Bizen Gourmet Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar

17 Railroad St, Great Barrington, MA 01230, United States

Bizen Gourmet Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar
About This Sushi Bar

Bizen Gourmet Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar is a traditional Japanese Restaurant offering four distinct genres of Japanese cuisine including Sushi, Kaiseki and Tea Ceremony, Robata, a full kitchen menu and a sake bar, including sugar free, dairy free, gluten free, vegan and vegetarian options.

Sushi Gallery
Sushi Reviews
Sushi Experience №1

They have Tatami rooms with Shoji Screens - reserve them... you have some privacy. The staff is great. You have to put your order in earlier for sukiyaki if you wish that.

Visited a month ago

Sushi Experience №2

Their mackerel gave me food poisoning. We called the restaurant to let them know, but the owner was not very apologetic or wanting to make amends.

Visited a month ago

Sushi Experience №3

One of if not the best dining experiences we have ever had. 10/10

Visited a month ago

Sushi Experience №4

Visited a month ago

Sushi Experience №5

Loved the interior and the staff were all incredible, but the food needs some serious attention. I ordered udon and am pretty sure I was given barilla linguine.

Visited 2 months ago

Sushi Experience №6

Not a great spot if you have any food allergies

Visited 2 months ago

Sushi Experience №7

Staff are incredible and attentive. Chefs are masters of their craft. The menu is insatiable. The Fish - freshest we’ve tasted on the East coast. Enough said.

Visited 3 months ago

Sushi Experience №8

Very nice Japanese restaurant; warm and inviting interiors and a standing food.

Visited 3 months ago

Sushi Experience №9

Visited 3 months ago

Sushi Experience №10

I am sure there is not a single Japanese staff here. Food is sooo bad.

Visited 4 months ago

Sushi Experience №11

OMG the best sushi I've ever had in my life. I've had sushi in a bewildering variety of locations, including San Francisco, but this little place in the tiny town of Great Barrington has them all beat. I don't know how they do it, but the freshness of the fish was beyond anything I've ever had. Presentation and atmosphere was excellent. Definitely going back the next time I'm in town.

Visited 4 months ago

Sushi Experience №12

We went to Bizen last night before attending the Bill Murray Triplex Q&A (phenomenal). We asked for our own room, which was fantastic. We were in a hurry as we had ordered about 6:15 as the venue we were attending started at 7:30. Our orders were rushed because we didn’t want to be late. I ordered the Tempura seafood and my son ordered Chicken teriyaki. The meals were just ok. I didn’t get my salad and neither of us got the proposed vegetables. My Tempura was good but lacking the veggies. My sons was served on what was suppose to be Asian veggies, they were just undercooked onions. The atmosphere was awesome, as were the waitstaff, but for the prices (high end), it was not what either of us were expecting. I was disappointed. The atmosphere and staff were awesome, not so much the food. I may try it again, but not likely. After thought: I may try a do-over, but I’m hoping they read this and adjust accordingly

Visited 4 months ago

Sushi Experience №13

Really hate to see you serving the wonderful intelligent octopus on your menu. If you were intelligent, caring and ethical, you'd immediately remove it. Heinous and barbaric of you to kill such exquisite creatures.

Visited 4 months ago

Sushi Experience №14

Went for dinner and sat in one of the private rooms. Amazing service and exceptional quality. There’s a bit of sticker shock at first at the price of some of the sushi but it is worth it for what they serve.

Visited 4 months ago

Sushi Experience №15

Simply put, non better.

Visited 5 months ago

Sushi Experience №16

Best sushi anywhere

Visited 5 months ago

Sushi Experience №17

Wow! I will be back in Great Barrington for sure for the Bizen experience!

Visited 5 months ago

Sushi Experience №18

A bit expensive, but the food is absolutely amazing definitely worth it. You can't go wrong choosing to eat here!

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №19

Immaculate Japanese cuisine. The person who runs the establishment clearly has been to Japan and trained as a sushi chef. They seemed to be knowledgeable when I spoke to them. The tuna was perfect and melted in my mouth. Some of the best sushi I have had in a while. We will definitely be returning when back in the Great Barrington area.

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №20

If you are fond of other types of Japanese food, that is not sushi rolls, then this is not the place to go.
The place probably peaked in the 80’s and seems to have kept every dish since their heyday on their extensive and exhausting menu ( endless repetitive pages ). Give yourself 20’ to find what you want, and once you make up your mind they probably won’t have it, as it happened to me. Sorry, no ankimo.
The hiyayyaku (cold silken tofu was replaced with an extra firm one with a lumpy texture, which I declined to eat after one bite). A desecration of a refreshing summer appetizer. The waitress replied that is the way they make it.
The special appetizer marzoran ( an insipid tuna tartar ) was a huge miss.
The chicken yakitori grilled within a 1/16” from becoming charcoal.
The cold soba an array of semi dried noodles that had been sitting in the fridge for at least a week.
My table by the window overlooked a pile of dirty dishes on the street which is their cleaning station. And the room was hotter than the outdoor temp of 80° F
With 3 oz of sake the bill was $116 including a 20% tip. That is what I spend in NYC for an unforgettable meal.

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №21

I love the age tofu! It is delicious.

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №22

Never had better sushi

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №23

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi Experience №24

1st time lunch. Two good parts: Sapporo on draft & being seated opposite the sushi counter.

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №25

This place is legit. My family and I go to every Japanese restaurant can find and this is The most authentic I’ve we’ve to.

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №26

The menu is way too large and they make you take your shoes off at the booth. It's expensive but the food is good.

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №27

Overpriced and mediocre.

But if you want sushi in the Berkshires you're a captive audience.

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №28

Trying to daikon radish salad, which was delicious. Had the Kobe beef with ginger and salt sea salt. My wife had the Seabass also had the Yo-Yo Ma sushi roll with ginger and wasabi one of my favorites, along with grilled duck and sea scallops the owner Michael was very friendly and came to our table, and our best experience was watching chef Louise cook on the grill at the bar area had a bottle of saki with dinner. It was called Pearl Socky, which is a milky cocoa, flavored dessert sake, which complemented our food. Thanks for a great experience.

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №29

They charge a 10% gratuity on takeout over $75. The food is mediocre at best, this place is a race to the bottom but first they’re going to wring every cent they can out of the experience.

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №30

It's amazingly consistent! Been coming for almost 25 years! Totally love the place, especially the Chilean Sea Bass

Visited 7 months ago

Sushi Experience №31

We were reserved a private table in a booth for a Father's Day Dinner. Instead we were placed in a booth in the noisy main area.

Visited 8 months ago

Sushi Experience №32

Not what it used to be😒

Visited 8 months ago

Sushi Experience №33

Michael and his team invest heart and soul to make this the best Japanese restaurant they possibly can create. They’ve been doing this since forever and have been a pillar of the great Barrington restaurant community since the beginning. And the food is fantastic authentic Japanese cuisine. We’ve had countless meals here, Thank you!

Visited 8 months ago

Sushi Experience №34

Visited 8 months ago

Sushi Experience №35

sorry but this place has gotten mediocre

Visited 9 months ago

Sushi Experience №36

Visited 9 months ago

Sushi Experience №37

Best sushi in New England- if there’s anything better, I’d like to know about it. Only fault is that it’s been there for decades (a testament to their talents) and the place could be updated a bit

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №38

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №39

Best Japanese food in the America , I swear anything bad about this place is a lie definitely met my expectations for my lady birthday

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №40

Extensive menu, great service. I had a bento box and the sashimi was fresh with the portion size being good for the price. Been coming here for years and hopefully years to come

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №41

Absolutely delicious and very kind, accommodating staff! As a non fish eater they had delicious and affordable vegetarian options. Good & unique appetizers too!

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №42

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №43

Definitely recommend selecting from the Anniversary Menu! Each year for the anniversary of the restaurant, they create a special dish and add it to the menu. Eat like you're in a time machine ~ and try creative dishes with cute names! Pro tip: the salmon has been consistently fantastic throughout 2024 Q1 ~ hope it continues indefinitely!

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №44

Visited 10 months ago

Sushi Experience №45

We really want to love this place.

We've been there a number of times, both when we would visit and over the past few years now that we live locally. We really like the seating booths, and the variety on the menu. The service is usually friendly and good (sometimes long waits to order and for food).

The problem is that the food is just constantly underwhelming, and sometimes bordering on just plain not good. We typically walk in excited, and walk out disappointed. They've raised the prices quite a bit in recent years, and if it were for great quality I'd not complain. But these are not $25 rolls. This is not a $30 piece of salmon. It pains me to say it, but we have recently questioned the freshness of certain ingredients.

I am sure there is a reason this place became a true establishment in Great Barrington, and we really hope they can take feedback seriously and get back to where they used to be. There is truly a market for what they are offering, I look forward to them getting back on track.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №46

We visited on a Sunday afternoon in March, 2024 and were promptly led to a booth. After removing our shoes and stowing them under the steps, we reviewed the extensive menu and ordered. Service was prompt and friendly. All three of us enjoyed our meals immensely. I'm looking forward to visiting Bizen again next time we are here.

Though there are expensive items on the menu; we went with lunch specials (see the photo of the check and the food), green tea, and green tea ice cream. It was delicious and delightful.

The atmosphere is pleasant and the restaurant is beautifully decorated.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №47

I have had so many wonderful memories of going to Bizen and Great Barrington over the years (decades). I always have delicious sushi here and enjoy the ambiance and area thoroughly. The offerings are as authentic Japanese as you can find with locally-sourced ingredients from the area.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №48

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №49

Bizen is always amazing. A wonderful treat, and fabulous culinary asset to the area. One of our favorite places to eat for years here in the Berkshire foothills!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №50

This place is always a pleasure to go to. The food, service, and atmosphere are easy. And I love that they're always open for lunch.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №51

I don't mind paying for good food but this place is lot of money for mediocre sushi. Got take out last night. Was $150 for 2 people, and the woman on the phone was straight up annoyed when I didn't want to add a tip on top of the mandatory 10% gratuity required (I worked in restaurants for over 10 years and would have been very satisfied with a 10% tip on a to-go order. Much less work.) Sushi was just ok. Miso soup was disgusting, and black? And smelled aweful. Couldn't drink it. Normally don't take time to write reviews but I have felt disappointed over meals from this place a few times now so figured I'd share. Go get Indian or Thai or Vietnamese nearby instead!! Never been disappointed by either of those spots, and have eaten at them many times. Will never waste my money at Bizen again!!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №52

It’s pretty, but the service isn’t great….partly because the waiters don’t seem to have sections—they have a table here, a table there. Really inefficient. They rush you by bringing the check and often checking to see if you’ve put your card down, even if there isn’t a Line of customers waiting. The sushi is decent and reliable. I personally intensely dislike the miso soup—it’s the dark type of miso. They use the cheapest veggies in the tempura, so you’re apt to get bell peppers and onions instead of yams or something more interesting. We do go here quite often, but that’s partly because there isn’t much competition and because we’ve figured out what to get and what not to get.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №53

The sushi here is fantastic! Best Japanese food in Great Barrington!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №54

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №55

Amazing sushi.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №56

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №57

Great spot in the Berkshires for authentic Japanese food. We love the creative sushi rolls. Fish is very fresh. Service is awesome!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №58

There is no denying that the food is incredible, however the service is severely lacking.
We made a reservation and I personally spoke with the manager who assured me that they would have enough staff to take care of us properly. Because as he said, he wanted “us to have a great meal.” Unfortunately after seating us we were left and not checked on for some time. It took an hour to receive simple drinks. It was over 90 minutes before we received our food….which came out in bits and pieces so some of us were eating while others were not.
Meanwhile we watched tables sat after us eat their entire meal and leave before us.
I’ve worked in food service. I understand that things happen. However I find it incredibly difficult to believe that an entire party of 14 (that made a reservation) could be completely forgotten.
The managers assurance that 99% of the people that dined there that night were happy was of no assurance to us. Nor was the fact that he bragged about bringing in 200k that night. Or when he blamed our bad service on our “immigrant waiter”.
He offered us a measly 10% off of an $800 bill calling it a “very generous offer”.
We paid, we tipped well, we will never go back.
I rarely do reviews but this was so bad I felt compelled to warn people.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №59

My wife and I have been coming here for almost 20 years. The food is always fantastic, and fresh, of the highest quality! The menu is diverse, something for everyone. Bizen will rival any sushi restaurant anywhere in the US!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №60

Best Sushi place i have ever been to. Love the food & atmosphere. have been there two times for dinner and excited to come back!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №61

If I could give a zero star review, I would but Google says I’ll have to settle for one. As loyal customers, our recent visits to Bizen have been disheartening and frustrating. The last two experiences were a letdown, with inconsistent service and a departure from the restaurant's initial appeal. The failure to serve our meals together, though acceptable occasionally, contradicted the restaurant's original emphasis on unity in dining. Despite the premium pricing, the quality of service has declined significantly. To make matters worse, we endured a frustrating three-hour wait for our food, adding to the overall disappointment of the experience. Three hours for food, and a single hour for sodas and beer is seriously unacceptable. Working in the restaurant industry myself, this is absolutely unforgivable hospitality and disrespectful to your wallet and time. The manager's apparent lack of concern for quality suggests a departure from the Bizen we once cherished in years past. Serious reconsideration of their service standards is warranted. Coupled with the manager's apparent Napoleon complex, it's doubtful any improvements will be made to their declining hospitality. My advice: save your money and skip this overpriced restaurant, where you will be treated like nothing more than a pile of garbage.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №62

I wish I could rate Bizen zero stars but that’s not possible so I have to rate it a one.My experience at Bizen was beyond appalling. My family and friends were all placed in a basement and we seemed to be forgotten. The wait for a simple round of drinks was more than an hour and not even everyone got there drinks at the same time. To add on to that, our food took three hours to be served to us. Again, not everyone got their food at the same time. We couldn’t eat together as one family and that made me severely frustrated. To top that all off, the owner/manager did absolutely nothing to help and acted very useless. There was also a huge lack of empathy and appreciation for everyone’s patience. I am very regretful that I ever stepped foot into Bizen and certainly will never go again. I believe you are better off going to McDonald’s than this horrible restaurant.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №63

My three-year loyalty to Bizen turned into a nightmare during my recent visit. The service was beyond appalling; it took an agonizing three hours to receive our food, and over an hour for a simple round of drinks. What was even more infuriating was the blatant disrespect from the owner/manager, who not only failed to apologize for the excruciating wait but displayed a shocking level of unapologetic arrogance. The complete lack of remorse and disregard for customers left me seething with anger. This experience was nothing short of a slap in the face, and I can confidently say I will never subject myself to such disrespectful treatment again by setting foot in Bizen.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №64

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №65

The service was pretty poor during and after the rush. I don’t think they organize their servers into sections and our server was pretty much never around. Food was so-so but for the prices certain things were not worth it.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №66

Have been eating here for many years. Simply the best sushi I have ever had

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №67

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №68

We went out as a party of 4. We got a private table. We had absolutely delicious sushi. All the food was high quality. I highly recommend bizen for a special occasion. They also have an excellent selection of wine and cocktails.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №69

Sushi and noodles were fresh and tasty. Fresh fish is flown in and used at this finest establishment. I was not too crazy about their Ginger Chicken, The chicken was tuff and big cuts with little taste of ginger.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №70

Dirty. Call me crazy but not something I’m comfortable with in a sushi restaurant. I had a view into the kitchen where I could see trash lying on the floor, etc. and I lost my appetite so much so that I didn’t eat any of my expensive meal. Second time I’ve had an experience like this and won’t be coming back.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №71

Very excellent food, multiple types of Toro, my kind of place. A little too fancy for my pre-teen who is used to Japanese dishes being less fancy

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №72

Very nice food

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №73

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №74

Rude, wouldn't set up a table for us outside even if it takes 2 seconds and won't take dog inside

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №75

Nice experience around here!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №76

I'm giving 4/5 stars not 5, because the hot food (soups, noodles) I find not very interesting compared to other places. But all of their sushi combos, rolls, warm apetizers are delicious. I love the peanut/tofu apetizers and we always get edamame. The hot sake is super good too. It always feels like a treat to dine here, even when it's crowded and we have to wait a while for our order.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №77

We love Japanese food, but this was a disaster. We were there yesterday, but that's a mistake we will never do again. We were seated right away but then had to wait for someone to take our order. It took so long, I finally had to go ask the receptionist why nobody was taking our order. My wife's seafood soup was passable, but not good. Then her rolls came and they were tasty, but so oversized, she could not eat them with chopsticks with them falling apart. It was a mess, and she is Chinese and knows how to handle chopsticks. I ordered smoked salmon rolls as an appetizer and steak teriyaki as the main course. Fifteen minutes after my wife had finished both of her dishes, none of my food had been served. When it finally came the steak was cold, not even Luke warm. Apparently it had been sitting there waiting to be served. The $19 rolls never came until I pointed that out to the server. When it did, it was a tiny, tiny sliver of salmon with a 95% of the roll being lettuce. Next time we are in Great Barrington they will not get to meet my credit card, for sure.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №78

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №79

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №80

ここのveganティラミスとサーモンムニエル、ドラゴンロールが最高に美味しくて忘れられない味です!!
グレードバーリントンに行ったら再訪したい!!
素敵なオーナーとスタッフに感謝です!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №81

Always great!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №82

Always a fabulous place to share a wonderful meal with family and friends! Thank you to Bizen and Michael Marcus.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №83

Other ratings say that they’re inconsistent with the food and the service is sometimes bad. Never really had any issues though, however it sometimes takes a while to be served. The food is always great though. Recommend the shrimp katsu, they do a great job with the sauce. Their traditional green tea makes a nice drink. Their menu has more than enough to choose from. I recommend coming here if you’re in the area

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №84

Amazing food and atmosphere

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №85

I’ve had sushi all over the world, including Japan, but the Buddha role is still my number one.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №86

This is the greatest vegetarian sushi I have ever had! So beautifully presented and delightful! I had the special Busking Roll which included tempeh and micro greens. It was unbelievable! I also had the Vegetable Tempura which included a very large mushroom and also a red pepper -- unusual and delicious! The service was excellent! We ate outside and it was wonderful. Note about unique restroom: The restroom is decorated with such a beautiful tile and such that you really felt serene in there -- must be a Shinto-based philosophy because the tile was on all the walls and it was a beautiful stone with lots of texture and subtle colors. I felt supported by these rocks in a very subtle way. I usually don't care about things like that, but it was just so lovely and full of feeling! Unique!

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №87

consitantly great and fun . when we come from florida every summer , we seek out bizen .. mike is creative . staff is awesome . thanks . bob & ann

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №88

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №89

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №90

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №91

Very poor quality sushi, returned a vegetable roll as the cucumber inside was rotten. Also very expensive.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №92

Delicious more authentic Japanese food. Appreciate that the tempura came with daikon and ginger, and the dashi was just better than most run of the mill places. Inside they have traditional seating on tatamis. Sushi was fresh.

Visited a year ago

Sushi Experience №93

This was the worst experience at a restaurant ever. There were 8 of us at the table. The food was terrible and after I sent my $28 duck back because it was tough as leather, I was offered a sushi roll. The owner did not offer me a menu to choose from and brought back a small appetizer sushi roll.
When the bill came the duck dish was still included. When we pointed this out, they were not happy to take it off the bill and charged us $13 for the sushi roll.
At any other restaurant they would have apologized for the quality of the duck.
The owner had a bad attitude throughout the incident.
We usually do not write bad reviews, this was an example of bad business practice.
The waitress was nice.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №94

The owner is so rude and arrogant - i did not enjoy food after talking to him. He picks the worst seat in the house to seat his clients, his tone is extremely patronizing. I am never again setting my foot into this place!

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №95

I was passing through town and decided to stop for lunch, ultimately selecting Bizen. The restaurant is a bit cramped, though it does have an appropriately stylish atmosphere which I enjoyed. My main issue with the atmosphere was that is was not very clean at lunch time. There was noticeable grime around the window and bar area and a fair number of flies. I think they could easily resolve this with a few hours of deep cleaning on a regular basis.

As for the service, everyone was kind, but it was slow and perfunctory. Some staff were not dressed in a way I would consider appropriate for a restaurant.

The food was decent, although some of the avocado in my roll was not ripe. The prices are somewhat high, so I would expect the food to be a bit better for the cost. I have to appreciate that they have an interesting variety of options which you may not find in a typical sushi restaurant.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №96

The atmosphere is extremely inviting and friendly. It is absolutely some of the best Japanese food I have ever had. The sea bass was exquisite. The crispy outside and the center melted in my mouth. This is a must stop. The waitress was very helpful and friendly. Stop by today!

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №97

When I first started eating at Bizen, it was a stand out and always a treat.

About a year ago I went to Bizen on a date. We were thrilled to be seated at a low table with floor cushions. We even had to take our shoes off - neat! About 10 minutes later, after our drinks had been brought to the table and we were deep in the menu, our waiter came back and told us that they needed to reseat us because the table was reserved.

We were too stunned to object, so we sheepishly tied our shoes while the waiter hovered over us. Then we gathered our belongings, drinks, and menus and were led to a dingy back room. With only a vague explanation and no apology for the disruption, I was mortified. Were we underdressed? (We weren’t) Did we not have the “right look” for the front of the restaurant?

Frankly, I was too embarrassed to ever go back. But this week, I was craving their (once) delicious food. I ordered take-out, though, to be on the safe side.

I thought the price was a little high, but I have no problem paying for quality. When the person on the phone asked me how much I’d like to tip before I even gave my credit card number (which they put a $1 hold on…) I was a little taken aback, but these are the times.

After being ignored for a while when I arrived to pick up, a waiter retrieved my order from the back. From 20 feet away I could see my tip percentage written across the receipt stapled to the bag… ooook interesting workflow. After I handed over my card, the waiter came back with my copy to sign. The tip line had conveniently been filled out in pen, saving me from doing any difficult math.

Once home, the decline in food quality was immediately apparent. This was our last meal from Bizen. I was willing to be treated like a second class citizen for good food, but not for this.

For summer travelers, I think it’s important to note that this restaurant is NOT air-conditioned. Just a hodgepodge of fans, so if your basement has ever flooded and you’re feeling nostalgic for that particular ambiance, this is your place!!

Jokes aside, the state of the dining room, the quality of the food, the reviews you’ll see here, and the general “vibe”point to a restaurant that is struggling. I hope to see it return to what it once was, but if you’re in GB and craving sushi, you’re better off at the Co-op grocery store across the street.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №98

It’s a poor choice for spending your money. Overpriced & food is a bad quality. Tuna was chewy and not as fresh as it should be. The AC was not working and it was really hot inside.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №99

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №100

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №101

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №102

Der Service ist echt schlecht und unfreundlich. Das essen macht es leider auch nicht wieder gut. Geschmacklos, teils zu lange gekocht/frittiert oder gar nicht.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №103

I had the grilled salmon with the buckwheat noodles and iced green tea and green tea ice cream. It was 98 degrees in the shade and we opted for outside seats.The server advised my husband and I on menu choice. She was very friendly and had a pleasent personality. The food portons filled us up and the Japanese decor was classic Japanese with traditional seating and ground to floor stone. It was a perfect location to people watch and the servers included persons of many different backgrounds. I said EXTRA ICE Please for a hot day and a fabulous meal.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №104

If you sit at the bar, you get a great view of the yakitori being grilled, but the traffic is very cramped. So, if you can, opt for one of the "tea rooms," but take off your shoes first. Not the highest end sushi in the world, but very solid for the region. The yakitori is worth the spend and the service is polite, if hurried. Overall, it was the best choice I found for Asian food in the area.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №105

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №106

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №107

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №108

I would rate 5/5 if the food is consistently good.
Unfortunately out of my 5 visits. 4 were great. One was not so great ( I mean below average ).

But overall. Recommend without any hesitation.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №109

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №110

Worst restaurant ever. It was so pricy. We literally got scammed. It was not authentic at all. The salmon for example, the quality was so bad, I feel I am going to throw up and food poison. They ignored us all the time and rolled their eyes at us. The place smelled like smoke the moment we came in. When we were inside, no one came to us and we had no idea where to go. They charged us 20% gratuity which was so unfair. We only ate a little and this restaurant ruined our night.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №111

the waiter’s attitude and service was very bad and it was not even local but they were acting like they were. the price was really expensive when the food was SOOOOO BAD. it smelled like the bathroom when we entered. they even rolled their eyes to us. the seafoods was not even fresh, i feel like i would have a stomach ache when i go back.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №112

everything is soooo bad! Service was so bad, they rolled their eyes at me. The food quality was so bad, I hated it, the place smelled. It’s just a very bad experience

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №113

Excellent

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №114

Right in the village, authentic Japanese.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №115

Tres bon

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №116

Sea bass was excellent

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №117

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №118

Such a beautiful place. The staff is so nice and the food was perfect.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №119

Overpriced and subpar on many fronts. Knowing we weren't about to step into the world's best Japanese spot here in western Massachusetts, but thinking you can't go wrong with California rolls and salmon teriyaki, that is what we had in mind when we arrived. The bad news started at the beginning of our lunch when we were informed they were out of salmon (huh?) but could order the sea bass teriyaki instead (for $30 instead of $18 - no thanks). We perused the overly-extensive menu and tried a few other dishes they were out of or didn't serve during lunch/the day of the week we were there before landing on dishes we didn't really want but were stuck with (and were pretty bad).
The $11.50 California rolls for the kids weren't what they think of as California rolls. They were made with real crab meat - and not very fresh meat at that - instead of the typical kani surimi imitation crab. This crab meat had a very fishy flavor that my son wouldn't eat. There was also no cucumber present which all of the kids didn't like since its absence meant the texture lacked crunch and was all mushy avocado and old crab. The sushi rice was also off-tasting and starchy, indicating it had not been properly prepared. Interestingly, they were able to include a piece of mediocre salmon sushi in the bento box. Just sayin.
Food was expensive and not high quality or flavor, service was friendly but slow and decor was cool with superb downtown location. Kids enjoyed removing shoes and sitting in our own private chabudai area (low sunken dining table), bumping my rating up to 3 stars.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №120

The food was ok. Not really worth the price, and if you don't get the nice sit down areas it's pretty tight fitting.

I'm sure the nice sit down areas are worth while and the experience is cool, but as a walk in sitting at a simple table it's pretty mid.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №121

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №122

I absolutely loved the time I spent here. Staff are very friendly and the food is delicious! The atmosphere is top notch and I can't wait to go again to try the tea ceremony before we eat and get one of the private rooms as well.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №123

Wow good stuff but be careful when asking for a good sake. They charged us 25 bucks for an 8 oz container!!

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №124

Extraordinary variety and superb preparation of Japanese food, cooked and sushi/sashimi both, with tatami rooms if wanted

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №125

Always at the top of their game.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №126

One of the most amazing places I've ever seen The food matches the ambiance spectacular

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №127

The food was horrible . I love dining out . And eat 3-4 times a week out . One of the bad experience I have ever had . Shame ! I told the owner he said he doesn’t care !

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №128

We have been coming to Bizen since it opened up 26 years ago.We’ve never been disappointed with the food or the service. We love this place! Thanks for the great work!

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №129

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №130

No vegetarian choices on the main menu. Impossible to adapt to a vegetarian client.
The taste of the food was not exceptional.
I didn't ask of they add MSG, but it's possible because I got cramps after eating a tiny soup. I recommend you to ask before going.
I will not go again.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №131

A unique spot for traditional fare. Complete with private rooms where you must take off your shoes to sit down at a low table. Plenty of bento boxes to choose from. Lovely koi inside.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №132

Such a wonderful authentic experience. The menu is extensive and the food is always absolutely delicious. We've been going to Bizen for 15+ years whenever we are in the Berkshires.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №133

Amazing food and flavors and wonderful staff. We were so lucky, it was November but very warm and we ate outside. Great menu you need to take your time with it.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №134

The food is wonderful. The selection is impressive. Love this place.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №135

10/8/2022 dinner visit. If you’ve never been I Highly recommend stopping in. From the Appetizer menu to entrees there were so many delicious options to choose from. Service was super friendly and fantastic, quality was delicious. Hats off to the sushi cooks too for pushing out our food in a timely manner.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №136

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №137

I think our entire party ate collectively 5 bites of our 'food'. Everything was salty. The menu was full of puns but the food was the biggest joke.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №138

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №139

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №140

Bizen is good, they seemed a little off this night. Staff confusion, out of ingredients. It was labor day, so it was a long weekend.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №141

Deliciosa cocina japonesa, atención amable de todo el personal de contacto, sugiero prestar más atención a recoger loza y cristalería vacía de las mesas de los comensales

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №142

The food is very very good. Large menus with lots of interesting choices. Everything we ordered was delicious. The decor is fantastic with private traditional rooms for you to sit in, great ambiance.

The problem is the service. We tried to order off of the Kaiseki menu after the host (he was very kind and great) told us we could then the waitress told us we couldn’t (it was Sunday so it should be ok per the menu)

There was no cocktail menu at all.

And most importantly, we were excited to order items that were modified to be gluten free. After a long discussion with the waitress about my wife being gluten free, they brought us out a dish they was made with all gluten free ingredients but kept in other ingredients that were not gluten free. When we informed the waitress that she just served us a gluten free item with gluten in it, she was annoyed we didn’t want it.

The food took a long time to come and we were rarely checked on.

We’d go back but the staff needs to be trained on food allergies and customer service.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №143

This is the place to have Wonderfully authentic Japanese cuisine in Western Massachusetts! You’ll be glad you stopped by.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №144

Great food, service and ambiance.

Visited 2 years ago

Sushi Experience №145

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №146

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №147

The menu comes in a thick binder. I only thought diners offered so many choices. It was a bit overwhelming to try to figure out what to order. My party and I ordered a few appetizers and they were very accommodating to my gluten-free diet, pointing out there is wheat in the soy sauce they use to cook the rolls containing broiled eel.
I highly recommend ordering the Ukrainian rolls because Bizen will donate $ from what you pay for this country.
I enjoyed the Hawaiian roll that has spicy tuna. The Wasabi was terrific dipping into for a quick, horseradish sinus eruption (if you enjoy this).
We ate on the sidewalk at a wobbly table with space between the slats in the table. A wrong move led to spilled soy sauce or a heated sauce land on one of our legs.
The service at first was a little slow do to the timing of a few huge takeout orders but once they were done, the staff was more attentive.
Overall it was a great dining experience and I would definitely return.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №148

What a hidden gem. I saw this place and thought you cant get good sea food this far inland. I was very wrong. Every bite was better than the last, I'm sure u could spend $1000 a head and find better Japanese food but this was the best I ever had. The best squid I've had, best seafood salad (spicy scallop and octopus), amazing seared tuna with horseradish sauce, and a monkfish pate to write home about. Fatty tuna and eel are on my list for next time. Service was good not great. I ate outside on a gorgeous summers eve and loved it but then saw the inside and cant wait to come back and eat in a traditional Japanese setting. Owners(I think) were so warm hearted. Must try!

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №149

We waited 20 minutes for our server to take our order after being seated. We the waited an additional 40 minutes for our entrees to come out (only partially). We cancelled the final entree just before it arrived at our table - 50 minutes after ordering.

After all that wait, sushi was horrible. Not fresh at all.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №150

Best sushi in the area! Creative rolls great food.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №151

Great food and wonderful people here.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №152

An absolute gem. Incredible atmosphere, delicious food, and excellent service; what more could you need?

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №153

Excellent sushi! One of the best that I've had in years.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №154

Food was mediocre at best, from my experience. The grilled menu was poor quality with charred bits - the unagi also did not taste fresh. The service from the waiter was also sub-par. The quality did not match the price. We had to go somewhere else to buy additional food after our meal.

Update: Instead of acknowledging and making the effort to improve the quality of their food or service, the owner has a pattern of using guilt trip tactics to make us as customers feel bad for poor reviews. Check out their responses.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №155

内装は日本のようですが、日本のメニューはありません。値段が非常に高く、質も非常に低いです。ドラゴンロールは、3個しかないのに20ドル以上もします。うなぎも注文しましたが、期待するようなふわふわではなく、ねちゃっとしていて気持ち悪い感じでした。ざるそばは25ドル程度ですが、自分で茹でたほうが確実に美味しいです。いかないほうがよいです。
外国人の友達を連れて行ったのですが、日本人の私が申し訳なくなって、何度も「これは日本料理じゃないから。日本に来たら本当にいい店連れて行ってあげるから、この料理のことは忘れて。」と言う状況になってしまいました。

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №156

If you ever had REAL AUTHENTIC Japanese cuisine before, please do not bother to go. Overpriced, small portions, mediocre service, and most importantly not tasty (especially the cold soba was the worst). I and my friends were lured by the decor of the restaurant which turned into huge disappointment. The money can be better spent elsewhere.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №157

I was disappointed. The Armageddon role didn't taste as fresh as it should. And the flavors in the soup were mushy, not fresh, bright, and distinct. The service was really really slow. Is this post pandemic? The best you can get in the Berkshires?

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №158

Tassia was amazing, if you can have her as your server you won't be disappointed both her and the food was fantastic

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №159

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №160

We were travelling in the area and Bizen was recommended to us by a local. One of the pricier options and worth every penny. The atmosphere, quality of the good and service were all excellent. We tried a delicious salad and fish plates, salmon and tuna with vegetables, cooked and seasoned to perfection. Good sized portions but we took a dessert, the chef's coconut pie, was simply amazing. Would definitely return! Call for reservations, it fills up.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №161

Mask still? Food was below par.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №162

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №163

It’s very pricy, service wasn’t good either. For the food, I think it’s ok, but I won’t say it’s authentic and def not worth the price.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №164

It’s ok. Fish is good, but the rice is bland. Almost 10 bucks for simple rolls, a bit overpriced but they have the market cornered in Barrington.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №165

Excellent food . Friendly service. The Suchi is amazing.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №166

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №167

Shared a lovely lunch with friends.
Large menu- we chose lunch specials
Absolutely delicious!
Will return for same selection
Our servers were so polite & knowledgeable - have already recommended this wonderful restaurant to others
Can't wait to enjoy another lunch at Bizen

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №168

love this place!

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №169

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №170

Great restaurant... fresh and delicious sushi and sashimi ☺️👍✨❗

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №171

Not even a busy and and it took 15 mins to get the host to take our order. Placed an order for take out for one roll and miso soup, was told it would be a half hour. 45 minutes later and I am still waiting. Rediculous.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №172

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №173

Vegan options very limited but otherwise the menu is huge. Stir fry with soba noodles was very flavorful. Noodles were perfect.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №174

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №175

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №176

Our evening started off great. We were able to get a reservation for the time we preferred and we were greeted by a lovely woman. Our table was also nice in a secluded area. Our issues began with being seated for over 30 minutes and no one coming to take a drink or any order. I had to flag a server down to receive any help. We then ordered. Drinks arrived in reasonable time but the meals took another hour. When we questioned about the long wait time we were told that a ton of orders came in before we placed ours. The part that was irritating was that we arrived exactly when the restaurant opened so the only way there could be a ton of orders ahead of us would be due to the poor service and long wait time to order. We get it that many restaurants are faced with staff shortages but there were a lot of servers running around but appearing not to be getting much done. The food was okay. I don't like super cold sushi and honestly have been ordering it for years and never had it served so cold. It almost seemed like it came right out of the refrigerator so then we questioned how fresh it was but to be fair it tasted fine. It's doubtful we would come back but it definitely seems like it has a lot of potential so maybe it was an off night with staff off or out.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №177

It was very nice, quiet on an off night. Had a Great time

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №178

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №179

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №180

Food was creative, attractive, authentic and very tasty. Service was wonderful. Very, very highly recommended.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №181

Things have changed.. 😔

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №182

Bizen is by far the best Asian food in Great Barrington. Try the Afghan for lunch and any of the sushi rolls.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №183

What a great evening! We were seated in a private tatami room which was really comfortable, safe and enjoyable! All the food was just great and the service was spot on! We had a combination of robata and sushi. Everything was fresh and delicious! Can’t wait to be there again!

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №184

Quality has gone down while prices have gone up. Rolls consistently are not sealed and fall apart. Would be okay paying more in price is quality was there. Also, they messed up my order.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №185

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №186

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №187

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №188

We had looked forward to visiting this resturant due to the interesting dining experiences offered and good reviews but we are unsure if we will return.

The food itself was very expensive, but not the issue with our visit. What we recieved tasted fine. We had to change our order 3 times over 20 mins due to items not being available (which isnt surprising considering the menu was about 40pgs long), which we found disappointing. This included multiple appetizers.

Our main issue was the service. It took about 30 minutes to recieve our drinks (one beer, one rum+ coke). After 20 minutes a wine arrived and a coke without rum. We sent back the wine and the waiter apologized and stated they would return with the beer. The waiter came by again 15 mins later and realized the beer never came to the table, and said they would get it. It still never came. The waiter came back a third time and said they would get it which we said to not bother, as we were done eating. We also had asked for spicy mayo 2x with our meal, which the waiter didnt bring to us until we were handing off the check to another waitstaff-entirely after our meal. Our visit was about an hour and a half of mostly waiting for items that never arrived. The resturant prides itself on a high quality experience/food but it doesnt seem to extend to the service. Im not sure if it was an off night, but we spent a lot of money and left very disappointed after poor service and not being able to get most of the items we originally wanted to order.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №189

Not good. Food lacked flavor. The spring roll dough was too thick, and the filling was soggy with a sauce that tasted heavy in cornstarch.
My chicken teriyaki bento box was disappointing. Spicy mayo was warm and not spicy. The chicken wasn't grilled but rather boiled with sauce dumped all over it.
The fruit was old and soggy. My husband had the shrimp bento box, it also lacked flavor and was soggy with old fruit.
Restaurant seemed like it needed a good scrub, floor was sticky, there were loads of fruit Flys.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №190

Unreal restaurant! The food is spectacular and 100% worth the wait. We forgot to make a reservation but the squeezed us in despite being super busy. We got an amazing corner table where you sit in the floor in traditional Japanese style. The food is out of this world and the waitstaff are so friendly despite their need to hustle to help all of the tables. We will be back again and again!

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №191

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №192

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №193

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №194

We did not enjoy our meal here. Inside the restaurant was dirty, hot and humid with many large fans running in place of AC. The paper walls are torn and dirty, the tables are too close together for the lack of airflow inside. The menu is large and we were told that many of the choices were not available. We tried to order take out the week before and were told the same. We got bento boxes which were very odd, a slice of dried up orange and two slices of sad apple made it look like a kids school lunch.
The California roll was made with canned crab that still had shell bits in it. The other fish was clearly not fresh and quickly thrown together, no flavor at all.
We had been to the restaurant a few year ago and it was better. We won’t be back as they seem from this experience and recent reviews to have hit the bottom of a steep decline.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №195

Very good Japanese food. Ultra extensive menu. Slow service.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №196

I’ve never experienced a more ridiculous waiting time to get our food. There was seven of us including a toddler. Took one hour and 20 minutes to get our food. Never warned us it’d take this long. Top restaurants with extraordinary state of the art food ( which isn’t the case here) never take that long to serve you. Also, they did not put napkins in our take-out bags.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №197

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №198

Pretty nondescript food. Service was abysmal. Probably wouldn't eat here again

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №199

Waited over an hour after ordering sushi.. waiter checked on us one time, after about 45 minutes. He told us our food would be right out People were sat next to us, got their food and left . Finally cancelled order, and hostess tried to get us to wait for them to START making our food and take our order to go. Nope. So we paid for our one over priced drink (which they managed to get wrong) and left.

I don't care if their sushi cures cancer, I will never come here again.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Experience №200

Top quality food but service was lacking this afternoon. They are doing construction hopefully they can be back on their game when finished.

Visited 3 years ago

Sushi Details
  • 10 sushi photos
  • 200 sushi reviews
  • 4.0 Sushi Rating
  • Reservations: +1 413-528-4343
  • Menu Website: http://www.bizensushi.com/
  • Sushi Address: 17 Railroad St, Great Barrington, MA 01230, United States
  • Sushi Map: 42.1945419, -73.3632506
Specialties
  • Japanese restaurant
  • Asian restaurant
  • Bar
  • Health food restaurant
  • Restaurant
  • Sushi restaurant
Sushi Hours
  • Sunday: 12–3 PM–5–9 PM
  • Monday: 12–2:30 PM–5:30–9 PM
  • Tuesday: 12–2:30 PM–5–9 PM
  • Wednesday: 12–2:30 PM–5–9 PM
  • Thursday: 12–2:30 PM–5–9 PM
  • Friday: 12–2:30 PM–5–9:30 PM
  • Saturday: 12–3 PM–5–9:30 PM
Service options
  • Outdoor seating: Available
  • Kerbside pickup: Available
  • Takeaway: Available
  • Dine-in: Available
  • Delivery: Available
Highlights
  • Fast service: Available
  • Great tea selection: Available
Popular for
  • Lunch: Available
  • Dinner: Available
  • Solo dining: Available
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible car park: Available
  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance: Available
  • Wheelchair-accessible seating: Available
  • Wheelchair-accessible toilet: Available
Offerings
  • Alcohol: Available
  • Beer: Available
  • Cocktails: Available
  • Comfort food: Available
  • Healthy options: Available
  • Organic dishes: Available
  • Small plates: Available
  • Spirits: Available
  • Vegetarian options: Available
  • Wine: Available
Dining options
  • Lunch: Available
  • Dinner: Available
  • Catering: Available
  • Dessert: Available
  • Seating: Available
Amenities
  • Bar on site: Available
  • Gender-neutral toilets: Available
  • Toilets: Available
  • Wi-Fi: Available
  • Wi-Fi: Available
Atmosphere
  • Casual: Available
  • Cosy: Available
  • Romantic: Available
  • Trendy: Available
Crowd
  • Family friendly: Available
  • Groups: Available
  • LGBTQ+ friendly: Available
  • Tourists: Available
Planning
  • Dinner reservations recommended: Available
  • Accepts reservations: Available
Payments
  • Credit cards: Available
  • Debit cards: Available
  • NFC mobile payments: Available
  • Credit cards: Available
Children
  • Good for kids: Available
  • High chairs: Available
Parking
  • Free of charge street parking: Available
  • Free parking lot: Available