Syun Izakaya - Hillsboro, Oregon

Ahhh, sushi. If you know, you know.

I know there are people that don’t like fish, let alone raw fish. But I think the world would be a better place if we all ate sushi. And if we didn’t all treat each other like shit. But mostly sushi.

I stumbled onto this place a handful of years ago. It’s not like it’s a hidden gem or anything like that, but you could walk past the place and not necessarily know that it’s a restaurant. Or at least, not if you’re me and don’t pay attention to any signage. I sometimes feel like a toddler navigating the world with a blindfold on.

When you walk into the restaurant, it feels very similar to the sorts of places you’d visit in Japan. The sushi bar is immediately to your left, and the decorations, layout, style, wood, Japanese art, sake, all of it makes you feel like you’ve sat down in one of the many sushi bars you’d find in Tokyo.

The staff is always efficient and friendly, if perhaps a bit harried and running behind because of how busy the place tends to get.

I generally order their lunch special, which is a choice of two rolls from a list of five or six. I usually love a good, simple tuna roll, or if I’m feeling especially American and fat, I’ll go for the Philadelphia roll.

There’s not much to say in review to sushi, because if you’ve never had it, it won’t make any sense to you. And if you have had it, you’ll know what the food here tastes like. It’s fresh, it’s delicious, and it’s worth the visit from some of the outlying areas.

If you come by, I recommend trying out their Omakase roll, too. It’s a sort of chef’s choice roll where they throw together something. Sometimes it’s a bit of a miss, but other times it’s a home run—either way it’s worth the risk, especially if you’re not familiar with sushi.

The Portland Critic Verdict

Cost: 6/10 thumbs up. For sushi, this place is on the expensive side. I’m not saying that you can find a cheaper place that does better or anything like that, but I don’t want to gloss over the fact that sushi is goddamn expensive.

Taste: 9/10 thumbs up. Fresh. Delicious. Crafted with care. Almost nothing trying to crawl off your plate.

Staff: 8/10 thumbs up. The staff is always kind and fast and efficient. Occasionally, when they’re slammed and just trying to keep up, they might be on the terse side. But don’t let that dissuade you.

Ease: 9/10 thumbs up. No parking lot, but tons of street parking. It’s Hillsboro, so you don’t really have to worry about trying to find a spot.

If you’d like to go check them out, I encourage you to do so:

Syun Izakaya
209 NE Lincoln St
Hillsboro, OR 97124

https://www.syunhillsboro.com/