Sushi Train — Restaurant in Tualatin

Great sushi place. Been coming here for years. And when I say coming here for years I mean WAAAAAY before covid and all that.

As a matter of fact Sushi Train was my very first sushi experience, I'm talking early 200's. Prior to that, I'd thought that "sushi" was just raw fish and at that point I wasn't interested.

Of course all that's changed now and I'm a bonafide sushi fiend. Sushi Train is and always has been one of my favorites.

Back in the day (that's how you know you're getting old) it was a Sushi Track style restaurant. Meaning there's a belt that rotates around the sushi bar, and continuously rotating, covered plates of sushi rotate around the track. Each plate was color coded and the color of the plate corresponded to the price of the sushi or item on that plate. Super convenient was the price list posted on the wall. A quick glance let you know exactly how much that plate was gonna cost ya. Back then, in the "good ole days" white plates were 1.00, green were 1.50 and so on and so forth.

As time has gone by and inflation, covid, and supply and demand, prices have gone up, but I wouldn't say astronomically by any means. I'd say personally that the price change is completely acceptable. We all know how the price of just about anything these days is inflated, but I can accept these prices without heartburn.

When covid hit, they went away from the track or "train" method and went to a more traditional, sit down, look at the menu and order your rolls model. I don't mind this so much, but I do prefer the train method. One one hand, I usually would eat way more than I'd planned as my eyes were always bigger than my stomach and I'd be grabbing plates like they'd disappear forever if I didn't act right away. Another good thing about the train model was that I'd get to try plates or items that I might not have originally chosen, just based on the presentation and look. I think this is better for their bottom line, worse for my wallet! I do miss the train!

So going here the other day, I noticed a sign on the door and it was posted in English and Spanish and said (para-phrasing) "Since we no longer use the train, rolls are now double price. We used to cut them in half, so now that they are whole and double the size, double the price". They said it much better, but that's how I remember. Anyways, makes sense right, no longer half the roll, you're getting a full roll 6 - 8 pieces, versus the 4 that you used to get, so double the food, double the price. I can live with that.

The only caveat to this is that their menu, that very nicely shows each roll with price and picture, is outdated. Meaning that the prices listed on some of the items, doesn't match the price you'll be charged. For example, my all time favorite is the spicy crab roll. Simple but delicious. I could probably live off of these for an extended period. They are shown on the menu as costing $2.50 per plate, now remember everything is double now, so $2.50 x 2 = $5.00. Again, I can live with this given that I'm receiving double the usual plate. HOWEVER when we went to cash out, some of the rolls that were listed at $2.50 ($5.00) were ringing up at $3.00 (or $6.00 for the full roll). Again, not a huge deal, however it would behoove them to update their menu. Spend the $50 at Kinkos and get updated menus.

Now as far as the menu goes, I love that they have pictures of the rolls and plates, there's really something for everyone. My 5 year old gets down on the edamame, California rolls and miso soup, my favorites are the asparagus roll, pot stickers, spicy crab rolls, chicken katsu, and spicy California. There are plenty tempura options, sashimi, and even bento style plates. In the past when the train was active, you'd see plates of fresh fruit roll by, and even desserts, cake, etc.

I still love this place and will continue to visit, although I think they need to update the menu to reflect the correct prices, and please, oh please put the "Train" back in...

Our quest to find the best affordable sushi nearby took us to Sushi Train, and it didn't disappoint!

A small storefront with a couple of employees (wearing masks, no worries!) greets you when you arrive for your easy pickup experience.

We split the tempura veggies, tamago, and the hollywood, fire, summer lady, sakura, cucumber cup, and yellowtail rolls.

Taste: Very Good The summer lady roll is a must-have, with bright, fresh complex flavors that make you confident the fish is fresh/good! Absolutely exceptional. The cucumber cup and tamago were also quite lovely, and the sakura/hollywood were great rolls that showcased their flavors. The fire roll didn't really do it for us, but it's definitely for the palette that likes baked spicy tuna! The yellowtail roll was nothing special, but the quality of the fish was evident in it, so it was exactly what we wanted. The tempura was a mixed bag. Flavor was good, but fried food doesn't travel great, and it seemed like the tempura was ready before the rest of the sushi, so it got a bit soggy even by the time I got it to the car.

Price: Exceptional! The price point for Sushi Train's sushi is extremely affordable for the quantity and quality. 40$ fed 2 adults comfortably with leftovers for breakfast, which is a great price point for quality sushi!

Main Takeaways: Overall, you aren't paying for a 5* restaurant, and you won't get a 5* sushi roll (except maybe the summer lady). However, for the price point, this is some of the freshest and best sushi around, and you can't go wrong eating here! You're paying about the same that you would at a grocery store sushi counter and getting quality that is many, many, many times better! I'd highly recommend the place to anyone nearby or...

Overall a great experience and 5 star worthy.

Good service. Tables spaced adequately for Covid restrictions via dining options. Touch less payment options.

Art inside was soothing and pleasant. Some hand painted art work on the walls themselves to give a three dimensional feel to certain pieces. Also a kids fun room (artwork is reminiscent of the ocean).

The food was good and for the portions a great price. Normally this place would serve conveyor belt style sushi, but due to Covid whole portions were being served. Since it was our first time here we didn’t have the expectation but it was well written for regular customers in prominent areas so that there was no food being wasted but also customers understood. I consider this to be business savvy and allowing business to continue without running up their overhead. 👏🏼

Restaurant was clean. Both external entry and internal. Employees were also seen regularly cleaning surface areas to upkeep everything with their dining area amongst Covid stuff happening.

Lastly, a good assortment of sushi rolls. The drinks were a little more on the non-alcoholic side but this seemed a bit more mom n pop/casual lunch - so perfectly okay for what they were aiming for. Very kid friendly/family encouraged. Also very affordable on a per person basis. Take out and dining available. Worked with food delivery/pick up...