Sabaku Sushi — Restaurant in Moab

I don't often post reviews. Usually, I intend to and then never get around to it. This time I am.

We've just eaten two nights in a row at Sabaku. Last night was so amazing we decided we had to also spend our last night in town there.

I'm not sure where the negative reviews are coming from. I guess maybe everyone has an off day?

Despite Sabaku being swamped on both nights (and it being the two nights before their winter shutdown) we found the staff to all be super friendly and accommodating. Having worked in super busy restaurants I can firmly say that they were crushing it where many people would crack and fail.

As for the food? I'd easily rate it in my top 3 of sushi experiences. And that's stacked up against super well known and high end joints all over the US. The freshness of ingredients, rice, and presentation we're all on point. The flavor profiles we're all nicely balanced and they had some super interesting offerings such a the surf-and-turf (chefs choice of fish and other ingredients coupled with seared elk) which was amazing.

I saw one review that stated the miso soup was bland. If that was bland I'd love to know what isn't. I considered it one of my favorite miso soups.

My only regret is that we didn't get to visit at a quiet time, to sit at the bar and simply ask for their version of a tasting menu, if they would do such a thing.

Yes, it's the desert, but that doesn't mean you can't get world...

Sushi?! In the middle of the desert! Why yes, some of the best I've ever had. Excellent food and dining experience! As recommended I made reservations and I'm glad I did. The interior is small and intimate, a little dark but clean and welcoming.

What makes them stand out? Sabaku flies in fresh fish several times a week. I mean, this stuff is FRESH. And absolutely delicious!

We started out with hot Gekkeikan traditional sake ($10.00 for an 8 oz.) that was fantastic. We began our meal with House Salads (mixed greens, tomato, cucumber, carrots + house made ginger dressing, $6.00). The dressing was awesome, you'll love it if you like ginger! I wish I could take some home with me. For rolls, I chose a classic Philly Roll (salmon, avocado, red onion + cream cheese and topped with sesame seeds, $12.00). This was probably the best Philly Roll I have yet to eat. There was just the right amount of cream cheese, and the salmon was so smooth and soft like butter. My husband went for a specialty roll, the Poison Spider (fried soft shell crab, spicy mayo, cucumber + avocado topped with scallops, lemon and sriracha, $18.00). It was beautifully set. I admit the crab claws at the ends were a tad intimidating but it added to the presentation. I helped myself to a couple bites and agreed it was remarkable!

I highly recommend stopping in here for fantastic, high quality food for a decent price. I will be...

Absolutely incredible dining experience. The atmosphere was top notch with an independent cafe type vibe, quiet blues music, and showcasing local artists. The service was amazing. Despite the restaurant being completely packed within 5 minutes of opening for the day, our water glasses were never empty and our food arrived in very reasonable time. The sushi bar was out in the dining area and clearly the chefs were working nonstop to make sushi (in the ~90 minutes we were there they never stopped moving for a second). The food quality was outstanding. I ordered the castelton roll and the spider roll while my girlfriend ordered tempura shrimp and a spider roll. I don't normally like lemon in my food but the castelton balanced it perfectly. The texture and quality of all of the ingredients was superb and the food was so good that we ordered the rainbow bridge roll after finishing our food. I wish I could give a score higher than 5 stars, this was the best meal I've ever eaten and certainly the best sushi I've ever had (and we've had sushi all over the country). I'm amazed to find such high quality fish in the middle of the desert and we will DEFINITELY be eating here on future visits to Moab. I cannot recommend Sabaku Sushi enough. Shout out to our server Rikki who was very friendly and...