As a sushi lover, it seemed only natural for me to take the 20 minute drive from Iowa City to the new and critically acclaimed (via friends) Sushiya in North Liberty. With my fair share of sushi disappointments, I was prepared for the worst with the new sushi restaurant, but expected the best–a quick search on Yelp got my hopes up and, thankfully, I was not disappointed.

The restaurant opened on Aug. 19 on Community Drive, in the newly developed area of North Liberty near Molly’s Cupcakes, Catered by Charlotte and Panchero’s . The decor was clean, and although small, was not overly-crowded. The menus were updated and clean and impressed me at first glance–they offered everything from sashimi to chicken teriyaki along with a variety of rolls. After a look, it was clear that the wide variety makes it easy for even the largest sushi opposers to eat at this restaurant.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by a very enthusiastic man who was happy to show me to my table; the staff seemed to genuinely care that each customer had a great experience and you can really tell they are proud of the restaurant. My waitress was polite and courteous while confident and answered all my questions about the menu and restaurant.

As it was lunch time, I ordered the sashimi bento box which included salmon, white tuna, red tuna, a California roll, salad and edamame. The food arrived quickly  immediately following our drinks. The sashimi was thickly cut and there was a fair portion of the roll. All was delicious, and only for 10.50, an affordable price for sushi.

I was overall very impressed by my time at Sushiya and would recommend it to anyone wanting to eat some delicious and affordable Japanese food in a friendly environment–and c’mon, who wouldn’t want that?