Sho Authentic Japanese Restaurant Reviews

We visit Sho's on a regular basis and I am overdue recommending this restaurant. The space itself is a reimagined chain restaurant building (might have been a former "Plush Pippin," so, not too exciting in terms of aesthetics). They cover a nice range of Japanese favorites, sushi and rolls. One thing that sets this place apart is their monthly special menu and special occasion menus. Last Mother's Day we had a great multi-coursed meal that ended with a delicious green tea roll cake and an orchid stem for each mom! For those special meals, a deposit is necessary in advance. This ensures that you will have a time reserved and an adequate amount of premium food is prepared. They have imaginative cocktails and a nice sake selection. There is excellent Wagyu beef on the menu for steak lovers. My only disappointment was with the escolar nigiri. It had a watery texture and lacked the rich flavor. I had the scallop nigiri, as well, which was sweet and perfect. Not too fancy, but solid Japanese cuisine.

We were heavy on the Tempura, which was finely done, light on the sushi, which also seemed well done for the small order of it we ate. Decent atmosphere. While i would not make a special effort to seek out Sho, since Portland has so many options to try, i'd be happy to go back if someone wanted to eat there.

Our first visit and we were not disappointed. The service is great, the food is excellent and presentation very well done.

My son Caleb and I have been here 2 times to eat. The food was very good. The Chicken Katsu Curry was just the right size and just right spicy. To make it even better my son is very picky but he found the 5 piece Tempera Shrimp, Miso soup and rice just so nice. If you drive to fast you will miss it, but let me tell you it is worth the stop.

They have so much more than just sushi, but the sushi is so good, it's what I have every time I go. The staff is nice, the owner is amazing. And the sushi. Fresh, tasty, wonderful.

Wonderful family Japanese restaurant, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Great non-sushi dishes, but the sushi chef is truly amazing.

This restaurant was a 5-minute walk from our motel which made it any easy choice after a day of driving. I had the beef teriyaki donburi dinner that came with miso soup. The beef was slightly tough but the sauce was delicious. My wife had tataki albacore; this was interesting and spicy; she ate it happily. She also had a sake flight; the Sho flight is the best if you like your sake not dry. On the whole, a pleasant meal.

I had lunch here with my wife, excited to try a newly reopened Japanese restaurant. Their Vegetable Tempura had a thicker batter than most authentic Japanese restaurants. That was not necessarily a bad thing because I still enjoyed it, especially the Japanese pepper, which I've never had in tempura before. Half of the 6 pieces or so were Japanese sweet potato, which I did enjoy, though would have preferred a greater variety including traditional veggies like carrots, asparagus, kabocha... Their vegan sushi roll was good but far from outstanding. There was a lot more rice than veggies. It was somewhat dry and appeared to have been hastily prepared. The service was average to slow, considering there were only a few other couples there at the time. The dining areas and bathrooms were all very clean and obviously newly remodeled. There was no hot water in the men's room. One vegan roll, 2 vegan tempura, one fried rice ball and one ice tea came to almost $50 including tip. I have nothing bad to say about Sho but unfortunately nothing particularly outstanding either. There was just nothing about them that would inspire me to return.

This was my first visit. Chose for a lunch break with a friend. Seating was fast and service is friendly. Staff is attentive but not hovering. Seating is ample. Bench seats are terribly uncomfortable for someone such as myself of average stature. My feet hard touched the floor causing a lot of discomfort in my back and legs. The menu is extensive. Also included information on the origins and quality of the food. The food arrived in a reasonable time frame. Not fast but not overly long either. The quality of food was good, however, portions are very small, especially considering the price. I had anticipated having a few pieces left over to take with me so I was a bit surprised when each item I ordered only came with two pieces. There are many good sushi restaurants in Portland. Only one other place I've been has similar prices but the portions are more adequate. The location is convenient but I don't anticipate going back just because of the cost. Spent $17 for lunch, not including tip, and only had six pieces of Nigiri sushi and an iced tea.

After a remodel, this place has become more upscale. Yet the food is consistently good. It’s close by and an easy place to go without reservations. You can either sit at the sushi bar or TV monitor. They also have tables with high backs that allow lots of privacy. The udon and Ramen are always tasty. Sushi is good and a popular favorite.

I've been here several times, and I'm always impressed. No, it doesn't have quite the flash or trendiness of some of Portland's downtown and SE sushi joints, but Sho is the real deal, run by real Japanese, unlike a lot of sushi restaurants. Their dedication to good food shows, and they are just incredibly gracious in their service. The prices for the high-quality sushi are also quite reasonable, although I can also recommend the delicious seafood dynamite and salmon teriyaki dishes.

Sho's is not in the middle of town but worth traveling to for authentic Japanese food. The sake menu is great and the variety of Japanese dishes is wonderful for those who want more than sushi.

We are spoiled regulars at Sushi Ran in Sausalito, a five-star restaurant in Sausalito, California. So it was with some trepidation that we ventured into this more suburban-style restaurant in SW Portland, but were we pleasantly surprised! We had a lovely birthday dinner with friends who live a mile away, and we can see why THEY are regulars at this restaurant.

We have been eating at Sho's for many years. We have been to Japan many times and have often hosted Japanese guests. When we take them to Sho's they are impressed as we are with the authenticity of the food at Sho's. The food is always excellent. Fresh and tasty. We have our go-to weeknight favorites (we often get to-go) Donburi- Teriyaki Chicken and Beef Yakiniku. The tempura is always excellent. Recently we discovered the Happy Hour menu and a group of us devoured almost everything on the menu. Delicious and diverse! Especially enjoyed the crunchy sushi roll. For special occasions and a real treat we have ordered the Shabu Shabu or Sukiyaki (they need 24 hour notice to prepare)- wonderful! The manager/owner never fails to greet us. When the weather is nice it is very pleasant to sit on the patio for your meal. We feel so appreciative that this great restaurant is in our neighborhood.

I found Sho overpriced and under-quality. I'm from Vancouver (BC) and don't take this the wrong way: good sushi is wherever you find it, but we have a lot of good sushi in Vancouver. I suspect it's a city law that there be a sushi restaurant every 250 feet. So I know sushi. Sho's sushi was simply not there. The gyogi was burnt and one of our rolls fell apart when we picked it up. And the service was unacceptably slow. Sushi is by its very nature fast food, but even with the restaurant only half full service was unacceptably slow.

We treat ourselves to sushi take-out about once a month and this is our favorite spot. The owner is very friendly and the sushi is fresh.

This is one of the best places to get sushi in SW! I eat here regularly & have never had a bad experience here! My go to spot in the area. The mugs they brought us for our bottled beer made an ice head that was so amazing we took a picture for you to see it!

This is our go to place when we want Japanese food!. A full selection of dishes, including sushi and noodle dishes, They also have a lot of appetizer dishes so that you can sample many thing if you are not familiar with Japanese food. The staff is warm and inviting and so it the owner. I love the salmon teriyaki, all the different types of sushi, tempura and their butterfish! Portions are good sized. I recommend the two entree bento dinner that comes with salad, soup (miso), sushi, little appetizers, rice and your entrees. They even have local style shoyu poki! A good value for Japanese food!

Week day lunch time....place pretty much empty. Only three tables came in after us. Clean and good service no complaints there. Nice variety of menu items to choose from, a bit of a description of choices would help a lot. Can’t say I would go back, main reason just not my favorite choices of food.

We stopped to eat here on the way to our escape room activity with Escapism. Not knowing anything about it we weren't expecting much, pleasant surprise! The sushi was delicious & the curry chicken was unique and perfect amount of spice!

We have been coming here for a couple of years and are never disappointed. The service is great, the food is consistent, and the owner personally wanders the floor to make sure everything is going well. The quality of their sushi is very good, as well as their other dishes. Note: if you are looking for cheap conveyor belt sushi please look elsewhere. Sho will cost a little more, but is definitely worth it. During certain holidays they also do specials (Valentine's Day, etc.) which might be of interest.

We visited this place after our "Go-To" Japanese Restaurant was unexpectedly closed. They had a big screen TV and had TV Japan on showing a Sumo Tournament. Reminded me of being in Japan watching Sumo matches on TV and having good Japanese food. We had the Gyoza (big portion and very delicious), Izakaya Karaage (also very good), Tonkatsu Ramen, Kurobuta Katsu (prepared like in Japan resting on a metal strainer as not to get soggy from the salad), Chicken teriyaki Jyu (very good), and the Assorted Sushi (the only negative of the whole meal as the sushi was not very fresh. Our "Go-To" place has much fresher). Good Service. All in all a very enjoyable experience and would be back again.

Had a diverse group of friends meet here for a sake & food pairing event. Even though most have never tried Japanese food other than sushi or noodles, they all were brave and then amazed at the food and sake! Always my go to place for something that reminded me of Japanese comfort food... and now, it is place to broaden your Japanese food experience too! Great, great event... maybe that is why it was sold out!!

I've been wanting to try this place since it is literally 3 mins from my house & would love to have a great neighborhood go to. I had friends in town & we went for lunch on fourth of July. The manager sat us & he did check in on us one time during our meal. But our waitress was not friendly, hardly gave a smile & I had to ask multiple times to get our drinks refilled (she was the only server but there were maybe 3 other tables). I was a waitress myself back in the day for 7 years so I do know what it takes, and a smile goes along way! The fish was fresh & tasted good but the rolls were not rolled tightly so they were hard to eat & to take off the board without falling apart. The tuna poke was great but a bit oily & the tempura was excellent. All in all, would I go back here again? Probably not, but at least I gave it a try.

After driving by this restaurant dozens of times while visiting our son, we were delighted to eat there for a late dinner at Happy Hour prices. It was so good that we stopped for lunch on our return trip. Everyone in the group tried different dishes, all with impeccable plating and all with rave reviews. I personally loved the salmon entree at dinner and the bento boxes for lunch. The temperas are light and so flavorful. It is now our plan to stop here every trip (4-5 times a year). So sorry that I have missed this on so many other trips. However, our son and his friends will be there often in our absence, as they love the sushi.

After 6 visits to Sho with variable experiences, I finally feel ready to write a knowledgeable review of this locally owned Japanese restaurant. I've been twice for dinner and four times for lunch. Lunch is BY FAR the better value, as I feel their menu is over priced for what they're offering. Service is spotty and not always the most friendly from some of the older staff. That said, I would say Sho's service is mostly satisfactory. Just don't expect to be checked on after your server has brought your meal or have your beverages refilled without flagging somebody down. I'm a bit of a sushi snob to be honest, but I do like both cheap and spendy places for different reasons. I expect the latter to be high quality and expertly prepared. Sho's prices are higher than what I would consider "cheap," but they get their supplies and fish from the same vendors the conveyor belt sushi places do. On top of that, there is varying quality in cuts of sashimi at Sho and they do not give consistent quantities on their plates at every visit. All in all, their combination lunch special with sashimi and tempura is a good value. You just don't know if you'll be getting a portion size consistent with the last or next time you dine there.

Since it's been many years after our previous review, we felt like we needed to drop back in and provide a quick update, as well as boost our rating. The food here is excellent and this has become our go-to sushi establishment when we are in the area. If you aren't into sushi, they serve equally tasty appetizers, soups, salads, as well as other dishes (beef, chicken, pork). If you happen to be gluten-free, they offer a quite a few GF options (including gluten-free soy sauce), so you definitely won't go hungry. On a related note; they also sell their delicious sauces & dressings in the restaurant, as well as local grocery stores. The staff here are always friendly and helpful, the restaurant is clean, and the owner (Katsu) clearly takes pride in making sure guests feel welcome. In fact, it's been great to get to know him over the years, and he still always drops by tables to see how folks are doing. It's been enjoyable to watch this restaurant grow and thrive over the years to where it is now, and it's been equally satisfying to support a local business that cares about its customers and its food.

Super friendly staff, great service and willing to accommodate a big group 10 people on a moments notice. Love the sushi, but the rest of the menu was equally creative and good. Fish was very fresh and top quality We will for sure go back.

The best sushi we have had in the PNW. Recommended to us by friends who drive across town. Delicious homemade miso. Fresh and balanced flavors.

This family run business is certainly customer oriented. Quiet, speedy and efficient service with a smile. Wonderful menu with local and sustainable produce executed with style as well as mouthwateringly delicious. We look forward to returning.

The quality and consistancy of this restaurant is amazing... The food is delicious and very appealing to the eye. Everything is fresh and very clean. We eat here at least once a month when we come up from the coast. A must try!!! Again the food is amazing!!!

2nd time here. Last time was in 2013 and was very good and was authentic Japanese - not only the food, but also the calm and peaceful ambience. This time was anything but authentic Japanese. It became Hawaiian Japanese fusion.....Owner has changed! Certainly not my taste. Very disappointed! No more Japanese serenity!!

We have been coming here for the past 3 years and we are always so pleased with everything! We came from Alaska so finding a sushi spot that can impress us is tough but Sho was able to do it! They always has great quality fish, delicious specials ( definitely try their cold ramen!), great sake selection, friendly and attentive service, very reasonable prices, great date ambience. The owner is almost always there helping out & touching all the tables which is really great to see. We love Sho!

Ate here as was just around the corner from hotel. We have eaten Japanese many times. Started with suishi and sashimi platter Fresh and well presented and very tasty selection. Followed by california rolls. Again tasty and fresh. Finished with teriyaki chicken which again was very tasty. $51 with couple of Asahi beers and a red wine was excellent value. Service was quick and friendly. A really value meal.. Highly recommend for what we had.

I went with a large party for a family dinner. Service was pretty good for a big group. Those who ordered sushi loved it. The ones who tried the Sake flight thought it was great. The ramen bowls were huge. I had the salmon donburi, and it was excellent. If Japanese is your thing, it's worth finding this restaurant.

My family and I have been dinning at SHO for nearly a decade. It is pure Japanese food. The real stuff. No need to embellish what is already perfect. A wonderful and attentive staff.

The first night I ordered a dish I had never tried in a Japanese restaurant - it was spicy tuna with a hint of miso stacked on a grilled rice patty. It was a novel dish. The second night I ordered a variety of raw fish with miso soup, salad, and rice. Something did not agree with me and I suspect it was the raw fish. It wasn't as cold as it should have been -- two visits were enough for me.

The food here is good. The service is fair. The prices are on the high end. Its out on Barbur blvd which is great for SW residents as there are not many restaurants in SW to brag about. The average review is because of price and service.

Eschew the fancy, high price fusion Japanese restaurants that often have better platting than taste, and eat at Sho for straight forward Japanese comfort food.

Stopped here for a light meal before heading to NYE party and SHO did not disappoint! The Raman was obviously house made and cooked to perfection. The scallop role was amazing as was the maidens milk cocktail. And prices were quite reasonable. Can’t wait to try the restaurant menu the next time back in Portland.

We stopped in for a business lunch as we have never been to "Sho's" before. I ordered the Chicken Donburi and it was just okay... Not bad, but not something I would make a special trip back for, nor would I order again. My one partner had a chicken and beef skewer and he seemed pleased with them and the portion size was very good. My other partner had sushi and the fish looked very fresh. But it was just okay... The one issue we had is the service was terrible. Our waitress was very sweet & kind... But my partner had to get up and chase our waitress down just to get a refill on our tea. I felt like maybe her co-worker did not show up for her shift and this poor women was running the whole restaurant by herself... But this may be normal for this place. So I am neutral on "Sho's" If I am out that part of the world and looking for sushi... I may try it again as this may be an "off day" for them. WEST-MORRY

Dropped into Sho over the holiday season, wasn't too crowded and got right in. The sushi was fine but not great, service was fine. The tempura my wife ordered was soggy and gross. Probably will not return as there are many other sushi places close by.

Very kid-friendly spot for Japanese near Tigard. We've been several times with our 3 y/o daughter and they do a wonderful kids bento box which she loves. All of the food I've ordered here has been good, and it's a regular spot for us.

Terrible sushi. I ordered a lunch special with two five piece rolls. I’ve eaten plenty of sushi as well as rainbow rolls and I’ve never been served a rainbow roll without crab in the middle. My roll was all rice with a 1/16 inch slice of fish on top. Very cheap sushi. The waitress tried to tell me you only get a Rainbow roll with crab in it if you order off the roll menu. I’ll never go back. Also my daughter’s salad was fine but mine had sand in it. Checkout the roll with the fish placed next to the roll.

I must be in the minority because I wasn't a fan of this place. My friend has sushi, which wasn't bad, but I have two items off the happy hour menu. The pork piece had a lot of fat pieces in it, which I had to spit out. Normally this wouldn't be too big of a deal, but the pork piece really wasn't that big.Our service was also just 'ok.' It took a while to get one of our dishes and water refills even though the restaurants wasn't busy.

Our family visits Sho often for Dine in and Takeout. The food is delicious, authentic and fresh. We love the Sushi and have favorites. We usually order California Roll, Hamachi Avocad Tabico Rolls (HAT Roll) and Tamago and Tempura shrimp for our son. The atmosphere is very friendly. We love to visit Sho and see Katsu, the owner, who always greets us like family. The staff are also wonderful. I highly recommned you try Sho, you will be back!

We ordered mirugai and hirame sashimi, hamachi sushi, curry katsu chicken and oyako don. Everything tasted right and with good presentation. The size of the sashimi slice may seem small, but it was good value for money considering the price and freshness. Service was attentive and friendly. Nice quiet ambience for special occasons.

This is one of the best places to get sushi in SW! I eat here regularly & have never had a bad experience here! My go to spot in the area.

Looked great, everyone ordered it but us. We got sushi and miso soup and it was good, not great. The decor is great and the other patrons with the bento boxes seemed really pleased. The service was excellent and the green tea perfect. I think we ordered wrong, raw minced scallops are not for me. NIce parking and a beautiful restaurant.

The best sushi, fresh, reasonably priced. The owner and staff are very friendly and prompt. We are regulars and highly recommend. Sunset roll, Spider roll and Hanabi roll, yum

Great food, great service and quiet atmosphere! The food was excellent. Our waitress was attentive but not bothersome. The restaurant decor was very comfortable and added to the overall dining. I will definitely be recommending this oasis of quality.

Had the Bento box lunch. Reminder of our trips to Japan. Generous portion and tasty. Good service and atmosphere.

Good selection of nigiri & sashimi. They have hamachi belly and chu-toro which some places don't want to carry because high cost and low demand. I thought that the sushi rice was little under seasoned, but everything in the restaurant is made well.

The food isn't bad, and the servers are polite. Asked for tea, got none. Sho looks like a converted chain establishment, lacks style, and needs some pizazz.

Good place for lunch. Quiet atmosphere and great staff. We had several rolls-The Yokozuna and Mystery rolls were nicely presented and tasted amazing. I am picky about too much cream cheese in specialty rolls and our choices did not have too much. We would definitely come back here.

Sho serves consistently good food from their Tempura to their Chicken Katsu Curry. I love that they ask what spice level for the curry. I like it hot. They also make innovative sushi rolls. Their selection of Sake and sake based cocktails is also good.

The trend in Japanese food in Portland is towards fusion--small plates, high prices, and cramped but trendy interiors. Sho isn't that kind of a place. The food is traditional Japanese comfort food, and it is properly done and plentiful. This is the place to come if you want excellent curry, donburies, ramens, and sashimi dinner specials. The service is excellent. Nothing on the menu needs to be avoided. All dishes have stood the test of time and will satisfy most Japanese foodies who are craving the classic Japanese dishes.

We enjoyed our dinner, including tuna salad (not mine but I will try it in the future, it looked beautiful) and tempura was nicely cooked. We would like to return for dinner and also to try the happy hour menu, which looked great. Atmosphere is great, very pleasant and relaxing, particularly enjoyed the water faucets in the ladies room. An odd thing to mention I know, but it does show attention to detail.

Ubered a ten minute drive south west from downtown Portland to get to this gem of restaurant. The wife and I visit Japan once a year, so it is often difficult to find really authentic Japanese food. SHO did not dissapoint. We started with the hamachi belly, pork belly yakitori and the karage. Paired with Oregon's own G sake it was a perfect start. Service was very friendly and kept an eye on us even as there are high walls around the tables to give you that feeling of privacy. Entrees included there rib eye donburi, which is from Snake River Farms/American Kobe, hamachi kama and the sockeye salmon carpaccio. All were plated nicely with great presentation.

Stayed at the nearby motel and walked to the restaurant. There was outside seating, a bar, regular seating, and a sushi bar! We all ordered something different and all enjoyed the meals. The servers were very attentive and pleasant. I recommend the restaurant.

It seems odd to start out a review of a Japanese restaurant with a reference to Carl’s Jr.’s 2 for $3.00 Sausage Egg and Cheese breakfast biscuit but the comparison here is important. I live next to a new Carl’s Jr. and watched it being built from the ground up. Once it opened, I marched over and ordered the above referenced item from their menu. The owners of this particular franchise were in the dining area that morning and when I finished my meal, one of them came over to me and asked me how I liked the food I just stuffed down my mouth. “It tastes like you are trying to impress your customers,” I said, “whereas McDonald’s breakfast biscuit tastes like they were just trying to get it out the door in some statistically predetermined time frame.” “Hmm. I like that.” The owner said. “Thank you.” “No. Thank you.” I returned, and meant it. It was a real good meal. Today I went to “Sho”, a Japanese restaurant at 10100 SW Barbur Blvd. in Portland, Or. 97219, Ph (503) 977-3100 and ordered Tempura Donburi ($10.00) along with Spicy Hand Roll Sush Sampler ($6.50). With it I also ordered hot green tea and asked for ice water. The table was set with chopsticks and a linen napkin. The ambiance was impressive; a pretty book on the cover, one might say. But the proof of a restaurant is in its food and not the babbling fountain out front or the quaint little rock garden outside the door as one enters its nicely appointed interior. So I waited for my food to arrive listening to the smooth jazz being piped in through the eateries’ sound system. The spicy hand roll sushi sampler was ample and very good. I enjoyed it. But when my main dish arrived, it looked like it had been sitting out in the sun for a good part of the afternoon. The batter was neither bright, nor crunchy as tempura is supposed to be, it was dark brown with large bubbles sticking out the sides of the limp vegetables and shrimp. The batter was clinging to the fried food instead of coating it in crisp tiny bumps. It looked as though it was fried in the French fry bin instead of the proper deep fry method unique to tempura. The shrimp was limp and lukewarm at best as were the vegetables accompanying the dish. Disappointed by the look of what was before me, I decided to try and eat it anyway but then discovered I had no tempura dipping sauce. I had to ask for it. After the 4th or 5th bite my mind was screaming at me over the fact I was paying $10.00 for a notably substandard meal and called over the waitress. I’ve never in all my years sent back a meal at a Japanese eating establishment but found I was about to do so. I pointed to what was before me and asked the girl if the food in my bowl had been reheated instead of freshly prepared because that was the impression I had. “Just look at this.” I said. “It isn’t even warm. It doesn’t taste fresh. It looks and tastes like it was sitting around for a while and simply reheated when I ordered it.” The waitress apologized and offered to have the cook, for there obviously wasn’t a chef in the back, try again. I said I’d appreciate that and let her take away the food I simply was unwilling to eat. When my food arrived a second time, the shrimp was hot as were the vegetables. The tempura coating was bright and crispy served with tempura sauce this time without me having to request it. The manager came out and asked me if everything was alright and I said, “Now it is.” When all was said and done I left a $4.00 tip, .13 cents under 25% because the waitress was kind and cordial to me and she fixed the problem without any drama. I’m not sure why my meal was presented to me in such a substandard condition at first. It may have been reheated for all I know or they may have seen a single red headed guy sitting at a table and thought I wouldn't know what tempura was supposed to look like. I’m not sure. But the difference between try number one and try number 2 was very noticeable. The food, in the end, was very good. I just wasn't prepared to have to fight for my right to tasty tempura done correctly.

Authentic Japanese with Gluten free options. We just let our server know of our allergies ( Dairy, Gluten, and egg), and she was knowledgeable and let us know they could accommodate on almost all food options. The sushi and sashimi are top notch. We started with Cucumber Salad and Octopus salad: yummy but small serving. The pork belly miso soup really hit the spot. The Broiled Mackerel and Hamachi Sashimi were flavorful and prepared well. We always appreciate that they have Gluten free sauces (that are also sold at local stores!). The service is nice, but can be slow at times. We have never eaten here with the expectation of eating and out very quickly. We have not tried their sake selections but have heard nothing but good things about it. The food is well worth the money.

my friend and i recently visited Sho Authentic Japanese restaurant for lunch. We were promptly seated and enjoyed hot sake while waiting for our lunch order. the wait time was reasonable and the the order arrived hot and delicious. Sushi, tempura, miso soup and delicious chicken katsu. Great portion size and excellent quality. We will be back!!

This is an incredible dining experience and I have very high expectations. The real Japanese sushi chef is 2nd to none in this area. He understands the art way beyond most will ever acquire in a lifetime. It was a real treat to have bluefin as an option today with my regular maguro order. I also ordered the black mushroom ramen which was some of the best broths I've ever enjoyed in 3 different countries. Amazing flavor and quality not often found in Oregon. The owner is very proud and expects the most of not just the food, but customer service and the overall dining experience as well. If you enjoy quality Japanese cuisine in its entirety, this is a must try in the Portland area.

Japanese Food is about simplicity yet complexity. Sometimes the subtle is so complex. The Hamachi Nigiri Sushi is amazing. There is balance in proportion of fish to the sushi rice. Of course that firmly struck speck of wasabi is critical for the overall experience. One traditionalist might say, the soy sauce might cloak the essence of great sushi but me I like a touch of soy sauce with my sushi. Always restraint and balance. This Hamachi is buttery, light and pleasing to the eye. The best pieces are cross hatched textured and are a warm white color. To make sure you get the choice cut, ask for the Hamachi Belly for that texture and look. I just ask for the most white pieces. That first bite is like the revealing of something great. The smoothness of the fish is subsequently accented with the slightness of the sushi rice. Don't forget to finish with a great Super Dry Brew. If you care about the details, you will see the details.

....We keep coming back. It is hard to find decent sushi and when you do, chancing another place is a waste of time and money. This place ended our searching. So, we go to Sho as often as possible. We typically sit at the Sushi Bar and love watching our orders being created right in front of us. We can't wait to try the Kobe burger next! The staff are so friendly and we love it when the owner spends time talking with us and asking for our feedback. Fortunately we haven't had to make any suggestions on improvement. It's THAT good. Please, go. You will NOT regret it!

I'll admit it: I haven't been to Japan yet. Accordingly, I'm probably not the best person to review the food at a Japanese restaurant. But I have eaten Japanese food at several good Japanese restaurants in Honolulu, Seattle (and environs), Portland, San Francisco, Oakland, Denver, Paris, and Lyon. So I think I have a little basis for judgment. Just not an expert basis. Sho is a good place. It's not going to knock your socks off, but it will do a good job with its food. Think of it as a safe choice. Will it offend the Japan snob in your group who can't stop talking the okonomiyaki he had in Southern Higashiyama? Of course it will. Anything would. But if you're looking for a fix for your Japanese food craving and if you're looking for that coupled with excellent, attentive service, than you could do much worse than to head to Sho on Barbur. I'll stop by again on my next visit to SW Portland.

We had 6 friends get together on a Friday around 4PM for Happy Hour. Great selection, very tasty, We had a blast. It does get more crowded later in the evening for the dinner crowd, but I would sure go back for HH.