I've just unlocked a new go-to sushi spot! Jinsei left us impressed and happily full. To start our dinner, we ordered the Honey Sriracha Brussel Sprouts and the Kadoma Tuna. I have a hard time refusing any brussel sprout dish when dining out, and this one did not disappoint! The Brussels were perfectly crispy and had a perfect sweet & spicy flavor. The Kadoma Tuna is a circular, crispy rice cake, topped with spicy tuna and avocado. I love trying rice cake dishes whenever I see them. This one was more rice-heavy, but it's still packed with flavor. We then ordered the Beef Wrapped Asparagus, along with the Bangkok Sushi Roll and the Suteki Roll. My favorite was the Bangkok Roll, which was topped with matchstick potatoes. The Suteki Roll was super unique, filled with sliced apple, cream cheese, avocado, and salmon. The Beef Wrapped Asparagus was a good addition, but I'm most impressed with the rolls we ordered. The menu is unique and comprehensive. There's detail put into every dish! With more dishes left to try on the menu, I imagine I'll be back shortly! read more

See all

Overpriced mediocrity. First off, the restaurant is more of a sports bar sushi place. Which doesn't really work. The inside was extremely dark, and very loud. There was clearly an overstaffing of servers. There were about 6 or 7 servers for about 4 takes that were in there. Meanwhile the sushi makers were trying their hardest to push out the rolls. And the single bartender was overwhelmed. The sushi was pricey (18-20$ for 6-8 pieces) and EXTREMELY underwhelming. Didn't seem like high quality fish or anything special. Could get similar quality for much cheaper elsewhere. My favorite sushi place that is about the same price point is Bamboo on 2nd. I've been going there for years and never had a bad experience. They have much higher quality sushi, better service, and food in general. (No I'm not affiliated with them) read more

I'm loving their lunch menu. You can get Pick 3 Classic and you'll get a sushi roll and two sides for $15. We usually get the grilled edamame and tempura green bean sides and classic California roll. The price is great. They have other items that are unique to the lunch menu...fried rice bowl, rock shrimp bowl, Brussels bowl.... I found the Brussels to be a bit too greasy for me. read more

Jinsei Sushi - Grilled Edamame with a spicy vinegar dipping sauce that makes the edamame taste even better. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

See all

Love, food , service, and ambiance. Ate there this week and tried the Jensei salad. WowYou are missing out if you don't go and try the food. I have had most everything on the menu and have not been disappointed read more

Great sushi and food! The service has always been great and the space is small, but nice! The $5 off sushi rolls on Sunday is always a good deal! On the other days, the rolls can get expensive! read more

See all

I will definitely have to give this restaurant another try. The sushi roll I got was okay. I should've chose a different roll, I couldn't decide what to get and also the crème brûlée wasn't good. This was my second time trying crème brûlée so I think the dish is just not my thing. I did love the peppers. I loved the service and the restaurant was really nice. read more

See all

I love sushi, but I really love fresh sushi. The ambience is really nice here and I love that you can see the guys whipping up sushi a few feet away. I had a cucumber Mojito, Oscar roll, and another one that I believe was called island roll. Everything we ordered was beautiful and delicious. Our waitress had great recommendations. Parking was super easy and free. We didn't have room for dessert, but maybe next time. There definitely will be a next time! read more

Jinsei Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

See all

What a disappointment! This place used to be one of three best sushi in town, and now it is definitely one of the worst. First, the place needs a deep wash! I don't know if the leather couches soaked in BO from years or use or what, but this place smells like a gym. Service is still good. Nothing to complain or compliment. Food was the biggest turn-off. We tried a variety of appetizer, rolls, specialties.... none of them had any actual flavor. I could barely tell I was eating fish. See also in the picture how skimpy is the amount of actual fish in those $16 rolls! Alcoholic beverages tasted like fruit juice. Tiny amount of alcohol. An absolute never again! read more

Jinsei Sushi - $16 each and one can barely see any actual fish on them! Tasteless. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

CHELSEA IS THE BEST u must come to jensei!!! she rules all the servers and bartenders are so awesome. if u can get a table it's a great time

The atmosphere was calm and service was speedy. The food tasted fresh and was good. The area was small for a restaurant and the sushi bar was fun to watch but they constantly reached over the bar to get the food made which was kind of annoying. It was good sushi but not my go to. read more

Jinsei Sushi - Jinsei Special and Nikko (big plate) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Jinsei is a nice spot to visit during happy hour for their specials. The restaurant has a darker, intimate ambience. It would definitely be a great spot. Our server was very attentive and frequently checked in on us, took drink orders, etc. However, I think the sushi rolls and drinks are too expensive for what you get. Although comparable to other sushi restaurants in the area, I think you get considerably less fish. My favorite item was actually the grilled edamame. read more

Jinsei Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Went to brunch and had half orders of the breakfast hand roll, eggs royale, chicken and waffles, spicy pork wontons, and spicy tuna roll. The mochi waffles were delicious. The eggs royale was the highlight, and the tempura rice cake added great texture to the dish. The breakfast hand roll is a great concept with much potential. The eggs were perfectly fluffy and the bacon perfectly crispy. It could be leveled up if they had added avocado, aioli, and ikura. Service was attentive and atmosphere was great. I appreciated the air conditioned outdoor patio that made it possible to eat outside in the Alabama summer heat. read more

See all

Impeccable Flounder that is cut in seasoned pieces - fried and tastes perfect. The restaurant is small but service is fast and all their sushi are absolute hits. I would lower the amount of sauces on top of sushi. The dessert list is at best lacking. The flounder is the champ. read more

Decided to try Jinsei during my lunch hour and was pleasantly surprised. It was not busy at all so we got our food fairly quickly. I decided on the lunch pick 3 with a signature roll. The amount of food that you get is large for a lunch portion. The roll was delicious. I also enjoyed the tempura green beans with the sauce. They were just a little greasy but that is to be expected. I wasn't as found of the edamame. I opted to get them grilled but I should have gotten steamed. The sauce that came with them was not my favorite. The wings had a slight sweetness but I can probably do without them next time. Overall, I will definitely be back especially during lunch! read more

See all

I got it delivered 2 rolls with tip and nothing else was about $50 I feel like this would have tasted better at the restaurant. I accidentally poured too much eel sauce over it which ruined my rolls making them too sweet and soggy. I prefer a more tight roll One of the rolls was supposed to be spicy but it wasn't. Wasn't bad just not my favorite sushi in town. Surin's super crunch will always have my heart read more

Jinsei Sushi - Spicy Hotate Roll Jari Jari Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE ! The waiters are polite and each help each-other out. You get a positive vibe walking in. I love green beans and always order if on the menu. These green beans are extra crunchy and is paired with a dipping sauce similar to spicy mayo. I ordered from the specials tuna croquettes - crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside filled with tuna. I had the Jari Jari roll with tempura shrimp, it had like a toasted eel sauce on top which made it a sweet bite at the end. For customer service alone you should try it out, the good food is a plus ! read more

See all

The restaurant could have been a bit cleaner, and the sushi was just okay--nothing special. I might go back, but it wouldn't be my top choice for sushi in Birmingham. read more

We sat outside on the patio area it was really nice. Food was so good we ordered a few things sushi and appetizers. We also had the wings which were really tasty. Overall I give jinsei a 8/10. read more

Jinsei Sushi - Grouper Buns - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

See all

Went for brunch and dinner. Very good place. Food was great and I love the environment. You can go at night for a date night or during the day for a friends gathering. read more

See all

I love Jinsei! Everything I have gotten there is amazing! At the point in the meal I decided to start taking pictures I was mostly done. My boyfriend and I got a mojito and a margarita(both delicious). For starters we got the green beans, tempura chicken, salmon hush puppies and edamame. All were amazing. Normally I just get the spicy pork wontons, but I wanted to try something new and I was not disappointed! All of their appetizers are so good! For our main meal, I got the hatsu, which had ginger on it and is so good if you don't love fish! My boyfriend got the shogun and he ate every bit before I could snag a pic. He always gets that and loves it! For dessert we got the Japanese cheesecake! Before even finishing we ordered one to go. It is like a pound cake cheesecake and it was delicious! Lastly, the service was impeccable. We had Alfredo as our server and he checked up on often and was so kind. The adjacent table had Devin, and from what we heard he was just as great. Definitely a great choice when you're craving sushi(especially between 4-6 for their happy hour and on a Sunday when they have $5 off their rolls). read more

See all

Jinsei just launched brunch! If I could have I would have tried everything on the menu to give a better synopsis of the experience. I really enjoyed the presentation of food and drinks, as well as the amount for the plates and pricing. Food was cooked well but I felt there was something missing. Maybe a side of spice could have been added to the plate? It just seemed lacking some pop or pizazz you would expect from a savory dish. The French gimlet was too sweet and the espresso martini was... watery. Really watery. The staff was phenomenal and did a good job of taking care of your needs but not hovering over you. It was a good balance! I would go back for the food but maybe order just a mimosa next time. read more

See all

This is a very nice place. I happen to know the owner Abe and on a trip to Birmingham I decided to pop in with some friends and see what it was all about. Its a very nice place. Its decorated very tastefully. My friends had the Burger and the Poke bowl with seared tuna. I had the Grouper buns. We all tried each other's dish and everything was great! The drinks are good too. They have quite a list of craft cocktails. Abe the owner came and sat with us. A great time had by all. The staff was very friendly and the food and drinks came out fast. We had the ice cream for desert and it did not disappoint! read more

I've been here twice in the past and thoroughly enjoyed it both times, but my most recent visit unfortunately will be my last. Right away, the service was questionable. We were taken to our seats and the table nor chair had been cleaned from previous customers. We attempted to clean it ourselves for a bit using the restaurant's napkins until a waiter finally cared to take notice. He wiped it down and then gestured us to sit- the seat now dripping wet. Once again we wiped the seat with our own napkin ourselves before sitting down. We waited an awfully long time between getting our grouper buns (so so tasty, but a bit pricey) and our two sushi rolls. We were barely even hungry by the time the sushi came out due to the wait, and looking back we should have just stopped at the buns. To preface- we are sushi LOVERS! I adore it, get it so incredibly often, and rarely have I ever had sushi I didn't like- convenience store sushi included! Plus, we've both been here before and loved all of the food. This night proved differently. The rice was the texture of gum- it turned into a gummy paste in our mouths with each chew. I wish I had taken photos- you could not see the individual rice grains. It had all amalgamated into one large wad of rice dough and was hardly edible. One of the rolls we got had a piece of fish on top that was also oddly soft for fish (not in the good way) and caused my friend to actually *choke* in the middle of the restaurant. He was able to get the piece of fish out but not after feeling as though he couldn't breathe. I have never in my life asked for food to be sent back or be taken off my bill but here's to firsts. The cherry on top was that no one apologized, and I unfortunately looked over my shoulder to see our waiter explaining what had happened to another employee, who then turned around and gave us a bad look. Will not be returning or recommending this place ever again Not important but since we're here: There was an incredibly drunk couple sitting at the bar. Boyfriend was yelling at girlfriend, being rowdy and pushing her around, her then pushing him away. Nothing was done. They eventually got up and left and all an employee said to them was "thanks so much!" Not a fun night. read more

Great spot to go on a date and they have great food. The sushi here is awesome! I really enjoy sitting in the covered patio area. The service was good as well and the waiter checked on us often. Will be back for sure! #bhamfoodguy read more

See all

$5 off sushi rolls on Sunday with friends is what brought me here. We ordered a lot of stuff - brussel sprouts, grilled edamame, several different types of rolls, tempura fried asparagus, and pork buns. Everything was pretty good. Brussel sprouts were very fresh and crispy. The pork buns were really tasty - props to the barbeque pork marinade and tenderness of the pork. Tempura fried asparagus was decent, but not the best I've ever had. I really liked the ginger albacore roll that I ordered. It had a zesty taste, which I really haven't experienced before in sushi. All the sushi was really fresh. And the ingredients in each roll were well designed - some unique combinations true to form without desecrating the idea of sushi, like some really Americanized establishments. read more

This was my first time dining here and I went for brunch! It was aesthetically pleasing with nice patio seating. The service and food was great, I will definitely go back!! read more

See all

Jinsei is a solid choice for brunch and dinner (they now have brunch!). Their rolls are solid- our favorite is the spicy hotate. We also like their jinceviche, their sliders (but it can be hit/miss), and their onion rings. If you sir inside, it's going to be dark dark but cute little date spot or girls brunch! Parking is good- either street parking or in the lot nearby. read more

we were walking and looking for a place to get some breakfast when we saw a sign for brunch here. had no idea they had brunch. so here we are! got the hand wrap, chicken and waffles and soufflé pancakes. all were very good and nice presentation. staff was friendly too! will be back read more

See all

Fast service Good food Intimate ambiance Great hot saki and the service was thoughtful and attentive to my shellfish allergies! read more

I have been wanting to try this place after hearing so much hype and I'm just not sure what to think - so let me start with the positives. The yellowtail serrano was spectacular and by far my favorite. The kadoma tuna was a beautiful plate but please know - VERY spicy. I like spicy and tolerate it pretty well and whew I had to take a break; I loved the combo of flavors though! The host was very nice and the outdoor seating area seemed great. What could be better: table service was very slow and we had glasses of white wine that were almost room temp. The atmosphere of the inside was very meh so if you go I would for sure request outside or bar seating since you can watch them cook. For food - the only thing I didn't love was the miso soup. The broth was very bland but the items in the soup were great. Overall, my rating comes mainly from the atmosphere and the slow service. I understand things are made fresh- but this (compared to another diners' multiple previous experiences) was exceptionally slow. read more

See all

Waited at bar for 10 mins, people were paying and getting to go around me and no one acknowledged I was there. Two servers walked by and didn't try to assist. I finally got someone attention and tried to order. They don't take Apple Pay. Stay away from here. Waited for nothing. read more

I have been following Jinsei on social media for awhile now, but had not had the chance to try it out. Finally, my gf and I went to dine for dinner here with a few other friends. We were not disappointed. Its nicely nested in Homewood near other bars and restaurants with a live nightlife on the weekends. We enjoyed good conversation, hot sake, a few cocktails, and a couple sushi rolls. For the appetizer, we tried out their version of the ceviche with salmon, tuna, octopus, and fresh chopped veggies. This was very good. We also had the spicy miso soup with some kimchi. Also very delightful as I am a huge fan of spicy food. As for our sushi, she went with the spicy scallop (hotate) and I went with the shogun (salmon). There are so many other rolls and food menu items to try so I will definitely have to come back. The service, drinks, and food were all very good. We also definitely have to come back on the weekend for the brunch menu! read more

See all

The avocado rice cake is really crispy outside which is really yummy. Love the Japanese soufflé pancake!!! The cake is soft and delicious. The service is great. Love the vibes of the restaurant. I'll definitely go back to try something else. read more

Jinsei Sushi - Avocado Rice Cake Chicken and Waffles Japanese Souffl Pancake - Sushi Bars Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Wonderful service. Cool place to grab good sushi. Also had interesting specials. Loved the watermelon and tomato salad.

If you notice the date on this review, you will see it falls in the overwhelming and devastating Covid19 pandemic. I am taking a break from my roller coaster reviews to give some insight on a genuine experience with a local business... through curbside pickup of course! Another business to add to the long list of restaurants offering this service during these crazy times. We decided to come here because we saw on Facebook that they were offering some good deals... and it is bomb sushi. I have come here before... so not sure on the lack of review. but here we are in times of needing this review to finally happen. I wish I could tell you the specifics of previous experiences here. But all I know is that it was delicious. This round, we got tempura green beans for the kids along with some of the grouper buns. The tempura is tough as a take out. But crisping in the oven the next day made it really good. The kids loved the buns. What's not to like? As for us, the Kamoda Tuna was highly recommended and on special. We also got the bubblegum roll and hatsu kobe roll. Add on a dozen wings and was WAY more than we could eat. Even though the bubblegum was rated very high on Yelp, it was our least favorite of the meal. Good.. but just least of the items we got. The kobe roll was very bland by itself. But with the sauce, it was very complimentary and delicious. The komoda and wings were definitely my favorites of the whole meal. But I could only eat so much of the wings as the easiest to do as leftovers. Great meal. Great experience. A little on the expensive side. But happy to help a local business. read more

Went to try their brunch and was looking forward to the Asian flair- full of flavor and a little different than your average brunch. We enjoyed the Chicken and waffles the most, but didn't feel the other dishes had flavor or the Asian flair. We had Eggs Royale, Soufflé pancake, and Chicken and Waffles. I would highly recommend the chicken and waffles- crunch factor was great and it was a great amount of sweet paired with the savory slaw. They left off the pickles at first, but ask for them, because they pair SO nicely. The pancake and the eggs Royale were significantly lacking flavor. I would recommend skipping those and trying something else! They were very accommodating to find something else for us since the eggs were not a hit. I appreciate great service and would be back for the chicken and waffles entree! read more

See all

Don't miss the flounder! I have to order it whenever I'm in town. Everything we've tried has been delicious.

This is a very nice sushi restaurant. Great place for date night. The food was delicious and the serves was great! Give them a try!

Simply put, this is the best sushi I've had in Birmingham. There was a clear quality difference than any other sushi I've had, especially the tuna. Everything we had was delicious! read more

Jinsei was delicious! The Jari Jari roll was my favorite, the other 2 we got were good as well. We also had the rock shrimp appetizer as well as the green bean tempura appetizer. Both were very good. The restaurant was clean and I loved the vibe! Great service. We enjoyed it & will be back! read more