Sushi Bear — Restaurant in Tustin

An impromptu date night with the Mrs and our usual sushi spot (a 3.5-4/5 at best) being booked (AYCE so people stay longer) a quick search for spots nearby found Sushi Bear. Good ratings, pictures of what my wife described as a “cute” inside and the name (wife has always called me Bear, so Sushi Bear was a sign) we decided to give it a shot. After being seated I can attest that the inside was indeed “cute” we ordered a few items off the menu and absolutely everything was perfection. Miso soup was great and plentiful. The garlic soy sauce edamame was like nothing we’ve had before even though we always try to order the garlic style edamame at sushi spots. Addicting. We got a few items but the main highlights start with the bear style carpaccio (fresh and delicious, wife usually will only eat salmon but ventured to try the other 3 types of fish presented and liked them). And then the star of the evening was the Sunrise Roll. We always try to find a type of roll that’s like a California roll with salmon and lemon slices on top. Some places have variations, others we need to ask nicely, but the sunrise roll was that to perfection. When it showed up without visible lemon slices I asked about it and was told they were under the salmon rather than the usual over we’d seen at other places. This simple change transformed the way this roll is enjoyed as you get the hint of lemon slice rather than hit with that first. Everything else was wonderful, even the ginger tasted fresh, and the service was great. Can’t wait...

I've been wanting to try this spot and decided to bite the bullet by ordering through Postmates for dinner. Service fees were a bit more than usual due to the distance, but I wanted to try something different from rotation and this was at the top of places to try.

What we ordered: 2 Choice Bento Box with Mixed Tempura & Beef Teriyaki Candy Cane Roll Yellowtail Sashimi

The yellowtail sashimi comes 3 pieces to an order with the usual garnishes of shiso leaf, shredded radish, lemon and a carrot. Nothing super fantastic about it aside from the thick slices which was nice. The candy cane roll was topped with salmon and avocado with spicy tuna and cucumber inside. The spicy tuna definitely had a kick and was surprising to pack such heat.

The boyfriend got the the 2 choice bento. Beef teriyaki was cooked how he liked it - medium well. The sides were pickles, potato salad and a small slice of orange. Decent portions, but I think he prefers our usual rotation for the value.

For our first try, it wasn't bad, but I think it would have been better as a dine-in option. I was drawn by their unique naming convention for their rolls, but also interested in exploring sashimi and nigiri selections. For freshness, I think I'll have to give them another try in person, or like, when we can eat...

This is my default go to place for sushi, but not hot foods. The sushi bear combo is a sufficiently large to fill a hungry man(albiet for $35) but. Considering the cost compared to any other local sushi place this is very reasonable pricing. The sashimi cuts are THICK, perhaps 15 mm slabs is more accurate. The variety of nigiri in the combo include some of the normally pricey rarer fish. The rolls here have some eccentric names, and they're fun to try, but I recommend sticking to the sashimi and nigiri from the combo. The hot food options aren't the best here. The owner is a real fish enthusiast too, so he might come and show you pictures of the fish in the omakase option when you order it.( Also recommended, if you're adventurous and want to sample some things that you might not normally see except from high-end...