I ordered salmon sushi rolls for takeout, and once I got home i realized it was all nigiri. I called and offered to come back and exchange, but they told me they wouldn't fix it because I already left the store. I had miso soup, so I wasn't going to tear open the bag so it spills in my car. and who checks their takeout order when it's tightly wrapped up? The girl was so rude to me on the phone. Absolutely terrible customer service. Never coming back again. PS. Replying to Young C: You could choose between nigiri and sushi when I checked out online. I clearly picked sushi. See picture below. Most places would try to help make the customer happy, but not you guys. You just tell the customer they are wrong so you don't have to remake it. read more

Shema Sushi - For the sushi, I could pick between nigiri and sushi for the salmon roll option. I clearly picked sushi. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Shema never disappoints, thanks for another great meal! We got the sea scollop, sake belly, and tobiko nigiri, as well as the sake, takka, and miami maki rolls. For special rolls we got the toro power, and shema special. read more

Shema Sushi - Sushi plate - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Delicious chicken teriyaki. Highly recommend it. We took this to go, but when we picked it up, I thought the interior was clean and lighting. The staff were very friendly. read more

This place my husband and I have been passing for years and I finally stated to him LETS GO. So we took a visit to Shema Sushi they have limited hours and not a ton of tables. I would suggest getting here earlier than later. The inside has tables and you can see the chef making sushi, nigiri and etc. Enough tables and the color scheme is black walls, lots of natural light and tables. Now you can get your menu from the QR Code or feel free to ask for a menu. They have Asahi Beer a plus and I had a few unfortunately it's not on tap. I got a few rolls and my husband got the sushi sashimi combo. He liked it not loved it. I enjoyed it and our server was friendly, engaging and pleasant. I'd come back for sure as it's close enough to where we live. Considering its Sushi prices are moderate. I would come back for sure. Parking is basically street it is what it is. read more

See all

Nice spot right on Alexander. Plenty of fresh and baked options. Also have plenty of vegetarian and options for your non sushi eating friends. Highly recommend if you're looking for a fresh sushi spot in Rochester read more

The sushi is really good which is why we've spent $150 here nearly every week for years and always tipped well despite slow service. Tonight, for the first time, we raised an issue -- and were scolded for it. After our usual boat & saKe, we ordered a pork cutlet to eat in-house (soup and salad to go). It was 8:35 and the place closes at 9. The server agreed. When the dish was ready, she asked us to take it to go. We said no as we wanted to eat it freshly made. She pushed and so we canceled, uncomfortable with the change. The owner's wife then came out, talked down to us, and said "you are always so rude" -- even though this was our first and only complaint ever. Good food does not excuse being disrespected. We won't be back. read more

Ate here for the first time. Some of the finest Sushi we've had in Rochester! Tried the Toro Power, Golden Bridge and Spicy Dragon rolls. I'm a finicky eater and get bored easily with food, but I would/will order these exact three rolls the next time I come, as all three were masterly crafted to contrast in flavors and textures! This place is most definitely a hidden gem in a city where good Sushi is scarce. read more

I ordered the miso soup, spicy salmon roll, and the 3 amigos roll. The serving sizes were disappointing, with the sushi rolls being cut in very thin slices and being hardly filling for the price. These were smaller servings than I get at other places. The quality of the sushi and soup was good but not great. read more

Excellent sushi , but no delivery service. Highly recommended and elegant ambiance. Handicapped access and parking in back. Medical Arts Bu I legit. Next to the Old Toad , also a favorite of mine read more

Shema sushi is a great restaurant to go to if you're craving sushi in Rochester! We ordered the agedashi tofu, 3 chef special rolls (sumo, yummy yummy, and phoenix rolls), and a kitsune udon. The agedashi tofu was a bit paler than I'm used to, but it tasted decent, although nothing special. My favorite roll was the Phoenix roll (I love spicy tuna), but they were all pretty solid and tasted fresh! The kitsune udon was good as well, I always love fried tofu and how it soaks up the flavor of the broth. Overall, this was a solid meal and service was quick and kind to us :) read more

Shema Sushi - Sumo, yummy yummy, and phoenix rolls, kitsune udon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

I usually don't write reviews but this is the best sushi in the area hands down. Got takeout and it was quick, fresh and so good.

Best sushi in Monroe County, NY! Maybe even in Western NY! Really clean restaurant, too! No sticky tables, menus, or shoyu bottles. The quality of everything we ordered was excellent. read more

See all

What: sushi deluxe (10 pieces, plus CA roll, miso soup and salad). We are visiting our niece at college and coming from Nevada and originally California, I had very low expectations of sushi here, but this was surprisingly good. The quality of the fish was fresh and the sushi rice was done correctly. I would definitely return when we are in town again. Hubby had the caterpillar roll and the Shema roll. Parking: we parked in the back parking lot. read more

I love Shema sushi. They have the freshest and most flavorful fish. I've been coming ever since a friend recommended. It's a small place but they make the best sushi. So many tasty and unique rolls and other entrees. Absolutely love going here. read more

See all

Huge fan of Shema! We ordered for Yelp's Big Night In 2.0 and I was so impressed by their Covid-19 setup. Large barriers, food out on the table, and a text message when food was ready. We had a pretty large order with rolls, combo specials, entrees, and apps, and everything was labeled / conscientiously packed up. It did take over an hour for the food to be prepped, but not a huge deal. I will admit, since my first love Shiki closed a while ago, I haven't been super inspired to order sushi from any of the other great spots. Primarily because many of them are in Henrietta, which is simply not close to me, but also because I have REALLY missed Shiki. The sushi offered here at Shema is still not the same quality, but it might be the best option we have available right now. I went with a sushi combo that includes soup and salad for like $19, which was great. I'm looking forward to continuing to support this biz! read more

See all

A recent change in ownership, this place doesn't disappoint! The menu has a wide variety of items from sushi /sashimi to teriyaki dishes, donburi, bulgogi and eclectic truly tasty appetizers. There is clear talent in the kitchen here! The sushi is ridiculously fresh, and while not as many speciality rolls, it outdoes Plum House 10x on the items they have in common. Perfectly situated in the east end, with free parking, Shema is a great place to start your evening downtown! So check it out!! You will love read more

If you're about quality and delicious sushi that's in downtown Rochester, then save yourself time and effort and immediately go to Shema. The staff is friendly, the palace is simple and very clean and most importantly the food is great! Tried this place multiple times and will always choose it for some fresh delicious sushi. read more

Best sushi in Rochester area. Fish is always fresh and tasty. Service is friendly and efficient.

Definitely the best sushi in Rochester hands down! The hand rolls are beyond amazing and the quality of fish is out of this world. I love Shema! read more

Still five stars! I'm updating my review to say that I still love this place, and they're offering pickup orders by phone during the COVID-19 outbreak. Today I ordered the chicken gyoza and bulgogi meal for lunch and it was so worth it. The food was as fresh and delicious as ever, and given these uncertain times, having a hot meal made with love meant so much to me. Give them your patronage if you can! Their current hours are: Mon. - Fri. : 11:30AM ~ 7:30PM Sat. : 4:30PM ~ 7:30PM Check their Facebook page for updates and a menu. read more

Shema Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

My new go-to place for sushi now that Shiki is closed. Shema offers a similarly convenient central location and some of the best sushi I've had in Rochester. Their sushi boat for two is what keeps bringing my fiancée and I back. For $50, it's a decent value with plenty of food even for those with big appetites. The sushi boat consists of two miso soups, two salads, 2 chef special rolls (8 pieces each) and 20 pieces of nigiri sushi with some seaweed salad. The rolls are expertly made with good uniformity and generous amounts of ingredients. The nigiri are too notch. They serve both salmon and tuna two ways. I'm a fan of their toro nigiri. Another underrated item on their menu is their Hamachi Kama (grilled yellowtail). As long as you don't mind getting your hands a little dirty, you'll be rewarded with delicious and succulent fall off the bone fish. read more

Shema Sushi - Sushi "boat" for 2 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

I came here last night for some sushi and I am ready to comeback for more ASAP it was so delicious. My friend and I ordered 4 rolls which were very filling. The spicy tuna roll was your classic roll and was very good. The kabuki was a great light roll, didn't have overpowering flavors but had the perfect combo of fish and avocado. The star rolls of the night were the yummy yummy and the salmon crunch. Both had the perfect amount of tempura flavors mixed with the creaminess of either cream cheese and avocado. I probably said mmmm with every bite I took and we definitely fought over the last pieces of them. Our server was super friendly and quick all night too. I can't wait to come back and try more! read more

See all

Ramen miso was just right with some sake belly hit the spot for dinner. Great spot, clean inside, wonderful service and ambiance:) read more

See all

good food good service maybe a little expensive but reasonable for a sushi recommendedddd read more

Decided to update my review since I've been here several times since my last review. Given that the options are limited in upstate New York/Rochester, this is pretty darn tasty. Wait times are pretty long so this has never been a quick meal the several times I have gone here, but the sushi is fresh and tasty. Splurged for the deluxe chirashi bowl last time with a salmon avocado and scallop roll and it was great. Highly recommend this gem. read more

See all

We went to the Rochester science museum, and we were in the mood for sushi. This place came up in a Google search. Delicious and fresh sushi! My son had the spicy sushi combo with a tuna and avocado salad . I had a hand roll and a yellowtail roll. Delicious. Fresh, fast, friendly service and the restaurant was very clean and quaint. Two thumbs up! read more

So GOOD! One of the 2 sushi places I will eat at in Rochester. I love it here. Great sushi and great noodle dishes too. It's small inside and right now they are only doing maximum parties of 4. Love their house made ginger honey tea too!! I recommend the avocado salad (pictured) the sushi of course and the yakisoba udon noodle dish or the ginger chicken udon noodles. love it here!!! read more

Shema Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

After a full morning of appointments with my 15 year old, she requested Sushi for lunch which gave me the perfect excuse to check this place out. We got there about 15 minutes after they opened for lunch and the place filled up pretty quickly. There looked to be only one server for all the tables. There should probably be two as service was slow at times. Kiddo was happy to see Ramune soda on the menu and opted for that drink. It's sealed with a marble - try it! We have yet to get the marble out of the bottle. We also ordered a few appetizers, I got the Sashimi Lunch special which also came with a small salad and a bowl of miso soup. Kiddo ordered a bowl of Beef ramen. The appetizers we tried included one that was diced octopus on cucumber slices. It came with 3 pieces. I wish it had been 4 pieces! It was good but not enough. The second one ordered was a grilled yellow tail. This one, being cooked, took awhile to arrive and I thought it was forgotten. I would have preferred being given the option to wait for that to be served first as it was an appetizer. However, it was a large piece of fish and was cooked perfectly. I'm glad I had ordered it as it helped to fill me up. Sashimi, on its own, is delicious but not filling. And if you are new to my reviews: I don't eat rice (gasp!). Not many sushi places have cauliflower rice or cucumber wrapped sushi rolls yet so Sashimi it is. I'd totally return here. Even though service was slow, the food was good and our server was friendly. Note: ask for whatever you need when you sit down though. Silverware, extra napkins, water. It was hard to get our server's attention since he was busy with the other tables. Free parking on the side street and there is also a lot. read more

See all

Wifey and I decided to try a new sushi spot- I had heard of but hadn't tried Shema before but I saw the good Yelp reviews from friends whom I trust- so we went. I liked the typical Japanese restaurant feel and decor- not tacky or too loud with blaring music for the bar patrons like a few other sushi places very close to where I live. If you've been to those places- you know what I am talking about. Anyway- on to the food! We shared Fried chicken dumplings- Guyoza I think it's called. Very good. We both ordered sushi platters - I had the deluxe- a filling and tasty assortment of sushi. Wifey had a honey ginger tea to warm up and I had a Sapporo beer. Nice selection of sake available too. Service was friendly and attentive. I highly recommend Shema! read more

See all

Always the choice for birthday dinners. Excellent sushi. Appreciate that they now also have physical menus. read more

My dad and I came from San Diego so my expectations weren't high for Rochester sushi but holy smokes this place blew us away! Better than any sushi I've had back home besides LA. Shema's sushi rolls were amazing and the rice was perfectly warm and soft, it really does make a difference. My favorite roll was Shrek, 2nd spicy dragon, and 3rd trio amigo. We also got the shumai and we were addicted, they would just melt in your mouth. I'll never forget this place xo. read more

Shema Sushi - Shrek, trio amigo, spicy dragon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Excellent sushi and a lot of nice options for the non-raw-fish set as well. Lovely dining room, good music on the sound system. Very kind and attentive wait staff. Excellent selection of drink as well. We'll definitely be back again and again! read more

Shema Sushi - Busy chefs at Shema Sushi. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Love it here! Would highly recommend. Shema sushi has the best sushi I have ever had. Unique rolls with lots of choices to choose from. The service was fast and staff was very friendly. Small and simple restaurant on the corner that is clean and worth the trip. Definitely will be returning. read more

Shema Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Since my first review I've frequented Shema quite a few more times, it's actually become my top sushi spot! I've always been a little urk-ed at ordering sushi for take out, but due to diet restriction reasons all I can safely eat at restaurants at the moment are sushi so to Shema I went. I placed an order through their online ordering system. I recommend calling first to see an estimated wait time because mine was 80 minutes on a Tuesday night! But that means they get a lot of business and won't close down during the pandemic so that's a positive. I had the tuna tataki and the 15 piece sashimi set (which comes with salad, rice and miso soup). The tuna tataki was marinated in a mild sweet and savory soy sauce which I loved. The tuna was not overly seared and the portion was pretty good size for an appetizer. For the sashimi set, I loved the miso soup, so much flavor. The sashimi is beautifully presented despite it being take-out and the fish pieces were thick! Probably even thicker than I usually see on previous dine in experiences?? It doesn't look it, but the set is really filling. All the fish tasted fresh and melts in your mouth. By the way the restaurant is very nice when answering the phone when I called to verify the time for pickup since it was surprisingly long. I was uncomfortable about the possibility of leaving raw fish sitting there. The restaurant will text you when your order is ready and the wait time on the online ordering site is pretty accurate so I am going to be less uncomfortable next time. I will not hesitate to order sushi take-out anymore :) read more

Shema Sushi - Take out, fresh and delish! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

After Shiki closed, I had to find a new sushi spot. I believe management changed ever since I first tried Shema in 2016 and I am glad I gave them another shot. The rice to fish ratio improved drastically. The fish is fresh. Given all that, it's definitely pricey but definitely satisfies my sushi cravings. They have sets for those that specifically like salmon, tuna or white tuna. I always get the tuna set. Their special rolls are delicious- love their spicy dragon, caterpillar and golden bridge rolls!! read more

Shema Sushi - Tuna set and a la Carte rolls - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Arguably the best sushi in ROC. Rice was cooked perfect and they have a nice selection of special rolls - wife and I tried phoenix and trio amigo . Service was good brought food immediately when ready. Highly recommend giving this place a try you'll love it read more

Shema Sushi - Phoenix roll, spicy tuna, trio amigo - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

The food and service there are awesome! I've already recommended it to my friend! It's about 15min walk to Eastman theatre, so it's very convenient to have food there before watching the show! read more

Shema Sushi - Beef rice and dragon sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

The sushi here is fine. I can't say it's any better or worse than that. Perhaps my mistake was having the standard sushi platter instead of the house rolls. It had the usual standard fish, but all of the flavors were fairly muted, the strongest taste I encountered was the mayo in the takoyaki appetizer. That said, the house rolls that my friends ordered looked pretty good. Maybe those are the thing to get here, and nigiri just aren't. I was also reminded of my first encounter with this place...I once walked by in the morning as a truck of frozen dumplings and frozen pre-cooked eel arrived. I didn't try the dumplings, but I'd probably keep it that way. read more

Is it wrong to say I MISS SHIKI? Shiki closed over the summer and it was the only authentic Japanese sushi place we had in Rochester. So, we tried Shema Sushi tonight with high hopes ... knowing full well that Shema is not authentic Japanese! The goods: nice ambiance, presentable dishes, great salmon sashimi, fantastic avocado salad made with ponzu sauce, and good service. Not so goods: toro was frozen. That is not good. I paid $15 for four pieces of toro (fatty tuna) sashimi pieces that had been frozen. Again, that's not good. I just regret not sending it back. Second, not only they charge you for hot green tea, they also charge for refills. I don't know if any Japanese sushi (and Chinese) restaurants that do that. Lastly, prices are somewhat high. Had sashimi "super" which had 21 pieces (3 pieces of seven different types of sashimi), toro sashimi, seaweed salad and avocado salad. I am pretty mad at toro being frozen but the rest were okay with salmon sashimi and avocado salad being exceptionally good. read more

Shema Sushi - Nice ambiance - Sushi Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

Enjoyed a really nice meal here, despite the fact that 5 of us showed up not too long before closing time! The sushi and sashimi were both fantastic - The Shema Roll and Toro Sashimi were particularly good. Our service was excellent as well. Very nice dinner. Update: Came back a 2nd time and it was just as good! Such a great find! read more

See all