This place is an absolute rip off.. the portions are small and way over priced.. soy sauce is house made with way way to much salt. Way better sushi restaurants in chico than raw bar. Go hit up genkai if you want quality and reasonable priced sushi. read more

I was very hesitant to come here because I am not a fan of sushi. I was really worried that Rawbar would not have food that I could tolerate or eat. One quick look at the menu and my fear was alleviated! Rawbar has more than just sushi. They have Chinese and Japanese foods as well. Here's some of the items that I tried. They have a smoked black tea. Try it! It's really tasty. They also have a strawberry and fennel salad with a passion fruit dressing. That salad made me a fan of fennel. Their tempura vegetables are delicious and their fried egg rolls with vegetables are so tasty! The sauces that come with these two dishes are a nice twist to the typical sweet and sour and soy sauces. There's a little spicy kick to them. Their calamari is cooked perfectly, too! If you are a sushi lover, you will not be disappointed in any way. My boyfriend gobbled his sushi down in record time. You can really pick anything on the menu here and have it come out great! read more

Interesting rolls. Decent sushi, not as fresh as it could be. Staff was super friendly and accommodating. I left feelings stuffed, so there's that. I usually order nigiri, but there were some interesting rolls so I threw them into the mix too. The raw scallop tasted frozen, and was so small. I was pretty disappointed with this. The unagi was two different sizes. Not the worst thing in the world, but I have an expectation on my sushi being symmetrical. Ebi was average. The two special rolls I ordered because of the unique ingredients, one was tempura shrimp, with mango, jalapeno, and some cliantro. It was super tasty, but four average size pieces. I was expecting six. The other roll, I can't remember much about, but it had tempura plantains. It was mediocre. I thought it was a bit expensive in hindsight for the rolls, but the nigiri was priced average. They do not take discover card, so I had to run out to the atm, then my atm pin wasn't working, so I had to use their phone (my battery died), to get my pin reset and then haul it over to the atm again to get cash. A bit of a hassle for me, but they were very cool about the whole thing. Even refilled my drink while I was at the atm. read more

3.75 stars. Yes, I know I'm cheating on the star system. I used to 5 star LOVE this place when I lived in Chico, or even when I returned to try to recruit some fresh talent. My latest visit made me wonder if things have changed. The presentation of the rolls seemed a bit sloppy compared to how they used to be. I recall beautifully arranged plates of cleanly uniform sushi. My "angry philly" roll seemed pretty disheveled, and lacked the classic presentation that I had come to expect. This seemed to be consistent with the other rolls we had, as well. This may seem like an odd observation (and against the "bigger is better" argument), but I liked it when the rolls were smaller, more bite sized. I thought they tasted better that way. Also, I wasn't super crazy about the shrimp/bacon appetizer we ordered. Might benefit from some tasty sauce to complement it. All of the service was very good - everyone was very friendly and helpful. I hope to go back again someday soon, and be able to give this place the 5 stars that I thought it was. read more

The sushi at Rawbar is delicious but the service is even better! Here's our story: Rawbar is a small place. Knowing that, my friend called and made reservations for 7:45pm on a Sunday night (she's smart!). We arrived at Rawbar around 7:50 or a little later and told them we had reservations. Apparently another party came in right before us and said they had made reservations as well and were at our table. With the mixup and table stealers, the waiter apologized profusely. He did have seating at the bar and said if we sit there instead we will be well taken care of for the rest of the evening. And take care of us they did. They gave us a complimentary round of drinks and 2 rolls as appetizers on the house. I mean, I've never seen service like this, well besides Nordys. Additionaly, they have hooks under the bar for purses! A tiny detail that's not to be missed. Their food indeed lives up to the hype. It is some of the best sushi I've had. Really enjoyed the Gilroy roll, that had a nice crunch to it in addition to that addicitive garlic sauce. Their miso soup tasted different, more potent perhaps, and had some cabbage in it for a nice added crunch. Their blood orange martini was delicious. And my salmon sashimi and scallop nigiri was so soft and buttery. My friends loved their roll selections as well. All rolls were presented beautifully too like artwork. I love the interior of this place! Very loft-esque. Brick contrasts the stainless steel in a modern way. The fish on the brick wall is awesome and in front of us sat an interesting glass jelly fish piece. Back to the service, our water glasses stayed full and our empty dishes were removed in a timely manner. When in Chico and looking for a nice place to dine, I'll be back. There are plenty more rolls on the menu to try. Besides, service like this is pretty much unheard of these days. Thanks Rawbar! read more

The good - the fish is always fresh, their cocktails are also quite good (highly recommend the lychee martini), and the service is always good. The bad - I love sushi, but I cannot eat their traditional seaweed rolls here. For some reason, their seaweed is REALLY chewy. Chewy to the point of (forgive my graphicness here) me having to pull the seaweed out of my mouth sucking the rest of the roll from it. I've been here several times and I kept trying different rolls. No dice. I literally almost choked on a few. I do love the quality of the fish though, so now I just go for sashimi and nigiri. One thing I always have when I visit is their Shaka Tuna! Oh my goodness, Marinated Ahi Tuna In Soy, Sesame & Chili Oil Served With Fried Won Ton Chips... so delish! Just stay away from the seaweed! PS - It can get a bit noisy, so if you want a cozy dinner, try to visit at off peak times. I agree with the other diners, sitting at the sushi bar is much more fun (oh and you get your food MUCH quicker). read more

Rawbar just never lives up to the other sushi joints around town. They tend to be slow, they tend to be overpriced, but the real problem for me here, is that the rice never seems to be the right texture. It always has that day old dried out texture. I don't know if they are using rice that has been sitting around for awhile, or if they are just bad at cooking it. Rolls with bad rice are bad. There is no saving it. I've gone to rawbar about 6x or so, and I always leave wishing I'd gone to one of the other solid options in town. I'm just the type of person to give them "another shot", every 6 months or so, always trying to justify it as an "off night" or something. Even if I could get past the funky textured rice, the flavor combos aren't that good. Further, some of their specialty rolls are gigantic, requiring you to bite them in half because it just doesn't fit in the mouth, and that is also something I find really annoying because there is no biting a roll without making everything into a disaster. Plenty of other places figure out how to have rolls with lots of stuff in them without making them too big to be one mouthful. I love sushi, and every time I walk in here I leave a little annoyed- with a much larger tab than I'd have if I just went to Big Tuna, or Japanese Blossoms, or Gen Kai, or Izakaya Ichiban. Even Aonami, which is generally not my preference is better than Rawbar. I also feel like literally every other sushi place has staffers who are nicer. I'm not a person who wants a lot of attention when I go out to eat, but I do want to feel like my being at your restaurant is not a burden. I don't ask for anything out of the ordinary, no alterations to standard menu items, I don't complicate the servers life in any way, but I've never really felt welcome here. read more

Dear management, We are avid sushi eaters. At least twice a week. When we were last there for our anniversary I ordered some yellowtail carpaccio. The manager actually came and took my order. He looked confused. Minutes later he came back with A plate of some totally different fish that resembled nothing of the dish I ordered. When I questioned that this was not what I ordered his response was as follows. " well when I googled yellowtail carpaccio this is what came up". It's very disturbing to me For a restaurant which purports to serve sushi not not a single person in the building has any idea what y'all tell carpaccio is. It's like going to an Italian restaurant and no one has any idea what calamari appetizers are. Plus we were over charge for our bill but the experience was so bizarre all together that we decided not to even make issue of it. The rest of the meal was unimpressive at best. Not to mention we were made to feel as though we work particular, finicky people during the entire course of our meal. Please correct this because I would really prefer to be able to return to your establishment since there were some aspects of the meal that I did enjoy. Thank you read more

This is a poor excuse for a sushi place I came here to what I was hoping to be good or at least decent sushi after class with a friend and unfortunately both her and I had stomach problems afterwards. We waited for about an hour until we finally got our food. The sushi was expensive for what we got and it was just "okay". I was expecting way better food for the price we were paying. The rice was a bit dry as well as the fish on the rolls. I was very disappointed and honestly think and feel like this is the worse place to get sushi! Avoid this place! read more

Dinner last night was disappointing. We were seated by the windows, and it was just too noisy until business slowed and the restaurant quieted down a little. Service was very slow. There apparently has been real turnover in the waitstaff. I didn't recognize the hostess or any servers. My wife's chowder was very good, but the saba tasted fishy. Not good. Desserts? When they finally came, the tempura bananas were over ripe and mushy, and our green tea ice cream was served without its chocolate. Don't see any reason to go back. read more

Their sushi is good and fresh, but it's over priced and their isn't really anything unique about it. I enjoy going occasionally, but prefer going to places that are cheaper and come with more rolls. The customer service is ok there wasn't anything that stood out to me that was good or bad. I overall enjoyed my meal the last time I went, but probably won't go back anytime soon. read more

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Came here by myself on my last day in town. This place is very modern and stylish, unfortunately the space is rather small and so it filled up very quickly. I sat at the bar so it wasn't too bad, but at about 4:00 PM, the restaurant was almost at capacity. The wait staff (and a woman who was out of uniform, so I assume she was a manager) was very attentive and polite, and my drink was never empty. If you are a fan of deep-fried, saucy, complex rolls, you might be satisfied by one of the tempura rolls. I got the North County roll, which was delicately fried and delicious. But generally, Rawbar is known for trendy, fusion-style rolls with simple ingredients, and stylish preparation. For example, the Sake Sunrise roll, which is a specialty nigiri. I wasn't a fan of the calamari salad, nor the thickness of the cut of fish. The specialty nigiri is only two pieces, but they are HUGE! A little on the expensive side, I'd recommend coming during happy hour (Monday-Friday 3-5 PM) and ordering drinks and small plates. Otherwise, it's not too exciting or flavorful for the price. read more

Excellent kalbi (short rib) tacos, crispy wings, good baby back ribs, although a few were burnt. Good brownie dessert. Sushi at the counter didn't look very fresh so didn't try. Good service. Could use some strong ales like J.W.Lees or Firestone walker. Or even just some Boddington's pub ale. read more

Really really yummy sushi! It's just a bit pricey, but the atmosphere and location can't be beat compared to other sushi places.

Don't waste your money! Really over priced! Bad service. $17 for 4 piece roll and nothing special. Kinda bland and tempura is oily! Disappointed to say the least. I'll do more research next time. Smh read more

Rawbar - Bar at raw bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chico, California

The first restaurant in Chico to serve biodegradable straws!! Great food, great atmosphere and eco friendly!! What else could you ask for!!

The food and service here is amazing! Although I did think it was a little pricey for what you get I enjoyed the atmosphere and the blood orange martini was to die for! read more

came up here to see ducks & geese and swans in a hurry with G from Berkeley onTuesday 1/18/16..saw "Raw Bar" from across Broadway & thought it was a vegan raw food joint..passed it by...looking for a late lunch around 4pm nothing much open except Burgers & Brew across from Raw Bar..thought to myself love some sushi..so on a whim crossed over and saw whoa! it was a Japanese sushi & etc spot..no Japanese guys at the sushi bar but WTH gave it a shot. Happy Hour specials till 5; nigiri of the day was shrimp..pretty terrible dry tasteless. Things improved with the tekkamaki with tuna & salmon but the seaweed was untoasted & chewy rather than crispy. The salmon skin hand roll though was great seaweed toasted and crispy as was the oyster shooter and the kalbi beef tacos ..with a bit of care they could be a class act...if you guys at Raw Bar read this take heed..you could easily improve! read more

Rawbar is a place I'd go back to if I were in Chico, just because I'd find it hard to believe there is better sushi in town. Let's be fair - is it expensive for what you get? Yep! Even the sushi chef admitted it was the most expensive sushi place in town. But... it was good. I trusted the sushi chef and asked what wasn't on the menu that she'd recommend. I ordered one roll off the menu and two items she suggested. My roll was okay. The roll she suggested (the black widow) was interesting and tasty. And the walu - deeeelicious. It melted in my mouth and I kept thinking about it all the way through dinner. My food came amazingly fast. Service was great. I agree that it was expensive - 2 slices of walu and 2 rolls (4 pieces each), a beer, and tip was $36. I walked out stuffed and happy, though! read more

Stopped in two weeks ago for a late night snack and we were lucky to find 4 open stools at the sushi bar that we took. That was the best move we could have made. Asked the sushi chef in front of us if he could whip us up something unique, no rules, no limits just something amazing. He instantly looked to his left to a quiet shorter gentleman and said this is the guy you want right here. He told them what we were looking for and he gave us a nod and got to work. From the second he picked up his knife I was amazed. He sliced, he diced, and literally blew our minds with his first creation. So much so that we sat there for the next hour and had plate after plate of his one off creations, each one taking our palates on an adventure I'm sad to say may never be able to be duplicated. I'd love to provide you with the details and photos of each plate but I'm afraid I'd have to kill you. Sushi night will forever be at Rawbar thanks to the amazing experience we had that night. read more

Came here for dinner while visiting my family and thought it was fantastic. Had a ton of the menu and wasn't disappointed with anything. Come here and sit at the bar Chef Matt is beyond great! read more

Price to portion of the place is definitely off...though I enjoyed myself there as did my date. The service was excellent and the oyster shooters were pretty good. Food quality is good like most places that charge as much as them. The stars are mainly for the service and the nice atmosphere. read more

The service is a little slow. The waiter didn't seem to happy and made it apparent with his service. Most of the staff (except for the sushi chef) seemed more interested in idle gossip then with the customers. The place is really small, if you don't like to feel you are sitting too close to a stranger I would go else where. We got some specialty rolls that were over priced and hard to fit in your mouth. They feel short in taste. They didn't taste like anything special. The tempura banana was really good however. I don't think I will be coming back. There are places way better in Chico. read more

Great sushi spot! Hands down best miso soup I've ever had! Service was a little slow besides the sushi bar itself and the handsome boy with the tattoos was very helpful for first time sushi goers! Definitely recommend it! Ask about the different sauces that go best with different rolls. read more

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3rd time visiting the Rawbar and never disappoints. The rolls are as beautiful as they're delicious! Our server was fast, informative and very friendly! We will definitely be back. read more

Rawbar - Very tasty rolls from the black widow to the red dragon. All we're delicious!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chico, California

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Rawbar has been one of my favorite restaurants since I was young ! I have never once had a bad experience there and would recommend them to anyone ! By far the best Japanese cuisine in Chico! read more

One of the best Asian fusion places with sushi I have been to-- portions are about right for me (rolls are $7-9, and not giant so you can get two or three, which I like). They pay attention to detail and clearly make their own Miso Soup! Yum! I used to live in Japan, and while nothing in this country is exactly like it is there, for American sushi at a good price this is very well done. read more

Wowzers this place was fire! Came up here for my sisters graduation and needed something convenient and fairly quick. There was a good amount of places to check out but this place really caught my eye and I'm super stoked I came. Prices are more than fair for the quality of food your getting. I ordered a Tito's Vodka sour which was perfect also not too much bite and not watered down. This place was packed on graduation day so I expected service to be pretty tied up but they've done a great job checking in. I ordered the Sake Salmon which was some of the best I've had by far I could barely pick up the salmon with my chop sticks without the filet falling apart it was so tender it just melted in your mouth. Portioning was a little smaller than what I'm used to at my home spot in Fresno but still none the less hit the spot and I think the salmon was definitely more tender too. Overall this place is killin' it! Hats off to you Rawbar. Cheers read more

Expensive and not really that good. Try Rice Bowl. Took a trip back to Chico last weekend and my friend told me he got food poisoning from this place. He turned red and went to the hospital. Currently he is deciding whether to take legal action. Avoid! read more

Best sushi ever!! They have awesome gluten free options, including tempera!! Staff is amazing and educated on allergies. Everyone I spoke with was incredibly helpful. Worth the price!! read more

I often visit RawBar for lunch. I'm pretty predictable in my order as I adore the salmon bowl (does that make me boring?). The service is usually prompt though I have had to ask the server to "kick it in to gear" a time or two and they've always been happy to oblige to get me to my meeting on time . It's consistently busy and the food is always fresh. I am a bit obsessed with their wasabi coleslaw. I keep hoping they'll kick down the recipe to me. Overall, it's a solid lunchtime haunt. The only thing "fishy" is I find their in-house servings more generous than their to-go bowls. Why is that? Plus the packaging for to-go is excessive. I'd like to see them simplify. If you have time, try one of their cocktails. You won't be sorry. read more

My favorite sushi in chico!! The Gilroy roll is so yummy, only reason for no 5 starts is the service can be just a little slow sometimes! But worth the wait for sure read more

I love the Rawbar This was actually the first sushi restaurant I went to where I actually tried the sushi. Usually I just stuck to the chicken skewers, but this place had that inviting friendly atmosphere that got me to indulge in lovely sushi and I haven't looked back. Seriously I love this place and it's nice and cozy, you can see the sushi being made, and their saki is awesome. Their employees are super helpful as well in terms of trying to figure out what to eat. They're all quite knowledgeable of the sushi and whats in them. It might be their job, but it's impressive. If you are a big sushi fan, I highly suggest this place. It's Delicious! Enjoy!! :] read more

Top Sushi restaurant in Chico! I am so picky when it comes to raw food.. BUT this place is one of my favorites! I go there often and have never had any "bad experiences". The oyster shooters are the best i have ever had! The service is amazing as well! I usually have Kate (hope that's right! She usually works happy hour) she is amazing! So funny and very attentive. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a relaxed dinning experience whether that be for lunch, happy hour or dinner. I will be seeing them very soon! Thank you! read more

Great spot to enjoy a delicious dinner! Awesome service--they even reserved a special table for us. You really can't go wrong with anything on their menu! read more

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Excellent sushi, very flavorful. The ribs from the kitchen are the best I've EVER had, we ordered two portions. The servers are friendly and attentive. I love the super old Japanese man behind the counter. He makes the most incredible stuff. read more

Best sushi ever! no really... Great ambiance and service, best to sit at the bar though to watch the magic happen. My favs: unagi, philly roll, seafood tempura (all the rolls are top notch!) Everytime we come back to Chico, Rawbar is a must-see/eat! Deelish! read more

I am a sushi snob and this place is not making it easy for me to turn up my nose. I had a hand roll with habanero infused masago which was just the icing on the cake! They had a rare type of salmon nigiri that was better then Toro and then they knocked my socks off with fried shishito hot peppers as an app! They also have an amazing wine menu and happy hour. Happy to go back. read more

Finally a sushi bar in Chico that can offer actual good sushi and sashimi.

Their food is delicious but the other day I went there with my 1 year old and was denied service because my daughter had a 5 piece chicken nuggets box with her . It was either throw the box away or eat somewhere else . That is NOT RIGHT or family friendly!! Now I understand they probably have a kids menu but I should still be able to bring something small for her she's a baby/infant not a toddler! It would be different if I was eating it but no ! Will never return here !!! read more