Amazing hidden gem in Tucson! It's hard to find and definitely a hole in the wall spot but it's worth every bit. The restaurant is ran by 2 people, assuming the owners and they were great. The food was amazing! The dumpling, sushi and monkey balls are delicious! But the ramen was superior! Amazing flavor! If I'm ever back in Tucson we will definitely be back in! read more

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Giving it 2 stars because the sushi tasted good, and the one singular person in the entire establishment was kind, and quick with her service. However, the prices for what you get are atrocious. We ordered only 4 rolls (2 tempura, only 5 pieces each) for over $50. Almost every roll on the menu, except for 2 of them, were over $11. Standard sized rolls (for both the regular and tempura), not anything crazy. It's also very unnerving how quiet it is in the place. There needs to be some background music. read more

Ordered takeout for lunch and their Spicy Salmon Don was so good. One of the best meals I've had in Tucson so far!

Ordered a Philadelphia roll, potato salad, spicy tuna don, hamachi don, and takoyaki. It was a cute diner, with photos posted on the wall to showcase their menu. My friend told me that this has been a restaurant that's been in business since she was growing up so I was really excited to try it. I have to give it a 3 Star experience because my potato salad was bland and the portion was pretty small for $3.50, and my Philadelphia roll had a fishy smell so I ended up giving up after 3 pieces. My friends enjoyed their dons and their miso soup. Next time I will probably go for that or one of their ramen. I can't really speak on the service since we ordered it to go. They were really nice while taking the order and handing it over! read more

Samurai - Potato Salad - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Pretty good fast-foods Japanese Ramen and other foods like sushi rolls, curry and Don!!! Pretty good menu and cover most area .... Tasty and delicious!!! Services were so efficient!!! It's a small family Japanese foods shop and you h have to order on count cashier and pay, they will bring the foods to you either you're dining in house or take out!!! Recommend for Japanese lovers and the pricing is very economy nowadays!!! I ordered shoyu ramen - soy sauce ramen, and spicy tuna hand rolls!!! Love the spicy tuna hand rolls that I couldn't even take a picture! I ate so fast!!! Ramen tasted was right on n delicious everything!!! read more

Samurai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Walking into this place was a treat because it has many cute decorations. The waitress/cashier/cook was extremely kind and patient as we decided our food choices. The ramen was full of flavor with firm noodles and tasty pork. We were also served our food and given waters without even having to ask for them, which was curteous. Overall the food was nicely priced with almost all of it being $12 or less and the portions were also big for the price which made it even better. I will definitely come here again. (: read more

Samurai - Shoyu Ramen with egg - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Our new favorite Japanese place! We were looking for a place that had sushi and udon and found the perfect place! It's a smaller place but has that authentic feel to it. Everything is fresh and reasonably priced. Cashier is also cook but is efficient and friendly. read more

This place always has the best ramen and sushi. The service is quick, efficient, attentive. I got some ramen, salmon nigiri, and hot green tea. All was soooooo good. I like that it's a cute lil diner. I came in the afternoon on a weekday and it wasn't busy at all. I wish I lived on this side of town or else I would be here all the time. read more

Samurai - Hot Green tea, Shoyu Ramen, Salmon Nigiri - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

It has been a long time since I was here and it is good as I remember. The staff are very friendly and the food came out quickly. Prices are reasonable for the amount and quality of the food. We had the monkey balls which are deep friend mushrooms with tuna, cream cheese and spicy sauce. They were piping hot and delicious. The umami of the mushroom paired perfectly with the tuna. We also shared the dynamite scallop roll. The scollops were tender and melted in your mouth. We also enjoyed a Bear Down. My partner had the chicken curry bowl and could not finish it, it was that large. The curry was bright with a great umami flavor. I had the squid salad which was very bright and acidic, the squid was not very rubbery and it was very balanced. Overall, it was a wonderful meal and we recommend it for people looking for a great Japanese restaurant! read more

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Good food but it was extremely quiet in the restaurant, however the lady was an absolute angel

This is a must stop every time I am in Tucson. Having lived in Japan, this is as authentic as I have found anywhere. Portions are generous. You will not leave hungry! The katsudon and yakisoba are a must eat!! And don't forget the gyoza. Been here numerous times and never been disappointed. read more

Samurai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Okay but nothing special. A variety of rolls, rice dishes, ramen and bento boxes. Tried the volcano salmon don which was had a good amount of salmon in it. It's a pretty casual place and well suited for takeout. (My miso soup came in a Styrofoam cup & I saw someone else served the special on a disposable plate but my dish was on a reusable bowl. Wouldn't go out of my way to come, but if I'm in the area / lived nearby, I might stop for lunch every once in a while. Owner was very friendly. read more

Samurai - Volcano salmon - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This place is small but have a big menu. Only one person working the counter and serving food at the same time. We came during the week, place is not as busy. But people come and go. Portion is good and food is flavorful. One thing I am not going to order here is the edamame. The server forgot to give us bowl for our sauce, cup of water,napkins and chopsticks, we have to asked for them. But that won't stop us from coming back, food is really good. Love their curry. read more

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Samurai is absolutely fantastic. It's tucked away in the corner of a cluster of strip malls, which makes it easy to miss, but trust me -- you do NOT want to pass Samurai without stopping in. I've been going there for years for their sushi and bowls, as well as their ramen. They're fast and no frills, perfect for a delicious but quick lunch on a workday. I've had a number of their sushi rolls, but some of my favorites are the Salmon & Avocado Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll, and the Hamachi & Avocado Roll. My favorite bowl is the Spicy Tuna Don Volcano Style -- sushi rice and spicy tuna drizzled with spicy mayo and eel sauce. Their ramen is also wonderful! I recommend the Spicy Miso or the Tan Tan ramens if you like spice. During the summer, I'm also a big fan of their Cold Ramen. It's a great cool dish for when you want the flavors of ramen, but not the heat or the heaviness. The appetizers have some stand-outs as well, such as the Takoyaki, which is one of my favorite forms of fried dough balls (and there are a surprising number that I love, so that's significant!). I also quite like the Shrimp Shumai and the Vegetable Korokke. Next time you're driving down Oracle, turn in at that nondescript strip mall and head for the back corner. You'll be glad you did. read more

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I came here with a friend who had been stationed in japan. I was looking forward to some good Japanese food according to everybody's high ratings. But I'll be honest, I left rather unimpressed. My friend tried to speak Japanese with the gal at the counter, and we found out she was from Hong Kong. I'm not sure where the Cook was from but things just weren't quite up to expectations. I had a tofu stirfry bowl and asked for extra vegetables. I don't think I even got, a total of the normal amount of vegetables. She had a bowl of Ramen and was rather underwhelmed. We both left feeling like we had a meal that just didn't quite hit the mark. I think you get what I'm talking about. In my opinion, this place would do in a pinch, but if you really want some good Japanese food, you may want to go down the road. read more

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This no-frills restaurant located in a strip mall area features a few dine-in tables and basic walk-up counter to order. The food, on the other hand, was just basically delicious! It's been a long time since I had Spicy Tuna Rolls that actually were spicy. And, while they were flavorful, and freshly made, they spice level was not overwhelming. And, the Oyako Donburi bowl brought back college-days memories of a restaurant I used to go to all the time. Most of the tables were full when I arrived, which makes sense for the quality of the food, good service and fair prices - which are certainly much higher than my college days, however! :( read more

Samurai - Oyako Don bowl and the tattered remains of what was my Spicy Tuna Rolls! - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I've been to this spot a couple of times..friendly service, a little storefront place with minimal seating. I really enjoyed the monkey balls (battered fried mushroom filled with 'spicy' tuna sans cream cheese) they were delicious. I had a couple of sushi rolls they were fresh...volcano 'spicy' tuna Don was also fresh the flavors are a little bland and the tuna isn't spicy nor is the 'spicy' Mayo all of it was quite mild and that was a little disappointing. Still very fresh. read more

The food is amazing and the service is quick. The location can be difficult to find but if you look closely at the map, you can figure it out. Food was delicious and had so many different flavors. The menu spans from sushi, ramen, and other classic Japanese dishes. They do it well and they have clearly taken time on creating and mastering their menu. read more

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For authentic Japanese dishes this small restaurant is the place to eat. I really love coming here for lunch. The staff here are super friendly and helpful. It is a small local restaurant that has been in this location for many years. read more

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The staff is friendly and welcoming. They also had a sense of humor and didn't judge me for saying gyoza wrong and asking for a fork instead of chopsticks haha. The food was delicious, large menu so plenty of options. read more

Samurai - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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I only really get one thing here, which makes this review a little skewed, but what I get is ALWAYS AMAZING! I always get the Volcano Spicy Tuna Don. I think it is one of my favorites in town! The portion is very large, and the flavor and quality is great! I honestly should try more things on the menu, but I am the type of person that will find something on the menu that I love and will just stick to it~ read more

Samurai - Volcano Spicy Tuna Don - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This place used to be such a hidden gem. After the years you can tell it's lost its touch with newer people joining, it's not as "home made" as it used to be. The portions are literally HALF of what they used to be with the prices insanely high for the little food they now offer. I wish it could go back to when they actually cared about the quality. Guess I'll drive further north where they still give you great portions and the rice isn't soggy. read more

We ordered a few sushi rolls online to take out. The Samarai roll tasted very oily. The Las Vegas roll was ok. The Super Hero roll also tasted oily. All the rolls were really small considering the almost $60 cost of this meal. Pretty disappointing experience. Pass this place by if you are looking for sushi rolls on Oracle Rd. read more

we ordered 2 rolls and both tasted great! There was more meat than rice, and very favorable. friendly staff.

Samurai has been a place that I loved since being at UofA. Since graduating back in 2016, this is still a spot that I HAVE to visit anytime I'm in Tucson. So, being back in Tucson for a conference, you know I had to stop by. Food is still delicious, prices are are still about the same from what I remember, and it will still remain as a staple on my list of places to go to when I'm in Tucson for the weekend. Food--my go to is the Salmon-don Volcano style! That's a sushi bowl (bed of rice) with spicy salmon, tempura, eel sauce, and masago on top. It hasn't changed one bit since having it in college, and I wouldn't want it to change at all bc it's so good. read more

Samurai - Salmon don Volcano Style - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Always great sushi and ramen options, every time I come I try to get something different on the menu! The spicy crunchy roll and takoyaki were 10/10 read more

Samurai - Spicy crunch roll and takoyaki 10/10 - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

When it comes to Japanese food, the favorites that come to mind are ramen, udon, and sushi. I also use tonkotsu ramen as the baseline to judge a restaurant ramen quality. So stepping into the restaurant, you get the ma and pa shop vibe. It is small, with like 6 tables (I did not actually count I'm going off memory) and the pictures of their dishes next to their menu on the wall, looks like it was taken with a Kodak camera from the 90's. So you can say my expectations was on the lower end. But once I got my Tonkotsu ramen, the presentation looked nice and when I took my first sip of the broth, I tasted the wonderful "umami" of a long simmered pork bone broth. Every bite of was jam packed with flavor, and I did not need to add any extra condiments like chili spices or soy sauce. It was great as is. I would definitely recommend the tonkotsu ramen at least. I do not normally order bentos unless it is on the go. Hence the name bento.... read more

Samurai - Tonkotsu Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Food is great! Very fresh ingredients. Simple atmosphere. Order at the counter and then sit and food is brought out. The shrimp shumai were really tender and flavorful. Caterpillar roll had a nice blend of flavors. We will be back here for a casual lunch! read more

The sushi bowls are delicious as always. This time I tried volcano style ($1.5 extra) and it's fun. The bowls came with a big cup of miso soup. The AC wasn't working that well so it's a bit steamy in the rest. read more

Samurai - Spicy salmon sushi bowl - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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When you need a quick bite for lunch this place is great! My daughter loves the curry and my personal favorite is the Tuna Don volcano style. Only reason I didn't quite get to the 5 starts was the sushi rolls Can be a little inconsistent in their size besides that the food is great and the staff is nice. read more

The sushi was really good and the employees are really nice! Overall great. They have a good selection of rolls. Definitely check this place out! read more

I have been going to this restaurant for years and ordering the volcano Don this time I was highly disappointed the price had gone up $4 the bowl was larger but the quality was horrible . The tuna was still frozen with chunks in it the flavor was off the condiments tasted stale and the misu was undrinkable ! read more

Other food might be fine, but the Sushi is DANGEROUS. I got 3 orders of Salmon Sashimi (60$). The Raw Salmon was RANCID. (as long as you aren't getting anything raw you will probably be fine) Great selection of drinks and not that long of a wait! read more

Cheap and good food for the stomach. Lots of people know this secret food joint. Good for takeaway. Line form during busy lunch and dinner hour. Try the katsu don, tempura udon and volcano style hamachi. Best in the world. read more

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I got chicken curry and it was so bad I'm annoyed I really paid for this. The ONE bite of chicken on my fork is the only chicken I received in this curry... if they were out of chicken they should have told me so I could have ordered something else. Watery curry with a single bite of chicken, not cool. read more

Samurai - Chicken curry - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I went back and thought I would try some different things. The fried Horse Mackerel was quite tasty as were the fried oysters. The scallop don was interesting. The Salmon Sashimi was just as thin as last time. Almost approaching the "see through" thinness of grocery store sushi. Ok, for "fastfood style " Japanese Cuisine in Tucson. Total was almost $38. read more

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Great small place. The people in there are super nice and make great food. The spicy crunch roll is definitely recommended. read more

Samurai - Spicy Crunch roll and superhero roll - Japanese Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

They were willing to make my hand roll with no rice as requested and the spicy pork ramen with no noodles. Delicious and satisfied my keto cravings. Took my American Express but said they would not in the future. Ate it all sorry no pictures. read more

The caterpillar roll is good and the price is good too. Definitely will come back to try other items.

I used to get food from this place at least once a week for 10 years. Due to COVID and change of ownership, the menu became very limited And I stopped going for two years. I decided to give it a try again and boy, am I disappointed. I ordered Katsu curry and volcano tuna don. The Katsu pork was over fried and garnish of tempura crumbs on volcano tuna don were completely soggy. They also sell potato salad in a dipping sauce container for $3.5 ..... the whole meal costs $41.56 (after taxes) With two entrees and a small potato salad. I probably won't go back in the future. read more