Andy's Sushi Bar — Restaurant in Pittsburgh

UPDATE March 2024 (over a year since last post)

A truly good source of takeaway sashimi/sushi.

TO BE CLEAR, this is not traditional sushi/sashimi, but a typical American/Western interpretation of the great Japanese cuisine.

REMARKABLY HOWEVER, Andy seems to have assimilated SOME features of traditional ways of preparing raw fish for ready enjoyment😎😎😎.

Fish slices, especially the sashimi, are the standard thicker cut👍👍👍, unlike the very thin slice or chopped one so commonly practiced in America.

The rice is perfectly cooked real Japonica variety 👍👍👍, not the American long grain so commonly used elsewhere.

Nigiri sushi and Traditional Maki (Nori-wrapped rolls) are up to standard as well.👍👍👍.

Then there’s the American rolls, fish on the outside of rice rolls. — I’m not a fan of these things because they are generally drowned in sauce, which destroys the flavor/texture of fresh fish. — BUT Andy seems to be judicious when adding sauce. — NOTABLE American roll: Rainbow Roll, which does not come with sauce👍.

Shortcomings: Rolls with cheese: These are unacceptable adulterations so common in America. Cheese is NEVER an ingredient in real sushi on in Japanese cooking.

Rolls made purely from vegs CANNOT be called sushi. Sushi always has fish as the star.

Use of styrofoam box should be discontinued. They have phthalates and are earth-unfriendly.

Original review:

Sashimi/Sushi street food style. It’s overall a good sashimi/sushi stand, located inside a fish market. It’s popular to locals and visitors alike.

I recommend the sashimi! It’s superb.

For sushi, the classic sushi, like tuna, mackerel etc are prepared well. BUT these so-called rolls (here or elsewhere) is NOT Japanese. Sushi is is about “clean” and “simple” fresh raw fish cuts. Sauces, some tomato, mustard, chili based, are a corruption of North America.

Andy himself is amiable.

My suggestion: Replace those horrid styrofoam boxes (not earth-friendly and they contain phthalate) with FDA-approved reusable...

New update 10-31-2023 Stopped by to see Andy and pick up dinner after work. Sushi is excellent as always! I ordered the 13 piece with a maki roll. Andy made me delicious maki with tuna and basil. The way Andy makes his unagi (eel) sushi is phenomenal.

Update: Andy is still awesome. I've been here many, many times since my first review years ago.

I typically order the X piece sushi with maki, and let Andy decide what he wants to make. I prefer it this way as each time is a little different, depending on what he has that day.

It's always a treat when he tries some new idea, or makes something special.

I strongly suggest you go try Andy's sushi for yourself!

Original review: It's a little stand in a fish market, I was told there's a place to eat upstairs. We did take out. First time here, just dropped in. We ordered sushi for two, and it was phenomenal. Andy gives nice thick cuts of fish on the nigiri, and the fish is fresh and delicious. We chatted and he gave us a spring roll to sample - which was cooked perfectly crispy. Andy is great and was telling us how he travels every year.

Summary- Food: The sushi we ate was some of the best I've ever had, ever. Ask Andy about his mango sauce, it's great with Tuna.

Atmosphere: It's in a stall in a food market, but it'll be great to grab some and eat outside once...

Not sure what all the fuss is about. Not only is Wholey's (where Andy's Sushi is located) so crowded and chaotic that it's uncomfortable, but I was not pleased w/ the sushi. It was loosely rolled and fell apart as soon as I picked it up, and while that's not a reason to write a bad review, this is: HE NEVER WASHED HIS HANDS. The way the place is set up, he's in a little cubicle and the line forms around it, so you can stand there and watch him make the sushi. He served multiple customers, handling money, credit cards, and receipts, and went right back to making food, only stopping to wipe his fingers on a very dirty-looking rag that he also wiped his counter with. Disgusting. I won't revisit. As for Wholey's, the food is so/so depending on what you get (fries are soggy and taste like the oil hasn't been changed in a long time) but the atmosphere is, for me at least, not what I'm looking for in a place to eat or shop, although I know some people do like that style of place. The main thing has to do with sanitation, and Andy, having been in the food business so long, should...