I've tried this place twice now so I feel like I can give it a fair review. I am not sure what the omakase sit down experience is like but this is for my take out orders. The first time I had the sushi bombs. The photos looked super appetizing but when I actually tasted them, I could only think of one word. FISHY... and that's never a good sign for sushi. I gave this place another try recently and ordered the spicy tuna and yellowtail roll for $17.95. I forgot the name but again my partner and I were hit with that fishy taste again. No mater how many sauces you try to cover the fish with, when it's not fresh, it's not fresh. That's unfortunate but for the same prices, you can just hit up the other plethora of sushi places around. I don't know if they save the good stuff for omakase but the take out fish is not it. read more

Awesome I had the 8 pieces nigiri set. It's $37. I think it's worth it. Fresh. Found a good place in Rancho can have sushi read more

Shokunin - Japanese Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

This was my very first omakase experience and I am so happy that Tony was the chef. You can definitely taste the quality in each fish. Tony really took the time to make the overall experience a memorable one, not only with the sushi, but with his recommendations of the sake to pair with the fish. I cannot express how good each fish tasted. The quality was better than I expected or anticipated. I definitely expect to be back again because it was a great experience. Each piece of sushi just got better and better. I highly recommend this place for good quality sushi. I would also recommend making reservations! With the reservation we were able to really get the full omakase experience with the chef. read more

See all

This may have very well been the best meal of my life. My wife and I shared a bottle of their "Southern Charm" sake and each got the premium, 13 course, omakase. It amounted to $65 per person for the sushi, and $50 for the bottle of sake. After tax and tip, we spent a little under $280 and it was worth every penny. Every single dish was incredible. I didn't catch what all of them were, but I can say that the eel, the o-toro, and the salmon roe were highlights for me. There were some flavor combinations we had never had before. The service was excellent. They'd refill our water or palate cleansing ginger as we went through it. For a no-reservation Omakase seating on a Thursday, we were sat within 20 minutes. There are only about 12 seats every 90 minutes, so I definitely recommend making a reservation unless you're taking away. But, truly, I recommend you sit and enjoy the food the chef prepares at his discretion. You can let them know any allergies, strong dislikes, and heat tolerance ahead of time. There were three allergies at my seating, and the chef would sometimes prepare a speciality dish to substitute for the party who couldn't share the dish. The chef was friendly. We shared sake and compliments with him, and he ended up giving us closer to 15-20 dishes. He definitely gave me some extras and leftover portions. My wife enjoyed the Omakase at Sugarfish before, and said this was exponentially better and for a fraction of the price. It's unexpectedly fine dining for the farmers' market sort of environment, but absolutely worth a trip or visit for a special occasion. This is a place you want to splurge and go with the flow! All I can say is that from Japanese, Shokunin translates to artisan or craftsman, and that is absolutely the proper name for this restaurant. This wasn't just the best sushi I've ever had, it was some of the best--if not THE best--food I've ever had. I can't recommend it enough, and I will definitely return! read more

See all

Interesting omakase spot inside a food court. It was a bit too loud for my liking and the chef did not really interact with us like he did with the other group. Not sure if there was a time limit but we felt really rushed. The nigiris were piling up on our board before we got to it. Fish was fresh but sliced really thin so the rice to fish portion is quite off. $55-60 per person for 13 pieces which is pretty cheap. It was the first time I had gochujung inside my handroll. I don't think I'll be returning. read more

See all

Fantastic omakase sushi join in the mall. For 13 pieces of nigiri, it's only $55 per person. Not an expensive meal by San Francisco standard. Toro was amazing. I had a couple of extra pieces. Melts in your mouth kind of good. You can also get a 10 piece nigiri. Slightly less. The spicy hand roll was delicious to cap the evening off. I understand the chef makes up his omakase based on what's in season and what's the freshest on the market, which makes the visit so much more fun as you don't have to try the same thing twice. I imagine if this was in SF it would be much more expensive. Each piece was well prepared by the chef. Hands down an experience not to be missed in Ontario area. read more

See all

The food was really good I would definitely recommend this place to eat at. It feels like you're in Japan. The only thing that I really didn't like was that you had to ask for soy sauce every time you wanted more soy sauce. I wish they would have kept a bottle of soy sauce in front of you. read more

It's my first time back here in a while and there have been some major upgrades! They have built up structures to make it feel very private and the hustle from the food court feels separated from the restaurant. The food was spectacular as always and I will definitely be returning more often! read more

See all

My friend chose this place for her birthday and I am so glad we came here. It is a little gem located inside the busy Haven City Market. It wasn't busy on a Sunday afternoon and we had made reservations in advance on opentable. The 13 piece premium omakase course (Chef selection) was 65$ per person. The chef asked for allergies and how our spice levels were. The quality and price is fair for what you get! I am glad they have this now in the IE. A few of my favorite pieces that I can remember are the escolar with truffle oil, the egg soup type dish that had scallops in it, the salmon sushi with lemon, and the eel! For being how slow it was, I did feel like the pieces were coming too quick so if you enjoy chatting and not feeling rushed-- I would suggest mentioning that to the chef. I knocked down a star for this experience. Super sweet that they decided to bring out a little birthday treat for my friend! (Sashimi with candles! lol) I wouldn't hesitate to come again! read more

Best sushi experience ever! If you love sushi, and I'm not talking about California rolls, then you need to try this place. We got the premium omakase which came with 13 different pieces. They were all amazing. We especially loved the yellowtail belly, salmon belly, scallop and the different types of otoro. The blue crab hand roll was also insanely good. Shoutout to Chef Tony for serving us. He made sure that we enjoyed everything and he was very knowledgeable about every type of fish that they served. We could tell that he really cared about his craft and it showed in the sushi. We will be back soon! read more

See all

Not even sure where to begin but here we go. The front area of this food hall sushi spot is beyond uninviting and super confusing. First thing I was asked is if I was dining in or carrying out? I opted to dine in and was immediately told I could not order anything off the menu and had to order the omakase (chefs selection of sushi) which was weird. I was told to sit anywhere as I was the only person in this spot and throughout the entirety of my meal, all this while there were hundreds of people eating at other spots. The chef spoke very little English and was hard to understand but he did know his craft and was super nice. The server told me I could go for the regular omakase 10 pieces $80 or premium 13 pieces $90. The food is not fresh and although each piece is presented well I had stomach issues following this trip. I received 13 pieces of very mediocre nigiri sushi including blue fin, scallops, squid, salmon, and others. This also included 1 small maki hand roll. The price tag of $90 for very little food is absurd not to mention there were flying insects all over which forces this spot to add little fans all around. Overall opinion is that they are trying hard to be a premium omakase spot and failing hard hence only one customer during lunch time. read more

While writing a review for another restaurant, I realized that I hadn't written one yet for Shokunin. I really should have written this review many months ago. So here is my long overdue review. I've been to Shokunin now a total of 3 times with my wife. Twice for our anniversary and once for my birthday. Every single time has been an absolutely amazing experience. We both get the omakase each time. The 1-on-1 interactions with the chef really elevates the entire experience as he explains to us each piece as it comes out, what it is, where it comes from, and how he prepares it. Each visit is slightly different from the previous. What they serve is entirely up to what ingredients they get fresh that day. For the price, you are really getting so much more than what you're paying. They are located in the middle of the Haven City Marketplace, surrounded by numerous other food options. Out of all the food options there, Shokunin is the best in terms of food quality and care of ingredients, in my opinion. Make your reservations if you come here. You won't be disappointed. read more

My wife and I dined at their new location in Redlands. It was the best sushi we've had and it's so much closer to our home. The owner Daniel and his team are super friendly and attentive. We chose to try omakase for the first time and our food was amazing. The chefs are very knowledgeable and they make every bite full of flavor. It's located in the lower level of the Redlands food market and it's like a hidden away oasis. They don't have a Yelp up for the new location yet but once they do I plan on posting again there. This is our new go to spot for sushi. read more

I live in Las Vegas and whenever I come to the IE for work I always think about coming here. Thankfully tonight I did again! Tony (who served me the last time I was here) was so knowledgeable about the fish and masterfully crafts his sushi. Will be back again and again! It is such a great spot that I cannot recommend enough. read more

Came in for lunch since I was in the area and really wanted some sushi. Inside the haven city market sits this little gem and I'm glad I found it! You can either eat in the restaurant or out in the market but only certain rolls are take out only. The staff was very friendly and got my order to me pretty quick for it only being two people working and a few already sitting down to eat. I decided to get the Lemon Pepper crunch Roll. Pretty much it is a shrimp roll with salmon on top with lemon pepper seared onto it from what I could see. It was a 5 piece roll but easily could have been more with how big the pieces were! The flavor that the lemon pepper adds is seriously amazing I would have never put those two food together. Thankfully it wasn't too busy inside the market so we were able to get seats to enjoy our food without it being too loud. I highly recommend trying this role if you have the chance! read more

Shokunin - Lemon Pepper Crunch - Japanese Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

We had the premium 13 course, and it was definitely worth it. It is 13 courses, but it's 2 pieces per course. By the end, we were both very full. As soon as you finish one course the next one is right in front of you. It is at the edge of haven city market, and can be hard to get a table sometimes. The chefs creations impressed with fish and rice accented for a flavorful overall combination. As an example, one dish was put under a smoker glass. read more

Shokunin - Premium 13 course - Japanese Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

Dang, amazing omakase in Rancho Cucamonga for a fair price? HECK YEAH!! Note that you need to make reservations ahead of time! You can't just roll on up - plan ahead for a special night out. :) This is NOT the place to go if you want 'california rolls' and other Americanized sushi fare. This place is legit and delicious. I got the 13 round - my friend got 11 and then sadly stared at my additional 2 dishes. Don't short change yourself. Get the 13 rounder. I'm a super experienced sushi snob and found myself VERY pleasantly surprised with the quality and creativity of this experience. I will be going back. I just wish he served fresh urchin or abalone but oh well! read more

If you're expecting San Diego or fresh fish go to your favorite restaurant. This place was good for the non traditional rolls. The fish wasn't fresh. You can only dine in if you're ordering nigiri or sashimi. People are nice. Ask a lot of questions. read more

Shokunin - Left overs - Japanese Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

Amazing Sushi, our first time tryn this restaurant and absolutely delicious fresh fish. Omokase, 13 piece course. Thank you Toni for making our night to remember, will be back! read more

See all

Amazing!!! This little restaurant is nestled within the Haven City Market food hall. We ordered the premium 13 course omakase- all of it was savory, buttery, and melt in your mouth. It's cheaper (~$65) than omakase closer to LA but definitely comparable in terms of quality. What a little gem in the IE. read more

See all

My boyfriend and I ate here today to celebrate our 2 year anniversary and it was phenomenal. We got the 13 course omakase and I loved everything. The favorites were yellowtail, tuna, otoro, unagi, and the spicy tuna hand roll. My total was about 185 for two premium omakase, a soda, soju, and 3 additional orders (yellowtail, tuna, and scallop)... I regret not getting otoro! Will definitely be back! They should have a 20 course omakase and I'd be there for it! P.S. I LOVE the casual atmosphere of the location. Surrounded by other cute and enticing foods. Will be back to check them out read more

See all

Amazing modern twist on omakase. Make sure you make a reservation before going because they take 1 party at a time. Pros -great fish selection -fresh ingredients -friendly sushi chef/staff -great place for date night -great price Cons -rice is a little dry read more

See all

Oh my gosh... don't walk but run to this restaurant! First time here and plan to come again and again. So good! The chefs choice is so worth it. Definitely 5 stars! read more

See all

Let me start with excellent customer service. The experience is amazing. The chef will converse with you and cater to your needs. If you're a sushi lover, this is a must try. We will definitely return and we may become regulars. This is sushi like butter and the restaurant is very clean and the staff is really friendly. read more

See all

This is the go to sushi bar for my wife and me. Shokunin is the IE's best kept secret. I mean...who would think to go to a food court sushi bar for a premium omakase experience?? Don't judge a book by its cover. You won't be disappointed with a meal here. Just remember that they only do sushi. No tempura, no ramen, and none of those typical giant sushi rolls made from CA rolls with a bunch of stuff on top of it. This is the real sushi experience. Chef Tony is not only a friendly conversationalist, but an amazing sushi chef. He and the shokunin team have paired ingredients you wouldn't think of putting together. Albacore sushi in a smoker?? (Tony told us the owner originally bought the smoking machine to smoke his whiskey, not fish). Salmon with yuzu mayo? Eel with mascarpone cheese?? They sound unusual but it was pretty dope in my mouth! Anyways talking about each fish would make this review super long. Just trust Chef Tony's judgment. You won't regret it! read more

See all

It's okay. I got a to-go salmon cut roll (came out to around $7.52 or $8 with a $1 tip). It was 4 pieces of sushi for $8, basically. The quality of the fish was fine but not spectacular, especially for 8 bucks. I got the sushi here to see if it'd be worth the omakase and I wasn't impressed enough to want to spend $55. I'd rather go to my favorite sushi place (Sushi Area 909) and get my normal sushi from there - salmon sashimi and a red dragon roll. Or a salmon roll with masago on the side. read more

What a pleasant surprise to find good quality omakase at a food court! We drove out to Rancho Cucamonga for the Christmas lights and ended up here for dinner around 7:50pm-ish without a reservation. Deservingly, we got rejected and they asked us to come back at 9pm for the next round. We were hungry but thought it would be worth the wait, and we weren't wrong! Came back at 8:45pm, grabbed a beer and waited until 9pm sharp to begin our chef's choice nigiri meal. The courses were fusion-ish which was fun and interesting. For example, one of nigiri was lemon pepper flavored. It had a good burst of flavor that I can still taste days later. The entire premium 13 course set was $65. Granted, they didn't give anything super fancy like wagyu or uni, but for the price, I can't complain. My favorite part about the meal is how the sweet sushi chef made a little plate of seared salmon for my little fur baby. This was her first time trying cooked sashimi grade salmon and she loved every bite. :) read more

Shokunin - Premium 13 course omakase and a seared salmon for my fur baby - Japanese Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

The best sushi we've ever had. Seriously. Everything was incredible. The spices complemented and melded into each dish. The fish melted like butter in our mouths. There so many excellent and unique preparations, it was hard to pick a favorite, and half the time we didn't know what we were eating - a smoked one that tasted like campfire, a lime-zested one (and I dislike lime), peppered salmon, torched albacore, eel, o-toro - everything was fantastic. Don't overlook this place just because it's in a food court. They recommend making a reservation, and they seat by the hour. Hidden gem for sure. Eat it while it's cheap(er) and before they get big, move to their own place, and charge twice as much! Our highest recommendation and well worth the price. Just get the omakase and trust them, you won't be disappointed. read more

See all

Restaurant is located inside a food hall and eating is limited so I recommend a reservation. Sushi Omakase - For omakase, the price ($50-60) is good compared to some other omakase restaurants which can go up to ~$130. The courses are chefs choice. There was a smoked course which I thought was very cool since the chef smokes it in front of you. I definitely enjoyed the courses but I wasn't left awestruck. If I had to compare to other places, the pieces of fish aren't as delicately prepared. However, for the price point, I definitely think it's worth it and would come back for more. My boyfriend ordered some sake and he enjoyed it. Not sure what it was but it was in a light blue bottle. Parking isn't difficult since the food hall as a parking lot. The chef and staff are friendly. read more

Shokunin - Japanese Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

See all

Absolutely incredible. Great service from the staff as we got there and our omakase chef Tony was dropping one creative and mouth watering bite after another. I was trying to remember all the bites but I know I am forgetting a few. Tuna, shrimp, amberjack, eel, salmon, and a great hand roll at the end. The use of ingredients like smoke, kelp, flying fish eggs really elevated each bite and the experience over all. This family run omasake first gem is really hitting all the right notes and your will be hard pressed to find a better team than at shokunin. Thanks to the staff, the sushi chefs, and all the creative minds that have really created a great experience here. read more

See all

My wife and I went here for date night on a Friday. We were seated promptly, and our server was extremely courteous and attentive and knew the sake menu well. He brought us 3 sales and guided us to the perfect one. We opted for the premium Omakase for two, and we thoroughly enjoyed the dinner. Our chef, John, was very interactive and described all the dishes to us. The dinner was amazing! Each course was beautifully prepared and perfectly balanced with the previous and following courses. One of our favorites was the black seabass, another course that had crispy garlic, complemented by truffle oil and a course featuring three different types of citrus. Honestly, everything was delicious and this was my favorite sushi experience in years. As a pleasant surprise, they even offered us an uni course at the end of the meal on the house. The entire staff was extremely nice and professional. I can't believe a place like this is located in Haven City Market. They could easily charge $300 per dinner in Hollywood for their Omakase. While it's not cheap at $80 per person, I consider this dinner a superb value for what we received. If I could give this place a sixth star, I would! read more

My wife and I celebrated an early Valentine's Day. Truly phenomenal experience thanks to Alex. This location is perfect glad to have found a chef like him! We have decided this is our weekly date night. Thank you Alex. read more

They didn't have a takeout menu like this before but I'm glad I saw it! Ordered the shrimp lovers and the rolls were HUGE! Super fresh and delicious read more

See all

Love this place for omakase deliciousness. I have dined in and ordered to-go. They do an amazing job of preparing fresh and delicious dishes. The chefs are friendly and make a point of getting to know their customers so every service feels custom. If you're in the inland empire and love sushi I highly recommend you try this spot out. You have to make a reservation through open table or by calling and it's worth every bit of effort. The only thing I would say is that for the to-go orders s description of what's in the box is included...even if it's written on the box or a napkin or something :)! Check them out! read more

A well orchestrated symphony of flavors that tap danced on my tongue like Ginger Rodgers along with all its beauty. Located in a small semi intimate corner of the market this is one of those hidden gems that's true to the name. The Omakase here is a definite steal for the price and presentation. The chef taking me on this delicious journey was Tony and with every piece he carefully explained how he was dressing it up and why certain garnishes were being used on each particular piece of fish. Pacing was on point and he made sure everything was to my approval. The whole Omakase experience was everything it should be and I personally recommend making reservations with chef Tony. As far as their menu goes, this is strictly sushi and there's no room for those trending teenybopper rolls. My only gripe was that there's no traditional desserts. Other than that it's all good. The hosts weren't memorable and I'm hoping this will change. That's my take, Peace... read more

See all

Shokunin is such a hidden gem here in the Inland Empire. The fish is always so fresh and flavors are amazing. We've traveled to Japan and can say with confidence that this spot serves quality fish. If that's not enough for you, their customer service has always been great. The sushi chefs are always willing to chat with you and go above and beyond to make this a great experience. This is perfect for any special occasion and the ambience is perfect for date night as well. Cannot recommend this place enough! read more

Shokunin - Japanese Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

So I had been to Haven City Market a few times but never tried this place until yesterday. I always see it pretty empty so I was skeptical but I see they sell a lot of boxes and people don't actually sit there so it could be misleading that they're empty. Anyways the price is pretty standard, I got the Premium Omakase which was $48, and I thought that was reasonable, depending on what I would get. I can see why some people might not understand that though as Haven City Market seems pretty casual so I can see why some might find the price to be higher than expected. Well they did not disappoint. What was weird though was that they already add the sauce so you don't need to dip in any soy sauce. I thought that was strange but not unheard of. I've had places say certain rolls are already sauced but not the entire meal. I am not picky so I didn't mind. The fish was super fresh and a lot of the sauces/toppings brought out the flavor of the fish. However I did find some of the combinations "different", not bad but just not something I've had before or would have expected, which was nice to try. Again I know myself and I'm easy going and adventurous with food but not everyone is, I just wonder how everyone would respond. The counter was a little high, or the seats were little low? Either way I was slightly further than the chef (Tony) than I'm used to and it was hard to hear him sometimes, but that's not his fault. HCM is generally a busy and bustling place so it's not exactly quiet in there. Now the real test of a sushi place does not end at the restaurant, but rather how you feel hours...or sometimes minutes after you leave. Well I'm happy to report Shokunin has passed all of my requirements for a fresh, authentic, decently priced sushi place. I just question how well they will do in HCM. read more

I hate to write a bad review, but this is an honest review based on my experience. When they first opened, I was stoked. Unfortunately, I was let down because the sushi just wasn't good. The fish didn't taste fresh, and the temperature of the sushi was weird. The fish was warm as if it had just been defrosted. When I took a bite of a different piece, that one was still slightly frosty. I never thought I'd be back but one day I had a craving, my mom wanted uni, so we gave this place another shot. I wanted to see what all the good reviews + raves were all about. Sadly, I was even more disappointed than the first time and so was my entire family. First and foremost, the service is terrible. The female server was extremely rude, had a condescending tone, and nothing about her was friendly or professional. I'm used to ordering at the bar. My mom began placing her order in Korean to the older Korean sushi chef. The server came over and rudely interrupted, saying "you can order with me" just after knocking my uncle's cane down. I've been a server before so I know we can have our off days, but it was early and it wasn't busy. When we asked for some dishes for our soy sauce, she brought out a shared saucer which was so odd...literally one soy sauce dish split into two sections so you had to share with the person next to you. This irked my mom because she was starving and wanted to devour her sushi with the saucer right beside her plate. I like putting as much or as little soy sauce as I like so when the server brought the saucers out with too much soy sauce, it was pretty off-putting. I'm not sure why they don't just leave the soy sauce bottles out. Also, they give wasabi the size of a peanut here. While my mom patiently waited for her uni, we followed up on it with the sushi chef. He told us, "oh...it's not coming." We asked why and were confused as to why no one let us know- he said normally it would get delivered today, but they didn't receive it. Still, you should let the customer know. Now, I'm not trying to nitpick, but I've been to so many other sushi restaurants. I know quality and this just wasn't it. Definitely hypercritical because my first experience wasn't memorable. But I felt like Gordon Ramsey here- disappointed, holding in my frustration. I felt bad because my grandma was in the hospital for two weeks due to not having an appetite. Her esophagus lining is thin so she has trouble digesting her food and couldn't eat solids. We ordered the sashimi for her. I've never seen her eat so slow, and she forced herself to eat it so we wouldn't feel bad. She walked out before we even finished because she said she felt uncomfortable. Again, my sushi (omakase) had different temperatures. Also, some were fishy, some were salty, and I only took 2 bites of my crab handroll because it was so salty. The bill wasn't cheap...I wish it had been worth it. I'd highly recommend Ken's over this spot any day. I really wanted to like this spot but I guess it wasn't meant to be. I hate to be harsh but every bit of my experience from the service to the food here was terrible. read more

There are a lot of Sushi places around that know how to treat guests. Don't waist your time going to Shokunin, I walk in, don't see any sign to wait to be seated and start to sit at the Sushi bar. There are 2 guests seated seated, one looked to be done eating, about 10 empty seats. 3-4 employees/chefs and as I take a seat, one tells me I can't be seated and come back in 20 minutes! .. just like that. I'm dressed business casual, button up shirt, I showered, so ?? I waisted my lunch break driving here and finding parking. I won't be back. read more

Shokunin - Too many guests? Apparently since they told me to come back in 20 minutes! Nope, I won't be back. - Japanese Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

Sushi in a fancy box? Yes please! I believe they need more inviting photos and decorations, as hubby and I almost passed by without trying them out. Delicious and quick service. We will be back to dine in and have some drinks next time! read more

Shokunin - Japanese Near Me - Rancho Cucamonga, California

See all