Blue Ribbon Sushi Grill - Los Angeles

I stopped by for a quick meal while shopping at The Grove. The outdoor seating is pleasant on summer days, allowing you to enjoy the view of the fountain and the train passing by. However, the food quality left much to be desired and took quite a while to arrive. The sashimi tasted like supermarket quality and wasn't very fresh. Overall, the dishes felt overpriced for what you get.

The nigiri and sashimi at this restaurant are undeniably top-notch. The presentation is superb, featuring sushi boats and other attractive setups. The decor beautifully blends traditional Japanese elements with a modern flair. However, the prices are relatively high compared to the overall flavor experience, so it's advisable to make a reservation ahead of time.

The manager came over promptly to reassure us that our meal would be paced properly and that we wouldn’t feel rushed, yet we still had to order by 9 PM. Just moments later, a second waiter arrived and told us it was last call for our order. He was impatient and struggled to answer simple questions about the menu, and when I pointed out that it was only 8:50, he made it clear he wouldn’t leave without our order. After ordering a substantial amount, I requested that he submit our order but return quickly so I could review the rolls and place a separate order for them. He refused, became agitated, and abruptly asked, “...and is that it since we need to get this order in?!” He claimed the “Tiger Roll was the best,” and we decided to order that. Waiter number three was actually quite good—he began by bringing us the Miso Soup and Hamachi sashimi with Serrano peppers. Unfortunately, the soup had a greasy film on top—something I’ve rarely encountered—and was mediocre at best. The hamachi was rather bland and served at the wrong temperature, though it came with a decent sauce. Spoiler alert: that was the highlight of the meal. Then came the Shrimp Tempura, which was a sad representation—not even as good as the frozen version from Costco, served with a white dipping sauce—definitely not freshly cooked. Next, we received a beautifully arranged platter of cut rolls. The Spider Roll was quite good, and the vegetable “futomaki” was pleasant, as were the Japanese pickles and kampyo maki—something I was pleasantly surprised to find. However, all the rolls shared the same easily avoidable flaws: cold rice and soggy seaweed. Maybe it’s just me, but I expect (especially at these prices) fresh seaweed and warm rice. The final presentation, although visually appealing, was unfortunately inedible—particularly the sushi. The salmon was poorly sliced and seemed “off” (we left two pieces untouched), the yellowtail was unevenly cut with awkward streaks of fat or tendon, and we couldn’t even finish the tuna, which tasted worse than gas station sushi. I even spat out the shrimp. Overall, the most disappointing aspect was that all the sushi had the appearance, texture, and taste of something that had been prepared earlier in the evening and then refrigerated—like something you’d find at a mediocre hotel’s happy hour buffet. The rice was cold, gummy, and somewhat hardened. To sum it up: terrible service, awful food, and way overpriced—over $200 spent with no drinks at all. This place is a disgrace compared to the original in New York and shows a complete lack of quality. Do yourself a favor and stay away. It’s truly terrible. This is the first negative review I’ve ever written after about 100 experiences here! It’s disappointing, especially since the presentation—and the photos—were so beautiful.

The Blue Ribbon Sushi Was Good But The Outdoor Seating Was Bad Full Of Mosquitoes But The Server Was Nice We Had A Table For 10 People And The Food Was Good The Udon Was Good I Shared With My Brother And The Lemonade Was Fresh And It Was Kinda Worth It?.

Don’t get the truffle fries, such a scam. It’s literally just sprinkles of dry powder that doesn’t even taste like truffle. At least truffle mayo or something…