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    Sawa Sushi

    4.2 (310 reviews)
    ModerateSushi Bars, Japanese
    Open 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Sawa Sushi Photos

    Business Info

    SAWA SUSHI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Sawa Sushi

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    Reviews With Photos

    Marilyn A.

    Hands down I think the best sushi I have had in the Coachella Valley! To be more specific characteristics of the food, such as aroma, visual appeal, texture, color were 10/10. This place is a small whole in the wall, with only booths and two stand alone tables, I suggest calling ahead of time to plan for a big party. The service was a little different , not greeted or acknowledged until we sat down. The lady just gets straight to business asking what we want, & service was the same throughout the visit. No checking in on us either. I think it's a cultural difference not so much being rude, just a heads up!

    Chris D.

    We should of know when we walked in that it wasn't gonna be great. Definitely a pass. There's certainly other better sushi spots around the valley. Our server awkward and, perhaps new, I don't know. But it was so uncomfortable to order. Such a weird experience. We got several rolls to share and they looked gorgeous and delicious!! But 2 or the 4 were fishy, which is not what you want when you order fish. The spicy tuna was really mushy and the chicken teriyaki that we ordered definitely wasn't a teriyaki sauce. Bizarre. Also, the inside of the restaurant felt like a diner or just generally run down. Try Misaki or Sam's near by, or Dragon Sushi in Palm Desert.

    Picante
    Nicole C.

    I've passed by this sushi spot 1000 times and so glad we finally tried it. The picante roll was to die for! We came back the next day because it was that good. The inside is very spacious and the servers were very attentive. Definitely recommend as a great sushi spot!

    Sheryl L.

    We went back a few days later with my son and all three of us were very happy. We loved the yellow tail collar and everything else. Many times we go back to places and it's not as good as the first time but not here! So far this is our favorite sushi in the desert.

    Menu
    Robert L.

    We were in Indian Wells for a dance competition and looking for some takeout Japanese food. Found this place on Yelp. Had pretty good reviews. Decided to give it a try. The facility itself is very underwhelming. Located in a strip mall. Relatively small restaurant space. Also when we went in, it was relatively empty. Could just be the time of year being middle of June. But we went during dinner time. Fortunately, the food was excellent. Sushi was very fresh. Rolls were tasty. We had the Rainbow roll, Tokyo roll, Yellowtail lover roll. Also ordered some tuna and yellowtail sushi. Everything was great. We enjoyed it so much. We came back again later in the week. As I mentioned, the ambience is not too great, but for us, we just wanted takeout and it was perfect.

    Quick check in at Sawa
    Rick J.

    Kind of out of they way location, small indoor seating area. YELP Short answer: Sure, it is okay for a quick sushi or noodle meal, just not very fancy buildout but super fast efficient service. Location: in a sea of cement in a forest of large big box and retail stores. Very small which is fine. Buildout: on a dime, but works. Menu: Pretty extensive, lots of choices not sure how they knock it out when busy. Food Prep: Nicely done. Food Quality: Pretty good, I just had one roll, it was pretty good but not tight, loose and a little hard to eat. Waitstaff: Getting down to business, these people work hard, great service. Value: Yes ok value and glad I visited but for inexpensive and other options are nearby. They seem to have a lot of regulars which is great.

    Jessica G.

    This sushi spot has undoubtedly secured its place as my favorite in the desert. Tastes amazing and is fairly priced. Not very crowded, allowing me have a more enjoyable experience. Plum wine, edamame, miso soup, and sushi. Each visit reaffirms why this spot holds a special spot in my culinary heart.

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    2 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Small place with excellent fresh sushi. The sushi is delicious better than many in the valley.

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    2 years ago

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    11 months ago

    This was a great experience. High quality sushi, and a fair price. Staff were kind and paid attention to refills and extra plates!

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Food was great! Will order again for take out. The sushi was delicious and the specialty rolls were good too!

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    1 year ago

    Definitely don't go if you gave food allergies. They won't take precautions. We asked.

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    1 year ago

    It was so great. The people were so great and the food was delicious. Smaller restaurant and we actually liked the intimacy. Great spot!

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    Ask the Community - Sawa Sushi

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    Sams Sushi - Highway 111 Roll

    Sams Sushi

    3.5(390 reviews)
    0.6 mi
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    An average sushi spot here in the desert. Honestly while it was okay overall, I don't think I'll be…read moreback. Would rather hold out for better sushi options than settle for someplace that's just average. For context solid sushi spots in the desert are hard to come by, understandably. La Quinta actually has two of my favorites BUT they are only open for dinner hours. So I've been on the search for solid sushi spots that have lunch hours. Being that Sam's Sushi was open for lunch and has moderate reviews, thought that they were worth a try. The ambiance of the spot is basic. There was a proper sushi bar which I could appreciate and the restaurant was spacious. My biggest issues were cleanliness and freshness. The tables weren't clean enough for my preference (soy sauce containers were sticky and the plate they sit on hadn't been cleaned for a while). Also I found the temperature inside to be a little too warm, which is always a red flag to me when dealing with seafood. The reason I'm giving 3 stars instead of 2 stars is the staff were friendly. Despite being busy they had me seated quickly and also food was at a good pace. One of my drinks was forgotten by the server but he was kind and apologized about it, so not a big deal. As again, they were busy. Overall the reason for the lower review is primarily for the food and quality. I ordered a $25 bento box (not quite trusting or committing to larger sushi rolls) and was still underwhelmed. The best part of my meal was the miso soup and California roll. The California roll was average but tasty. However, the other two box options were meh. The mixed tempura had hits and misses. Tempura shrimp was decent. However, the veggies were too thick - so the batter to veggie ratio was off. Still edible though. The bummer with the bento box was the sushi and salad. Salad had barely any dressing, and not the tasty ginger or sesame dressing that most have - the dressing was so minimal I couldn't even tell you what it was. Also the sushi just didn't taste fresh. The ebi was fine but usually I wouldn't choose this for sushi. The salmon was edible but not super fresh and the yellowtail was stringy and I couldn't eat it. For $25 the plate looked appealing but lacked good flavor/execution. Overall, the place was busy so I'm hopeful they have a good following with locals and I saw a lot of professionals here for a quick lunch break. I just think there are substantially better sushi spots in the desert...I'm spoiled and have lots of good sushi spots at home that this spot wouldn't be one I'd be eager to come to again soon.

    Fire hole in the wall. Great sushi. Have tepanyaki if you want that instead of sushi. Great food…read more Highly recommend! Great quality food! We got seated right away. And food came in great time despite being a busy Friday night. Delicious sushi!!!! A must go

    Photos
    Sams Sushi
    Sams Sushi - Shrimp Tempura Crunch Roll at Sam's Sushi.

    Shrimp Tempura Crunch Roll at Sam's Sushi.

    Sams Sushi - Nice interior space

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    Nice interior space

    Nobu - Indian Wells

    Nobu - Indian Wells

    4.1(148 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    Takes reservations
    Fine dining

    I came to Nobu for my wife and I anniversary dinner that we've been planning for about six months…read more My wife and I had never been to Nobu before, but we had heard a lot of great things. The general vibe in the restaurant was perfect. It wasn't too too busy, but there were a lot of people still so we knew that the service is up-to-date. I want to give a very special shout out to Barron. They were incredibly attentive, responded really well to conversation and was an amazing busser/server who is able to refill waters quicker than I can even notice that my water was halfway gone. And also took a special interest in why we were there and I hope that Barron becomes a server in the future because I will come back and specifically request them for us the next time my wife and I come.

    If you're going to Nobu, Nobu Indian Wells is the location that really stands out…read more I've been to multiple Nobu locations, including Coronado, and this one just feels more dialed in. The atmosphere is clean, focused, and elevated without trying too hard. From the moment you walk in, everything flows the way it should. The food is exactly what you expect from Nobu. High quality, fresh, and consistent. The fish is clean, the flavors are balanced, and everything is presented the right way. You can tell there's attention to detail across the board. What makes this location better for me is the overall experience. It feels more complete. Service, timing, energy in the room, it all comes together better than other locations I've been to. Coronado has the ocean and the historic setting, which is great, but Indian Wells just executes at a higher level. If I had to rate it, this is a 5 out of 5 for me, and the one I'd choose to go back to first. If you're in the area, don't overthink it. This is the Nobu to go to.

    Photos
    Nobu - Indian Wells - This was the lobster special that I can't even describe but was flavors we've never experienced. Wow!

    This was the lobster special that I can't even describe but was flavors we've never experienced. Wow!

    Nobu - Indian Wells
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    Sawa Sushi - sushi - Updated May 2026

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