Sansai Japanese Grill

We went here today for lunch and there was a sign that said they were no longer in business. Sad sad sad day!!!

This restaurant deserves credit ! But I don’t want to be too crazy with the 5 star thing. This kiiiiiiind of fast food restaurant is managed correctly and I consider it to be one of my spots.
The dude who gave this place 1 star is off by a MILE. The prices are competitive with any place in that area. Go to Veggie Grille, Malibu Fish Grille, Greenblatt’s! or even dare I say… McDonald’s???: /​
Look at your receipt when you’re picking your teeth and Sansai — for what you are getting — is really affordable. Go to any of those other places and get a protein like steak or salmon (cooked to order) & GRAINS & GREENS for around 10 bucks.
They’re tempura & Udon Soup is good & so are the fake and sometimes fluffy *CALIFORNIA ROLLS* Also some SPiCY TUNA hand roll action… why not?
They also serve brown rice for only very little extra wth your meal.
One of the things that actually drives me crazy about this place IS HOW MUCH THEY GIVE AWAY! The establishment is very generous to it’s customers by giving them tons of plastic containers that go from the counter and to the trash can in minutes. I’m always thinking of how they should cut back.
They usually are cool with you drinking water which is generous because it hurts their drink purchases — and the iced tea is pretty fantastic plus+ they have you serve your own drinks so no hassle refills seems too cool for school.
I’m not going to tell you what I eat because who really cares? But if you’re in that area I strongly recommend this place because the friendly youthful staff actually work their butts off and usually do it with a smile. Little mistakes here and there but overall they’re really good. The manager and cooks and staff deserve credit because they are doing things right. Cut back on the plastic and put the television on a relevant channel and I’d love to see a revamp of seating and décor. Why not? You have a great business here and I hope you all to stick around!!!

used to be a great neighborhood place for sushi. particularly before or after a DGA screening … started a slow decline about a year ago. the salad that used to be included with a roll now cost $ 1, the loyalty card program has been watered down, prices continue to creep upwards, now the stopped serving lemons because
«they are too expensive » if they cut costs by dropping lemons from the menu, how
fresh is the fish?

I LOVE their sumi salad! friendly staff — fresh food!

I ate here twice now since my husband is a big fan of Sansai. They have a variety of sushis and tempuras. They also have salads and soups.
They have a parking space in the building along Hayworth. 1 hour Free Parking.
Foods are great. Will be coming back for more.

To start off, this place is great. I mean really great. Huge selection of dishes/​plates/​rolls — combination to satisfy your placate for great price and value. What more can you ask for.
The way they make dishes and present everything looks and makes it more delicious. Cant really differ comparing to actual Sushi restaurant. If your looking for nice subtle place to enjoy indulging yourself alone or w/​group to share and try out whole variety of selection — this is the place. nuff said.

Philly Roll smells and tastes like Jersey!
I know its Sansai so my expectations shouldn’t be much, however, I used to eat their Philly rolls 3 times a week, and the fish used to be excellent, but about 9 months ago something changed and the sushi since has smelled and tasted rank!
I asked the guy taking my order today to please make sure that the fish is fresh, and I explained to him that it had been a long time since I last ordered it because the fish was gross the last time. Also, that last time I told the people at the counter that there was something wrong with the fish, and they did the same thing, NOT A DAMN THING, just looked around like they had no clue how to handle the situation. The guy today had the nerve to tell me he tasted it and that was just fine to him. OMG! No wonder it’s so bad.
It kills me to have to write this because I have been a regular there since it opened. I still like the chicken, and the shrimp is on and off. Unfortunately having sushi at Sansai won’t be something I’ll risk my health on ever again. Total Bummer!

It’s quick, convenient, and they offer biggish-​sized portions, but don’t expect good quality food. For about $ 10, you can get a salmon plate with your choice of a salad (cabbage salad, pasta salad, house greens, etc.) and rice. The fish isn’t fresh, but you can pick the glaze. They also offer teri bowls, sushi, and udon.

I just came in today with my friend for a quick bite to eat, since we were in the mood for Udon and in the neighborhood. We drove by this place, and I decided to turn around and come back to it.
After I came in, I realized that this was more of like a quick to-​go type of Japanese food, not really a formal or a restaurant type. Even then, the Udon was good, in the chicken one, they gave a lot of chicken, and on the tempura one, they gave four pieces of tempura. I also had their California Rolls, which were okay — But they did not taste fresh, seemed like they were the refrigerated kind and just served. The flavors were decent, but I think you could find better if you wanted a true flavor.
If you’re in a rush, and are looking for a quick place to eat, I think this would fit the bill. I wouldn’t make an extra trip to come here though, not worth it. The parking is paid parking, but the shop validates for one hour if you buy something. The staff is kind and professional, the store is clean.

I never leave here disappointed. I always get the salmon plate, which includes grilled vegetable skewer, 2 choices of sides and choice of white or brown rice. and teriyaki sauce (I ask for on the side). The salmon is so moist, it’s always cooked perfectly. For the sides they do change time to time. I get the sumi salad and oriental salad and sometimes the seaweed salad. The portions are great and price is fair.
I have never tried anything else so my review is based on what I tried listed above. I never get the sushi just because I like to go to a sushi restaurant rather than a restaurant that has few sushi. I experienced most are never that fresh and just mostly rice.
There is parking so make sure you validate as well.

I love me some chicken teriyaki. And I love me some california roll even more. So I was excited to try this place out when I moved down to so. cal.
Meh is my first and only thought. The chicken was so dry and tasteless that I had to drench it in teriyaki sauce just to be able to consume it. The side noodle salad wasnt even worth eating. And I was starving. The chinese chicken was ok.
The only thing worth mentioning is the california roll and for that they get their two stars.
Will be some time before someone can make me come back. Too bad. High hopes. No winner.

Im never disappointed when I go to San Sai. I’ve been to multiple locations but this one on sunset is the best food quality wise.
I always order the California rolls, there very fresh and not packed with a lot of sesame seeds. I hate the places that serve the ones with too many seeds. The oriental salad is very good with a bit of a tangy taste to it. The steak and chicken dinner is a favorite of mine as well. It’s also nice to have the option of a side salad when you order the California rolls.
The only thing I didn’t like when I recently went here is when I walked in the lady was counting her cash register ready to probably end her shift but there was no welcome or she could have said hi mam I’ll be with you in just a moment. Something like that would have been nice and shows better customer service as well. Other than that the food is always excellent!

Ack, ack, for the price we paid we should not have gotten what is essentially the Panda Express of Japanese food. This food was not tasty… everything tasted slightly rubbery and processed. The salmon «bowl» didn’t even come in a bowl and must have been filleted from the world’s tiniest salmon.
Given we walked past five flies while going from the door to the register we probably should have turned around and left, but we were in a rush for a DGA screening.
Thoroughly disappointed…

Holy moly this place has got it done well!!!
To be or not to be, with Sansai, one should be.
The sushi for the price is well above par and tastes fresh. They play awesome music that tickles my fancy on every occasion. The Sumi salad has a distinct sweet taste that mixed with the teriyaki sauce combines to create the ying and the yang of combinations. There chicken bowl, both offered with dark or the healthier white meat tastes great with the sweet sauce they offer. You really can’t go wrong.
The speed with which the food is prepared is always more than efficient and begs the question, who was the genius to create a gourmet, fast food location. Well the answer is, the owners of this freaking place!!!
Just a little tip. They give away a special meal card that after ten punches you get a free meal of anything over $ 10 and the card accounts for $ 7 of it. I don’t get this offer much, but you might as well ask for it and take advantage of it.
Nice relaxed setting and the t.v. is a great addition to enjoy a sports game or cnn.

Sushi should NOT taste fishy. Period.
I’m no sushi snob and have eaten plenty of cheap sushi and liked it just fine but this place’s yellowtail roll was almost inedible — the smell was off putting of course, but the rice was dry and terrible, too and the avocado inside tasted old and mushy.
Seriously weak roll.
I had the roll and sushi combo and the sushi fish was pretty awful too — it definitely seemed the texture of previously frozen fish.
Oh, and the miso was bland.
Overall a pretty dismal experience.

Five stars for this place. I’m not leaving so many reviews these days, but I said to myself, this place really deserves to have 5 stars. I’ve been there many times over the past year and I have to say each time I went the food was delicious and perfectly made and the prices were reasonable. The sushi rolls are delicious. yes, delicious and perfectly made with not too much rice and not too little amount of fish.
The tempura is amazing, not greasy, but crisp and the produce they yse is fresh. The salads are great.
Just wanted to say it.. . now I’ll go back to my ordinary life.

[closer to 3.5 stars, but i’ll give the bump for freshness and how well this place is run.]
I’ve been going to the Nerdist writers series at Meltdown Comics every Sunday this spring, and this is a great place to stop for a light meal or snack within walking distance (five blocks). Their fish is fresh and tasty, and their variety of salads are inspired in their creativity, if not in execution. There’s an adorable Korean (?) lady that works here/​owns the place who’s so welcoming.
Their secret weapon, if you can call it that, are $ 2.95 hand rolls. Guys, these include huge pieces of fish with fresh sprouts (they’re wasabi-​spicy-​tangy, if you know what I mean), cucumber and pickled carrot. Two was enough for a filling, healthy snack.
Their chicken is of good quality but the curry is not as flavorful as I count on Japanese curry to be, but they do offer brown rice for $.50 more! This place does fast casual right.
ps. Their huge flat screen TV is always playing something interesting: Batman Begins the first time I went, Horton Hears a Who this past weekend.

3.5 stars
I came here before going to DGA.
I was pleasantly surprised because it looks like a chain sushi stores that can’t get sushi right. But the place had some nice rolls. We didn’t try the raw fish neta so I don’t know how that is but the rolls were good.
We ordered the Tiger roll, (it looked like the dragon roll) and the scallop roll. It’s definitely one of the very Americanized rolls but the Tiger roll was very good. The portion was big. They also give you a choice of salad (there’s 3 kinds of salads, romain salad, normal green salad and pasta salad) and miso soup.
Tiger roll was really good and scallop roll wasn’t that bad either.
Again it’s definitely not authentic but I was definitely pleasantly surprised. The rice was good and still a little warm and service was friendly and good.
As with any locations around here I think parking’s an issue.

San-​Sai Japanese Grill is like watching English-​dubbed animé — it isn’t bad, but it isn’t terribly authentic, either. If you get hooked on the tepid offerings here, Sansai can be your gateway plate to harder sushi and turn you into an unrepentant addict… radio friendly Asian fare for a wider audience, Vanilla Ice garbed in tempura batter and served with a side of steamed rice, rice, baby…
The Sunset Boulevard location is new, clean, and air-​conditioned; not a place to impress a date, but certainly acceptable for your business lunch or fifth-date-and-I’ve-already-seen-you-naked kind of occasion. Prices are middle-​of-​the-​road; more expensive than fast food, but not too pricey, either (ten bucks will fill you up, even if you’re the sort who already drills extra holes in your leather belt). Americanized «exotic» food that is just «foreign» enough to avoid burger boredom.
– Think Baja Fresh, in a wardrobe department kimono…
As for the food, the sushi isn’t that good, honestly. It’s better than supermarket sushi, but it won’t blow your mind, either. If anything, it will whet your appetite for bigger and better things.
Like being weaned off of Hi-​C and finally accepting… Ionno… Vodka or something.
Cooked items like teriyaki chicken, tempura shrimp and vegetables are somewhat bland and wanting, flavor-​wise, even when drenched in the sugary sauce with which they are served.
All in all, Sansai earns a passing grade, a gentleman’s ‘C’ — and this particular branch earns extra points for its comforting, low-​pressure environment that doesn’t try too hard to look like a B-​movie director’s rendition of a stereotypical Japanese restaurant.
Will Sansai make up for its average performance in the kitchen, with stratospheric technique in bed?
I can’t tell you until at least my third date with this restaurant, but the plastic containers appear spill-​resistant, and the food not averse to getting eaten while watching reruns of True Blood…
Wait, TMI?
– Oh yes. Soooooo TMI.
– And yet, I’m not going to edit this…

Japanese Fast Food? — Can it be?
I had never been to a San Sai restaurant and probably would not have stopped in. We’ve all had supermarket and vendor sushi and we know it’s just not good.
San Sai has great sushi at SUPER prices. I couldn’t believe what we got for under 20 dollars. Check out my picture.
I definitely want to come here again. The menu has lots to pick from and nothing is made until you order it. Try the Calamari Tempura Roll. Delicious!
San Sai is a chain and if you’re lucky there is one near you.