Boxer Sushi

They are closing on the 21^st of September… so in ONE WEEK. Wish I could afford to go eat there before they’re GONE. :(

Trying to figure out what all the other reviewers find so fantastic about the place. Sure the atmosphere is very chic and classy.
However, I found their sushi to be sub-​par at best. The prices are way too expensive for the quality and size of the roll. In my option, it’s an overrated hipster sushi place with so-​so sushi. Their partner restaurant Boxer Ramen is way better and tastier.

Oh, Boxer Sushi… what do I do about you? I see what you’re doing here. These new school sushi dishes look a heck of a lot like what you get on the specialty sashimi menu over at Bamboo. But the space is smaller, the food is slower, and the wait can be longer. I don’t feel like this restaurant was created from a love for sushi but instead based on a concept. However the execution is pretty good, as far as the actual fish and flavor. So what can I say? Does a concept that lacks heart but packs a punch still deliver? It’s local, so there’s that going for it. Maybe I just need to get out of my own head and stop thinking so much about all these ancillary things… but I kinda can’t.
The thing to do here seems to be omakase. It comes in a couple of levels, and offers up a decent selection of various fish and preparations. The sashimi dishes are interesting and creative. The rice is good enough. And the fish seems fresh, which is critical. As with other high end sushi joints in town, the cuts here are small and the prices big. Don’t get me wrong, I abhor the grotesquely large hack-​job style at spots like Saburo. Sushi is an art, and here it’s taken to that level. So that’s actually a good thing. Just know what you’re getting in to.
While I do appreciate omakase style eating, I often only order it when sitting at the sushi bar, so I can enjoy feedback from the chefs and talk about what I like, what I don’t like, etc, so they have some info to go on when taking me on my journey. I didn’t feel that here. But what matters most is that the food is good. The environment is nice. The staff is friendly enough. And the omakase selections deliver.
So will I be rolling back in here often? Well, I have some other spots in town I prefer for various reasons, so at this price, probably not. However I won’t hesitate to recommend it to others in for this specific experience. I roll with Bamboo when I want this style of soosh. Aside from my predisposition and hesitation, this really is 4-​star sushi.

Word is out obviously. We showed up for dinner on a Friday night at 8:30 and they were booked for the rest of the night. The host advised us to have someone come and check in earlier in the evening to guarantee seating. Duly noted. There is still no reservation system i guess. I’m tempted to give a one-​star rating in the hope that it might help ease up on demand but I just can’t bring myself to do it. Still one of, if not THE best dinner service I’ve experienced in the NW.

New to town, exploring my neighborhood by foot and discovered this place. After reading the reviews and seeing the menu, I opted for the Omakase (Chef’s choice). It was more than I was planning to spend on a random Monday night for dinner… but it seemed like the best value. And it was amazing. Every piece of fish was super fresh, and the sauces they used/​added were so light/​fresh/​delicious.
I’m not going to lie, I had a bit of apprehension of all white dudes making my sushi… but I figure if Andy Ricker can master Thai and Rick Bayless can do Mexican… I should keep an open mind. And I’m glad I did.
Seriously, I’m so happy I went here. So happy I did the Omakase. Can’t wait to return.
I went early, so seating wasn’t a issue, but it was completely full w/​a wait by 7:30. Not a ton of seats/​tables… so plan accordingly.

My recommendation is to only go if you have a large budget and are willing to do the chef’s choice dinner.
I’m trying to figure out why they even have a menu. We ordered a couple of things off of it and they were disappointing. The Violet roll wasn’t nearly as good as rolls I’ve had elsewhere and the rice seemed under cooked. However, after seeing lots of pictures of ceviche here, I asked if they had any. The server said they could figure it out. It turned out to be the best thing of the night.
The wait food was too long and people who came in after us were getting served faster (maybe because one of the sushi chef’s girlfriends and her friend came in). I didn’t time it, but it seemed like a good 20 – 30 min between the miso soup and the ceviche.
Overall, I could tell that their original creations are why this place has stellar reviews, but the core is lacking — the long wait time, the lackluster menu and the high prices. I have one friend who I’ll probably bring back for the chef’s choice, but otherwise, I’m not sure I’ll be making any return visits with all of my other sushi loving friends.

Quality fish. Quality vibe. Quality time well spent at this well stocked, well staffed, bomb sushi joint. Girl with the bull-​ring killing it!

It’d be nice if they picked up their phone, included on their voicemail, or posted on their website when they’re going to be closed for a private event during regular business hours. It would be especially nice so that in the future, I won’t have to take a $ 20 cab there before finding that out. I’m now outside, in the rain
Not to mention I called yesterday and they didn’t pick up. ended up walking to bamboo sushi nearby – great so far!

So Last night, it was my wife’s 40^th birthday and we decided relatively last minute to go out for an evening date. This proves to be a tad more difficult than most with a 16 month old at home… So with the sitter all set, we left the house around 7pm for dinner…
The wife wants Sushi, so the 1^st Unilocal spot we try is Bamboo Sushi. They seemed very nice but had a 45 min wait. Since we were trying to catch a movie we simply didn’t feel like waiting. Moving on, next in line was Boxer Sushi.
After a short drive we arrived at about 7:40pm, and walked in. The placed seemed relatively empty with open tables. good sign right? we’re in business right? WRONG!
The hostess (the one with a bull ring piercing and a snudy look on her face) proceeds to tell me they are not going to allow us to eat here. The explanation went something like this: «we arent taking any more people tonight»…
Naturally, I was baffled… I asked for clarification. She then looked at me like «what the F**K dont you understand about this» (she didn’t say that… just with her face). She said after the two other parties on the list we arent taking any more people. Mind you, it’s 7:40pm on a Saturday night!
I proceed to say «it’s my Wife’s 40^th birthday today… is there any way we can eat here» HAHA, I actually asked if we could eat here?!
She again, looked at me like a martian and said, «uhh no, sorry»
Sooo… we then left defeated and went to Hokusei Sushi for a truly amazing experience. I would highly recommend this Hokusei place for anyone that wants quality sushi and a very friendly normal experience.
Boxer, you suck with your weird, «no you cant eat here» thing…

I’ve been to all the «top» sushi spots in Portland. Boxer Ramen is my favorite ramen spot, so I had lofty expectations. Boy were they met. Friendly service. Great atmosphere/​music, and simply spectacular sushi. Omasake was well worth the $ 45, and the regular rolls/​nigiri were still delicious, highly recommend the chef’s special tho.
Very impressed.

We ordered the Omakase and were surprised with both the quality AND quantity. Some reviews suggested that the cost of the Omakase did not match the value, however, we got more than enough. There was an amazing variety of «off menu» items as well as sushi-​classic that made this experience worth it. The chef even asked us and the party next to us if we wanted more before he offered the dessert, but we were too full!
We love the chefs, waitress, and the environment. Very calm and cool! We definitely recommend this restaurant as well as the highly debated Omakase experience!

I first went to this place when it was relatively new, and I was unimpressed. I believe I gave it 2 stars back in the day? I hadn’t gotten the omakase and was surprised at how little and expensive the portions were. Several months went by and I heard rave reviews about this place, specifically regarding the omakase. Finally, I decided to roll up my sleeves and retry, coming in with an open mind.
The verdict?
Meh.
While the food was good, the restaurant’s ambiance and vibe as snobby, pretentious, and very off-​putting. Several of the more recent reviews have mentioned the experience that my boyfriend and I experienced when we got the omakase — it seems that some parties get more food than others, depending on how worthy or cool the chef deems you to be. We sat at the bar, and the sushi chef in front of us ignored us completely and paid more attention to the party to our right (who were obviously his friends, as they were talking about the same parties and concerts they’d both attended). It got so bad that the chef next to him actually took over our table and began serving us instead. And I actually liked him a lot, but because he was the next chef over, we couldn’t really converse with him or even watch what he was doing. Kinda defeats the whole purpose of sitting at the bar, if your chef is going to ignore you completely.
I don’t know why that sort of behavior or service is acceptable — I was quite frankly shocked at how unprofessional and snotty it was. While the food was good, I was so put off by the service and the experience as a whole. No matter how good quality their fish is, I can’t endorse this place.
As for the bad chef that I’m talking about, I’m sorry to say that I didn’t get his name, but he had bad posture, wore a black shirt, and name dropped a lot of obscure jazz bands. Try not to sit in front of him, if you can help it. You want the guy with the beard and the pageboy cap. He’s great.

I did not expect anything like this in Portland. This is easily the best sushi in Oregon, perhaps the entire PNW. The quality, variety and artistic inventiveness is unmatched in my experience. Highly recommended to anyone that appreciates quality.
Had the Omakase in LA, NYC & Tokyo… This is easily among the best!

I use two stars for places I won’t go back to. There is better, more exciting, just as high quality and more appropriately priced sushi in town.
We got 2 misos, 1 nigiri, 1 traditional roll and 1 special roll, plus 2 small drinks, for just over $ 50. While that sounds about right for mid/​upper level sushi, the portions were minuscule. Tiny. Laughable. The special roll was as small as I’d expect a traditional roll to be, and I couldn’t see the tiny pinky-​sized spot of rice under my nigiri.
All of the food was tasty, in an ultra-​simple sort of way. But for portions that size and food that simple, the prices should be much lower. We eat sushi a lot and never eat the cheap stuff, but the prices here are overboard. Deserves 3 dollar signs, for sure.
We left hungry, promptly went to Burgerville, and then went about our evening. Next time, we’ll go back to Samurai Blue on Mississippi.

Like so much of «New Portland” — stylish and overpriced. Beautiful space, amazing sake and GROSSLY expensive sushi. I got the «chef’s special» for $ 42 a person. Not at all worth it. Like many of the restaurants going in these days, all hype, no value.
On a positive note, the staff was friendly and efficient, definitely one of the high points of the evening. However, at these prices, I doubt I will be returning. Wake up PDX, we are not NYC or San Francisco!

Wow I had amazing sashimi and nigiri here last night.
When I first came into the door I was a bit unsure how the night would go because our waitress was a bit unfriendly. We all ordered hot tea which she replied okay I need to wash a few cups first. I was a bit concerned and confused because it didn’t seem like a busy Saturday night. But as the night went on she definitely came out of her shell and was friendlier.
We didn’t opt for the omakase because my group didn’t care much for rolls and the green salad that came with it. And at 42 a person we felt like that we could get just everything we wanted (tons of sashimi and nigiri) and pay a similar price.
We all ordered the miso soup which was not amazing. It was a bit watered down.
The pickled veggies were really good! We ordered two of them. They included pickled spaghetti squash which had a really interesting texture. Definitely getting that again.
More importantly the fish we had was amazing. Wow.
Their selection of fish obviously changes to include what is fresh and available but the ones we had included:
Scorpion fish.
Hobo (red robin) fish definitely get that.
Hamachi (my favorite fish)
Ocean trout
Scallop ceviche (yum! I love scallops so I may be biased)
Salmon sashimi w a hot pepper and special sauce. So good
Tuna with crab and a citrus ponzu sauce. My favorite dish of the night.

***OMAKASE (Chef’s Choice) OR GO HOME***
Hands down one of the BEST Omakases I’ve had! After reading a lot about Cherylynn N’s quests for omakase in SF, I was inspired to find some in PDX! (And I think I found the winner!)
Micah Camden — owner of several successful Portland restaurants such as Little Big Burger and Blue Star Donuts. He is also the owner of Boxer Sushi and Boxer Ramen. I had tried all of his restaurants except Boxer Sushi. As I had my weekly sushi craving, it was a no brainer to visit Boxer Sushi. After the disappointing Boxer Ramen experience, I was glad I had an awesome experience at Boxer Sushi.
[décor]
Modern. Very chill space and relaxed. Multiple lanterns on the ceiling, simple walls and esthetics. The wall behind the sushi bar has a beautiful mural.
[devour]
*OMAKASE ($ 38 per person — 10 courses; ***5 STARS***)
(1) Miso Soup [sorry no photo available] — this was probably the only bummer of the night. I felt the miso soup was watered down. I agree with Bryan I. — I too prefer a bit more miso in my soup.
(2) Sesame Salad [sorry no photo available]
(3) Hirame (fluke) wrapped arugula (
)
(4) Aji (horse mackarel) with blood orange sauce (
)
(5) Lemon pepper tuna with Thai basil (
)
(6) Pickled plate (
)
(7) Nigiri plate (
)
(8) Tuna avocado roll (
)
(9) Spicy Scallop Hand Roll (
) [sorry bad photo]
(10) Lychee Mochi (
)
FYI =
–Parking on the street or nearby neighborhood streets
–Accepts CC’s
–Great place for a date or small groups (no more than 4 people)
–If you sit at the bar you get to watch them make your food
–If you don’t feel like having the omakase, you can order some rolls (but I personally think you get a great deal with the omakase)
–Recommend ordering Omakase if you’re going as a group (they serve fam bam style)
–Expect awesome service
–Beer, wine and sake available
BEST $ 38 I’ve ever spent! And I would do that again ^_​^ Granted the sushi chefs aren’t traditional, but you will find that they prepare elaborate dishes which are simple, clean and blissful.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Unilocal 2013 200+ Reviews Challenge (going for 250!) — Review #204

The secret is out. These guys can slice, dice, and season fish with the best of them. Although staffed by gaijin (usually a red flag at a Japanese restaurant when you’re looking for high quality dishes), the chefs were clearly experienced and did a great job preparing clean, simple, fresh, and balanced dishes.
If you do come to check it out, I can really only recommend the OMAKASE (chef’s choice). It was extensive, satisfying, and perfectly planned from start to finish. The miso soup was a little dilute and only barely hot (I like mine strong and piping hot), but really that’s the only thing that I thought could have been improved.
As Jens mentioned, the interior is warm, welcoming, modern, and nicely decorated with clean lines and a uniquely lit ceiling.
The service was friendly and above reproach.
A few other tips (besides GET THE OMAKASE):
— Yes, it is a popular place. Try to come around opening time or after the dinner rush, or expect to put your name on the list and have a bit of a wait.
— Do NOT expect an extensive Japanese menu full of chicken katsu, yakisoba, bento boxes, and the like. Expect sushi, sashimi, nigiri, tea, sake, and beer.
— The prices for individual rolls/​sashimi/​nigiri are what you expect for good quality fish (not cheap), which is another reason why OMAKASE is the only way to go; it’s by far your best deal ($ 38/​person when we went about a month ago, but someone more recently said it might have increased a few bucks)
— If you want the Omakase, everyone at your table has to order it

Blown away. Fairly traditional sushi with a slight northwest flair. For example, the salad with sesame dressing is pretty standard at most places happens on iceberg lettuce. Here they use fancier greens. The sauces, etc. also pay homage to northwest tastes. I could easily take a client from Japan here and they wouldn’t get all upset like they did at one of the hip Japanese fusion places in L.A.
The only downside is the sake menu is pretty slim. But they do have a few OK choices.
They offer a fixed price meal which contains mostly sashimi with a few rolls. Incredible. It is a little expensive, but still and excellent value for what you pay.
I will soooooooo be back.

I have just seen an artist at work.
I watched him pull out some crazy thing with tentacles and big ol’ inky eyeballs and transform it with no small amount of magic into a lovely and delicate shrimp sashimi.
I watched him precisely chop a hunk off an eel with the tail still on the end, stick the perfect (tail-​free) pieces in a toaster oven (!?), then delicately place each one on a bed of rice and paint it with a sauce that could only be made of pure love.
When I turned my head for just a second, rolls appeared from thin air, the craftsmanship was so tricky. Rolls with crispy shallots here, surprise pieces of toasted seaweed there.
I held a glass filled with gin, its perfect cube of ice melting away with the night, and with the ginger beer I poured on top of it.
I witnessed so many amazing feats of beauty, one dazzling spectacle following another.
And without regret, I swallowed up every one.