Sapporo Rock & Roll Sushi — Restaurant in San Mateo

Disappointing First Visit – Service Needs Improvement I was really looking forward to trying this restaurant, but unfortunately, my experience was unpleasant. My friend and I arrived waited to be seated, a couple arrived after us and we all waited for a few minutes. The couple was helped first, which was a bit confusing, but then the waitress came back to seat us. About five minutes after we sat down, a waitress came to ask what we’d like to drink. I asked for water, and my friend ordered a Sapporo while I was still glancing over the menu, trying to decide on a beer. Without saying anything, the waitress just walked away and started helping other customers, which felt abrupt. After about 10 more minutes, another waitress came by with water and asked if we were ready to order. I was ready and asked for five pieces of sashimi, something I order often at sushi restaurants. I said I’d like three pieces of hamachi and two of tuna. That’s when things got a bit frustrating. The waitress seemed confused and said I could only order three and up. I asked for clarification—was I not allowed to order five pieces? She said yes, I could. Then I asked if mixing types was allowed, and again she said yes. But when I repeated my order—three hamachi, two tuna—she responded with an attitude that made the interaction feel tense. I genuinely wasn’t trying to make things difficult, but I felt pressured to make a decision quick and felt like she was frustrated with us for not understanding.

It was hard to communicate, and I started to feel like we weren’t really welcome there.

In the end, we decided to leave. I didn’t feel comfortable eating there knowing we had a lot more to order and we couldn’t get past this order of how many prices of Sashimi is okay to get. I understand that misunderstandings happen, but how they’re handled makes all the difference. I hope the staff can work on clearer communication and creating a more inviting experience for guests...

Starting to understand the hype on this happy hour! I recommend arriving at least 10 minutes before opening to ensure you get a seat! If you love sashimi, this is the place to go (between 5 to 6 pm specifically). Soooo affordable and good quality sashimi. 20 thicc cuts of fish for $27? Pretty great deal! The rest of the happy hour is decent, but honestly not a crazy discount. Most items are just a dollar or $2 off from the original prices.

Black Truffle Edamame: HUGE PORTION! The truffle oil is full of umami and this dish comes out piping hot. Freshly stir fried in that black truffle goodness. This is definitely enough edamame for a group of people to share.

Hokkaido Roll: Pretty decent! I think there's a bit too much going on to really enjoy all the good quality ingredients. The shrimp tempura and potato bits were delicious and crunchy, but definitely overpower the flavor the fresh crab and hokkaido scallops.

20 Piece Mixed Sashimi Plate: All of the sashimi was excellent quality! I was really excited to see some fatty tuna in the mix too. The walu, yellowtail belly, and hotate scallops were definitely my favorites though. I was so tempted to eat the entire sashimi plate by myself since it was so good. My only complaint is that the cuts of fish were a bit uneven.

Hawaii Roll: Those macadamia nuts are a bit distracting! It gives the roll a distinct crunch, but it actually pairs really well with the lean tuna and fresh avocado overall.

Japanese "tater tot" Croquettes: My friends and I had a good laugh deciding if we wanted some potatoes as an appetizer, but it was actually very enjoyable! Good portion. They came out very fresh and piping hot too. It's paired with a spicy mayo border.

49er Roll: Probably my least favorite. This yellowtail wasn't as fresh as the one in the sashimi plate, but it was still a good portion of avocado and fish. Decent, but wouldn't...

I'm not sure where to start. 4.6 on Google reviews so went in with high hopes. We've driven by many times so it does look like a more progressive sushi joint but again, we didn't want to judge it by its name and facade.

In summary, phenomenal sushi and nigiri. Phenomenal. Everything else is mediocre or worse with an absolute sense of confusion with the atmosphere and the music. Honestly, the sushi chef should consider opening up a proper Japanese restaurant.

Service is dismal. There is constant chaos at the entrance, at the tables, and just everything is slow. 10 mins to get seated (even with a reservation). 10 mins to get the menu. 10 mins to take the order. The servers are either first-timers or they have no idea what table they are tending. Absolute chaos.

Atmosphere is confusing. Tables and the settings look like a local small town sushi shop. Mid-upper range. Nothing wrong with this. And then you have guitars and rock n roll music blasting. Not sure if they're trying to go for a fusion feel or whether you want customers to take sake bombs with their sushi. But the caliber of sushi was simply out of place. And for that type of a beer and sake joint, their tapas and small plate game was weak. So is this an authentic sushi joint or not?

And finally the food. There is no order of an appetizer or main course, etc. They just bring you random things done in random order. Our small tapas potato croquette arrived 30 mins after the sushi. Other than the nigiris, and I have to say, they are phenomenal, everything else was mediocre at best. Not worth mentioning much.

The server also forgot a roll we ordered but by the time we realized the order wasn't even entered, we had lost the will power to last through in the restaurant.

Will not...