This place while quiet... was loud! Loud with flavor. Our waiter, Jason.. was THE cutest thing evah! He was so extremely helpful with all of our questions. We had sushi, sashimi, deeelish black pepper edamame. A "tad" spendy, but I would eat there again and again. For the food and the service! Thanks!!
Review Source:Really good sushi. We went here last night for my birthday and got the Gila Monster roll, Spicy Tuna and since we're from Seattle, decided to try the Seattle Roll. They were all tasty! The spicy tuna, we usually get for my husband but it was actually one of the better spicy tuna rolls I've had.
The waiter gave me an excellent wine recommendation and it was so delicious! The atmosphere is nice. We got a free birthday dessert which was a white chocolate deep fried banana with ice cream and that was really good!
I've eaten here before but only had the sushi.  I went with a friend the other night and wasn't in the mood for sushi so i ordered off the menu.  I ordered a chicken udon noodle dish.  The wait time was not unreasonable nor the service up to the point that our food arrived.  The chicken was not seasoned at all and tasted as though it had been pre-cooked and warmed up.  The noodles were slimey and the dish was totally inedible.  We flagged the waitress down and when I told her that I didn't like the dish and that the noodles were slimely.  She informed me that they were supposed to be??  She took the dish away and two minutes later someone that I assume to be the manager came over with the dish in his hand.  He asked  me what the problem was and I explained to him that the chicken tasted like it had been precooked and warmed up and the noodles were slimely.  He also informed me that the noodles were supposed to be that way.  While he offered to get me something else he was not apologetic in the least and had a bit of an attitude.  I ordered the stuffed mushrooms off the happy hour menu.  They delivered two deep fried balls about the size of my fist.  While they didn't taste old and slimely they were not good and they sat in a pool of soy sauce that  just made everything soggy and salty.  The waitress did check back on us to see if we needed drinks but did not ask me about the food again and she seemed to carry on somewhat with the manager's attitude.  My friends like the sushi and they do go there a lot.  My suggestion if you do go here is that you stick with the sushi and stay away from the other menu items.  When the bill came they had deducted a portion of the first dish from the check but had still charged me for a portion of it.  It was not as if I'd eaten half of it and then sent it back.  I barely took half a bite.  I'll meet my friends for a beer and sake here but I will never eat here again.
Review Source:I decided to step outside of our normal American food places and we ended up at Nakama. I was a little skeptical because it was a lounge and I had my two young sons with but I figured since happy hour was over we should be okay. Â Nakama was a little hard to find because there is no sign on the main road (McDowell) but my GPS is sharp. Upon entering the restaurant, my first impression was that it was very dark. The colors of the place are red and black. The greeter immediately greeted us with a welcoming smile and we were seated right away. At first, I thought that was a good thing, but then again it made me wonder "Why is there no wait?" I was excited to see we were seated at a big table, but then when the appetizer was brought out, it proved to be a bad idea because we had to get up to pass the food back and forth to each other. The waitress was very tentative and friendly. She brought us refills well before we needed them which avoided us having to go thirsty. I loved that my sons were allowed to share a kids meal at no extra charge. They ordered the chicken strips and fries. My sons do eat sushi but since it was a new place for them, I ordered them their own food to safe. Â I ordered the monkey brains appetizer and it tasted wonderful. For checking in on Yelp, we got free Edeme. They were hard to open up and salty so I only ate a few. I did like they were warm. Once the appetizer was done, our rolls came out. We ordered the teriyaki chicken, the baked scallop (BSCR) roll and the shrimp killer roll. Â I was not a huge fan of the chicken roll. I picked it to be safe but it didn't taste right wrapped up in a role with rice. I had to get used to their use of soy paper. I miss my seaweed. Â To drink I ordered the iced green tea and that tasted as usual. All in all, it was a great experience. Oh and the bathrooms were clean and smell great. I consider that a plus because some places do not keep up with their restrooms because they don't think it's as important as the rest of the restaurant. I could also see the kitchen on my way to and from the restroom and it looked very organized and clean. There was a full bar which is great for their Happy Hour. I will definitely go back. I am excited to have found a great sushi place in the West Valley!
Review Source:The service was ok but me and the wife went there for the sushi, not the drinks or to chit chat with friends. Unfortunately we didn't pay attention to the yelp reviews that spoke poorly of their sushi since the place has such high reviews. Well the sushi was lame, they were tasteless and pricey and they added way too much rice to their rolls. It could have just been the cook that was there at that particular time but seeing as to how my wife ended up throwing up I don't think we'll be going back a second time.
Review Source:Positive consistency is key in my book! Nakamas wins my vote for great customer service...fresh, delicious, and BIG sushi rolls...perfectly-fizzy and tomato-y micheladas...and the clean, inviting, cozy, RED decor makes this casual, Â yet classy sushi house a tad bit more sexy and intimate- even if you're just enjoying a mid day special such as their bento boxes.
Review Source:Generally I like this place. The service is great and friendly and the drinks are fairly priced. The sushi can be a bit expensive, but if you go during their super short happy hour you catch a break.
The pepper on the edamame is really different and good.
One complaint their happy hour is too short. Considering Goodyear is not some large corporate center, a lot of people have a decent commute home. So a 4-7 would be better. I'd come more often.
Also nice is they will help to customize your roll and their fish is much fresher than other places.
And to the reviewer who commented that no Asians in a sushi restaurant means it's automatically bad is kind of racist and not very helpful. I would also assume you'd skip a doughnut shop because there were no cops there? Â Besides, this area is not exactly high on the Asian demographic.
I thought the place smelled strange when we came in but the other people I was with didn't smell anything. The atmosphere was nice with bright red walls and dimly lit.
Our server was very nice and came by to check on us often.
She recommended the Lotus roll, which is served on a platter with fire. Kind of a cool presentation but the smell of lighter fluid was not appetizing and the roll wasn't good - served with cold crab and melted cheese on top. I would skip it.
The soy sexy roll (horrible name) and Marilyn Mon roll were both delicious as was the Crunchy Eel Roll.
Sushi took a LONG time. The table next to us must have waited 45 minutes for their sushi and they gave them some extra food for free for the long wait. We didn't wait quite that long but it was close.
I noticed another table ordered fajitas. Kind of random for a Sushi restaurant.
I'm not from the area so I can't comment on the other sushi places around but I might try another one instead of coming back here on my next visit.
Average sushi, poor fusion, inattentive service
Tried Nakama as it's close by and looked like a fun Asian-fusion place. We had some sushi, the curry dish, a Thai platter, and fried rice (for our daughter). Â The dishes were sweet and were missing traditional Asian flavors and spices. Â And by sweet, I mean disturbingly so. Â Like the kind of sweet that makes you grimace. Â The service gal was nice, but very slow. And she and another service gal were confused who had our table multiple times. Â
The sushi was good enough for Arizona-- tasty, well-presented, and tasted fresh. Â The fried rice was also par for the course.
We waited a good amount of time between refills on drinks, check-in on food quality, and finally the check. Â On the latter, we sat for about 15 minutes until someone came by we could flag down to ask for the honor of paying. Â Again, they are nice, but inattentive.
Never have had bad sushi here and they usually have good deals or happy hour specials. They have a quiet atmosphere and no load annoying music or crowd. On Sunday's they even play football on their bar TV so I can sneak in a few good looks on my date night with the wife. The service has always been good, minus the one time we had a waiter standing on the seat next to me to try and close the blinds and start cleaning up. It made things a little awkward but other than that we have been regulars here and it's always been a good experience.
Review Source:This place is terrible. Â We should've known when we sat down and there was not 1 asian person in this place (including the workers). Â One of the rolls we got was the lotus. Â It tasted dirty and like lighter fluid (it is served surrounded by a flame). Â There were 3 of us in our party tonight and we all left feeling sick. Â Not only would I not go back to this place, I would encourage all of my friends NOT to patronize this place.
Review Source:I've never been a server, but I can't imagine it's fun to wait on a large party by yourself, especially when they all request separate checks, all just "start" with waters, and are so busy chatting that they take a while to order. Â However, that's exactly what happened when a large group of us went out for a Happy Hour Birthday Celebration. Â Our server was fantastic!! He never complained, got everyone's orders correct and constantly kept our waters full.
The sushi was great (Las Vegas roll) - decent size and delicious taste. Â Happy Hour prices were fair and overall, we had a great time! I would definitely visit again.
Love it! Â Great Happy Hour and yummy rolls. Â I am a fan of the Tootsie Roll and the crunchy roll. Â They are very friendly and accommodated a large group of us for a birthday happy hour in the middle of the week. You know how when you show up with a big party and you ask the dreaded question...dun dun duuunnnn..."Can you give us separate checks?" Â That look of horror and disgust usually crosses the face of your server? Â Not here...he happily gave us all separate checks and didn't make a single mistake. Â
Our sushi chef for the evening was Santiago...a couple of us who went to Nakama tonight used to frequent a sushi bar called Fish Market back in the day (a moment of silence for the best caterpillar roll in existence...oh the shrimp tempura roll too!) Â and Santiago used to work there. Â He still remembers us and is probably the friendliest sushi chef around! Â
I have been to Nakama SEVERAL times and have never...EVER left disappointed! Â Everyone is always friendly and the food is always good. Â
See you next week...happy hour!
This place is a little hard to find among the collage of restaurants and shop in this shopping district. Â After driving past it twice, my daughter spotted it and we went in.
I love the price of the Happy Hour food and Beverage items. Â California Roll for $4? Â Yes!! Â We ordered two but only needed one. Â They were huge! Â Great value.
We ordered up a nice bottle of wine and it was priced reasonable for a restaurant.
The food was all fresh and delicious. Â They have some American items on the menu as well for the picky eaters. Â My son had the very Japanese dish of Chicken Strips and Fries.
Our server was attentive and laid back. Â We're usually fast, in and out diners. Â His laid back pace helped us relax and enjoy the meal. Â We weren't in a hurry so why not?!?
It's a great fusion restaurant that would appeal to almost everybody. Â Go and enjoy!!
Wonderful lunch for a reasonable price. The decor is beautiful - very chic and modern. Â The beer was icy cold, the edamame was seasoned perfectly, the sushi was beautiful and tasted good, and the wait staff was friendly. All in all - a great experience! So happy we have a place like this on the west side of town.
Review Source:We have been coming here since it opened. The staff is very willing to serve you and assist with any dietary needs. The food is always top notch and well plated.
The modern asian feel to the decor is very fitting for a sushi restaurant.
If my wife and I are ever hungry and in the area this is our first choice.
Great place to stop in for lunch... We had miso soup (complementary), edamame (free from the check in in offer), the lunch special with Cali and crunch roll ($10), we left stuffed for $11 BUCKS!! (well, plus a tip, so more than $11... but hey) That is awesome!! Â The miso soup is very good, the edamame is salted right and cooked right and the Cali and crunch rolls are very very good!! Our waiter was good too.
Small complaint, seems like the place needs a little detailing, the vents are dusty, tables sticky, walls smudged... Clean overall, but needs a little tune up...
We went here for dinner with a few out of town guests. We walked in with a party of 10 and Nakama had no problems getting us seated quickly. I started with edamame (free with Yelp check-in), continued with vegas rolls and several sashimi pieces and finished with sake! The service was great, especially considering our party size and the food was fantastic! My wife and I will be back every time we get that craving for quality sushi! Thank you Nakama.
Review Source:Javier and I went here on Saturday night, the place was dead. Only 2 other tables and one of them were regulars. We ordered 2 different sushi rolls, the soy sexy roll, which consists of  Tempura Shrimp, Crab, Spicy Tuna,
Avocado, Cucumber / Soy Paper, Orange Sauce, Eel Sauce. I ordered this because it's very similar to a roll I love at blue wasabi called "me soy horny". Javier got the Las Vegas rolls ( he gets this one every time) it consists of Salmon, Avocado, Crab, Cream Cheese, Rice / Tempura Fried, Eel Sauce. This one was good as well, one of the better Las Vegas rolls I have had. The pieces were HUGE, this made it a lil difficult to eat without it falling apart. We were full off the two rolls, it was the perfect amount. I took a look at the happy hour prices, they weren't too great. The Las Vegas roll is $7.00 regular 10.00, and they didn't have my roll as part of happy hour. My only complaint is I wish the place was more live. I'm used to eating sushi at places like blue wasabi or Ra where it is always packed and playing good music. I will return to this place despite the atmosphere just because the rolls were so good.
Good sushi (not the best), good service and ok prices. Drink specials are hard to beat, but the sushi happy hour is mediocre at best-- seems to be a common trend, as more and more sushi places are dropping their good happy hour menus.
I like this place better than Tomo and Kabuki, it's at least the best place to go for sushi in the Avondale/Goodyear area.
Came here with my friend who has her review written below mine lol! My first thought of this place was classy. I love the Red and Black decor and the seating that consisted of couches and roll out chairs. Â This place has a good vibe and the DJ plays Reggae music that you can't help move your body too from time to time! What we ordered:
Crazy Roll - Crab, Spicy Tuna, Cucumber, Avocado, Eel Sauce, Orange Sauce 10.00
Marilyn Mon Roll - Shrimp Tempura, Avocado, Cucumber, Spicy tuna, Crunchy, Orange & Eel Sauce  10.75
Poison Ivy - Spicy Tuna, Avocado, Fresh Shrimp, Cream Cheese, Jalapenos, Salt & Pepper, Baked   11.25
Snow White Roll - Cali Roll, Red Snapper, White Sauce, Eel Sauce
Cheescake Martini - 8.00
Our Waitress was also the bartender but she did a good job of keeping up with us especially since there was a rush of a crowd that came in. Â The martini was a little strong so be prepared if you don't like them to stiff watch out haha! I had to add a little bit more juice to mine :) Overall great spot! Might jsut be one of the best in the area!
Be sure to check in you will receive FREE Edamame!
The sushi here is amazing and fresh and they have a good variety. Service was surprisingly fast considering the amount of staff they had (our waitress was also the hostess and bartender when we dined in).
I have ordered out from here a few times and the sushi is just as fresh when I get it home.
The atmosphere is very nice, red colors, great lounge, even has pillows for some of the areas. Indoor and outdoor dining, and the night we went on a Saturday they had a DJ playing reggae music and the place got crowded and lively. A great hangout spot for excellent sushi.
I belong to a "Sushi Lovers Group" and we travel to sushi restaurants all over the valley. Nakama is a favorite with the group and we visit as a group at least once a month. Fantastic food, a great Happy Hour, and the service (even with a large group) is always top notch. Highly Recommended! Â
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.meetup.com%2Fsushilicious&s=adf4fd46dac69c08411c8e7dc07ab713aa4ebf723322d7029e9acbc31a41fa19" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.meetup.com/su…</a>
My husband and I usually go to Tomo  Sushi, across the parking lot from here but they don't have happy hour on Sundays so we decided to check out Nakama instead.
We were disappointed. The service was decent but the sushi was just not that good. The cali rolls were too mayonnaisey. The tuna rolls tasted off and the yellowtail rolls were very dry. The Miso was good though.
The decor also looks very cheap and the floors are FILTHY. I don't think they ever clean them.
I just don't get how they can stay in business with a place as amazing as Tomo not 500 feet away.
Their Happy Hour $4 spicy tuna rolls are the size of my fists= HUGE. Worth going to for their happy hour alone...
Like any other restaurant in Arizona, Nakama sits in an indiscreet shopping center surrounded by your typical Kohl's and Walmart's, albeit it's right off McDowell Road so you can't miss it. Happy Hour goes from 4-7, which includes cheap drinks and did I mention some massively amazing cheap sushi rolls?
We had a feast= 2 beers X $2.50/ea, edamame $5 (huge portion, so that makes up for the slightly above avg price), 2 spicy tuna rolls $4/ea, 1 yellowtail roll $2, sashimi salad $10, chirashi $14 (sashimi salad/chirashi not on happy hour).
Service is slightly slow, so be sure to order some appetizers/booze while you're waiting. Ambiance is chill, club music pumping; don't know if it's my sushi music of choice but who can complain for the cheap rolls?
Stamp of approval!
As you pull up and park Nakama is inviting! The decor was original and comfortable/relaxing. They have multiple settings to choose from, a Metro Bar to a all inclusive Sushi Bar. Along with you normal family style seating, inside and out on the patio, Nakama is just a great setting that fits the GoodYear area Very Well!.
Now I'm by no means Sushi Expert,but Nakama's is right on par with the culture and finesse required, I think, to grab the Sushi lover's taste buds! My first choice was one I thought I was familiar with, a Rock-n-Roll! Well I've never seen it done any other way...... Until I tried it tonite. Rapped in a cucumber peal !!! Yes I was a'little concerned to, but let me reassure you it was good. From there the waiter recommended the nite's happy hour special....... the name I can't remember. BUT the food I can and will continue to enjoy every chance I get !
This is about the 3rd or 4th sushi place I have ever eaten at. I must say its very high quality, and they have an excellent selection to choose from. I was spoiled from the get go since my first sushi encounter was in Hawaii so I havent quite found anything that ranks up there, but this place comes pretty close!
The amotosphere is very laid back, lots of young servers, and I was suprised not to see one japanese person working as a server or at the sushi bar. Not that its a bad thing, but usually thats what is the norm anyways it seems.
We had the rainbow roll, las vegas roll, and philly roll, as well as a salmon and yellow fin nigiri. IT was all fantastic! If you dont like sushi, dont worry they have a full menu from noodles to steaks. So even if someone in your party isnt a fan, you can still go and enjoy their great sushi!
My complaints: I would have given this place all 5's, but our waitress was under 21 and had no idea about sakes, and another waiter we asked a question about had no idea about the sushi. (He did state he was new and still learning himself)
There was a birthday party going on over in the corner and they were having a fun training class on making rolls, and cutting fish. I also saw on the menu that they are going to start having sushi and sake lessons, as well as some kind of speed dating thing as well. Over all it was a very young crowd, and it was packed. I think thats a very good sign of any restaurant on a Saturday night! We definately will be visiting again!
This is now my favorite sushi place in the West Valley. Â I looked at several reviews (thank you yelp!!) Â to find good sushi after going to that aweful place in Westgate. Â What really caught my attention on their website was their happy hour. Â Not only do they have a variety of nigiri, plain rolls, and special rolls... They also have $5 appetizers and beer specials.
The sushi was great and tasty. Â Service was decent, but they seemed somewhat aloof. Â But what do I care? Â I just found a restaurant to add to my regular list. Â =D
Oh and btw, I'm giving it 4 stars because it's not one of the best sushi places I've been to, but it's definitely great for West Valley.
Boy this started out poorly, I was really getting worried but in the end I'm glad we stuck with it.  Being out at the only Suzuki dealer within 120 miles that can do warranty work  meant forgoing our favorite place, Zen Sushi, in favour of Nakama. Â
After entering, Â 8pm on Friday, we met a rather confused greeter. No drinks menu, no sushi menu nor utensils, yeah we had to request the existence of ALL these, thankfully Mike,the waiter, was on the ball and things got a lot better from here on in.
Thai Basil Udon - Udon with tomato and  basil  in a blazing sweet chili sauce with chicken was  pretty good, the sashimi  and sushi were better than average for the  are (E.G, Phoenix metro  not Avondale)  and it's not going to break the bank.
The pomegranite soyu was great  and well worth trying out.This was a recommendation from the waiter , though I think the bar tender was strong-arming him into making it;), which was a really good idea. Sadly they had ran out of Sapporo 12oz  , so it was a soft drink kind of evening from there on.
Nice surroundings, not too crazy on  a Friday night and certainly worth another visit when in the area but  I wouldn't drive by Zen sushi, Hot wasabi or Tokyo lobby to get there
Been here a couple of times now. Â I love the sushi! Â It's nice to have a nice sushi place on this side of town, a non-chain! Â
However the first time I went, my husband who is a non-sushi eater, ordered a cooked meal it came about 10 minutes after I finished my sushi! Â Also the watress was very rude.
The second time we all ordered sushi so the timing wasn't off, but the service still sucked. Â I will ofcourse continue to go because I love sushi and it's like 5 minutes away. Â Also they deliver with <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fyoubuyandwefly.com&s=f0bd8d1db8fbabf828072808089423a92bc5603c2e9efeb7fdb2ed272d6e01d7" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://youbuyandwefly.com</a>, so you can't beat that!
Alright far, far West-siders. Â It's your lucky day because I have a treat for you! Â Wait for it...
Good sushi in Goodyear and it's not another chain restaurant!!
No, you're not hallucinating. Â Yes, you heard me correctly. Â I didn't think it would happen, but it did.
Here's the skinny...
Nakama is the latest and greatest raw fish development West of the 101 and North of the 10. Â It's in the Lowe's parking lot and decorated red and black with tables, booths, and a sushi bar. Â They offer both sushi and an "Asian Fusion" menu. Â I tried a little from both and although it's nice to have other options for non-sushi dining pals, they fell a little short with the Asian fusion menu.
We started off with the Pan Asian Chicken & Vegetable Lettuce Wraps. Â The chunks of chicken were good and well sized with lots of veggies to accompany, but the dish was really, really bland. Â My husband had the Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box and was not impressed. Â The teriyaki and salad weren't that great and the gyoza was only so-so. Â It also comes with an entire California roll and a sushi - the latter he sub'd for more gyoza. Â Not liking seafood, it wasn't for him and he would have rather had more teriyaki (had it been good). Â I tackled the sushi menu and ended up with the spicy tuna roll and eel cucumber roll. Â Both were delicious - especially the eel cucumber!
The service was really good and the portions were good for the price. Â They have happy hour Mon-Sat 4-7 and 10-close and all day on Sunday which includes $5 starters, $2.25 domestic drafts, and $5.50 sake bombs. Â The only bummer is that there isn't actually any sushi on their happy hour menu.
So, let's review: Â hit up the happy hour, order up some sushi, and skip the Asian fusion. Â It's overrated anyway. Â You know what's not overrated? Â A new non-chain restaurant in the far, far West valley.
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