Ichiban Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Not a great experience. Why were my scallops on the side and not on my roll? Did not finish the meal. If they made an error why would they not remake the roll? They did take it off the bill. Not really sure why this place has a 4.5, I prefer grocery store sushi.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 3

Great food. Worth the wait. We got sushi rolls. Fresh ingredients and tasty fish.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Not sure what happened but we haven’t been here in over a year! This used to be our favorite sushi place. The scuba roll wasn’t that great. The pieces were so small and overcooked. One of the people we were with, ordered a scuba roll and it didn’t come out until the end of our meal. I believe they forgot about it. My husband’s food came out before anyone else’s and one of our appetizers didn’t arrive until we asked about it. Apparently they no longer serve ginger with the sushi rolls anymore because we didn’t get any. The chefs just seem to be socializing more than paying attention to what they were doing. We constantly heard dishes falling on the floor. So disappointing! We won’t be back, it’s definitely not the same.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Sasha was the sweetest hostess, always accomodating. Sushi is well priced, I recommend doing the combos to get best bang for your buck.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Best value in the Sarasota Bradenton area. Great quality, great price, and excellent service.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: All You Can Eat Sushi, Great Sushi

My M.O. has always been to write a positive review when the food, service, ambiance or something noticeable exceeded norms and typical expectations. I rarely take the time and effort to comment when something doesn’t meet even the basic expectation. What’s the point? Places can have a bad night; right? Also, my palette and expectations can put up with a lot. I am not a foodie; and some say I have an iron stomach. I’m the guy that can put Tabasco on fresh-cut pineapple and love it.

Chinese, good Chinese, seems to escape Sarasota. So, I make it a habit to try a different establishment as often as possible; expecting okay and hope for good, maybe even find great.

For reference, I ordered from Ichiban via Uber Eats the Hot & Sour Soup, TGIF roll, Phoenix roll, Pork LoMien and Hunan 4 flavor. It’s a lot, but I like Chinese food. I especially like grazing after the first plate and depending on the items ordered, enjoy eating it the next day.

Wow… Never in my life have I thrown out almost full containers of EVERYTHING! Nothing met my mediocre expectations. Again not foodie; but I do know what excellent Chinese food and sushi should be. And I honestly am waiting later this evening to see if me and the porcelain throne have a date later.

The soup had the medicine aftertaste of cheap processed guacamole, the sushi (first time in my life) had a strong fishy taste; I mean it was shrimp tempura and tuna and it tasted fishy; WTF?. The Hunan was so salty and bitter it almost as if the cap of the salt shaker came off when they seasoned the dish. The Pork LoMien was extremely bland and also had a weird aftertaste.

After sampling everything and giving all ordered dishes serious consideration, I had to go back to the Uber Eats app and see the “star Rating”. 4.6 out of 800+ reviews. Okay; perhaps they have new kitchen staff or someone called off or the chef was off tonight. My gawd, this was bad. I threw away; 75% (or more) of EVERYTHING I ordered. Never in my life have I ever thrown out takeout ANY takeout. It was that bad.

Believe me or don’t believe me. I am not trying to sway anyone. What surprised me was food this bad, came from a place that ranked 4.6 (out of 5) with 800+ comments. Something seems fishy other than my shrimp tuna roll.

No, it’s safe to say I will not try this place again and cross my fingers in the hopes I can keep it down and it comes out normal.

Food: 1

Best sushi spot (hidden gem) in SRQ

Amazing food and Patrick is the best

Always recommend to family and friends. It’s not the fanciest, but it’s the best

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 5

Love sitting and watching them roll the yumtastic sushi 🍣.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Ichiban is hands down one of my favorite spots! While they’re known for their sushi, I always go for the tempura and teriyaki chicken—both are absolutely delicious. The tempura is perfectly crispy, and the teriyaki chicken is tender with just the right amount of flavor. It’s always a satisfying meal, and the service is top-notch every time.

If you’re in the mood for great food and excellent service, Ichiban is a must-visit!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Not quite sure why the rating is so high. As a big fan of Japanese cuisine, I try to visit every sushi spot I can—so maybe I’ve just become a bit picky. That said, I’ll just share my honest impressions: the ingredient quality is decent, the service is okay, but the interior, utensils, furniture, and even the menu could really use some improvement.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 4

Smells fishy inthe whole restaurant, the sushi all had a sweet undertone which is typically a sign that it is not that fresh but they are using something to preserve it. Sashimi was rubbery and gross. My husband and I both didn’t feel well after eating there…neither of us finished our plates. Not sure why this place is popular, Hoshi Sushi in Gulfgate is 1000% better quality, taste and presentation. I will never go back to Ichiban. The server was very nice!

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 5

Favorite sushi spot in town

Been going here for years. Tony the owner is a great guy and provides the community of Sarasota with great sushi in plentiful quantities! Great local spot

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Love this place ! Arrived late and we had a fantastic plate of different sushi made by Patrick ! Thank you

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Great Sushi

Ordered from this place which sprays all of their food with possibly Fabuloso and takes absolutely no accountability. If you like poison this is your favorite take out.