Ebisu Sushi Shack — Restaurant in Tampa

PLEASE EAT HERE!!! You won't regret it at all I promise!!! Wow! Where do I start? Ok so I'm still a beginner at eating sushi but am quickly developing an appreciation for sushi...especially the tuna rolls. I was searching for a good sushi place tonight to eat at here in Tampa with my friends and came across Ebisu. Was a bit hesitant coming here at first understanding that it is a small house size restaurant and I am social distancing but I honestly felt very safe eating here during the pandemic. The parking lot is a bit cramped but I had a very good gut feeling upon walking upto this Tampa gem from my car. It's a Friday evening and there was a crowd of people at the door. I explained to them that I am waiting for 2 more friends to show up and they held down a area at the sushi bar for them to arrive...at that point I knew I was in for a great Friday evening. The customer service here is top notch...literally couldnt be any better! Especially on a busy Friday night...our server Don (give him a pay raise please!) really went out of his way to make sure we had a great first time experience and he even helped me with a couple items on the menu. He also said one of the drinks I ordered may not be possible to make that night and I was understanding as it is a drink that takes time. I ordered a Sake Sangria...and I was so happy when he brought it to me. Don really put a smile to my face. And I haven't even gotten started on the food...AMAZING!!! I ordered takoyaki for a appetizer and it literally melts in your mouth when you bite into it. My friend ordered hot sake...I've had cold sake but never hot and it was so smooth. We had fun taking shots together and went through 3 bottles of it between the 3 of us...it was the best Sake I ever had. My friend ordered the daily special: the spider roll. It comes with softshell crab. I never had softshell crab before so was a little skeptical but when I tried it I was blown away by how delicious and crispy and flavorful it is. I myself ordered the Godzilla roll and the electric roll. Literally out of this world and I'm pretty sure the wasabi they use is the real deal wasabi and not the fake stuff you find at supermarkets which is just horseradish. The sushi is so good I had to order a 3rd roll...just a classic spicy tuna roll and Don informed me that the spicy sauce they use is made in house...unbelievable...such awesome food and top notch service which seems to be hard to find these days. I fell in love with Ebisu...my friends and I had such a great experience here and also they are kid friendly...they have a 1 year old son together and without even asking Don brought a high chair for the little one. I know it's a very long review but I havent had such a great experience at a restaurant like I did tonight in a very long time. I will definitely be back and bringing more people here. Ebisu is now my go to place whenever I get a craving for sushi. Thank you Ebisu...

Recently, I encountered an experience that left me disheartened and utterly disrespected. I brought my pregnant friend along, who was dealing with nauseas. We arrived well before closing time, around 9 pm, seeking a quick bite. Despite the nearly empty restaurant, with only a few tables occupied, the owner approached us in a shockingly rude manner. To my astonishment, they insisted on an upcharge on my food as my friend decided not to eat and claiming we were "occupying space" and that we should be more considerate of their small business.

This bewildering encounter shattered my perception of this place. It was the first time in my three years of loyal patronage that such a policy was imposed. Just the previous day, I had enjoyed a meal worth $70 with a family member, showcasing my support. Yet, in a matter of moments, the sense of being treated like family evaporated. The owner's hostile behavior, in an almost empty restaurant at 9:30 pm, was beyond comprehension.

As a believer in the power of personal connections in small businesses, this incident has severed my ties with a place I once held dear. The resonance of laughter from neighboring tables, witnessing the unjustified confrontation, only deepened my disillusionment. The reputation you build rests on the foundation of how you treat your patrons. Sadly, this encounter has erased the sense of warmth and camaraderie I once associated with this place.

I depart with a heavy heart, resolved never to return to a place where respect is a distant memory. Regrettably, my future recommendations will now carry a warning, as I recount this unfortunate episode. It's a poignant reminder that even amidst growth, the essence of hospitality and respect should...

IF YOU EAT AT THIS PLACE YOU ARE SUPPORTING A RACIST AND AN ERRATIC OWNER.

I left a review on yelp a while back because I had a bad personal experience that made me feel uncomfortable and all I wanted was an APOLOGY. But did I get one? No.

Instead, the owner/chef decided to approach me at a busy Publix and proceed to berate me for the yelp review.

She was saying that I should have taken what her husband said as a compliment because her son is, and these are her words not mine, “smart and beautiful”. She refused to let me get a word in trying to explain myself and why I DID NOT TAKE IT AS A COMPLIMENT. I mean, do any of you guys go up to an Asian person and say they look like Lucy Liu or Jackie Chan? She was not there when her husband said that to me. She could not possibly know how I processed his inflection. (Drunk; laughing after the comment. Even her son looked uncomfortable about it) Then it just sounded like she just wanted to hear herself talk after she kept interrupting me so I walked away.

It wasn’t “retaliation” for her husband’s sister leaving a review where I work. This was my personal experience and despite where I work, when I walk through your doors I am a customer.

You could have apologized. I would have taken the review down. But instead you said I didn’t deserve to be Asian. I am proud of my heritage and your comment along with your husband’s is one I will absolutely not tolerate. You are beyond redemption for what you said to me in that Publix.

Do not approach me again or I will...