Jinsei Sushi — Restaurant in Homewood

3/28/2025 Saturday: This started as a 4-star review but there's room for improvement. Located in Homewood City Hall plaza, the restaurant was easy to find. The hostess gave me the option of where I'd like to sit. I chose a quiet corner with only one couple seated a row over. I asked for a paper menu instead of the QR code. Water arrived before the waitress. My waitress was "G." She pkaced my drink order (which came before I could order my meal). She was patient and explained the various menu options very well. After I placed my drink (Blackberry Mojito) and menu order, I went to the restroom. It was clean but was only one room/one stall. The restroom was spacious and clean with a place to put my bag down. My drink came with light ice as requested. I'm not a fan of spicy sushi but the spice on the Spiro roll was minimal (I'm still not a fan of chili powder on sushi). The nigiri was fresh and average sized. "G" stopped by my table a few times but let me work on my phone. When another couple was seated next to me (I was at a double table), she was equally courteous towards them . I would suggest that when possible, not to place your back (particularly when buttocks are table height) towards a customer (she could have spoke to them from the other side of their table and not squeezed between tables). "G" checked to see if I wanted dessert and explained the options well. Payment is by machine, which impersonalizes the process. Also, there is no cash discount/no card fees. I tapped "No tip" (I always tip in cash) when I paid by card and asked for a paper receipt. "G" said "Ok" but must have seen the "No Tip" because when she brought the receipt back she barely spoke, didn't look at me, and MIGHT have said "Thank you" as her spin was so quick it left me confused. As I was getting up from the table, "G" returned to the couple's table and addressed them from the other side so I could get out. I had to speak to her in order to place her tip in her apron. She said "Thank you" and I exited...

I try to be understanding when I go to a new restaurant but this was too much. 1st-Menu: There was no tea, sweet or unsweetened. Have you ever been to a restaurant without tea.... I haven't. So, I asked for a frozen margarita...nope. They had different kinds of margaritas on ice, but at a cost between $8-$14? Forget it. Last, they had no stir-fried dishes. And I didn't see rice anywhere on menu. Maybe I missed it. 2nd-Service: No better here. My wife orders miso soup and a hot main dish. I ask waitress to give me a couple of minutes to decide on the sushi. Ten minutes later she brings my wife's hot dish, before her soup and before I've even ordered! I've never had that happen...never! Her soup comes out about 5 minutes later and then I get to order. By the time I get my sushi, my wife is done eating. 3rd-Food quality/quantity: My salmon was a little undercooked (my wife sampled some and agreed). My wife's Kobe beef didn't have much flavor (she had stomach problems afterwards). Both dishes were smaller portions than one would expect for main dishes. Only bright note: Sushi was some of the best I've had. Finally-Price: A little pricey for sushi and the small-portioned main dishes. Overall, can't recommend unless you get...

Been here on several occasions for business dinner but never was impressed with this restaurant. Way too expensive for same quality Sushi that we used to be able to get at another Japanese restaurant in Vestavia Hills that’s no longer there. I was born and raised in Tokyo so I know the kind of sushi chef that believes they’re Sushi god and the customers should follow Sushi chef’s orders and not the other way around. Even people in Japan avoid Sushi restaurants with Sushi chef like that nowadays. Very old fashioned like back in the 50’s. Like I said Sushi is not bad. I can see that the chef does have proper training and experience with Sushi making. However I’m not sure if it’s that good. One time, one of my colleagues and I went there to treat a customer. 3 of us had omakase and few beers and sake, the bill was over $700! (I’m glad I didn’t have to pay for it). And we didn’t eat that much. Way overpriced for Sushi that is slightly better than ones that you can get at, say Whole Foods or Sprouts. I have only used this restaurant for business occasions but I’ll never go there if my family and I want decent Sushi. I think I’d rather make it on my own or drive to Atlanta rather than go...