I used to frequent this place a lot during 2001-2003. I have fond memories of the dinner special and the green tea ice cream. But I must say this place has definitely changed. The quality of the food has gone down a bit but not drastically. The portions have definitely gotten smaller. The green tea is not the same brand which melted in one's mouth and left the green tea after taste. :'( The place definitely has a new contemporary feel. With a lot of cartoons hanging on the walls. The place is tight but service is quick and overall pretty friendly. For example, the sushi chiefs greet everyone who walks in the door (that's pretty awesome). Now for the FOOD: the short ribs are delish but chewy. The teriyaki chicken is also fabulous as is the tempura vegetables dipped in the tempura sauce. I must say I was blown away by the teriyaki salmon. It was SO GOOD I may have to make another trip soon. The rolls were decent (spicy tuna and caterpillar). Nothing that delivered the wow effect. Over all experience was Good and I'd come back to sample more items. read more

Buko Restaurant - Yummy rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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Super bummed about our experience here. We're currently on the look-out for finding our local sushi-go-to restaurant, since we just moved to the area & we were really hoping this was it. Unfortunately, that was far from the case. We walked in & thee entire staff were all seated at a dining booth, with only one booth taken by another party. As we walked to the table they pointed to, the first thing I noticed was the booths seat had a patch over the destressed part of it. I thought ok, thats kinda cheap of them. Whatever. Philadelphia roll - smallest pieces of salmon, extremely chewy (couldn't chew through the fish), it had a different tint to it than the usual salmon color and dull in taste. Albacore sushi - Dry, bland & almost as if it was sitting out in warm tempature all day Miso soup - was actually tasty & we def appreciated that Soy beans - hard Salmon roll - (Shrimp tempura added $4extra) Literally had to be the smallest pieces of salmon over the roll. It didn't even wrap around half of the roll. Im serious when I say IT WAS A JOKE. Their eel sauce isn't that somewhat thick dark texture consistency, it was cheap in taste & almost looked like a watered down teriyaki sauce. If you like specialty rolls or fresh sushi a la carte don't bother coming here. I've been into sushi for 11 years & I've never noticed a restaurant cut so many corners or dined somewhere w/such poor quality fish. All of there specialty rolls have cali inside, too simple & too basic. Also, a possible sign they're lazy & already have them ready, they'd just add the top to it when ordered. So, I thought ok... I'll customize a roll, to make the best out of this trip. I ordered a salmon roll.. feeling rushed, which was a bit reasonale, I just added shrimp tempura to it. I thought of spicy tuna, or spicy albacore but I wanted to get something they couldn't possibly do wrong. It did make it better but this trip was just not enjoyable although we really did try. My partner usually doesn't complain & he said he didn't like the service, it wasn't personal or warming, nor inviting, they came to our table 4 times before we were ready & as we were eating they dropped off the check. Nowhere near closing time. He also said the restroom wasn't very clean & it had very poor water flow from the faucet. Its located through the kitchen. HE NEVER COMPLAINS! lol We'd normally order more, even if it doesn't take me much to get full but we were repeatedly disappointed & surprisingly I wasn't full & we both left still hungry. Thats how small the rolls are. Overall, we do keep in mind running a business is really hard but I just could not visit this place again. read more

Excellent service and great food. Tucked away amongst an Armenian art store and a liquor store. Not busy for a Friday night at 7:30. A nice plus. We order the chicken teriyaki, which my finicky boyfriend was pretty happy about. I got the shishito peppers, which is like playing spicy roulette. Nice smoky flavor. I got the Japanese burrito, which I loved! And low carb! The decor is simple with really cute samurai illustrations all around the restaurant. The walls sort of looks like yodel lay hee hoo Hansel and Gretel ish. Needless to say, we left full and happy! Even my boyfriend loved it and wants to come back! read more

Solid little Japanese restaurant with great staff. We usually order a few of their dinner combos. Also, plenty of kid friendly choices on their menu. read more

I had my reservations about this place, especially after the dodgy sign they use and the very limited menu. Nevertheless, based on the consistently great reviews that I read about on Yelp, I decided to venture out anyway and drag my very picky mom with me. Directions and venue. Don't expect to see a great big sign showing "Buko Restaurant," instead, expect to look for a place called "Sushi Tempura." Once you find the place, you'll see a very small 8.5x11 paper posted on the front door entrance reading the restaurant's name in 12pt font and their hours of operation. Other than the hassle of finding the restaurant, the venue was the typical small mom 'n pop Japanese restaurant joint. Food. My only complaint was that their menu was limited. No albacore, salmon, or even uni (sea urchin)! Also, if you're craving some sort of roll, expect to choose from only a variety of about 3 rolls. The bright side is that although limited in the variety of fish or seafood that you can order, everything is fresh. Their portion sizes are also just right for the price. Service. Very attentive and friendly staff. Although I felt a bit rushed since we got in half an hour before the restaurant was supposed to close (8:30), our waiter was very nice and even kept apologizing for not getting our food quick enough. Any quicker and I think I would've had to question whether the cooked foods we ordered really were cooked or just microwaved! I would recommend this place to anyone who's craving good bento boxes and don't really care about having a huge variety of fish or sushi rolls to choose from. They're going to be closed from 2/13-2/24, so if you've been wanting to check them out, I'd say better hurry up! I thought 4 stars was a bit generous, but since they are a small joint and they did a great job at executing their food..oh and they made my mom happy with her unagi, I thought 4 stars was justified. read more

Buko Restaurant - 2 orders of unagi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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It was very hidden, Looks small and is actually big in the inside, the quality is super good with the sushi. Especially the miso soup, I have had many miso soups and this one is up there and as well as the dragon roll. The eel on the sushi was very flavorful read more

Buko Restaurant - とんかつ(tokatsu ramen) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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My go to spot for bento boxes... love the food and the service!!! Oh yea the ice cream!!! So yummy read more

As Elijah respectfully stated, this shit really bussin...... and ngl the sauce slaps. respectfully, of course. read more

Buko Restaurant - a sushi garden. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

The food was awesome and the price was reasonable for what it is. The sushi is surprisingly fresh for a glendale Japanese restaurant. haha. Besides that i loved this place. Its quiet, the food was excellent and the service is awesome. Hella 5 Stars....!!!!! read more

Buko Restaurant - Dinner Combo: Teriyaki Chicken & Tempura - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

My favorite sushi in Glendale and I've been to most of the spots in the area. Very friendly service and everything is super fresh. We come here once a month with the family and they are very consistent with the quality of food and service. Owner approaches the table sometimes and is a a great guy. Love Buko and the staff. read more

This is my favorite no frills Japanese restaurant. The owner is super nice as are all the people that work here. I love the vintage hanging lamps, in fact I have one in my own house. I usually order a combo with sashimi and tempura. This comes with this yummy salted cabbage dish, Miso soup, potato salad, green salad and a healthy serving of fresh Sashimi and shrimp and veggie tempura. read more

Buko Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

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Good solid food. I didn't even know this place had been in Glendale for so many years. We ordered chicken teriyaki bowl, chicken katsu curry, mixed tempura and cucumber salad. The food was prepared quickly for take-out. Everything tasted good and fresh. The only minor hassle is the parking lot. It's a big parking lot but is very busy. I had to circle around once before I found a spot. Otherwise, Buko is a great place to visit if you are craving Japanese food. read more

Still amazing even during covid, the owner walks around the parking lot to help customers park during busy hours. LOVE this spot. My wife is Japanese born and raised and lived most of her life in Japan and she LOVES this restaurant I think that says a lot. read more

This is our go-to sushi spot now. We recently moved into the neighborhood and discovered this restaurant while walking. The happy hour was an added bonus -- great price on beer, sake, appetizers, and rolls! More importantly, everything was FRESH. I'm not talking about "good enough" fresh--I'm talking about noticably fresh. The kind where you take a bite, and look at the person sitting with you and say, "Wow that is fresh." It's hard not to notice. Their service is fast, responsive, and friendly. Everybody is wonderful. They check in as needed, but don't neglect, and don't annoy you by dropping by every 5 minutes waiting to hurry you off to make room for another customer. I think they've found the "goldilocks" middle when it comes to attending to your customers. Nicely done. Lots of options, lots of fresh fish, and a beautiful assortment of options when it comes to Japanese cuisine. Definitely looking forward to coming back over and over again to try everything on the menu. read more

So glad we found our new spot. Everything was fantastic and service was great. We will probably be back weekly honestly. Really hoping enough people support this place through the pandemic. The Niku Udon is perfect, the sushi was fresh and nicely portioned not too big for bites, prices were reasonable except that my husband couldn't stop ordering more. See you soon Buko! read more

Buko is the best sushi in the area! Friendly staff, delicious and fresh. The lunch and dinner specials are amazing. We have been going for years and it is even great take out. read more

It wasn't bad and it wasn't great. nothing really stood out except for maybe the paradise sushi which was pretty good. The reason for 3 stars instead of lower? The gf surprised me one night with takeout from here (I never order takeout sushi). Sushi combo, some hand rolls, and my favorite, uni! It was definitely better than when I'd dined in. Maybe that first night was an off-night. I'll give it another go since it's close to me. read more

Always quick pickup, nice workers and great quality food! I've never had a bad experience here. Parking can get a bit busy some nights, but honestly there are a lot of other surrounding businesses. Not the fault of the owners read more

Always amazing food and great service. Tempura is incredible as are all the other dishes we've tried. Highly recommend.

While I wanted to like this spot because it's a neighborhood restaurant, the best I can say is that it's average. Tonight, I ordered a Sushi Platter ($25) that came with 8 pieces of chef's choice and an order ofCA or Spicy Sushi rolls. While I ate the meal, I was doing it because I ordered it and didn't want to waste the food. At best, the food was average. For me, eating good sushi makes me happy and delighted. Tonight.... I was neither. When sushi is not firm to my bite, it tastes depressed. When sushi is not vibrantly colored, it looks depressed. When sushi smells fishy, it is. At best, my meal was average. Below average: The Hot Green Tea taste dirty. No WiFi despite having two service networks. Good: Nice waitress. Wish I could back, but I think I will find other places to enjoy Japanese food. read more

Amazing hidden spot in Glendale, CA. ..food is great, fresh and clean! Definitely coming back! read more

Buko Restaurant - The Bomb ....Lobster popcorn - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

I love Buko!! Fish is always cold and fresh.

I always love Buko. We always come and eat here when I was working at Glendale. When my daughter delivered her baby at Glendale Adventist, I made it a point to let them try Buko. So I ordered take out for them. I love their chicken teriyaki and California roll. I am from the valley and I make sure I eat here when I am in Glendale. read more

One of the best hidden restaurants in Glendale. Great dinner combos as well as sushi speciality rolls. It's ONLY getting 5 stars because it's not open on Monday. It should get 6 stars! :) read more

Nice small eatery. Off the mainstream road, kinda hidden gem in Glendale. Very good rolls, to men. Certainly will be back read more

Buko Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - Glendale, California

Not bad for a quick Japanese fix! The parking lot is tiny, so it's kind of hard to find a spot. Also beware of the 30 min spots! I got the lunch special and it was a decent amount of food for $12. It came with miso soup, salad, rice, potato, and two items of your choosing. I chose the chicken katsu and the spicy tuna rolls; both were pretty good! read more

Thank god for Buko. It's best quality sushi, delicious Japanese entrees, reasonable prices, and a smiling, local staff. The dining room vibe is no-frills, basic booths and tables. A very small sacrifice to make for always excellent fare. Ask for the chef to assemble a chefs-choice platter of best catches. The White Dragon roll is heaven. And if you want sushi-as-comfort food get the popcorn lobster roll. The spareribs are amazing. The only thing I don't like is "closed Monday's" - the one day I need a kings meal on a paupers budget. Thanks for all the great food, Buko. read more

i just had some veggie tempura and it opened my appetite so much. I also had the veggie rolls and volcano rolls sooo yummmy goood. I will never get sushi anywhere else in my life!!! love this place for sushi its the place to be. read more

I've had my share of japanese restaurants and this place definitely is worth it. For the price, you get fresh fish and good service. You know you are in good hands when the server has a japanese accent and communicates with the crew in their native language. I ordered the salmon teriyaki and it probably was one of the best I've had, especially for $9 dinner entree (accompanied by salad, miso soup, rice, and potato salad). My friend got the dinner combo with sashimi and it was delicious. read more

A very nice neighborhood Japanese restaurant. The food is delicious, but the sushi is on the "small" side. The rolls do not have enough rice. Thus, it can look wimpy in comparison to other sushi restaurants. In my opinion, add more ingredients and charge more. Other than that, I like the place. Wonderful service at all times I've been there. read more

We're regulars here! Everything is amazing, fresh and so tasty every single time! The food is not the only amazing thing here, the staff is awesome. We always feel so welcome and we can tell that the owner really cares about the quality of food and service. read more

Got the dinner set 2 item combo. Plenty of choices for your 2 items. Comes with miso and salad as well. I am completely stuffed and satisfied with the food and service. Amazing place with very friendly owner and employees ! read more

Great food. Good beer and sake. Cozy place to have dinner with family. It's in a shopping strip do there is always parking. read more

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This is now our go to Japanese place. Let it be noted neither myself nor my husband are sushi lovers... this is in regards to the teriyaki dinner options. But have been every satisfied. I usually get the 3 item combo, with chicken and beef teriyaki, and fried gyoza. Often in a 3 item combo like this, I'd expect 3 or 4 gyoza at best. I get 6! They do not skimp on portions, but it is not also just food overload. It's a good balance. And I love their sweet, thick teriyaki sauce. Husband usually gets the same, except salmon instead of the gyoza. The included Miso soup and side salad are also both good, as well as a scoop of vanilla cream ($1 extra for green tea ice cream). Soda is from a can, if that's issue for anyone. Also, the place is on the small-ish side, so there can sometimes be a wait. But generally service is good. We like this place! read more

Quang, Takashi, and Itamae (Sushi Chefs) are ichi-ban (best) for their amazing food, service, and consistency! Even though we moved to Mid City, we still order their bento, lobster popcorn roll, ramen, tempura, and more to go. Our four college girls love Buko when they are in town! read more

We've frequented this place for 23+ years now. Management changed a few years ago, but quality and service is still excellent!

Had just discovered this wonderful neighborhood joint when I saw the Change of Ownership notice in the window. Got in one more visit, just to have the huge plate of hamachi sashimi again, then then next time we went - closed. People inside painting. Oh well... even good restaurants come and go. Fast forward to this week, and my first visit to the new and - dare I say - improved buko! Now there's a small sushi bar and an expanded menu. It's still a homey little Japanese neighborhood joint - yay! The hamachi is still yummy and now served with a nice dab of poke (or poke-type chopped hamachi). And the prices are still reasonable. This is a mom and pop and at least one kid operation. Pop is the sushi chef, mom handles hospitality, and son heads up the very good kitchen. Mom proudly told us he's the former sous chef for Nobu, and he sure knows his stuff. Our yellowtail collar was cooked to perfection, the agadashi tofu was tender and juicy, and I can't wait to try more! The hours have been expanded too. It's now open until 9:30 during the week and 10:00 on Friday and Saturday. Service is smooth and professional. Oh, and that paint job looks good too. read more

Best sashimi platter I've ever had. The fish quality here is extremely fresh and the chefs do a great job of lightly seasoning the fish, so that you can actually taste the fresh fish and not just a bunch of sauce. They also make a mean crispy spicy tuna, delicious avocado cucumber rolls, and the tataki roll is an amazing house roll worth throwing in the mix. My boyfriend also enjoyed the smelt egg sushi, crispy salmon skin roll and their edamame. Such great quality for the price, highly recommend. read more

Well this little restaurant used to be "Past Tense" a little gem! The time before last we had such a great meal with no complaints but recently we went back to order the steak teriyaki like we had previously and it was the toughest most awful tasting meat we have ever had. I told the waiter but he did nothing about it. We couldn't even eat it. Needless to say we will never go back there. I guess they have new owners now and the quality that they used to have has gone down the drain. read more

This place has great service. And while this is true, it is also true that starting off with "this place has great service" is the restaurant review equivalent of someone starting their description of you with "he has a great personality" - either way, it's not going to be pretty. Tucked away into the same plaza as the exemplary Eden Burger Bar, Buko is yet another inauthentic Japanese restaurant. The siren song that led me here was the collective praise showered upon their chicken teriyaki - for that sort of dish, I was okay with fake Japanese. Absolutely famished, I opted for the three-entree plate: sushi, chicken teriyaki, and beef teriyaki. So the quality of the sushi was unsurprisingly mediocre/subpar, but I really wasn't expecting much. The teriyaki part of my meal was meant to have more promise, particularly the poultry-leaning side of it. No, no, no - unless the special taste people noted was the after, there was nothing great at all about the sauce used. The beef and chicken used weren't of good quality either. But hey - the place has great service. read more