The service was good. The sushi was very fresh and super delicious. Def a staple in san mateo downtown area! It's more of a traditional take so you will not find rolls as other sushi places! The wait is long just fyi. The place is kinda small!

Seriously some of the best sushi I've had. We got the Chef's Choice Omakase which was so incredible! Each piece of fish was truly a work of art and had the most unique flavor profile. Highly recommend sitting at the bar if you can - watching them craft these was amazing. The Dragon Roll and the Rainbow Roll were both delicious as well, but the omakase was definitely the highlight. Small place, but the service was good and food came out very fast!

I recently visited Sushi Sam's Edomata in San Mateo to celebrate a friend's birthday, and it was an unforgettable dining experience. Even though we had a reservation, we faced a slight wait due to the bustling nature of the restaurant, reflecting its popularity. Attempting to get bar seating for our group of four proved challenging given the crowd, but it was a small hiccup in an otherwise fantastic evening. The atmosphere at Sushi Sam's is vibrant yet intimate. Despite its small size and busy environment, the space is well managed, ensuring it never feels cramped. The chefs, including Sam himself, add to the lively atmosphere. They were engaging and fun, even exchanging rounds of beers with us, which added a personal touch to our celebration. The service was exceptional, particularly from Calvin, a seasoned server who expertly guided us through the seasonal menu. His detailed explanations of each fish and thoughtful travel tips for our friend's upcoming trip to Japan were highlights of our service experience. The food at Sushi Sam's is nothing short of amazing. We opted for the omakase, and every dish was a hit. The sushi boasted a perfect rice-to-fish ratio, with each piece of fish being soft, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The steamed egg was particularly memorable--earning the chef's kiss from me and being the highlight of the night. Sushi Sam's thrives on its seasonal menu, offering different experiences with each visit, which I find incredibly appealing. This dynamism, combined with stellar service and exquisite food, makes Sushi Sam's Edomata a must-visit for sushi lovers and anyone looking for a top-tier dining experience in San Mateo.

5/5 for all categories. This place was fast, high quality, and affordable. I stopped here for a quick bite before dropping off my mom at the airport and we were in and out in 20 mins. Highly recommend this spot and will return!

This is the best affordable sushi restaurant in San Mateo! The owner and workers are super friendly and their service is impeccable! The wait can get long here so I recommend coming at non-peak hours or making a reservation (especially for larger parties). Our favorites are the salmon and amaebi nigiris! Their fish is fresh and delicious! We also love ordering the caterpillar roll and tempura udon. Green tea is complimentary and it pairs perfectly with the sushi.

Busy and popular restaurant. I came right at opening and there was a line and they were full in the first 30 minutes. Inside is a typical Japanese decor. The staff are efficient in dealing with a busy restaurant. We tried a bento box, a sushi meal and a rainbow roll. Everything was fresh and delicious. I recommend the bento box so that you can get multiple items. Excellent restaurant and I can see why it's one of the best in the area.

Excellent sushi. Taking off a star just because it was impossible to get a reservation by phone - in person is the way to go. Make your next reservation while you're in the restaurant. Also they then made us wait a long time after our reservation time, 30-45 minutes, to let the other group finish. No pager system so we waited around outside in the cold and checked every few minutes. I'm not sure it was *that* good to warrant the trouble, but I would go again only if we had nothing else planned, which unfortunately was not the case for this first time, which made the whole experience very stressful. But I appreciated the staff trying their best and enjoyed the food once it finally came.

This place did not disappoint! Some of the best nigiri and quality fish I've been blessed to experience. RESERVE IS A MUST, and even then, it may not always be guaranteed. TLDR, my girlfriend and I called at least 70+ times for 3 days straight and were finally able to connect to someone. Fast forward to the meal, we were seated next to 3 tables of "friends" of the waiters and chef. There, the workers were boasting how they would cancel other people's reservations to take their friends seats. I get it. Business is business. The food speaks volumes and I would happily go again and again. But it is quite unnerving as a guest.

I love Sushi Sam's in downtown San Mateo. I came here on a Tuesday night and the place is so packed! It's a very affordable sushi place and the fish are really fresh for the price. There are also many choices of sushi and rolls to choose from but also other rice and noodle bowl options. I would give this place a solid 9 and would recommend getting their sushi rolls and nigiris

It is definitely good price to value sushi in the Bay but maybe I had too many sushi it didn't WOW me. The fish was very fresh and the slices were very thick. Favorite was probably the young bluefin tuna and the fried calamari. Unfortunately our server messed up a bit - we had ordered three additional things but one they forgot to put in, one they forgot to make and the other was never written down. It was fine because we were full anyway and they were generous gave us a free dessert!