Sushi Umi Herndon — Restaurant in Herndon

I did not think highly of this place was because its appetizer menu set up a lower pitch for the meal than it should be, even if the aaaammmmaaaazzzzing, Michelin star potential main entry sushi couldn't had changed this first impression, which made the final price for the whole meal looked unreasonable. In another word, the appetizer menu did not pair with the entry menu.

This restaurant is featured with really good atmosphere. It is a brand new restaurant, thus its wood plates are new, its glass cabinets in the sushi bar do not have scratches or fog, which looked pretty detergent to me. It does not have a lot of customers so it is quiet. It's a good place to escape from the reality.

I ordered a regular sushi combination, which came with 8 pieces of fish/shrimp sushi and 6 pieces of spicy tuna roll. The sushi is out of expectation delicious. The fish is fresh and flavorful. The rice is perfect in sourness, size and density. The wasabi they used come from real wasabi plants instead of the cheaper substitution. However the spicy tuna roll is way too spicy for me. I dont think other Japanese restaurants in NOVA would provide such spicy tuna rolls. Usually sushi restaurants do not pair regular sushi combination with [spicy] tuna roll. I couldn't help wondering why this restaurant do it this way. Are they trying to hide the fish quality in the tuna roll with the extra hot flavor?

I did not order the appetizer since from talking to the manager I believe that their appetizers are made from frozen products. Those frozen products could be in-house made or delivered from a central factory. I have this belief since the manager told me that the vegetables in the Umi tampra are all mixed together and cannot be changed. The only reason I can think of for this is that the are pre-made and frozen together. It can be defrosted only when it is in the fryer.

It is a very common practice for restaurants to use frozen products, but I just don't want to have them in a expansive Japanese restaurant. Frozen foods are boring because they are very standrized. I would feel like I'm a idiot if I pay such a high price for some factory foods.

At the end of meal I paid 77 dollars(including tax and tip), I added 2 pairs of tuna shshi other than the sushi combination. Sode here cannot be refilled. This is more expansive than I thought it would be. This price is not the expectation for me go to a restaurant in the WorldGate Plaza. Herndon is not as fancy as Reston. This is more obvious during...

Sushi Umi is a sleeper!! Everything we ordered was So Fresh! Support your local businesses! You guys should check out this establishment for the following reasons:

FOOD: We had Excellent sushi and nigiri here on Monday evening where I was accompanied by first-time sushi diners (who loved and finished everything that we ordered). First round, we had Unagi nigiri, Yellowtail nigiri, Philadelphia roll, Eel roll, and Salmon skin roll. The shrimp shumai was so decadent, delicate, fresh, and flavorful. Second round we had, but not pictured here, beautifully presented Ama ebi (sweet shrimp) nigiri - it was super fresh with a normal hint of sweetness. And the last thing that we had was the Dragon roll. It was so colorful, full of flavor, and had a really good texture juxtaposition with the fresh, crunch asparagus in the middle. There is also additional traditional Japanese cuisines on the menu - not just sushi/nigiri - such as rice bowls (don), teriyaki, tempura, noodles, AND bento boxes for children! :)

STAFF: The staff is very friendly, attentive, and masked. I’m so happy to know that there’s a sushi restaurant nearby that sources and serves high-quality ingredients, with a smile!

ESTABLISHMENT: Socially-distanced dining, clean, cozy, quiet, and private.

Thank you, Sushi Umi Team for great dining...

My first ever sushi experience and I was blown away. I had a wonderful treat both to my eyes and palate. Due to Covid, we did a reservation through phone. It was a Sunday evening, so wasn't crowded. We found ourselves a nice cozy corner by the window. We were hosted by warm ladies in the restaurant. So, before further ado, let's dive in to the food we ate.

For the appetisers, we started with Edamame and Gyonzo (Pan fried veggie dumplings). The sesame sauce was spicy and just the perfect balance. My husband ordered a very fancy Matcha beer. I didn't like it so much because of the bitter taste but my husband liked it. Now, for the mains, I ordered the Veggie platter roll that comes with a salad and miso soup, and of course 6 sushi rolls each - Avocado roll, Cucumber roll and asparagus roll. The platter comes with Ginger slices and wasabi paste. Next my husband ordered a Spicy salmon sushi roll and spicy yellowtail sushi roll. Both simply melted in my mouth. I didn't get the raw taste of fish, which for a first timer is great. The spicy sauce goes really well with the dish. Overall, an awesome sushi experience. From the decor to food to the people working inside the restaurant, you guys make a wonderful experience for the guests. If you've never tried Sushi before, a right place to put your...