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pisces sushi bar and lounge

January 16, 2014 by Chrissie 21 Comments

Filed Under: all, asian, charlotte, nc, midtown, sushi Tagged With: all you can eat sushi, pisces sushi bar and lounge, sushi, the metropolitan

I have been a little hesitant to stuff my face full of all you can eat sushi since my mas o menos experience at Ru San’s. But not one to turn down sushi, like ever (if you need examples, please see here, here, here and here) and with a little help from my friends, I’ve given all you can eat sushi a second shot, and Pisces totally nailed it.

map & more
score: 7
spending: $$
neighborhood: midtown
cuisine: sushi, asian
official website
[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Pisces+Sushi+Bar+%26+Lounge,+Metropolitan+Avenue,+Charlotte,+NC&aq=0&oq=pisce&sll=35.203154,-80.839829&sspn=0.659814,1.157684&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=&t=m&ll=35.212807,-80.835664&spn=0.003506,0.00427&z=16&output=embed&w=200&h=200]

Pisces probably has one of the best lunch deals in all of the land, especially for raw fish lovers like me. Saying all of the land makes me feel like I’m going to tell you a fairy tale. Well, you’re in luck; this isn’t a fairy tale, this all you can eat sushi is real life and is available Monday through Friday for $14 ($2 extra for salad and miso soup). While I love salad with ginger dressing and miso soup is one of the things I most look forward to when I go for sushi, I don’t think they are worth $2 extra. Plus, if your intention is to get your $14 worth of all you can stuff your face with sushi, I would recommend skipping the soup and salad. Please go prepared with loose pants or a high waisted dress, as well as at least an hour to stuff your face (for $14 it’s not worth a quick sushi lunch…if you’re looking for a quick, affordable sushi lunch, look no further than KO Sushi or Sushi 101).

We went to Pisces in early January when court was closed down (so we have a bit more time for lunch, we need maximum time to take advantage of an all you can eat situation) a little bit before noon to beat the lunch rush. While Pisces is busy at lunch, I’m not too concerned about getting a table–they usually have a few open even if you come during the peak time. What I am more concerned about is the heinous parking lot at the Metropolitan (whoever decided to put Best Buy and Trader Joe’s on the same floor to share the same tiny lot was a fool…I feel like I am Christmas shopping every time I park there, slowly driving behind people as I stalk them to their cars. It’s awful). So we went a bit early to fight off any lunch time rush parking mess (which we successfully avoided and snagged a spot on the second floor of the garage near the escalator).

Pisces’ all you can eat sushi is made to order–you pick what you’d like off of the menu and they make it for you as you wait. I think it’s a way better game plan than Ru San’s all you can eat lunch buffet (while Ru San’s continaully replenished the food so it wasnt sitting out too long, I just like made to order better!). The rolls for lunch are smaller than a normal roll of sushi (cut into 4 pieces instead of 8) which is totally great for several reasons. One, you don’t have to stick to just one type of fish. Two, Pisces has so many choices on their menu, you can try them all (if that’s your thing) or as many as you want! Three, the smaller rolls and variety of choices motivates sushi lovers who generally stick to the same order (like me, spicy tuna roll anyone?) to order out of the box and try something new. Danielle and I have worked roll ordering to a science (sort of) in the two times we’ve visited–we each order three rolls at a time and dig in, and then as the pieces are getting low we re up (our system makes me feel better about my status as a fatty and also saves table space for all the sushi).

Our ordering system also provides that we don’t order the same roll twice (unless we really, really like it, well because we do what we want). This allows me to get out of my sushi comfort zone and try new flavors and combinations. On our past visit, I started out very traditional and worked my way down to new things. My first order was spicy tuna (duh), sake roll (salmon) and crunchy roll (I have never asked what is in the crunchy roll, but I find it delicious and I love the little crunch of the tempura flakes).

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All three were tasty, but I think out of that group I enjoyed the sake roll the most, because it was fresh, simple and straightforward. The spicy tuna roll was average; it was a bit more lackluster than the spicy tuna rolls I’ve had elsewhere (Sushi 101 and KO are still my favorites) but it still had a good kick and I gobbled it up. Danielle and Katie Claire each got an assortment of rolls as well (some tuna avocado, spicy salmon, and pieces of nigiri which are also included on the all you can eat menu). Our waitress brought us plenty of wasabi and ginger, and was quick to bring us more as we went to town on the sushi.

Katie Claire and I also got an order of spring rolls; they were well cooked with tender veggies in the middle and a crispy shell exterior, served up with a sweet dipping sauce that had strong flavors. Yummy. Pisces all you can eat menu does include a few fully cooked dishes (like the spring rolls, as well as garlic noodles, fried rice and white rice) but I still maintain you shouldn’t fill up on those items if your goal is all you can eat sushi. Pisces will not leave your non sushi loving friends out in the cold for lunch; they are totally welcome too–with an affordable lunch menu of hibachi and other asian dishes.

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Next up for me was a tuna avocado roll, hamachi (yellowtail) roll and an unagi (eel) roll. The tuna was fresh and the avocado was creamy and didn’t over power the fish. The hamachi was good; it was only my second time eating yellow tail but I liked it and would probably order it again. I didn’t particularly enjoy the eel–there was a sweet, sticky sauce on top of the eel rolls which I thought was too sweet and blasted my palate when I ate the roll, so I didn’t taste much eel at all. Danielle got spicy tuna, a traditional California roll and tried the mango roll (which she enjoyed!) and Katie Claire got hamachi and eel avocado. Unfortunately, when she bit down on one of her hamachi rolls, she ate something hard (she thought it may have been a bone) but gave Pisces the benefit of the down and ate the rest of the pieces with no issues.

We left Pisces stuffed and happy and sauntered back to our car (I think sauntered has to be the appropriate verb here for our slow gait). Our lunch was delicious and filling and totally got me prepared for a food coma an afternoon of work at my desk. I have not been to Pisces for dinner, but rumor has it they whip up some good cocktails and have some tasty specialty rolls!

Pisces Sushi Bar and Lounge on Urbanspoon

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Comments

  1. Christie says

    February 10, 2014 at 10:06 am

    Ah-mazing! I love sushi and wish this place was near me! I’d go every week! Thanks for the drool 🙂

    Reply
  2. Cher says

    February 10, 2014 at 10:26 am

    I am a sushi lover myself and this sounds like a great place! Thanks for sharing!

    Cher @ Designs by Studio C

    Reply
  3. Damaris Mia // Le Magnifique Blog says

    February 10, 2014 at 11:58 am

    Looks yummy! Especially those tuna avocado rolls!

    Reply
  4. Simply D Constructed says

    February 10, 2014 at 2:08 pm

    Hi! I’m stopping by from the SITS Girls “Spread the Comment Love” challenge this week. I love that your blog is full of food reviews of the local places in your city. It’s a nice theme! I’m a fatty too! Haha! Love food. I really enjoyed reading your review on this place. Sushi is one of my all-time favorite things to eat. It is also the one thing I won’t try to make on my own. I’m too scared to buy and handle the raw fish. Scared I may buy from the wrong place, prepare it wrong, etc. Nobody wants to spend a night in the bathroom. Am I right?

    Reply
    • Chrissie @ OTEP says

      February 10, 2014 at 5:41 pm

      Hi Deen,

      It sounds like we would be good friends (fatties unite!). Sushi is one of my all time favorite things but I haven’t made it at home, for a lot of the same reasons as you (my opinion is to leave it to the experts!). I did go to a sushi making class at a local restaurant a few months ago, which was super fun (and way easier because they had mostly everything already ready for us!). Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  5. Courtney @ What's Up with the Wilhelms says

    February 10, 2014 at 2:55 pm

    I love going out for delicious and fresh sushi. Sounds like you have found a great restaurant here! I am visiting from the SITS Comment Love Challenge. Happy Monday!

    Reply
    • Chrissie @ OTEP says

      February 10, 2014 at 5:37 pm

      Thanks for stopping by Courtney…it really brightened my dreary Monday!

      Reply
  6. Cindy says

    February 10, 2014 at 2:58 pm

    This looks like so much fun! We are starting to explore sushi a little bit more. My biggest problem is I have NO idea what to order. I’m excited to keep trying though!

    Reply
    • Chrissie @ OTEP says

      February 10, 2014 at 5:36 pm

      Cindy,

      If you like spicy, I would definitely recommend spicy tuna rolls (they are my favorite and so delicious). If you don’t like spicy, just order tuna–it’s a pretty soft, sweet and mellow flavor, and perfect for sushi newbies!

      Reply
  7. christineardigo says

    February 10, 2014 at 2:58 pm

    YUM! I’m eating lunch right now (fish) but I love sushi and now I’m wishing i had some of this! Great article!

    Reply
    • Chrissie @ OTEP says

      February 10, 2014 at 5:35 pm

      Thanks for stopping by, Christine!

      Reply
  8. Dawn says

    February 10, 2014 at 3:45 pm

    Oh, looks so good! I’m hard pressed to find good sushi places in my area, unless I journey to Boulder, and I love it so much! I even have my kids loving it! My son chose sushi for his birthday, and 19 California rolls later I was beginning to doubt my decision!

    Visiting from SITS!

    Reply
    • Chrissie @ OTEP says

      February 10, 2014 at 5:34 pm

      Your son sounds like my kinda guy…but 19 California rolls, oh my! Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  9. Danielle Faust (@DanielleFaust) says

    February 10, 2014 at 4:16 pm

    Oh my goodnesssssss. I’m now officially craving sushi #pregnancyproblems
    Thanks a lot.
    Ugh!
    #sitsblogging

    Reply
    • Chrissie @ OTEP says

      February 10, 2014 at 5:33 pm

      I’m always craving sushi and it would be so, so hard not to eat it…but I’m sure it will be totally worth it!

      Reply
  10. christine says

    February 10, 2014 at 11:23 pm

    All you can eat sushi?! Why is this not near my house? I love sushi but feel like I’m never full from an order, but I bet I could fill up with all you can eat! Oh boy, dangerous. Great post! #SITSBlogging

    Reply
  11. Christin Theiss says

    February 11, 2014 at 12:25 pm

    I wish I was near this place! I LOVE sushi! Thank you for sharing !

    Reply
  12. heartbeatssoulstains says

    February 13, 2014 at 7:32 am

    My husband and my kids cannot get enough sushi 😉 I live in Hawaii so it is every where and most of it is amazing. Thank you for sharing. #SITSBlogging

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. kennedy’s premium bar and grill–all you can eat crab | Off The Eaten Path: Charlotte Food and Restaurant Reviews says:
    February 10, 2014 at 11:13 am

    […] I think AJ hung tight until at least number 7). It was all so delicious, but I got super stuffed (another time when a high waisted dress comes in handy), and eventually my taste buds got tired (I could never get sick of crab, but sometimes you just […]

    Reply
  2. upstream | Off The Eaten Path: Charlotte Food and Restaurant Reviews says:
    August 19, 2014 at 8:08 am

    […] some girlfriends from work, and I really enjoyed the oysters and sushi (at this point, you know I love all the sushi). This time around, I wanted branch out and indulge in some of Upstream’s innovative fresh […]

    Reply
  3. my 2018 charlotte food bucket list | off the eaten path says:
    January 5, 2018 at 12:48 pm

    […] Sushi at O-Ku (I love sushi and we’ve only been to O-Ku once. We hovered at their table at the best new restaurants party […]

    Reply

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chrissie off the eaten path blog
Hi! I'm Chrissie: a pizza and sushi loving, craft beer and red wine drinking, restaurant exploring and traveling home cook who's been taking pictures of my food since 2013. To learn more about Off the Eaten Path, click here!

Get in touch: offtheeatenpathclt@gmail.com

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Hurricane Matthew (named after the hurricane we got married during!)
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4 ounces light or silver rum
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