on that alone. This place has definitely gone downhill.

Great place, a lot of the one star reviews a dumb. People complaining because they weren't hugged while they were eating their food. Never had an issue. Love the conveyer belt area has a great feel to it.

By far the best sushi bar in Syracuse! The staff is amazing! The fish is fresh every time. I eat at Sakana-Ya once a week, and I am more than satisfied with each experience. I love the music, and how comfortable it is to just sit, eat, and have a good time! I have tried most of the menu, if you go I recommend you do the same.

Had dinner here on a Monday. Pro tip they half half price sushi on Mondays. This is the conveyer style and you eat until you are full. I tried a bunch of different sushi's and I enjoyed them all. I was not blown away but I am admittedly not a sushi expert. To be honest I don't even know what flavors I tried. It's difficult to tell what they are. The pictures on menu and what you actually eat are a bit confusing. Being the only place like this in Syracuse, I would say give it a try.

Yummy sushi. Half priced is a good deal although smaller portions than I'm used to. The conveyor belt had a nice selection but it wasn't replenished as often as I would have liked.

I came here tonight with some friends for the all you can eat special. It was busy but we got 3 seats by the door. The problem was that this also meant we were at the end of the conveyor belt and were the last ones to get any of the plates. This normally wouldn't be an issue but there was only one chef making the rolls and he wasn't able to make enough rolls for all the hungry diners. In fact, there were multiples times when there was nothing coming out on the conveyor belt. There is also a menu available to order plates, but we were told that the chef already had too many orders and we needed to wait. When the rolls were ready, the waiter mixed up the orders and gave ours to another group. We also had to wait a very long time before receiving our food. The food in general was below average. The rolls and nigiri was mostly comprised of rice and the sashimi bowl was limited to one order per person. I understand the restaurant's tactic to fill you up with rice, but it feels like a rip off. I like the concept of conveyor belt sushi but the food was severely underwhelming. I'd rather go somewhere else next time for quality sushi.

This is the first time I've ever been to a conveyor belt sushi venue. There are plenty of options going through the conveyor belt. Could be gyoza, seaweed salad, or any various types of rolls. If there's something that you don't see on the belt but would like to order, the server is around checking with all guests to ensure if they need anything. I must give kudos to our server as she was on top of everything whether it be checking with us to see how our meal was going, making sure if we wanted to order anything else. You could see her running around making sure everybody was taking care of, which I can really appreciate. I also learned that there's half-price Mondays, so if you want to check it out on a budget, that would be the day to do it. Some noted sushi rolls that I particularly enjoyed was the Super Spider, Unagi-Don (BBQ eel), and Cupcake. Oh and the cheesecake bites were amazing. You'll want them all for yourself; trust me.

we came on half off night (but we didn't know it was half off night). so many yummy rolls available at decent prices. the fried banana roll was definitely my favorite part!

Great sushi and fun experience at the sushi conveyor. The sushi rolls are half the size of what you receive elsewhere so it's really only fairly priced on half price Mondays.

It was OK. The sushi was decent execution but sometimes not packed tight enough. The nori wasn't chewy either. Service was good. We got in for half off and it was fairly pricey I feel. If it wasn't half off it would be like 80 bucks lol. Maybe that's just how it is as a big eater but if it wasn't half off I would've gotten like 1 or 2 plates. At normal price it's anywhere from 7 to 14 dollars what I could consider a half roll. Not sure if it's just because it's happy hour though.

Love the conveyor belt. Sushi is great. In and out quick for lunch. Location perfect, super cute inside.

I had some great sushi from here (50% off for Syracuse dining month)! The Phoenix roll was delicious and you can't beat that deal. Although they have disassembled their famous conveyer belt set-up due to COVID, this is still a quality spot. The crab Rangoon and bubble tea were also up to par. I will def be visiting again soon.

Tried a variety of lunch options from the surf crab roll, California roll, Kung pao chicken, general Tso chicken, red snapper roll, spring roll appetizers, spicy salmon roll and salmon roll.... all of the food was amazing. The conveyor side was not open for lunch which we came for but that was ok as the food was still great, especially the sticky white rice. I will definitely be back!

I try to go here once a week love it !!! It has a revolving conveyer belt that displays fresh sushi rolls, etc . If you are visiting Syracuse it definitely is worth visiting for lunch or dinner.

I went here with a couple of friends because they offer amazing deals. We went on Monday, which means 1/2 off sushi. I'm always a little weary to have sushi as dinner because I honestly, and I am embarrassed to admit this, don't think sushi will fill me up. I need carbs and meat and real dinner food. Sushi almost feels like a light entree, something to diet on. Anyways, to compensate I ordered three rolls: cupcake, philly, and spicy tuna. Everyone's meals came out within five-eight minutes. It did take about five-eight minutes longer for the specialty sushi's like the cupcake, but that was understandable. The spicy tuna was definitely a notch up in spicy than what I'm used to, but it was fresh and filling and I was ready for heat. The cupcake took the cake (lol). It was the first sushi I've had hot, as the crabmeat was fried. There was avocado, a spicy sauce, caviar, and each slice was huge. I didn't really know how I felt about it; it was just so different than what I expect/am used to with sushi. But in terms of wow-factor and ~extra/bougie~ it was a winner. Overall, the sushi wasn't the absolute best most delectable ocean-fresh sushi I've had in the history of ever. It was good, but I think I'm still searching for the sushi of my dreams--if that resonates with you in any way. I would come back, but not to appeal to my snobby, middle-class idea of 5-star sushi, but rather, an affordable option for that instant sushi hit. My total was under $13 including my beverage of choice, Thai iced tea. That blew my mind. The tea was so-so, I want to try their bubble tea next time. I will say that the sushi rolls were half a roll compared to other places I've been to, but heck, if I can get three rolls for under $13 and an iced tea and it actually fulfilled my bottomless pit, that is surely a deal.

I have now been to Sakana-Ya twice and both times it was very good. The sushi is very well prepared and the sushi rice is spot on (always the sign of a good sushi establishment). Standouts included yellowtail that is not to be missed - buttery, flavorful, and of perfect texture. The salmon and the tuna were both excellent as was the red snapper. I found the nigiri sushi pieces to be a little nicer than the cut rolls, but both were really good. The first time I went for lunch on my own and just had sushi. Tonight I went back with a few people and shared, so we got to sample some of the cooked dishes on the menu in addition to sushi. They were almost as good as the sushi. The korean beef in a sticky rice pot was excellent and the pad thai while very spice was also tasty. If you like asian soups, both the spicy seafood soup and the goyoza soup were both excellent. While the decor is nothing special, the service is friendly and prompt. The sushi at Sakana-ya is not cheap (the cooked food is more reasonable), but the sushi pieces are nicely sized and all of the cooked food portions are large as well. I will come back to this restaurant any time I am in Syracuse. It was a nice find.

Parking is light now that no ones downtown also they have a pick up bar in the front and wear masks so it's all good we had a great lunch!

Holy cannoli was this place fun! My group and I sat on the conveyor belt side. We were there early-ish so the four of us had no wait on a place at the sushi-bar-belt thingy. I was really struck by the style of the restaurant and it felt like I was sitting in a futuristic subway tunnel, which I thought was really cool! As far the food goes- plates are color coded to indicate price with guides placed along the bar to tell price as well. At the end of the meal the server collects your stack of plates and adds them up to tell you what you owe. There is also a menu where you can see the price and identify what each sushi roll is, or order something which you haven't seen on the conveyor belt. The belt is well stocked with a variety of rolls to chose from, so you could even have dessert first. It went from simplistic appetizers of edamame, to spicy tuna, to elaborate caviar topped rolls, to fried, chocolate-dipped bananas. It was really fun picking out what to try and then trading roll pieces with my friends. For my taste I found I preferred the more simplistic rolls. I special ordered a unagi roll and I was in love. It was a basic, buttery, beauty that let the eel be the star. My other personal favorite was the squid salad plate. I thought it was so yummy, being a little chewy, a little bright, and more on the fresh side. The spicy rolls were good too as they had decent kick to them, which was a nice contrast with some of the other styles. I would definitely go back to Sakana-Ya. It's a really fun way to eat and try new things.

So, I know that sushi-on-conveyer-belt restaurants have been around for a while, but I've never actually been to one. I didn't actually realize that Sakana-Ya was this kind of restaurant when my friends invited me, so that was a pleasant surprise. The space is small (though it seems huge when you first walk in thanks to a tricky mirror.) You sit at a counter in front of the conveyer belt. One downside is that this layout does make it tricky to talk to dining companions-- I came with two other people, but with any more I think it'd be really hard to have a proper conversation. Nonetheless, the novelty of the concept makes up for the awkwardness of the layout. Plates are color-coded by price. Staff gave us a menu, but I just plucked what looked good. At first, it was a little overwhelming. The upside of this system is that it lets you see the final product before you choose. Definitely broke me out of my sushi rut. I tend to get the same things because I know I like them, but here I tried some really tasty rolls I probably never would have tried. If you're not careful, you could overspend very easily. (I found myself thinking "that looks good!" several times per minute.) Luckily, we came on Monday, which was half-price sushi night, so the bill was super reasonable. Although you serve yourself food, the staff was very attentive. Our water glasses never went unfilled even after we paid our bill, and when my seat neighbor told the waiter she wanted to try a roll that had just been made and not yet placed on the belt, he gladly went and brought it to her so that she wouldn't have to wait to grab it. A really awesome experience. I already want to go back.

I love getting sushi here! Mondays they have half price sushi and Wednesday is all you can eat sushi. They also have really good bento boxes (which are super cheap for lunch!) and entrees!

My experience may be a tad skewed because I was here only for Restaurant Week or whatever Syracuse calls it. It was $25, all you can eat, which mirrors what they do each and every Wednesday. 'Cuse, what is wrong with you? There were empty spots at the bar, many of them in fact, during Restaurant Week when I was there. Those were NOT on Wednesdays, except for one of them, which was unsurprisingly packed. Anyway, shame on you for not going out in droves when they ran their special every single night for two weeks straight. Yah yah, it was cold and all....but STILL! Although I've seen the sushi conveyor belt in action before, I always thought the fish would be sub par at such a restaurant. Not at Sakana! The tuna was a vibrant purple hue and the salmon was the perfect color and texture. The talented chef behind the counter was very skilled and quick with getting out round after round on top of taking special orders for things that weren't already on the belt. My favorite was a mango/krab roll surrounded by kiwi and strawberries, I can't remember a time I had the fruit so wonderfully presented along with the roll itself. All the times I visited and only ever saw one go by me so I grabbed it. Sure, it's not the highest quality with the "krab" inside but dang, it was delicious in the dead of winter. Edemame whizzing by along with seaweed salads. Is that a plate of sashimi scooting past me? Score! Although that was a tad rarer to see, like the mango roll. The only thing I didn't seem to enjoy all that often were the gyoza. It was tough after sitting out for a few passes around the belt. The value to quality ratio, especially for "all you can eat" is what brings this review a solid and well deserved 5 stars. The waitress was very friendly and talkative, even if her broken English had me asking what she said a handful of times. Solid restaurants in 'Cuse are kind of tough to find but this is not one of them, great job Sakana.

Visited this place for dinner. This place does not have the best sushi, but it is not bad either. Conveyers is full most time. Not many choice from the kitchen. There was only 1 crab rangoon and was grabbed by someone else. Was waiting the whole time and it never came. Seem like the kitchen is close when dinner just starting. The waiter is very attentive. Refilling our drinks and checking if we need anything. Fried banana is the worst, it is not ripe and not ready to eat. The breading has no flavor.

I loved this place! I came for 1/2 off sushi roll Monday. The rolls are about 4 pieces each and are normally $6-12. $12 is definitely more expensive than an average sushi roll if there are only 4 pieces. So the half-off Monday sushi rolls can add up and be less discounted than you'd expect if you're going with the rolls that have more fish/fancier ingredients. For 2 people our bill came out to around $42. I thought that was a good value. We got around 8 rolls (their rolls aren't a full size of 8 pieces) and a fried banana dessert. I am subtracting a star because all of the rolls we got were already pre-made and the fried banana wasn't fresh/hot. Overall, everything tasted great though and I'd love to come back again. This place was my favorite sushi experience in Syracuse so far (I've tried 5 places total now). I entered the restaurant on the left side where it is a normal sit down restaurant and had no idea that they even had the revolving sushi bar on the right side of the restaurant. Upon entering on the left side, they don't ask you which dining style you're interesting in. I guess you need to enter the door for the dining style you want. I didn't realize until after the entire meal that the waitress was able to get our rolls so quickly because she was just grabbing them off the conveyor belt. I got my rolls in about 5 minutes. They serve alcohol and boba tea as well ($3, flavors: mango, taro, regular milk tea, and strawberry). My two favorite rolls were the tataki roll and the fruit roll. The tataki roll was really peppery and different. The fruit roll had pieces of mango, strawberry and kiwi. It was one of the sweetest strawberries I've ever had! I loved the interior design and its stark contrast with their sit-down regular restaurant side. Update: I tried the AYCE for $25 sushi on the conveyor belt side yesterday and really enjoyed my experience. This time, I got to eat freshly fried bananas. Yes, many of the sushi rolls that were fried and on the conveyor belt were no longer warm but I still enjoyed it. You can get a variety of rolls in the AYCE special. You can even order sashimi. I think this is a great bargain. I don't think fried banana is featured on their AYCE menu but it was on the boat. The waitress was very peppy and accommodating. You get charged $1 for every roll you waste/leave behind in the AYCE deal and this includes rice you picked out from a sushi roll. I like that they do this. For around $55, my bf and I were able to eat 11 plates (with each plate having around 4 pieces of sushi). If you sit on the right side of the conveyor belt and the sushi chef puts something new down onto the belt, you have to hope that everyone that is sitting left of you isn't going to pick up that fresh dish because the belt only moves counter-clockwise.