Tangerine Japanese Cuisine — Restaurant in Knoxville

Another family owned business I love for their sushi. The sushi; imho, is top notch, and I'll stand it up against any sushi in Knoxville. **The funny thing is I haven't had much luck their other items. All the money goes to the sushi, so that's what I buy, and I can sure taste the goodness in the quality... Good food transports us, and that's what we are paying for is that experience. That feeling that transports us to nastalgia... It's as if something magical happens, and I can feel what the cook put into the food. The love, the practice, the experience, the care, and energy. We taste that in the experience called eating. Some people eat bland food from unknown sources and origins, but never experience food which transports us; sometimes to a place we've never been. All in closing our eyes and trying something new, something alive with electricity, waiting to light up your taste buds, and light up your life, and Tangerine, imho, checks all the boxes for me.

** Ok. Update. Went to Tangerine this evening (5/11/25) for the mother, and I made it a point to order things not sushi, in addition to the sushi of course, so the kids ordered calamari, and it was amazingly not frozen and quite tasty. The seared tuna is even better than that, and the seaweed salad is fantastic as well. Much care put into all the dishes we had tonight. Oohh, and the fried cheesecake is amazing WITHOUT the chocolate. Imho the chocolate does not compliment the cheesecake like the fresh made whipped cream alone. Trust me. No chocolate. The waitress was amazing, the food was out of this world, and I cannot...

Wow! I'd give 10 stars if I could! They hit everything out of the park. Great, fresh fish, huge tasty rolls, not super pricey, speedy and attentive waitstaff, all staff were very friendly, sushi came out fast, beautiful presentation, the even gave us an extra roll on the house... We walked out an hour after we walked in on a Thursday night when they had a full house. I think this is our new sushi spot. We will be back!

I just want to say to the owners/staff... y'all are doing a fantastic job and we appreciate you. I made a very negative comment during my meal about a different sushi restaurant in Knoxville and I think one of the staff may have heard it out of context. He ran to the back, looked my way and seemed concerned, and said something to someone else in the back. I just want y'all to know that if he heard that comment, it was not about Tangerine! I was comparing the other sushi place we went to recently with Tangerine, and the whole dinner I was raving about how great it was. So if you heard that, I am sorry, it was not a comment about Tangerine. Y'all are great!...

This is the best sushi bar I have found in the greater knoxville area. Having lived in Japan and worked as a sushi chef in San Francisco it's not hard to see that Ricky takes his craft seriously. The fish is fresh and isn't adulterated with food coloring , the portions are generous and the presention is top notch. Most importantly, his rice (the cornerstone of sushi flavor and texture ) is fresh and seasoned properly. It's not too dry, too sweet or overly vinegary but moist fluffy and balanced in flavor.

He offers a standard sushi menu. One that offers sashimi, nigiri and rolls you're familiar with and can depend on. But, if you can appreciate authentic sushi then you want to be friends with this guy. You might get lucky and get a special dish that isn't available on the standard menu.

Update** Ricky made me a special off-the-menu dish..I didnt ask for it, thats just how he rolls ( pun intended) with his regulars. It was like a miniature chirashi or poke bowl with extra attention to presentation..it tasted just like it...