We came to Shokunin Sushi Bar downstairs at the Redlands Public Market for a date night without the kids, and it turned into one of the most memorable dining experiences we've had in a long time. We went all in and tried the omakase, and while it's definitely on the expensive side, it was worth every penny. The chef hand selects each dish, and every course felt intentional, unique, and honestly like its own experience. The atmosphere is really cool and a little different from your typical sushi spot. You head down a spiral staircase into the restaurant, which sets the tone right away, and there's also an elevator for wheelchair accessibility which is great to see. Once you're inside, it has a thoughtful, intimate feel that fits perfectly with the style of dining. Service was excellent from start to finish, and the fish was incredibly fresh and high quality. The dishes were creative and unlike anything else I've had locally. This is easily a 5 star experience, and there's nothing else around here quite like their omakase. Definitely worth trying if you're looking for something special. read more

If you can find the place...it is worth the try. I only tried the "to go" option today so I don't have a review for the actual restaurant experience. SERVICE: I used the kiosk and it was pretty easy to order my sushi and pay. Also very easy to spend a lot of money - real quick (little pricey) FOOD: I am on keto, so I was happy to find a rice-less option. My Geisha roll was 5 fish with a cucumber wrap. My only critique would be that they made them HUGE. Good thing I have a big mouth, but I can't imagine my wife trying to eat these monsters. But, super tasty!! I'll try the restaurant next time, because if I am going to pay these prices, I may as well have some ambiance as well. But a big recommend from me!! read more

Shokunin - Geisha Roll (no rice) - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redlands, California

Probably the best quality sushi you can find in Redlands right now. Cool low key place in the public market. Only sushi bar seating. Try this place. It's great. read more

This place is really cool first time here and surprised with the atmosphere land lay out of the restaurant read more

Shokunin - Matcha latte super good highly recommend it!!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redlands, California

Our favorite sushi spot. We have tried their a la carte, to go and their omakase. Their omakase is our favorite of course but if you only have time for their a la carte, here are some of our favorites: Bomb set: a set of 3 inari style sushi (ask the chef what their toppings are for the day). Not only tasty but always a good value Eel hand roll: the eel is always cooked perfectly and I like that they do not add any sugary eel sauce. I can taste the eel and the smokey char better this way. Salmon Ikura: very fresh salmon and love the salty ikura with it Garlic chili blue crab: the spicy garlic is crunchy and not too spicy and the blue crab is sweet. Perfect balance read more

Shokunin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redlands, California

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First time here and it was the best chirashi bowl I've ever had! Look for the spiral staircase across of the to go window. read more

Shokunin - Chirashi bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redlands, California

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Today I tried their new Bento lunch box special for $30. It was incredible and I would get it again. The flavor of all the sushi was amazing. The only thing I didn't care for was the miso soup. It had a slight bitterness to it and I believe had slices of shishito peppers in it which I feel didn't quite fit. But hey I was there for the sushi and it was AMAZING!!! read more

Highly recommend! Shokunin is a sushi spot located at Redlands Public Market. It has a unique setup. They offer Omakase "Oh-Mah-Kah-Say" traditional dining experience in their underground space. Yes, you will have to walk down a spiral set of stairs and through a hidden sliding door. They have basic (10 piece) and premium (13 piece) courses. Reservations are recommended. Take-out and a la carte orders must be done via the kiosk upstairs. They have fresh rolls, tempura rolls, baked rolls, and classic rolls plus Shokunin specials, bentos, sushi bombs, drinks, desserts, etc. When your order is ready for pick-up, you'll receive a text with instructions to head underground. For my first visit, I ordered via kiosk for take-out. OMG... BEST Rainbow Roll I've ever eaten! It comes with krab, avocado, and cucumber roll, topped with salmon, yellowtail, avocado, escolar, and albacore. Fishes were very fresh and in good cuts. Sushi rice was soft and perfect in texture. Each bite melted in my mouth like no other. No roll has ever tasted so simple and divine. JUST SO YUMMY! Prices may be on the high end, but quality foods can't be compromised so it's all good. Iced Japanese Matcha unsweetened was refreshingly strong. Staff was superb. Service was good. Ambiance was neat. I'll be back and maybe next time, I'll try Omakase (it means I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU (sushi chef). TO TRUST (in your hands)). read more

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We did another omakase experience last night and had an excellent time. This restaurant really cares about craft and quality regarding sushi, and since they first opened they've made a lot of great improvements! We love how special each omakase bite is and how fresh everything tastes. Wait staff was super friendly and accommodating and we were pleased. They have seasonal fish offerings with omakase and a wide range of drinks and other items on their menu. The little space downstairs feels intimate and nice. 85 dollars gets you one of the better 13 course omakase you'll ever have! The fish is very high quality, the chef explained everything comes from around the world. We feel lucky to have this nearby. read more

Shokunin - Omakase - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redlands, California

The Ultimate underground Tokyo style sushi experience you will ever find in this county. It stays true to the quality and presentation just like their first location. The pictures speak for themselves and my tastebuds definitely say it was a certified Mouthgasm! The atmosphere is lively with Paul Hardcastle slash Kool & Klean vibes flowing through the room. Our Itamae Tony took us through a magical journey of the most flavorful pieces with the perfect pacing. The Omakase is what we ordered and please excuse me if I didn't name all the fish but all I can say everything was on point down to their service. Reservations are highly recommended because this place is Jumping Off! And I'm so sure it will only grow by word of mouth. Lastly, If You are looking for Rolls this is not the place for you, sorry. But they do offer it if you order from the upstairs kiosk. That's my take, Peace... read more

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This place was such a let down, the host never brought our menus or took our drink orders. They wouldn't acknowledge their mistake and the chef brought our first course before we had plates, waters or menus because had preselected the omakase online when we booked. Such a weird experience altogether. Food was good and the chef was nice but the rest of the service was awful, too much money for a subpar experience. read more

Saw this place come up on IG and wanted to give it a try and glad that I did! It's accessible through an underground staircase in the Redlands Public Market so definitely an interesting entrance. Got the 13 pc Omakase and was wowed! Excellent sushi/ngiri variety and so many unique and interesting flavors. The fish was all fresh and delicious. Excellent tuna, albacore, shrimp, and handrolls. We topped it off with a mango cheesecake slice which was awesome as well. It was busy, so try to make reservations. Our chef was friendly and informative. Service was solid but it did seem a bit understaffed and not super organized, it wasn't a big issue though. The restaurant is nicely decorated and has a traditional feel. Definitely a gem and a good omakase value as well for $85! read more

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This review is for the takeout window at the Redlands Public Market. Super easy, order your food at the kiosk. Get a text when your food is ready. Pick it up downstairs. The presentation for takeout is so pretty. My dragon roll was delicious! Overall an awesome spot when you want to splurge on your lunch break. Looking forward to sitting in the restaurant. read more

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This is probably four stars in LA, but for this area there really is nowhere else where you can get nigiri of this quality. Also, there no other omekase experience that can compare (if you can even find one). Fresh ingredients, a variety of fish you can't find elsewhere, and creatively presented - this place is now my go to place for sushi. Looks like you can probably walk in on weekdays but on weekends, its safer to make a reservation. To get toro, it seems you need to get the 13 piece instead of 10 piece omekase. There are ala carte options as well. Excited Shokunin is here now. read more

Made reservations on open table for this speak easy style sushi restaurant inside the Redlands public market. Cute little entrance and decor, great service and food. We chose the 13 course omakase priced at $80 pp. pricey but for the experience it was good and surprisingly left us full. This is coming from two people who usually get ayce at sushi places so this says more than enough about the portions and quality of fish. read more

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Premium omakase. Uni nigiri (Served me Santa Barbara) Scallop michelada. Yuzu matcha milk tea. Everything was great, including decor, ambiance and service. Finally found a reliably delicious sushi spot in Redlands. Shoutout to chef Vu. Thanks for the omakase! read more

Very small rolls Very flavorless , the wait time was over 40mins. Very much not a fan. But it is a food court . Paid too much but overall decent I suppose. read more

Amazing experience and love the hidden ambiance aspect of dining here. Had the 13 course and was pleased with each serving. Great service and the staff are all enjoyable to speak with. read more

Shokunin - Drink offerings. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redlands, California

Cool little omakase/not omakase as you can order a la carte or stuff to eat in the food hall. Entrance is downstairs and you have to open the sliding door to enter. Reservations online said no tables but there were plenty. So just go. We did the premium 13 course deal for $85 - We enjoyed it, my only critique is that some of the pieces were on the small side. Still a good time and good flavors. read more

Food was really good now with their new ramen. Everything was on time and left us feeling full.

Great plated. The Food: Uncompromisingly fresh, highest-grade seafood. Precise balance. Rice (shari) perfectly seasoned, warm. Highlights: Ōtoro (melts instantly), Sayori (subtle perfection), Revelatory Tamago. Service: Impeccable, unobtrusive. Thoughtful sake pairings. Chef is engaging. read more

Shokunin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redlands, California

Extremely unique experience, though suuuper expensive. We sat down for the omakase, got one drink each, and we both paid over $116 after splitting halfway. (And we were both super hungry after) The presentation was so cool, the sushi was some of the freshest and unique I've ever had. We'd probably have a better use of our money doing to an all-you-can-eat place. Though pricey, I would come back to take a friend who hasn't experienced this before. The service was very quick and friendly. I also super loved the decor! Felt like I was truly in Japan for 30 minutes. read more

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Closed fifteen minutes before time listed here. The have soft opening banners up still.

Food was good. Not amazing sushi but not bad. Staff was very friendly. Ambiance was great. You are seated in an underground portion of the building. Soju options were good. read more

Shokunin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redlands, California

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We went on our lunch break and it was so good. The portions are perfect and price point is great! The food is prepared super fresh and the chef is knowledgeable about the ingredients. The service was great and the atmosphere is nice. It is located in the basement of the Redlands public market but you can order food to go one the iPads upstairs. I'm not generally very adventurous when it comes to sushi but everything I tried was so good and fresh, I'll be back to try more. When you go down the stairs there is a SLIDING door on your right, just slide it over to get inside. Don't push or pull. The vibe is cool and the music that was playing was perfect. read more

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I went over to the Redlands Marketplace for dinner and while the GF and I were looking, I noticed that Shokunin had a Katsu Curry. You'd be surprised how hard it is to find a decent Katsu Curry. This will now be in the rotation when we come here. The Chicken Katsu was fried perfectly, the rice was legit, and the curry was on point. So good. read more

First time here and what a treat! The place is downstairs so follow the fish to the stairs. The omakasa was incredible! We had the 13 piece meal and it was so worth it! Alex was our chef and he did a phenomenal job! He asked about allergies, likes and dislikes when it came to fish. He would gage how we liked the sushi and said he would make adjustments if we needed and we definitely did not! The place is small, bar style seating so it got pretty full quickly. Make a reservation if you decide to go. Definitely worth a try, you won't be disappointed. read more

Shokunin - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redlands, California

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Very picky about tuna sashimi and this was fresh and an excellent texture. The area is below ground and decorated tastefully with lovely aesthetics and settings. The service is up to par and the staff is polite and attentive. 5 stars, loved it all! read more

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Shokunin is such a good spot if you're in Redlands and craving sushi. The fish tasted really fresh and everything was prepared really well. You can tell they care about the quality of the ingredients. The atmosphere inside is nice and makes it a great place to sit down and enjoy a meal. Service was friendly and everything came out at a good pace. Definitely one of my favorite sushi spots in the area and I'll be coming back again. read more

Finally, a legit upscale sushi restaurant in Redlands!! Go down the winding staircase and you're transported away from the hustle and bustle of the market upstairs. The dine in option is all bar seating with omakase (ask for grand opening discounts) or a la carte ordering. My partner and I wanted a smaller meal so we opted for a la carte. The fish is very fresh, and the nigiri are presented in unique ways, some seared and some with light toppings such as adding lime zest, shiso, or plum. I'd highly recommend trying some of their hand rolls as well - the uni toro handroll was my favorite. We were lucky to dine in on a Saturday night without a reservation, but I can see this place becoming quickly packed very soon! read more

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Workers are super nice and the food is great!!! Unique menu and good variety of options.

We loved our experience today. Everyone so friendly and attentive from start to finish, my 4 year old devoured her California roll. And we loved our sushi as well. 10/10 recommend and we will definitely come back. Delicious! read more

Make sure to review your check before paying. Shokun Redlands is a beautiful restaurant with a great atmosphere. My wife and I had dinner there last night, and the food was truly phenomenal. It was my first Omakase experience, and the dishes did not disappoint. However, I'm giving it three stars--not because of the food, but because of the disappointing experience we had. Despite having an 8 PM reservation and checking in on time, we waited 45 minutes to be seated. Two other couples were also waiting, and to our frustration, a walk-in guest was seated before any of us. It seemed like the host lacked organization; even a simple system--like taking names in order with paper and pencil--would've made a big difference. The second issue was with billing. They attempted to charge me again for the 13-piece Omakase I had already prepaid online for $80. This could've easily been overlooked, so I strongly recommend reviewing your check carefully before paying. We were not the only people with this problem. Seems like they try to double charge if they can. read more

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Wonderful Omakase experience. Would recommend to anyone looking for that LA Omakase style near home. Fresh fish, good sake and awesome service. read more

We had a great time at Shokunin. The food was fresh and tasty. Even got to engrave a lock for the wall! Highly recommend. read more

Shokunin - Sushi Bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redlands, California

My boyfriend and I came to visit the city. He wanted to see the public market so we went so he can see all the food options they have. He saw the sign next to Babas chicken that a restaurant was taking takeout for sushi and rolls. We were a bit confused on how to place an order since we saw a tablet in front of the sign. Then we saw that the restaurant was down the spiral staircase. We went downstairs and slid the down open. I was surprised at how the restaurant was laid out: so unique! It was laid out like a sushi bar, the only available seating. There was dim lighting. We went in and were about to take a seat when we saw the sign that said wait to be seated. Oops. The hostess explained the restaurant concept to us. There were different menus, one being a $75. My boyfriend said we just wanted sushi. She then guided us to some seats along the bar. She gave us sushi menus since that is what we wanted. She also gave us a tablet so we could see how the food looks. We took awhile to decide what to get, the menu was a bit confusing to decipher. You can either choose your sushi as hand rolled (HR) or cut (C) At least for me. We ended up choosing the salmon avocado, creamy shrimp, spicy California, and garlic chili crab. It took around 15-20 minutes for the sushi to be prepared and you had a front row seat to how they made it. My boyfriend was concerned about anything containing gluten but one of the cooks assured him everything-including the soy sauce-was gluten free. Everything was delicious! We finished it all up. The hostess was very attentive and nice. We paid at the counter since that's what we decided to do. It ended up being $39 plus tip. My boyfriend definitely enjoyed it, an authentic experience, and would want to be back. I definitely do too so I can see what other menus they have. I'd like to try the bento box. Thank you! :) read more

The food was delicious. It was well prepared and presented. Relaxing ambience and beautiful decor read more

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Sushi bar in the basement. Service was great with my allergies to blue crab that they accommodated my needs. Cool ambiance and my young adult kids love it. A little pricey but quality of food and service made it worth the time. We will definitely go again! read more

Amazing value especially in redlands. Good ambiance. Food was great. Fish was fresh. Service was quick. had the premium omakase and it filled me up! read more

Shokunin - Chawanmushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Redlands, California

My wife found this spot on TikTok -- super hyped ads looked like it would be good, looked like a new amazing omakase place. So we pulled up. At first I thought, okay, the downward stairwell is kinda cool. Maybe it's one of those hidden gem vibes. But we walk in and what do we see? A frat house version of what was supposed to be a nice sushi spot, the decor was pretty nice, but unfortunately the middle of the restaurant and where we sat trash, workers frantically trying to keep up in the middle with ingrediants everywhere. Immediately we noticed the smell of burnt paper -- not incense, not a brick stove... literally burnt foil or something coming from an air fryer. Unfortunately, they decided to seat us right in front of that main air fryer, stenching the whole place up. Not an omakase vibe. Not an immersive Japanese experience. Just kind of... off. The one thing this place has going for it is the Japanese guy at the front register -- solid presence. But the rest of the staff? Completely unsynchronized. I looked around like, how does this place have such clean decor but feel like a backdoor poke shop? Still, my wife and I said: let's give it a shot. We ordered the $84 omakase experience. Here's what we got: * A dry piece of fish on top of rice * Another piece that straight-up tasted like toothpaste * A couple that were okay only because they were seared and we dipped them in soy sauce, lemon, and wasabi Main issue? The fish is not fresh. That's the only critique that matters. If you're gonna call something omakase, start with quality fish. This wasn't it. My whole point of this review is to simply to ask this restaurant to get better quality fish. After the 6th fish, we looked at each other and decided to stop entertaining this nonsense. They brought out some scallop next, but same thing disappointing. So we decided to just ask the workers to end the omakase there. I've never had to stop an omakase before, but it was getting ridiculous how mid the fish was. We then politely walked to register and asked to just stop there, they said they would ask the manager, the manager said, "Tell them we can box the rest." Box the rest?? I'm sorry, this is supposed to be omakase. What happened to respecting the fish? That line alone told me everything I needed to know. Eventually they did the right thing and only charged us $84 total for both of us, since we didn't finish the experience -- which I do appreciate As we tried to leave, their POS system went down. We were stuck another 20 minutes waiting for their machine to reboot. To be fair, it's a new spot so maybe the internet issues are fresh -- I'll let that one slide. Finally, they got the card machine working and we made our escape. We headed straight to the nearest In-N-Out to mask the taste of that fish. And that was that. Thank you, In-N-Out. Overall experience: 2/5 I'm putting 3 stars because maybe to some locals, this is considered good. But for anyone expecting a real omakase experience: don't fall for the TikTok hype. Maybe just grab a couple hand rolls and treat this for what it is -- a dive bar with sushi. read more