This is a restaurant I've been to many times both dine in and carry out but tonight will be my last time. I took my children there for a what should have been a nice Valentines dinner but it was not. Our server, Sarah, was horrendous. She was rude from the moment we sat down. She did greet us but instead immediately wanted our drink order and stood there with smug smirk on her face that made us all uncomfortable. When she returned, I told her we were ready to order to which she responded "no". She said she would take our appetizer order would place that order, bring that out, and THEN take our dinner order. She brought the appetizer and took our order. We waited for her bring our order while we could see it sitting on the sushi bar. When she finally brought dinner it was cold. She never asked how any of our food was, asked if we needed anything, or offered drink refills. She had ample opportunity as she walked past our table more than 10 times while staring. She did take the chopsticks off the table that we had already touched. A big no-no as you cannot reuse something that has been placed on a guests table. She brought us boxes and the check while we were still eating without asking if we finished or would anything else. I felt as we were being rushed out so boxed our remaining food. Since she had removed the utensils I had to use my hands to box up my food which made a mess. I went to wash my hands and went back to the table to find her hovering. At that point I had enough of her rudeness and her strange behavior so I asked her if she was ok or was having a bad night and told her that she had been rude the entire service. She responded "oh" and walked away. As she walked away, I was headed to the front to pay and she stopped me and told me she was the one that needed to take the credit card. I gave her payment and she walked off without a word. I did not tip but instead left a note to let her and management know that was the worst service I've ever experienced. Here's the thing...I have 20+ years in the restaurant industry. I was Manager and still currently work as a server at a local restaurant part-time. This was completely unacceptable. There was no effort on Sarah's part to make this an enjoyable experience for us. When called out and given the opportunity to recover she failed miserably. A smile, a conversation, or even one check in with the table would have changed the outcome. As a server, I know how difficult and tiring this job can be. That said, I also know people don't go out to be treated as we were tonight. And as far as the tip, tipping is alway optional. It should not be expected. It is earned based on the service you give. Sarah is a poor example of a sever and should maybe consider a different career path. read more

I love this place. My favorite roll is the isofantastic. The service is great and I basically stalked them during the quarantine, waiting on them to reopen. Now they are open for dine in and take out so that's lovely. Their Monday Tuesday specials are dine in only so I'm glad their dining room is open read more

Medium well steak so pink in the middle, I don't think it even got cooked..... not much else I can say.... very disappointed read more

Samurai Restaurant - Ordered medium well..... guy was in such a hurry he didn't even let it cook. - Japanese Near Me - Glendale, Wisconsin

I've always liked this place, it is near home so it is convenient to go. I reccomend the hibachi to go because you have to have two people to do it in house, but also because I always find it is cooked better that way. I think the hibachi table runs a little hot even when you go in with 4 people some of the food gets a little over cooked. I would just prefer if they put the heat a little lower and cook it longer but that's just me, I always get the vegetable hibachi because it comes with tofu and vegetables and rice and sauces so it's a nice deal for $17. I like their sushi as well. All in all the food is good and price wise not dissimilar to other hibachi places. read more

waiter is rude, she isn't welcoming and seems like she hates her job. Creepily stares in your eyes very weird...

WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!! Very large portions and a step above all others in the area!!! DELICIOUS and my favorite place to bring people when they visit from out of town read more

4.6. Not kidding. I am so so SO glad I got out of my whole "I don't know about sushi spots in strip malls" thing. Samurai is freaking awesome, fellow Yelpers. Note: We only partook of the maki and Nigiri. No grills, no meats, no tempura-y anything. Sushi, two apps (edamame and gyoza) and nothing else. We had: edamame + gyoza Mackerel and Fatty Tuna Nigiri Spicy Tuna "Nigiri" *more on this later Maki: a fatty tuna, a sweet potato, and a specialty We sat: At the sushi bar. It's always fun to sit at the sushi bar, if not a bit awkward to be served there. But it's okay. I liked it just fine. We ate: ... all of it, and happily. So happily. So good. Not sure how anyone could argue with what is obviously quality product. It was clear the fish was high quality, sushi-grade stuff that had been handled correctly and prepared with care. The spicy tuna "nigiri" was presented unconventionally (battleship style?), but ended up being super delicious. What it lacked in "spiciness" it made up for in flavor... and I appreciate that. (You can always add Wasabi if you want a hot-in-your-face-fest.) The mister asserted that he thought the rice a bit too vinegar-y, but I'm into that. I barely noticed, but then again, I really like vinegar. I didn't *love* the gyoza, but the mister loves those, so it's cool. I loved the sushi and the Nigiri. Period. It was really pretty great. Ambiance: No frills, and that's fine. I like it. Service: Just fine. Our server was attentive and respectful of us taking our time during the ordering process. I thought her to be sweet. (I also honestly believe that your interaction w/ a server can oftentimes dictate the type of service you receive. Respect the person working, treat them like a real person and not just a wait-tron or a serve-bot, and you (in return) will be taken care of.) Prices: More than fair for what you get. Maybe I'm just used to Nanakusa, but I was insanely impressed with the quality and the amount for the price. Drinks: Eh. Whatever. Not a huge sake selection, specialty drinks, N/A stuff, the standard Asian and domestic beer offerings. What you'd expect given the ambiance and the setting. Verdict: Really great sushi in an unassuming setting. I am a major fan. I am a more than four stars fan. read more

As I fumbled around with a pair of chopsticks clumsily attacking my plate of sushi, two Japanese waitresses and a sushi chef seated themselves at a table close to mine. These three off-duty employees began happily consuming their dinners with forks. FORKS! Well done, Japanese people, you certainly got me. Convincing the rest of the world that you all use two flimsy sticks as eating utensils must be the biggest joke you've played on us. Samurai offers both sushi and hibachi. Being in the mood for something with a little heat, I ordered the Spicy Maki Combo Dinner. When my meal arrived I was surprised by the massive quantity of food. Along with Miso soup and a salad, I was served a large spicy tuna roll, a large spicy crabmeat roll and a large spicy salmon roll. All the rolls tasted very good but I was stuffed midway though them. The entire meal was just $17. Samurai is worth the visit. Should you decide to go to there be like an authentic Japanese person and ask for a fork. read more

TKozy and i came here after a ridiculously hot bike ride that we lost track of how far we were going. Sushi, for some reason, just seemed to make sense for us to refuel. It was great! I think we all need to get over the "Strip Mall" complex, and trust restaurants that are in strip malls (see also Habeneros). Great place and pleasant food. Hopefully you'll be as lucky as we were and have a dysfunctional couple sitting in the booth behind you so you can listen in to their conversation. poor thing, she's gonna have a tough time once that child is born! read more

Samurai, you sure slice up some tasty things! With samurai swords, I presume. I could not have been more pleased with my experience here. I tried a few different rolls/maki/etc and everything was so delicious. I wanted to eat everything. I bet I could have. I am a garbage can. Despite being set in a strip mall, you do not feel that way once you step inside. The flow of the restaurant is done well. Perfect lighting. In the center is the huge hibachi grill which looked pretty awesome. I'd like to get a small group to go sometime to get hibachi seating. If I lived a little closer I would probably be going here all the time. Check it out, you won't be sorry! read more

The two stars is my review. If you asked my boyfriend, he'd probably give it four stars. I'll explain. My bf likes sushi, I do not. His brother was in town, so I suggested going here so they could fulfill the sushi craving and not be alone and I could get something else off the menu, since they have many non-sushi offerings. They split a large order of sushi for two and loved it. It came on a literal boat as presentation. They picked it clean and had nothing but good things to say. I guess my rating comes more from the waitress. She was pushy and downright rude and didn't really listen to us and it just soured the whole taste for me. Considering its a restaurant serving food that most people aren't familiar with, the menu is decidedly lacking in details. Despite not liking sushi, I was willing to be adventurous, but the menu just gives you so little information. Even the boat of sushi the boys ordered - it does not tell you what comes on it and when it was delivered to the table, it was not explained what was on it. We had to ask the waitress when she finally came back to the table. I mean, what if you really, really liked something and wanted to be able to order it again? You literally had no idea what kind of fish it was. Anyway, the boys ordered Sake. She brought out 2 bottles - we're not sure why, when they ordered a specific kind. She then goes on to tell us that the one that we didn't order was really good, then kind of shrugged her shoulders and served us the other one. That was awkward and odd. I chose to order something called Chicken Maru Maru, which was listed under the Tempura section of the menu. It was one of the more descriptive items, listing abou 5 ingredients. When I asked the waitress about it, she told me it wasn't tempura - then why was it listed under the tempura section? Her description wasn't so good, but she said it was deep fried. It came out and looked to be a bit like deep fried sushi rolls. Unfortunately, it also had seaweed in it. And when I took a bite, the seaweed was all I could taste. I was extremely disappointed. Why would you list multiple ingredients in a dish and not list the most flavorful/controversial (for lack of a better word) ingredient? You tell me there's chicken and cheese and scallions, but not seaweed? I just don't understand that logic. Maybe I'm projecting, but my assumption is that tempura is a very basic plate. Its for people who don't like the other stuff. You don't slip exotic ingredients into food that is usually eaten by less adventurous eaters. I asked to send it back, because I just really didn't like it. I apologized and asked very nicely. I told them that if the menu had listed the seaweed, I wouldn't have ordered it. She went to ask her manager and came back and said they would make me something else. She brought me back a menu and told me "Maybe you should order something you've had before." I was kind of taken aback by that. I understand that they were being nice and making me something else, but I also felt that it was inappropriate for her to tell me what I could or should order. It was the opposite of welcoming. I got the Tempura combo and it was very tasty, but it just really wasn't enough to overcome the rest of the experience. While we were eating, she came by 3 different times to ask if we were done. Each time there was still food on the plates and we were chewing or putting food in our mouths. Our napkins weren't on the table, our utensils weren't across the plate. There was nothing to indicate that we were done. By the third time, I was pretty annoyed, as I had just finished putting food in my mouth. It was a Sunday night at 830. They weren't closing for another 90 minutes. They weren't busy. She didn't need to turn over the table. Her pushiness was such a turn off, especially after the other issues. I just can't imagine a situation in which I'd want to go back here again. read more

My HIBACHI review. Hibachi is always fun with a good group of people. It's food, but a show, but food.. and well - the food was just OK in my book. I really felt like my rice and veggies just had an overwhelming taste of oil and grill - and not in a good way. The portion was huge. You get soup and salad as well - and I left overly full. It was OK and I'm glad I tried it out but it'll be sushi from now on out for me at Samurai. read more

This is, hands down, the best sushi you will find in the county. The sushi is consistently fresh, the service is above average and the menu is diverse enough to keep you coming back. People think it's strange that Samurai is in a strip mall, but if you've ever been to the Chicago area (known for its sushi), you'd know that most of the good sushi places reside in strip malls. The restaurant is large and the seating is nice, especially if you have a booth. The staff has always been friendly and attentive. I don't mind the language barrier. Half of the staff are native speakers, so if there were ever a problem, I would ask one of them. Quite frankly, I'd rather have my sushi made by a Japanese sushi chef than an American hipster sushi chef. But that's just me... My sushi tastes are pretty boring and I tend to favor Maki rolls. I've had most of their sushi menu and it's all great. The Dragon roll is particularly tasty. Each roll has a nice amount of rice and fish. Lately, they seem to have increased the amount of fish, which is a plus. The miso soup, served with seaweed, tofu and scallions, is always flavorful. They also offer Hibachi if you're into that. I have been to a lot of sushi joints in the Milwaukee area and prefer Samurai. Too often, people from Milwaukee think going out for sushi is something akin to going to a nice steak house. It's not. It is just another kind of food. If you're going to places like Izumi's or Sake Tumi, you're paying for atmosphere, not quality of food. If that's what you want, then knock yourself out. But if you simply want somewhere to go that can satisfy the occasional yet powerful, sushi craving, I highly recommend this place. read more

Hibachi shows do absolutely nothing for me. Not even throwing the egg in the hat trick. No, I'm not talking about hockey or soccer. I love sushi . Samurai is my go-to. Their lunch roll, box, sushi and sashimi specials are a great deal for good quality. For example, 10 pieces sashimi, steamed rice, and miso soup or salad is $14. My favorite roll is the Amazing Roll, a raw roll: spicy fatty tuna with avacodo and cucumber, topped with white tuna and wasabi mayo. The service is usually great. I love the host. He's great with take-out orders too. read more

Very average food with terrible service. I have been to this restaurant at least eight times, primarily because my kids like to go there. I'm not a big hibachi fan myself. It's the same old show that ultimately yields bland, over-priced food. I am, however, a fan of sushi, sashimi and specialty rolls. I have tried many items on the menu here over many visits and every time I come away with the same feeling - The food is average or below average The prices are above average for what you are getting The service is nothing short of terrible. Last night I went here with a group of nine. We tried a wide variety of items from the menu without doing the hibachi thing. The service was excruciatingly slow. Our particular waitress didn't seem to understand orders, left literally piles of dirty dishes on our table and left us unattended then entire night. Every additional dish we wanted to order required us to physically go find her. In two cases we resorted to flagging down another waitress. For the privilege of this lack of service a mandatory 18% was tacked on to our bill which exceeded $300. One roll in particular was truly absurd - the hella hot roll. It was so big and stuffed with everything under the sun that it had no identifiable flavors other than "everything". The tuna that topped the roll was "hashed" with hot sauce yielding a very unpleasant texture. The whole thing was doused in three different sauces. This place would do well to study some better Japanese and sushi restaurants. Absent some change in management or ownership, I won't be back. read more

Sushi is fresh and service is respectable. Wish we lived closer. We dine her about three times a year. read more

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Good food and great lunch specials. Service can be slow but overall, good place for sushi /maki rolls. Vegetarian options are better for lunch. read more

Samurai is my favorite place to go for sushi in the Milwaukee area. It's a bit out of the way for me since I live in Milwaukee, but it's worth the trip for a special occasion or craving. Their sashimi is always really fresh! I LOVE their sweet shrimp. Their sea urchin is really nice too and comes in these cute little carved cucumber cups of just the right depth to compliment the bite of sashimi. Their sashimi platters are great too, I've never experienced that thing where some fish look right but some don't. Their tuna, for instance, never looks like it's been dyed or left out too long, and their salmon is always supple and never withered. Their special rolls are AWESOME. Try the Secret Roll if you haven't, it's my all-time favorite roll anywhere. I've had I think 2 total incidents in which I was really unhappy with the service, and both times my party was compensated for it. Overall, the service here isn't exemplary, but it isn't bad either and when they do f*** up they take responsibility for it, which is a lot more than what I can say about some places. The first time was for my significant other's birthday, and we were served by a newer, inexperienced waitress. She botched up our order some, but the manager had them replaced and gave us a free dessert. The second time was when we were served really weird-tasting Dragon Banana dessert. They remade it for us twice and then exchanged the dessert without additional cost because it turned out after the chef sampled the bananas that they weren't ripe enough to taste sweet after being cooked through. Things are a bit more pricey here, i.e. I can't walk out without paying more than $100 for dinner for two compared to say, $60-70 from Izumi's, but I think that it's worth it. read more

The service and food are always great. My favorite treat, that is hard to find in Milwaukee is Ami Ebe. Sweet Shrimp, baby. You'll never go back...unless eating the entire fried head of a shrimp is not your thing. A little pricy, but worth the treat. Ask of they have Toro (fatty tuna), another delicacy. There is also Hibachi for those who are not so keep on the raw seafood thing. Family friendly, kids love the animation of the Hibachi chef :) read more

Go anywhere else but here! See some roadkill? Go for it. I guarantee it is a better option. The food was horrendous and our server didn't say a single word until we were walking out of the door. The atmosphere was odd and we were uncomfortable from the time we sat down. There's just something off about this place... read more

Samurai Restaurant - Teriyaki chicken (looks better than it tastes) - Japanese Near Me - Glendale, Wisconsin

If you want good service, do not come here! We have come here becaue the food is decent as well as their price and it is close to our house, but if it was not close, we would not come here...the food is nothing special so I gave it stars, but they would get more stars if we got better service...we always feel like they want to get us out of there as soon as possible... Oh and their birthday thing they do is so annoying...first they have a glitch in the music so it makes a horrible sound, but it is really annoying... read more

So I have to start with the fact that I am from CA and am very used to great sushi, that being said, I have had fantastic sushi in WI. This place was not that. way over priced, and I dont mind paying if its good fish! and just not excellent. The rolls didnt have much flare, no sauces and a lot of rice. The fish seemed fresh, but I need a little more than that. They did have a teppan area which seemed big for families/birthdays etc...so that may be a better way to go than just sushi... read more

This place is fantastic. The food is consistently quality and the location makes it easier to get to than any of the places on the east side or downtown. The atmosphere is casual, and take out is a breeze. Hibachi isn't too bad either. read more

As someone else on Yelp has said, this is my "go-to" place for Sushi and/or Sashimi. My wife and I plus several friends often frequent Samurai. It's conveniently located with no parking issues to have to deal with. We have always liked their food and the service, for us at least, has always been satisfactory. My only small issue is the price of their family or party boat which, in my view, is a little high. That's not their fault if that's what we order. Others have said their prices are quite reasonable so perhaps it's time to forgo the party boat and try something else from the menu. Samurai must be doing something right because they always seem busy. Not crowded, just busy but not so much so that you cannot enjoy your dinner. I like to call ahead and reserve a booth which does offer a higher degree of privacy and enhances our dining enjoyment. read more

This is right by the Pic N Save so the lot can be real busy depending on what day/time u come. I guess we're all spoiled by the LA/Vegas/other places sushi so this is ok. It's somewhat price-y for what you get but it wasn't bad. It's really 3.5 -4 stars but the higher prices put it back. Milwaukee's not the place to have sushi due to the price point. read more

Samurai was a good surprise because when you talk about Sushi in Milwaukee this place doesn't enter the conversation and that is a shame because I'm here to tell you that Samurai is the best sushi place in Milwaukee. It is in a strip mall on the north side so it doesn't get the attention of the downtown people, but it should. The tuna tartar is amazing, they serve it in a martini class and it has a kick to it that you'll remember. Every roll I've had was great and so was the sashimi. The waitstaff has always been super nice and we always felt like the owners were watching everything closely. Nothing has ever gone wrong for us there. The best part is that you get value here as well, because the prices are nice. Wisconsinites will think a place in a strip mall can't be that good but that isn't the case in most of the country where much of the new development is strip mall based. Don't pass it up because it is in Glendale guys. read more

This place is next to my favorite chinese place in Glendale, so when I'm in the area I tend to get one or the other. Their food is pretty decent - I tend to get either the vegetable tempura (fresh veggies, not overly greasy!) or the vegetable teriyaki (sometimes has too much sauce, making it overly salty/sweet). The miso soup and house salad are tasty and on par with most other Japanese restaurants. The only thing I don't care for about this place is the service. The last time I was there our waiter forgot our salads, drinks, and we waited forever for boxes and our check. read more

Really good quality sushi, big selection, and good prices. One of the best sushi places in the suburbs!

Yelp experiment: Dined here without even looking at the menu and ordered solely based on Yelp recommendations! Yum, yum, and yum! Looks like your typical strip mall sushi joint inside and out. The food, however, is far from typical - it's pretty damn good! I had the vegetable gyoza (amazing dipping sauce!) and the Crazy Tuna roll (crazy good!). The servings were quite large. I could barely finish the Crazy Tuna roll. Service was average, but I was consumed with trying to defrost from the cold outside so I didn't really care one way or the other how friendly the staff were. Two things that kept this place from getting five stars: 1. The saddest little teapot you've ever seen. It leaked everywhere and probably should have been eighty-sixed a long time ago. 2. It is really expensive!! The Crazy Tuna roll was $17! That's a good $5 more than what I think it would go for at other local sushi places. That being said, I'll be back in a heartbeat the next time I'm on that side of town! read more

Samurai Restaurant - Amazing Crazy Tuna roll! Must. Eat. Last. Piece. Too good to waste a single bite! - Japanese Near Me - Glendale, Wisconsin

Shoutout to Ricky for being the best hibachi chef in town... he brings the energy & makes sure that everyone is having a great time. Not only was the food great, but also the environment!! read more

Service alone was bad enough not to go back. Waiter was never around and had to rely on some nice waitress. Food was ok and portions did not match the menu. My personal opinion just avoid and save your money. read more

I really enjoyed the sushi here and the fish seemed fresh too. I loved the spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls the most. I ordered 4 sushi rolls (6 pieces each) and was still a little hungry at the end. Oh well, what I did have to eat was tasty. If the food was a little less expensive I would have ordered some more. My waitress was friendly and efficient. I enjoyed the decor and atmosphere of the restaurant, and I will definitely go back in the future. read more

Hibachi chef burned all the food and the service was terrible. Waitress acted like it was a chore to provide service and threw down all the plates and silverware. Don't waste your money and eat at home. I think I'd rather starve than come back here. read more

I always like this place and go with my brothers every time we come home. It's close by our house which helps a lot. We usually get some rolls and also an order of the yaki udon. I've never tried any of their special rolls - their price is a bit higher than I like and I'm happy with simple choices. But the simple rolls - especially the spicy tuna and alaskan - they're quite large. Eight pieces to a roll and each piece is almost too big for my mouth. Service: Fast. Not too friendly. And they have a tendency to bring out dishes slowly, so if you're in a group, expect some waiting. Environment: A little loud because of the hibachi tables but otherwise good. read more

I was introduced to sushi here a few years ago, after much trepidation, and I'm still a fan of sushi today. I love to go to Samurai when I'm in the North Shore because the sushi always tastes fresh, the prices are reasonable (especially for sushi) and the atmosphere is relaxing. For the gluten free list: The waiters here are very accommodating. My personal tip on all sushi eaten out is to ask your server to make sure the sushi mat is washed before your sushi is prepared. That way, if tempura-containing sushi has been prepared, you don't get sick. I have not had a reaction from Samurai, and I am very sensitive (I always mention rinsing the mat) :) read more

I loved this place. Even though most of the Japanese restaurants I have been in can be challenging for me (little veg offerings), I was super happy here. My friend got the sushi platter, and I got the Hibachi Vegetable Dinner. It was quite large, and came with soup and salad as well. They have a very large menu, and you also have the choice of sitting at the grill and being entertained by the chef making your food. read more

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One of my favorite restaurants in Mill Valley. Great rolls, fresh sashimi's, nice wine. Go early or late as there might be a 20 min line.

I asked for a custom roll and received exactly what I described. In addition the tuna sashimi was very fresh and a firm cut. Really first rate raw fish. The portions are generous. They offer broad variety to accommodate friend that don't like sushi. Prices are moderate. I like this place and will make it a stop on my next visit. read more

Samurai Restaurant - Surprisingly large interior with sushi bar, hibachi tables as well as booths and regular tables. Beer, wine, saki bar. - Japanese Near Me - Glendale, Wisconsin

I just went here for the first time last week for a celebratory graduation dinner for my sister. So I was all about living it up and trying lots of different stuff on the menu. We had veggie tempura to start (really nice). Next we ordered a couple of maki rolls, and they were very nice except for the piece of romaine lettuce that completely threw me off. I lived on the West coast for a few years, and I never had lettuce in my maki! Then we shared a hibachi dinner- filet mignon and scallops (which would have been plenty of food for 2 people without apps and sushi). It was absolutely fantastic! I actually moaned a little. ;) For dessert everyone shared a fried ice cream for dinner, which was a hit with everyone in our group. It was actually my least favorite part of the meal though since I don't have that much of a sweet tooth. All in all I'm giving Samurai 4 stars instead of 5 simply because 1. the sushi is pricey compared to other places in the area (quality is good, so still worth it) and 2. because they use lettuce in their maki! GET RID OF THE LETTUCE SAMURAI AND YOU'RE GOLDEN! read more

I'm from south Florida and we are a Mecca of great sushi. That being said getting off the plane and driving 15min to this restaurant was a very pleasant surprise! It's very close to the airport it right of route 43 and has great food. We order the hella hot roll the amazing roll and friend rice. The service was great, the food was even better and the place was pleasantly busy, it obviously has a following Of happy loyal Customers. The rolls had great flavor, generous proportions and a killer price point. The rolls were huge and delicious with a unique twist on sushi with amazing combinations and fun unique rolls. It's definitely worth checking out if your In the Milwaukee area! read more

Samurai Restaurant - Hella hot roll and amazing roll - Japanese Near Me - Glendale, Wisconsin