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Sushi Yoshi - Chef Yoshi's Neighborhood Sushi at 101 Church Street in Old Town Vienna


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https://www.sushiyoshivienna.co/

The a la carte sushi may be more expensive since 1 order = 1 piece but they have many varieties of fish. For lunch I had Boston Mackerel, Spanish Mackereal, and Horse Mackerel, in addition to Sardine, Yellowtail, Yellowtail Belly, and Uni. Each piece was between $2 to $3 dollars (the sardine was $1.85)

sushi_yoshi_sushi_a_la_carte_.pdf

Due to the impending snowpocalypse, I also ordered some fried squid legs (kara age) and something they called seafood pancake. The squid legs were medium sized fried 1 leg at a time and not a clump of squid legs like fried calamari. The legs were a little chewy, but I suspect that's how they're supposed to be. Nevertheless, I enjoyed them without the tartar sauce that came on the side. Not on the website are two pages of specials, of which 1 was labeled Japanese small plates (lots of grilled jaws and fish). The seafood pancake was one of the specials but it's nothing like a Korean seafood pancake. This is really a rather large fishcake topped with some tempura shavings and a slightly spicy soy based sauce. The first bite was a bit fishy but I soon got used to the favor and enjoyed the dish.

This is the best sushi in Vienna (not many others in the area - Sakana, Sweet Ginger, Sushi Yama, Konami are others I've been to) and the additon of other specials makes this place one of the best yet unsung Japanese restaurants in the DC area.

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i've been making this place a regular lunch stop the past couple of months. the chirashi lunch is an amazing amount of food for twelve dollars. 10-12 pretty generous pieces of sashimi and a giant bowl of rice, veggies, tofu, shrimp, etc. i can never finish (i'm not sure who could) and they always seem a bit disappointed in me. best sushi in vienna right now, hands down.

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Definitely agree that this is one of the best sushi places in Vienna if not NoVA in general. The chirashi is non-conventional (sashimi and rice served in separate plates) but delicious, and the quality of the fish, especially the salmon, is always spot-on. Servers seem to have a pretty high turnover rate, though, and some of them aren't really familiar with temaki orders--our favorite a la carte order of an ikura temaki has confused more than one server there.

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We finally gave this a try about two weeks ago. Okay, maybe we went on an off night or you all have different taste in sushi than my wife and I, but we thought this place was just awful. Whenever we try a new sushi place, we order certain standards to be able to compare apples to apples. The rice on all of the nigiri fell apart and the fish had no taste whatsoever (except for a very good hokkigai). The worst was the spicy tuna roll, which had no spice and tasted like the type of canned tuna people often refer to derisively as cat food. When you add the higher than average pricing and occasional difficult parking in that area, it's very unlikely we'll give it a second chance.

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Second meal last night. Enjoyed the fried squid legs that Eric posted about and ordered the deluxe chirashi (sashimi and rice served in separate plates). Besides the usual fish, there was uni and caviar included in the sashimi and more varied vegtables (and some fish) on top of the rice. Really good meal and this was much better than the other places in NOVA. Great service as well.

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We finally gave this a try about two weeks ago. Okay, maybe we went on an off night or you all have different taste in sushi than my wife and I, but we thought this place was just awful. Whenever we try a new sushi place, we order certain standards to be able to compare apples to apples. The rice on all of the nigiri fell apart and the fish had no taste whatsoever (except for a very good hokkigai). The worst was the spicy tuna roll, which had no spice and tasted like the type of canned tuna people often refer to derisively as cat food. When you add the higher than average pricing and occasional difficult parking in that area, it's very unlikely we'll give it a second chance.

I wouldn't call this place awful, but the food-to-price ratio was hard to justify, as it was "higher than average pricing." Little man and I went a few weeks back; it was nice to say "hi" to Pete and Paula -- we seem to run into each other in sushi places, but great to see each other's children.

I wonder if jpbloom went on an off-night; the fish I had was fresh, the roll was wrapped tight, but not cut as well. Little man happily scarfed everything down without complaints. However, the two rolls plus a bowl of udon left my wallet more empty than expected; especially compared to Maneki Neko in Falls Church (my usual go-to). I think I might have to choose to order wiser if I come here again.

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I wouldn't call this place awful, but the food-to-price ratio was hard to justify, as it was "higher than average pricing." Little man and I went a few weeks back; it was nice to say "hi" to Pete and Paula -- we seem to run into each other in sushi places, but great to see each other's children.

I wonder if jpbloom went on an off-night; the fish I had was fresh, the roll was wrapped tight, but not cut as well. Little man happily scarfed everything down without complaints. However, the two rolls plus a bowl of udon left my wallet more empty than expected; especially compared to Maneki Neko in Falls Church (my usual go-to). I think I might have to choose to order wiser if I come here again.

Yes, it was nice to see you both again, at a sushi joint. ;)

This was only the second time that we have dined in at Sushi Yoshi given our 18-month old's affinity for throwing food (and plates and chopsticks) when she is done. Other than the obligatory cucumber roll for our 5-year old, we tried their "small plates" menu for the first time. My memory is a little hazy but, although nothing "wowed" us, I remember the pork dishes were the strongest.

We order carry-out from here at least once or twice a month. Our usual carry-out order is the sushi combo for 2 and seaweed salad for the grownups, and the katsu and cucumber roll for the girls. We have always been happy with the quality and freshness of the sushi, and they take great care in packing the hot items separately from the sushi. The a la carte sushi and special rolls menus have some interesting items when we want something other than "our usual". Although we miss, dearly, Sakana Sushi, we are very happy to have Sushi Yoshi for our carry-out sushi cravings.

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I went to Sushi Yoshi last night (Thursday). As I walked by Bazin's and Alegria, both appeared to be hopping around 7:30. Sushi Yoshi was also hopping. All the tables were full, so I went and sat at the sushi bar. I started out with some fried oysters and grilled Boston mackerel. The mackerel came with minced daikon and a wad of hot substance (not wasabi). I mixed the daikon, the hot stuff, and some soy sauce together and dipped the mackerel in it. Can't say I'm a big fan of grilled mackerel. I've also had them at Korean restaurants and similar don't really care for it. Mackerel sushi, on the other hand, is one of my favorite sushi. I ordered a couple of pieces of saba (Boston mackerel), a couple of pieces of uni (at $3.50 a piece - cheap compared to other places that I've been to lately, which charge $9 or $10 for two pieces), surf clam, hamachi (yellow tail), salmon roe, smelt roe, flying fish roe, and sweet shrimp. I really liked the sushi - rice and fish were both a little warmer than room temperature (I did not whip out a thermometer for a precise measurement) - nothing fell apart, perfect size for one bite and there were plenty of uni. I don't normally get surf clam gut they do it well - no rubbery or tough. The fried oysters were pretty good too. I think Yoshi's sushi is much better than Tachibana these days. It's not cheap (other than uni). The place draws many Asians (not just Japanese).

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Recently went to Sushi-Ko Chevy Chase for the first time. Our go-to local place is Matuba in Bethesda. After having a markedly better sushi experience in NYC (not in a particularly notable establishment), we've been looking for an upgrade locally, hence the Sushi-Ko trial, which didn't cut it. The nigiri were no better than anything we've had at Matuba and the prices were higher. It didn't help that we were seated at the equivalent of the family thanksgiving dinner kiddie table -- a souless room down a few steps furthest from the entrance.

I've tried it here 3 times and think its grossly overrated and I just don't get the hype .... Maybe 10 years ago but I was just not impressed As I mentioned to Don , I thought Sushi Yoshi in Vienna is one of the best in the area. IMHO

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Vienna has a big, big sushi identity crisis. In particular, there are three sushi restaurants within a 1-2 mile strip that begin with a "Y" - Sushi Yama, Yoki Sushi, and Sushi Yoshi.

Forget about Sushi Yama - it's just not that good (spending my own money so you don't have to).

Yoki Sushi I still haven't tried - it's in Oakton, and I've only seen it driving by.

Sushi Yoshi is the place you definitely want to know about. Forget all about the similarity in names, and just remember "the place next to Bazin's on Church and Alegria."

I called last night to see if we could get a table at 6:15, and a very pleasant receptionist told me she could seat us, but that they have a 7:30 reservation at our table, and asked if we would mind finishing by 7:30. Isn't this the type of situation that people complain about on Yelp? Well, I thought it was a perfectly polite exchange, and I appreciated knowing about it. "Sure," I said. "No problem!" We arrived just after 6 PM.

Go before 6:30 if you can - not only because it gets very crowded, but because there's a discounted menu. Granted, it's only about a 10% discount, but there's enough on it worth ordering, and we made an entire meal out of it last night (note that all prices listed are from the pre-6:30 menu, and are about 10% higher on the regular menu - this isn't enough of a discount to get excited about, but it's a nice bonus if you can get it).

There were two slight misses in the meal, and one was the Edamame ($3.25), and that's only because they were a little too old and had started to grow fur. Don't laugh - the first time I ever saw this was many years ago at Sushi Taro. They needed seasoning, and the salt shaker turned out to contain a mixture of crystals, some light, some dark, one of which may have been MSG, so just be aware before you shake that it isn't straight salt.

I drowned my fear downed my fur with a Sapporo ($7.95 for a large, $4.95 for a small).

We each got a Salmon and Avocado Roll ($4.10) and they were pleasant - the salmon here looks good in general - the rice being a touch on the dry side, but not enough to kill the rolls, and the orb of wasabi being the most perfectly round thing I've seen in a long time that wasn't human. Soy sauce time.

The Vegetable Tempura ($4.50) gets my vote as Dish Of the Night (DON). Six-or-so pieces, each different, and as good as any tempura I can recall having in the DC area. There was green bean, squash, broccoli, taro, etc. This dish was so well-done that I *had* to get a second order. If you come to Sushi Yoshi, please remember to order the vegetable tempura - it's a great dish. And it came with its own sauce.

Gyoza ($4.00) was a plate of five little pork dumplings, delicious on the inside, well-fried on the outside. We've all had wonderful gyoza, and this was certainly one of them. And, of course, it came with its own sauce (which made three different sauces on the table, all soy-based, all slightly different).

There's quite a bit of yellowtail jaw in the area, but not as much Salmon Jaw ($4.30). This was a good, hand-sized chunk that contained some white meat on one end, and some of the fattiest salmon I've ever eaten on a different part of the bone. This dish was served with enough "normal" (albeit overcooked) salmon to satisfy an unadventurous eater for a few bites, while leaving the more intrepid diners to essentially suck on salmon fat - but man was the meat in there tasty.

I was nearly certain that the Chicken Wing Karaage ($4.50) was going to be great when I saw it: five really nice-looking pieces, seemingly perfectly fried and attractively plated. As it turns out, they weren't quite as good as they looked, being a bit bland and a touch, but only a touch, overdone. Still, if you like chicken wings that aren't tiny little throwaway frozen things, you might very well enjoy these.

Total bill before tax and tip: $46.15. Can't beat this! Sushi Yoshi is maintained in Italic in the Dining Guide, and is the best Japanese restaurant that I know of in the Virginia suburbs (which really isn't saying much of anything). I haven't plumbed the depths of Tachibana's menu in awhile now, but I'd be surprised if I like it any more than I do Sushi Yoshi.

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We had a recent meal here a week ago. I will echo that Don has it right, the Happy hour menu is a deal and the BBQ salmon jaw is great. I also like the mussel dish and the sashmi deluxe as well. Reservations are really needed. The staff is great and the Chef really has fresh fish!

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On 2/4/2010 at 4:24 PM, kmcass said:

the chirashi lunch is an amazing amount of food for twelve dollars. 10-12 pretty generous pieces of sashimi and a giant bowl of rice, veggies, tofu, shrimp, etc.

Still true...a crazy amount of food that even two people might have trouble finishing if they ordered anything else.  The salmon jaw appetizer ($5) is a ginormous portion too.

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Pigged out here last night.  I've been hitting the gym hard and thought I needed a treat, so I ate for 2(maybe 3).  The Salmon Jaw was a meal by itself.  The Edaname I shouldn't have ordered, not fuzz but meh.  Had 3 rolls, another 10 piece of Nigri and a beer.   Normally would have had a few beers but the diet is keeping me in check.

Great value at Happy Hour, will come back.

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I have been here several times, only for lunch, but it is a treat.  It is small and packed, but the food is excellent.  If you can, sit at the bar as they typically have chefs preparing the fish for dinner and it is fun to watch. Their lunch menu is good and they have "boxes" of good value including salad and soup.

Fish is really fresh and they tend to be creative with their presentations.

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Last time I ate at Yoshi (maybe a year ago), it was rather bad (and I had the only table with no view of the kitchen).  I wrote it off as an off night.

This early evening's visit convinced me this place is not it once was.  First, I see one younger Asian man (late 30s early 40s) and two Hispanics behind the sushi counter.  Second, the waitress brought out my (nondescript) sushi deluxe before my tempura appetizer.  She apparently forgot my tempura appetizer.  When the tempura appetizer arrived, it had no minced daikon accompaniment.  The shrimps were actually pretty good though.  Before I finished my tempura, my sushi deluxe arrived again.  Prior to deciding whether I wanted to add any wasabi, I checked under the tuna and salmon to see how much wasabi was there.  There were none.  I checked the other pieces, and there's no wasabi on any of the sushi pieces.  At that point, I asked for them to take the sushi off of my check and bring me my check.  

ETA: ankimo on menu but not available.  I don't think they have a website anymore.

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55 minutes ago, Ericandblueboy said:

Last time I ate at Yoshi (maybe a year ago), it was rather bad (and I had the only table with no view of the kitchen).  I wrote it off as an off night.

This early evening's visit convinced me this place is not it once was. 

Yes, Sushi Yoshi used to be a very good neighborhood sushi restaurant; your pictures show what appears to be a very ordinary neighborhood sushi restaurant. "Neighborhood sushi" is not a compliment.

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17 hours ago, Ericandblueboy said:

Last time I ate at Yoshi (maybe a year ago), it was rather bad (and I had the only table with no view of the kitchen).  I wrote it off as an off night.

Probably about the last time I was there as well - sorry to hear it has gone downhill.  Maybe a change in ownership or staffing has helped - thanks for updates.

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Quote

 

VIENNA, VIRGINIA—Japanese-styled izakaya Akai Tori Ramen & Yakitori officially opened in the heart of Vienna on Tuesday, February 21, with truffle-flavored shoyu broth, sushi, sake, and more. The standalone location specializes in ramen, donburi, tempura sushi, and street foods like yakitori (grilled skewers) seasoned with salt and tare with homemade sauces. All of its ramen broth—tonkotsu, shio, shoyu, and miso—is made in-house. Akai Tori comes from Mark Liu, the chef-owner behind Vienna’s acclaimed Sushi Yoshi. Hours go until as late as 11 p.m. on weekends. 234 Maple Ave E., Vienna, Virginia
 


 

Unbelievable 

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