Hinata

Economical yet surprisingly satisfying sushi can be found (before 8pm) on St. Elmo Ave. Hinata is a Japanese grocer first, and you can get a first hand look at half of the wacked-out ingredients they used on Iron Chef. Enoki? Check. Katsuobushi? Check. Eel livers? Maybe. Texture is very important in Japanese cooking, and it appears color is up there too. Hinata's main sushi chef looks a heck of a lot like one of my favorite poker players, John Juanda (above). Weird.

Value is instantly apparent at Hinata. We've bought 5 makizushi rolls for less than $20 many times. Some of the rolls aren't so great, but the crab roll is unlike any I've had elsewhere. Not a perfect 10, but it's easy to eat a lot of them. Stay away from the spicy tuna.

The good:
Value
Perusing the isles while you wait for your food

The bad:
Some rolls sometimes are a bit off in flavor or not fresh
Sushi-making stops at 8pm

Overall:
Try it out. Sometimes it's hit-or-miss, but if you're getting sushi for a bunch of people Hinata should be a top choice.

Hinata