Samurai

Samurai is easily one of the best sushi places in Marin. We've been going here for years and it's obvious as they are getting busier and busier. We usually don't go here on the weekends anymore as it's just too busy and we're hungry! We love their spin on food and their creativity with the dishes.The only negative to this place is that it can get very loud due to the small atmosphere.

Before I start, this is a review for the take out. Delicious sushi and rolls! The rainbow and soft crab rolls are really special. We haven't been able to get a table yet, it's always busy, so make a reservation ahead or prepare to get take out. Update. We've tried this restaurant many times and it is always perfect. There is a little bit of a wait to get seated but not so bad. Try to schedule your visit and arrive a little early. Try the Cherry Blossom Roll and trust the nigiri recommendations of the day!

I like sushi here! Very glad to have that place right by house

Fresh fish, great chefs, creative rolls, and super tasty vegan options

Samurai has been my favorite Japanese restaurant in Marin for the 20+ years I’ve lived here. And it’s only gotten better with the new ownership a few years ago. Owner Brian’s ability to put a new spin on an old favorite is a testament to his creativity. The only downside is that as it becomes more and more popular, the lines grow longer and longer!

Great food. Great service. Just hard to get seating because it is a small place.

The best sushi in Marin as far as I know. Fresh delicious fish, great rolls, authentic interior, good selection of sake.

My favorite restaurant so far in Marin County. Excellent sushi and hot entree offerings for a reasonable price--a rare find. The energy was good, the staff was courteous and attentive and the sake list was compact but full of good choices. They even got the agedashi tofu right! We'll be back.

Great place. Step outside your comfort zone and get a house specialty. Or something fresh off the rotating list of fresh catch

Great food and affordable sushi. Wide range of choices for both meat and veggies lovers. I am becoming a regular!

The best and friendly great staff, fair prices. Top quality ingredients, a favorite

Best sushi in marin. Better than sushi ran (which is way overrated) super fresh fish and delicious

I went on a first date at this establishment last week. I drove about an hour to get to the restaurant, and IT WAS TOTALLY WORTH the drive! Parking was ample, right outside the restaurant. We didn't realize they accepted reservations, so we were walk-ins. We waited about 30 minutes to be seated on what was obviously a very busy Friday, and we were pleased at the short wait time. Staff is super friendly and engaging. Very knowledgeable about the menu. We sat at the sushi bar and had a few enjoyable and informative conversations with one of the sushi masters who had been making sushi for over 20 years. Our food was simply divine! I had the salmon mustard salad.....which was TO DIE FOR! We also had the Lion King roll.....PHENOMENAL! We ordered more, and everything that we shoved into our hungry mugs was DELECTABLE! You will be truly thrilled after a visit to this restaurant. You will leave wanting to come back for more!

This is the second time I have been here and the sushi was amazing both times!

The freshest fish sashimi Ive experienced anywhere in the Bay area, and beyond, even worldwide. An exquisite never fail experience no matter when I come, over the years. And the cooked dishes also are amazing. Serive, setting, and prices too. Truly a gem. Am a chef myself and can only recommend this place. Ypu'll tarely find better. Enjoy

The freshest sahimi and sushi in the whole bay area. Best yellowtail, best uni, best everything, including cooked dishes, service and generous portion size good prices.

This has been one of the best culinary experiences of my life. Food was excellent and service was excellent as well. The staff and chefs embody hospitality and they all seems to be proud of working there. Thank you!

The place is special because my dad was a sushi chef here 40 years ago so my husband and I decided to try it. We left very happy! The prices are reasonable, the quality was great, sushi fish was fresh and thick cut. Really flavorful. Service was also great. Don’t recommend the sesame chicken appetizer - it was dry, sitting on sesame seeds and there was a plain sauce on the side. The chicken should be tossed in the sauce with the sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Samurai rocks, I hope this place never changes, really good broad menu for reasonable prices, with some incredibly unique creations on the menu! Love the samurai maki, the una mega three roll, and the ankimo.

Food was great for an affordable price… both rarely heard of in Marin! (I can say that, I live here). I’ll definitely be back and making this my go-to for local sushi!

Almost want to gate keep this one but overall great sushi spot, great staff and service and very fresh sushi and reasonable for what it is.

10/10 sushi experience. Great, generous, high quality fish. We ordered the miso soup, a mix of the rolls, and some nigiri. An it was fantastic! The service was also the best ever. They have a ton of people working in here and it is a well oiled machine. I could barely take a sip of water without it being refilled! Can recommend!

Well id have to say i really liked it here, its what i call the standard done well and done right. Its what you think of when you think lets go do sushi. Authentic, fresh, professional, warm n attentive staff, expected portions +. As i see also a local favorite as i sat near obvious regulars. Ill be adding Samurai to my first choices list for this area.

Go here! Best sushi I've ever had. The Hamachi Crunch is really unique and delicious. Poke salad and Chirashi are both excellent. It can get a little crowded, but that is always a good sign and worth the wait.

Excellent food and speedy attentive service. Get there at opening time to get a table! Had chicken teriyaki, tuna sashimi, 2 sushi rolls and seaweed.

Wow great quality of fish. The must is monk fish liver, toro sashimi, uni with caviar and rice, makerel with avocado, and sake!!! Great place for the price and quality

I'll be honest, this was my first sushi experience since shelter in place, so I was exceptionally excited, but excitement doesn't magically make the fish fresher or the preparation better -- the Samurai folks had a very organized setup for take-away, they were quick, and every single thing we ordered was delicious, from the nigiri to the maki to the more creative rolls. It was so delicious, actually, that I finished it all (whereas the plan was to keep two of the maki rolls for the next day). Would go back, would recommend.

Aiko T

The place is special because my dad was a sushi chef here 40 years ago so my husband and I decided to try it. We left very happy! The prices are reasonable, the quality was great, sushi fish was fresh and thick cut. Really flavorful. Service was also great. Don’t recommend the sesame chicken appetizer - it was dry, sitting on sesame seeds and there was a plain sauce on the side. The chicken should be tossed in the sauce with the sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Ella Bergquist

Food was great for an affordable price… both rarely heard of in Marin! (I can say that, I live here). I’ll definitely be back and making this my go-to for local sushi!

Miranda Rider

Samurai rocks, I hope this place never changes, really good broad menu for reasonable prices, with some incredibly unique creations on the menu! Love the samurai maki, the una mega three roll, and the ankimo.

Hasan

Almost want to gate keep this one but overall great sushi spot, great staff and service and very fresh sushi and reasonable for what it is.

B B

10/10 sushi experience. Great, generous, high quality fish. We ordered the miso soup, a mix of the rolls, and some nigiri. An it was fantastic! The service was also the best ever. They have a ton of people working in here and it is a well oiled machine. I could barely take a sip of water without it being refilled! Can recommend!

Guru D

Well id have to say i really liked it here, its what i call the standard done well and done right. Its what you think of when you think lets go do sushi. Authentic, fresh, professional, warm n attentive staff, expected portions +. As i see also a local favorite as i sat near obvious regulars. Ill be adding Samurai to my first choices list for this area.

Samuel Kao

Go here! Best sushi I've ever had. The Hamachi Crunch is really unique and delicious. Poke salad and Chirashi are both excellent. It can get a little crowded, but that is always a good sign and worth the wait.

Paul Rosenthal

Excellent food and speedy attentive service. Get there at opening time to get a table! Had chicken teriyaki, tuna sashimi, 2 sushi rolls and seaweed.

Sergii Starostin

Wow great quality of fish. The must is monk fish liver, toro sashimi, uni with caviar and rice, makerel with avocado, and sake!!! Great place for the price and quality

Danny Ronen

I'll be honest, this was my first sushi experience since shelter in place, so I was exceptionally excited, but excitement doesn't magically make the fish fresher or the preparation better -- the Samurai folks had a very organized setup for take-away, they were quick, and every single thing we ordered was delicious, from the nigiri to the maki to the more creative rolls. It was so delicious, actually, that I finished it all (whereas the plan was to keep two of the maki rolls for the next day). Would go back, would recommend.

Fantastic, high-quality sushi that's also amazingly well-priced. A gem of a local spot with real heart. Great for families, couples, or solo.

Love Samurai! Amazing sushi, always fresh, the staff is friendly and attentive, and the guys behind the bar rock! It’s always packed, but never been more than a 20 minute wait. Price point is the best in the bay for sushi too.

Fabulous as always. From the tempura to the sushi, everything is so fresh with great flavor. A family favorite

Our favorite sushi spot in the area by far. There is sometimes a wait during peak hours but it’s worth it. The quality and prices are great

Such excellent sushi!! We showed up with a party of 8 and they were so wonderful to seat us pretty quickly. The service was fast, excellently accommodating a gluten allergy too. We ordered tempura, a mix of rolls, and a few of us got the nigiri dinners. And I can't say enough how phenomenal the nigiri were. Huge pieces that had excellent quality fish. We will definitely be going back!!

Jason Freidenfelds

Fantastic, high-quality sushi that's also amazingly well-priced. A gem of a local spot with real heart. Great for families, couples, or solo.

Byrdie Keeler

The best and friendly great staff, fair prices. Top quality ingredients, a favorite

Shelby P

Our favorite sushi spot in the area by far. There is sometimes a wait during peak hours but it’s worth it. The quality and prices are great

Emily L

Love Samurai! Amazing sushi, always fresh, the staff is friendly and attentive, and the guys behind the bar rock! It’s always packed, but never been more than a 20 minute wait. Price point is the best in the bay for sushi too.

Caitie S

Such excellent sushi!! We showed up with a party of 8 and they were so wonderful to seat us pretty quickly. The service was fast, excellently accommodating a gluten allergy too. We ordered tempura, a mix of rolls, and a few of us got the nigiri dinners. And I can't say enough how phenomenal the nigiri were. Huge pieces that had excellent quality fish. We will definitely be going back!!

John-Scott Horton

My favorite restaurant so far in Marin County. Excellent sushi and hot entree offerings for a reasonable price--a rare find. The energy was good, the staff was courteous and attentive and the sake list was compact but full of good choices. They even got the agedashi tofu right! We'll be back.

Great food, good service, cool atmosphere. It's going to sound stupid, but this might be some of the best miso soup I've had. The cucumber salad, fresh wasabi, nigiri, rainbow roll, dragon roll, shrimp tempura, and green tea ice cream were all great. I couldn't get over how thick the cuts of fish were. The service was good. They sat us quickly and were always checking in to make sure we had everything we needed. I think that they even poured our first drink for us. The atmosphere was good. It was great getting to see the sushi chefs working behind the counter. Would come back again.

Samurai is one of two sushi restaurants in mill valley and it’s the best one in town. We like to have family dinners here we usually order family style and order a few of the specialty rolls. My favorite is the dragon roll. If you are coming on a Friday night or weekend night plan a head because it gets busy and the wait can be long to be seated.

Shawn Gorey

Great food, good service, cool atmosphere. It's going to sound stupid, but this might be some of the best miso soup I've had. The cucumber salad, fresh wasabi, nigiri, rainbow roll, dragon roll, shrimp tempura, and green tea ice cream were all great. I couldn't get over how thick the cuts of fish were. The service was good. They sat us quickly and were always checking in to make sure we had everything we needed. I think that they even poured our first drink for us. The atmosphere was good. It was great getting to see the sushi chefs working behind the counter. Would come back again.

Daniel Flores

Samurai is one of two sushi restaurants in mill valley and it’s the best one in town. We like to have family dinners here we usually order family style and order a few of the specialty rolls. My favorite is the dragon roll. If you are coming on a Friday night or weekend night plan a head because it gets busy and the wait can be long to be seated.

Hmmm, what would you think about a Sushi Chef asking about your preferences just to have what you just explained you disliked on the platter? Other than that disappointment I would plan in advance because the wait often applies here. It's many local families "go to" Japanese restaurant for a reason. The food is good and the price reasonable. The question is how to get a table without waiting? Come early or have a big group. On a good note one can get drinks and menu's while waiting.

Recent take 8/12/23out order was not up to previous quality. The restaurant was busy but food quality was poor.The sushi was not uniformly sized and and the Ca roll was tasteless. the unagi don rice plate lacked sauce and flavor. The unagi was not arranged on the rice but rather placed in one clump.

Average food, but good enough to eat at since it's the only Japanese restaurant in town. I had the beef sukiyaki. It was served In a regular porcelain bowl. The broth was decent but it was super simple. Lacking in cabbage and only came with a little bit of clear noodles. Sukiyaki is traditionally served in a shallow clay pot, not giant soup bowl. My friend ordered 2 rolls and the pork gyōza. I tried a piece of gyōza just 5 minutes after it came out and they were already cold. Would not be a first choice of restaurant to visit, but if I were in the area and really craving Japanese food, I could give it another try.

Kenneth Dong

Average food, but good enough to eat at since it's the only Japanese restaurant in town. I had the beef sukiyaki. It was served In a regular porcelain bowl. The broth was decent but it was super simple. Lacking in cabbage and only came with a little bit of clear noodles. Sukiyaki is traditionally served in a shallow clay pot, not giant soup bowl. My friend ordered 2 rolls and the pork gyōza. I tried a piece of gyōza just 5 minutes after it came out and they were already cold. Would not be a first choice of restaurant to visit, but if I were in the area and really craving Japanese food, I could give it another try.

The sushi was good but not amazing but they did add cream cheese which I greatly appreciated. The sesame chicken was alright my toddler liked it. The atmosphere was similar to what I experienced while stationed in Japan. My husband’s yellow tail was above average.

Kimberly Miles

The sushi was good but not amazing but they did add cream cheese which I greatly appreciated. The sesame chicken was alright my toddler liked it. The atmosphere was similar to what I experienced while stationed in Japan. My husband’s yellow tail was above average.

I only got sashimi to go..so I could have just made a poor ordering choice...but its Mill Valley so I assumed the sushi would be awesome. Instead I got old fishy tasting salmon

Take out orders beware! We have been loyal customers of Samauri for 15 years, eating there once a week on a regular basis. Even through the pandemic, staffing challenges, long wait times, inflation price increases, we were there. On our visit this week, I noticed the bill was higher than normal (we order the same thing each week), so I asked for the itemized receipt. Lo and behold there was a $10.40 charge for takeout. We asked what the charge was for and they said… the paper containers. Wait, what? You mean the paper container that cost you maybe .30 cents? As a reasonable human being, and loyal patron, I’m willing to put up with a lot, but this was the straw that broke the camels back. I’m sorry Samurai, but you’ve grossly miscalculated this one. We will not be returning, nor will I be recommending you anymore. Price gouging is never OK.