I've gone to Rice Theory so many times and I've never left a review, but I'm making one now because I think they deserve so much hype :D ! 10/10 ! Every time I go, the workers are always attentive and very nice, they never rush you to order and they also recommend different Inari depending on your taste. Personally I am not a big fan of raw fish but Rice Theory has definitely changed my perspective on it! I always get the Spicy Mayo Salmon and Cream Corn Inari, they're both my top 2! There's also a small sauce stall you can use to add extra sauce onto your items which is really helpful Overall the vibe of the shop is great, it's always clean and I feel welcomed every time :D Safe to say they are a comfort-food spot to me! read more

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the person at the cashier was nice and answered any questions that we had. the food overall was good for the price read more

Rice Theory - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

Finally got to try this place out! Visited earlier today and was glad they were open. Plenty of options to choose from and easy to order. In and out in 10 minutes. Fresh options and we enjoyed all the things we ordered. We definitely will be back. read more

Rice Theory - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

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A super cute onigiri/inari/masubi shop in one of my favorite neighborhoods in Sacramento. Parking is a bit challenging in this lot. Inside, there are a few small tables. This is not a good place for a large group or a long dinner. There is always a to-go option. I ordered the inari combo (four inari pockets in spicy salmon, kimchi salmon, yuzu salmon and wakame) for $10. All were great but I will stick to fish inari next time. Also tried the egg and spam masubi and spicy salmon roll, along with kimchi fried rice. Everything was super affordable and they gave us a huge serving of rice for $10. I would come back to try different menu items. read more

I went right in before taking my exam at the nearest college. I was planning on fasting today but my tummy was screaming out for food. I stopped by and there was so much to choose from. Like gourmet sushi, onigiri, musubi and more. I got their seaweed salad in an INARI style sushi. That was delicious. I also got a roll of unagi with a crispy shrimp in the middle. This one was really delicious. If I had more of an appetite, I would've bought a whole lot more. I just didn't want to be over full during my exam. The place inside is cute, clean and comfortable. I love it. read more

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I've been wanting to try Rice Theory and I'm so glad I got a chance to try it. It's such a cute grab and go place. I went there at 1 pm so about half the stock was still left. I ordered the plain onigiri, wakame salad inari, wasabi salmon inari, crab meat roll, spicy crabstick onigiri, and smoked salmon and cream cheese onigiri. I cut up the crab meat roll in pieces so it was like sushi. The smoked salmon and cream cheese onigiri was pretty good like a Philly roll. It was a bit more Americanized with the smoked salmon slices. Kid friendly options are the plain onigiri and wakame salad inari. My kids like the plain onigiri which was flavored with some seasoning and they liked the wakame (seaweed) without the inari. Most of the food is behind a case so they will grab it for you. Service is fast and they package everything so cutely. They also sell drinks and some decorations. I loved everything I ordered and there's definitely more I want to try. I'll definitely be back. read more

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This was an impromptu stop. My friend and I were doing some trinket box treasure hunting on March 6th and got very peckish around 3:00 p.m. We were by rice theory and my friend had said that he had tried it a long time ago somewhere else and was wondering if this was the same place. So we stopped in. When we got there we were greeted by the individual behind the cash register and she asked us if we had any questions. We asked what were some of the more popular items chosen and she gave us a rundown of what people typically get. We did enjoy her because she was playful about buying basically a handful of items to give everything a little bit of taste. We decided to have the RT roll, spicy tuna salad inari, and the tuna egg salad. While we waited we checked out the rest of the store which was super cute. As you could tell with some of my pictures they had some really cool items for purchase near the cash register that were connected to chinese/lunar New Year. And there was all these little designs throughout the shop that were just so playful and fun. The space itself was not very large but definitely comfortable. There was music playing in the background and it was just a nice space to casually be in and enjoy a nice moment with friends. The items we got were definitely delicious great flavors, not overly spicier creamy, and the vegetables added into them were definitely fresh because they had a nice crunch to them. I want to definitely go back and try the rest of the food there because again what we had as a snack was definitely yummy yummy yummy read more

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Came here from Too Good To Go app and was pleasantly surprised with all the goodies we got. Had no clue of this place prior and will definitely be back to try some of the offerings. We were able to get the spicy shrimp and tuna masubi, California roll, and something with dehydrated pork. I have never tasted any of those things and boy were we in for a treat. The service was great and the location and store had a cozy vibe. This place definitely scores a 10/10 from me and my boo read more

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Maybe I received an old batch of the spam musubi since it was towards the end of the day, because the one I ate had a sour after taste. I took tiny bites, trying to figure out if it's their sauce, but it didn't make sense as to why it's sour and sweet. Eventually I tossed most of it away because it tasted odd. The other two items tasted just okay to me. Nothing to hype about especially for the price. I had better ones at local Korean market for cheaper and fresher. I did find it a bit unusual that the beef gimpap roll had been sitting on the counter by the cash register since morning and not under a heater or in the fridge. I might give it another try next time when they first open for a fresher and better experience. read more

Rice Theory - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

I was in the area and decided to try this place with my friend. Love the decor and the vibes. The place is quiet and cozy. The staff was super friendly and helpful. My friend and I decided to share a Inari combo and a roasted beef roll with a soy milk. We didn't have a plastic knife, but the staff member was super nice and offered to cut everything in half for us. The roasted beef roll was delicious. It was warm, well flavored and reminded me of a sushi burrito. Love the purple rice. The Inari combo was not as delicious. We got an egg salad, seaweed salad, salmon with cream cheese and salmon with Jalapeño Inari. The toppings were deliciousbut the rice inside was hard, cold and fell apart. The rice didn't taste fresh and had been sotting there for awhile. I ate the Inari skin and toppings, but could not finish the rice. Overall, I would try this place again to try the individual Inari. They had a good variety. read more

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Stopped by for a quick lunch after visiting Fairytale Town and loved the variety of musubis, inaris and rolls. Our favorite was the egg and spam musubi. Would like to come back again to try some of their other items. read more

Came by for a little snack the other day. Parking lot is a little crazy but it wasn't too hard to get a spot. We ordered 4, I can't remember which ones at this point, and I can't find a good picture on Yelp to reference. Everything was good though! My only desire is that it was made fresh to order, but I understand that would take way more time to get customers in and out the door. The rice was a little hard, and the whole meal was cold when we got it. I honestly don't eat this very often, so not sure if it's supposed to be that temperature? In any case, I'm assuming it would taste better the rice at least wasn't cold. Flavor of the fish was delicious though! read more

Rice rolls, onigiri, and stuffed inari here! I LOVE the EXPANSIVE selection here. Warm, comforting musubis, and cold fresh sashimi inari The beef sukiyaki roll was amazing, good amount of meat, pickled radish, carrot, and the rice wasn't heavily seasoned. The spicy salmon inari was sooo yummy, very fresh and fragrant. However, the yuzu miso salmon was not my favorite, it was just okay. The unagi egg musubi my friend got was also very yummy but she said the rice was too heavily seasoned with rice vinegar. The girls working were also super friendly and helpful. They greeted us when we walked in and let us know we could ask them to pick out whatever we liked. I asked them what their favorites were and I appreciate the detail in their answers. The shop is really unassuming up front, but cute and comfy inside. I appreciate the yuzu and unagi sauce and the free gloves they offer as well! read more

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I've been in quite a few times now and as they've settled in they've added different menu items and even some fun merch like bags. The location has some parking, but it can be very busy. There is some additional parking on the neighboring street. Inside is small, but they have a couple tables to enjoy food there. The staff here is really friendly and they're happy to answer any questions you have about the different menu items. They offer rice rolls, inari, onigiri, some specials, and some drinks. My favorite items are the inari and the rice rolls with sausages. The prices range based off the toppings but most are around $4-5. The inari is pretty filling and the fish always tastes fresh. read more

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Came for a Too Good To Go order which was a surprise bag of a few of their fresh made items. My bag had 2 different musubis, 2 different inaris, and 1 handroll. The items were still fresh and hot and absolutely delicious. I'd come back again, great snacks or meal for on the go, on the road, or just to enjoy a nice treat. read more

Rice Theory - Too Good To Go - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Thankful for Tik Tok, as it led me to Rice Theory! If you are looking for fresh and tasty onigiri or inari, this is the place to be! Some things to keep in mind: Parking isnt plentiful, its located on a main road, and while there are parking spots out front, I can see parking filling up quick on a weekend. I went around 2pm on a Wednesday. They take tap or card ( i forgot my wallet, so thankfully I could use my phone to pay) They have a TON of options, so be prepared to be overwhelmed of what to order! I ordered 3 inari, 2 onigiri and 1 unagi and rice and spam musubi....all totally 31 dollars including tip. Honestly not bad, for all that I got and it was all great fish! I did order to go, but I believe there were one or two tables if you wanted to dine in. They also have sauces, chopsticks and napkins for you to grab on the way out. The staff are super friendly and that makes it easy to order and i will definitely be back! read more

Rice Theory - Tuna onigiri - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

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I've been wanting to visit Rice Theory for a while now, and I'm so glad I finally did! First, parking can be a little tricky depending on the time of day. The lot it's located in can be a pain, so I'd recommend looking for street parking nearby, especially on Irvan Way if you can find a spot. The shop itself is really cute and cozy inside. It has a small indoor seating area, so you can eat there or take your food to go. In our case, we ordered everything to go. Even their packaging is adorable, which makes the whole experience feel thoughtful and well put together. Be warned -- it can feel overwhelming when you're hungry because everything looks good... and we definitely ordered A LOT. They offer musubi, onigiri, and inari. The musubi and onigiri are kept warm in a heated case, while the inari is in a refrigerated case, which I thought was nice to know. The service was great. The cashier was really nice and patient with us while we decided what we wanted. We ordered: * Unagi egg musubi * Sukiyaki beef roll * Kurabuta sausage roll * Unagi onigiri * Shrimp roll * Spicy beef gimbap * California roll * Spicy salmon inari * Salmon/egg inari My overall favorite was actually the California roll -- which is funny because California rolls are usually pretty plain. But Rice Theory's version is so good because of the sauce they put on top. It really makes it stand out. My daughters loved the unagi egg musubi and the salmon/egg inari. The sukiyaki beef roll was sweet and flavorful, and the shrimp roll was light and refreshing. The spicy beef gimbap wasn't spicy at all, and it did fall apart while we were eating it, which was slightly annoying -- but it still tasted good. The spicy salmon inari was just okay in my opinion. Overall, we had a really good experience and I'll definitely be coming back to try more items! read more

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Absolutely love Rice Theory! Every time I come here, there's always something new in the menu. I love that they provide the plastic gloves to make eating mess free! Personally, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Anything with salmon, ebi or crab, or wrapped in purple rice is always good! read more

Rice Theory - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Rice Theory is a cozy hidden gem on Freeport! My friends have been wanting to try this place so we decided to go and grab a few things. Most of everything that I got was salmon (love salmon) and I will say that the salmon inari did not disappoint. The wrapped onigiri and mini rolls were good as well, but did not taste like they were freshly made. My advice for this is to go early. We went pretty late and got the last of whatever was in the case. It's a small space so there's not much seating at all, and it's pretty cramped, so I'd say this is more a take it to-go kind of spot. We were lucky a family left right as we checked out and got to sit inside for a bit. Was it good? Yes. Would I come back? Maybe if I'm in the mood for it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it. read more

Rice Theory - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Food was pleasant enough for a quick "to-go" option. There were plenty of options available on the day we visited, but because we had just eaten, I wasn't interested in buying/trying anything. Hubs wanted to try, so he picked out a spicy tempura shrimp musubi and a spicy tuna onagiri. He said they were both tasty, and would be good for takeaway meal. I believe they also offer a variety of herbal teas. Service was fast, polite and efficient. Interior was neat and clean; there are a few tables, chairs and a long communal bench for eating inside. It's sparsely decorated, but styled in a cute way. They also sell a few branded bags and tees. No outdoor seating; parking lot offers limited spaces, making this a great "neighborhood" walking destination. They are located along Hollywood Park neighborhood. Definitely recommend you come out and support a local small business! read more

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Very nice quick-grab Japanese spot with a great diversity of Inaris, Onigiris, and Musubis, plus much more. While the Onigiris are smaller than what is sold at other locations, everything had flavor and warmth. All of the items looked and tasted great. I especially enjoyed the purple rice burrito and only wish it had the crunch inside. The staff were super nice and were able to give good recommendations. There was some seating to enjoy your food, and a good option of sweets and drinks. The only downside is that the strip mall it is located in has limited tight parking spots. With that being said, if I find myself coming home from Sacramento again, this will be my go-to before hitting the road. read more

What a cute spot! Love the grab and go especially when you're short on time but still want quality food. I got their pickled musubi and spicy salmon and they were both delicious. Staff are friendly. Happy to have found this place on a whim while I was looking for "fast" but good food! read more

Rice Theory - Pickled musubi - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

Maybe it's my Japanese heritage, but this place just hit a comfort food spot for me. It reminded me of my trips to Japan where this type of food was common. I really enjoyed Rice Theory's take on this classic form of food - the rice ball! Rice in many forms - onigiri (rice ball classic), inari (soybean sweet pocket stuffed with various ingredients, musubi (rice with some form of protein typically and often spam), and rolled sushi with creative fillings like sukiyaki. So much fun for rice fans! As of writing, they had a 4.4 rating which to me is about right. Not quite perfect, but definitely above average. FOOD: First of all, the rice here is good. Again, something that can't be taken for granted. The ratio of filling to rice is generally really good. The rolls were perfect and I loved how the onigiri had the ingredients all mixed in with just a touch of nori (seaweed) so you can hold it. I don't like my onigiri covered in seaweed - it takes away from the flavor of the rest of the rice ball. The stuffed inari could have used maybe a touch more rice, but I think that's personal preference. They don't skimp on the most expensive part - the fish (or other protein you choose from). SERVICE: Like I said, they don't skimp. Portions are nicely sized for the price and for under $20 you are likely to feel nicely full. For a few dollars more you can walk away stuffed! And the people are super nice. Great service and wonderful packaging whether you eat it here or away. Limited seating so beware and don't lean on the glass! I also appreciated that they are careful about the time the inari sits there. Even before the day is over they move older ones and discount them so they stay fresh constantly. COST: Very reasonable considering the quality and quantity. It's grab and go so you can get as little or as much as you want! I'll definitely be back. read more

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My friend, and I found this place through an Instagram reel and decided to check it out while we were in the area! The kimbap and inari were super chilled - cold and refreshing for a hot day in Sacramento. The inari was stuffed with fish and so flavorful! We shared the spicy tuna and the ginger salmon. Please note that there is limited seating inside - only a few tables. I think most of the people who order from here take it to go. read more

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One of my go-to spots for onigiri and inari! The quality here is top-notch--you can really taste the freshness in every bite. Everything is made daily, and the flavors are always on point. Service is quick since most items are grab-and-go. Located in the plaza across from Oto's, it can get a little tight on parking since the lot is small, so plan accordingly. There is indoor seating, but it's best for smaller groups--not ideal for large parties. Inari must-tries: Spicy Salmon Garlic Ponzu Salmon Ahi Tuna Garlic Ponzu Hamachi Rolls/Musubi favorites: Kurobata Sausage Roll Spam & Tamago Musubi Shrimp Tempura Musubi Get there early--popular items tend to sell out fast, especially on weekends! read more

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I stopped by for a quick snack with my sister and was pleasantly surprised! I've never seen premade yubu, it's typically made fresh to order from everywhere else i've had it. even though they were premade, they were still delicious! usually the fresh warm rice makes it messier to eat and easier to fall apart. since these are premade and kept in a display fridge, the rice was cold but it didn't fall apart at all and was still delicious nonetheless. we picked all the salmon options but there were a variety of things to chose from. the salmon tasted fresh and flavorful, they have a sauce station for you to add additional sauces, which we opted to do with the eel sauce! they also provide gloves since i don't think they have a public restaurant to wash your hands. the shop is cute and small with 4 tables for dining in! read more

Rice Theory - salmon yubu - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Friendly service, cute shop. Ordered the beef sukiyaki, unagi onigiri, and spicy tuna mayo. Kiddo enjoyed the beef and unagi a lotttt. Like I had to beg for a bite of the beef which was flavorful and had a nice texture due to the pickled veggies. He didn't like the spicy tuna but I really did. I make onigiri at home but if I was in the area, this is a great place to grab a bunch for snacks. Sorry no pics like I said, kiddo ate it with a quickness. read more

This place is so fun! Everytime I get so many yummy things and am never dissatisfied! Love the huge variety of options! Everything has great flavor and tastes fresh. The branding ofc course is adorable. This is was my first time trying a drink and it was so good! They add the milk/cream right when you order it so it's SUPER fresh and tastes great! This place is my go to lunch stop when I'm in this area which I wish was more often. read more

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If you're looking for a good snack after a walk around Land Park, you should definitely check out Rice Theory nearby. This spot landed on Sacramento's Top 50 restaurants list, and it's easy to see why. They're known for their flavorful selection of musubi, onigiri, inari A few friends and I decided to be adventurous and just picked whatever caught our eye from the display counter. I went with one of their limited items, the "Rice Theory" roll, which was wrapped in seaweed and filled with pork, sausage, purple rice, and vegetables. There was a sauce inside that really elevated the sausage and brought everything together. Super flavorful and surprisingly filling. The inaris were also a standout. I never had inari before, but this place does a great job showing how creative they can be. We tried a few different varieties, and the Mayo Wasabi Salmon inari was my favorite creamy with a nice kick. I honestly wished I had grabbed a second one. Service was friendly and helpful while we were deciding what to order, and my friends and I had a great time just hanging out and enjoying the food. Definitely a spot I'd recommend for a light breakfast or lunch if you're in the Land Park area. read more

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Tried the spicy salmon inari and unagi shrimp roll. Both tasted fresh and very filling. Lots of options. Took me awhile to decide what to order. Looking forward to trying other items. Service was friendly. Parked on the street today. No issues. read more

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Grabbed a few things for my crew before heading to a job site today. Cozy little shop with a good selection in the case and everything looked fresh. I picked up an assortment of musubi, onigiri, and tuna salad. Service was quick and the staff was friendly. It reminded me of the little carts in Hawaii with a similar setup. That said, the food was just okay for me... Good for a quick grab but the flavor didn't really stand out unfortunately. Parking is also pretty tight out front but that's no fault of the restaurant. read more

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Cute little shop and everything was beautiful pack, delicious and great price. Will totally going back read more

Rice Theory - Yummy! - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

A place dedicated to different types of inari? I'm in! First I've seen in Sac so if you want to try different types of inari, this is the place to go. Small little shop with limited seating but I was lucky enough to get a seat. More of a "To Go" place. I love salmon so I tried 3 different types of salmon inari and they were all delicious. I had a roasted duck onigri to go and although the flavor was as very good, the rice was too loosely packed and kept falling a party and making a mess. There was also a small piece of bone inside it that I accidentally bit. Also, no water is available for dine in customers. You have to purchase water. I've never been to a dine in my establishment in CA that didn't have a complementary cup of water available for customers. read more

Rice Theory - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

If you like sushi, you'll love this place. The hype is real. Service here is also great. read more

Rice Theory - Spicy salmon - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

Came with my friend for lunch and we had a good time. We got the beef kimbap, unagi musubi, roasted duck onigiri, bbq pork onigiri, spicy salmon inari, and garlic tuna inari. I loveddddd the unagi musubi and garlic tuna inari. Those were my favorite things. Everything though was delicious. The girl working the front was also very nice and helpful. The store is cute and I'm happy they provide free sauces. The only downside was it was warm in there and had a couple flies. Also wish they had free water cups. However still would definitely come back read more

Rice Theory - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

good kind of small portions but it was yummy. i liked that they give you gloves and there's also a sauce bar. one lady to help with service and any inquiry's. i liked the inside it's very cute. read more

Rice Theory - corn cheese and kimchi - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

This is my first time back since the official grand opening and it was long overdue! I've been seeing them sell out via Instagram so we made sure to come early. I loved seeing the selection all out in the cases, which made it a lot easier and more enticing to pick what we wanted, instead of reading the menu. We ended up ordering all inari, which range between $3-5 each. It was just enough for us to share as a light lunch, but if you're hungry I would order an extra few more! I had seen photos of kimbap, or I thought I did, so the cashier seemed confused when I asked about it. Then I realized later looking on Instagram, they call these rice rolls here! They have a few options but didn't see them out so I wonder if they're made to order. There are a few tables inside so you can enjoy your food right away. My favorite from the inari (also known as yubu) was the sukiyaki beef! So tender and flavorful. I also enjoyed the garlic ponzu salmon but wish I tried the one with lemon on top instead since we also got the garlic ahi. The yuzu pepper tuna was too overwhelmingly jalapeno to me so I couldn't taste as much of the tuna, but still good! The unagi was not something I'd normally order but I really enjoyed it surprisingly. The flavor and texture was nice. I didn't notice the sauces they have available at the side counter until we left, but will definitely be using that next time to add some additional flavor like more ponzu! But overall they were all already very moist and flavorful without adding anything. Really great option for a quick lunch bite and I love their packaging! read more

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Decided to drop by with the wife for a snack. I've seen the reviews so we sort of had an idea what to expect. As others have said I felt the food was good and the soy bean drink was fresh. The price is a bit high if you're just looking to snack but it's understandable given the quality and presentation. Worth a try. read more

Rice Theory - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

I will always keep coming back here. I finally got a chance to try the sweet corn and kimchi inari this time and of course I had to order my favorites, the spicy salmon and the spicy crab salad. I took a friend along with me too and she seemed to have enjoyed it as well. It's cute for small parties of 2-3 people and the girls working here are super nice. They helped me get the food quickly because I was starving. One of my favorite places for breakfast on my day off. read more

This is the only spot that serves inari and onigiri that I know of in the area, so they are super popular! It's pricy and they sell by the piece. I think it's a fun place to hit and try out the different pieces of rice concoctions. I do think they regularly sell out, so you definitely need to get there early to be able to get stuff. They do have tables, but not much room for them. I would say that it's mostly to go. I think my favorite was the musubi and the egg salad. The sauage one was also pretty good - They are all pretty tasty. I think the one that I would pass up next time is probably the cream cheese smoked salmon one, which is normally my favorite! I think maybe I prefer that on bread rather than rice. All in all, a good spot to hit if you're looking for something different. read more

Rice Theory - Japanese Near Me - Sacramento, California

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