JIN Sushi (Downtown) — Restaurant in Bakersfield

Amazing Food, But a Few Issues Need Attention

I hope this review finds the owners and management well. I am writing to express my overall delight with the culinary experience at your sushi restaurant, but also to highlight a couple of significant issues that need to be addressed.

First and foremost, your food is absolutely amazing. One standout dish is the roll wrapped in foil, served on fire. This dish is fantastic, and the flavors are simply exquisite. Every bite was a testament to the skill and passion your chefs bring to the table.

However, there are two critical issues that I feel compelled to bring to your attention:

Water Quality: The water used for drinking and iced tea has a very strong, chemical taste. This unpleasant flavor is quite off-putting and detracts from the otherwise excellent dining experience. Ensuring clean, fresh-tasting water is a basic expectation that needs to be met.

Server Attire: During my recent visit, one of the servers was wearing gray leggings that were extremely tight and somewhat transparent. While I understand that your dress code is all-black attire, this deviation was noticeable and uncomfortable for diners. It's important that all staff adhere to a professional dress code that reflects the restaurant's standards and maintains a comfortable dining atmosphere for all patrons.

I hope these issues can be addressed promptly. I am a fan of your restaurant and would love to adjust my review to reflect an improved experience once these concerns are resolved. Thank you for your attention to these matters, and I look forward to my next visit.

Best regards.

UPD: It's been a month and the water still tastes bad as it has strong odor to it. Guys, fix the...

I'm sorry to report this visit was a disappointment. My son and I just came off a five game undefeated weekend for his travel ball team, so on a pretty good high. Stopped for some sushi before driving home.

The point here was simply the service. Several employees working, several empty tables. So not super busy. Hostess at the entrance no greeting, just a gaze and then back to whatever she was doing. We stood there maybe 5 minutes. She asked if she could help us.

Yes table for 2 please. Walked us to a table put the menus on the table and walked off not a word.

Ok so it's a "trendy" looking place in downtown Bakersfield, but the pricing was too high for sushi. $20 standard rolls and $9 nigiri sushi. Not a deal breaker just pointing it out.

No server for several minutes. We considered just walking out. Both used the restroom and finally a server stopped by to ask if we needed anything.

We'd like to order.. "What would you like to drink first". Ordered drinks. Waited for the drinks. Upon her return asked if we wanted any appetizers. No thank you we'd like to order. She walked a way. After a few more minutes and returned with her tablet. "What do you guys want"

You get the idea. Maybe an off day. But given the pricing, location and not being busy in relation to staffing, One would expect service to he above average.

All that said. The sushi itself was fresh and well prepared. Still iffy if the cost was justified. Can I recommend it? Sorry to...

I'm going to have to give this downtown hot spot a middle grade! It's not about the presentation because that was fine, but I've never had sushi fall apart on me! 😂

A simple Google search indicates that Sushi rolls can fall apart for a number of reasons, including:

Overstuffed

Too much rice or fillings can cause rolls to fall apart. A good rule of thumb is to use a ¼-inch layer of rice on the nori, leaving at least one inch free.

Nori quality

If the nori is in poor condition, or if the packaging has been left open for too long, the rolls may break. You can try toasting the nori in an oven or over an open fire until it's dry and crisp.

Rice type

Using other types of rice grains than short-grain can cause sushi to fall apart. Short-grain rice has a sticky texture that helps keep sushi held together.

Rice preparation

Adding too much salt to the rice can make it less sticky and cause the roll to fall apart. You can try soaking the rice in mineral water, then gently rubbing it with your hands. You can also mix the rice with sushi vinegar in a slicing motion to keep the grains intact.

I can assure you, my sushi roll wasn't overstuffed. It wasn't too salty either, so the cause was either the rice type or the...