Sushi Zanmai

We told them we are not that hungry and got 2 small appetisers that they recommended with the dessert and 1 cocktail. Food beautiful, people cool, atmosphere nice. We payed 125$ after tip, not gonna lie i was little surprised but its okay.

Went for dinner at 645. The wait service was decent. Sat at a table for 4. Sushi is fantastic and so fresh!! So, we went back again for lunch the next day! Sat at the bar and watch the chef prepare the sushi for us and others. Amazing technique, such a pleasure to watch. The staff is so appreciative of us coming for dinner and for lunch!

Good fish. Good dumplings. Guaranteed to have a dessert you’ve never heard of before

This place offers some exotic Nigiri options that we haven't tried before. We like that most of their rolls don't use imitation crab and fancy sauces to over compensate for the imitation filling. I chose this place because I wanted the fan fair of a sushi boat. If your order is large enough, they'll fulfill the request. We went on a Sunday night, and the place was full, but not loud. They've got a couple of really cute seating options depending on the size of your party. We'll still explore the other sushi restaurants in town, but this one has so far been the best sushi we've had in Colorado.

We had such a wonderful time with our kids here. It's super kid friendly and the kids menu has so many options. I got the 007 roll and the taste was amazing. Our waitress was also very friendly. The food even came out very quickly.

This place is so yummy! My group happened to find parking right outside this restaurant and we decided to try it out for lunch. I'm so glad we did because the sushi they prepare is fantastic and and so well prepared! The presentation of each plate is beautiful and the staff are so friendly and welcoming. The energy in this establishment is positive and tranquil and the decor is really cool. We had a great experience and we will definitely be back! Thank you Zanmai!!

Authentic sushi for a very good price. Loved the restaurant atmosphere, the staff was helpful and nice, and the food was amazing. All in all: exactly what you want from a sushi restaurant. Our waitress even told us to try and get our order in after she sat a large group so we wouldn’t have to wait longer for our sushi to be made. Nice touch that made the experience even better. We will be coming back

I was hesitant in having sushi being so far away from the ocean, but this place really nailed it. I had the Boulder roll, salmon avocado & rainbow roll, accompanied by a small hot sake. All rolls were excellent and tasted incredibly fresh! I very much appreciate the hospitality I received here. ありがとう ☺️

Unfortunately I feel like the quality and the service have gone downhill. Our waitress probably had a lot of tables but we had to let her know when we didn't get a roll we had ordered and it took a long time for her to circle back. We loved the private room as always but just felt like it wasn't the same place we have loved for years before the pandemic. One of our rolls was one of their specials and was gross. The other rolls were just ok and could have probably passed if the service wasn't also off. All and all just an ok experience.

Made a last minute decision to go here last night and it truly never disappoints! We sat at the bar and loved watching Sushi Rob create all the various rolls and sushi creations. And it was fun talking to him a bit and learning about the various specialty rolls he created (007 was amazing!) and all his time in the field! Natalia provided excellent service and we loved all the rolls they both recommended. Sushi Zanmai seems to be thriving with their new management, I think the fish even seems more fresh! And I just love the relaxed yet communal environment and the seating at the bar is so great for people watching Thanks for a great night with all the sushi masterpieces, we'll certainly be back!!

Great sushi, we came here while traveling. 10 stars from me!! Service was good and we loved the food

Fabulous sushi! Everything was really fresh and the service was excellent. Best was the twice cooked eggplant with sweet miso dressing!!

Great sushi in Boulder and super authentic. They were running 1 sushi chef short so it took a while, but the food was amazing when it came. Definitely try the okonomiyaki - cooked pancake with corn, shrimp, scallops and a cool sauce (photo below).

Sure, I am a believer, have been for35+years. Authentic categories, sushi, sashimi. hand rolls, standard rolls, specialty rolls, salads, and also some full entree meals. Where else in Boulder can you get this, so fresh, served with a soundtrack which included, tonight, Beatles, Otis Redding, Queen, Steppenwolf and more! Always the freshest fish, good staff and tonight, to top it off, a new flavor of mochi for dessert, plum wine.

Wow! Great sushi. The fish was very fresh. The service? Just amazing. We had a very sweet lady who always came to the table with a smile. We even met the manager and she was very nice. Definitely recommend.

I took my son to dinner for his bday. Going out for sushi is expensive and a rare occasion for me. We both have had the Charshi Combo meal in the past and loved it because is includes a mix of many fishes including unagi, egg, roe, octopus, mackerel, skate, scallop, and other really good stuff mixed into the rice. Last night, the combo was rice, yellow tail, ahi, and salmon. I was so disappointed. I took home most of my dinner to go. Insult to injury, our appetizers came out after our meal was served. When you drop over $100 on a meal for 2 (no drinks) and it's not what you expect, it's a bummer. If you order the Charshi, make sure you check that its correct.

Fresh sushi, authentic environment and they have sushi happy hours that are reasonable & delicious. Presentation was upscale. Highly recommended. We had a group of 18 and everyone was satisfied.

The entire experience was disappointing. Terrible service and terrible food. The food was so inconsistent. 2 in our party had chicken teriyaki that looked entirely different. 2 of us ordered Jalepeno sashimi and it was totally different . We had to ask for the rice that went with a meal. It finally came mid way through his dinner. In our party of 6, everyone was completely finished eating and 2 of us had not received our sashimi. When asked how much longer it was going to take; our server replied, "we cannot ask the sushi chefs to rush." We will NEVER return. Total waste of money.

Probably one of the worst sushi place. The 18 piece Chirashi bowl that I had was served with minimal fish, extremely thin sliced. The ginger is the cheap red ginger with red dye. Big disappointment for the high price to what you get. Miso soup is watered down... The salad came with something that reminds you of a thousand island dressing. .

This restaurant was recently sold and the new owners have made some changes. The food and drink menus are different. The only thing that really matters for the purpose of this review is that the quality of the sushi was awful. We ordered tempura vegetables. The tempura batter was ok on some veggies but soggy on others. The asparagus tempura was too tough to eat. We ordered a good variety of sushi and a roll. It was all bad. I am very disappointed because I loved this place and it was my "go to" sushi place for 35 years. The new owners must have a new fish supplier or they are serving old fish. It was bad enough that I was concerned I was going to get sick and did not eat all of the sushi which I don't think I ever done. This was among the two worst sushi experiences I have ever had.

Looking for good sushi, you found it! If you're a sushi lover you should definitely try this place. And the staff is super friendly.

Yesterday was my 40th bday and I had a differs experience in this place that is my favorite Japanese restaurant in Colorado. I wait around 40 min to be served. Andy first feeling was to not give the 20% tip for the waitress but I and up giving because I actually feel bad to her was not her fault that they didn't have enough staff. But I was disappointed to have to be in this situation when I choose to be there to celebrate a special occasion.

Fantastic food and wonderful ambiance. Service was okay, but that's partly because the place was so busy! I definitely appreciate everything they were able to do with the limited space. 8/10 am going again.

came in for lunch and wasn't very busy. Natalia's service was great! I got the shoyu ramen and my friend got the tonkatsu ramen and they were so good, especially for the price! We sat at the bar and Michael was so helpful with sushi selections as well. I will be back!

Weird experience with the service. Very slow from time we walked in the door. Restaurant was 1/3 full when we arrived, sushi bar probably less. Hostess walked way for 4 or 5 minutes saying they had to get it ready. Then came back on the phone and stood in front of her counter / tablet for another 5+ minutes taking a reservation? Do they take reservations? Seated at the bar, server didn't come by for maybe 15+ minutes, then another maybe 15+ minutes to get 2 drafts and a saki to the table, server standing at the computer and in the hall, and out the back door. Felt like a work stoppage/slowdown to me , staff was there (3 or 4 servers, couple bussers, 4 behind the sushi bar). Food was very good as usual. As I said was disappointing, and a bummer, this has been our go to in Boulder

This was one of the best experiences I have had at a sushi restaurant in boulder. Our server was very helpful and kind. We tried a couple of their new rolls and it was phenomenal. If you are looking for a nice sushi place with a great atmosphere, i would go here.

My husband heard about Sushi Zanmai, wanted to try a sushi place that was new to us, and requested we go for his birthday dinner. We were excited! We acknowledge the service industry is rough right now, and many places are understaffed, and we usually have total compassion if we encounter bad service. However, our service was horrendous, which compelled me to write this review. Our server was negligent and inattentive; once she took our initial order, she didn't ask how we were doing or inquire if we'd like to order anything else. She wasn't spread too thin; she was careless and made minimal effort. We waited 1h15m for the first part of our sushi order to arrive, and she didn't come by once during this time to apologize or simply check in. We had to flag down another staff member to ask for our check. Our food was also thrown together. We are accustomed to receiving sushi orders in batches, but here, part of an order of an item came out, and the rest came later. For example, we ordered four fatty yellowtail nigiri, and three came out, followed by the fourth maybe 20 minutes later. The dishes were served without ginger or wasabi (and we had no opportunity to politely ask for some, because we were ignored). The soft shell crab was over-fried. The rolls were sloppily put together and fell apart easily. Additionally, customers either waiting for a table or waiting for take out were spilling from the small entryway into the restaurant, standing among the tables, and not everyone was masked. The staff made no effort to remedy this. Our bill was over $200 before tip (I never tip less than 20%, and I did here, because the service was abysmal), which was absolutely not worth it. We have paid half that and gotten much better service and food and have also happily paid more than that for great service and food. I rarely write negative reviews, especially after just one singular bad experience, but this was appalling. The only silver lining was the comic relief of a birthday dinner gone wrong. We will never go back and will warn others against going as well!

The ambiance of this place is awesome, especially if you can score one of the more private sitting areas where you can sit on the tatami mat and eat from a chabudai. We were lucky enough to be seated in these semi-private booths both times, which was much needed since we had a baby who wasn't on solids yet and needed privacy for his meals. I'm forever grateful to the helpful staff of Sushi Zanmai for being so accommodating. As for the sushi itself, this is the closest thing to authentic sushi and Japanese cuisine in the city of Boulder. At Sushi Zanmai, I prefer the grilled food items, such as the yakitori, to the nigiri despite my love for raw sushi. Of the nigiri, my favorites are the scallop and tamago. This place is definitely popular, so we try to get there as close to 5pm as possible. It's worked out pretty well so far.

Great sushi recommendation from the locals. Beer selection was adequate for the meal with kirin and saporo. Plenty of sake choices. We did an assortment of rolls and sashimi. All were fresh and tasty. Service was quick and efficient. I liked the spider roll the most. Pricing was good as well.

Pretty mediocre sushi, from the firecracker roll to the Aloha, Lucky, and more. Not very fresh rice or fish. The rolls sound creative but they're either eh tasting or lathered in gross spicy Mayo. The best part is they have ample outdoor seating, but other than that, I wouldn't come back or recommend.

My goodness I can't believe how the once-famous Sushi Zanmai has fallen. The menu wreaks of nickel and diming: a defiant pricing that seems defensive and annoyed rather than bounteous and proud. One is informed "no substitutions" on everything, and the specials do not come with miso or salad. The server didn't seem to understand that 6 pieces of nigiri wouldn't be enough, and chose, rather firmly, not to suggest anything. Where it got weird was when the sushi chef leaned over the counter and told me they were out of buri- one of the items on the special. When I said "Fine, and you sub in some urchin?" she said "We don't do substitutions. " I reminded her that it wasnt my choice to ask for a sub. She got into this whole loud pricing debate with the other chefs, to decide whether she could give me some urchin! It was so embarrassing! She explained something about this portion of the menu and how they could only sub in what they wanted to sub in and I was just so shocked at the nickel and diming and the utter lack of decorum. Her presence was such that, if she had been chewing gum while cooking, I wouldn't have been surprised. I kindly excused myself and left. What else could I do? What a sad reflection on any restaurant, let alone one that used to have a wonderful bright soul.

Zero stars if that was an option. This was one of my favorite restaurants since 2011 when I was in school at CU! Went back today and there was a SPIDER like a freaking big one in my husbands miso soup. I showed them and said we didn't want to continue our meal and we left without having food. No manager asked to speak w us. Nobody apologized. Disgusting and awful and I recommend nobody go here.

Great food!! Very authentic! I got the chicken namban (I might have spelled that wrong) and the pork pan seared dumplings and they were delicious! Service was a little bit slow unfortunately.

Short: DO NOT eat here if you are hungry. Took 20min to get water, 1hr 10min to get food. If you have a toddler with you never bring them here if they are hungry unless you want them to go hangry berserk mode. You've been warned!! Long: I swear these guys are either raising the fish in the back to make sushi or sending men out to catch fish (with barehands). The restaurant was half full, but it took 1hr 10min to get 2 orders of sushi rolls. Nobody came to get us water or anything until 20min. past sitting down. I walked inside the restaurant to talk to someone, and got to a busser in the restaurant to ask if we've been forgotten, who apologized and got us water (should've been the waiter/waitress). Waitress took her sweet time to get to us after the busser let her know we've been waiting. Took the next table's order first (they came after us), then took our order. After that, we waited 1hr and 10min for our food. I had gone back twice inside to check because our toddler was getting really hangry when it was almost 1hr mark after ordering. When we were going to just ask for the bill to pay for our coke and leave the food came out. I'm giving it 2-star because the food was pretty decent. Service was definitely 1-star. I was a waitress at sushi restaurants for 5 years and I I could totally see this place seriously needed some process improvements because I felt they had enough wait staff, just super unorganized.

Doesn't look like much when you pass by but by golly it has some good sushi. The service was quick given that it was a Wednesday but once we got seated, there was a quick order of immaculate miso soup. The system of choosing your food options was quick and efficient. If seated at the sushi bar, the sushi chefs are kind and efficient. All around a great restaurant.

Food was fine but super indifferent service. No one checked on me after my food was set on the table to ask me what else I needed. Had to ask the busboy for water when my meal was over.

I ordered takeout. They not only gave me the wrong order, after repeatedly telling the staff what I wanted, I even pointed to it on the menu when ordering. They forgot the soup and the rice and the food was cold when picked up. They were super unhelpful. Such a horrible experience, I'm upset I wasted money on this place. They called back only to tell me they have a soup and rice ready. No consideration for the time wasted going here.

It was a cute restaurant. Staff were friendly. Parking was easy as usual thanks to the Boulder public parking. We were only there for the lunch ramen. It was rather mediocre. Their ramen was chewy. Disliked the broth since it was oily. Pretty salty as well. The overall flavoring was overpowering. However I really liked the added egg. It was silky soft. Won't come back.

The food is good. You will never wait this long for any food of any quality anywhere in Boulder. This is a 3 hour dinner when it is NOT packed. The cocktail menu may as well be a wishlist, as the had almost nothing in stock. They could not make a pedestrian martini. How good was the food? Does it matter on hour 3 of sitting outside in a not full restaurant. The perfect place to go if you want to dump cash and take 3x longer than any place in town. At some point the apologies from staff just became an embarrassment. They were not short staffed. The place is simply incompetent.

Used to be one of my favourites but they can't seem to get it done in a reasonable amount of time anymore. Just went there for Father's Day dinner. Sat down at 6:20, ordered our main courses at 6:35, 8:00 pm and no food in sight...... While our party of five waited for our food, two 4 tops got seated, ordered, ate, paid, and left. We finally had to call it so we could get the kids home to bed. We got a muted apology and a bill for the kids food and beer that did show up. I have worked in front of the house, back of the house, and management at several restaurants. If you are going to take more than 30 minutes to get a table their food, then you have to talk to them at a minimum to see if they can tolerate the wait. That's the minimum. I'd be embarrassed to give a table a check after they waited more than 1.5 hours for their food that never arrived. This is the second time it took way too long to get the food prepared. Last time was right at one hour and at least we got it. Two stars because everyone was friendly and the kids like their noodles

After many years of living here, I was looking forward to experiencing this restaurant because I have heard great things about it. The food was fresh, flavorful and delicious. The service was very good. However... BEWARE the tatami rooms, depending on what kind of experience you want. My pregnant daughter's birthday party was ruined by the most loud, obnoxious yelling, screaming, pounding noise by the drunken women in the next room. We could not hear each other about 2/3 of the time. I had several moments of fight-or-flight adrenalin as they screamed and whooped at the top of their lungs and did sake bombs while pounding loudly on the table. If this is what you are looking for, this is the place. If you want to hear each other and enjoy a meal, do NOT get seated here. The absolute worst restaurant experience I have had in my 64 years. So disappointing and exhausting. I cannot imagine why I would return here.

Wow! I went to this place about 15 years ago and was impressed with the atmosphere and great food. Present day, I was visiting for my daughter's birthday. No karaoke - system down. I was so embarrassed for recommending we go there. I'll preface this review with the fact that we went late at night (9pm) and had reservations for 6 but only 5 showed. We were given one menu and one sushi roll order sheet. Water was served. We had to ask the server if we could order drinks. She never once offered a refill the whole time we were there. The dipping sauce for our dumplings tasted like pure soy sauce and vinegar...it was so salty. One of our party ordered chicken teriyaki...overcooked and dry. The rice in the avocado roll was mushy. All of the rolls were so plain...just an overall blah experience. I've had way better tasting sushi from King Soopers. A 20% gratuity was automatically added to our bill. I will never go back. It was just so disappointing and sad to see what has become of the place. Again, it may have been due to the late hour we went, but if you're going to be open, then be open with full service and quality, from the time you open until you close.

Friendly service, below average food. Most sorry looking sushi I have in long time, not fresh at all. We happen to order 2 tuna rolls, they came one after another, looking and tasting completely different. How can you mess up a tuna roll?

I go by here a lot and never thought much about the place. I have eaten sushi in three countries and 30 states. The sushi was very good. The smoked trout roll taste in either fishy nor (wood) chard ... but the vibe of the place is what really makes it. The sushi chefs are delightful. The wait staff is attentive and friendly. I will definitely be back. Great lunch wonderful way to start a weekend. I highly recommend this place. These young sushi chefs are well seasoned and it shows !!

First timer and I'm a SUSHI connoisseur. Understandable when you're not in a coastal city but this place came recommended. I was impressed with restaurant. Staff was friendly and price was typical. Choice of fish was good but overall quality of fish was PAR (for mid states availability) was impressed they had my favorite (Aji) cuts were thin and heavy on rice. Overall it was good and filled my appetite. I may be back or likely try another.

Fresh sushi (and I know fresh I've lived in Hawaii and Florida). Laid back setting...good for casual or a night out.

Great easy sushi restaurant on Pearl Street! I really like it a lot! I think the food is great as well as the service and pricing. Pearl Street has a few "nicer" sushi restaurants, but for something more relaxed and I think even more delicious this is a great place. Definitely recommend to all!

Ordered food via phone, was supposed to pick up food at 730pm. Waited outside for an hour, until 830pm to get food. They should have comped the meal for an hour wait. Food was meh.

We ordered a pick-up order that cost $120 (without the tip) for four adults and one child. The order included salmon sushi, a couple of rolls and edamame. In addition, we did not receive a salmon dish we ordered. We did not call or go back because we are traveling and did not have the time to do this. We have ordered Japanese food all over the world. One of us has lived in the Washington, DC, and Seattle for years where the cost of living is comparable to Boulder. With this information serving as a context, the value for the cost was poor and disappointing. The rolls were mediocre. The edamame was good and the salmon was not exceptional not to mention that this was the cost for take out. It was stunning that one tray of food cost $140 that included a $20 tip. Unfortunately we would not recommend this restaurant because the food is ordinary for sushi and rolls and the cost is outrageous for the quality and value.

A staple in Boulder!! If you come to Boulder, Colorado this is a must! Sit at the sushi bar; engage in some conversation, share some sushi with some new found friends and buy a beer for the chefs!!! If you are lucky, experience a birthday celebration. My kids loved this place and we got the sushi boat and crushed it for my sons birthday. They sang happy birthday to him and everyone cheered and a few people gave him a dollar for his birthday! Now when we go my kids ask for a dollar to give to people celebrating a birthday!!

Sushi Zanmai is a vibrant, bustling restaurant when they serve sushi after 5 pm. It is a little quieter when they serve ramen for lunch. The ramen is very good, but unfortunately, not very memorable. I liked it. The noodles were very good. The broth was okay. It was a solid ramen, but not notable. The sushi is very yummy! The happy hour is decently priced, and you can write in which sashimi you'd prefer if tuna, yellowtail, or salmon doesn't tickle your fancy. It's a very roll-heavy menu, so if you are looking for rolls, this is a good place to go. The fish was fairly fresh, but we went on a Friday. Most places get their fish delivered on Monday. We were pretty close to the tail end of that rule. The atmosphere was active and loud. It was a little hard to have a conversation, so keep that in mind. If you want to get to know your tinder date, you'd be best to sit at the sushi bar, so you're close enough to hear each other. I really liked the strawberry tempura dessert. I would stay away from the shrimp dumplings, if I am given the choice again.

Oh man, did I feel old coming here. As everyone knows, Boulder is a college town much like Berkeley. I was here on a quick business trip thinking a little sushi would do me for dinner. Sushi Zanmai was recommended by a local colleague, and it turned out to be a solid, no-complaints choice. It's a generic-looking place as sushi joints go with the familiar blonde wood finish and open counter. The sushi chefs are Japanese - a big plus for the authenticity of the place. The wait staff appear to be college students and conscientious ones at that. They weren't the ones that made me feel old. It was the dribbling of college students coming in, trying to make sense of the sushi menu, and getting carded. Oh how I would love to be carded. Anyway, the sushi was good and fresh. I had the $11.50 Rainbow Roll which had the surprising addition of saba (mackerel) wrapped around it. Tasty - but it kinda clashed visually with the other pinkish fish. The $4.80 buri (fatty yellowtail) sushi was melt-in-your-mouth quality, as was the $7.50 uni (sea urchin), always a tricky proposition if not prepared correctly given its controversially mushy texture. The $4.00 hamaichi (yellowtail) roll with scallions was a relative bargain. To cap it off, I had a pair of chicken yakitori skewers for $4.80 (see my photos for all the food). I was stuffed by the end but in a good way. Maybe if I wear a letterman's sweater and said things like "That's coolio, man", I would fit in. OK, maybe not. FOOD - 4 stars...good sushi, a bit overpriced for some items but understandable given Boulder's proximity to the sea AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...standard Japanese sushi decor...there must be some catalog they all order from to get their furniture SERVICE - 3.5 stars...young, fresh-faced students earning a buck TOTAL - 4 stars...definitely worthwhile option when you're on a Rocky Mountain high

Zanmai is my favorite sushi restaurant in Boulder by far. The quality of sushi is very high, and the prices (especially at happy hour) are hard to beat! The salmon nigiri blew me away!

The Good: High-energy, fun, lively atmosphere. It is always busy and loud, which mean the food is good and people are having fun! I love sitting at the sushi bar. Great sake and sushi selection. Great place for a celebration or party, or to fulfill your sushi craving at a super fun spot downtown. The decor is fun, the service is good, the sushi is awesome. The Bad: Usually a wait for dinner every night of the week! The Food: Awesome sushi. Always. The Service: Always been great. Overall: My favorite sushi spot in Boulder! It's not just about the food, it's about the atmosphere -- it's fun to be there!

Come for the location, not the sushi. Made the mistake of eating lunch here on Labor Day. Ordered the Chirashi bowl and friend ordered a few rolls and pork dumplings. Server knew nothing about the menu, and confessed she doesn't eat raw fish. So, she was super helpful. Dumplings had no flavor of their own, the rolls had no identifying taste, and worst of all the Chirashi fish tasted foul. As in I didn't eat more of it - and instead of asking if anything was wrong with the food, the server offered me a to-go box. We tried to quickly draw this overpriced and unsatisfactory experience to an end, however getting the check was an adventure of it's own. Including finally having to get up and approach the waitress reminding her we'd asked for the check and would like to pay and leave. If you want sushi in Boulder, go somewhere else.

Everytime my parents are in town I bring them to this sushi restaurant and we always sit at the bar. all the guys are so friendly and have made modifications for us if we are craving something but it isn't on the menu, like Spicy Tuna Rice Cakes. this is one of my favorite sushi spots in Boulder and their green tea ice cream is *chefs kiss* amazing! I would post pictures of my sushi but it's so good that I eat it as soon as they place it in front of me

Some of the best raw fish in the area. Our server mike was triple sat with large parties and never missed a beat. Our food and drinks came out quickly.Thank you mike for going above and beyond to make our experience so great! Loved the atmosphere as well.