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    Samurai

    4.1 (234 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese, Sushi Bars
    Closed 11:00 am - 7:30 pm

    Order Samurai Takeout or Delivery

    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

    Potato Salad
    Grace C.

    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!

    Nelson H.

    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!!!

    Shoyu Ramen with egg

    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. (:

    Hot Green tea, Shoyu Ramen, Salmon Nigiri
    Zuriel L.

    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.

    Monkey Balls
    Brian S.

    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!

    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.

    Volcano salmon
    Georgiana Y.

    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.

    Outside
    Belle V.

    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.

    Samurai exterior
    Betsy L.

    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.

    Jodi H.

    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.

    Oyako Don bowl and the tattered remains of what was my Spicy Tuna Rolls!
    Ken R.

    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! :(

    Volcano style spicy crab sushi bowl. Perfect flavor and really dynamic in texture. Some crunch, some sweet, about a medium spice.
    Nadine F.

    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.

    Tonkotsu Curry
    Justin M.

    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.

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    3 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    22 days ago

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

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    9 months ago

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

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Samurai

    We love this place! But I haven't been able to place an order over the phone. Does anyone know if they closed down? :(

    They were closed two weeks for vacation and reopen tomorrow.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Kukai

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    Really love coming to this place after a nice yoga session on Tuesdays…read more My go-to has been the Mt. Fuji Bowl with Tuna with half the serving of rice but my last time there I tried the black sesame ramen. It was really rich and flavorful. I want to say that it was just as good as Monta Ramen in Chinatown in Las Vegas. You walk up, you order then they text you when your order is ready. While you're waiting, you can grab a drink from the Westbound Bar (drink included with yoga) then find a spot then chill with your fellow yogis. After having had the ramen I would designate this place as the go to next time I feel like having it.

    Out-of-towner visiting Tucson and, as someone who's obsessed with sushi, I was so excited to find…read morethis spot near our Airbnb at the super cute MSA Annex. The whole area is really fun--made up of shipping container shops--and has such a cool, laid-back vibe. It already set the tone before we even got our food. Coming from California, I definitely have high expectations when it comes to sushi, and this place honestly delivered. The fish tasted fresh, the rice was flavorful and well-balanced, and everything just came together really nicely. We also tried some ramen, which was surprisingly solid too. We grabbed our food and sat near the bar, and it made for a great, casual dinner experience. Between the food and the atmosphere, it's a really nice spot to check out, especially if you're visiting Tucson and want a good sushi fix.

    Shogun Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

    Shogun Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

    (371 reviews)

    $$

    My fiancé took me here for dinner wanted to try this place out and the food was good we had…read morevegetables and shrimp tempura, Tucson roll, Spicy tuna and sex on the beach roll. Service, we walked in and the girl at the register ask for how many people, we said for 2 and she said you can sit anywhere so we said if we can sit at the booth table, so she said we couldn't because that was for 4 or more on weekend.., she should not say sit anywhere then.. then we sat at a table and it wasn't clean as well and she saw that and gave a quick wipe down. I wasn't happy because you should not say sit anywhere.. She was an ok server, I wasn't happy when I walked in .. then got to ordering she took the order and my fiancé had order the food. The brought out miso soup first before watever you wanted to order.She wasn't a nice server from tone of voice. Ambience is ok. Had booth table and tables and chairs sitting also they have a sushi bar where you can see a chief making rolls and etc..

    "Ohio!"--a cheerful Japanese good morning, not the state was exactly the spirit I walked in with…read morewhen I arrived at Shogun on a scorching over-100-degree Tucson afternoon. My daughter described the ambiance as "interesting," which is a very kind and diplomatic way to say... it has personality. The kind that makes you look around and go, "Okay... I see what you're trying to do here." But let's be honest we came for the food, not a design critique. Now, my ordering style? Zero restraint. I went all in: Las Vegas roll with sesame crust, scallop and salmon rolls, sashimi lunch special, and sukiyaki beef. Yes, all for me. I believe in commitment. After tasting everything, I found myself in a bit of a flavor identity crisis. The scallops and salmon? Absolutely worth talking about fresh, clean, and memorable. Those bites had purpose. The rest... well, they were polite. And by polite, I mean they didn't offend me, but they also didn't leave a lasting impression. The kind of dishes you forget before you even start your car. Now, the sukiyaki this one needs a little heart-to-heart. It leaned a bit too sweet, like it was trying to win me over with sugar instead of depth. The tofu came in cold (which felt like a surprise I didn't ask for), and the beef... unfortunately, it was overworked and under-juicy. The service, however, was lovely attentive and kind. I tipped happily. But if the food rises to meet that level, I'd be ready to compliment the chef just as generously. Shogun has the foundation it just needs a little more consistency and confidence in the kitchen to turn "interesting" into "impressive." -- Teeraya Tomlin

    Ni's Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar - special roll

    Ni's Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar

    (147 reviews)

    $$

    We have been here twice in a few weeks because this is our new favorite Sushi restaurant…read more The restaurant is clean and has a simple style. The staff are very friendly. The amount of sushi you get compared to cost makes it very affordable. The plating is amazing as you can see in the photos. We opted for the combos which come with several pieces of sushi and some come with sashimi as well and rolls. The cuts of sushi were large and fresh. There was wasabi and ginger if you enjoy those. The rolls were creative and delicious. Our favorite was Ni Bistro roll followed by the Emerald. The sushi"wich" was very creative and looked like a sandwich. The Ni Bistro was full of flavor and had a lot of pieces. Overall, we highly recommend this new find on the Northwest side!

    Surprisingly bad. I ordered the chicken and pineapple fried rice and a spicy tuna roll…read more Both were the worst I've had. The spicy tuna roll was especially strange - it had no flavor. I didn't know what I was eating. Eventually I could pick up some spiciness, but it was subtle. It was so bland and mushy, I wasn't even sure I was eating tuna. At one point I pulled a piece of the roll apart to take a closer look. I couldn't tell if it was tuna or not - I assume they use some kind of filler ingredients in addition to tuna (maybe that's normal for spicy tuna rolls, but they normally taste much better than this). The fried rice was the worst I've had, though still edible. The pineapple was strange in that it didn't taste like pineapple - I guess it wasn't ripe yet. So no pineapple flavor in the pineapple fried rice. Beyond that, the dish was bland. The unfortunate reality is that Tucson has low standards for Asian food, and shockingly bad places can stick around for years. Some of you remember Yokohama Rice Bowl, a local fast food chain, which was awful, and immediately displaced when Panda Express arrived, which is 10x better... It's too bad that Ni's isn't trying to do something great.

    Samurai - japanese - Updated May 2026

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