Island Sushi and Grill Express

Great customer service. Amazing sushi that was made to some high standards. It was delicious and I’m always happy to try new things. I tried the deep fried California rolls and they were delicious! Who knew sushi deep fried would taste amazing. I also tried the miso soup which is always a favorite of mine anywhere I go like this. It was different for me in that tofu was added and some green leaves I didn’t know. But it was still good. I was glad to try something different!
Great atmosphere and seems like the workers love what they do. The chief was quick and efficient even though he was backed up and stressed he didn’t show it.
Would definitely go there again

Amazing all around experience. I was at first a little put off by the lack of table service, but the guest experience our cashier provided more than made up for it. She earned her tip tenfold. She took the time to welcome us, gauge our interests, and even fully explain the off-​menu cut rolls of the day.
My fiancée ordered the beef teriyaki plate with white rice and tossed salad. The beef was tender, the salad perfectly dressed and super fresh. I ordered way too much food for one, but I got so excited about the 50% off special I let myself get carried away! I ordered yellowtail sashimi, an Island Roll (soft shell crab mix in an inside out making, topped with spicy tuna, ponzu, and aioli), a deep-​fried Philly roll (salmon, cream cheese, avocado, in a making roll with tempura batter, drizzled with eel sauce), and one of the off-​menu rolls called Ninth Island (soft shell crab mix, ahi, yellowtail, rolled in cucumber and topped with ponzu and spicy micro greens). It was all heavenly! I am not usually a big big eater but I housed almost every piece. The Philly roll tempura was almost like a light and chewy beer batter, the eel sauce was thinner and not as sweet as I expected it to be– these little variations upped the ante on an old favorite. The Ninth Island was an interesting take on maki, omitting rice and seaweed all together. The yellowtail is always my gauge of a new-​to-​me sushi joint, and they passed with an A++. So fresh, chilled, perfect texture.
I found my new favorite sushi place downtown, y’all!

Wow, what happened to this place? I guess I really haven’t been here for a long time, until a few weeks ago. We were in the area and craving Hawaiian food. Figured Aloha Specialties at The Cal would be too crowded on a Saturday afternoon, so we decided to come here. How things have changed!
We walked in and were not greeted by the staff like before. Instead, there was a sign that said «Counter service only. Please place your order with the cashier.» We asked the cashier, «What happened to all the waiters?» She said that they «changed the concept» of this Island Sushi a little over a year ago, hence the addition of the word Express. They have counter service only, but full service at the sushi bar. No waiters, no bartenders, which was kind of sad. We ordered our favorite — fried noodles, got a number, sat down at a table and our food was brought out to us 10 minutes later. Utensils, napkins, condiments and water were all self-​serve. Although the food was still delicious, I believe the portions were a bit smaller.
Again, pretty sad. I miss the old atmosphere and how it used to remind me of home. If I was ever in the area, I suppose I would stop by for take out. But I wouldn’t make a great effort to come here.

I used to come here because it was nice to have a Hawaiian option outside of The Cal. Even though the food wasn’t as good as Aloha Specialties, the variety was much better and local desert options were outstanding. Did I mention the $ 34 all-​u-​can-​eat sushi menu?! Oh yeah! The best deal on sushi in town bar none.
When I heard they had stopped the all u can eat option I hadn’t returned. So this evening I hear their rolls are half off for dine in only. So we have it a go.
The joint is self service. Order at counter, make your water, get utensils, condiments, and wait for delivery. So we ordered, got our things and waited.
Kids had the saimin and udon at $ 6 a pop. Both are bagged and frozen with packet dashi I’m thinking. Not at all impressive.
We had the 007, Salmon lover, and two others. Portions were small at full price, but about right if you’re paying half price. The rice was sweet sometimes, too vinegary at other times and fell apart easily. Flavor was forgettable and nondescript.
While the staff is still friendly and Baba-​B was providing the entertainment I can honestly say that we won’t be coming back until they get their house back together.
A while ago I thought they’d be the victim of poor marketing. But now, if others feel the way I do, it’ll take much more to get this place back in the lead.
Give it a try and I hope you fare better. Aloha!

Where to start? First off the set up threw me off. You walk in and head towards the back to place the order, which was weird to me, they do not have waiters.
I decided to go with the garlic chicken bento box. It was not filling for me alone, but then again I eat more than a man. The rice that was served was cold and very mushy, the whole meal itself was barely warm, the noodles were mighty tasty and the chicken itself had a good flavor but it was a bit hard, it’s as if it had been over cooked.
On to the sushi rolls. I decided to go with the fried California roll and shrimp tempura. They were not bad, but they were not great either. The were over drizzled with sauce.
Lastly desert, no one could ever screw up desert right? Wrong. I decided to go with the strawberry mochi to play it safe since it was my first time coming here and I regret it. How could anyone screw up mochi? It tasted old. The texture is pretty hard to describe but the rice cake was not soft and chewy. I was so disappointed.
Overall, the food didn’t taste bad, if I was in the area I’d probably give them another chance but I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here. On the plus they do offer 50% off sushi rolls if you’re dining in.

I LOVE spicy ahi poke bowls. And this place came «fairly» close to the ono bowls from Poke Express. For around the same price, about $ 10. The bland presentation was made up for with taste. I liked how they added a couple of taro chips to the meal, very cute/​different.
I ordered 2 custard malasadas, 2 chocolate malasadas & 2 haupia malasadas all for $ 7. The custard & chocolate were ono. It wasn’t too sweet & the filling was just perfect to where it doesn’t squirt out the sides of your mouth when taking your first initial bite. The haupia on the other hand was not what I expected. It was OVERLY sweet & did not go well with the breading. I unfortunately threw both away after the first taste. At least I know now what they all taste like and I will definitely be back for more. The reviews were right, it’s as close as you’ll get to Leonard’s in Vegas. I highly recommend it.

Ever get the check and then feel like you’re getting away with a crime? That’s what happened here. 1 Specialty roll, 2 Regular rolls, Miso soup, Iced tea = $ 18. Have I had better sushi? Sure. Have a paid less for the quality sushi I ate? Probably not. Struggling to find a staple for my sushi needs downtown, Island will wear the crown for the time being (especially bc of the $ 2 beers). Head here for a healthy (er) quick bite when you’re in the Plaza!
Pro tip: If you eat at the sushi bar, you can order directly from the sushi chef. No counter order crud.

I felt the need to update my review after coming here a couple of weeks ago for lunch. I have been coming here since the restaurant opened and used to love it. I always would get the same thing, the ahi tuna and avocado bowl. It was the best dish ever, comprised of five simple ingredients but executed perfectly. Its brilliance lay in its simplicity! Well first of all, they have eliminated all of the asters, now you have to order with the cashier. Second, all of the utensils and dishes are now made of plastic. Third, the food portions are a bit smaller and I found the quality of the fish was just ok.
All of this I could deal with if the prices were lowered, I understand that the space is huge and they probably weren’t making a profit, but to scrimp on all of their costs and then not modify the food prices… Sadly I don’t think I will be returning.

This was my first visit for lunch dining there. I had been here several times to order Malassadas to go. They were located in the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas.
We ordered at the counter. Sushi was 50% off all day. We ordered 3 rolls. I did a separate transaction for 6 Malassadas to get my Military discount. I ordered 2 with Custard, 2 with Chocolate, and 2 with Haupia filling.
Salmon Skin Roll: 6 pieces of crispy salmon skin with the seaweed on the outside. My favorite of the 3 rolls.
Island Special Roll: 8 pieces of spicy soft shell crab with spicy tuna, eel sauce, and spicy aioli on top. Too much sauce. It was soggy.
Dragon Roll: 8 pieces of shrimp tempura, crab, avocado with unagi and eel sauce on top. Too much sauce. It was soggy.
I was very disappointed with their sushi. Next time I would try a Bento Box, but I will be back for the Malassadas!!!

We catered our reunion from Island Sushi and it worked out PERFECT!
The Reunion was at the CAL so the location was so convenient for us.
I worked with Brittany Ignacio for about a week and she helped to create a menu that really worked for us! Everyone raved about the freshness of the nigiri sushi and the poke! I thought the Kal-​bi was so tasty and tender! I didn’t care for the mochiko chicken and should have stuck with their popular garlic chicken but everyone else thought it was good! If you re looking to cater some local grinds and you are in the downtown area check out Island Sushi at the Plaza!
winnah winnah chicken dinnah (shaking my shaka in the air)

Sushi and other food here just doesn’t do it for me. Sushi was all mushy, i didnt even want to finish it. Corn beef hash was all mushy as well. Maybe if you had no teeth, this would be a great spot to eat.
The best thing they have to offer is the bomb diggity malasads and green tea lychee hawaiin sun. THEY ARE AMAAAAAZZZING!!!

My buddy, Bobby, knows all the good Hawaiian eats in Vegas. So when I planned a trip, I reminded him of our good times in the City and mentioned for me to pass by Island Sushi for some malasadas.
Bobby was had it dead on this time as we were craving something sweet after coming from Aloha Specialties at The Cal. It’s down towards the end of the street at the Plaza Hotel. Yah, the same hotel shown on Back to the Future II.
Anyways, the restaurant was near empty on a weekday afternoon but we were eager to try the malasadas. We ordered the vanilla custard, haupia, and chocolate served warm. Malasada is a Portuguese donut covered in sugar and at times served with a filling.
I wish i could take some home to go but would get a bit messy in my luggage. Loved the chocolate the best. I could pass on the haupia since it the consistency wasn’t as creamy as I’d like.
The rest of the menu looked pretty good. I’ll need to try garlic chicken the next time around. Looking to come back again soon on my next visit!

This was my first visit here. Having heard about it, I had wanted to try the place out for some time now. Here’s the scenario:
We arrived at the parking garage and stopped at the parking attendant booth, where we had to pay the $ 5.00 parking fee (refundable in full if validated in the hotel). Went inside the hotel and found Island Sushi & Hawaiian Grill. I noted their sign at the entrance of the restaurant informed potential customers that an 18% gratuity would automatically be added to the bill for a party of 6 or more. I thought that «six» was quite a small party for an 18% gratuity, but oh well. Luckily for us, we were a party of two.
I ordered the Hawaiian Breakfast which came with a scoop of sticky rice (this was very good), Hawaiian sweet bread (just OK), kalua pig (dry, hard, and needed salt), 2 eggs (I ordered «easy over»), and lomi tomato (never heard of lomi tomato, so I asked our waiter about the salmon in the lomi tomato. He confirmed that it’s only tomato… no salmon). Hubby ordered fried saimin (which was very tasty).
In a reasonable amount of time, our orders arrived (pictures posted) and I quickly noticed that my over-​easy eggs were much too well done… overly fried. The kalua pig needed salt but it was edible. Some parts of the kalua pig were tender, but mostly the pig was hard and tough. You need to have strong jaws to finish all the pork on your plate! The lomi tomato was good, considering there was no salmon in this dish. Sticky rice very good. I tried my best to eat the rubbery eggs but I had to ask for another set of over-​easy eggs. When the 2^nd set of eggs came, it was barely different from the first set. The 2^nd set of eggs were again equally burned on the bottom, but at least now the yolks were soft and liquidy. I guess their chef only knows how to cremate eggs instead of gently frying them under low heat. Amazing.
Oh and by the way, I didn’t know it but if you Check In with Unilocal while you’re at the restaurant, they will give you a 15% discount. No one told me about this discount. I was pleasantly surprised when I did a Check-​In on Unilocal while waiting for our food to arrive.
After our meal we did go over to the Cashier and got our $ 5.00 parking fee refunded.
OK so I’ve been here, done that.
P. S. — Our bill amounted to $ 17.36 which included the 15% discount from Unilocal.I gave them a $ 20.00 bill and another food server came back with my change of $ 17.00. Quite astonishing, when I expected to receive $ 2.00 and some change. I called her over to our table and explained the erroneous change I received. She went back to the cashier, this time returning with the correct change, and she thanked me.

Well, I’m glad I held off on writing this review on the same day I visited, because I made another visit… within the same week!
FOOD — First Visit
+ Spicy Mexican: Shrimp tempura based roll with jalapeños and sriracha sauce. Indeed it was spicy, and it *almost* made me break out into a sweat. Being a lover of spicy foods, this was enjoyable.
+ Spicy Tuna Roll: It was OK. I didn’t think it was too spicy. Rather, it was on the mild side.
+ Masago with Quail Egg (2 pieces): Finished these in almost an instant. No criticisms.
+ Unnamed Sushi: The awesome sushi chef Chris (THANKS!) cooked up some BOMB sushi for my coworker and myself. I can’t even begin to describe how awesome they were. Delicious and bursting with flavor don’t even seem descriptive enough. Too bad they’re not on the menu, but maybe that’s a good thing?
+ Malasada: I can now say that I’ve tried one of these Portuguese doughnuts. It’s recommended that first timers try the plain ones, because the filling might be too much to consume. Ignoring the warning, I went for the Haupia (coconut milk flavor) malasada anyway. The doughnut part was tasty, and the filling was very thick. One filled malasada is capable of quickly filling up your belly. I did enjoy it, but it’s one of those desserts that’s a meal on its own.
FOOD — Second Visit
+ Seaweed Salad: These are ordered by the pound! Liked it.
+ Unagi Don with brown rice: Unagi and brown rice combo was perfect, and I savored every single bite.
+ Masago: To my surprise, these arrived at my table without any quail eggs. Kind of saddened me a little, but the masago didn’t disappoint.
+ Coconut Bread Pudding: Shared this with my coworkers, which was a good idea because I don’t think I could’ve handled it on my own. I don’t care for bread pudding, but I did like this version.
SERVICE
Hospitable, I think, is a suitable word to describe the staff. They take care of their customers and make them feel right at home.
OTHER
+ If you’ve reached this portion of my review, here are some of the best things I love about Island Sushi: DISCOUNTS! Locals receive ½ off ALL the sushi! For Downtown employees it’s 20% off the bill (Please inquire to make certain! :).
+ You can sub the white rice for brown, even with sushi. However, it does take a while to prep because the rice is made to order.
+ They deliver within 3.5 miles!
OVERALL
Island Sushi and Hawaiian Grill has earned a spot on my list of favorite Downtown dining options for lunch. It’s going to be difficult to change up my lunchtime rotation, because I’m hooked. Good food and fantastic service are all there.

For downtown sushi, Island is OK, but I wouldn’t say it is worth a special trip to the Plaza if you’re on a sushi bender. We visited on a Saturday night, and they had live entertainment — a Hawaiian singer (Babalicious) who was actually quite good and helped create a festive environment, but the food was average.
If you are a Vegas local, rolls are 50% off! Score! Most of the rolls average $ 14 – 5 at full price, so the 50% off makes them what you would expect to pay for spicy tuna variations. They do offer AYCE dinner for $ 34.99 (lunch $ 29.99), but depending on your hunger, the 50% deal might be the better route. And, note, for our party of 6, they included an automatic 18% gratuity on the full price of the rolls.
In addition to the rolls, we snacked on some eggplant fries, and I thought those were tasty! However, the rolls I thought were average and relied heavily on sauces.
I would say service was average because we had some empty water glasses. Also, the furnishings are pretty basic; it felt a bit cafeteria-​esque. I wouldn’t suggest first dating here.
Even so, throw in some sake, a Coors Light and a bit of Babalicious, and you’ve got fun times downtown! Go for the food, stay for the music on Friday and Saturday nights.

Downtown caters to Hawaii visitors, and this restaurant is no exception. When we went for the first time (well, my cousin and his girlfriend had been here before), there was a UH vs. Reno Nevada game on the TV’s and live Hawaiian music.
The portions are ridiculously huge, and my cousin’s girlfriend took pictures of them. Even the won tun min was huge! But oh so good. And don’t get me started on the bread pudding. And the chocolate cake. (Okay, that was normal size, but really tasty).
I felt like I was back home amidst the casino and bright lights of the California Hotel. It’s legit Hawaiian/​local food. We all really enjoyed it and I wouldn’t mind going back. Someone mentioned malasadas… so I must try that!

Legit local hawaiian food in DT Vegas by the Fremont strip. They give huge portions and is of better quality than at the Cal.
malasadas are freshly made and can be had with haupia, custard or chocolate
portugese sausage and eggs
tonkatsu plate– big pieces of pork, served with Mac salad and rice
Definitely would recommend for a quick and delicious Hawaiian meal, different from the Cal

I still can’t believe I left Hawaii to vacation in Vegas and ended up eating here… this is what happens when you let someone else choose dinner!
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised — the food was good, portions were enormous and they had a great band playing local music that Friday night.
We had one real local Kauai braddah as our waiter, it started off like «Hi how are you all doing tonight?» and once he figured out we were from Hawaii — «Eh! Wot you like drink sista? We got da mean poke!» heheheh. I think he gave us a discount but who the heck knows, they might give it to everyone but try asking for the kama’aina special price: P
I really liked their bento box options, a variety for a sweet price — all of the bento boxes come with furikake rice, fried noodles, spam and choice of teri, mochiko or garlic chicken. I chose the mini for 6.75 and it was plenty along with eating off of everyone else’s plates (my sister’s kalua pig omelet was pretty tasty!)
If for whatever reason you’re craving a taste of home while on the ninth isle, it’s worth a stop.

AYCE dinner. I really want to give them a higher rating but I just can’t. Personally I love the customer service and environment, probably one of the best I’ve ever had in Vegas, very friendly, conversational, fast with everything, made us feel special, it’s a Hawaii thing we do shine when it comes to that LOL at least most of us. If it was based just on customer service it would be a 5 star definitely.
The AYCE menu was OK but mostly disappointing especially when it came to the sushi and desserts. It seemed like everything we usually order at AYCE sushi restaurants weren’t even on the menu or had to be pay extra. No sashimi, poke, uni, smelt eggs, shrimp tempura, or sushi rolls that stood out. The sushi rolls were smaller and didn’t standout visually and taste wise. For desserts, small mochi ice cream which looked like the one you get straight from the box sold at the market and cut into quarters.
The goods were mostly off the non-​sushi section of the AYCE menu. The green mussels, fried oysters, various chicken items, etc.
If you do come here I don’t recommend the AYCE if you want the best of what they have to offer. I mean you still can do the AYCE and get satisfied. But me, I’ll just order from the regular menu since it seemed like a better menu.

I love the extensive menu and friendly service! Reminds me of being in Hawaii.
After going to Aloha Specialties at the Cal for 10+ years, I was ready to give Island Sushi and Hawaiian Grill in the Plaza a try. My relatives from Hawaii and my parents said that it is like Aloha Specialties but slightly more expensive. Island Sushi is open later and they have happy hours from 3−5pm and again late night. It is a sushi bar and restaurant. They also have fresh malasadas and a poke deli!
Here is what I had:
Avocado Ahi Bowl $ 8.95: I chose to order the Avocado Ahi bowl which was basically their poke with avocado chunks and sliced cucumbers on a bed of rice. I had buffet yesterday and chose this instead of a meat dish I would normally order. It is definitely enough to fill you up, but I prefer Aloha Specialties poke more. The ahi here needs to be marinated more or served with more of the sauce.
Some of the other dishes we tried:
Saimin: My dad had the saimin and thought that their noodles were very good. Nice and al dente… not mushy at all.
Teriyaki Beef: My mom had this and the meat was sooo tasty! I saw about three other people around us with the same order. One of the best teri beefs I have ever had.
Garlic Chicken: My brother’s mouth was stinging from the subtle spiciness in the chicken’s crust. It seemed like white pepper or something like that. A delicious dish with a tiny kick. A lot of chicken!
MALASADAS: If you come you definitely should try their custard filled malasadas! They are made fresh throughout the day but you don’t necessarily get them hot out of the oil. They are filled when you order them though. We tried the Haupia and the regular custard.
This place is slightly more expensive than Aloha Specialties but it is a sit-​down restaurant so you are paying for the great service too. It is only maybe a dollar or two more per entrée. Most of our dishes were about $ 8-​$ 9, still a very cheap meal! Plus they have a bunch of rolls if you are in the sushi mood.
Loved it… will be coming back on future Vegas trips.