Saburo's Sushi House Reviews

My brother put our name on the list around 6:30pm then went to a local brewery to wait. My husband and I joined them around 7:45pm and still weren't seated until after 9pm. If this was God's gift to my taste buds and I'd say the wait was worth it. But this didn't knock my socks off. I will echo everyone else's amazement at the sizes. It's already to eat normal sized sushi with some semblance of etiquette. These enormous pieces are ridiculous! On top of that, the staff is far from warm and fuzzy. Our friends complained about service on their previous visits. The waiter couldn't understand splitting the check with three cards. They will only take two cards per check. I honestly don't know what all the raving reviews are all about. I can think of 3 sushi places in Portland that are WAY better. Skip it and spend your money, and time, for better quality.

Saburo's made me rethink how good sushi can be. Crunchy deep fried rolls with a special dip sauce... yes please, salmon skin rolls (sweet and smoky)... amazing, seared albacore tuna... delectable! And of course the portion sizes are larger than normal. The ambiance leaves a little to be desired with bright lights, crowded tables and small walkways though. Service was good and the dishes came out quickly even when the place was packed at 6:30 on a Saturday night.

We were in Portland 4 nights and enjoyed dinner so much we brought more friends and family again. The sushi was amazing. The fish was fresh and thickly cut. The salmon belly was buttery and delicious. This was possibly the best sushi I have ever eaten and I've eaten sushi around the world.

This place is amazing!! Good prices on larger than usual rolls. Got to try it out if you are a sushi fan.

Ok, so I give it a four as the food was fresh, key for sushi, and the portions were HUGE, the selection was decent and I the place was packed at 6:30 on a Tuesday evening. The not so good about this place; the service was basically bad, they are strictly order takers, no checking back and straight up told us we cannot order a second time around, regardless of how much money we were willing to spend. The sashimi was great, although not presented so, if you care about that sort of thing. The rolls were gigantic (way too much rice!!!!) but very tasty nonetheless. Seaweed salad was very bland. Rice was over cooked. It was like being packed into a can of sardines in there, you couldn't not know everything going on around you, every conversation was on blast. We couldn't even order another bottle of sake!!!! Also, upon arrival, we asked to look at a menu while we waited (only 10-15 minute wait quoted) but they said no? Huh? So, if you want some pretty decent sushi for a fairly decent price, and you don't mind having to shovel it in and have zero enjoyment or time to socialize (I was visiting family, so we wanted the experience of calm not cram it in and leave) try this place out. Oh, and they auto grat for all sorts of weird reasons, like if you spend $100, so look before you tip. As a restaurant lifer, I always tip huge, except when I feel taken advantage of like this. Not to mention the gal literally took our order, told us we couldn't order more and our food came, rather promptly, from a young man we never saw again.

Yes, the sushi is not authentic... But its an old and neverending discussion... If you are into minimal, authentic sushi, this is not you place. If you like excellent quality of ingredients and good results. This is a place to go. If been to many sushi places, but this is one of the best. Be aware of the size of the portions, better order less. Its not the best place for a first date, since is pretty hectic and simple. But for the 3rd date ist perfect...

bestest sushi you'll ever have

you have to get there at 4:00PM to get a place on line.

Come hungry. These Mexicans serve up some mean Japanese food. Burrito-girthUnagi rolls. Quesadilla-wide platters of salmon sashimi. <<Homer drool>> Sake makes it all go down easier, like dunking hotdogs in water.

Best sushi I've ever had. Ever.

There were 9 of us. We had to stand in line, but it was worth it! One of the orders came wrong. They were to do it over but it never came. It was OK; they were busy. We will go back again. Further hint: go to Papa Hadyns for dessert!

6 of my friends and I tried to enjoy some sushi on 4/14 around 5:30. We walk in and noticed the sign saying "Please wait to be seated" so we wait.. then one of the waitresses I believe who was the manager on duty comes over and says "You didnt sign in" I mentioned that I didn't know we had to. She goes over and points to a sign that says "Sign in" and says it's right here!!!! In such a rude way! I'm like oh i'm sorry. So we sign in and wait.. we finally get seated and then she comes over and says "You're whole party has to be here!!! NOW" we mention that she was in the restroom, she then said "You should have told me! We can't seat you then! You all have to b need here!!" We were appalled. We also asked for another menu because we only had one and she said no only one per table. We finally said screw it and left. I asked for a manger and she said only me. We had people in our group that have been there several times and I promise you no one will return. People also witnessed how rude she was. She needs some customer service training. I work in customer service and i'm shocked. I've never been treated this way. I can't say anything about the food however, if you care about how people treat others then don't go here!

The atmosphere of this place is nothing too fancy. It's pretty much a hole in the wall that recently expanded with more room for tables and customers. But all of this doesn't matter! The big, tasty nigiri that is twice the usual size surpasses everything else. At first glance, you become speechless and in awe of the immense size of each piece of nigiri. Each bite comes with a mouthful of complete happiness. By the end of the night, there's a satisfaction that no other sushi house can provide, at least in the states. Go try it out!

My partner and I(She is way hotter then me) experienced Saburo's for the first time last week. Sushi was fresh and plentifull. Very reasonably priced! We will be back soon!!

Very busy place so expect to wait. But it is worth it. Prices are fair and the portions are larger than most places.

So weary of bargain binging, calorie gorging gapers extolling the bargain-basement glories of this institution. Sure, big portions, Fred Flintstone cartoon portions. Freshness? Not so much, but apparently who cares? Abrupt, bordering on rude service ALL the time. Big lines, tight quarters, it's fine for broke Reedies and sushi lovers on a budget mission to stuff themselves silly, but, "best sushi in town?" Come on. Set yourself a little higher bar.

Whenever I get to Portland I try and get a sushi fix since there is nothing close to a good sushi restaurant where I live. I am always amazed at the value and quality of the fish at Saburo's. Our meal for two, including a shared large beer was $35 and included a soup, salad and three orders of sushi plus a spider roll ... And the portion sizes are oversized compared to most places. Took four pieces home! There is usually a line, but on a Thursday night at 5:30 we got the last table without waiting. Such a great deal.

Very good rolls and nigiri and extremely fast service. We had beer and saki as well. Very reasonable prices.

Sushi Snobs like little tiny bite size sushi at a very high price. If this is you, don't go to Saburo's. It's the place for the rest of us. Those that like extremely fresh, large portioned and reasonably priced sushi. There can be a wait of up to an hour at times which shows just how good it is. But there are a few great bars in the area to have a pre-dinner libation and a game of pool or browse the antique shops on the boulevard while waiting. All-in-all this is our favorite restaurant in Portland, OR. Maybe anywhere!

When I visit Portland and I'm craving sushi I come here. The size of the sushi are way bigger than the normal. Quality is really good and tastes delicious! Just be prepared to wait because it can get extremely busy.

I've never been here when I didn't have to wait at LEAST 30 minutes. Yesterday we came 20 mins before opening and there was already a line around the building! Thankfully we were able to get in with the first wave, got our order in quickly and got our first delicious hot, deep-fried roll within minutes...but then waited over an hour for the rest of our cold rolls and nigiri. Our waitress was extremely brisk, verging on rude, but all that being said the food did not disappoint. Everything was super good and as usual we ended up taking a full container of sushi home because you can only order ONE time and we always end up over-ordering to ensure we get our fill. Also definitely recommend the Hannya sake!

SLABS of fresh nigiri, and giant rolls of sushi...heaven indeed! There is every reason for this place to be as popular (and sometimes difficult to get in to) as it is. We arrived 30 minutes before opening and there was already a line. Once we filed in and the restaurant was full, there was just as many people still outside waiting to get in! I personally know of people that are more than willing to wait an hour or more to get in there. TOTALLY worth it!

It would be a shame if an out-of-state visitor was lured by the mostly favorable reviews of Saburu, only to find themselves in an hour-plus wait, only to be served the trademark Saburo over-sized and under-fresh product. Oh, and you can always expect the rushed and brusque service, as if that were a badge of honor. It's a great place for starving college students and fish lovers looking for something akin to an "all you can eat" buffet. And yes, the portions are eye-popping large, but like I said, if you are traveling to Portland and want to experience locally sourced and Tokyo Market flown-in seafood, you would be better served at quality establishments like the traditional style Murata, fabulous newcomers in Hokusei, Boxer or Yama (all doing fantastic and fresh fish from around the globe) and places like Masu or Bamboo. Eating on the cheap doesn't make one a rube and eating for quality does not make one a snob. But there are much better, fresher, more professional sushi experiences to be had other than Saburo.

Once you get it in your head that you are only here for the food, your expectations won't be too far off. On the day I went, there were around 20 people lined out the door before Thursday 5pm opening. As soon as the door opens, the queue zooms right in and the waitresses pretty well just tells you where your party is going to sit. We took the sushi bar since they table filled up already by the time we made it through the door. I felt like being processed through a conveyor belt: they expect you to sit, order, wait for food, eat, pay and immediately make room for the next party. For us, we had plans immediately after so it was great to expedite the whole dining process. Food was in massive portions and we ate about half. The dragon roll itself can probably feed two people on its own. For anyone who wanted a place to sit for 2 and chit chat, this is not it.

I am back after two years and the sushi here is amazing. There is a waitline to get in but the food is so good. Service is excellent even though they have limited staff. If you love sushi, this is a must visit.

Saburo's is a favorite of ours, but then it is obviously a favorite of MANY people, as the line forms early and stays that way. The restaurant itself is none too large, but the portions make up for that: do NOT thinks of normal sized sashimi when you come to Saburo's! Quality is definitely top notch. I will go to other restaurants serving sushi, but if it is a special event I will always think first of Saburo's. Now if only the wait staff could enjoy themselves as much as the customers. With a long line outside, the help can get rather pushy if not bordering on rude (almost cost them one star). I guess I should just advise customers - if at all possible, come in knowing what you want ahead of time, mark it on the menu and hand it in (especially if the restaurant has just opened), That leaves less time for the staff to be annoyed and more time to simply enoy the food.

rolls are too big, but sushi is great!

Big portions, big lines, smallish prices, but I have to say the freshness rarely is there. This is a great place for sushi bargain hunters, starving college students and closet bulemics. Eye popping portions, but at the cost of somewhat minimal standards of freshness, creativity and attentive service.

One of the most over-hyped sushi restaurants! Looong wait for mediocre, bland sushi. Although the colorful, gargantuan-sized sushi is impressive-looking when it arrives at your table, the taste is surprisingly weak with a slightly rubbery texture.

Good sushi, and the most enormous portions you've ever seen. Great value, considering how cheap it is, and numerous veggie options for anyone not partial to fish. However, the lines get ridiculous. Get there early, before 5.

because as other reveiwers have mentioned the line can be daunting & it could increase our wait time! Perhaps I am biased as I was lucky enough to go to this place in it's early days (when virtually unknown) as it it only blocks away walk for me. It truly is the best in Portland and there are several really good sushi places in Portland (that will wait for other reviews). The value is a plus and the atmosphere is quaint even if a bit cramped with close tables. This goes by the wayside when the delicious fresh sushi or food arrives. While sushi is pretty much what folks go here for I have another favorite - the tempura udon soup. Did I say comfort food? Think mothers great medicinal chicken noodle soup japanese style. Give it & all of Saburos top notch cuisine a try.

Saburo's in Selwood. Hands down the best! No comparison. Totally worth the wait. Always a line unless you get there at 4:30 pm. They open at 5 pm. Their portions are huge for the money. Fish is the freshest and their spicy tuna salad is to die for. My favorite restaurant in Portland. No sushi or sashimi that we had in Japan, or anywhere else for that matter, has ever compared. Happy craving.

I have eaten sushi in a lot of places in Portland (some pretty good), but noone can do better than Saburo's, especially at that price. It's worth the wait in line on busy nights.

From the outside, Saburo's doesn't look like much - a small, brightly-lit place in a strip-mall. Until you notice the line outside - and there's ALWAYS a line outside. Because this is hands-down THE place for sushi in Portland. Big portions, great prices, quick service, and DELICIOUS and FRESH. They don't take reservations so plan to wait (there's a pool hall around the corner that's a great place to kill time), but trust me: it's worth it.

Generous portions, great sushi! This is old-school Portland sushi. Nothing posh, but great quality and family run.

Would really recommend Saburo's Sushi House if you happen to be around here. They start at 4.30pm but even 45 mins before opening the queue line is already almost into the car park area. As my daughter experienced a >2 hour wait during earlier visit - we made sure we were there before 3.30 n got 1st in line. Food was fresh n real good! Only allowed 1-time order, so order what u want, bag the balance, it is yummy

I had heard about this place for a long time from a friend. We finally decided to meet there tonight (a Tuesday) and I was told to prepare to wait in line. I'm not a fan of lines and was happy to hear that my friend already had a table by the time we were looking for parking. Ambience is important to me, you won't find it here. Walking in the front door and walking to the back room was cramped, crowded and chaotic. There was going to be no leisurely dining with conversation. Lighting is harsh, volume is high, they want to turn those tables. The food was good but not exceptional. I eat sushi a couple of times a month. This was like sushi on steroids. Quantity impresses some people, quality impresses me. Although it was good, so much of it tasted the same. I'm not sure how I feel about a dragon roll the size of a burrito grande. Not easy to wrestle with..... Keep size in mind when ordering. These are not petite bites. We were a table of four but they added in their own 15% gratuity. I would understand it if it was a large table but it wasn't and service is minimalist. We enjoy eating out and tip generously but it annoys me when it is automatically slapped on. Was it good, yes. Would I wait in line for it, no. Would I go back, no. I passed many other Sushi places on the way here and although I enjoyed the experience I will stick closer to home and go for smaller portions, more distinct taste and better ambience because that is what is important to me.

The place is average, or maybe below, but the food is amazing, abundant and the prices are ok. I had the dragon roll and some others. Totally amazing. The seafood tastes fresh and the sushi stuffing is big. We also had salmon and tuna nigiris. Excellent as well. If you like japanese food is a must in Portland!

Living in Portland, I take advantage of the outstanding seafood availability in my city. I am also someone who loves good sushi. I have a friend who came to Portland from Malaysia, and he recommended me to Saburo's. I decided to have dinner here, for it is near the MAX orange line. I was very impressed all around. The service was great, the prices were very reasonable, and the sushi was outstanding. The menu was very extensive and had a lot of amazing sushi options. The place was very crowded, so you know it is a popular spot. They have a nice sushi bar (which is always my preference), as well as a dining room. I was very satisfied with Saburo's, and I am already looking forward to dining there again soon.

My sister invited the family to go here before she left for school. It was one of the most if not the most regrettable experiences of my life. After having to fight for spot for 2 hours in the cold, the food was the grossest and most stale things I have ever put in my mouth. Quite frankly, the sushi is a poor excuse for food. Service is horrible. The men's toilet doesn't have a lid and no handle to flush. The "deep-fried" rolls were soggy and gross-tasting. So is the calamari and shrimp tempura. We asked for "spicy sauce" because it usually compliments sushi at other restaurants. Not only were we charged $1 for EACH dish of spicy sauce, it was the most unappetizing mixture. It was sour and reeked of sesame oil. I would never recommend this abomination to ANYONE!!!

Not authentic Japanese sushi. The fish and cut was good and fresh however, the rice and portion size were all wrong. Rice was not seasoned well, nigiri portion size was way too big with too much rice - needs to be half the size. The hand rolls were sloppy and the maki rolls were not tight enough. I do give 4 stars for okay service, fresh nicely cut fish (not meaning portion size), and cost (good deal for what you get).

A must in Portland!

Do you have at least an hour of wait time? If you don't, you shouldn't eat here. We got here a quarter to 6pm. The estimated time wait is 90min. We Waited 1 hour and 45 minutes still no seat. We ended up leaving because they were out of certain stuff. We thought by the time we get a seat they might run out of everything. They stop letting people write their name on the list by 6PM. There are sign everywhere in the restaurant window. One sign said "No to go" and many more. I used to eat there once before we like it a lot, but Im not sure if it's worth the wait. By the way you can't order more if you already order, so people used order too much which cause longer wait because they eat too much!

I went twice and waited for an hour each. But trust me, it is worth the wait. Try to go on weekdays rather than weekend :) The sushi portion is huge and so much that my friend and i end up took half home. I specially like their dragon roll...so yummy! Their sashimi are huge as well compared to most of the Japanese restaurant that i went in CA. It's definitely worth a visit here whenever i go Portland.

I have been eating sushi since I was a baby. I grew up in CA so I have had some good stuff. Had it everywhere. NOTHING BEATS SABURO. The prices are incredible and the fish is outstanding. The wait will be at least an hour no matter when you go. It's get in, eat and get out. They don't mess around here. Oh and the Ika tempura is to die for.

I lived in Tokyo 10 years. Hawaii for 23. I know a thing or two about sushi. I experienced Saburo's tonight, having read the web hype. I think a Japanese national would be shocked, and somewhat repulsed perhaps by the portion sizes. Not the quality of the food itself, which is a cut above what I've had at the "track / boat / belt" type fast-food sushi places so abundant recently. Another reviewer put it well when he described it ideal for "starving college students" or primarily budget minded patrons. The atmosphere is crowded and a bit rushed but I've heard Jiro Ono's place in Tokyo is too. Only his is unquestionably the standard to measure against! No fair comparison really, sorry, my bad. I did not go away hungry, not possible. My sushi sampler was @ $18, no drinks. I sat at the sushi bar and watched Saburosan in action, he has Hispanic assistant chef's (as many ff places do nowadays). I won't return, but can recommend it for quality and quantity. Be able to wait for it.

I don't get all the adulation of this place. The food is awful. Not authentic. Poor service. Long waits and not worth it. If you want gross American-scale portions and lousy "sushi", this is the place for you!

I'm not sure if management has changed in the last six months or so, but after many many years of being regular customers we will be looking for another sushi spot. We always expect to come here and wait and that's fine. There are nice places nearby for a drink and if you're not there when they call you they put you back in the front of the line when you return. Service has always been mediocre at best, but again that's what we expect and it was fine. You just know it's not a fine dining experience. The sushi always made up for it. Until it didn't. Lately they seem to have a new policy for seating and will cram as many people as physically possible into the tables. To the extent that you have to ask other diners to get up out of their chairs so you can get into your table. And then you will have to get out of your chair so others can get in behind you - It was a ridiculous experience of musical chairs. Family style seating or adding a chair to the end of the table is one thing, this is different and unpleasant. I honestly question whether they'd pass a surprise visit from the fire marshal and seriously hope they reconsider this policy. Coupled with this the service seems to be have become even worse with the hostess being more hostile and the service very slow (maybe it's the extra people they're trying to serve with the same kitchen capacity?). And to top it all off the sushi isn't as fresh tasting or delicious as it used to be. So while I've written a four star review years ago for past dining experiences the visits on the last few months are worthy of one star and we've given enough second chances and sadly we won't be back anytime soon. Hopefully management can make some changes and return the place to its former self.

If you're hungry and you want a good value, go to this restaurant but know the "rules". 1. Be sure your entire party is present and ready to be seated. 2. Sign in just inside the door on the clipboard. 3. Go online and select your items ahead of time. 4. Upon being seated, you'll be selecting your items directly on the laminated menu. This is your only chance to order, no later add-ons. The size of the sushi is impressive and you'll probably be taking some home. We ordered several types of sushi and I enjoyed the Dragon Roll, Crispy Salmon Skin, Unagi and Ikura. On weekends, there's usually a line so get there early or go on a weekday. The restaurant is small and they need to turn the tables over frequently so be courteous and try not to linger. Trivia fact: Saburo is a name usually given to the third son but the owner's father liked the name.

You may have to wait unless you get there early. Could be 45 - 60 minutes. Just go with the flow. You can even walk around or go to a bar for a drink. Once inside it is a bit crowded but all part of the deal. Sushi rolls the side of Shaquille O'Neal's forearm. I kid you not. One could easily feed 2 people. Great value. We ordered a ton of stuff and took a lot home. I thought the service was good. Just chill out and enjoy.

This place is popular with the under 30 crowd that will suffer an unpleasant experience in exchange for huge portions of tasty food. Be prepared to wait forever, feel battered by the time you get a table, and then eat like a pig. In the end evaluation, we decided that the talented kitchen couldn't overcome the generally hostile experience we had just getting seated.

My wife said we had to try this place, as we had tried Fuji's and a couple other neighborhood sushi joints on the west side but that this was supposed to be the best sushi in Portland. I met her there after work and stood in a long line outside until they opened the doors at 5. I'll spare you the details, but the sushi was good....decent, but no better than Fuji's. The thing I did not like was the atmosphere. They pack you in, with tables practically up against each other, difficult to get in and out, and it has no charm or atmosphere, very plain, very minimal. Not hating on it, I just didn't care for the setting and I think it's slightly overrated.

I have a correction to the review made by prime_muncher.... the owner of Sabura is in fact from Japan and had most of his training in Japan. When he moved to America(California) he had a chance to see what americans wanted in sushi- hence the larger pieces of fish. Everything about this place is fantastic and the fact that a boy at the age of 17 had a dream to move from Japan to America and fullfill his dream-makes it all the more wonderful!

I judge sushi restaurants based up three criteria – quality, quantity, and value and Saburo’s rates extremely high on all three of these factors, especially value and quantity. In fact, there is no better sushi restaurant in the Portland metropolitan area for value and quantity than Saboru’s. I first discovered Saburo’s in the early to mid-1980’s and have frequently dined there each year thereafter. Essentially, my go to sushi place. Two people can get stuffed on sushi for $60 to $70 and still have enough leftovers for another meal. The only draw back is that they do not take reservations and the line to be seated can be rather long at times, but nevertheless it is well worth the wait. They actually put your name on a wait list and as there are several bars within a few feet of the restaurant you can always have a quick libation before your name comes up. Another option is to order your food to go which avoids the wait to be seated.

Was in Portland for business and my associate PROMISED me that I would be eating the BEST sushi of my life during the trip. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it. You are hosting a coworker in your town and you want to talk up your favorite place to throw a munch. I figured the hype and build up to Saburo's would be a big, fat letdown in the end.... But, geez, was I in for a BIG surprise!! We pulled up and the joint was packed, an unassuming neighborhood market-looking place. After a 20 minute wait we were ushered in quickly, we sat down, menus in hand. I was advised we had one shot to order, so we loaded up on a number of sashimi plates and classic rolls. I went for the Dragon, Rainbow, California and Unagi, my favorites. When the waitress brought the platters out, and I mean platters with an "s," I literally fell off my chair!! The servings were immense, I was blown away. I was in Sushi-Heaven, I could not believe the size, freshness and overall deliciousness of the fish. I was impressed, I have to admit that Saburo lived up to the hype and beyond!! We had to surrender to the take-home box and gather the remains of our order. We were in-and-out in 30 minutes, which I guess is protocol since the line of people waiting outside grew once we were seated. I highly, HIGHLY recommend Saburo if you are 1.) in Portland 2.) are a big sushi fan and 3.) are hungry for the BEST sushi you have ever eaten!!

We love Saburo's. You're going to wait, even if you come midweek after 8PM and it's raining, you're going to have to wait. But it is worth it. This is the only sushi restaurant where I have left with leftovers. Some of the rolls are just huge. So be careful when ordering, and don't over order. The quality is good, and while it is not the greatest dining room experience (mostly due to the tight quarters and rush for people to get in) the food more than makes up for it. This is place is an exceptional value for sushi! My recommendation is to come on a weeknight in the winter, the later the better to avoid the line.

Without a doubt BEST sushi in state of Oregon. We travel from Albany (64 miles one way) and we are in our 80’s to eat the best quality and best value sushi in the state. New ownership HAS IMPROVED the dinning experience. The ONLY place we eat sushi. JT & JT

Love this place you get big portions for your money and it's fresh fresh fresh There's always a line but it's worth it it's on the corner of Bybee and Milwaukee

Be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes before you can enjoy the sushi. We ordered different sushi rolls and all of them are delicious and unique. Must remember, if you book a 4 person table, then the staff will only allow you to go in when 4 of you are arrived in front of the door...

It's Saburo's, what else can I say.

This place had excellent food but very little on the atmosphere, but who cares I came for great Sushi. My friend knew the place and told us the rules. 1. Jump out the car and put your name on the clipboard. 2. All must be present to be seated 3. You only order once! There was a line outside and we were 6th in line. We headed to the bar and had a drink and came back to find we were skipped. We told the host/manager that we were skipped. There were 3/4 of our group and we tried to get seated but no go. 3 minutes later we were seated and ordered our food ONCE. Everything we ordered was delicious. When it was time to pay we tried using 4 CC's but she said that only 2 were allowed. Interesting! I did see a sign on the way to the bathroom that said that very thing. It seems that this place makes up it's own rules. This was my first time here and I will come back. Salmon skin roll was amazing as was the salmon belly which is not always available.

Great Sushi venue in Portland, be prepared to line up if you dont get here early. It is a real local restaurant with no tourists. Sushi portions were enormous so dont over order. Delicious and fresh, the prawn and crab roll was my favourite!

I love this place the sushi is awesome. I try and make it her every time I get to Portland. It is definitively a highlight of my trips there.

We've traveled around the world and Saburos has some of the best sushi anywhere. The fish is always the freshest and always prepared quickly and tastefully. If that wasn't enough , the portions are GINORMOUS!!!!! Seriously, first-timers , rethink your order or get ready for a sushi breakfast the next day! Also--get there early or be prepared for a wait. The line starts behind me!

As a regular at this restaurant in our neighborhood, the food here is always top-notch; this is the freshest sushi in town. Additionally, it is very reasonably priced. We have taken many visitors here in the past; for many of them, this is their most-desired restaurant trip on their return. The spider roll is the best ever anywhere; we also recommend the river eel (it's only an adventure the first time; the portions are also surprisingly large) and the salmon belly (the fat adds flavor). Be prepared for a wait; there is a wine bar next door, or come 20 minutes before opening and stand in line. Having eaten sushi in Japan, I would also disagree with the reviewer who suggested that the food is not "authentic". A large group eating family-style is a great way to experience the restaurant, but it's also great for couples or on your own (it's fun to eat at the bar, too).

I've always liked Saburo's fro the first time we went and ordered too much (and by that, I mean ordering the amount we usually get at sushi restaurants and ended up having enough to bring home for an additional meal for 2 at a fraction of the cost). We don't go as much because of the wait, but I went again recently. We did have a long wait, but we expected it and had fun chatting outside. The sushi was as delicious as I remembered. Yes, the portions are still big and sometimes awkward to eat, and the prices are still unusually cheap. Servers were nice to us.

big sushi is a good thing

As mentioned in other reviews, the food is amazing. My Portland friend prepared me for an average ambiance restaurant with servers who are there to just do their job with no enthusiasm but its for the food. Large portions, fresh ingredients, huge flavor. We left fully satisfied. Definitely a repeat visit upon my return to Portland one day.

If you love sushi, that doesn't mean you love sushi when it's heaped onto a piece of rice like a hippo jumping onto a unicycle. I'll take quality and a little customer service over quantity any day. And that's why I don't even have Saburo in my top 10 sushi restaurants in Portland... oh, and if you want the best place in NW Oregon, Syun in Hillsboro.

This is the attitude we got from the employees here. It had been a long time since we were here last and decided to try again. Last time we left was the food quality went downhill but thought we would try again. HUGE MISTAKE. It was just like the previous times you had to wait a long time to get a table. What made it worse this time is that when we finally got our table, it was physically connected to another table. These 2 tables together seat 6 people and they are trying to cram 11 in there. We did not know the other people who made reservations for 6 but ended up with 8 and didn't tell the wait staff. Even without the 2 extra that is still 9 people to jam into a small space. I am paying for a table to sit with people in MY party not someone else's. They would not reseat us so we left. WTF!!!!!!! We will NEVER, EVER go here again and will be telling everyone we know and those we don't know to STAY THE ____ AWAY FROM HERE. If you don't care about your customers, they won't care about you.

I just read a number of reviews about Saburo's and even tho' there were complaints about line-ups and the service, my instincts said to go and try it out anyway. The restaurant, was really a good find. The line-up to get in was around the corner ½ hour before opening on a Wednesday evening at 5pm! I got in with the first group. From what I’d read, I knew the portion size was large. Wow! Each piece was at least 2-3 times what I’d ever seen. The salmon, and other fish that I saw, was like biting into pieces of meat. That’s how thick the slices were. The food was definitely fresh and scrumptious and I found the service to be excellent. I have absolutely no complaints. The majority of customers appeared to be Japanese, so that in itself is a very good sign.

I have been dining at Saburo’s Sushi House since the late 1980’s and consider it to be one of the best sushi restaurants in the world. Although somewhat of a ‘hole in the wall” establishment do not let that dissuade you as you will not find a better sushi restaurant in Portland. I judge sushi by 3 factors – cost, portion size and quality. As to cost, you can eat at Saburo’s for half the cost of other sushi restaurants and take home enough leftovers for another meal. So, needless to say the portions are ample; perhaps the largest pieces of fish I have been served at any sushi restaurant. The quality of the fish is also consistently excellent. The only drawback with this restaurant is that they do not take reservations and unless you get there about one-half of an hour before they open you likely will have to wait at least an hour to get seated.

The sushi in my opinion is the best in the city. You will have to wait usually about an hour to two to get a table. I suggest going early putting your name on the list then going to grab a couple of drinks at the limelight around the corner. The rolls are very large and the price can not be beat. The service is subpar but the quality and cost of their sushi is the best in the city.

The Mid week wait for 2 people was short. Luckily my friend had been here before and knew that the portions were large so we were careful not to order too much. We ordered 5 items (2 sashimi and 3 rolls) and still had leftovers even after opting to scoot the rice filler aside. The dishes were beautiful and tasty at a value price point. Some downside seems to be the unpredictable wait due to no reservations policy. The seating is cozy and a little loud at the bar area where we sat.

Best sushi in town!

If you're looking for authentic japanese food, look elsewhere. At best, this place is a japanese fusion joint, crammed into a tiny sushi bar with the IKEA-like ambiance. The food is ok, especially the gtilled saba, but it's hardly real japanese food. Note that it's owned by Chinese people, so not surprisingly the only asians who eat there are Chinese - not Japanese. It's not a bad place if you don't want to go downtown for good Japanese food, but it's not worth the long wait - which makes no sense given the average quality of the food. Some things to avoid... The soft shelled crab. (Any Japanese person will shed a painful tear, after they try this knock off. Wrong crab, wrong batter, wrong ponzu sauce. Ouch!!) ; The beer. (It's about 60F. What Japanese place serves anything but ice cold beer?) ; Any of the roll sushi. (The. roll sushi is average. Why pay a high price for mediocre sushi.) Want good sushi? Try Kurata in Lake Oswego Authentic and good.

Whoever likes big sushi rolls and cannot lie, Saburo's is the place to go! Definitely the biggest perk for Saburo's are the size of nigiri and rolls that they give. Looking at the price of items on the menu, it definitely might seem more expensive than other places, but the portions of food given matches with the price. During my visit, I ordered a California roll, a spider roll, a budokhan roll, a shogun roll, and agedashi tofu. I really enjoyed the agedashi tofu with its fried, crispy outside, with soft inside, served in a bowl of delicious sauce (it's like a sweet soy sauce-ish). The rolls came out in bigger portions than I expected, and may have ordered a bit too much for me and my girlfriend, but we took whatever we could home. I thought overall all the rolls were pretty good except for the spider roll. The soft shell crab kind of tasted like it was left out to thaw for too long, and had a weird, old seafood taste to it. I don't know if they deep fry their soft shelled crabs, since most places I have been to do, but it didn't taste like they did at all. Definitely my least favorite roll, but everything else was good. No issues with the service, no issues with wait, overall had a nice time and a nice meal. Give this place a shot and just be weary of the spider roll.

Portland is famous for this restaurant. This place is tourists' dining spot and expect a long queue to dine here. The sushi platters were great and the sizes were huge. Timing of the food getting to the table is so so long though, we even saw other tables which came later than us get to be served first. I hope they improve the service quality. Overall it was a great dinner time.

Awesome sushi! Their unagi is soo delicious... but be prepared for long waits.

I was so excited to try this place after reading all the reviews online but after trying it, it is just not worth the wait. They have a small parking lot adjacent to the building which was full when I got there but there is ample parking on the street. There was a large crowd in front of the restaurant when I got there. Upon arrival there is a clipboard outside of the restaurant where you write your name down, next to it there is a sign that says expect a 60-90 minute wait. My friend and I look at each other hungry but decide to make the wait since it had such great reviews. Prior to being seated the waiter gives you a menu and a dry erase pen which you can select what you'd like to order. Keep in mind your only allowed to place ONE order per group so I noticed a lot of people walking out of the restaurant with to go boxes (great way for a customer to over order). There were so many options to choose from, I didn't know where to start. We ended up ordering a bunch of different items. The portions here are HUGE! one slice of fish on the nigiri literally take about 3 bites to finish.... I was astounded at the size of everything and for such a cheap price. The sushi roll was just OK, it was huge but looked sloppy. The mussels were not fresh and bland (I could tell it was previously frozen). The hamachi collar was dry and over cooked. The deep fried calmari was yummy. Overall this restaurant is very cheap with huge portions, but coming from someone who lived in Hawaii all my life with fresh seafood I'd rather pay more for better quality than quantity. If there was no wait I would go back but the 90 minute wait is just ridiculous...

Even a novice sushi eater such as I understood from the first bite why the lines are out the door at Saburo almost every night. And that is the only problem. We were seated immediately on a Wednesday in February but by the time we were finished others were waiting. What was the old Yogi Berra joke? "Nob wonder nobody ever comes here. It's too crowded." Except everyone goes here anyway. Hint: Select a good second choice in Sellwood and if the line is too long borrow another baseball adage, from the old Brooklyn Dodgers, and wait 'til next time.

I liked this place. The portions of fish are insane. Next time I will remember, because leftover sushi is kinda wrong. The service left something to be desired, but it was so busy that I will give this another chance.

Fantastic. It's not just that all of their sushi is at least twice the size of what you get everywhere else, the fish is also wonderfully fresh and they do neat combinations in their rolls. Beware, if you order like you usually do at another sushi restaurant, you will be stuffing yourself. But hey, with sushi this good, why not? And yes, the lines are long. Expect about an hour wait on the weekend.

Love the sushi quality and the big portions. Because of the long wait no the best place to bring your kids. Unless you get there very early be prepared to wait for an hour outside. Once you are inside you won't believe the size of the sushi portions.. They are huge.. The seafood salad is awesome!! If you really like to eat lots of sushi this is the place to do it. If you are looking for a more refined sushi bar for a date go elsewhere!!

My husband and I chose this place on a whim and it was delicious. The fish was so fresh and flavorful. The service was excellent too!

This place has very fresh sushi, and some of the most generous portions of nigiri sushi that I have ever seen! In my opinion, it is the nigiri that is the draw here. The rolls are good, but not that unique and what I consider the standard options. But they give you the trimmings off the nigiri and the price is quite reasonable. The place generally opens at 4:30, but has a line that generally starts forming before 4pm and the establishment fills before the line cycles through. The place is fairly small, but is a great option for sushi.

Our favorite sushi place ever. Yes, you have to wait - but there is a wine bar next door now where you can go have a drink and wait there. It is so worth it. Huge portions, fresh fresh fresh....nice servers, fast service (once you sit down). Great value for the amount you get - the pieces are way bigger than other sushi places. Just go and you will not regret it!

Saburo's sushi is quite good considering the price. Their salmon, smoked salmon, and ahi nigiri were great [two per serving] as was the creamy scallop [2 per serving]. Their rolls are large and the fish is very fresh. It was difficult not to order many choices as the menu is large as the sushi. I will definitely go back again. NOTE: get there early as a line quickly forms and the wait can be long...additionally, parking can be tough if their lot is full.

Dude. Good sushi (clean) and cheap!

If you want the best value for your money in terms of sushi, this restaurant cannot be beat. They serve the classic rolls in huge portions that are very inexpensive. You can stuff your face with a few rolls and spend $50 for 2 people and still manage to wrap a few leftovers home. Yeah the quality is not excellent and the rice to fish ratio is not that good either (more on the rice) but its good enough value if you are not a very critical sushi eater. The wait is terribly long, no reservations, the service is bad and there's really not much ambiance. If you are on a budget and can spare waiting for an hour or two to eat good to ok sushi then go for it. Im a return customer but im not a super fan

Huge portions and unbelievably fresh. Saburo is a master and every meal I had there shows it. Everything is incredible. I've eaten at a LOT of sushi places and this one is far and away the best in Portland. Great selection and beautifully presented, quick service (they usually have 3 chefs) and the Saki selection is very nice. LOVE their ice cream. For decades Saburo's never even had a sign with their name out front because you could spot it by the long line. The only

There is one waitress here that is consistently rude. I recommend sitting at the bar. Be sure to arrive early, as they don't take reservations and the line is around the block by the time they open. Sushi is pretty good.

Quality was excellent but you will pay. Five of us and the bill came to $150.00. Huge portions and so much food that we took half home. Fresh, perfectly assembled, amazing flavors with just the right amount of spice. Usually a wait but their credit card machine was broke and they were taking only cash so we got in on a Monday night at 6:00 pm without a wait. It would have been worth the wait as all of us loved every bit. Sashimi, sushi, seaweed salad, spicy tuna salad, all amazingly tasty. Cafe style and a bit noisy but I would be willing to wait the 30-45 minutes to get in again.

We went there on a weekday at 6:30 in the evening and had a wait of about 30 minutes. Got a table and found out that you can only order once... So you better know Exactly how hungry you are and what you want to eat as you cannot order more. Other than that it was great sushi and sashimi. Didn't think it was too expensive as 4 of us ate and the bill was about 80$ and the helpings are huge

We went here on a Friday night around 7pm. It was very crowded, but they do a great job of cycling through people. We felt a bit rushed, but honestly the food was so good we didn't care. The rolls are huge and as a result, we ordered way too much. The udon was fantastic as were all the rolls. My favorite was the Mount Hood roll, yum! The price was great, especially for the size of portions.

This restaurant will provide you with fish that will melt in your mouth and the portions are VERY generous in size!! I visit Portland 1-2 times a month and always make it a point to have dinner there and have never been disappointed. It's a real "hole in the wall" and always crowded. Sign in on the clipboard hanging to the left of the door and you'll probably have to wait outside with 15-20 others but it's worth it!!

We had a birthday party at Saburo's one very rainy night. Party of 8 only took about 20 minutes to seat. I had the yakisoba which was mediocre. The rest of the table had sushi, which they raved about. The highlight though was the endless bottles of pink sake.

We didn't see a bad dish, soup was outstanding. Salmon roll, pot stickers great choices. No pretension here . Just great food

The portions at this place are mind boggling. I highly recommend this over all other sushi restaurants in Portland. I've tried them and this place is amazing. Try the spicy tuna salad. It's my favorite!

Long wait. Hey it was Portland on a Saturday night. Big sign on the door said cash only. Many people failed to see it. Staff was stressed and crazy busy. Hostess/waitress was abrupt but not rude. We waited about 30-40 minutes for a table. You order with a dry erase marker on the menu. Make sure you put the number of rolls you want and don't just check the box. Rolls had extra rice and very filling. It was very good but not spectacular. We ordered 5 rolls for 3 people and that was too much food. Two rolls were $15.95 and the rest were under $10. I would go back. Seemed to be very popular. I just would keep my expectations at good sushi. It is very much a hole in the wall place. The sushi chefs looked exhausted. They were working fast to keep up. Worth a try!

There's only one good thing about this place - the sushi. The size is huge, the tuna and salmon were cut into really thick slices and it's just really REALLY delicious. For a sushi lover like myself, that alone totally makes up for the negative aspects of eating at this place...which are the following: the wait is REALLY REALLY long (at least an hour and a half wait if you don't get there by opening time), the service is bad (the person in charge of seating was grumpy) and probably the worst is that you can only order ONCE. But then again, their sushi is super big and super delicious so in the end I am willing to go back there again.

Simply incredible! It's been a while since I've enjoyed their extra large rolls that are as big as they are flavorful. Also had calami that was expertly prepared, crispy and tender bites. The rolls were so tasty... Had em all. Take your pick of ingredients, you cannot go wrong here. Service was okay. It was busy. Highly recommend!

Saburos is simply the best sushi, sashimi, and sake place in Portland! My only complaint, and I can't even believe that I'm writing this, is the rolls are too large and have too much fillings... however, they make up for it by each roll being so beautifully crafted and mouthwatering delicious. If you're in stumptown, visit! I love Masu, many love bamboo sushi, but Saburos never disappoints and I've been a loyal patron for many, many years. Highly recommend!!

You have to be patient, not afraid of sitting close to others and willing to feel "rushed" but the sushi is well worth it. There is a bar just around the corner you can hang out at while you wait for a table.

We finally checked out Saburo's -- the line wasn't outrageous, so we got in in good time. All the rules posted everywhere, like order now or forever hold your peace, were amusing. Once we figured out how to order, we had the vegetable tempura, real-crab-and-roe California roll and the dragon roll. All very good and plentiful (the dragon roll was particularly large in diameter), oh, and our favorite everyday draft sake (cold, of course...). Had a great time at a good cost. The staff were actually pleasant (not their rep). Rather surprised that most of the sushi chefs appeared to be Hispanic -- but they did a great job. Only wish they had the octopus in that night...

It seems like a normal thing to queue for food in Portland. I waited for 30 minutes before I was seated. The selection for sushi was plentiful. It was very fresh and delicious. The serving size was very generous and the service was excellent. I will definitely be back and you should try it when you visit Portland!

Delish sushi, large portions and great value. Expect long lines and you have to really look for the place; the sign isnt clearly visible. Worth the visit!

The positive: good food! Good quality, fresh fish!! Huge portions!!! When you see couples coming out with 'take home' containers with enough for you and your date, you know it's going to be a lot. Try to sneak a peak at an order that is heading to a table near you and you will see! The rolls are 3-4 times bigger than any standard roll, all the sushi prices are at least 4 times bigger than any other restaurant. And the quality is not sacrificed at the expense of the quantity. Their noodle dishes are really good too!!! The negative: can be a very long wait!!! No exaggeration here! You may have to wait as long as two hours or more. The hostess is very rude, but efficient. She could brighten up a little, you are the first personable impression of the restaurant!!! Just be prepared to wait, and wait outside. There is only seating for about 4 in the waiting area.

If you're ever driving down Bybee around 4 pm and you've seen a long line of people waiting outside a nondescript restaurant, you've been by Saburo's and there is a reason people are standing in line. We have gone many times over the years, and have never been dissapointed. The pieces are large, fresh tasting, and reasonably priced. Kind of wish so many people didn't know about it, as it is a bit of a pain to stand in line!!