Pier 50 Sushi
Pier 50 took over the old Taro’s by Mikuni a while back and I’ve finally gotten the chance to give it a try! Pier 50 is nothing like Mikunis as it is a buffet style restaurant where you can eat all that you want! The menu at Pier 50 has three tier levels to it. The first tier has the vast majority of items and is the least expensive option. The second tier adds some more items to the first tier, and the third tier adds in the rest of the menu. The higher tier items are things that would cost more typically, so that makes complete sense. Sashimi items, for example, are in the second tier of the menu. On my visit to Pier 50 I just went for the 1st tier and was plenty happy with the selection. Unless you really see something from another tier, tier one is plenty great to get filled up!
The food portions at Pier 50 are not typical of AYCE (All you can eat) places. Usually, AYCE restaurants serve out smaller versions of typical items. For example, a dragon roll may come with four pieces on a small plate. That’s not the case here. When we got a dragon roll, we got the full item as would be expected at a regular dine in, non-AYCE, restaurant. The portion was HUGE. And this was the same for all the other items too. I was totally not expecting the food to be like this, but it was, and the quality was quite good - surprisingly good.
Though the portion of food is amazing, I personally wished that items could be taken buffet style. At an AYCE place I want to try little bits of a lot of things rather than huge portions of each item. I guess that’s the trade-off. At Pier 50 you don’t get food that’s just sitting around for a long time, each item that you order from the waiter is made at that time and give to you fresh.
The menu options here are vast. I mean… the menu is HUGE! The entire back page of the menu is filled with sushi rolls and the front has items you’d expect (and not expect) at a Japanese restaurant. You could order miso soup, edamame, and chicken katsu, but there was also things like corn cheese and bulgogi. The menu is so large that you won’t have any trouble picking up items until you can’t eat anymore.
The atmosphere at Pier 50 is very nice. It has a modern feel to it with nice furniture and a contemporary design. It’s pretty classy and is a great place for a special date or event. I was impressed that they had seating for 16 for my friend’s birthday dinner.
The service at Pier 50 was top notch. The wait staff were very friendly and patient. They were also attentive and made their rounds efficiently. I appreciated that they were always near or that I could see them coming back to our table when we needed them. Food came quickly and was served out as expected. Kudos to the staff as they really worked it well.
The Pier 50 location I went to was at Arden Fair Mall, so parking wasn’t too big of an issue. The mall has a huge parking lot, but it can get full on weekends and big shopping days.
If you’re hungry and in the mood for an AYCE Japanese (and a few other cuisines too), then Pier 50 is a great option!
Website: www.pier50sushi.com
Address: 1735 Arden Wy #200, Sacramento, CA 95815
Rating: A-
Pier 50 Sushi is so much more than just sushi. Sushi is just the top of the iceberg!
