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Samurai

3.9 (310 reviews)
ModerateSushi Bars, Japanese
Closed 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM

Samurai Photos

Business Info

SAMURAI ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Samurai

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Reviews With Photos

Hamachi collar
Richard W.

We were glad that Samurai stayed open until 9:30 during the week - later than most other places in Mill Valley. Pretty massive list of menu items. I whittled it down to the following: Tahini Tofu Salad Tofu, avocado, organic green, tomato, and radish sprout with tahini red miso dressing. Great mix of ingredients with the kind of dressing that can be the star of the show, but I'm not sure how serving the dish untossed helps - the presentation is rather drab. Hamachi Nigiri - 2pc Yes, not being super creative here, but I wanted to get a baseline on quality and portions and it did not disappoint. Melts like butter. Nice portion size. Hamachi Crunch Seared Hamachi and steamed spinach with rice, cracker and creamy Ponzi dressing. What a unique dish! It looks like couscous but it's better - little crunchy bits in a heavier nutty sauce. They probably had too much sauce to balance the fish slices - which come seared but hard to tell behind the tan colored sauce. The flavors jump out, and this is a must order for newbies. Sakekawa hand roll Salmon, skin with cucumber, radish, sprout, scallion, and burdock root. I think it was the root that gives a hint of off-putting nutmeg that distracts from the salmon. The presentation is gorgeous, however. Hamachi Collar Yes, we did end up eating hamachi three ways! This one was a clear winner - the grilled collar, thinly seared to a light crunch and juicy supple in the middle. You don't really need the light ponzu sauce imho. Portion size impressive. For $13.5, simply a steak. Overall service was courteous and responsive. Any request was met with a quick return. For food quality and menu originality, this one is a tough call between 4-5 stars. That's all...

Pickled cucumber
Joyce S.

Restaurant was a bit crowded but also cozy for a rainy day. We had about a ten minute wait before being seated. Staff were responsive and hospitable, prompt with service but also polite to give us time to look over the menu and to decide what we want to order. They checked in with us a few times during our meal to make sure we have everything we need. We ordered the seafood yosenabe and the beef sukiyaki. The beef sukiyaki can also come as a set, with added miso soup and tempura. I loved the yosenabe broth, had a good balance of flavor. Seafood was cooked and noodles were al dente. No shrimp in my dish but I got a large piece of scallop, some clams, fish and veggies. The sukiyaki broth was overly sweet for me, but had a good amount of beef and veggies with both clear noodles and udon. Both dishes came with a generous serving of pickled cucumbers and a bowl of rice. Portions were also generous. I brought home a little less than half of my portion and was happy to reheat it for lunch the next day.

Gohar K.

Saturday night with family while on a weekend trip to Mill Valley we ended up here for dinner. We enjoyed our food very much, the service was great. The rolls were delicious and the fish fresh. A lot of options for rolls and sashimi. I loved the jimbo maki roll. Ordered a second Jen. Overall a great place to dine at, a bit small and gets really crowded but a great ambiance.

One of the best sushi places in the bay! The sushi taste so fresh! The rice is always perfectly cooked! The roles are nice and packed and stable they don't fall apart! The owner and workers are always so kind & ready to help or get anything you need! It is a small place so it does feel a bit crowded and on weekends there usually a 20-30 minute wait but it's all worth it!

Stinson roll, Dragon roll and spicy tuna roll
Emily G.

One of the best sushi restaurants in the bay! Seriously stumbled upon this restaurant after a trek to Muir Woods and I was met with great service and fresh sushi rolls. This easily became one of my regular spots. I'm leaving CA and had to celebrate one of our last meals here. The Stinson maki is 10/10 and love the eel and avocado roll in the dragon roll. I always love spicy tuna and they have a tasty one with fresh tuna and a nice sesame oil flavor.

suppose 2b ton katsu , taste as if it's DRY pork chops . sauce suppose 2b katsu sauce pic salty teriyaki sauce ,

Suppose 2b ton katsu , taste looks as if it's DRY PORK CHOPS , was given salty teriyaki sauce in place for the katsu sauce . Very disappointing

Uni nigiri
Stacie V.

My new fav sushi spot in Marin! I snagged a seat immediately at the sushi bar on a Friday evening. The staff is extremely attentive. Prices are reasonable considering the quality which is a rarity nowadays. The place was loud and very family friendly. Lots of crying kids... I'd recommend getting takeout if the wait is too long and eating at a neighboring picnic table near the parking lot.

a close up of a menu on a table
Kiyomi W.

Came in on a Saturday night around 5:15. It wasn't too busy then around 6 it was packed and super loud. This place is really cold so bring a jacket. It made the dinner a lot less enjoyable and I heard a couple ask if they could turn on a heater and the waitress didn't even let the dude finish and she said no. Got the crazy horse roll and negihama roll. My friend got the 15 piece sashimi, cherry blossom roll, and 49er roll. The food is pretty good and the fish is fresh! The sashimi came out kind of fast and then we waited another 20 minutes for the rolls. I'd rate the food 5/5 but the experience as a whole wasn't a 5/5. So getting togo is probably the better option.

Beef sukiyaki
Ken D.

Average food, but good enough to eat at since it's the only Japanese restaurant in town. I had the beef sukiyaki. It was served In a regular porcelain bowl. The broth was decent but it was super simple. Lacking in cabbage and only came with a little bit of clear noodles. Sukiyaki is traditionally served in a shallow clay pot, not giant soup bowl. My friend ordered 2 rolls and the pork gyōza. I tried a piece of gyōza just 5 minutes after it came out and they were already cold. Would not be a first choice of restaurant to visit, but if I were in the area and really craving Japanese food, I could give it another try.

Edamame, Nigiri - Hamachi, Maguro, Bincho Maguro, 49er roll, Crazy Horse roll, and Spicy Scallop roll.

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Our local favorite. Reasonably priced, consistently good. We've often done takeout, occasionally eat in - small busy place.

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Food was tasty and service was terrific. It was pretty crowded at the bar, but that's not a bad thing.

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Samurai Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Samurai

Do we need to make a reservation for 3 people tonight at 6pm 03/22/24?

They do not take reservations for less than parties of four.

Do they still use that amazing sesame mayo in their rolls?

Yes

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Fukusuke Japanese Restaurant - Complementary from the Chef.

Fukusuke Japanese Restaurant

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What a gem of a restaurant! I can't believe tonight was the first time we tried Fukusuke, but I am…read moreso glad we did. It is a cozy, family run restaurant with wonderful fresh sushi. We had miso soup, and tried the dan-san roll and a California roll- all were delicious! The restaurant isn't fancy or stuffy, just wonderful food, and wonderful service. If you're lucky, you'll have Hitomi as your waitress Please also take note of the adorable frog decor! We will be back very soon!

This was easily one of the worst restaurant experiences I've ever had. When we arrived, there were…read moretwo empty tables available, yet we were offered the only table by the door -- the exact spot I had already said we did not want. That should have been the first red flag. After being seated, we were completely ignored. No placemats, no water, no greeting -- nothing. We had to ask just to be acknowledged so we could order, and even then the staff acted like we were an inconvenience. What made it worse was watching them clear two other tables, seat new families there, and fully set those tables up -- all while we were still sitting there with zero service. It was obvious we were not a priority at all. The only moment anyone looked our way was when we finally got up and walked out -- and not a single person attempted to apologize or stop us. That level of indifference says everything. Absolutely unacceptable service. We will never return.

Marujun Japanese Cuisine - Sushi roll, Queen: unagi, hamachi and sweet sauce

Marujun Japanese Cuisine

(47 reviews)

We visited Marujun for the first time at 6:30 pm last Thursday night. We made reservations for the…read moretwo of us via phone (couldn't do it online for the same night) after reading reviews that said they could be crowded. The restaurant is in a nondescript pocket sized strip mall. I had my doubts, but felt we were transported somewhere else as soon as we stepped through the door. We were welcomed and seated immediately. The menu is extensive, mostly sushi and sashimi dishes. We ordered exactly the right amount for the two of us, including a special appetizer of a shrimp custard (yum), tempura shrimp (two shrimp, crispy, dipping bowl with a side of spicy daikon we could add). I ordered the Hakata Mizutaki hot pot with chicken and cabbage. My wife went for the Queen sushi roll with unagi, hamachi and sweet sauce and a small 2-piece sashimi plate. For dessert we ordered another special, a sweet potato custard that came with a generous scoop of the creamiest vanilla ice cream I've ever had. The presentation for the dessert was so special... it came in a lidded lacquer box (see photos). After recently eating in a terribly noisy restaurant, we appreciated that the sound level here was very low, making conversation easy. Our server was gracious and attentive (filling our pot of tea with hot water, and then pouring the tea for us). All of the food was fantastic. The total with tax and tip came out to $135 for two people. That's probably on par for the quality of the food, but steep for us, so this will become more of a "special treat" dinner place for us. But we do want to return to sample more dishes.

This dining experience puts other 5-star restaurants to shame. The attention to detail is…read moreincredible. First, it is small and in a strip mall next to a Smoke Shop, but don't let that fool you. Reservations are suggested, but seating at the small sushi bar is saved for walk in guests. If you have a handbag, it's placed in a canvas tote or basket so it doesn't have to be hung over the chair or on the floor. The playlist is perfect! I rarely notice music unless it's excellent or horrible or interferes with conversation. This was extremely well done--not too loud and not intrusive but a great vibe. The restroom was also nicely appointed and spotless. Service was friendly, efficient, and everyone seemed happy to be there. The tables were spaced so that servers could move around without having to worry about diners and guests didn't feel rushed or crowded. The spacing also provided for more privacy for conversations. Everything was delicious! From the red miso to sashimi to nigiri to the rolls. The presentation was amazing and the food was even better. Much of the fish is flown in from Japan daily and the rest is just caught. We ordered more dishes than we usually do in two different evenings out! It was that delicious and fresh. There is no outside dining and no takeout. Dinner only and limited seating. The focus is on a high quality, attentive enjoyable experience and they don't disappoint.

Sushi Ran - Uni, ikura and quail egg

Sushi Ran

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What an experience to dine at the bar for dinner service at Sushi Ran! I recommend making a…read morereservation as the restaurant filled up pretty quickly despite our early dinner slot. The chef is detailed in his craft. I loved watching him put together the sashimi platter, adorning the fish with shiso, kelp, and sunomono. To drink, I tried the gluten free beer which I don't often see on menus, and was pleasantly surprised at how crisp and refreshing the taste was. We ordered a variety of sushi and also hot foods to try. We enjoyed all of the dishes we ordered. Looking back, I'm not sure if I had complaints about any particular one. I think the agedashi tofu is artfully done. I'm a long time ageda fan, while my boyfriend is iffy on it, but this one he thoroughly enjoyed. The fried fish with the house-made tartar sauce was a great appetizer to start off the meal. As for the fish, very fresh and quality. It was fun pairing the different sashimi with the variety of accoutrements like the shiso, lemon, and kelp. Service was fantastic as well. Overall, a lovely dinner experience and I would recommend others to visit Sushi Ran.

Kuro Nami - Kuro Nami Roll

Kuro Nami

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Okay... I have to say, the Japanese food situation in Marin can be a little rough....BUT Kuro Nami…read morewas such a pleasant surprise. Everything felt fresh, thoughtful, and elevated. They have a really interesting spin on their dishes, especially the rolls. The house roll was my favorite and honestly stood out compared to most places around here. Service was superb! super attentive, warm, and welcoming without being overbearing. You can tell they really care about the experience. They just opened recently, so everything is brand new and the decor is clean, modern, and beautifully done. There's also plenty of parking (huge plus in Marin), and it's located in such a cute part of San Anselmo, which makes it perfect for a little walk before or after your meal. Overall, such a great addition to the area. Definitely coming back.

I loved Kuro Nami and would frequent this spot if I lived nearer! It's located in the heart of…read moredowntown San Anselmo, just two doors away from sister-restaurant, The Baan Thai (also delicious). We tried a bunch of menu items for a relaxing lunch and loved the beautiful presentation, and of course the clean, fresh, and flavorful ingredients: Agedashi Tofu - 4 pcs of deep fried tofu with seasoned soy sauce *my favorite appetizer! Gyoza - 2 pcs of pan-fried pork dumplings Crispy Rice Sushi Bites - 5 pcs of fried sushi rice topped with spicy salmon, sesame seeds, serrano pepper, tobiko *I hadn't tried these before and I'd been missing out. Tonkotsu Ramen - creamy pork broth, wheat noodles, roasted chashu pork, soft boiled egg, black fungus mushroom, pickled, ginger, scallions, menma(bamboo), corn The setting has a clean, Japanese aesthetic. The service was welcoming, informative, and attentive. I'll be back!

Samurai - sushi - Updated May 2026

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