There are 8 sushi restaurants within 4 miles of MSU's campus, which makes it difficult to choose where you should get your sushi on. I took the liberty of taste-testing sushi from each of the sushi restaurants near East Lansing, so you don't have to run around wasting your money just to find which restaurant has the perfect California Roll.
At most of the restaurants, I ate a popular "specialty" roll, and I also ate a "control" roll in order to get a true feeling for differences between the restaurants. My favorite roll is Spicy Tuna, so I decided to use this as my control roll. However, by the end of my study, I started reading up on how eating too much raw tuna may cause mercury poisoning. Therefore, in order to save myself from raw tuna's possible harm, I decided to switch to the typical and well-liked California Roll as my control for the last few restaurants. With that being said, let's "roll" into the restaurants.
8. Sushi Go
Spicy Tuna Roll (Spicy Tuna) - $6.49
Crazy California Roll (Crabstick, Avocado and Cucumber with Torched Spicy Crab and Eel Sauce and Spicy Mayo on top) - $8.00
Sushi Go was probably my least favorite out of these 8 restaurants. The Spicy Tuna Roll had too much rice, which overpowered the taste of the tuna. I also wish it had some avocado or cucumber added to it for a little more flavor. The Crazy California Roll was pretty good, but it was not something I would have ordered again. At Sushi Go, you also get free (and delicious) miso soup with your order, which is always a plus.
Overall, I like that Sushi Go delivers. They have fast delivery service, which is perfect for those late nights studying, when you're craving sushi but don't want to leave your room. Sushi Go also offers other food items like udon noodle soups and fried rice for the non-sushi lovers out there.
7. SushiYa
California Roll (Crabstick, Avocado, and Cucumber) - $3.95
MSU Roll (Crabstick, Cream Cheese, and Avocado, Tempura Fried with Eel Sauce and Sesame Mayo on top) - $8.95
These rolls were super cheap, which is always a plus for college students. The California Roll was your stereotypical California Roll, so I found it to be sort of plain tasting. The MSU Roll was recommended as a popular pick by customers, and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The crunch of tempura, taste of cream cheese, and sauces on top came together very nicely. I also have never had tempura-fried sushi before, so this was a nice twist for me.
SushiYa is located right on Grand River, so it is pretty close to campus. Their service was quick and the sushi was cheap, which makes up for not having a student discount. Although the sushi wasn't mouth-watering amazing, it was decent for the price.
6. AI Fusion
California Roll (Crabstick, Cucumber, and Avocado) - $5.00
Candy Cane Roll (Spicy Tuna and Cucumber with Red and White Tuna on top) - $11.00
The California Roll from AI Fusion tasted similar to the one from SushiYa, which isn't necessarily a bad thing if you like plain old California Rolls. I didn't love it, but it wasn't terrible. The Candy Cane Roll was the better out of these two. I loved the spice from the tuna on the inside of the roll. However, I didn't understand the specialty of this roll; to me, it was just a spicy tuna roll with extra tuna on top. I recommend just getting a normal spicy tuna roll next time and save your money.
AI Fusion's restaurant is huge and has a nice atmosphere. You can sit in a normal dining room, at the bar, at the sushi bar, or at a traditional dining table where you remove your shoes and sit on the floor. I love how many specialty rolls they offer, along with their clever names such as the "Eating Nemo" roll or the "Crabby Patty" roll. AI Fusion also has cheaper prices for the quality of their sushi, and if you dine in, you get miso soup and ginger salad with your meal. They have a 25% discount on Mondays when you dine in, which is definitely something to take advantage of if you love sushi. Despite being a little far from campus, this place is definitely worth giving a try.
5. Mi Sushi
Spicy California Roll (Crab Salad & Avocado with a Spicy Sauce on top) - $5.50
Ahi Tuna Sushi Burrito (Tuna, Tamago (Egg), Lettuce, Cucumber, Masago (Fish Eggs), Green Onion, Purple Cabbage, Carrots, Green Cabbage, and Eel Sauce) - $13.00
This Spicy California Roll was my absolute favorite California Roll I have ever had. The spicy sauce on top was so flavorful, and it really enhanced the roll. I also loved the crab salad inside the roll rather than just a crab stick. Once I saw sushi burrito on the menu, I knew I had to try one. However, I was expecting a little more out of it. There wasn't much tuna in the burrito, and it mostly tasted like rice and cabbage. Now that I have tasted a sushi burrito, I can say that I would rather stick to normal sushi rolls.
Mi Sushi is about a ten minute drive, so if you don't have a car on campus, this might not be the right option for you. The restaurant itself was clean-looking and had cute decor. It was on the smaller side, so it only had normal dining tables and a small sushi bar-type area. Overall, the Spicy California Roll was worth the drive, in my opinion.
4. Poke Lab
Poke Bowl (Sushi Rice, Tuna, Red Onion, Cucumber, Avocado, Jalapenos, Scallions, Seaweed Flakes, and Sesame Seeds with Spicy Mayo on top) - $10.25
This poke bowl was surprisingly so delicious. I was a little skeptical because I have never seen a make your own poke bowl bar. However, I ended up loving how customizable it was because I was able to get a bunch of foods that I like. I did wish that everything was cut up a little smaller so that I could fit everything in my mouth in one bite, but I enjoyed it regardless.
Poke Lab is pretty close to campus -- it's located right next to El Azteco on Ann Street. The restaurant is kept very clean as well. I also was able to get a 10% discount on my bowl just by following their Instagram. You can also get a sushi burrito as well as other side dishes such as miso soup here.
3. Omi Sushi
Spicy Tuna Roll (Tuna mixed with a Spicy Sauce, Scallions, and Tobiko) - $6.00
Spicy California Roll (Crabstick and Avocado with a Spicy Sauce on top) - $5.00
Omi Sushi has my favorite spicy tuna roll. I love the chunks of tuna in this, along with the flavor of the green onions and the crunch of the tobiko. It's pretty large and hard to eat, but that's not a big problem. The Spicy California Roll was also good -- the sauce reminded me of Mi Sushi's sauce. However, this roll could have used a little crunch from some cucumber.
Omi is located next to Coldstone on M.A.C., so it is definitely within walking distance of campus. Their sushi is delicious and the restaurant is clean with electrifying pops of blue everywhere. Omi also has quick service, making it the perfect lunch spot. This is one of the best sushi restaurants near East Lansing to get great sushi for lower prices.
2. Maru
Spicy Tuna Roll (Spicy Tuna, Cucumber and Scallions) - $8.00
Crouching Tiger Roll (Panko Fried Shrimp, Cream Cheese, & Crab Salad topped with Shrimp, Avocado, Fantasy Sauce, Eel Sauce, Honey Wasabi Aioli, Masago and Scallions) - $15.00
The Spicy Tuna Roll at Maru is also one of my favorites. I love when cucumber is added to these rolls because it cuts down the spice and allows for a little crunchiness as well. However, I wished there was a little more flavor to the spiciness of the tuna. The Crouching Tiger Roll was recommended to me, and it was a delicious choice. Again, I love the way cream cheese tastes in rolls, and it was delicious in this one. I also love sauces, and the sauces on this were mouth-watering delicious.
Maru gives student discounts on Mondays and Tuesdays from 5:30 to 9:30. If you go during these time frames, you get 20% off with your student ID. Maru is definitely more on the expensive side, so I would say this is a great place to go on a date or with your family for a special occasion. You can choose to sit at a regular dining table or at the sushi bar. There are two Maru locations around East Lansing -- one in Meridian on Marsh Road and one in East Lansing on West Lake Lansing Road. Since there isn't one within walking distance of MSU, I would save this restaurant for a nicer occasion. Maru also has some pretty cool features such as takeout wine, tailgate platters and drink specials.
1. Sansu
Spicy Tuna Roll (Spicy Tuna & Avocado) - $6.25
Stop Drop n Roll (Red & White Tuna and Spicy Chili Sauce with Tempura Jalapenos, Crabstick, and Sriracha on top) - $14.00
The Spicy Tuna Roll from Sansu is delicious, but again it was missing some crunch. The Stop Drop n Roll was recommended , and it was really tasty as well. As you can see, it was kind of messy to eat, but I loved its spiciness. I also received free miso soup with this order which, of course, was delicious.
Sansu is located on Hagadorn Road in the same complex as Pizza House, so it's within walking distance of the East Campus dorms at MSU. They have a 20% off student discount on Tuesday nights. Make sure to go early and bring your student ID, or you will be waiting a half hour to get a table. Sansu also has a large restaurant with several different dining sections -- regular dining, a sushi bar, a regular bar, and traditional dining where you sit on the floor and remove your shoes. Miso soup and salad are also included with meals that cost $10 or more when you dine in. I strongly recommend their ginger salad as it has the best ginger dressing I have ever tasted in my life. Sansu may be another place to visit with your family, as it is more on the expensive side as well.
The Results
Out of all the sushi restaurants near East Lansing, Sansu definitely won out of these 8 restaurants, but Omi would probably be my go-to if I were craving sushi due to their cheaper prices. Sansu is perfect for special occasions because the atmosphere is classy, and the food is outstanding yet expensive. Maru was definitely a close second, and I would say the only reason it didn't win is because of Sansu's ginger salad as well as it's farther distance from MSU. Poke Lab was probably my favorite experience because it was my first time trying a poke bowl, and I loved customizing my own bowl.
I hope this guide helped you decide where to find the best sushi catered to your needs. Now go get some sushi for yourself to find your favorite roll in East Lansing!