In my books, this place was just OK. It should be noted that this was my first time having sushi in Ottawa, and this place is supposed to be the best sushi place here. I've had sushi plenty in Vancouver and Toronto, and this place was disappointing in comparison (even to Toronto sushi). I think AYCE sushi is more popular in Ottawa. This is one of the few places that do a la carte. I found the prices to be a bit expensive for what you get. 3 of us shared a sushi and sashimi party tray. It came to around $30 a person, and was quoted on the menu to be for about 3-4 people. I would say it's barely enough for 3 very small people, let alone 4. It did not come with miso soup or salad. The quality of the sushi was nothing to be amazed about. Although it was probably a bit better than AYCE, I think for the prices, I'd expect better quality sushi. If I had to, I'd choose AYCE sushi over this in Ottawa. Also, in terms of authenticity, I think this place is Chinese owned. It is a small establishment, so if you want to be sure you get a table, I'd recommend reservations. There is street parking available on Somerset. I likely won't be back, and will definitely try my hardest to persuade my friends to go elsewhere if they want to come back. read more

Sushi 88 - Sushi and sashimi party tray for 3-4 people (but really like 3) $78.95 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Food was good. The sushi may have slightly too much rice in each piece but it was fresh and tasty. The tempura dish is very light and portion size is good. Service was good and we booked a table before their big party reservations comes in about an hour later. Dining hall was clean and tidy without feeling crowded. I would go back again. read more

Overall, the sushi here was good! We ordered the Lunch sashimi plate (12 pieces of the chef's choosing & 3 roll pieces), a spicy salmon roll, shrimp & veggie tempura & aburi salmon battera. My favourite was the lightly seared albacore tuna sashimi, spicy tuna roll, the shrimp tempura was so juicy & the veggies were well done, and the side garden salad was refreshing! Since I've had salmon battera aburi sushi in Vancouver, my bar is set high, and I thought this place was OK. The salmon was thin, rice wasn't that well-seasoned, and the rich charred taste just didn't come through! The server was nice though and explained what our orders were when they were ready and even added an extra roll to our Lunch sashimi plate since my friend & I were sharing :) read more

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Shrimp tempura was a full size app the was light and crispy. Couple rolls were good size and spicy tuna was worth going back for. Felt like a good family run shop. read more

Came here for our first meal in Ottawa, after visiting Chinatown.At first, we took one look at the menu and were shocked at the prices. It is quite a pricey place; I would say it ranks in the middle with regards to other sushi joints and locations. Not the cheapest, but by no means is it the most expensive. I ordered one set combo with a garden salad. I was quite upset at the salad - it was smothered in oil (disgusting) and some of my leaves had dirt on it (I could taste the grittiness between my teeth). However, the sushi quality saved the review. My set had quite fresh sushi. Although the shrimp in most places is flaccid and mushy, the texture and taste were quite good for my ebi nigiri. The smoked albacore tuna was likewise delicious, as was the salmon. I did find the kappa maki to be somewhat of a ripoff, but it was still pretty good (the added sesame seeds enhanced the flavour and depth). My sister ordered the chirashi, and she was slightly disappointed by the small amount of rice as well as by the fact that it was overseasoned, and therefore too vinegary. My dad made no comment about his sashimi. The wasabi was okay - not the authentic grated stuff you'll get at expensive Japanese places, but it does its job even in miniscule amounts. In fact, I found myself adding very little or none at all as its flavour would overpower the fish, which I suppose isn't ideal. read more

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My favourite sushi place in Ottawa. It's a small restaurant with limited seating. The sushi is fresh. There are many options. I especially loved the various sashimi. The service is great. You can see the sushi maker behind the counter working at your order which is cool! The service is fast! For sure go here if you are looking to eat good quality sushi. Can't wait to go back. read more

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A friend and I had heard good things about Sushi 88 and were in the mood for sushi, so we thought we'd give it a try. If you've never been there before, the restaurant is to the left of the sign. If you walk in through the right side, you'll be inside Raw Sugar Cafe instead, which is a completely different business. We found the restaurant to be small, but quaint and clean. I ordered their "Sashimi Just for Me" combo with miso soup. The miso soup was just like any other you would find at a sushi bar. The sashimi came very quickly, with a good variety of different types of fish. It was fresh and good quality, better than the sashimi I've had at other restaurants. I found it to be a little higher in price, though not by much. I'm planning on going back very soon! read more

Sushi 88 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I've had take out from Sushi 88 a few times, and it's definitely one of the best sushi spots in the city! They always have my order ready within 15-20 minutes and are super friendly when I pop in. I actually took some time to survey the place on my way in today, and it's actually a really cool spot! Located just past the Chinatown Arch on Somerset, it's a small building that can be hard to find, but it's worth it! The place is small, but it would be lovely for a date or a 1:1 with friends - an intimate kind of place where you can actually hear yourself talk. The decor is fun with red and black colours, and the staff are really sweet. I do agree that it's a bit pricier than other spots, but it's fresh and delicious, and I'm willing to fork over $15 for lunch every so often. Everything is really fresh, and I am especially fond of the salmon, be it rolls or sashimi! This place is also right beside one of the best little cafes in the city - Raw Sugar. read more

Today's lunch was a sushi & sashimi combo - Salmon Celebration (combo comes with miso soup or salad). I opted for the salad; the gingery dressing is tasty. I've been here a few times and the place has so far served me fresh, quality food. good size for salmon sashimi food plated well friendly staff accommodating with food sensitivities clean & tidy premises Note: Take a both seat by the window for a view is the Chinatown Royal Arch (Gateway). read more

Small and simple restaurant (with a fabulous colour scheme). Server was great (but kept quite busy). Service was quick. If I could... it'd be a 3.5 star rating - a bit better than A-OK, but I'm not yet a fan. ;-) Food was great. We ordered a few plates, 2 of them being Chef's Surprise and they were enjoyable. Of note: we were there on a Sunday evening around 7-ish. No problem getting a table - but there seemed to be a lot (relative to the size of the room) of young children (1 to 7 years old). I must be getting old and crusty - but I found them running around the small restaurant very distracting... at times, it took away from the enjoyment of my meal. (I kept thinking why are the parents pretending their children don't exist?!?!) So when you see my three star rating, bear that in mind. One may presume that family unit is not always there. :-) I didn't find their various offerings outstanding over and above a number of other sushi restaurants in Ottawa. It was good, and it was what you expect to find at a sushi joint. Would I recommend: If someone asked about it, I'd tell them it was fine. If someone asked for a restaurant to go to that was *amazing* this restaurant would not come to mind. Would I return: Yes, if I was in the area, and wanted sushi etc., I'd go back no problem... but I might peak thru the window to check for that family first! lol. read more

When it comes to sushi in Ottawa, this is the place to be! Sushi 88 is as authentic as you will get in the city (I'm not a sushi expert but I've been to Japan a few times). The place is small and was busy. We got the last available table. Four of them had been reserved, so I would highly recommend making a reservation if you are planning to visit this establishment for dinner. The menu is big enough, with plenty of choices. We were a bit overwhelmed with the choices actually, but in the end we chose to go with the couple's menu item (assortment of sushi) and a single roll to add onto it. The service was quick, we didn't wait very long and everything tasted SO good. The fish was fresh and the presentation was great. I would definitely come back to Sushi 88, but probably make it more of a special occasion thing, since the prices are steep (although they are totally justified and worth it!!). If I was wealthy, I'd probably eat here more frequently :-) read more

The spider roll was AWESOME!!! Black dragon roll... delightful as the flavors just melted in your mouth. Love the decor, cozy and staff were very friendly. Will come again. Highly recommended. Update: Have come again. Sushi is consistent and fresh. Staff continue to be friendly. Recommended it to my Toronto co-worker who brought friends, they found it simply delish! read more

Sushi 88 - My fav! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Got take out for 4 people and got one maki party tray and two additional rolls. Quality of sushi was good, I'm not familiar with sushi prices in Ottawa but it seemed a little higher than I would have expected but not outrageous. Service was good, but take-out wait was about 30 minutes on a Saturday night - they did tell us it'd be a 30 min wait when we ordered so I would suggest calling ahead, especially if it's a larger order. Variety was good on the party tray, and they were generous with wasabi and ginger. read more

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This place is pretty good for a good meal. My boyfriend and I love right around the corner and the sushi is always on point. The service can be variable. Sometimes it can be a bit long of a wait so we've been careful not to go when we have plans later in the evening. Rather than go to the AYCE places, we thought we would step it up and pay the same price for better quality sushi. We'll be returning again and again =) read more

Ate here last night!  Food and service were in point.....but found it a little pricey.....but we eat a lot so... Service was quick, food was delicious, staff were nice and decor for China town was above average. So now that we've been here and we are gluttons for sushi we know next time to flip to the back page of the menu and get a party platter, I think they start at $40..... Granted for us we ordered 3 sushi rolls (which to be honest were good but we're thin...like not enough rice, the gyoza (freaking awesome) x3, 1 tempura, 1 sashimi platter (3 slices of salmon), a combo platter, one 8oz saké and 2 cokes - came to around  $110.00. No fault of the resto for this....we only realized the back page party platters on our third round haha. We will definitely be back and heed our own advice....order a party platter and get gyoza and leave full and possibly some leftovers! My only real beef about this place is they didn't start the service with telling us the debit/credit machines were down.....but to be honest I think that was an isolated incident and cannot shame a place on having one night of tech failure....it happens! read more

Definitely a solid four stars. There might only be a handful of strictly a-la-carte sushi restaurants in Ottawa (that I am aware of anyway), but at least you can be sure that at one of them, you can eat a decent meal. Prior to visiting them tonight, I skimmed the menu and called them to see how busy it was (it's a Friday night after all). It was 7:50PM and I was upfront with the other person on the phone that if they were busy, we'd rather do take-out. Rather than chalk that up as an easy sale over the phone; she asks how long we'd be, since there was a table that just opened up for two. Suffice to say that we made it in at 7:58PM, with people waiting at the door (but we still did get that table). Really appreciated that. The boyfriend had been in before, but not for a while. He does remember that their special rolls were quite good. Thus we ordered four of them, which I admit is overkill, but it's Lent and I can only eat fish on Fridays; I was hungry... well you know! We had the black dragon roll (unagi+tempura), red dragon roll (tuna sashimi+ tempura), white tiger roll (salmon sashimi+tempura), salamander roll (spicy salmon+panko) and shrimp tempura to start. A little heavy on the grease, but that was our choice, I suppose. I really enjoyed the black dragon roll and the salamander roll. Having shrimp tempura on most (if not all) of our roll choices did get old after a while, but they were still quite good. Everything was made fresh, and you can tell - because on the red dragon roll (which they forgot, but was put on our table soon after we reminded them), I felt the cool tuna sashimi and then warm shrimp tempura as I bit in. And that's how it should be. Otherwise, the place is cozy, so I would recommend calling in (as illustrated above). The prices are fair for Ottawa. Our meal came to ~60 before tip, and I have paid more for worse food at other sushi places in the past. In any case, we were full afterwards. Three rolls and the appetizer would have been enough, to be honest. Our food also came at a reasonable amount of time, although from reading reviews, I had been expecting to wait around 45-50 minutes. Service was attentive, even if the place was packed. It's a keeper; we'll be back! read more

My boyfriend and I went here for dinner on Friday night. We had an amazing experience. We showed up without a reservation around 8:30pm and the place was packed! The hostess took our cell phone number and said they would call when they had a free table. We said we were likely going to wait next door at Raw Sugar - a coffee/tea/snack place. We went next door to Raw Sugar (SUPER COOL BTW!) - had some coffee, chit-chatted and halfway through our game of Extreme Jenga, the hostess from Sushi 88 walks in! She came over to where we were sitting and said that our table was ready! I guess she wrote our cell number down wrong - so she actually left the restaurant to come find us next door! I would say that's going above and beyond. Most places would just give the table away. Very impressed. Once seated at our table, a server was over quickly to take our drink order and then food order. The food took a little while to come out - but not too long and it was absolutely delicious! The decor was pretty cool and modern... it's a very small place - maybe only seats about 30-35 people. I think that gives it a really cozy feel. We'll be going back - that's for sure. Prices were good, food was excellent and the service was awesome! read more

Sushi 88 is a good restaurant. I've been there for many a dinner. The fish is fresh, the rice is well seasoned and they offer many vegetarian choices. I would never avoid going here, but as a fish eating sushi lover, it's probably not my favorite Sushi restaurant in Ottawa. It would, however, be in my top 5 choices. My only criticisms would be as follows: 1. If you're planning on eating here during a "busy period", meaning Thursday to Saturday for dinner, ensure you make reservations. Seating is limited. 2. The menu isn't quite as creative as other restaurants such as Genji, Sushi Fresh or Festival Japan. 3. The tables are a little too close together for my liking. 4. I feel like the prices are a little too high for the potion size. read more

I was craving sushi during our visit to Ottawa and Sushi 88 seemed to have good reviews online. Hence, Mr. H and I hiked our way to Chinatown (it's right on the entrance). Luckily there was a table for two available, we were handed menus as soon as we sat down and offered a glass of water. Mr. H had a ginger tea which he loved and then we had some really good sushi. We ordered the Black Dragon Roll, Sushi 88 Roll, Salmon Roll (I think the name was Salmonara?), some albacore tuna sashimi and spicy scallop nigiri. All of the items were delicious and fresh. My only issue was that there is just one server and I noticed that out sushi was ready for a good 5/8 minutes before she noticed and got it over. Being super hungry, I almost got up and self-served myself. The price for a roll is between $12 to $14, so our bill came up to $68 with tip. Good place, definitely good sushi! read more

I'm no sushi expert. In fact I'm really not a fan of it. I came here with a friend since he loves sushi. The decor of this place is really nice, simple but chic.. It's a smaller restaurant, it wasn't busy when we went but I imagine getting a seat here on the weekend would be a pain. It's attached to Raw Sugar and it's pretty easy to miss to be honest. They have a pretty huge menu. If you're not a sushi fan there are other options for you like Teriyaki chicken, tempura, gyoza etc. I ordered something called a salamander roll, it was salmon, spicy mayo, avocado with tempura flake thingys. As I mentioned, I'm not a sushi fan! But this wasn't as bad as the other stuff I've tried and had a bit of a kick to it. The salmon was clearly fresh and it was presented really nicely. Since I wasn't a fan, I let my friend pick at it while I ordered tofu tempura. The tofu tempura was really tasty. It had a nice sauce on it, and was crispy. Kind of hard to eat! Maybe I'd like if the pieces were smaller, but I managed. The service was exceptional. The lady was extremely sweet and we got our food very shortly after ordering. read more

Quality of the sushi is great here- love that they offer brown rice rolls/sushi ^_^ Have come with friends before, I have ordered to pick up before- staff are very nice and accommodating! Definitely a cool atmosphere- not too large of a restaurant but perfectly comfortable and quaint (has its own interior design that's very classy and suiting to the atmosphere) read more

I've eaten here many times over the years and even though they have greatly upgraded the decor in that time, the food seems to get better each time and the prices stay reasonable. Service can be scattered but is usually quite good. The last meal here, for two, included octopus salad (takosu), campfire roll, uni nigiri (sea urchin roe, perhaps an acquired taste) and wakame (seaweed) salad along with a very nice little bottle of Karakuchi Gold saki ($18), served cold. Total incl tax and service was $78 for a very satisfying meal. read more

Small restaurant and was busy for a Tuesday night. The Sushi was tops! We both had one of the Nigiri platters and it was outstanding. The "Torched" pieces were a special treat, if you go, ask for the torched salmon and mackerel...you won't be disappointed. I've had a lot of sushi and this was one of the best experiences I've ever had. read more

We were hyped up for this place because we read such good reviews. The food wasn't TERRIBLE, but it was average for the price we paid. Needless to say, we were really disappointed. We ordered a few rolls (ranging over $12 each), and the rice was meh in terms of seasoning, they were also kind of small. We were especially excited over the special pressed roll but it turned out to be our least favourite. :( Also I would not recommend a large party for this place. It's super small. read more

Went for lunch, good selection, but a little pricy. Food was great. If you're from out of town and need a sushi fix this is the place for you! read more

This is our favorite Sushi place hands down. Amazing veggie gyosa, great veggie sushi and the best fish sushi: ask for "campfire".. read more

Sushi 88 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Excellent place! The waitress is very nice and the food were delicious. I didn't expect to have authentic Japanese food in Ottawa. One drawback is that they seem to lack choices with noodle soups which is understandable. read more

One of the better sushi places in Ottawa. Seating is limited but they do take reservations! read more

Sushi 88 - Red Bean ice cream - Sushi Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Classic sushi spot in Ottawa that has a great Bento Box lunch deal. read more

Sushi 88 - Warm decor and elegant place settings - Sushi Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I am in between 3 and 4 stars, but the waitress was really nice and paced the food out for me (I was doing some work while eating dinner). so I am going to round up to 4. The restaurant isn't very big, but it is decently decorated inside. The restaurant is right next to the entrance to Chinatown, and finding parking can be a little difficult. I ordered: Miso soup (came with the meal): pretty standard, although it was interesting hearing the microwave beeping and then receiving the soup. Tempura appetizer: came with some decent-sized shrimp and veggies, and was fried nicely. Midnight catch sushi and sashimi combo: this was decent, and came with the usual suspects: shrimp, salmon, tuna, eel and cucumber roll. As stated before, the young woman serving me gave me really good service. I didn't feel rushed, and she was there when I needed something (or brought it before I even asked). If you are in the area and want some sushi, then try out Sushi 88. read more

Sushi 88 is much nicer than it appears from the street. The restaurant is small and cozy and has an up scale design. It was decorated for Halloween which is a nice festive touch! Now, for the food. The sushi itself is as good as any other I've had in Ottawa. The prices are on pare with other good quality sushi spots. The food is beautifully presented. The one drawback is the speed of the service. The waitress was serving the entire restaurant solo and, as a result, it took a while for our order to be taken and food delivered. Overall, definitely worth checking out. read more

Last week I was in Ottawa with a friend of mine, and I had a craving for sushi. Sushi 88 was close to where we were staying, and so I opted to check it out. I was not disappointed! I quickly stopped by to get take out, and decided on the Rock N Roll sushi combo. It was definitely the way to go. Despite that I wasn't a huge fan of the salad (mainly the dressing, but that's my own personal taste), the rolls were amazing! All were a great size, with not too much rice (which was perfect), with lots of fish in the middle. The spicy salmon was by far my favourite. If I'm craving sushi again in Ottawa, I'm coming back! read more

Nice place to splurge on good quality sushi. If you can get in at lunch, you can get a nice bento box lunch special and it's lovely. The tempura was hot, crunchy and crispy but light and the shrimp and veggies were flavorful. The service here is excellent. Very attentive, gracious staff are quick to fill your water glass. They are always smiling and congenial. Often busy in the evenings and it's a small space so it can get very tight with a big group. Perfect for a nice date. If you reserve, try to get a booth. I believe they have a patio in the summer but I would suggest staying inside. read more

The sushi was absolutely delicious. Can't wait to dine inside but even takeout was miles above others. Highly recommended. You won't be disappointed. read more

This restaurant was great. They have a good location, making it easy to find parking. They have a patio (though we didn't get to sit on it, I definitely intend to come back and sit on it) and the decor inside is simple and traditional. The decor and general atmosphere was quite nice and relaxing, though it was a bit distracting to have people constantly coming in and out to pick up take out since it's such a small restaurant. But it wasn't bad enough to detract from our experience. The service was fantastic, attentive and pleasant. The food was good, I LOVED the agedashi tofu and the gyoza, but wasn't such a fan of the salmon battera (though I think that's just personal preference, as there was nothing wrong with it, but I don't have anything to compare it too). Bonus, they were decorated for Halloween and had a box of candy by the cash. This was an absolutely fantastic dining experience and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes sushi. read more

Sushi 88 - House roll and salmon battera - Sushi Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Menu for two for 39$, fresh food but the sushi came a bit warm, classy ambiance, perfect for a date! read more

Sushi 88 - a variety of sushi on a black plate - Sushi Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Sushi rolls were good; however, the tuna sashimi was the worst I have ever had. I've eaten Maguro (tuna) sashimi for more than 20 years and this was the worst. It had the color of tuna but the texture was not tuna. They tried to pass of some other fish as tuna (fake tuna). I won't be going back to Sushi 88 and I had heard such good things about this place. read more

Sushi 88 has great service, a clean and cozy atmosphere, and most importantly- seriously amazing sushi. My bOyfriend and I each had the vegetarian bento box, which was very well priced given the amount of food it had! A wonderful variety and excellent, fresh quality. Great location too- just after the gates to Chinatown. read more

Sushi 88 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

In Ottawa for business and found this restaurant on Yelp. Right at the entrance of China Town , very small and intimate restaurant and some of the BEST sushi we have ever had! Highly recommend this restaurant! read more

A bit expensive and the place is quite small BUT... the rest is just great. Great food, great service... nice people. I recommend.