Half-Price Sushi and Friendliness Defines Sushi You

Sushi You is the kind of place you can be ultra-comfortable in – if that doesn't sound redundant.

It’s a tiny eatery with 18 table seats and five additional at the sushi bar, and there’s been an on-going half-priced sushi special since opening day in 2007.

“We serve good food here, and Bloomfield’s a pretty good town,” says Aaron Chen, owner of Sushi You. “This is a quiet area (corner of West Passaic and Darling Avenues), and the neighbors are good.”

He then grins. “It’s better than the city.”

Chen is a Queens, New York City resident, which is where his second sushi restaurant, also named Sushi You, is located in the Bayside community. His sister Allen runs the other location, which opened in 2009.

Sushi You prides itself on serving fresh, quality sushi. Open seven days a week, Chen since inception has steered away from kitchen prepared foods like chicken and meats and made Sushi You a sushi bar-only operation. The business is one half dining room, the other take out and delivery.

“We’re small,” he says, “so it’s appropriate.” And Sushi You has survived the recession. “It’s been very good. The business has picked up – slowly – but it’s still going up. It hasn’t dropped.”

Bloomfield resident Melissa Sullivan works locally for The Beauty Chateau, and she’d called her boss, Beauty Chateau owner Raffaela Meola, to see if she wanted sushi for lunch. Affirmative, so she’s visiting for the first time. Her choice? The Snow Dragon roll of snow crab, asparagus topped with avocado masago. “I trust Raffaela's taste in sushi.”

There are positives to the Sushi You experience. One, sushi is a health benefit. Two, as previously stated, Sushi You offers 50% off sushi every day, and, finally, the location is perfect. Right on the Bloomfield, Clifton, Nutley line, nearby a busy intersection and bus stop (hop off and order after a long day), and there is free parking on the street and an adjacent parking lot.

Two pieces sushi orders start at $2.15, and maki and hand rolls start at $2.25. Sushi You also offers what they coin “You Special Fancy Rolls From A – Z” - and there’s almost 40 of them! - starting at $7.40. Most often ordered are the Fire Island of crab and spicy tuna crunch topped with spicy tuna and scallion, and the Snow Mountain, a crispy shrimp tempura with snow crab. Also available are a few salads and miso soup, and a host of appetizers, including the Sushi You favorite kani salad.

And there’s experience here, behind the sushi bar and in front of it. Reynaldo Plaaton is the server, and Peter Liu and Den Gao are your sushi chefs.

Sushi You is open seven days a week, and is a BYOB as well. There are tables for two and four, and family and romantic dining are both encouraged. Catering for parties of all sizes is also available.

Sushi You, 397. West Passaic Avenue, (973) 338-0899, Monday - Thursday, 11 am - 9:30 pm, Friday & Saturday, 11 am - 10:30 pm, Sunday Noon - 9:30 pm