San Sai Japanese Grill

Excellent! I love the oriental salad, order it everytime with my chicken. Plus the customer service here is out of this world. Every experience I've had here ( which has been about 5 to date) has included friendly, helpful people workers. Highly recommend!!

Good food, plenty of parking and the prices are a great value.

This won't disappoint. The service is excellent. The cooks all speak Spanish and get the job done. I wish they would branch out to become nationwide.

This food place is awesome! I have visited the Caltech area for one week and fell in love with this place! Seriously, the food is always fresh and the salads are amazing! The service is pretty fast and the people were very friendly and helpful. You get a good variety of choice! I will definitely come back here. Also, EarthquakeSim the YouTuber was there! 🤩

Been coming here for years and the food is always fresh! Their plate dinners are fantastic and I love their salad selection. The staff is polite and they have free parking out back.

We love to go here to grab something fast and tasty. The decor of this place is kind of old fashion, very roomy with great food .. the servers are always very attentive, the food is always fresh and with great taste . I love the salmon bowl 😋

OMG This is simply amazing! They did teriyaki right!! Freshly grilled chicken thigh not breast with authentic blend of teriyaki sauce!! And guess what it's just $9! I was like in a pre-COVID era dream and it's so wild!!!

Calamari bomb plate is delicious. Wish I could find a calorie count on it but that's not going to stop me from eating them. Could probably eat 20 and still want more.

Their food is always very fresh and good. Just like pick up sticks they make it fresh after you order it. So it may take a few minutes, but its always amazing.

We ordered the party platter, which was PERFECT for sharing: rainbow roll, tiger roll, plus fresh salmon, tuna, hamachi, and shrimp nigiri. Ideal for group dinners or parties. We also tried the steak bowl, edamame, shrimp tempura handroll, and salmon handroll, and loved how this spot offers the best of both worlds with a grill + sushi combo menu. There’s something for everyone. One of my favorite parts is their Asian snack mini mart inside the restaurant. Recommend for casual meals, group hangouts, or party sushi orders.

I recently visited San Sari and was pleasantly surprised by how delightful the entire experience was! The moment you walk in, you’re welcomed with friendly smiles and a quick, spacious dining area that’s for families, friends, or even a solo meal. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. I tried the ramen, skewers, and sushi rolls, each dish had its own “wow” moment! You can really taste the quality in the ingredients. Portions were generous, and the balance of flavors was just right, especially the teriyaki and the rolls. Service here truly stands out. The staff is kind, attentive, and you can tell they genuinely care about their customers’ experience. It makes the meal feel even more special.

I had the best Beef Teriyaki Combo eating experience. Let’s be honest, normally Beef Teriyaki is dry like jerky or thinly sliced that doesn’t taste like beef but at this Sansai , the BEEF TERIYAKI is incredible. It is an actual piece of tender steak that looks like hangar steak that is beautifully grilled and sliced up to perfection. It’s served with a veggie kabobs and fresh mixed salad, then rice on the side. On top of that their grilled chicken and salmon teriyaki are just amazing. Their rolls are creative like the TIGER ROLL and the 10 pieces of nigiri. IMO, Sansai Pasadena is so underrated because it’s a fast casual Japanese spot with a mini Japanese snack shop inside!

Stopped by while in Pasadena and it ended up being a solid, easy meal. Nothing fancy, just straightforward Japanese comfort food that does the job. Service was quick and the dining room was clean and relaxed. We ordered the shrimp & steak plate, yakisoba noodles with chicken, sushi special box, tiger roll, and shrimp & veggie tempura. The yakisoba with chicken was definitely my favorite — good portion, well seasoned, and filling without being too heavy. The sushi was surprisingly solid for a casual spot, and the veggie skewers that came with the shrimp and steak plate stood out more than I expected. Portions were generous and prices felt fair for the area. There’s also a small Japanese snack section inside, which is a nice bonus while you’re waiting. Overall, a reliable place for a quick, satisfying lunch or low-key dinner if you’re in Pasadena.

Pinhwa Su

We ordered the party platter, which was PERFECT for sharing: rainbow roll, tiger roll, plus fresh salmon, tuna, hamachi, and shrimp nigiri. Ideal for group dinners or parties. We also tried the steak bowl, edamame, shrimp tempura handroll, and salmon handroll, and loved how this spot offers the best of both worlds with a grill + sushi combo menu. There’s something for everyone. One of my favorite parts is their Asian snack mini mart inside the restaurant. Recommend for casual meals, group hangouts, or party sushi orders.

oooh_my_bonnie

I had the best Beef Teriyaki Combo eating experience. Let’s be honest, normally Beef Teriyaki is dry like jerky or thinly sliced that doesn’t taste like beef but at this Sansai , the BEEF TERIYAKI is incredible. It is an actual piece of tender steak that looks like hangar steak that is beautifully grilled and sliced up to perfection. It’s served with a veggie kabobs and fresh mixed salad, then rice on the side. On top of that their grilled chicken and salmon teriyaki are just amazing. Their rolls are creative like the TIGER ROLL and the 10 pieces of nigiri. IMO, Sansai Pasadena is so underrated because it’s a fast casual Japanese spot with a mini Japanese snack shop inside!

Jungbeom Lee

I recently visited San Sari and was pleasantly surprised by how delightful the entire experience was! The moment you walk in, you’re welcomed with friendly smiles and a quick, spacious dining area that’s for families, friends, or even a solo meal. The food was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. I tried the ramen, skewers, and sushi rolls, each dish had its own “wow” moment! You can really taste the quality in the ingredients. Portions were generous, and the balance of flavors was just right, especially the teriyaki and the rolls. Service here truly stands out. The staff is kind, attentive, and you can tell they genuinely care about their customers’ experience. It makes the meal feel even more special.

Allen Green

Stopped by while in Pasadena and it ended up being a solid, easy meal. Nothing fancy, just straightforward Japanese comfort food that does the job. Service was quick and the dining room was clean and relaxed. We ordered the shrimp & steak plate, yakisoba noodles with chicken, sushi special box, tiger roll, and shrimp & veggie tempura. The yakisoba with chicken was definitely my favorite — good portion, well seasoned, and filling without being too heavy. The sushi was surprisingly solid for a casual spot, and the veggie skewers that came with the shrimp and steak plate stood out more than I expected. Portions were generous and prices felt fair for the area. There’s also a small Japanese snack section inside, which is a nice bonus while you’re waiting. Overall, a reliable place for a quick, satisfying lunch or low-key dinner if you’re in Pasadena.

Michael Ronnett

This food place is awesome! I have visited the Caltech area for one week and fell in love with this place! Seriously, the food is always fresh and the salads are amazing! The service is pretty fast and the people were very friendly and helpful. You get a good variety of choice! I will definitely come back here. Also, EarthquakeSim the YouTuber was there! 🤩

Poly Gone

Been coming here for years and the food is always fresh! Their plate dinners are fantastic and I love their salad selection. The staff is polite and they have free parking out back.

Pao Vero

We love to go here to grab something fast and tasty. The decor of this place is kind of old fashion, very roomy with great food .. the servers are always very attentive, the food is always fresh and with great taste . I love the salmon bowl 😋

Justin Gao

OMG This is simply amazing! They did teriyaki right!! Freshly grilled chicken thigh not breast with authentic blend of teriyaki sauce!! And guess what it's just $9! I was like in a pre-COVID era dream and it's so wild!!!

Mia M.

Calamari bomb plate is delicious. Wish I could find a calorie count on it but that's not going to stop me from eating them. Could probably eat 20 and still want more.

j c

Their food is always very fresh and good. Just like pick up sticks they make it fresh after you order it. So it may take a few minutes, but its always amazing.

I drove 45 miles to come out here and get this food. I heard about it from a good friend and had to stop in and taste it. The flavor was great. The taste was great. The appearance of the building was great and the customer service was top-notch 100% phenomenal And I will be posting this on my Instagram and YouTube for others to see how great it was.

What a nice surprise! Stopped in the plaza right charge my car and pop in for a quick bite. So glad I stopped here. The plate came with two salads (I got the noodles and mandarin orange salad) and both were quite tasty! I had steak and chicken for protein. Both were good. Also came with a grilled veggie kabob. Perfect lunch option that felt healthy and was filling! Also, everyone was really nice!

Recently discovered on door dash and have ordered twice on the app. I have tried the steak plate, spicy chicken bowl and veggie tempura. All delicious! I’d definitely order again. The veggie tempura had big pieces and a yummy sauce. The steak was tender and made to perfection. The spicy chicken also had good flavor. I look forward to visiting in person and trying other items

SanSai Japanese Grill on South Lake has become one of my go-to places whenever I’m craving comforting Japanese classics in the area. It’s casual, clean, and easy to settle into, whether you’re stopping by for a quick meal or dining with friends. Food: We ordered a variety of dishes, and everything tasted fresh and well-prepared. The Chicken & Steak Plate was the standout—tender, savory, and easily our top pick of the visit. The Sushi Special Box offered a great variety, with fresh and enjoyable tuna, salmon, shrimp, and yellowtail nigiri. The Udon Noodle Soup was warm and comforting, especially on a cooler day. We also tried the Veggie Tempura, which was crisp, light, and perfect for sharing. Ambiance: The restaurant has a relaxed, casual atmosphere, making it a convenient choice for both quick lunches and sit-down dinners. It’s a comfortable environment with plenty of seating and a clean layout. Customer Service: Service was friendly and efficient. Staff were attentive and made sure orders came out quickly and accurately. It’s the kind of place where the experience feels smooth from start to finish. Overall: SanSai Japanese Grill offers solid food, good portions, and a welcoming environment. If you’re in the Pasadena area and want something fresh, flavorful, and dependable, this is a great option. I’ll definitely be coming back.

Anthony Tran

SanSai Japanese Grill on South Lake has become one of my go-to places whenever I’m craving comforting Japanese classics in the area. It’s casual, clean, and easy to settle into, whether you’re stopping by for a quick meal or dining with friends. Food: We ordered a variety of dishes, and everything tasted fresh and well-prepared. The Chicken & Steak Plate was the standout—tender, savory, and easily our top pick of the visit. The Sushi Special Box offered a great variety, with fresh and enjoyable tuna, salmon, shrimp, and yellowtail nigiri. The Udon Noodle Soup was warm and comforting, especially on a cooler day. We also tried the Veggie Tempura, which was crisp, light, and perfect for sharing. Ambiance: The restaurant has a relaxed, casual atmosphere, making it a convenient choice for both quick lunches and sit-down dinners. It’s a comfortable environment with plenty of seating and a clean layout. Customer Service: Service was friendly and efficient. Staff were attentive and made sure orders came out quickly and accurately. It’s the kind of place where the experience feels smooth from start to finish. Overall: SanSai Japanese Grill offers solid food, good portions, and a welcoming environment. If you’re in the Pasadena area and want something fresh, flavorful, and dependable, this is a great option. I’ll definitely be coming back.

Vc The Brand

I drove 45 miles to come out here and get this food. I heard about it from a good friend and had to stop in and taste it. The flavor was great. The taste was great. The appearance of the building was great and the customer service was top-notch 100% phenomenal And I will be posting this on my Instagram and YouTube for others to see how great it was.

Spring Pena

What a nice surprise! Stopped in the plaza right charge my car and pop in for a quick bite. So glad I stopped here. The plate came with two salads (I got the noodles and mandarin orange salad) and both were quite tasty! I had steak and chicken for protein. Both were good. Also came with a grilled veggie kabob. Perfect lunch option that felt healthy and was filling! Also, everyone was really nice!

Food is decent. You get a lot for what you pay for. I had the yakisoba with chicken. I split the plate with someone else. The salads I had, bow tie with corn and the sumi, were ok. The sumi had a lot of cabbage, but also awesome big pieces of green onion. I wish the yakisoba plate had more noodles and a little less salad. Maybe I have an unhealthy appreciation for noodles. The chicken is good. The lady at the counter was a little curt but overall the service was fine. The place was clean. It would be nice if they used less plastic packaging. My friend got a salad and it was in a plastic clamshell even though we were sitting down. COVID, I guess. The music was not great but wasn't loud enough to drown out conversation so it didn't matter.

SanSai Japanese Grill is a casual counter-serve chain for health-minded Asian fare from sushi roll to salads to chicken breast. This location is at Lake ave in Pasadena. Its interior decor and atmosphere were modest and relaxing, respectively. Their menu items were vast. I ordered their Chicken Breast Plate x salad and soup. It has satisfying flavor and tender breast; I dig it. Service was fast. Prices were fair and competitive. Overall, I enjoyed their food and service. Perfect for a quick meal. I recommend you visit.

San Sai is a pretty healthy and tasteful spot to eat in at. I selected the Salmon plate with rice and oriental salad, delicious too. Reasonable pricing and nice environment with a pleasant staff. Great staff is just as equal to the quality of food you are taking a chance on eating anywhere. Definitely recommend trying it. Bowls are small for me but maybe not for you. Enjoy!

Had a nice lunch with co-workers here today. Food was priced reasonably, tasted very good and came in a reasonable amount of time. The ambiance isn't the best -- inside seating is noisy because of all the hard surfaces and outside seating is noisy because of the cars, but it's no worse than any other quick lunch place.

Like the meat that provides. However, too much salsas. Hope they can provide some cooked food instead

Food is always good. I wish my chicken was as hot as my tempura but still good.

Nice roomy place little but noisey perhaps. Spicey pork loin bowl with oriental salad. Pork was cooked perfectly and very tasty, salad was fresh, lovely roasted almond slightly slices with yummy dressing and crunchy components. Price was right also

maria cervantes

Food is always good. I wish my chicken was as hot as my tempura but still good.

J C

Nice roomy place little but noisey perhaps. Spicey pork loin bowl with oriental salad. Pork was cooked perfectly and very tasty, salad was fresh, lovely roasted almond slightly slices with yummy dressing and crunchy components. Price was right also

Carlo N.

SanSai Japanese Grill is a casual counter-serve chain for health-minded Asian fare from sushi roll to salads to chicken breast. This location is at Lake ave in Pasadena. Its interior decor and atmosphere were modest and relaxing, respectively. Their menu items were vast. I ordered their Chicken Breast Plate x salad and soup. It has satisfying flavor and tender breast; I dig it. Service was fast. Prices were fair and competitive. Overall, I enjoyed their food and service. Perfect for a quick meal. I recommend you visit.

Affordable fast casual Japanese food spot that also now sells Japanese snacks and desserts. There's a Caltech discount, too -- just show your ID.

Shang-Lin Chen

Affordable fast casual Japanese food spot that also now sells Japanese snacks and desserts. There's a Caltech discount, too -- just show your ID.

Normally, I wouldn't go out of my way to come to this place. But my friend likes this place, so I come. Food's actually not bad. Nothing special, but still ok, and for the area it's really cheap.

Overall, very poorly kept location although it does offer plenty of room, including an outside seating area. The food, we ordered the spicy chicken bowl and the curry chicken bowl, were quite bland and dry. They also forgot to provide me with the miso soup that comes with my combo order.

I typically love San Sai but the service I received yesterday was disappointing. I waited over 25 minutes for my to go order. People who came in after me received their orders before me. When I finally received my food, which I was told was fresh off the grill, it was cold as if it had been sitting for awhile.

Used to eat here years ago..now back in town to find out that is place is not what it used to be. Just horrible food, run down place…an echo of what it used to be. They really should shut this place down. It’s a waste of restaurant place.

Got a rainbow roll yesterday for $15. It had very little actual fish on it, and what was there had a concerning, dry texture. It didn’t give me food poisoning, but I was definitely nervous about it for the following 24 hours.

The food was ok, it was very hard to eat with these flys around. We kept having to swat them away from our food. They were on the sauce bottles on our table so we switched tables but they were on the next one as well. The staff was nice at least.

The customer service is still good but the last few trips have been an extreme let down. Three trips ago, I had to ask them to clean the sushi board down and the guy to wash his hands because he put the company clipboard on the food surface and handed it back to another worker and was about to just start making food on the same surface. The 2nd to last trip I had to ask the guy at the register to ask the sushi maker to stop talking so much!! HE was talking to the salad maker, the guy sweeping, the guy at the register, while making our food and they were all conversing back, all over food. I would love to think spit was not flying out his mouth but he was talking so much that he got my order wrong. I was waiting to waiting to eat til after I got the girls to sleep and I when I went to eat it, it had seaweed wrap and not soy wrap and had a fish smell, i guess from an unclean surface. This trip and the last trip, both of the sushi rolls were horribly made and was falling apart as you can see from the pictures. I will not get sushi here again. Maybe just the fried stuff like the tempura.

Maile Rios

The food was ok, it was very hard to eat with these flys around. We kept having to swat them away from our food. They were on the sauce bottles on our table so we switched tables but they were on the next one as well. The staff was nice at least.

The Truth

The customer service is still good but the last few trips have been an extreme let down. Three trips ago, I had to ask them to clean the sushi board down and the guy to wash his hands because he put the company clipboard on the food surface and handed it back to another worker and was about to just start making food on the same surface. The 2nd to last trip I had to ask the guy at the register to ask the sushi maker to stop talking so much!! HE was talking to the salad maker, the guy sweeping, the guy at the register, while making our food and they were all conversing back, all over food. I would love to think spit was not flying out his mouth but he was talking so much that he got my order wrong. I was waiting to waiting to eat til after I got the girls to sleep and I when I went to eat it, it had seaweed wrap and not soy wrap and had a fish smell, i guess from an unclean surface. This trip and the last trip, both of the sushi rolls were horribly made and was falling apart as you can see from the pictures. I will not get sushi here again. Maybe just the fried stuff like the tempura.

I went in to order food and I’ll admit it was busy there was only 1 cashier all the phones were ringing and tablets were going off for what I can believe are online orders mind you the line is out the door, one other employee decides to help the cashier and the manager comes in and yells at both of them telling them to “fucking stay at there own stations” and to “only help one another when the line is out in the street” I can feel the boy (Cashier) was upset with the manager for yelling at his friend and himself I front of everybody for helping. If this is the management here then I don’t know what goes on behind doors. I would eat here for the food but I despise there way of conduct.

Tempura was terrible, teriyaki was OK, would not go back again. Over priced for the amount

The salad that comes along with the chicken plates is soggy. The cashier serves the salad and handles the cash at the register without washing his hands The soda fountain is dirty and sticky every Thursday and Saturday I go there I stopped coming here once chick fil A opened up. This place needs to step up its cleanliness and customer service

We got the sushi box and some rolls with cooked seafood in them. The sushi was so unfresh, after we all had a taste of each one, we threw the rest away. 😞 This was Valentine's Day too, how bad would be it on just a regular day, I hate to think 🤔

Ended up with full blown food poisoning here for valentines day. Reason I know is everyone who ate the food that day in my family were all throwing up within the first hour of eating it. I noticed the chicken tasted a bit funny but figured "maybe its just me". Even my children were throwing up. Never eating here again. Their food quality is obviously compromised. I've never had such horrible food poisoning. For about 12 hours constant vomiting and dia*****. It was hell. This almost makes me never want to eat out again. You guys need to better the food quality because if people keep getting sick, I wouldnt even be mad if you guys shut down.

The food is good, but they have a fly issue. For being in door dining there were way too many flies. We were swatting at flies the whole time we were eating. My daughter stop eating cuz she lost her appetite. We found a flies rolled in my ginger and in my husband's sealed cup of rice. I showed the manager the fly in my ginger (in a very discreet way) as a heads up to inspect the rest of the food (I was not complaining or expecting anything in return) and he became defensive, he said there are flies everywhere nothing I can do and went on about his business. His poor choice of words and attitude is why I'm rating and leaving a comment. Hopefully this comment helps someone in avoiding this place and Hopefully the owner reads this and takes care the fly issue.

Would not recommend wasting your money here. The bathrooms are absolutely horrendous, can't imagine what the back kitchen must look like with a public restroom as filthy as theirs. We got a little of everything to try, took more than 10 to prepare and our hot plates were cold. Our grilled pork, chicken and rice were all cold. The California roll was the worst, tasted as if it had been made days ahead and kept cold, as if the rice was old rice. The sumi salad also tasted days old, bitter and uninform with large hard cabbage chunks in every bite. Tempora crunch roll had little to no crunch at all as it also seemed to be made in advance . Hawaiian roll was over priced for what it was at $14.99 with a thinly slice of raw fish variety that was cold to the touch . Over all the the food was edible to say the least, the staff was friendly but it lacks cleanliness and freshness.

I feel bad for the employees up front, being managed by such bad management. Clearly the managers don’t want the cashier or anyone to hold a conversation. It felt good talking to the cashier my day was going pretty bad, I was fired from my job that day and was feeling like I wasn’t up for a chat. But the cashier was able to make me smile and basically continue with my day but the manager would walk by like 7 times saying come on, stop it, ándale, and stuff like end it there. Anyways good employee bad management especially the tall manager who has the strong Spanish accent. Anyway my chicken that I ordered we’ll done came out pink. I included pictures here on the review. Took it back to the cashier to show him and he apologized and told me they would fix it. They did but I’ve noticed the chicken normally comes out pink which is and I wouldn’t eat there due to the food quality going down and the unfair management just makes it sickening.

Liam Powell

I feel bad for the employees up front, being managed by such bad management. Clearly the managers don’t want the cashier or anyone to hold a conversation. It felt good talking to the cashier my day was going pretty bad, I was fired from my job that day and was feeling like I wasn’t up for a chat. But the cashier was able to make me smile and basically continue with my day but the manager would walk by like 7 times saying come on, stop it, ándale, and stuff like end it there. Anyways good employee bad management especially the tall manager who has the strong Spanish accent. Anyway my chicken that I ordered we’ll done came out pink. I included pictures here on the review. Took it back to the cashier to show him and he apologized and told me they would fix it. They did but I’ve noticed the chicken normally comes out pink which is and I wouldn’t eat there due to the food quality going down and the unfair management just makes it sickening.