Camon Japanese Restaurant

Dined here on a Friday night, being slightly over organized at times I made reservations for two at 7:30, I arrived around 6:45 to find the restaurant… empty. Needless to say, no reservations required! I was planning to sit at the bar and wait for my husband to arrive but there is no actual bar where one could just get drinks and relax, there is a sushi bar however that sits right in front of the chefs.
I ordered a glass of wine that could not have been more than a 3−4oz pour, slightly disappointing. We started with the house salad and miso soup, both were delicious. We then ordered a spicy tuna roll, spicy shrimp crunch and a candy roll. All of these were great! The spicy tuna had a lot more rice then I prefer, and really wasn’t that spicy in my opinion. My favorite was the candy roll, the fresh tuna on top was excellent and super fresh.
We also received a complimentary roll to start, I believe it was a spicy crab crunch? We really enjoyed it.
All in all this place is a must try for sushi lovers, the service was quick and good, the sushi is super fresh and it was even a little romantic with the low lighting and relaxing environment. This place really is a little hidden gem in Columbia, its location is not great, but there is ample street parking surrounding it. It’s located on the corner and the sign «Camon Sushi Bar» is in neon yellow writing.
Beware, they do not have yum yum sauce here! :(

If you are looking for the best sushi for a reasonable price then look no further. This place is not much for atmosphere but it is charming in its own way. Highly recommended. Great saki. Not as crowded as other sushi restaurants on Gervais St.

Camon is a very traditional Japanese restaurant, and one of the best in Columbia.
Everytime I have gone here, I pretty much stick to the sushi, but my mother has gotten the Sukiyaki and absolutely loved it. When I go I always get a handroll, the man who makes it a the sushi bar really takes his time to make sure it is perfect. The Camon III is also very tasty and very different compared to other specialty rolls that you can get at other sushi restaurants. Their nigiri has always been fresh (you can just tell when you taste it), with the honeymoon roll being my favorite.
The décor in the restaurant is very traditional and quiet, and the waitstaff is very courteous and knowledgeable about the food that is served.

Picked up takeout from here for the first time and was very disappointed. We both got the early special teriyaki chicken. When we got home we found we weren’t given any rice, but the worst thing was the chicken. We each took one bite and no more, it was tasteless and rubbery. It was the worst teriyaki I’ve ever had, and the veggie and fruit sides looked like they came from a school cafeteria. Thankfully the sushi rolls and gyoza were good, but I don’t plan on going back.

So, I would give this place a three outside of Columbia, but given the choices available, it’s closer to a four here.
The atmosphere is great.
The sushi is ok, but fairly bland. The rice isn’t flavored well with vinegar. The rice/​filling ratio is too high. And the spicy crunchy rolls (a house special) are far from spicy.
All-​in-​all, it’s ok sushi, but not as good as the premium price would indicate.

Went here the other night with my girlfriend on a date. It is such a lovely quaint restaurant. The sushi was amazing and very flavorful. They gyozas were delicious. They even gave us some extra sushi on the house. The food was extremely good, the service was wonderful, and the atmosphere was perfect for a date.

My boyfriend and I went here on a date a couple months ago and we had a really nice time! The fish was really fresh and therefore the sashimi melted in your mouth. They gave us some sushi to sample on the house, and while the portions are somewhat small, it’s pretty standard for a japanese restaurant. We left feeling very satisfied, and while we felt we didn’t eat until we were full, we enjoyed the variety of items we tried (we shared the sashimi dinner for two). I would definitely come back to this place, most likely for a nice date.

Best Sushi in Columbia. This is a very traditional Japanese restaurant, it’s not flashy or lively like most of the other sushi places downtown and they don’t cover everything in mayonnaise (though I admit that makes everything taste better). Instead it’s quiet and subtle.
The prices are very reasonable and the service is very friendly.

This is where you should get your sushi in Columbia. Always fresh, friendly staff, and chill atmosphere! Go Camon!

I came here with friends for prom dinner. The atmosphere is really nice and the whole place has a nice feel to it. When we were seated a waitress immediately came to greet us, however, she did not let us place individual drink orders instead she brought us all waters. We ordered the special where you’re supposed to get two appetizers (sashimi or tempura), two entrees, and two desserts. After we received our salads and appetizers, we waited approximately 30 – 45 minutes just to get our entrees. When we finally finished eating our food (that was excessively bland might I add), our server rarely came by and we didn’t get to eat desert because we were already late to our prom.
I suppose our food could have been better if our group was smaller, however, the restaurant should not have sacrificed their quality just because we had a large group.
All in all, do not expect good food or service from here if you have a large group and a set time to be somewhere.

Great restaurant with great tasting food at fair prices. Service is good and the sushi is fresh. We got the sashimi combination and it did not disappoint. Sukiyaki was excellent and I would recommend it to anyone as well. If you are looking for a Japanese restaurant in the area, look no further.

Haven’t had great quality, scrumptious sashimi since leaving NYC. Experience was authentic, customer service was top notch and the food outstanding. My family and I ate until stuffed. Wasn’t inexpensive but it was worth the splurge. We’ll be back!

This is my favorite sushi restaurant almost anywhere in the non-​NYC and non-​west coast U.S. I understand it was one of the (if not the) first in Columbia, and its quality is consistently excellent. The Nigiri/​Sashimi sampler is great, and my favorite (Sake/​Salmon) is made with excellent quality fish. The owner is incredibly kind and hospitable, and has even gifted my party a roll from time to time. I recommend the Camon 2, Camon 3, Red Dragon, and many others. This is a must-​try restaurant in Columbia.

Moving from NYC where there are so many great Japanese restaurants, I would say Camon doesn’t let me down. Big fan for Sashimi and Sushi? Camon is the best place for sushi in Columbia and even better than most Japanese restaurants in Charlotte area. The price is reasonable ($ 22 for a big sushi combination includes six nigiri with different fish on top, three thick salmon, three thick tuna, three white fish, sushi rolls, and a house salad or miso soup). I came here with my boyfriend and the combination was totally enough for two people. I would suggest to order sushi or sashimi only ’cause other options such as teriyaki are a little bit pricey (they taste good though).
Btw, 10% discount with student ID!!!

came here for sushi because the reviews I had read said it was a fairly decent place. Coming from NYC where there are so many great sushi places, I had my standards set a bit lower than I’m used to. However, Camon fell even further than my already lowered expectations. I ordered the edamame for an appetizer which seemed to have been cooked too long and resulted in the skin falling apart as I was trying to get the beans out. Overall, next time I’m in the area, I don’t plan on coming back here.

We went back again a couple weeks ago and it’s still absolutely amazing. I honestly think it’s the best sushi I’ve ever had anywhere… Japan included! They accidentally gave me salmon nigiri instead of mackerel. I asked if I had marked the wrong thing and the chef promptly gave me two pieces of mackerel nigiri and let me keep the salmon too.

I came here for the happy hour menu. My boyfriend and I ordered the chicken teriyaki set. The happy hour price was $ 12.00 which came with two fried gyoza, three California rolls, miso soup and rice. The usual price was about $ 17.00 so it would be best if you went before 6pm.
The sushi chef was Japanese and the restaurant had a very traditional feel to it, and kind of made me feel like at home. All the waiters were very kind and the restaurant is quite small so there’s no need for you to wait to get the waiters attention. The waiter would come and check if we needed water like almost every minute.
The place was family friendly, and a lot of the customers were regulars. People knew the menu and they knew the chef. It was a very warm atmosphere. The food was also great. I really loved their hamachi which I ordered separately from the chicken teriyaki set. Too bad they didn’t have my favorite sushi Toro, but the salmon made up for it. I would definitely come back and try their appetizers and other dinner meals.

I was introduced to Japanese cuisine many years ago at this place. There was an articulate and informative fellow helping his parents (I believe) behind the bar who helped me make sense of it all. And of course I thought the wasabi served with my first entry-​level vegi roll was guacamole. I quickly moved up to Sashimi. I recently visited this place again. Coming from California I thought my perception of it would change having trained my palate a little better. But the food was just awesome. I wish they could come over to CA.

I must have gone past this place dozens of times and never knew there was a sushi place there. It was great. They had everything I wanted and the ingredients were fresh. Prices were reasonable too. Service was great!

The only reason I’m not giving his 5 stars is because I’m a spoiled brat who’s been very fortunate to have truly outstanding sushi in other parts of the country.
But this place is the best in town for traditional Japanese sushi.
The menu is simple and unassuming compared to most fusion-​style restaurants and the quality is excellent.
The décor is painfully reminiscent to some of my favorite places who take as much pride in providing traditional food and atmosphere.