Sushi Para

Crab sushi = crab imitation. That alone screams cheap. The waiters are cool. The timing is ridiculous. I am talking about waiting over an hour to be served. Even when the place is not crowded it is ridiculously, painfully slow.

I come here an embarrassing amount for their bottomless sushi special. You really can’t beat $ 20 for all you can eat sushi, yakitori, shumai, miso soup, salad, and edamame plus $ 2 high lifes all day! On the plus side, the sushi is fresher than you would expect for the price and you can mix and match between pieces and rolls. You can also order multiple times so that you avoid ordering too much and being charged extra. Plus, if you order enough sushi it comes out in a cool boat!
Minuses are that most of the speciality rolls incorporate spicy tuna/​salmon, which can get kind of sickening after a few rolls. I wish there was a bit more variety of the sushi selection. Also, the service is often lacking. For example, I almost always have an empty glass of water for a good chunk of the time that I am there.
Overall, solid cheap sushi place and very convenient by metro. Definitely check it out if you are looking for a sushi fix.

My review is definitely due to the comical and fantastic customer service by our server Kenny.
This was my first visit here as my friend who I was meeting after work asked that I should try this sushi place. He knows I’m stuck in my ways with normalcy, especially when it comes to sushi and wine.
I was on my own for the first 30 minutes, and the young and very witty Kenny kept me company. I have no filter when it comes to dining out, especially when it’s my first rodeo and with my favorite cuisine.
Clearly he’s a server here, yet that didn’t curtail me in asking how good the sushi was, as I asked a passer by who stated it was her first time trying it as well. Back to Kenny, he assured me that they had a steady crowd daily, and I would not be disappointed… we shall see.
I asked for a glass of Malbec, he told me they didn’t carry it, strike one Kenny! =) Yet he let me know they had a good Cab… excuse you, how would you know I said to myself, as he looks all of 16. Yet, he was on point, it was a good Cab.
Let the ping pong game begin.
I inquired about the water, it took a few efforts, yet we established that the water was not filtered or out of the gun, so no water for me. I then asked for a salad as an appetizer to start me off, he told me it was very big, perhaps I could do the side portion. I said sure, with some seaweed on top. Kenny told me he couldn’t do that, I told him to make it happen even if its an upcharge. We dissected the dressing ingredients, and after a few minutes, I was sold on the ginger dressing that had a light soy sauce base. Maybe 5 minutes later, my salad arrived. Yes, it was very big, even for a side salad, yet it was accompanied with my seaweed that Kenny very sheeply let me know he took care of the upcharge… little Confident brat. I added an order of Veggie Tempura and was content.
We had a good banter going, he was very matter of fact yet respectful for his tender roni age and I really enjoyed his table persona… he definitely kept the exchange going in an entertaining way.
My friend finally showed up, poor Kenny, he was so mesmerized by the uniform he was wearing and just forgot about me.
Once I garnered the attention back, it was time to order. I decided on Sashimi and wasn’t happy with the prices as the usual cut isn’t that big… but whoa nelly, the pieces were extremely big when my order came out. I shut my mouth, it was darn sure worth the price. My friend settled for the all you can eat Sushi Dinner Special for $ 19.00, and ended up with three enormous rolls.
Another glass of wine, good sushi and a great performance of the Stand Up Hour with Kenny, really made my first time visit memorable.
Food is decent, price worthy, interior décor is a little outdated, but hey, it’s a hop and a skip from the Van Ness Metro, close for the UDC students, so get your sushi on.
I will be back only for the Kenny, the One Man Witty Show LOL.

I would rate this with no stars if possible. Came here for the all-​you-​can-​eat sushi, but ended up getting the all you can eat rice special. What they pass off as sushi here is essentially 95% rice and 5% fish. To make matters worse, they are completely shameless about scamming people and being cheap about their service. The cherry on top is the insane surcharge they place (which by the way is whatever the chef «feels» represents the amount of leftovers presented to him — around a dollar per rice piece according to my experience) when you don’t eat the heaping rice portions they give you. The staff simply don’t care whether you are satisfied with the dining experience.
Come here if you want to feel cheap and demeaned. I was told to eat my last remaining rice pieces in threat of a surcharge. After much complaining, they compromised by demanding I eat «a couple more pieces» to avoid the surcharge and satisfy the chef. Really? Well, thank you for stealing my $ 20, for the subpar sushi, the gargantuous rice portions and demoralizing customer service. I definitely won’t be coming back. Ever.
Do yourself a favor and avoid this place at all costs. Take your $ 20, and go somewhere else.

Dear Unilocal Therapists,
I have been making great progress these last few months. I accepted the harsh reality that I cannot call myself a sushi aficionado if all of my sushi comes from the back table of a $ 7 Chinese buffet.
I ventured outside of my comfort zone and went to Sushi Para last weekend with two friends where I had all you can eat sushi for $ 22. While the extra $ 15 hurt me deep in my soul, I realized that I don’t have to succumb to peer pressure and send my daughter to college.
The AYCE includes soup and a few appetizers, but I didn’t fall for that trap. I ordered three rolls to start and they were all very tasty. I have no idea which ones, because all of them have fancy cruise ship names. If it helps you narrow it down, they all had rice wrapped around them.
One of my friends was a little too ambitious and didn’t notice that some of the 4 rolls she ordered had 10 pieces. They brought out a plate about the size of a refrigerator door filled with rolls. Considering that they charge you for leftovers, we had to chip in to help her finish. But, through the magic of gluttony I was able to order two more shrimp tempura rolls for myself.
Service is a bit slow, but I couldn’t really complain because everything seemed to have been made to order. We counted two waitresses, although one sat down the entire time. The other one definitely earned her tip. She was basically on skates going back and forth around the restaurant.
It was much better than my usual $ 7 buffet. I’ve come a long way, Unilocal Therapists. To think, it was just a year ago that I thought the ginger was supposed to be eaten on top of the sushi like lettuce. PROGRESS!

Please disregard the people saying it takes a long time for the food to come out.
First off people its made to order so yes if you order 50 – 80 pieces of sushi that are all different its going to take a while. This is not Mcdonalds. Stop. Take a minute. Think. Then speak/​write.
Also yes there is a lot of rice on the sushi. If you don’t want rice then order sashimi.
Place is fantastic and its definitely bang for your buck. I would recommend this place to anyone. Even people that have lived in Japan have been pleasantly surprised by this restaurant for what the price is.

Whenever I’m craving Sushi I’ll always make my potato boyfriend bring me here. All you can eat sushi for $ 20 per person? Pretty good deal and the sushi is actually really good, that means a lot coming from me, I’m not a sushi fanatic.
There is so much to choose from and I really like a roll that I think is called Rock and Roll? Something with shrimp tempura. Just thinking about it is making me crave Sushi Para. I always come in with a huge appetite, but then I die after 4 rolls.
Lots of seating, clean tables, good service, about 15 – 20 minutes per order maybe more if you order more than 7 rolls. Keep in mind that I’ve gone here two times, both times it was during the week day for lunch so it wasn’t that crowded.

In regards to Sushi Para’s AYCE option, it is fabulous. For approximately $ 20 you are able to enjoy a wide variety of rolls and nigiri… plus miso soup, salads and tempura. While the presentation of the sushi might not be as tight at other (more expensive) restaurants, the flavors are just fine and service is quick. Overall it’s a good spot for a casual sushi indulgence.

My favorite (or in the top 3 at least) restaurant in DC.
I don’t even eat raw fish and yet I have to come in for All-​You-​Can-​Eat Sushi once a month or more. For $ 22, I’d say it’s a great deal. Not amazing or a steal or the best deal out there, but a great sushi deal. There’s plenty of options on the AYCE menu, some of which are fancier than others. I also love that the AYCE menu includes appetizers. I get the same things almost every time: Yakitori, sweet potato tempura, California rolls, California + shrimp rolls, shrimp tempura rolls.
I’m sure it’s not the best sushi in the city, but it’s wonderful to me, the average lover of basic sushi. Service can be slowish, but that seems normal when there’s a restaurant full of people ordering large amounts of labor-​intensive food. It can occasionally be hard to flag down a server, they usually seem pretty busy serving half the restaurant, but I’d take that any day over extra servers and raised prices. It’s a great place to go with friends and spend a evening catching up over several rounds of sushi. If you order enough in one round, they’ll bring it out on a wooden boat! Beware, however, you have to pay for anything that you don’t finish.
Though I’ve never ordered off the regular menu, prices for anything other than AYCE seem about market rate. I likely wouldn’t bother coming here if not for the AYCE.

Standard AYCE sushi place, but it’s relatively cheap, at $ 20 per person.
Just a couple tips:
— The service for sushi is really slow, especially if there are a lot of people. I’d say around 30 min per boat, so be careful. We put in a second order before we finished our first boat and were still really hungry after we finished the first one, but the time for the second one took so long that we became full and really struggled to finish it. And we definitely don’t want to pay extra for leftover food.
— They put in a lot of rice. Almost more than I’m used to seeing. So be mindful of that when you order.

I love love love Sushi Para. AYCE for under $ 30? I’m in.
Right on the red line, super convenient. The AYCE menu is extensive, so come here when you’re on an empty stomach and craving sushi. It’s pretty rewarding when the waiter delivers a gigantic sushi boat for your table and you actually finish it (and order more).
I’m not really sure why the other reviewers complain about service — everyone has always been super nice and accommodating in the 15+ times I’ve dined here. Don’t forget — if it’s a packed house filled with people ordering AYCE, there’s bound to be a bit of wait for your round of sushi. I recommend ordering while you’re eating or ordering from the appetizer section if you hate the thought of waiting 10 minutes for your next round.

REPEAT: Only come here when you are craving sushi and have an empty stomach: REPEAT
People only come to Sushi Para for the $ 20 AYCE (All You Can Eat) sushi anyways. The service is mediocre. I remember being without water for 30 minutes. until I actually asked for more.
When it comes to the sushi, the menu is pretty long and provides a seemingly diverse options, however for most of the sushi, the sushi is essentially chopped with a varying veggies, unless you order the nigiri. That being said, the sushi wasn’t bad, you are getting for what you’re paying for. If you don’t want to eat sushi, some parts of the AYCE menu features non-​sushi items like yang tori, which comes with a dope sweet dipping sauce (which can be used for dipping your sushi).
Tip #1: If you are hungry and are trying to maximize your sushi devouring, order alot on the first go around. The waiters/​waitresses take forever for the second round to deliver your sushi (I think to have that sushi rice expand in the stomach)
Tip #2: Make sure you finish everything you order if you chose the AYCE, servers/​waiters/​chefs keep a close eye on if you finish your sushi, if you don’t they charge extra on top of your bill. There’s also ceiling cameras around everywhere. I’m assuming to monitor people from throwing away their sushi, NSA style.

Only come here if you’re hungry! Close to the Cleveland Park Metro, it’s the perfect place to go to before you venture out. It’s $ 20 for all you can eat sushi and if you go in a group, they bring out your sushi on a wooden boat. So cool! They have tons of sushi for the more adventurous and for the less adventurous like me.

Not sure how this place has so many good reviews. I thought the sushi was mediocre at best. We did the $ 19.99 all you can eat. Didn’t go too crazy… ordered 2 rolls and a few individual pieces. I had 3 pieces of sushi left on my plate and asked for the check. The waiter informed me that he would have to take my plate to the chef to see what they would say. What??? Felt like a kid that didn’t finish all of their dinner! I was informed that I would have to pay extra because I didn’t finish my entire plate. My friend actually hid her leftover sushi so they wouldn’t see it… What a terrible dining experience. Definitely will not be back to Sushi Para.

This restaurant is great if you crave eating a lot of sushi for relatively little money as it’s AYCE (all-​you-​can-​eat). However, quality of the sushi is also important, and that’s where Sushi Para fails.
The sushi here is only mediocre. I could tell that their sushi rice was poorly mixed. There were a couple pieces of sushi where half of the sushi rice was very sour, whereas the other half tasted of regular rice. Overall, I felt they used too much vinegar in their sushi rice.

The service is alright and the sushi isn’t so bad. The price for all you can eat sushi makes it all the worth while. It’s fun when you go with a lot of people and order enough to get your sushi on a boat. Mediocre sushi though which I can’t say I expected any better for it being all you can eat.
Sometimes the service is a bit wonky. Servers tend to miss you and will focus on certain tables. You kind of have to flag them down if you want anything. There was one visit where I couldn’t get the waitress to get me more water. I was ready to get up with my cup and refill it myself.
Overall, it’s alright. I will keep returning because it’s affordable and somewhat good. I can overlook the not so great service for a sushi craving.

I absolutely love this place, probably coming once a week on average (though I almost always forget to check-​in).
The staff is friendly and the noise-​level and ambiance are well suited for casual conversation. I am yet to get anything that isn’t AYCE, but I’ve had my eye on the ramen for a while…
As far as I’m concerned the AYCE is perfect for what it is. Have I had higher quality sushi from a place that charges $ 15/​roll, yes, absolutely. But for $ 22 I can eat like the amateur competitive eater I am, and that is hard to beat. More often then not the waiters will joke with me about not getting a boat, since I’ve had one to myself on numerous occasions. A few tips I do have:
If you’re a small group of 2 or 3, have one person order the appetizers on their sheet. If everyone wants yakitori, put down 3 or 4 orders on the one sheet. That way they will bring it on one plate instead of 3 (as the tables can get crowded). Same strategy goes with shumai and tempura.
I saw this mentioned in another review: they charge extra for teriyaki sauce, so I always leave one yakitori skewer until I have gotten my sushi (if the plate is empty they will usually try to clear it), that way I can dip with all of the leftover teriyaki sauce on the plate.
Try the iced green tea; free refills and extremely refreshing on hot days!
If you like spicy tuna, skip the spicy tuna roll and go straight for the volcano roll. Same as the spicy tuna but with a sriracha topper. Excellent!
Don’t bother coming if you don’t like sushi. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen UDC (or similarly aged) students come in and one person in the group, «doesn’t do sushi», so they order something cooked. It is usually teriyaki chicken, which is served Katsu style and doesn’t look very good. They inevitably pick at it and look displeased while everyone else enjoys their sushi. You’re at a sushi place, get something raw or be prepared for a letdown.
Don’t expect to be able to customize the AYCE menu. It is the way it is for a reason. There are many non-​AYCE rolls to choose from and I’m sure they are ripe for infinite customization. They do a great job on the AYCE menu of telling you what each roll is comprised of, so if you don’t like a listed ingredient, choose a different roll; it’s that simple.
The only negative thing that can be said is that it can, at times, take a while for your sushi order to arrive. This isn’t so much a tangible negative as it is a function of the type of service. You, along with others, are ordering a large amount of time-​intensive, made to order food. Yes, on Friday and Saturday nights, it can take between 30 minutes and an hour. Like I said, it’s the nature of the beast. If you want it to be faster, they’d have to hire more chefs and buy more product, thus raising the prices and negating the reason most people come in the first place.
My advice; kick back, get off your phone and have a conversation with the people you’re with.
And for the love of god, you are not Neil Peart, don’t play the drums with your chopsticks.
Overall, this place never fails to satisfy my craving for sushi and I intend on coming back again and again.

Maybe more like 2.5 stars but no one ever rounds down, so let’s buck that trend. The sushi is pretty average and the service is deathly slow.
You pretty much come here because the deal is pretty solid though — $ 20 for all-​you-​can-​eat sushi. It’s got a pretty expansive menu but if you’re looking for good stuff, look elsewhere!
Came here with some friends because they were craving sushi. That’s where this place shines — you will have as much as your heart desires! Be warned though, if you can finish what you ask for they charge a little on top of it… makes for some funny situations…
My eyes are bigger than my appetite and got one Philly roll than I could handle. But I summoned all the images of starving children in Africa, reminded myself that Philly rolls are good (there’s a massive block of ho-​hum cream cheese in there utterly masking the salmon), and finished that Philly roll!
True story: Finish all your edamame, kids. The server went around pinching the pods!
Had a fun time hanging here and there’s tons of people. But from a foodie POV, probably won’t be back.
dmo out

$ 19.99 for all you can eat? Alright… I’m in.
Sushi — The selection is extensive, but the sushi itself is okay. Not bad but nothing special. There’s plain and special rolls, shumai, salad, miso soup, etc. I’ll do this buffet thing once here, but I’m not dreaming about coming back anytime soon.
Price — It’s worth it if you will eat at least three special rolls or four plain rolls. But if you don’t eat all of what you order, you may be charged for it!
Location — A minute walk from Van Ness station. What more do you want?
Note: Don’t let your eyes be hungrier than your mouth. You can always order more!

Come here for the all-​you-​can-​eat sushi.
The restaurant was pretty big and there were only about five tables of people. This makes me think that the $ 20 all you can eat special is more to draw people into a big restaurant rather than an indication that the fish is low quality.
It’s a good value. For the same price, you could get 8 pieces a-​la-​carte. I ate about twice that amount and it was all good fish.