Sushi Groove — Restaurant in Salt Lake City

This is a lengthy review. The gist is: the sushi is quite good, the service is not.

I've been a regular patron of Sushi Groove for the past 5 months since moving here. I live right down the street and I love sushi so I quickly tried out many of the local sushi restaurants. I go nearly every weekend, usually on Saturdays and I often eat alone.

First and foremost, the sushi at Sushi Groove is excellent. Honestly some of the best sushi I've tried in all of Salt Lake. The Mount Fuji roll is mouthwatering and I've slowly been working my way through their menu enjoying everything immensely.

While the restaurant is fairly well known for their live music, this is something I don't really care about. If there are live bands there, I enjoy it just fine, but it's not something I seek out. The place is small, too, so if you plan on showing up for one of these events, get ready for a wait and for a cramped experience. Some people dig this kind of vibe, but just know what you're in for.

The reason my review is only 3/5 stars are the employees.

I've been disappointed with the service nearly every time I go. The sushi chefs behind the bar are pretty unfriendly, usually with grumpy faces and an unapproachable demeanor. Since I mostly eat here by myself, I am often asked to sit at the bar and it frankly makes me feel uncomfortable. The sushi chefs at Simply Sushi are often very friendly even when it seems they are so busy. They always have a smile on their face and ask how you're doing. The sushi chefs at Tsunami are incredibly polite and will make sure you're enjoying your experience. Kyoto on 13 S / 13 E has amazing service with a traditional Japanese vibe. The reason for these comparisons is to show that I'm not just being stuck up. Sushi Groove has a clear contrast to me with its service in comparison to other local sushi establishments.

The wait staff is really all over the place. Usually they're fine, they do an acceptable job. I went once on a Saturday afternoon and my waitress was incredibly kind, attentive, and conversational. I don't go in afternoons very often so I haven't seen her since then. Last weekend my waiter barely spoke to me and when he did he was short and impatient. He spent most of the night flirting with the 2 women sitting next to me at the bar. I've gone up to 25 minutes being ignored or forgotten on only a couple occasions. I suspect waiting on a single diner might be tough or something,

I've occasionally dined here when the owner is present. He seems like a kind man who loves his store. He has never spoken to me, though. As a matter of fact, despite being pretty much a weekly regular for ~5 months, none of the employees acknowledge me. While this doesn't bother me too much, it can be a disappointment when you feel like you'll always be a stranger in a familiar place.

I was prompted to write this lengthy review because I had a desire for sushi this evening on my way home. Sushi Groove was open for 45 more mins so I drove to the store and as soon as I got there, I was pulling into the parking lot, and a feeling of reservation hit me like a ton of bricks. I just didn't want to go in and deal with the employees. I decided then that I should probably stop going to Sushi Groove and I wanted to write this review to share my experiences and thoughts because it actually makes me sad that I live so close to this restaurant with such delicious sushi but the employees actually make me feel uncomfortable enough to not want to go back. I have never felt this way at any...

This little unassuming restaurant is a hidden gem in SLC. They serve great sushi for incredible prices. The rolls are HUGE! All veggie rolls can be made vegan, but make sure to specify that, especially in regard to the sauces on top. The presentation of each roll was appetizing, appealing, and artful. You can tell the sushi chefs took great care to make each one.

The service was great. Our server was attentive and friendly, and our waters were always full. I think the small size of the dining area helps them keep an eye on everything fairly well. I love that they play hip hop and indie soul music (almost every song was on one of my Spotify playlists, and I pride my music taste on unfamiliar but talented artists and songs). I would love to go back when they have live music.

My biggest complaint is the cleanliness. When I asked for a glass to pour my beer, it wasn't clean... and I tried to wipe it with my napkin thinking it could be residue from the dishwasher, and it didn't help. It was covered in fingerprints and something else. The bathroom, especially the floor, walls and door, haven't been wiped in a hot minute. The floors had a hasty mopping job and the area behind the toilet looks like it hasn't been cleaned in a long time There is a lot of gunk gathered around the base of the tables, like they've never been moved to be mopped underneath. The sushi bar glass had splatters that seemed to be there for weeks and weeks.

I truly do enjoy this restaurant, but it is pretty grimy. I'm not sure if it adds to the appeal and atmosphere, but it definitely makes me feel some type of way. Still, I recommend giving this...

This is no joke. If you’re thinking of getting sushi at Sushi Groove, do not go there! I repeat do not go there. I was blown away at how bad of an experience my husband and I had there last night. I am the biggest sushi lover ever, and I am not very picky when it comes to sushi most of the time. But this was unacceptable. The gyoza came out cold and the deep fried sushi rolls were soggy and literally resting in a pile of liquid which made them not crunchy at all. I straight up gagged when I ate a bite of the Vegas roll because it was so so wet and soggy. We also only ordered 1 spicy roll and 3/4 were very spicy even though the menu didn’t indicate that. On top of the horrible food, the music was so bad. It was so loud I could even carry a conversation with my husband 6 inches away from my face. I’m 23 and normally don’t have sound issues at restaurants, but this bass was painful to sit through. After all this, it was still $28 before tip for crappy, small rolls. We didn’t finish any of the rolls and didn’t bother for a box because it was so gross. My husband and I both woke up with horrible stomach aches as well which might have something to do with the sushi but also might not. I’m not sure about that one. Anyway, Sushi Groove used to be so yummy and good. Either they need new chefs or they need to not seat as many people at a time so the wait isn’t 1 hour...