I love sushi and am all for organics so I got a teeny bit giddy every time I walked by Genki Ya to see their eye-catching window bamboo (I think) decor alongside a "coming soon" sign. I've only gotten delivery and I've been meaning to check out their actual restaurant (seems like they have pretty good lunch specials), but the lackluster sushi has not encouraged me to dine in. They offer a number of vegan options which incorporate a larger variety of fruits and vegetables than I've seen elsewhere - a welcomed change. I was a little shocked at the $4.45 sticker price of their cucumber roll (verryyy basic, just cucumber, rice, and seaweed), as that's double the price of many other sushi places (granted it's not organic but that wouldn't even explain). So the actual food...The sushi rice was not as flavorful as I think it should be and not as sticky as it needs to be for pieces to stay together. I judge sushi largely on quality of rice and how well rolls are rolled, so seeing how loose and sparse the rice was upon arrival was disappointing. The veggies of the Garden Roll were extremely fresh and delicious, but the overall roll was bland to me. The sweet potato tempura roll, one of my absolute favorites, was total mush, therefore total yuck. On the menu it says the miso soup has mushrooms, but it actually came sans shrooms plus tofu pieces. Meh. Hopefully these issues will be worked out as the chefs become more comfortable in their new restaurant. I'll keep Genki Ya on the backburner for a place to come back to, but it's not one I'm really itching to make an immediate return. Returning will be me trying to make myself like it as I really want to support the organic/veg-friendly movement as much as possible yet restaurants aren't supposed to drive their customers to delude themselves into their food. Sigh. read more

Two words that have made my life complete: Volcano Roll. It is literally a small mountain of shrimp tempura sushi that has loads of seafood, tobiko, scallions, tempura flakes, and who-knows-what-else (who cares), toppling over the heavenly goodness. I have never been able to find a sushi place that has wowed me, and this one does the trick every time. Their sushi pieces are flavorful and hefty in the greatest way possible, so the money you spend is worth every penny. My friend's roommate introduced this to him, then my friend introduced it to me, and everyone that I've introduced the restaurant to now says it is one of their favorites. As others have already mentioned, they offer brown rice, multigrain, and all those healthy shmealthy stuff that I haven't tried so I have yet to comment on them. As for customer service (only have dined in, never got delivery), the staff always been friendly and attentive. I can't think of any complaints. All in all... the answer for the curious is "Yes. Go to Genki Ya and savor that delicious Volcano Roll." Go go go! read more

Genki Ya is my favorite place for sushi in the area. Their sushi is fresh, delicious, & affordable (a 6-slice California roll costs around $6). Moreover, the menu is quite extensive, so you have plenty of options from which to choose, & each item on the menu is accompanied with a color photograph, which makes choosing a dish a little easier. Service is also very quick, with no long waits between ordering & receiving your sushi. Tidbits: -Maki recommendations: Super Dragon Roll, Spicy King Crab Tempura Roll, & Salmon Torch Roll (all so good!) -The restaurant does not have too many tables, so either avoid the dinner rush or make a reservation. read more

Oh Genki Ya, again, you have reaffirmed my love for sushi. I have been going to all of these different places because I haven't been able to visit Genki Ya, only to be disappointed because it isn't Genki Ya. That being said, Genki Ya has by far the best sushi that I have ever had. It is always fresh, I never leave feeling poorly in any way, the service is great (they fill my water glass about every five seconds!) If I could eat here every day, I totally would. Also, people, try the fruit roll. It's like a dessert roll party in your mouth. read more

I gave this place a 4 star before but after what I experienced on Sunday, I don't think I will ever go back there. I used to eat in and get the party platters. I used to drive from Quincy to Brookline, I was so happy when I moved to newton cause I was closer. The party platter, 150 pcs of roll and sashimi and nigiri. The varieties of fish decreased. Your standard, salmon, tuna, yellowfin.. That's all where is the mackerel and the octopus I love so much. The yellowfin had a funny taste. The sashimi was Luke warm.. NOT a good sign!!! The rolls were not appetizing at all. So disgusting!!! Wasted $170. Then their online site is a scam, they don't let you redeem your coupon. So you have to call and speak to an owner that is rude!!! Never going back. read more

Not only that is the one & only organic sushi place in Boston area but it's also affordable & very generous with their portion (big pieces of meat, WE LIKE THAT!!!). I have been here 3 times & always left satisfied! This place is larger than Oiishi of Chesnut Hill but comparable food-wise. read more

As of now, I am still currently recovering from my Maki coma, indulding in the 3-maki lunch special yesterday. I ate the maki (24 maki!!!) for lunch, in one sitting, and saved the salad and soup for a light dinner. It was delicious. It is a fantastically awesome deal. These aren't tiny puny maki, but plump, delicious, substantial maki. I got the spicy tuna, avocado-salmon, and the honey roll. I was a little worried about the banana in the honey roll being a little weird, but it wasn't overly banana-like. The sweet potato balanced it out nicely, along with the veggies. It was delicious. My percolating food baby is pleased. Also, they don't skimp on the ginger, which makes me very content. read more

After reading such great reveiws on the site I decided to check out Genki Ya for myself. I do give the place "props" for frendliness and cleanliness, but the sushi itself wasn't all that great. I got an AAC roll, Mushroom Tempura Roll, Sweet Potato Tempura Roll and a Fruit Roll. I was expecting it to be wow! And it certainly wasn't. And you do absorb the cost for being organic...at about $6 I found it to be pretty overpriced. I'm sure other sushi lovers of the Nigiri probably enjoy the freshness of the fish. As for me I'd rather head just a few blocks and go to Mr. Sushi. read more

I've been wanting to try this place for several weeks now. As I walked up around 11:30, I saw a fellow carrying several massive orders to a van. I suddenly wondered if Friday would be a bad choice due to all of the office orders. As it turned out, quite a few deliveries left while I was there, several people came in for pickup, and only a couple of solo folks came in to eat there. The service was very quick, and better than my usual experiences at Chinese-run restaurants. I believe I can recall their plastic bamboo front window over a couple of decades living in the general neighborhood. Entering, it was much brighter than U Sushi, with a larger bar and a few more tables. I took a table at the front and ordered the three roll special at $14.50 - Crazy, Yellowtail with Avocado, and Alaskan. The waitress asked if I would like the alternate rice, and I replied, "one white, one brown, and one multigrain - your choice." The charge to change the rice is only 50 cents per roll here. When they brought the soup and salad, I was surprised to see that the salad consisted of mesclun / spring mix greens, along with a grape tomato and the obligatory slice of cuke. Quite a step up from the iceberg at U Sushi. As others have noted, the dressing is quite nice. The Miso soup had Enoki mushrooms, and was generally the most interesting version of this that I have yet encountered. My practice is to have a little bit of it at a time throughout the meal - perhaps as Raita is used at an Indian meal. When the Maki arrived, there was a orchid bloom on the long plate. I wasn't expecting the purple color of the multigrain. When I asked about it, she seemed to suggest that it was the natural color of the rice - which seems hard to believe. While the rolls were good, I can't say they were any better than those I've had elsewhere, and I'm certain I've had Crazy Maki with more crunch to it. They did seem to be somewhat dry, and unpleasant to eat without soy sauce - I even tried dipping a few in my Miso soup. It was a pleasant lunch, but I'm more likely to return to Takusan - where there's much greater variety / quantity available with little added cost. I do realize they have many specialty rolls, but at this point in my sushi explorations I'm not willing to spend $10-15 for one roll. read more

refreshing to get such good food quickly, Quality is outstanding, fresh, quick and very delicious!!!

I've been to this joint twice and both times the food was amazing. Lots and lots of very fresh fish and delicious flavors. I've tried simple stuff such as spicy salmon roll, and shitaki mushroom roll and I've also tried the fancier stuff such as torched salmon roll? spicy crispy scallop, and other things that I can't even remember the name of...but i know it's got tempura-ed sushi rice w/ some seaweed topped with lots and lots of tuna! oh and there's this other volcano looking thing that's sushi rolls topped with a mix of tempura shrimp, roes, crab meat...etc and crumbs. Hmmm... I think I gotta go back tomorrow... read more

Online ordering. Crazy roll AND snow crab roll for $12; no talking. With soup and salad! No talking. Even if the food sucked, I would be helplessly seduced by the menu format and the insanely (for Boston) cheap prices. As it is, I may end up in debtor's prison with mercury poisoning... Endless possibilities for every control freak among us who needs to change everything but dreads explanations and misunderstandings. It's all typed out. Silent. Clear. Simple. NO TELEPHONES. NO TALKING. Just enough sushi to send you into a food coma and make you their slave forever. read more

First off, I'm a bit of a purist (and only a very little bit), and so... brown and multigrain rice are an absolute no-no to me. But I'm sure there are people out there who can appreciate the change in taste accompanied with these substitutes. I've only done take-out from this place off their website, and did the three roll special. The fish isn't too bad (wouldn't recommend the white tuna at all, seemed like the put pieces together that were close to the skin, which made for a very.... textured experience), but either they forgot that the rolls I ordered were spicy or they're adjusted to New England palettes. I'd do the special again, but probably won't be dining in any time soon. read more

Just ordered delivery from here for the first time. $45 for four rolls (two special maki) and two miso soups. Service was good and the food arrived on time, but minus one star because the food doesn't taste as good in delivery format. Part of the problem was that the sushi got warm sitting next to the soup in the bag and raw fish really doesn't taste that good after it's been traveling...Next time, if I'm ordering for delivery, I would probably skip the raw fish and just order the vegetarian and cooked fish rolls (eg eel roll and shrimp tempura roll). Buuut, the prices are still very reasonable, their veggie rolls are very delicious, and...I don't know how much this matters, but they have a super classy delivery bag (I'm not even joking, it's thick and sturdy with a rope handle). So if I'm in a lazy sushi-craving mood, I would order delivery from here again. But if I'm slightly less lazy, I would definitely get off my butt and actually go to the restaurant. read more

It's arguably pointless for me to write the 277th review for this place but I'm in love. My favorite sushi place in Boston is also the place closest to my house!!! It doesn't get much better than that. I've eaten here many times and have never been disappointed. I highly recommend the rainbow roll and I HIGHLY recommend the organic salad. It's not a normal sushi joint salad (which I also like) - it's a pretty big portion of awesome greens topped with some veggies and avocado slices (somehow, they're always perfectly ripe....heaven....) and a goddess-like dressing. And it's like $5. read more

Honestly, the best sushi bar in the area. The sushi is so fresh and amazing. Organic is always a plus in my book and the fact that you have the option to get brown rice is awesome! The sushi is so fresh and amazing. Kind of out of the way from Coolidge Corner, but definitely worth the walk.being from Los Angeles, i'm used to good, fresh suhi and this is definitely the best place I've been in my 3 years of living in Boston. They had great signature rolls and great options! Go there! Enjoy it! read more

Been here several times over multiple years. Always impressed with the variety and quality of the food. And, of course, the taste is exceptional. The restaurant itself is a tad small, and you might have to wait a while (possibly outside) to get a table. Whenever I've gone at off-hours, I've always gotten a seat right away. Perhaps the best part of this place is the price. I would expect sushi of this grade to cost at least 50% more. They've earned my business for years to come. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE!! The lunch special here is AMAZING. You can get 2 maki rolls for $9 or 3 maki rolls for $12 (definitely go with the 3). Each roll has 6 pieces and there's a wide selection to choose from - crazy roll, tuna rolls, salmon roll, yellowfin, etc etc. All the rolls are delicious and super fresh too. Along with the sushi you get miso soup (yum! it has enoki mushrooms in it!) and a salad. THEN they also gave us complimentary dessert - i had never had it before but it was a tapioca, red bean paste, raspberry sherbert thing that sounds weird but was delicious!! Also fyi, the lunch special is until 3pm which gives you plenty of time to take advantage of this deal! And they have a wide range of beer, not just sapporo like most sushi restaurants...although i love sapporo! read more

My mother always warned me of pseudo-sushi restaurants owned by conniving Chinese business men. As I sat down at the table, what do I hear? The entire staff of Genki Ya jabbering away in Mandarin. But their sushi is DELICIOUS! I recommend the tempura shrimp roll and the sashimi platter. A worthy contender against Fugakyu since the plates here are much cheaper and economical. This place would definitely be worthy of 5 stars but the location is sort of off the beaten path. read more

The food is organic. Lots of exotic rolls. Sparkling sake! One downside is that the staff seems a bit cold sometimes. Overall, pretty good read more

Fresh sushi rolls and bento, for a great price. I got a massive sized combo sushi plate called Sushi Special, with 2 different rolls (salmon & tuna, along w/ a surprisingly yummy California roll, which I wasn't expecting) and sashimi for under $12. Weekday lunch is an even better deal- you can get 2 or 3 rolls for a bargain if you pay in cash. Cozy small space near Coolidge Corner- so you'll pass at least a couple of Japanese sushi places on your way to Genki Ya, but it's worth it. read more

Dude. This place delivers awesome fresh sushi to me in Back Bay even though it's all the way in Brookline. I can order online through Foodler (no speaking to human beings!). And damn, is this food ever delicious. The green salad is absolutely amazing. It has about 1/3 of a fresh avocado sliced on top, is gigantic, and comes with the most delicious ginger dressing. My favorite sushi to order is actually the sashimi--both the salmon and tuna are delicious, and did I mention fresh? Genki Ya is a little expensive--I just shelled out $19 including tax, delivery fee, and tip for a salad and an order of sashimi, and routinely spend $40 on dinner for two--but the quality is absolutely there for what you pay. And sushi is not an area where I like to take my chances with cheap products. read more

An awesome place for vegetarian sushi lovers. Lots of options, quick service and beautifully made sushi. The sake collection could be a bit better but the sushi is really well presented and made with the freshest of ingredients. I tried almost everything in the veg sushi section and liked most of them. Would be back here sometime soon! read more

I'll admit it, I am addicted to sushi. Not classic sushi, because of course I have to hate tuna and salmon, but my own types, and here they are the best incarnation. I cannot vouch for the atmosphere of this establishment, because I have only gotten delivery from Genki Ya via Foodler...many, many times. So many times in fact, that the delivery man said to me the other day, "I haven't seen you in 3 weeks!" What's not to love? Organic sushi, rice options, tons of special maki, and a lunch special which allows you to get 3 rolls (6 pieces each) with a salad and miso soup for $12? Sign me up. My favs are the crazy roll, the spider roll, and the mushroom tempura roll. The eel sauce is the best I've ever had. Warning, the advertised "spring roll" is really a summer roll served cold and filled with cellophane noodles. This is definitely my absolute favorite place in Boston, evidenced by the fact that my monthly sushi bill probably covers a big chunk of their mortgage. Get there, post haste. read more

Quite good for vegetarians, which I am one of, so be aware that this review comes from a vegetarian. I had the Hawaii Roll from Genki Ya last night with the Edamame. As everyone says it is a bit pricey, but I know I'm paying for Organic food, so it is okay with me. The rolls were yummy, and when I called in and they reminded me about the multi grain and brown rice (which I almost forgot about). So over all good service on the phone, great food and quick delivery. What more could I ask for? read more

Genki Ya - Genki Ya Hawaii Roll and Edamame - Sushi Bars Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

When Nori first disappeared I was crushed. Then this place arrived, so I gave it a shot this past weekend. Nothing inside has changed and the sushi is delicious. Much more on the menu. The edamamme was piping hot and salted just right. The waitress was super friendly and treated us to a sample of their desserts, which was really nice. A bit on the pricey side but I would definitely go back. read more

So, while at dinner, I was with my cousin and his gf and totally brought up a subject that got them in a fight. LOL ....uh awkward........ANYWAY.... Ok. So, maybe this is a little unfair of a review because I'm comparing this restaurant to all the amazing sushi I've tried in southern california, where I live. Also, I've been to Tskiji Market in Japan, where there are the freshest fish you could possibly find. I feel as though this food served here is decent, and well priced, but still behind the times. Japanese cuisine and sushi has changed so much over the years and I'm sad to say that the Boston Metro just hasn't been able to obtain those great chefs yet. I can only remember the Scallop roll I had, which was very refreshing and tasty. GOT plus points for being organic, which is very important. However, I'm not so sure what exactly on the menu was organic? At least the soy sauce was. Hahaha. read more

Pretty Good Sushi! Good portions, tasty, everything is organic (although I'm not sure what that means). The wine and beer is even organic. Small place, not good for big parties, but great for 2-4 who like to share! Park in the back at the meter lot or on the street. I go here mainly for their awesome lunch specials. You can get 3 rolls with a miso soup and good mixed greens for around $13. I usually split that and a $12 sashimi platter (with soup/salad) with a friend for lunch and it's a lot of food. The roll selection for the special is great, they even offer crazy maki. My only concern is that the white tuna they serve as sashimi is pretty cold in the center. I wonder if they freeze some of the fish. The other sashimi tastes pretty fresh, I just always have an issue with the white tuna. It will not stop me from going back! read more

I wasn't too impressed with the overall place. It's somewhere I would quickly go in to grab sushi and go. The place is cramped and you're elbow to elbow with people if you're not at a 4 person table. I did enjoy my sushi. The options they have there is pretty good compared to a lot of other pricier sushi places I've been to. I had the spicy scallop maki and genki ichiban. The sushi was fresh so I can't complain. The genki ichiban was different from what I've eaten before. It's rice with fried seaweed wrapped around it. Then it's topped with tuna I believe. Very good! There is not much to say about service since not much service was provided other than "what would you like to order?" and "thank you for coming" Only giving it 4 stars because I did enjoy the sushi there. read more

Some of the best sushi I've had! They have a wide selection of all different kinds, and are strong promoters of organic food. Have had a variety of rolls, from veggie to raw, savory to sweet, and was extremely pleased with every single one. Lots of flavor, very, very fresh. And they have multigrain rice!! Good wine selection as well. Reasonable prices for everything - the really stock the plate on the more expensive rolls so I don't mind paying more. it is definitely a small place, but I've only gone on weeknights, so I've never had to wait. Service has continually been satisfactory - attentive, nice. read more

Four stars (and not five) only because it is a little pricey and a bit small. However, I will definitely be going back to this place. The edamame and the sushi were great. I had white wine of some sort which was also good. The wait staff was very friendly. We went during the week and there was not a line to be seated (although it was just about full). Overall, one of the best places I have had sushi in Boston. Good food, good service, cozy atmosphere. read more

Definitely my new favorite sushi place - the fish was SO fresh. I had the triple spicy rolls entree, and they were all loaded with fish, not just a huge glob of spicy mayo with a few bits of fish like a lot of places do. Best of all, it was just $20 for 24 pieces of delicious sushi plus miso soup that was awesome... who can argue with that? As a lot of people have said, yes, the place is itty bitty, but even if you get stuck waiting, it's worth it! The only other thing I would say is that this isn't a good place to bring your non-sushi-eating friend. The chicken/beef options are really limited, and my boyfriend was pretty irritated that his beef teriyaki didn't come until 15 minutes after everyone else's sushi dinners. But, hey, I say that's just what he gets for being too lame to try sushi. read more

I consider myself somewhat of a sushi afficionado. And I order from Genki Ya at least once a week. It is delicious. By far the best delivery sushi in Boston. Hands down. Plus the delivery guys are the best - after 2 years of weekly visits, I consider them close friends. You really can't go wrong, but I'll echo some of what the other yelpers have said: get the 2 roll special (with miso soup and salad) for $9. First of all - it's great value, obviously. And second of all, I'd recommend it if the price was $15. The miso soup has tons of flavor, the fish is fresh, and the rolls are huge (and come with 8 pieces). I usually go with spicy tuna, spicy salmon, california, eel avocado, or crazy roll. And, if you want to splurge on a special roll (not included in the deal), go with the sunset roll. Yum. I really can't recommend this place enough. read more

This is possibly the best sushi I've had in my 15 years of sushi eating. We ordered a scorpion role and something with deliciously buttery scallops. The rolls are available with traditional sushi rice, brown rice, or "multigrain" rice. If I had to guess, I'd say that it's the organic focus that makes everything taste so amazing. All the ingredients are just super fresh. Service was fairly attentive, but the restaurant was also pretty empty and it was a holiday. The biggest downside is the price. I understand that organic is more expensive, but this is definitely a place I'll only come to as a treat. I could never afford to eat here regularly. read more

Coolidge Corner and your NERVE charging $5 for a cucumber roll amazes me. With that being said, Genki Ya charges a discounted $4.55-- what a steal! Uy... don't get me wrong, sushi is swell and Genki Ya is more affordable than some of the other Coolidge Corner locations, I'm just surprised they have the nerve to ask so much for something so simple. So, I dropped in here to pick up. They had a 3-Roll Cash Only special for $14.50 (that also came with Miso soup and a small salad) so my friend and I picked up two each: cucumber roll, sweet potato tempura, AAC roll and a tuna roll. It was packaged in a cute lime green bag and everything we needed was supplied! An ample amount of wasabi and pickled ginger, soy packets and chopsticks. Genki Ya is the bomb. Super fast and super good. I definitely plan on coming back. read more

I've only done takeout, so I can't attest to the quality of the restaurant's interior, but basing the review on food alone (as I am wont to do), Genki Ya, you rock! I had the Sushi Dinner (10 delicious varietal pieces of Nigiri plus some spicy tuna rolls to boot) and tried some salmon maki with whole wheat rice (not such a bad thing, and it was PURPLE!) - all of it was fantastically melt-in-your-mouth fresh and delish. My only complaint? Their miso soup is flavorless. read more

I've been eying Genki Ya for a long, long time. With such high expectations, how could this tiny establishment possible deliver? Oh, it did, let me tell ya. It delivered. And then some. Service: everyone is soooooo nice. Thank you! I appreciate you! Makes me want to return again and again and again... Atmosphere: I ate at one of the two tables outside. Amazing! I'd like to order sushi with a side of summer breeze, please. Food: yummmmm. Appetizer: fried chicken. Salmon torch roll (yummm) and then grilled seafood deluxe. Whoa there. The grilled seafood deluxe kind of looked like gourmet mac and cheese (covered with mayo and flakes and other things that looked like my standard comfort food). Underneath the chunks of scallops and crab and shrimp however, was the holy grail: sushiiii. I liked the salmon torch roll more though - I like my sushi cold. The menu is a picture book of heaven. I want to try everything! I'll be seeing you around, Genki Ya. read more

Genki Ya's cash only take-out special is, simply put, the best sushi deal in town. For $13 you get soup, salad, and your choice of three rolls. The maki list is extensive, and sometimes picking three can be difficult, so I recommend ordering with a friend and sharing six. Genki Ya gets bonus points for their online ordering system which, when used, nets you a 10% discount. That in and of itself covers the delivery charge, should you choose to go that route. The only reason I can't give Genki Ya five stars is due to a mishap that took place a little while back. I opted for delivery, asking for the hot and cold items to be sorted into separate bags (a must if you want you sushi to be edible), and while they were happy to oblige, the delivery guy somehow managed to drop our bag of soup in the stairwell! He apologized profusely, but that soup smell took a long time to get out! : ) read more

Solid little spot for sushi. The fish was pretty fresh, though this establishment isn't for the sushi "purist". The menu is mostly rolls, many filled with cream cheese, banana, and/or mango. They have a huge variety of vegetarian sushi, which is nice for those who don't like fish, or want to mix it up a little bit. Also, the multigrain rice is super delicious, with 15 different grains, it lends a ton of texture, which was an unexpected surprise. I liked it a lot! We got the summer roll, genki vegetable roll, sweet potato tempura roll, spicy scallop roll, and spicy tuna roll. The spicy tuna was really disappointing - neither of the spicy rolls we got was even remotely spicy. The tuna in particular was really dry. Bottom line - solid neighborhood choice if you are in the area, but not necessary to go out of your way to come here. read more

You keep surprising me, Genki ya! I recently became a vegetarian, and as it turns out, you have like 15 different vegan rolls on your menu -- yum! I was in heaven...! Keep it up :) read more