Shinobi Sushi Grill - Salt Lake City

We live in the Capital Hill area and are always thrilled to find a restaurant that we love that is close by without having to go into the city. We found Shinobi about 2 years ago. We love the location, atmosphere, service, awesome menu and FRESH WELL PREPARED SUSHI! (Try the mussel shooters with quail egg! The have them dialed in!!)Parking: No downtown hassle of parking! Love that so much.Kid-friendliness: Plenty of seating areas that provide space for families, couples, or loners!Wheelchair accessibility: It’s open and flat with lots of space between tables and booths.

We discovered Shinobi through a sponsored add on Instagram. After looking at Yelp and Google reviews we had high expectations and were excited to try it. We came in a few minutes after opening and were seated right away. The decor was fun and the restaurant was spacious.We were deciding on hand rolls and asked the waitress what types of hand rolls they have and it didn't seem like she knew the menu. She had to ask her co-worker about the menu. We ended up getting the calamari for an appetizer. It tasted mostly of breading and could barely taste the calamari. The large sashimi platter was $45 and the fish tasted off.. it didn't taste fresh at all and was slimy and warm. The tuna had a film on it and the salmon left some slimy spots on the plate. We were struggling to finish it.We picked 2 rolls, the Phoenix roll and the firecracker roll. The firecracker was doused in sauce and you can't taste any of the fish. The Phoenix roll was okay.The service could use some improvement. Our waitress came over a little after we started eating to give us our checks.. we weren't halfway through eating our food. When we were ready to pay, she cleared our table and passed by several more times but didn't grab the check. It took over 15 minutes for her to grab it. When she did ring us up, she was standing at the counter talking to her co worker for another 5 minutes before bringing us our check to sign.Overall, the ambiance of the restaurantwas good, but the food wasn't. Our total ended up being $100 and it wasn't worth it. This was probably the most disappointing dining experience we've had.

We loved Shinobi and will probably go back! We enjoyed the rolls and entrees that we tried and everything tasted fresh. The wait was not bad even on Valentine's Day and they got us right in and gave great service.

The area has a cafeteria feel to it. The sushi in the large sashi platter was slimy and obviously not fresh. The fish residue was stuck to the plate when lifting the sushi. The tuna had a film-like texture on it. The yellowtail and salmon was watery with random chewy chunks in it. The rolls (phoenix and firecracker) were drenched in a sweet sauce that did not let you taste any fish.The waitress gave us the check less than a minute after handing us our entrees. She proceeded to try and take the check 2 times before we were finished. When we did finish, it took her 15 minutes to take the check and return it.Overall, the worst dining experience I've had in Utah.

Honestly the freshest fish I've had since moving here. The roll selection is good and the carpaccios and nigiri are top tier. Everytime we go (at this point it's at least a dozen times), the service is great, the food is delicious, and the restaurant is super clean. Also, they can make a great cocktail (rarely encounter a place that can make a proper Aviation). I hope to see the place do well and stick around.