Itto Sushi JC — Restaurant in Jersey City

I started eating sushi right about the time I started dating. This puts me at around 20 years old. Fairly late to the game, but hey, acne sucks. Took me awhile to figure out washing excessively is just as bad as being a greasy kid. So yea, I was about 20 years old & still trying to get past a goalie, if you know what I mean.

The first time I had sushi was at a restaurant in Newport. I only went there because my brother recommended it & he explained I needed to order specific sushi rolls. He knew I was a beginner so he told me to get a California Roll, Spicy Tuna as well as a few others. My memory is that of a goldfish, so to this day I still only remember Cali/Tuna rolls. Nonetheless, the sushi during that date was a hit, even if I wasn't.

I kept at it, like a relentless paramour. Date after date I devoured sushi. What I started noticing was that ordering was better left to the date, as I almost always ordered something weird. Cali/Tuna were always there for me to make me appear somewhat knowledgeable, but anything other than that was beyond my mental capacity.

Eventually I found a girl who knew how to order. Literally every single time I went out for sushi with her it was a mouth watering delight. So of course, I had to marry this broad. You don't let these get away. So I got her a diamond, they said it was conflict free, & to this day we make it a point to get sushi at least once a week.

After finding the girl, there are certain prerogatives you must take in life. If my first was my fiancé, then the 2nd one was a sushi restaurant. Everyone has one, so this quest to discover mine took precedence over all else. Having found my lady, it was up to her to guide me through the myriad restaurants that the tri-state area had to offer. I of course would never be able to do so. So she fulfilled her role.

Itto Sushi is just a few blocks away from our apartment. I'm actually functionally illiterate when it comes to maps. Even GPS will not save me from starving to death if it ever came down to it. So my fiancé lets me track her on her phone. No, it's not a trust thing, it's literally a safety thing. I get lost going to the bathroom. I only mention this because of how convenient it was when she said just come to where I am. And that's how I ended up in Itto Sushi.

The restaurant itself is not overwhelmingly large. It's a nice comfortable size, where even I won't get lost going to the restroom. The sushi bar is towards the back & you can see all the fresh ingredients laid out ready to be served. There are always multiple chefs working, which I've learned are called Itamaes & Shokunins. These guys are truly worthy of their titles.

I don't even bother looking at the menu. My fiancé does her job. She rips through 4 rolls & at least 2 Sashimis. Since I've become a regular at Itto, I've learned how to properly beg for a 5th. To this day I still have not been able to convince her to get 6 rolls. Truth is, my belly can only really handle 5, but I may be somewhat of an addict at this point.

Itto Sushi' sushi is literally the freshest I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. Their sashimi is also at that level. Both my fiance & I marvel at the relentless & assorted Unami that Itto offers. It's gotten to the point that we literally judge any other sushi place we go to with how well they match up against Itto. No one comes close.

So I have my future bride, who in turn got me my sushi spot. I got it made. I'm scoring goals left & right here. Now all that remains is my mission to get that 6th roll. I mean, how do you say no to a cool little boat filled to the brim with sushi? You can't. You simply can't at Itto. The battle to discover my sushi spot has been won, but the war for that 6th...

TLDR - wouldn't go back when there are other better options available in JC.

Finally tried this place this weekend. Loved that it was BYOB and it looks charming from the outside. Service staff was very nice though seemed to keep switching throughout the meal. Food came out in a good amount of time. It was a busy Saturday evening and they don't take reservations currently.

Food - I got the salmon teriyaki bento box and husband got the sushi sashimi combo for 1. Salmon teriyaki was overcooked and absolutely drenched in teriyaki sauce as if to hide the subpar dish. Tempura medley in the box had a heavy batter rather than a proper light and airy. Tempura sauce wasn't correct. California rolls included with the dish had very dry rice. Sushi sashimi combo - quality of fish was lacking significantly. Miso soup was adequate.

Service - staff was all very polite but it seemed very chaotic. There was no dedicated server per section, which is fine but added to some of the chaos. I saw a couple come to be seated but put on the wait-list. They came back assuming when called but it didn't look like anyone greeted them to be seated despite new tables opened. They didn't stay for a meal or pickup takeout.

Atmosphere - the space has potential. Nothing to note as either really bad...

A new Asian fusion restaurant in town that's a hands down must try!! Tucked away in downtown Jersey City, this restaurant offers a variety of Japanese and Korean dishes. They're known for their sushi menu but their other dishes are just as good.

This restaurant is owned by a local family so I had to come support small business. (*MASSIVE BONUS: you can get a discount on your total bill if you post an Instagram story of their restaurant and tag them!)

I ordered lunch specials of bulgogi bento box and 3 sushi roll combos (spicy tuna, salmon, and eel). These came with free (hot from the kitchen) miso soup and salad starters! I also got the edamame which was lightly seasoned with salt, which had a nice touch.

The food came out very quickly and provided great quality service. Overall tastes were flavorful and meet expectations. Spicy tuna had the right amount of kick to it, loved that the rice and bulgogi wasn't dry. Fried sweet potatoes and dumplings gave off the perfect crunch.

Really excited to see what's to come for this restaurant and will be back - highly recommend! PS....