Sashimi great portions and delicious!!!! Bento box mixed grill so flavorful! Have always loved Sushi Zanmai!

I haven't been to Sushi Zanmai in a couple of years - mostly because the wait can get pretty long - but every time I've eaten there, it's been absolutely worth it. Their sushi is consistently amazing and never fails to hit the spot. You can tell they care about quality, and it shows in every roll. I've always loved their private seating areas, which make the experience feel a little more intimate and fun. And the karaoke nights were a staple of my college years - always lively, always memorable, and always a blast. Even after some time away, Sushi Zanmai still stands out in my mind as one of Boulder's most enjoyable sushi spots. Wish the wait wasn't so long or maybe I should make a reservation. Thank you Sushi Zanmai. read more

I requested to eat the eel in the aquarium and was (very rudely) denied that request. I will be back for that eel. I also saw a staff member enter the bathroom and heard plentiful moans and groans. The smell that wafted through the restraunt upon their exit was enough to violate the geneva convention. Will be back. read more

Always fantastic in every level except one crabby waitress. Beautiful environment. Great food as always. Expert sushi chefs. Have loved this place for 36 years. read more

My bf and I stopped by for a quick bite and everything truly hit the spot. The sushi was fresh, flavorful and melt in your mouth delicious! We ordered the sushi combo 2, zanmai, dragon Z roll, and seared salmon belly with caviar. The seaweed salad and house salad were great apps to start. We also ordered the matcha crème brûlée for desert and it was really the cherry on top of a fantastic lunch. Highly recommend this restaurant! read more

Sushi Zanmai - Zanmai and Dragon roll - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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I don't usually write negative reviews, but this was food was bad and it was not a comfortable environment (I wanted to leave as soon as I got in, and even tried to say I was at the wrong restaurant not realizing the one I said was supposed to be at was the same owner and attached; so I ended up stuck ). Luke warm miso soup, yellow tail and jalapeño crudo that were thick hunks of fish in a ponzu sauce completely overpowered by citrus (could only eat half and was starving), nigiri that had rice that crumbled as soon as you picked it up with your chopsticks and fell all over your plate, a roll I could also only eat half of. I am bummed I wasted a meal here while in town. read more

Real food, real humans, no AI. My family loved it! Will come again soon! The food was great! read more

Six stars if I could. As East Coasters, we were skeptical of sushi in Boulder, but this spot exceeded all expectations. Incredible staff, amazing sushi chefs, and food that's to die for. Our go-to date night--never disappointed, never hungry. A must-try. read more

The worst Japanese food I've had. Luke warm miso soup that tasted like it came out of a packet. The vegetarian dinner was a joke: a big pile of rice and noodles, with a few small sprigs of broccoli. The shrimp was bland, but at least tolerable. Never again! read more

Food, staff, service excellent. It was great sitting at the counter watching the very skilled chefs making the rolls.

We sat in the tea room where we had the opportunity to sit barefoot on the wood floor with cushions. The food was phenomenal. The Japanese Jalepeno Yellowtail was to die for! The service was incredible by our beautiful server, Grace. Ambiance is something to tell all our friends about. This place is a gem in Boulder! read more

Decent but they upped prices ($6 for a green tea!?) feels outlandish and not cool. Unfortunate to see this place make bad changes after changing hands of ownership. read more

Came here for my birthday because I heard hey had drums and karaoke. I was extremely disappointed. After hearing another birthday celebration with the drums and everything, they almost forgot my birthday completely. After being reminded, I still did not get any drums or karaoke or literally anything fun. Do not come here for birthdays or at all. Terrible service. Made a special day a regret. read more

Sushi was pretty good, but the service was really slow and inattentive. It once was loud and raucous and a lot of fun, and now it is pretty quiet and tired and rundown. read more

Unfortunately I feel like the quality and the service have gone downhill. Our waitress probably had a lot of tables but we had to let her know when we didn't get a roll we had ordered and it took a long time for her to circle back. We loved the private room as always but just felt like it wasn't the same place we have loved for years before the pandemic. One of our rolls was one of their specials and was gross. The other rolls were just ok and could have probably passed if the service wasn't also off. All and all just an ok experience. read more

Great sushi in Boulder and super authentic. They were running 1 sushi chef short so it took a while, but the food was amazing when it came. Definitely try the okonomiyaki - cooked pancake with corn, shrimp, scallops and a cool sauce (photo below). read more

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Went last night. It was pretty empty yet the service was super slow. Ordered drinks that took 30 minutes to come out. The food was just fine. The thing is, this place used to be really good, I think the owners may have sold it. What frustrates me is that they advertise themselves as an authentic Japanese restaurant when clearly it is a Japanese fusion restaurant. Places like Hapa are better because they acknowledge this about themselves (hence the name 'hapa'). But Zanmai is trying to be something they're not. read more

Sure, I am a believer, have been for35+years. Authentic categories, sushi, sashimi. hand rolls, standard rolls, specialty rolls, salads, and also some full entree meals. Where else in Boulder can you get this, so fresh, served with a soundtrack which included, tonight, Beatles, Otis Redding, Queen, Steppenwolf and more! Always the freshest fish, good staff and tonight, to top it off, a new flavor of mochi for dessert, plum wine. read more

As a 30 plus resident of Boulder I've eaten at sushi zanmai for 30 years and I think, I know, last night is my last. The veggie tempura was good, the same as always but I also ordered the scallop special of the evening. 6 tiny scallops smaller than a quarter and rubbery. No flavor. I also noticed that for a Friday night at 6:30 pm, where it used to be standing room only waiting for a table or seat at the bar, I was shocked at how empty the place was. Maybe I'm not the only one that has noticed the decline. read more

It has been a while since I ate here and I left VERY DISAPPOINTED. Had three rolls and one was not better than the other. Mostly rice and almost no seafood. Pieces fell apartment when I gripped them with my chopsticks. Zanmai does not hold a monopoly on poor sushi. What is going on? read more

Wow! Great sushi. The fish was very fresh. The service? Just amazing. We had a very sweet lady who always came to the table with a smile. We even met the manager and she was very nice. Definitely recommend. read more

Sushi Zanmai - California roll, tuna avocado roll, shrimp tempura roll - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Great sushi, we came here while traveling. 10 stars from me!! Service was good and we loved the food

Yesterday was my 40th bday and I had a differs experience in this place that is my favorite Japanese restaurant in Colorado. I wait around 40 min to be served. Andy first feeling was to not give the 20% tip for the waitress but I and up giving because I actually feel bad to her was not her fault that they didn't have enough staff. But I was disappointed to have to be in this situation when I choose to be there to celebrate a special occasion. read more

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Fabulous sushi! Everything was really fresh and the service was excellent. Best was the twice cooked eggplant with sweet miso dressing!!

Made a last minute decision to go here last night and it truly never disappoints! We sat at the bar and loved watching Sushi Rob create all the various rolls and sushi creations. And it was fun talking to him a bit and learning about the various specialty rolls he created (007 was amazing!) and all his time in the field! Natalia provided excellent service and we loved all the rolls they both recommended. Sushi Zanmai seems to be thriving with their new management, I think the fish even seems more fresh! And I just love the relaxed yet communal environment and the seating at the bar is so great for people watching Thanks for a great night with all the sushi masterpieces, we'll certainly be back!! read more

The ambiance of this place is awesome, especially if you can score one of the more private sitting areas where you can sit on the tatami mat and eat from a chabudai. We were lucky enough to be seated in these semi-private booths both times, which was much needed since we had a baby who wasn't on solids yet and needed privacy for his meals. I'm forever grateful to the helpful staff of Sushi Zanmai for being so accommodating. As for the sushi itself, this is the closest thing to authentic sushi and Japanese cuisine in the city of Boulder. At Sushi Zanmai, I prefer the grilled food items, such as the yakitori, to the nigiri despite my love for raw sushi. Of the nigiri, my favorites are the scallop and tamago. This place is definitely popular, so we try to get there as close to 5pm as possible. It's worked out pretty well so far. read more

Sushi Zanmai - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

I took my son to dinner for his bday. Going out for sushi is expensive and a rare occasion for me. We both have had the Charshi Combo meal in the past and loved it because is includes a mix of many fishes including unagi, egg, roe, octopus, mackerel, skate, scallop, and other really good stuff mixed into the rice. Last night, the combo was rice, yellow tail, ahi, and salmon. I was so disappointed. I took home most of my dinner to go. Insult to injury, our appetizers came out after our meal was served. When you drop over $100 on a meal for 2 (no drinks) and it's not what you expect, it's a bummer. If you order the Charshi, make sure you check that its correct. read more

The entire experience was disappointing. Terrible service and terrible food. The food was so inconsistent. 2 in our party had chicken teriyaki that looked entirely different. 2 of us ordered Jalepeno sashimi and it was totally different . We had to ask for the rice that went with a meal. It finally came mid way through his dinner. In our party of 6, everyone was completely finished eating and 2 of us had not received our sashimi. When asked how much longer it was going to take; our server replied, "we cannot ask the sushi chefs to rush." We will NEVER return. Total waste of money. read more

This restaurant was recently sold and the new owners have made some changes. The food and drink menus are different. The only thing that really matters for the purpose of this review is that the quality of the sushi was awful. We ordered tempura vegetables. The tempura batter was ok on some veggies but soggy on others. The asparagus tempura was too tough to eat. We ordered a good variety of sushi and a roll. It was all bad. I am very disappointed because I loved this place and it was my "go to" sushi place for 35 years. The new owners must have a new fish supplier or they are serving old fish. It was bad enough that I was concerned I was going to get sick and did not eat all of the sushi which I don't think I ever done. This was among the two worst sushi experiences I have ever had. read more

My husband heard about Sushi Zanmai, wanted to try a sushi place that was new to us, and requested we go for his birthday dinner. We were excited! We acknowledge the service industry is rough right now, and many places are understaffed, and we usually have total compassion if we encounter bad service. However, our service was horrendous, which compelled me to write this review. Our server was negligent and inattentive; once she took our initial order, she didn't ask how we were doing or inquire if we'd like to order anything else. She wasn't spread too thin; she was careless and made minimal effort. We waited 1h15m for the first part of our sushi order to arrive, and she didn't come by once during this time to apologize or simply check in. We had to flag down another staff member to ask for our check. Our food was also thrown together. We are accustomed to receiving sushi orders in batches, but here, part of an order of an item came out, and the rest came later. For example, we ordered four fatty yellowtail nigiri, and three came out, followed by the fourth maybe 20 minutes later. The dishes were served without ginger or wasabi (and we had no opportunity to politely ask for some, because we were ignored). The soft shell crab was over-fried. The rolls were sloppily put together and fell apart easily. Additionally, customers either waiting for a table or waiting for take out were spilling from the small entryway into the restaurant, standing among the tables, and not everyone was masked. The staff made no effort to remedy this. Our bill was over $200 before tip (I never tip less than 20%, and I did here, because the service was abysmal), which was absolutely not worth it. We have paid half that and gotten much better service and food and have also happily paid more than that for great service and food. I rarely write negative reviews, especially after just one singular bad experience, but this was appalling. The only silver lining was the comic relief of a birthday dinner gone wrong. We will never go back and will warn others against going as well! read more

Looking for good sushi, you found it! If you're a sushi lover you should definitely try this place. And the staff is super friendly.

Pretty mediocre sushi, from the firecracker roll to the Aloha, Lucky, and more. Not very fresh rice or fish. The rolls sound creative but they're either eh tasting or lathered in gross spicy Mayo. The best part is they have ample outdoor seating, but other than that, I wouldn't come back or recommend. read more

Great sushi recommendation from the locals. Beer selection was adequate for the meal with kirin and saporo. Plenty of sake choices. We did an assortment of rolls and sashimi. All were fresh and tasty. Service was quick and efficient. I liked the spider roll the most. Pricing was good as well. read more

Fresh sushi, authentic environment and they have sushi happy hours that are reasonable & delicious. Presentation was upscale. Highly recommended. We had a group of 18 and everyone was satisfied. read more

My goodness I can't believe how the once-famous Sushi Zanmai has fallen. The menu wreaks of nickel and diming: a defiant pricing that seems defensive and annoyed rather than bounteous and proud. One is informed "no substitutions" on everything, and the specials do not come with miso or salad. The server didn't seem to understand that 6 pieces of nigiri wouldn't be enough, and chose, rather firmly, not to suggest anything. Where it got weird was when the sushi chef leaned over the counter and told me they were out of buri- one of the items on the special. When I said "Fine, and you sub in some urchin?" she said "We don't do substitutions. " I reminded her that it wasnt my choice to ask for a sub. She got into this whole loud pricing debate with the other chefs, to decide whether she could give me some urchin! It was so embarrassing! She explained something about this portion of the menu and how they could only sub in what they wanted to sub in and I was just so shocked at the nickel and diming and the utter lack of decorum. Her presence was such that, if she had been chewing gum while cooking, I wouldn't have been surprised. I kindly excused myself and left. What else could I do? What a sad reflection on any restaurant, let alone one that used to have a wonderful bright soul. read more

Weird experience with the service. Very slow from time we walked in the door. Restaurant was 1/3 full when we arrived, sushi bar probably less. Hostess walked way for 4 or 5 minutes saying they had to get it ready. Then came back on the phone and stood in front of her counter / tablet for another 5+ minutes taking a reservation? Do they take reservations? Seated at the bar, server didn't come by for maybe 15+ minutes, then another maybe 15+ minutes to get 2 drafts and a saki to the table, server standing at the computer and in the hall, and out the back door. Felt like a work stoppage/slowdown to me , staff was there (3 or 4 servers, couple bussers, 4 behind the sushi bar). Food was very good as usual. As I said was disappointing, and a bummer, this has been our go to in Boulder read more

Probably one of the worst sushi place. The 18 piece Chirashi bowl that I had was served with minimal fish, extremely thin sliced. The ginger is the cheap red ginger with red dye. Big disappointment for the high price to what you get. Miso soup is watered down... The salad came with something that reminds you of a thousand island dressing. . read more

It was a cute restaurant. Staff were friendly. Parking was easy as usual thanks to the Boulder public parking. We were only there for the lunch ramen. It was rather mediocre. Their ramen was chewy. Disliked the broth since it was oily. Pretty salty as well. The overall flavoring was overpowering. However I really liked the added egg. It was silky soft. Won't come back. read more

Sushi Zanmai - Spicy ramen. Quite heavy. The eggs were good. - Japanese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Oh man, did I feel old coming here. As everyone knows, Boulder is a college town much like Berkeley. I was here on a quick business trip thinking a little sushi would do me for dinner. Sushi Zanmai was recommended by a local colleague, and it turned out to be a solid, no-complaints choice. It's a generic-looking place as sushi joints go with the familiar blonde wood finish and open counter. The sushi chefs are Japanese - a big plus for the authenticity of the place. The wait staff appear to be college students and conscientious ones at that. They weren't the ones that made me feel old. It was the dribbling of college students coming in, trying to make sense of the sushi menu, and getting carded. Oh how I would love to be carded. Anyway, the sushi was good and fresh. I had the $11.50 Rainbow Roll which had the surprising addition of saba (mackerel) wrapped around it. Tasty - but it kinda clashed visually with the other pinkish fish. The $4.80 buri (fatty yellowtail) sushi was melt-in-your-mouth quality, as was the $7.50 uni (sea urchin), always a tricky proposition if not prepared correctly given its controversially mushy texture. The $4.00 hamaichi (yellowtail) roll with scallions was a relative bargain. To cap it off, I had a pair of chicken yakitori skewers for $4.80 (see my photos for all the food). I was stuffed by the end but in a good way. Maybe if I wear a letterman's sweater and said things like "That's coolio, man", I would fit in. OK, maybe not. FOOD - 4 stars...good sushi, a bit overpriced for some items but understandable given Boulder's proximity to the sea AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...standard Japanese sushi decor...there must be some catalog they all order from to get their furniture SERVICE - 3.5 stars...young, fresh-faced students earning a buck TOTAL - 4 stars...definitely worthwhile option when you're on a Rocky Mountain high read more

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Fantastic food and wonderful ambiance. Service was okay, but that's partly because the place was so busy! I definitely appreciate everything they were able to do with the limited space. 8/10 am going again. read more