7 Mountain View News Saturday, July 18, 2026 FOOD & DRINK 7 Mountain View News Saturday, July 18, 2026 FOOD & DRINK 
By Peter Dills 


PASADENA’S SUSHI WARS: 
WHERE THE BEST DEALS ARE ROLLING IN 

It started with a banner. 

Then another. 

Before long, it seemed every sushi restaurant in Pasadena was waving 
the same message: Happy Hour. Buy One, Get One. All-You-Can-Eat. I 
couldn’t help but smile. It reminded me of the gas wars years ago, when 
one station would lower its price a penny and the station across the 
street would answer before sunset. Only this time, instead of chasing 
cheaper gasoline, we’re chasing spicy tuna rolls, $3 Sapporos and happy 
hour bargains. 

I’m not a sushi expert. Heck, those supermarket sushi packs are usually 
good enough for me. My daughter Lauren, on the other hand, loves Sugarfish and swears by it. They 
don’t offer discounts, and frankly, they don’t have to. They’ve earned a loyal following. But this story 
isn’t about Sugarfish. It’s about something happening right here in Pasadena, where restaurants seem 
to be battling for your business with discounts and specials that would have been hard to imagine just 
a few years ago. 

Call it the Sushi Wars. One restaurant rolls out an all-you-can-eat lunch. Another counters with Happy 
Hour. Across town you’ll find Buy One, Get One offers, sake specials and discounted rolls. As someone 
who’s spent more than two decades writing about local restaurants, I’ve never seen so many sushi spots 
competing so aggressively for diners. For the rest of us, that’s not a problem—it’s an opportunity. 

Just the other day I met my friend Jesse James Youngblood for lunch at Tomikawa Sushi on Foothill 
Boulevard. Old-timers will remember the location as the former Kabuki before Kabuki moved to the 
corner of Colorado Boulevard and San Gabriel Boulevard. 

The sign outside caught my eye immediately: $23 All-You-Can-Eat Lunch. 

Jesse accepted the challenge. 

I surrendered long before he did. 

Yes, they time you. And no, don’t ask for a doggie bag. That’s not the deal. Eat what you can, enjoy 
yourself and leave room for the next customer. 

Was it the best sushi I’ve ever had? I honestly couldn’t tell you. Like I’ve said, I’m not the guy who 
debates the proper temperature of toro or whether the rice has exactly the right amount of vinegar.
What I do know is value. And $23 for an all-you-can-eat sushi lunch certainly got my attention. 

Right across from Chiquita Bonita, Haruka Sushi has been promoting Happy Hour along with Buy 
One, Get One specials. I haven’t sampled everything on the menu, but I appreciate restaurants that 
recognize diners are looking for quality without emptying their wallets. 

Then there’s Shogun. You can’t miss the colorful flags draped around the outside advertising Happy 
Hour every day until 5:30. The prices are a little higher than Kabuki, but you just might find the sushi 
a notch better. That’s a matter of personal taste, of course, and that’s what makes these Sushi Wars so 
much fun. Everybody has a favorite. 

My friend Shawn Broes reminded me not to forget Sushi Roku.
He’s right. 

Their Happy Hour has become one of the better upscale deals in town. You’re not going there for an 
all-you-can-eat experience. You’re going because if you arrive at the right time, you can enjoy premium 
sushi and a cocktail without taking out a second mortgage. 

Truth be told, my favorite sushi stop is still Kabuki on Colorado Boulevard.
Sure, they raised the price of the Sapporo from $2 to $3.
Gulp. 

Maybe it’s Pink, Cindy, Anita and the rest of the staff who know my order before I even sit down: one 
sake, one Sapporo and a large ice water, usually around four o’clock. 

Maybe it’s habit.
Maybe it’s comfort.
Or maybe it’s because the scallop hand roll never disappoints, and when I’m pretending to eat healthy, 
I’ll order the Krab salad. Notice the “K.” 

Then there’s Panda Inn. The Pasadena institution recently unveiled a beautiful remodel complete with 
a sushi bar and even an omakase experience. 

A Chinese restaurant serving sushi? Twenty years ago that might have sounded unusual. 
Today it makes perfect sense. Pasadena diners have become adventurous. They want options. They 
want value. They enjoy trying something new while still returning to old favorites. 

That’s not strange.
That’s smart. 

Here’s the funny thing about sushi.
Some people spend their time chasing the freshest uni or the rarest toro. Me? I’m looking for friendly 
service, a fair price and a restaurant that makes me want to come back.
I may not know the difference between toro and hamachi, and I couldn’t tell you if the rice was seasoned 
exactly right. 

What I can tell you is this: Pasadena sushi lovers have more choices—and more deals—than they’ve 
had in years. 

If I missed your favorite sushi spot, I’m just an email away at thechefknows@yahoo.com. I always enjoy 
hearing where you’re eating, and who knows? Your suggestion might become my next stop. 


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