Sushi Bada Cliffside Park NJ - Omakase, Cocktail, Japanese Restaurant, Lounge — Restaurant in Cliffside Park

Sushi Bada absolutely deserves the spotlight. From the moment I stepped in, I could tell this place is something special. It’s more than just another sushi spot—it’s a thoughtfully crafted experience built around freshness, flavor, and hospitality.

🪷 Atmosphere

The vibe at Sushi Bada is a perfect blend of modern minimalism and traditional Japanese elegance. Soft lighting, clean lines, and a subtle soundtrack in the background make for a calm and welcoming environment. Whether you’re here for a casual lunch or a special evening out, it works beautifully. You can tell they’ve put effort into every detail of the space, from the layout of the sushi bar to the presentation of the table settings.

🍣 The Sushi (The Star of the Show)

Incredible. Just incredible. The fish was exceptionally fresh, and you can actually taste the difference in both the quality of the ingredients and the technique of the chef. The rice was seasoned perfectly—light, slightly warm, and held together just right.

We tried a mix of classics and house specialties: • Otoro Nigiri – Melt-in-your-mouth good. Rich, buttery, and clean-tasting. • Uni (Sea Urchin) – Fresh, briny, and bright. Tasted like it was flown in that morning. • Sushi Bada Signature Roll – A creative mix of spicy tuna, avocado, and tempura crunch, topped with delicate slivers of jalapeño and a miso glaze. Surprisingly balanced, not overwhelming. • Hamachi Jalapeño Sashimi – Silky and sharp, with the perfect amount of heat and citrus.

Every piece was beautifully plated and served with the kind of care you’d expect from a high-end omakase spot, but without the stiffness or pretension.

🧂 Service

The staff here truly elevates the whole experience. Our server was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable without hovering. We had questions about the specials, and she offered great recommendations without overselling anything. The sushi chef even came by briefly to check how we liked a few pieces, which added a really nice personal touch.

🍵 Drinks & Extras

The sake selection is well-curated, with a mix of familiar labels and some small-batch bottles you don’t often see around town. We went with a cold Junmai Daiginjo that paired beautifully with the nigiri. The miso soup and edamame were fresh and simple, letting the sushi remain the focus.

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🎯 Final Thoughts

Sushi Bada is the real deal. It’s rare to find a place that checks all the boxes: top-tier ingredients, thoughtful preparation, welcoming service, and a great atmosphere. Whether you’re a sushi enthusiast or just dipping your toes into Japanese cuisine, this spot makes it easy to fall in love.

This place is going to blow up once the word gets out, so go now while you can still get a seat without a reservation. Highly, highly recommend. I’ll absolutely be back—and next time, I’m doing the...

I was pleasantly surprised by my experience here as it had its pros and cons. I initially thought this place may be a little overpriced, but that is not the case. We ordered a bunch of their special rolls which were interesting. The sushi has a bit more of a kick to it than I am used to, but not too much which I liked. The addition of the crunch on most of their rolls were good, and I appreciate the transparency of our second server. Going back to the beginning, one of flaws here was lack of communication with our initial server. We ordered our shrimp tempura roll without the tails on the shrimp, meaning please cut them off. Our server was a bit confused and said so you do not want the shrimp? No this is not what we asked, I clarified that we wanted the shrimp and that it wouldn’t have made sense to order a shrimp roll without the main ingredient. I will add that I have gone to countless sushi restaurants that have been able to grant this request, all I ask is to remove the non edible part of the shrimp tail on my plate. The food came out with the tails on so we had to explain again that this was not what we wanted. The food came out again, and this time a few pieces had no shrimp at all which was a bit of a let down. At this point, I will admit I had little hopes of my experience getting better, but they did redeem themselves. We got a different server who understood what it is we were requesting, and everything was smooth from there. One thing I appreciate is how they suggested we add our sushi to specific meal deals making the bill overall much less expensive. This is nice because many places would probably say nothing, and add on the bill so we appreciate the honesty. Our new server also made this suggestion because it would come out cheaper, and came with a soup or salad. The food itself ended up being reasonably priced and this kind of transparency is greatly appreciated. One small thing I notices is that they gave me a can when I ordered soda; this means there are no free refills which is a small con. That said, not a dealbreaker as the staff did what they could to make sure our experience was better. I will likely be returning as our experience was...

I had the most delicious, fresh, quality sushi here recently. My friend and I came for dinner on Saturday night and the restaurant was already packed by 7pm. We both went for the omakase for 9 and boy, were we in for a treat! Each piece melted in my mouth and I thoroughly enjoyed the flavor and creative toppings. Sushi chef definitely knows what he's doing and you can tell they get their fish from high quality sources. Every piece was creamy and heaven. One of my favorite pieces was the unagi topped with quail egg, out of this world! Sushi Bada also has a full bar with a variety of top shelf liquor. My friend and I finished a bottle of sake with our meal and got to hang by the bar to enjoy some of their cocktails. The ambience is intimate and modern. It's perfect for a date or a hang out with friends. Because the space is on the smaller side, some of the tables are seated very close to each other. I did request for a different table by the corner and the manager quickly catered to our needs. No matter how busy they were, the service was outstanding. The staff is wonderful and accommodating. They checked in on us multiple times throughout the night, making sure everything was perfect. I can't wait to come back again! 10/10 :)

There are tons of street parking, free after 6pm and a municipal parking lot across the street. Definitely make a reservation for weekend dinner & no need to go into the city! Quality sushi right...