Fuki Sushi

I’m a huge sushi and fish lover, and my first foray into the world of raw fish took place at Fuki Sushi in River Edge, NJ about ten years ago. At the time, I was really impressed with the overall offerings of this small, local restaurant. Their Spider Roll was really large and the crab was tasty and tender. Ten years later and craving some tuna rolls, I headed back to this eatery that was once my favorite. My recent trip to Fuki Sushi was not as successful as my previous experiences…and here is why:

Fuki Sushi is a cozy, quaint establishment that opens at 11AM for lunch. I arrived at noon to find the premises empty of any patrons—not a good sign for a place that used to be packed for lunch. Yet, this could have been a fluke, I thought, so I perused the large menu to find something to eat. If you order rolls a la carte—such as my favorite “mundane” tuna roll, be prepared to pay five dollars each. I decided to go with one of their lunch specials, which included two tuna rolls. I elected to have one regular tuna, and one spicy tuna, plus two pieces of mackerel sashimi. Now, the woman at the counter explained that the lunch special is $8.95, and I would have to pay $1.00 extra for the spicy tuna roll. No problem, I said, thinking that a splurge on lunch once in awhile is OK. Needless to say, I ended up paying a WHOPPING $20 for lunch. I signed the receipt and only later did I realize that there must have been some calculation error on their part. How much were the two pieces of sashimi? It’s still a mystery—and frankly, it is too costly of a mystery for me to return to this place for lunch.

Once I returned to work with my food, I found that the soup that accompanied my lunch had spilled all over the bottom of the bag, soaking the napkin. Grrr. Then, when I opened my insanely-priced lunch meal, I discovered the heinous crime—NO MACKEREL sashimi…instead, I got two pieces of tuna sashimi. I was sad and dismayed! I was the only person in the restaurant; how could Fuki Sushi have screwed up this one order so badly?

On the flip side, the fish was fresh—the rolls were quite small, but the two pieces of tuna were a decent size. I did enjoy the taste. The salad was a hunk of iceberg lettuce with a watered-down dressing. The soup had a bold flavor and was a nice warm counterpart to the cold rolls.

Fuki Sushi does sell fresh fish, and the ambiance in the small restaurant is inviting—if you appreciate a restaurant with about four tables and the sushi bar. Fuki Sushi offers a frequent diner meal card—buy seven meals over $30 each and get 20% off of your next meal. Diners used 20% off coupons adorn the walls and table where patrons pay for their meals—there are likely a hundred of them “decorating” the walls. It is evident that Fuki Sushi is a popular spot—just not when I went there for lunch. Also, there are no other sushi spots in the local area, so Fuki Sushi fills a niche and perhaps that is why their fish and meals are so highly priced.

If you are in the area and value your hard-earned dollar, drive past Fuki Sushi for another Japanese eatery. If you don’t care about high prices, and are looking for a friendly, small atmosphere in which to relax, eat fresh fish, and watch $20 float away on the ether, then Fuki Sushi is definitely for you. The fish is tasty and fresh, but clearly is overpriced.

I don’t know how they do it, but this place has the best sushi around. Specifically their special rolls. I recommend the Spicy Crunch, Banzai, and Red Dragon rolls, although, I have about 10 other favorites from Fuki as well. There is seating for about 6-7 tables as well as a small bar area. Friendly environment, where regulars are known by first-name. BYOB. Also, if you like your wasabi extra spicy, as I do, this place will make you sweat.

The food was good but horrible service. It took an hour to deliver to the next town over and the delivery people were horribly rude. Apparently, tipping 20% isn’t good enough for them. If you like getting yelled at when you order food, Fuki is perfect for you.

Fuki Sushi has had a few owners while it been around but as of right now it is the best it’s ever been. The service is excellent, the chef is extremely friendly and talented, and the fish is so fresh. The atmosphere is also great; Diana Krall or other jazz in the background while you are eating makes your dining experience even more intimate. Definitely go and experience one of the best places for sushi either with a group of people, your girlfriend or boyfriend or even dining solo. (They have seating at the bar as well as tables.)

I used to agree with one of the reviewers about the service — it was pretty bad. But, then I had a craving today and needed a sushi fix! When I walked in…smiles all around! New people! I got people greeting me, service was definitely top notch and they were attentive to every detail: clearing plates, making sure my green tea was full before I finished it and even adding appropriate banter when the mood was right. I was truly impressed. Whether to listen to the chef’s choice in Jazz (usually Etta St. James or Micheal Buble) or to watch some sports (don’t worry, volume was low with captioning — today was golf) I just felt at home. Quality food without all the precociousness that comes with an upscale restaurant. I couldn’t have had a better experience. The chef had a friendly demeanor an the prices were reasonable.

I ordered ramen, and negimaki from this place. they’re not real japanese they’re koreans, the ramen was store bought nissin top ramen, or an inferior brand with a homemade soup that was unimpressive and the negimaki was disgusting, try a real japanese place like sakurabana in ridgewood.

Check out the little whole in the wall sushi spot on Kinderkamack. You won’t be disappointed, i promise. Bring some Saporo and Saki with you, for a really good night. Ask Young to create his specialties, he will deliver some of the best sushi outside of NYC. Everything is great and the environment is friendly.

I have been eating at this restaurant since the week they opened and I even was watching The Tonight Show when Jay Leno was holding up pictures of funny signs and he held up the Fuki Sushi sign!

We love this place as all the fish is extremely fresh and everyone who works there is very friendly. The spicy Tuna Roll is to die for! And You must try the Bronx Bomber!!!!!!