Ju Hachi Japanese Cuisine - Sacramento CA

Yes, another Sacramento place that no one but a local might go, but still, we are the Capitol, so it’s not inconceivable that someone might be up this way for some reason an want something tasty.

Sacramento is not L.A. and isn’t even S.F. (S.F. is barely S.F. anymore). You will not be finding Mori-level omakase here. The closest you’ll get is a place called KRU, which serves EXCELLENT fish, well, prepared, and has the atmosphere and cocktail bar to kick the experience up a notch.

Here at Ju Hachi, though, it’s just a sushi bar, man. But you should sit at that bar and say hello to the friendly sushi-ya behind the counter. Ask him what’s good. He will tell you. One night, it was really fresh scallops and red snapper and Urchin.

Tonight, it was Ocean Trout:


The seared skin added just the right hint of smokiness along with a very light ponzu. firm and buttery. Yum.

Salmon Toro and Hamachi Toro


The fattier bits from the fish. All creamy and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth

Capitol roll (usual fish assortment and sauces all on a shrimp tempura roll.

And finally, Monk Fish Liver, like my mother’s best chopped liver but a hint of ocean:

100% delcious, less than $50 before tax and tip. If you’re in town, you do a lot worse than some thoughtfully prepared slabs of le poisson at prices that won’t absolutely wreck your per diem.

This place has the added benefit that’s it’s walking distance from The Dreamland Cinema, a new theater here in town that is, no exaggeration, a 25 seat repertory movie theater in someone’s basement. Much like the old Cinefamily, but tinier, and without a frat boy back office that killed that organization. Saw Fantastic Planet immediately following this meal. This month will also feature Videodrome and Brazil.

3 Likes

You had me until the Capitol Roll…

I prefer Shige Sushi in nearby Carmichael.

Name your price omakase, $50 gets you 7 nigiri and 1 oyster maki with sriracha and lime.

The Capitol Roll was, admittedly, the junk-food filler. Still tasty enough, but I won’t claim this is anything more than the sushi equivalent of a 6 piece mcnugget with your favorite sauce combo.

Carmichael, huh? Ok, ok… I can make a short drive. Got friends out that way (and Yummy Dumplings is there, too!) Thanks for the tip!

(are you local to the Sac area?)

I’m in San Francisco and occasionally make it up to Sac.

I did try to go to Kru once but failed to notice they weren’t open for lunch that weekend.

Shige is great; sit at the bar and decide how much you want to spend on omakase; the specials are great, especially the hamachi kama.

Sacramento’s not LA or SF, but it has had a significant Japanese population since the 19th century.

Do you know about Corti Bros.?

I live 1 scant mile from Corti Bros. Their deli sandwiches are a regular lunch stop, and they are a reliable source for guanciale when the carbonara craving hits, along with excellent baked goods and an great variety of harder to find imported stuff. Including chocolate.

Man, that reminds me of another place that used to screen in a church basement across the river in west Sac about 15 years ago. We watched “A Boy and His Dog” before it was easily available, “Nosferatu”, “The Room”… Good times.