Happy Sumo

I love this place! Who would have thought you could find such fresh fish in Utah! I am such a seafood lover and always complaining about the qualify of seafood out here. But somehow they do it here and I have never had anything to complain about. Everything is great the atmosphere is great. The service is always wonderful. I recommend you try it if you haven't before. You won't be disappointed. more

This place is the best. It is probably my favorite restaurant in SLC. I used to live in Maui (where the sushi is fresh and delicious), but I can honestly say I like the sushi at Happy Sumo more!! It is consistenly delicious, offering a wide variety for a fish lover like myself. There sashimi is always perfect, and they have a ton of rolls that are creative and tasty. It's pretty amazing that I can find such fresh fish in the middle of the desert. I also really like the friendly and attentive servers. They always seem to make my experience memorable. Really, all in all, I LOVE this place.... What more can I say.\r \r Pros: fresh tasty fish and food, good looking servers Cons: wish they took reservations more

Happy sumo has a great interior and is located in a good location, but that is it. I went there recently with my husband and friend because it was the only sushi place open early on a sunday. We ordered 10 different specialty rolls and they all tasted so similiar it wasn't worth it. The rice on the rolls tasted like all the rolls had been premade and stuck in a fridge. Our server was not notified by the hostess that she had seated us so we waited for a long time to have our order taken and then waited even longer to actually get the food, drinks showed up after the sushi rolls had arrived. I also noticed that the people next to us were trying to flag down another server so they could leave and were talking about just leaving since no one would notice. I didn't blame them. I've gone back to happy sumo a couple of times to give it the benefit of the doubt and everytime I do the sushi is just as terrible as I remember. I understand places get busy and I can tell when they are short on a server so I know its going to take longer, but the service at this place was especially terrible this time. I will stick with Takashi the most awesome sushi I have had by far!!! Pros: in a good location Cons: the sushi more

the restaurant atmosphere is ok. the music is too loud though. The service was the worst. there are tons of servers standing around, but no service. i understand sushi takes a little while to make. but does edamame and miso??? how about a drink i ordered 10 minutes ago? it's frustrating. also, the red spicy sauce they use in their ""spicy"" rolls is just that red paste that Vietnamese restaurants use in their Pho. It seems as though they're covering up the old fish taste. i would NOT recommend this place to anyone! Pros: the atmosphere Cons: the service, and old fish more

My girlfriends and I just love the sumo! Everything we always get there is soooo good and makes us melt in our seats! It's cool because my girlfriends and I can go there for a night out, and I can go there on a date, but I can also take my grandma there for a nice dinner! Oh and on an off note I went to the sumo for dinner a few nights ago and saw LINDSAY LOHAN eating there! She was right by me! This place is so cool, I cannot say enough great things about it. I'm even getting hungry for a playboy roll just writing this! Pros: The sushi, the celebrities, and the nice waitresses! more

I have been going to happy sumo since it has open, like a bottle of wine , it only gets better, The food and service is over the top. I went there over labor day weekend and it was packed solid, but all I saw were smiles on sumo servers and Chong our sushi chef was amazing. The food was as good as always, if not better! My wife loves the dragon scales! the surroundings are beautiful and the overall energy was great.I always can not wait to go back .Try it and you will become a Sumoholic like me. more

the ambience in the restaurant was amazing. it's a trendy, yet not up-ity restaurant. the sushi was premium & the sake was amazing. i've never seen such a large menue with so many original rolls in my life. Our waitress was super sweet and so helpful.but the food is what makes it perfection!! i'll be back! Pros: tasty sushi, great vibe, perfect for any occasion more

just a warning for those of you that actually are into sushi: this is the P.F. Chang's of sushi, well maybe not that bad but, if you really want authentic sushi go a few blocks SE and try one of the two real sushi restaurants. That being said, if you think that the tempura fried roll that you had the last time you ate at whatever generic place you ate at was the best thing ever, then this is the place for you. more

I went to the happy sumo for the first time last weekend. It was some of the best food and sushi I've ever had. I really liked the atmosphere as well.. It is really cozy and nice without being too pretentious.\r xoxo\r sushi lover.\r ps: \r Thanks to the server who helped me (cute blonde girl?) she recommended some GREAT rolls. Pros: great food and service, cozy atmosphere Cons: not good for large parties more

I have seen the quality deteriorate in the last couple of years. The service is poor and the food is average at best. I think the rotation of Chef's and wait staff has affected the quality it once had. The chef's used to be knowledgable, personable, pleasant and the wait staff was more attentive. On my last visit, I was very disapointed. The food took too long I was not asked if I needed more water and my check was set on the table by the waitress, who seemed to be preoccupied with her conversation with a fellow worker. Pros: Attractive wait staff Cons: The wait, the service and sushi more

This place is sooooooooooooo good! I have tried others but none can compare to Happy Sumo. While I'm waiting for the next best thing, I'll keep going to the best ever! Pros: Great food! Cons: Small place, and can be insanely crazy busy on weekends! more

I have been to some of the best sushi restaurants in LA and Vegas and Happy Sumo has by far the best sushi ever?who would have thought in Utah?! Sushi is my favorite food and I didn?t expect to find anything special in Utah and I was right, until I had dinner at the Happy Sumo. The atmosphere is very modish and trendy without being over the top, with some of the most incredible rolls ever invented. The Funky and Lollipop rolls are my favs, but nothing on the menu disappoints and even their tempura is done perfectly. I would definitely recommend the Happy Sumo to anyone looking for world-class sushi and I know I will be back again. Pros: Best sushi ever, deserts, atmosphere Cons: No reservations more

I was very surprised when I went here. It was very clean the service was fast. The food was excellent I highly recommend the Nitro roll it was on the spicy side. My date got the cosmopolitan roll she said that their was to much of a citrus flavor it got to the point that is all she was tasting. But other then that ever thing was great. more

I was never a big sushi eater, but Happy Sumo changed all that. The atmosphere is hip and fun with a young , fun crowd. I don't know that much about sushi, but I've enjoyed nearly every roll they make and at this point, I've probably tried all of them on the menu. The sushi regulars we've taken to Happy Sumo have always come back with us. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly and fun. I've always been pleased by the service. The major drawback - the wait... On Friday and Saturday nights, the wait can be more than an hour. Unfortunately for those who like to kick back at the bar and enjoy a cocktail while they wait are out of luck, because there is no bar. In the Gateway shopping center, where H.S. is located, there are no places to kick back with a drink without ordering food (a slightly annoying Utah liquor law). The key to getting in sooner seems to be smaller parties of say, two. Weekdays don't seem to be too crowded either. During the summer they open the patio. It's somewhat small, but if you like people watching, you can't beat sitting outside at Happy Sumo on a Friday night. If you're patient and love good sushi in a contemporary, fun atmosphere, definitely try Happy Sumo. Pros: Good sushi, cozy & contempo atmosphere Cons: Long wait on the weekends more

I've been coming here now & then the past five years, and I must say my latest dining experience will be my last dining experience here. The food & service used to be very good. Great sushi chefs, great tasting & great-prepared sushi and sushi rolls. Now, the service is catered to the ""regulars"" and the food is mediocre & some fish is thawed from frozen!! During my dinner; I was never asked how my meal was, if I wanted anything else, any side dishes, another beer. NO service. I was relieved to see a regular (who got excellent service..) sit next to me because I could NOT get any of the darling look-alike servers to come by to fill my water glass. Way over priced & unattentive staff. Too bad, HS used to be good. Pros: Trendy, chic atmosphere, great location, extensive sushi roll menu. Cons: Sushi, service, prices and noise. more

I eat at the Happy Sumo at least once a week, and I have never been disappointed. It is the first place my friends and I recommend when we are planning a night out. The sushi is the freshest in town! The servers are always helpful, and help to make my experience enjoyable. I have eaten at most of the sushi restaurants in Salt Lake, as well as many in New York and LA, the Happy Sumo far surpasses any of these places. Try the lollipop roll or the firecracker, they are the best! more

I ate sushi for the very first time, this weekend at the happy sumo. I admit I was a bit nervous, because I didn't really understand the sushi menu, and was a bit iffy about eating raw fish. I was so fortunate to have my server actually spend the time to educate me on sushi and all the varieties of fish they had. She started me out with a california roll, and then the Playboy(my favorite) and Vegas roll. It was some of the best food I've ever had in my life. I've gone from a first timer, to ""hooked"" and a definate repeat customer. To sum it up, the Happy Sumo really has it all: wonderful food, friendly educated servers, good music, and a fun ambiance. \r Thanks for Everything.\r \r Mike Pros: vip club, food, service Cons: long wait to be seated more

While in Salt Lake City for a convention last week, the Happy Sumo was recommended by at least 10 fellow convention goers. I checked it out and was not disappointed. However, it was nothing like I imagined. Being from Los Angeles where there's practically a sushi bar on every street, I expected something either very authentic (mom & pop type) or something totally mod like a night club, which seems to be the trend for most of the newer sushi bars opening in my town. I really enjoyed the Happy Sumo's lack of pretension and the atmosphere was hip without being pretentious and the service was friendly and sincere. The food was fantastic and yes, I'm guilty of trying the ""Vegas"" roll. Call it what you will, but it rocks. Sure, all the restaurants in LA are doing the tempura battered rolls too, but nothing I've ever tasted at Nobu, Sushi Roku, RA, Japango or any of the upscale places I've been to compares with the consistency, freshness and selection of what I experienced here. Had I read the previous review I might not have given them a shot so I think my fellow ""californian"" is doing people a disservice with her rant. She should put aside her ""I'm from california where everything is better"" mentality and stop crying about being dissed by a sushi chef. Like that never happens in California? Anyways, if you like sushi, you should check this place out. Pros: food, service, atmosphere Cons: very busy, too small more

I travel to Utah every year for the outdoor retailer show; and every year, I make it a point to eat at the happy sumo. It is, by far, my favorite restaurant in Salt Lake City. The atmosphere is cozy, the service is warm and friendly, and the sushi is out of this world. It is my personal goal to try all of your house specialty rolls. Every one so far has been incredible. Thank you Happy Sumo for yet another successful and DELICIOUS trip.\r Cheers!! Pros: everything! Cons: no reservations more

My family and I have been going to The Happy Sumo for over two years. We are always happy with what we get. My teenagers order the less traditional fried rolls, and my wife and I order more traditional sashimi plates. As replied to meanie65, if you spent more time reviewing the menu or asking the server about the more traditional items, that's what you would had recieved. If The Happy Sumo was like all the other traditional sushi bars then it wouldn't be needed and the crowds show to differ. Sushi is made when it's ordered and not microwaved or precooked. Why do we have to eat the ""American way"" and fly in and rush back out. If you spend a couple of extra bucks on an appetizer you can enjoy your families company and not be so uptight. That is Japanesse style. If I was your server I don't think I would have ever returned to the table. Our family has become known faces and we are always greeted with a smile. We love The Happy Sumo! Pros: variety Cons: more two for ones more