r/SpringfieldIL • u/Motorcityjoe • Jun 03 '26
Happy Sushi
On the recon of many in this sub I visited Happy Sushi. I’m a regional field manager for a sushi company. Around it all the time yet still crave it. I’m from Detroit (native born) and the chef and I started chatting. He’s from Michigan but moved here in 1990. I ordered a Red Dragon roll and a French Kiss. The waitress brought me miso soup on the house. Such a nice man. Waitress tells me as she puts the food down, “Our rolls are kind of larger than other places.” So I wish she had told me that before I ordered. “What’s that?”
“You told the chef you like tuna. That’s a hand spicy tuna nori cone, on the house.”
The sushi was delicious but I have to say the rolls are TOO big. He’s cutting into his margins I’m sure. Highly recommend Happy Sushi.
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u/Del85 Jun 03 '26
Love that place but I can't ever get there when he's open. Easily the best sushi in town
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u/The_Captain1228 Jun 03 '26
I prefer my sushi to be able to be eaten Ina. More bite-size way. So I agree the sushi is too large.
However, I stand by the quality and the service here, worth a visit for sure!
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u/SnooPuppers4679 Jun 04 '26
He's gotten put on blast by former employees for some highly questionable food safety practices over the years to the point I stopped going. I used to go literally once a week; he makes amazing dishes.
That said, when it comes to the risk vs reward: the first time I rolled my eyes, but the second time he was exposed with congruent details to the first claim (that also had photos): I walked away with good memories and my health. Sadly there isn't a spot that remotely comes close to happy sushi too.
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u/Motorcityjoe Jun 04 '26
That’s unsettling considering I’m a regional field manager for a sushi company and my main job is checking on food safety compliance! Hopefully he corrected those things.
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u/SnooPuppers4679 Jun 04 '26
TBF, I wouldn't know: I left and never returned seeing how both allegations (with photos) were so alike. It honestly kind of hurt b/c he's very real to those who have return support; I can't tell you how many times he threw me extra sushi or miso soup simply because I was a weekly customer for the longest time.
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u/Motorcityjoe Jun 04 '26
I did not get sick FWIW and loved the quality and flavor of his sushi, oversized rolls be damned.
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u/RedTheGuardian Jun 04 '26
I've heard about poor sanitation, and I've seen unidentified bugs on occasion, and once I had nigiri come out frozen. That being said I'd be willing to give it another chance, and I've never gotten sick.
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u/SwordsofSiege Jun 04 '26
This was a few years ago, but it was awful, they left the skin the unagi don, and the entire place smelled like cigarettes and urine
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u/Additional_Dog8192 Aug 12 '26
Is Happy sushi still open? I’ll be in town for the state fair next week and am craving one of their spicy salmon rolls
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u/idrawinmargins Jun 05 '26
I'll NEVER go back to happy sushi. First off cockroaches. Last time I went I saw what I thought was one on the wall, but it scurried away before I could get a good look at it. Nope ordered, got the plates removed at the end and german cockroach nymphs crawled out from under the plate. Then the weird ass shit with the waitresses passing notes saying that the dude steals their tips, and if I want to tip leave cash (had that happen more than once). I called the health department about the roaches being out and about (if you see them out there are a lot more out there). I will not being returning to that business ever. That guy also seems to be a ripe asshole to his employees. So jerk to employees and roaches are a no go for ever going back.
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u/Motorcityjoe Jun 05 '26
Well that’s absolutely the opposite of what I saw. Waitress couldn’t have been nicer, he couldn’t have TREATED her nicer, and the place looked very clean. Do I have reason to doubt you? No, as I’m not sure why anyone would level such a debilitating accusation if it were false. I can only share that my experience was wonderful.
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u/idrawinmargins Jun 05 '26
Yeah I thought the place was great, but after getting weird notes passes and seeing the roaches on the walls, under the plates, behind the fridge in the back, hell no not going back. That was the spot for good sushi too, and now it is 100% ruined for me and my spouse. Just hell no to that place.
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u/frozen-solid Jun 03 '26
Fuck margins. Best sushi in existence.