Having family members who are friends with the designers of this restaurant, SushiPop has been on my "To Try" list ever since it opened. After that, I read some not-so-favorable reviews and postponed my visit even further. Yesterday, while starving in the Memorial City area, I gave myself an ultimatum...and decided to finally give SushiPop a try. Boy, am I glad that I did! First off, the concept is genius. "Fast food" isn't usually a positive association. Okay, yes, it IS technically "fast-food-sushi" - but ONLY in the sense that it's not served in your typical restaurant, waiter-service style. Basically, you come in, pick out something(s) you like from their gigantic menu by the door, order at the cashier, grab your number, grab your seat, and wait for your food to be brought out. No grease or drive-thru's about it. If anything, SushiPop is more "fastER-food-sushi" rather than "fast-food-sushi" - more of a "modernized" twist on this traditional cuisine. The decor definitely matches the concept: bright lime greens, deep fuchsia, poppy art, metallic furniture, 90's rock music - all of this gives SushiPop a clean, minimalist-contemporary feel. I really, really enjoyed the vibe this restaurant was giving off. It was a WELL-NEEDED break from cluttered, authentic, somber Japanese restaurants that try their damnedest to make you feel like you're actually eating sushi in Japan. Sure, SushiPop is definitely NOT authentic, but it's fun...and it's honestly not bad!
Anyway, my starving boyfriend and I decided to go with the Spicy Tuna Bowl, 6pcs of Salmon Sashimi, the Big Texas Roll (snow crab, avocado, cucumber inside, topped w/ soft shell crab, jalapeño mayo, & sweet chili sauce), and the Krabby Roll (soft shell crab, crab, cucumber inside, topped w/ avocado & eel sauce). Everything was brought out within 15mins and, for that amount of time, I was extremely pleased with how everything tasted. My boyfriend adored the Spicy Tuna Bowl; his only complaint was for more spicy tuna. I thought the bowl was just okay - the avocado slices were a nice touch, but wasn't a fan of how the rice tasted. Sashimi cuts were far from perfect: they looked clunky and awkwardly-cut, but they were big slices and still managed to taste all right - not the best, but definitely not the worst! The rolls were a bit on the small side, but packed a LOT of good flavors. Definitely recommend the Big Texas Roll!
Other miscellaneous last points...
* At the time of this review, they honored Check-In deals, but apparently, they don't anymore? Guess I was one of the lucky ones! Sorry Yelpers!
* Definitely not authentic, but tons of choices (bowls, burritos, soups, etc.) and amazing rolls.
* Great service-speed, concept, decor, and taste.
* FREE all-you-can-eat ice cream for dessert!
* EAT FREE MONDAYS! Monday nights (5-10pm) ONLY: purchase a meal and get a giftcard equal to that amount to use for next time! read more