Hiroshi

I have been here once, about a year ago and it was fine but I was not impressed enough to write a review. However, I just read on «Portland food and drink» that they closed and it is sad. What I remember the most is that it was one of the most elegant sushi restaurants that I have ever been to. It did not deserve to pass away:(

sit at the Sushi Bar. Order the Chef’s Omakase Tasting Menu. Watch Chef Hiro present you with unique dish after dish. Prior to feeding you, he will say, «No soy sauce, trust me?»
Say yes. It’ll be one of the best dinners you’ve ever had.

I researched around a bit as this was a first date meal and I wanted it to be special. I was very much anticipating the meal at Hiroshi after reading reviews others had written. When we arrived I was a bit apprehensive about how the meal would actually be. The feeling of the place was a bit off. We sat up at the bar and ordered the «chef special» then the Sushi chef, Eric, recommend a cold Sake.
This is where the ride took off … WOW WOW WOW … from bite one it was an amazing experience. We had so much fun trying to guess what it was that he was serving us and what the flavors were. From monk fish liver, shrimp heads, little fish big flavor and a half dozen other things I just cant even remember by name… it was an amazing dining experience.
One of the most impressive statements of their greatness was when the chef from Teardrop came in and sat next to us. It seemed this was a regular place for him to dine. Then the conversation took off… I was in Foodie heaven… between two chefs on a first date with a great guy;) and eating sushi that has raised the bar forever in my mind.

I cannot believe I have not reviewed this joint yet!
2 huge points for this fine establishment. it is 1 block from my home and the best sushi I’ve had thus far in PDX. (I do have another joint on my bookmarks)
First attempt since moving to PDX we tried 2 very nearby sushi joints. Hiroshi then Shinju. We sat at the sushi bar, it’s smallish, and the chefs are fairly close to you. Nice and intimate. We asked the chef to make us whatever he wanted. We got all sorts of goodies — the usual salmon, tuna, yellotail but also all sorts of stuff I wouldn’t have known. A whole prawn, crisped with the head on. It’s been a while so I can’t recall the some 20 pieces we had.
We headed to shinju there after. NO FLIPPING COMPARISON. Frozen, flavorless fish with glorified fish filet-​ers. We didn’t spend much less there than at Hiroshi and every penny was a waste.
I’ve been back repeatedly and just let the chef guide us (the last time I had the freshest, meltiest sea urchin I’ve ever had thus far in my life. How is this possible?) Will go back anytime I have an urge for raw fish which is quite often. Also, keep in mind the cooked food, black cod, beef tongue, all divine. Prices are reasonable and the joint is spotless. AH-​MAY-​ZIIING
Must go and try the omakase!

Before you read my review of Hiroshi, you must first take a qualifying exam to determine your suitability for this type of cuisine.
EXAM
You are offered a pinkish, uncooked gelatinous blob on top of sushi rice. The Japanese name for it has no English translation and you have no idea what it actually is. The smell is reminiscent of dirty shellfish which has been fermenting unrestricted in the open sun for three days. Do you:
A) Refuse and order a California roll instead.
B) Eat it and let it saturate your palette for a few seconds before washing it down with some hot sake.
You are offered freshly prepared blowfish, which has the distinct possibility of causing a quick, agonizing death if not expertly prepared. Do you:
A) Let your friend eat it first and see if the poor sap starts convulsing uncontrollably?
B) Eat the largest, tastiest piece first because you have a portable shot of adrenaline stashed in your jacket and you are prepared to use it?
You have in your possession the very last blue fin tuna on earth. Do you:
A) Release it into the wild blue ocean and let nature take its course?
B) Fillet the poor sucker, throw a party and feast on blue fin sashimi (saving the toro for yourself)?
RESULTS
If you answered A to any of these questions, please skip this review and move onto another sushi restaurant. Otherwise, walk into Hiroshi’s, sit your unrepentant ass down at the sushi bar, throw a bill down on the counter and order omakase (chef’s choice).
REVIEW
What might your omakase experience entail? Black Sea Bream. Ahi toro. Skip jack. Raw ebi. Sea Urchin. King crab. Pacific Jack Mackerel. There is seafood here that you simply don’t find at other local sushi restaurants.
Each piece is skillfully prepared in front of you like a work of art. For example, the Sea Bream was served with a little bit of ponzu sauce and Fleur de Sel! Another nigri delicacy that I enjoyed was ahi marinated in sake and little bit of soy.
I just about fainted when I saw a chef take a torch to a piece of toro, but the taste of the fat caramelized with some special spices was unforgettable.
If you are looking for a California Roll, or some cheap b-​grade sushi served up on a conveyor belt, do yourself a favor and dine somewhere else. Otherwise, let Hiroshi take you on a culinary journey unique to Portland.

My husband and I both consider sushi to be one of our favorite foods and will go to no other place in the city than Hiroshi for guaranteed good fish. Hirosan drives out to the airport a few times a week to pick up fresh fish that he sources himself directly from Japan, unlike 99% of sushi restaurants in town that rely on one largest fish distributor in the country.
We usually go for «omakase» and have Hirosan choose the best fish and dishes for the day. We were there last week and had a very fresh, sweet uni, which is extremely difficult to come by in Portland. If you are looking for good quality fish, don’t bother with the fancied-​up, well-​marketed sushi places in town. We have tried all the hyped-​up places in the greater Portland to HIllsborough area and found none of them even close to Hiroshi.

Was it good? Yes. Was it worth $ 100 for two? No. The sushi was adequate, the rolls were ok, the appetizers were great if small. But for what we paid I expect better than adequate.
Honestly the food is quite good. It’s just overpriced.

Thank you my fellow Unilocalers. I read a review of Yakuza in the Oregonian and it sounded like a great place to try but first I felt it necessary to check with Unilocal.The reviews were not so good, not sure what was going on with the Oregonian but I put more trust in those that have to pay for their meal and don’t get special treatment. So we bailed on Yakuza and chose Hiroshi based on the Unilocal reviews.
It was really, really good. I gave it only 4 stars because of the expense ($ 14.00 for a Sapporo beer. .. a little much). Our server, Kasumi, while a little hard to understand at times was still great. Friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. I have said this before but it bears repeating. .. service makes a difference!
We went with the Chef’s choice or omakase style. The Chef chose our appetizer as well as our main course (I chose the Sake) since no one in our foursome is an aficionado and we were out for an adventure we went for it. Everything was great and if we were to return we would do it again.
Just a note, there is a Unilocaler that gave this place only 2 stars and said that there are better places to eat Sushi in Portland. If that is the case then tell us where!

I am not a sushi fan but I was looking forward to taking my boyfriend here tonight. He tried about seven types of rolls and nigiri. General consensus — and as posted on previous reviews — is that the «spicy» rolls could stand to taste spicier. We were lucky to sit at the bar enjoyed watching them make our rolls fresh to order.
We also ordered two small bottles of sake — both of which were delicious. Small selection, but I feel each bottle they offered are good, tasty sakes.

I went to Hiroshi on a short trip to Portland. Fish was super fresh, they accommodated special requests without fuss, and it was a good atmosphere (not stuffy, but not casual).
Basically, if you want some fresh fish, this is a good place. Especially the fluke special.

Stopped in here for an early dinner with a friend. Somewhat surprised by the lack of a Japanese chef behind the counter, but was not disappointed by his skills in preparing fish (Hiroshi-​san eventually appeared).
Enjoyed excellent yellowtail cheek, marbled toro, fresh uni, and jack mackerel,.
Attentive service, nice atmosphere. I’ll be back the next time I’m in Portland.

I had one free day/​night in Portland and I wrapped it up with a stop in Hiroshi — thanks to Unilocal.The wife and I played tourist and hoofed the city for seven hours, needing a peaceful and lighter dinner after hitting food-​carts and a doughnut shoppee pretty hard earlier in the day. The vibe at Hiroshi was just the balm for the barking everything (dogs, knees, shriveling inner old-​man body trapped in my 33 year old frame, etc.).
The décor was simple, the bar was long and nicely spaced (nothing worse than feeling crammed in and rubbing elbows in the non-​socially hobnobbing way). We sat in front of sushi chef Eric who provided a couple hours of excellent food and dinner conversation.
The specials were very good (a cured tuna nigiri, a slightly charred salmon, and a yellowtail belly). The non-​special nigiri were non-​special but nice. When I asked for something local I got a nice albacore. The portions were on the small side and I would wish for more local options considering Portland’s seafood reputation.
We had a couple of rolls. Dynamite was yummy, but don’t expect the heat. They purpusfully dial it down so you can still taste the food. I am fine with that (although I like hot food). Also, had the spider roll. Smallest one I have ever had but the sauce was really a nice addition.
The meal topper most certainly was the 5 minute cured and slightly charred toro belly. Delicious! Sort of like pork belly of the sea. Is it pork or is it tuna? It was pricey but well worth ordering to complete a meal. Meat candy at its finest (and no I am not talking about me again).
Thanks again Chef Eric, we had a great night!

High hopes, big disappointment. Great location in the Pearl district, but fairly pedestrian on the inside. Menu has some great items, but the nigiri is way overpriced. Prices range from 2.50 to 7.00 per piece. The rolls were more reasonably priced, but not really that tasty. Greenberg roll was good, Oregon roll was ok, and Spicy dynamite was not spicy at all. Service was slow and no low sodium soy sauce was offered.
These are better choices for sushi in Portland.

I think Hiroshi is the most (and only?) authentic sushi restaurant in Portland where most sushi restaurants look like cheap fast food-​ish establishments. We sat at the sushi bar and opted for omakase (asked chef Hiro to serve what’s good for the day). Each sushi piece was very fresh and clean, as you would expect from a good authentic sushi restaurant. He served quite a few pieces of seared sushi (aburi) which I like. For the quality of the sushi we had, I think the prices are almost the half of what you’d pay in NYC.
I hope Hiroshi will continue to serve the high quality sushi and will not give in the pressure to lower the price and thus quality of the fish.

This is truly a neighborhood gem. For the best «traditional» sushi made by Japanese owner, go to Hiroshi. It’s very authentic and simple.
I go to Hiroshi everytime I’m in Portland. It’s money well spent for quality food. We had omakase recently and let the chef choose. Traditional sushi doesn’t require drowning in soy sauce. He added sea salts or ponzu type marinade on the fish before serving that was excellent and mouth watering! $ 35 per person lunch, very well priced. Approx 10 orders.
I love the elegant décor, understated but tasteful. When we asked where he got the ideas he told us it was inspired by several restaurants from Japan and NY. He was very friendly and insightful. The staff was also very attentive. This is a very inviting sushi bar without all the bells n whistles. Don’t expect new fusion sushi, just good old traditional sushi at its best!
Highly recommend to everyone. I have to disagree with other Unilocalers about the price. This place is very reasonable, the normal high price you pay for good sushi in any metro city. But it’s not nearly as outragious as Nobu.

Ho-​hum good. Sadly, it is the best sushi I have had in the Portland area but it is not the best sushi I’ve ever had.
I am originally from the Chicago area, although sushi restaurants are a bit more few and far between, they are much, much better quality than anything I have found around Portland.
Hiroshi was good and expensive. The only place I’ve found that the nigiri and rolls actually stay together. Pretty presentation. Friendly, yet a little sparse service. But overall, enjoyable and friendly service.
Octopus salad: tasty, nice seasoning, decent octopus but very small serving.
Gyoza: Nice sauce, decent filling. Overall, pretty decent.
Nigiri: yellowtail, a bit sour. Tuna, a bit bland. Salmon, a bit fishy. Fresh water eel, way too fishy for my taste.
Dynamite Roll: Yum! Nice presentation, good taste.
Tuna Roll: ok. again, a bit bland.
Hot Sake: had both the dry and the sweet: Good Fun!
Large Kirin: Good Fun!
Overall, enjoyable, good, decent. But if you’ve had out of this world sushi before, this will leave you flat.
I’m still on the search for ‘my’ sushi place.
Perhaps would try Hiroshi again.

Hiroshi is a small, pricey Japanese place and the sous chef hooked it up! If you ask the chef to surprise you with the food, you won’t be disappointed.
He blew us away with specialty rolls and small dishes throughout the night. The oysters with the lime-​ginger sorbet were SO delicious. SO DELICIOUS! I want some right now. The miso soup with mushrooms was rich and satisfying and I highly recommend this restaurant for an intimate and delicious Japanese dinner.

I have to say: after reading the reviews here, my hopes were high. I love sushi. I even love average sushi as long as the place serving doesn’t pretend it is Nobu. The price and ambiance of Hiroshi lead you to believe you are going to get spectacular sushi. Boy did it disappoint. Maybe it was an off night for the whole place.
I brought some good out-​of-​town friends here. Whenever I get together with these folks, we get sushi and we splurge on it. We walk in and I am knocked back by the fishy smell. I always thought fresh fish shouldn’t smell like fish? Also, let it be known, there are close to zero veggie options on the menu. Even their miso has fish in it. Come on! If you want to put fish in your miso soup, that is fine, but list it as such and have the non-​fish variety available. We start filling out our sushi cards — by the way, sushi cards, really?! We aren’t at Todai, we’re at a high-​end sushi place. Take my order verbally. It is not like there was a language barrier between the server and the table. They had the run-​of-​the-​mill Japanese beer selection, which I love but I was hoping for something a little extra/​different, like Echigo or something.
We order sashimi and the maguro was limp and VERY poorly cut. We’re talking horrendous knife skills here. I might have been able to cut a nicer piece of tuna sashimi. Okay, I doubt it, but it was really bad.
The rolls were pretty good, but nothing to write home about. The veggie rolls my wife ordered were awful. The staff was SO not into catering to a vegetarian.
All in all, I left full but unsatisfied. Definitely a case of expectations set too high.

As a sushi addict this place is the best in Portland!!! (It rivals Shiro’s in Seattle)
A hint for people who want the best experience:
Sit at the bar and say, «Feed me.» Let the sushi chef choose and be surprised. (Make sure you tell the chef if you hate something.) This way you will get things you don’t normally try, and you’ll get the best pieces of fish.

I’m an incorrigible sushi snob, so I knew my dad had to be on to something when he insisted we go to Hiroshi for my only meal in PDX. Hiroshi definitely delivers very good fish, and some original and well balanced rolls. And most crucially, everything was fresh. The servers were also very professional.
I have officially been impressed by Portland’s sushi offerings and my father is impressed with himself.
Full? Yes. It’s a small place, and the tables were all either full or reserved the entire time we were there. Expensive? Meh – with sake and dessert we spent about $ 40 a person – try finding sushi this good for less.