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    Sushi Karen

    4.8 (249 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Sushi Karen Photos

    Business Info

    SUSHI KAREN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Intimate
    Quiet

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    Recommended Reviews - Sushi Karen

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    Unagi
    Kristine L.

    I've been wanting to come here forever since I live so close but I always forget to make reservations. I finally was able to snag one with one of my best friends and we came on a Wednesday around 7pm. There's a free parking lot available as needed. It is a really small establishment with approx 5-6 small tables and when we arrived it didn't appear that they utilize the sushi bar area. We got seated at a small table. I thought about the omakase but didn't think I would finish so opted to share some apps and order some sushi a la carte. The soft shell crab was actually served in pieces which I usually don't see but it meant every piece was crispy so that was pretty good. We also split the miso glazed cod which tasted very fresh and had great flavor. The service was decent, nothing too stand out and I wouldn't recommend cominf here if you are looking for an upscale "experience" or trendy ambiance. It is very no frills and I don't mean that negatively. The sushi was good but I don't know if it's anything that was particularly memorable. Since they don't take reservations online I'm not sure if I would make the effort since there's so many other great spots. I also really like the sushi bar experience to chat with the chefs and just have a good time so this was not really the place for me.

    Red Snapper Carpaccio
    Jacky H.

    What a cute family-owned, mom-and-pop shop! The restaurant is small and intimate, with limited seating. The host was incredibly hospitable, and I highly recommend calling ahead to make a reservation. We ordered two omakase courses. One of the courses included sushi rolls and was shareable, so there's no need to order the same omakase course for everyone at your table. We decided to pair our omakase with sake, and the chef recommended the Mizubasho Junmai Daiginjo. It's a dry and smooth sake that paired beautifully with everything we had. The omakase course included kanpachi, red snapper carpaccio, albacore, eel, Spanish mackerel, red snapper nigiri, salmon belly, scallop, sea urchin, sweet shrimp, yellowtail belly, and seared salmon belly. I'm not sure if the sushi roll changes daily, but tonight's roll was blue crab. It wasn't bad at all! Everything was fresh, delicious, and packed with umami. Sushi Karen offers excellent value. I highly recommend it for their omakase course, especially if you're looking for high-quality, top-notch sushi at an affordable price. Unlike many omakase restaurants that require a reservation months in advance or even a deposit, Sushi Karen is much more accessible. The pricing was affordable, no deposit was required, and we were able to book a reservation just a week in advance.

    Haena S.

    We always drove by wondering how the sushi was here and finally tried this place after successfully making a reservation. They get booked quickly on the weekends. We were pleasantly surprised by how good the omakase was. My husband was BLOWN away by the muscat dessert at the end.

    Salmon skin salad
    Ves S.

    Call ahead for reservations! There are only about 4 tables or so, so they may not be able to accommodate walk ins. We got the omakase for one and a salmon skin salad and salmon shioyaki meal. Based on the price difference we thought the sale would be single but it's quite large! The shioyaki also had generous amounts of meat. The Omakase for one is a good tasting experience, starting with two carpaccios then ten pieces of quality nigiri. We enjoyed the salmon belly and unagi, but all were delicious. Parking available in lot.

    Yellowtail sushi
    Daniel J.

    Authentic and high-quality sushi and sashimi. While it is a small venue, all the sushi and sashimi were very fresh and delicious. Highly recommend.

    Katherine S.

    We made a reservation for dinner on a Thursday around 6pm and got seated right away. It is an extremely inconspicuous place with only a few tables inside so definitely recommend making a reservation ahead of time! We ordered the assorted sushi dinner and two oysters. Everything was soooo good that I forgot to take pictures of a couple nigiri. Everything tastes fresh and like what other reviewers said, you do get BIG pieces fish!!! I love how flavorful each piece is but the sauce/dressing doesn't overpower the freshness of the fish. The oysters are AMAZING - must try! You can either get it with rice or just on its own. Service was amazing and there is a parking lot but it might get packed. They also do not offer takeout / to-go currently. Highly highly recommend! Give it a try and you won't be disappointed!

    Appetizer shrimp tempura 12.00
    Toma C.

    This place has really fresh fish and make their sushi rolls to perfection. The spoiler and tempura roll was delicious. It was a good ratio of rice and filling. Not much wasabi if you like that ask for more. The shrimp tempura is light and crispy. One of my favorite places for tempura. However today may be a bad day for them it was slightly greasy tasting. See my photos for what we got. My favorite is the scallops and eel.

    Simple sushi items menu
    Nelson H.

    I was being very lucky without a reservation and able to get a seat on the weekend night!!! Thanks for sushi Karen and Chef!! Best of the best quality fishes so freshly, delicious and mild in the mouth!! Especially Amber Jack, Scallop, Yellowtail and Yellowtail Belly!! Unagi water eel is so incredible good size portion!! All those selections of sashimi cappuccino are so good!!! I picked Amber Jack - Kanpachi spicy Jalapeño Citrus .... Services were quick enough, by looking at the chef making all those sushi n sashimi... it's a Art ... the knife technique skills!! So cool!!! Definitely recommend!! I do and definitely suggest all customers to make reservations before arrival and make some arrangements ahead. This's a small mom n pop restaurant that not really good for a big group, it's best for 2-4 people in a party... Here is running by a older Japanese couple and they are very into Japanese traditional culture, being patient after you ordered and enjoy Chefs knife cutting skills!!

    Heidi B.

    Love this place. We had such an amazing experience here and do plan to come again soon. If you can order their chef's choice. It's so worth it. I don't even want to tell you the dishes that we had because it should be a surprise. If you are a foodie and love to try new this, you will love it. The money is well worth it for the quality of the food alone. I just really love local places like this. Our waitress was adorable and personable. We had a little running joke at our table where she would let me know if it was ok to put soy sauce on the dish or not. Which, I greatly appreciated! This place is not meant for large groups however. I think 4-5 people max since this place is a bit on the smaller side. With how small it is, the owners know how to utilize the place, and it was quite intimate and private. Friends on the larger side may have some issues with navigating, it's not impossible, just takes a bit. Overall. Take the time to make an appointment here. Sushi Karen is amazing and deserves it for all the time and effort they put into their business!

    Some of the courses from the omakase dinner
    Delfin T.

    Don't let the name fool you. This place is fantastic & no Karens at all. It's a 3-man operation... the sushi chef, the server & the hired help in the back kitchen. There were only 5 tables so definitely need to make reservation to dine here. We ordered the omakase, the tempura & an extra roll with eel. The food was fantastic. The tempura was light & crispy. All the fish were so fresh. The service was excellent. This lady did everything... from taking your reservation on the phone, to taking your order & serving them. My tea cup was never empty... she continuously checked my cup & refilled it. We really enjoyed our dinner. Would definitely go back.

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    1 month ago

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    3 months ago

    Absolute perfection, no notes. Call ahead to reserve since the place is small they don't really do walkins.

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    9 months ago

    This is a small place. Only one server and one chef. I think they are couple. The food is authentic n fresh

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    1 year ago

    Great quality! Would recommend sushi or sashimi so you can taste that quality fish. Don't forget to make a reservation.

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    Ask the Community - Sushi Karen

    Can you do gluten free a la carte or omakase? Thank you so much!

    The chef has prepared his own way, double check when you order

    How much is the omakase?

    96.00 omakase , the food and service is great . The chief is super nice . Also top notch .

    What are the hours/days are they open?

    It varies and as of today (9/3/22), this place is reservation only. We tried to walk in and there are signs on the door stating as much.

    Is this place still open?

    Yes. They are back. The restaurant is open again. Please visit the restaurant. Thank you.

    View All 6 Questions

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    I was looking forward to trying this place out this past Saturday for Mother's Day, but…read moreunfortunately, the food and service disappointed me. I understand they are busy, but there is no reason to swing the door at my face when I simply asked where I can put my name down on the waiting list. No answer, just rolled eyes and door in face. We really should've left because from that moment, it definitely felt like it was a mission for the two servers to make it a miserable experience for my family. I later found a small post holding up a chromebook outside of the restaurant with a paper with very small print explaining waitlist rules. It would be a lot better if the restaurant made a larger print sign that just says, "Sign In Here," and then have your small print letter to the customers about the rules. We put our name down at 12:30pm, it gave an estimated seat time of ~1pm. But because of the terrible service and mismanagement of the waiting list, we didn't get seated until 1:30pm. They seated 4 parties of 2-3 before our party of 4 when the open tables were side by side. On top of that, after we got seated, they still gave water and took the other tables orders that were seated after us before they came to us. Food took another 20 minutes to come out. I asked for the bill three times, but it didn't come until the other tables that were seated after us left and it was just empty tables next to us. In terms of the food, it was fine and the tempura was cooked well but I do not need to eat their tempura to be treated this poorly.

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    SUGARFISH | Pasadena - Outside of restaurant

    SUGARFISH | Pasadena

    4.1(1.8k reviews)
    1.1 mi
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    Came here for lunch on a Saturday. There was a line before opening so I would recommend coming…read moreearly, especially if you are coming with a group. The meal was a fun experience! It was clear that the chef put a lot of thought into each bite. The ones that stood out the most to my group were the salmon sushi with toasted sesame (the nuttiness of the toasted sesame was incredible), unagi (the eel sauce was the best that I've ever had and I've been to Japan!), and the lobster hand roll. I would recommend parking The Commons so that you can get validation at Sugarfish.

    Free Trust Me on your birthday! You have to dine-in twice prior to your birthday and make sure to…read morewrite down your information on their check-in papers that usually come with your bill. There's a few parking lots that are surrounding the place but they all require payment. I came here on a Wednesday night at 8 p.m. and there wasn't a wait fortunately! We were seated instantly next to two tables and I will say, it's an uncomfortable few seconds (for both parties) squeezing in between to sit down since the tables are so close together. I will say that the restaurant has a dark/intimate ambiance since it's lit by the candles at your table. My table ordered 2 trust me's and 1 nozawa trust me. You're served with a plate of edamame and then each fish one by one. They wait for the entire table to finish eating the plate in front of you before going back to the kitchen to let them know when to prepare to following dish. The fish literally feels like it melts in your mouth. You get a chance to chew but then everything else melts in your mouth. The sushi rice they use is magnificent. When the sushi comes out, the rice is so warm and the fish on top is cold and it's honestly an amazing experience in your mouth.

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    I went on a Thrusday @ 3pm and there was plenty seating, very chill. Great spot if you are eating…read morealone or in small group. Waitress was very nice and food didn't take long to come out. I was very surprised at the size of our plates, it made the price very worth it! Ordered the Spicy bulgogi ramen but I wouldn't say that it's even spicy which is fine for me I'm not even a huge fan of spice. 10/10! My fiancee ordered the Bulgogi entree that comes with steamed rice & miso soup. They are not stingy with meat here and the meat quality is pretty good. 10/10 for him. The nigiri had pretty big pieces of salmon on top so the ratio of fish to rice was a little unbalanced, not enough rice. The salmon was good quality though, 8/10. I also got the baked salmon roll and it was suppose to be spicy but, again, not really spicy lol I loveeee me a warm baked roll though and it was delicious 10/10 Overall I recommend it for casual eats. I want to come back in the evening because their hours say open until 12:30am which could be a late night vibe! Must-try spot with amazing food!!

    Tried this spot with my partner on a weekend date and first impressions is that this place is quite…read moreclean. Upon entering, there's seating both on the left and the right side. There's counter seating, group tables, and MISC tables as well. There's a waitlist on Yelp to join so plan ahead if the restaurant is busy. Parking here in Pasadena can be a bit tough but not near Sushigah. Next to it is a huge indoor parking lot where it's only $1 per 2 hours, very much worth it. The menu here is very extensive, ranging from sushi rolls, sushi, ramen, udon, standard sushi apps, bento boxes, etc. Our orders were taken pretty quick, service I'd say was around a 7/10. We were checked on a couple times but seem like the staff weren't fully paying attention as I asked for some extra utensils and my partner asked for the other dishes that our order comes with but they were all forgotten, requiring a 2nd request before receiving our items. Other than that, service was pretty good. It was great that the staff was friendly and quick. -- WHAT WE ORDERED -- Cheese Bulgogi ($25) Rainbow Roll ($18) Mango Cha Cha Roll ($20) Lemon Salmon Roll ($19) Salmon Bento Box ($21) Out of all the rolls, the Mango Cha Cha is the standout. From the pictures posted, it seem to be the most unique roll and the most popular roll to try. Highly recommend trying this as it has a great flavoring balance between the ingredients and the mango on top. MUST TRY!!!! The cheese bulgogi is also pretty underrated. Although a bit on the expensive side, if you like both combined, this is the dish for you. Love the variation of the dish, and it was also cooked to perfection. The bento box is great as well, presented very nicely, and portion is huge I'd say. A great box to eat on the go or at the restaurant. Not too expensive as well.

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    Sushi Karen - sushi - Updated May 2026

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