We have been Sushi Gawa fans since it first opened. It is one of my favorite restaurants anywhere, and I LOVE me some sushi!
I think the divide in Sushi Gawa/ Happy Fish fans comes to this: if you like your sushi with lots of mayonnaise and 5 or 6 ingredients to the roll, you'll love Happy Fish. If you prefer the cleaner, more authentic taste of simpler sushi combinations, you'll be a Sushi Gawa fan. Â I definitely fall into the latter category, and Sushi Gawa does it right.
Sushi Gawa is definitely the best sushi in Peoria. Â That's not saying much, though, and the price matches the higher quality. Â I really appreciate that they have some less common sushi options, such as inari and uni, and when I'm on an unagi kick, they have a generously sized unadon.
All of the people complaining about the huge rolls apparently aren't familiar with the concept of futomaki - they're supposed to be that way. Â Temaki would probably blow some minds in this town...
After the remodeling, this place is pretty nice. The rolls are good. For those that want a lot of food for the money, this place is good. They don't skimp on the fish but it's not that fresh (which isn't really that bad considering Peoria is landlocked). The Crazy Roll is a giant roll (can't be eaten in one bite) and contains a bunch of random fish, and is ok in my opinion. Service is actually pretty good. As far as I'm concerned, this place is the best sushi there is in Peoria, which isn't really saying much considering the caliber of restaurants in this town.
Review Source:It was a scene after a tornado hit. 5 of us looking around at what just happened to our table. Â 15 minutes before, 7 rolls arrived at our table. Now, there was smeared wasabi, and a plate of fallen crunchies. Â I don't think any of us even looked up. We went to town on these rolls. The Tataki maki and Tokyo maki are must trys! I was shocked by the taste and presentation, especially in the small town of Peoria, Il. The tuna was bright red and the eel melted in your mouth. I can't wait to return for more!!
Review Source:Meh. I've experienced better.
Second time we have been to Sushi Gawa. I can now say with confidence we prefer Happy Fish. Sushi Gawa is a little more expensive, which is not a problem, other than the fact that we enjoy it less.
I had the Chicken Teriyaki, first time I ordered non-sushi in a Sushi restaurant, but I tried some of my girlfriend's sushi. We both found it bland, as was the Terkiyaki. Also, the rolls seemed unusually large (large in diameter, just noticed another Yelper commented on how large the rolls are), which made eating them cumbersome.
On the bright side, I do think their Miso soup is better than Happy Fish's, but Happy Fish gives it to you for free, while Gawa charges.
It isn't bad, but I prefer Happy Fish. Try, then decide for yourself.
Okay, I'm a "Happy Fish" girl, but I figured I had to try Sushi Gawa, since many say it is one of the best places to get sushi in Peoria. To me, the sushi is on par with what you get at Happy Fish, though I found the rolls a little difficult to eat because they're so big! You know what I'm talking about..."bite size" pieces that are about as bite sized as sticking an entire cheeseburger in your mouth in one fell swoop. Even so, it was worth the extra effort since the rolls are very tasty!
For me, what makes Sushi Gawa "special" is the fact that they offer some Japanese menu items to break up the sushi palette. I LOVED that they had a bento box combination plate offering, so I did not have to commit to just a sushi roll for dinner. Instead, I could mix it up with some yummy salad and ginger dressing, white rice, beef teriyaki, vegetables, sushi and California roll. I really enjoyed the variety!
The new location is nice, though the tables are a little too close to each other for my taste. I could hear every word of the conversation of the couple at the table next to us, and I just didn't feel comfortable talking intimately with my husband with other Sushi Gawa guests sitting practically on my lap. Other than that though, Sushi Gawa is definitely solid. Still, for the most part, I crave my Happy Fish more often!
Very happy to have Sushi Gawa back after the remodel. The new space is roomy, modern and its great to see the friendly staff again. Â It is by far the best place for sushi in Peoria
So why not 5 stars? Sorry chefs, I just can't do it.
When I ask the waitress to recommend something new, I expect something new. Not a california roll with something different on top (I'm talking to you, Green Fields).
And here's the thing that really gets me: the consistency of the sushi is amazing. I firmly believe the chefs have all the skills and talent necessary - so mix it up, Gawa. Let's see what you can do.
Nice uni tonight -- fresh and sweet, firm-textured
Went at 5pm, just after it opened for dinner. Â It's a quick ride up I-74 from downtown Peoria.
We had several nigiri sushi and shrimp tempura roll. Agedashi tofu - they have the sauce on the side now, no sogginess. Â Potato korokke.
Green tea, miso soup. Â
New location next to Guitar Center. Â Beautiful decor with browns and tans, natural materials, potted orchids in bloom. Â Very clean, attractive, with pleasant & competent wait staff.
Okay, just gotta get this off my chest:
$6.25. FOR TWO PIECES OF MOCHI ICE CREAM. SIX DOLLARS AND TWENTY FIVE CENTS. SERIOUSLY.
Don't get me wrong, mochi ice cream is criminally expensive if you buy it from the grocery store, but that is INSANE. Other than that, though, prices here are pretty darn nice. Not cheap, but completely reasonable.
Sushi definitely seems to be the strong point here. The only thing we ordered off the kitchen menu was agedashi tofu, which is honestly a flawed dish in its design, but this was one of the worst examples. I don't know if it just sat too long in its sauce before it got to us, but the breading was sodden and falling off the tofu by the time we got to eat it, and it was hard to even pick the pieces up. On the plus side, though, there was a LOT of tofu in this dish. Almost all of the sushi, though, was very well executed. Tight, solid, balanced rolls with good flavor. Our favorite was the Hawaiian roll - basically a California with thinly sliced mango, some eel sauce (I think) and another sauce, and nori sprinkles on top. VERY tasty. The weakest roll was the spider roll. Unlike at Osaka, the price:food ratio was great, but the roll itself was a disaster. The spider roll seems to be one of those rolls sushi chefs sometimes like to make as fat as possible, to the point of being virtually inedible. One slice of maki = one bite, amirite? Not this roll. The inside slices could not be eaten in less than two, and the overflowing end slices were at least four. Naturally, the roll fell apart when we started trying to take bites out of it. My husband ended up eating it like more of a "spider roll salad." They should just make this a longer, thinner roll, cut into more pieces.
The service was friendly, but slow at times (the restaurant was full, but I saw at least four servers on the floor), though the sushi was pretty quick to come out. Overall, this is probably the best sushi in Peoria (as I'd heard, but this was my first visit), and we'll be back, but we probably won't order anything but sushi.
AND CERTAINLY NOT THE DAMN $6.25 TWO PIECES OF MOCHI.
Ready to head back to AZ, but a few hours early for my flight I sought out somewhere new to eat in Peoria. Â Yelp brought me to Sushi Gawa. Â I am by far a sushi expert, but I found their sushi to be fresh, their staff friendly, and the atmosphere pleasing. Â I would have liked to have had a bar to sit at (being by myself) but otherwise was very happy with the meal.
Review Source:Our favorite restaurant in Peoria. We go there regularly. Great sushi that matches any restaurant in Chicago. We always order their miso soup and the salad with their special dressing. Only restaurant with uni (sea urchin eggs) sushi from time to time available in Central IL. Love their Crazy roll, in fact, all of their rolls are great. Teriyaki and other cooked dishes available for those guests who do not eat raw fish.
Review Source:The best sushi in Central Illinois. I'd put it on par with a number of good sushi restaurants in Chicago. The only real difference is that their menu isn't as large as a big city sushi restaurant.
I'm fond of the Tataki Maki. It's got a nice zing to it. The dragon roll is also very good.
For the non sushi folks they have good tempura and I'm told their terriaki is good as well.
Service is good all of the time with friendly wait staff. Food comes out quickly and the presentation is good. The atmosphere is also nice with a more minimalist (Japanese looking) theme. The restaurant is on the smaller side so if you go on a Friday or Saturday night be prepared to wait.
The restaurant is family friendly with Japanese soda for the kids and chopstick helpers. The only warning is not to go expecting to feed the kids mac and cheese, chicken strips, hotdogs or burgers. They don't have them.
Finally... go for lunch! It's quick and a good meal for the price as long as you don't go crazy on the maki and nigiri. My only complaint for lunch is they open at 11:30 and wish it would be 11.
It definitely isn't the BEST sushi I've had but it comes very close. I've never actually eaten at the restaurant, I've only carried out, but the staff is incredibly friendly when you walk in the door.
The sushi is pretty fresh and priced rather reasonably.
I do have to say that I ordered the soft shell crab appetizer and when I got home, only about a 10 min drive, it wasn't what I expected. I love soft shell crab and it is usually prepared lightly battered and deep fried...when I got home to eat it, to my surprise the batter was much heavier and the crab was harder than normal. I do plan to order it again but only if I decide to dine in.
Hands down the best sushi I have ever had. I never ate sushi until I met my now-fiance', and since then we have tried numerous places in neighboring cities and states. We have yet to find something better, and we are even going on Monday to clear our palates from the mediocre sushi at Happy Fish in Campustown. We live in West Peoria, but are willing to drive a bit further to Sushigawa, as it is far superior to anything else in Peoria and beyond. The service is amazing, the atmosphere is enjoyable, and it is impeccably clean. Ten out of five stars!
Review Source:Consistent good Sushi and excellent decor. Â Of all the places in Peoria this is one of the best regardless of cuisine. Â If you go during the dinner hour don't be surprised if you have to wait. Â Like someone else mentioned - it's priced on the high side. Â And for the purists, of course you can do better, but not around here.
Review Source:Date I ate: Â 9/23/09
First time I've tried sushi in Peoria and it was pleasant. I may try a couple other places in town, but most likely I've found my sushi spot for whenever I'm passing through.
Sushi Gawa is located in one of the new shopping plaza's with several chain and quick in-n-out restaurants. In fact, it looks a little like a fast-food joint on the inside - basic seating, bright lighting, and few Asian decorations thrown in for good measure. Probably not the place you want to take someone on a first date.
All that being said, if you wanna get a quick, tasty, filling sushi fix for a good price, this is the place for you. I ordered the Spider Roll ($6.95) and the Fried California ($5.50). Both tasted very good though the Spider Roll was a little skimpy on spider. The Fried California was composed of those perfect, bite-sized pieces, but the Spider was made up of those pieces that are either two-bite or "please don't look at me while I shove this in my mouth" size. I like those kind of rolls, but they can also be a little annoying. This one was put together well enough that it didn't fall apart too badly when I battled to put it in my mouth.
The service was nice and quick and the restaurant was very clean.
I'll definitely be back!
Surprisingly unexpected for a small city. Â I had ordered takeout so I can't comment on the ambiance, but my good experience began with a phone call asking for the menu. Â I asked for them to fax me the menu so that I can place an order and it arrived within minutes. Â
The menu was complete with the basics including sea urchin and white tuna. Â I noticed they did not have grilled hamachi collar or fatty tuna, but that's okay. Â I ordered some nigiri, a couple rolls, and a mixed tempura.
The nigiri were well-made and the pieces were of decent quality, cut, and freshness. Â The tempura was good---the batter was just right and held their crunchiness even though it was take-out. Â And the rolls were tasty. Â
The prices were on the pricier-side but appropriate given the limited market. Â Will go back again.
I had a sushi craving during lunch one day, and I was just happy to know Peoria provided more than one option (unlike Indian food). When you've got a craving and need a fix - something is better than nothing. Sushi Gawa was the place where I tried to satisfy my tongue.
I got the lunch special. A miso soup followed by a California roll with an assortment of five sushi pieces. The service was a little slow. The soup was mediocre. The roll was big. The sushi was dry. I've had much better sushi, but I've also had worse.
Not much of a sushi guy, so I know I was probably in the wrong spot to begin with. Â But I went with a friend who also doesn't like sushi, so I didn't feel so awkward.
We split some edamame. Â Steamed well, it was a large serving for the price; a bit too much for just two people.
Teriyaki chicken was good, but far too many mushrooms included in my opinion. Â Don't know what miso soupis supposed to taste like, but I was not impressed. Â It had a bit of a pasty flavor. Â
Overall, a good experience.
Hands down my favorite Sushi in the world. Â My wife and I enjoy sushi and have had it all over the world...Sushigawa's rolls are the best. Â Even if you have not tried sushi, go and try it. Â Half the rolls are cooked and have fried shrimp in them. Â Don't be close-minded and don't knoch until you try it!!
Review Source:THE place for sushi in Peoria!
We went on a Saturday night, around 5, without reservations and were seated without reservations. We had nothing but sushi, and soup, and it was all frigging fantastic.
Restaurant is well-lit, servers are efficient and present. If you have are in Peoria, you should check it out. Prices are good, too.
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