Outdoor Dining at Show Sushi in San Dimas

It is hard to believe, as much as I love sushi, that some of my peers have never even tried it before! The Citrus College community answered a recent Instagram poll revealing that of those who have tried sushi, 53% have eaten at the local favorite Show Sushi in San Dimas. Open 7 days a week, it is known for its popular all-you-can-eat service. Surprisingly, only 19% of poll participants have dined at Show Sushi since they began their new outdoor dining service on July 10, 2020. Until recently, it had been 6 months since I had gone out for sushi. I finally decided to try outdoor dining for the first time during the pandemic and I had a great experience at Show Sushi.

Approaching the restaurant at 2 p.m.,I had an immediate sense of the bustle of the service. Red umbrellas at each table were a nice touch to block the afternoon sun. All of the staff wore protective gloves, a mask, and face shield. Before checking me in, the employee asked if I had a temperature, a cough, or was displaying any symptoms of COVID-19. She handed me a menu, jotted down my phone number, and instructed me to wait in the car until my table was ready. I thought this was a clever idea to ensure the waiting area would not get overcrowded.

Being called earlier than expected for my turn to dine was exciting, and I eagerly put my mask on to check in for seating.It was not hard to comply with the safety rules in such a happy atmosphere. There was a one hour dining limit and they asked that you not to loiter when done eating. I had plenty of time to eat my food and found the time limit perfectly reasonable.  

They have excellent quality food. I must have said, “Mmm!” more than ten times during the meal. I ordered the Spicy Tuna Tempura Roll, which is quite large, bursting with fish, including a tempura shrimp, and then deep-fried. I definitely recommend it to spicy tuna lovers. My favorite dish was the Mountain Roll which has baked salmon delectably drizzled with teriyaki sauce and topped on California roll. It just melts in your mouth. Everything that was presented to me was visually appealing, making the meal more appetizingly scrumptious.

Service was efficient.They had it down to a science. Each round of sushi came with a print out of the order which was taped to the table and each item crossed off as it was delivered. This ensures diners get everything they order and nothing they don’t. The servers were extremely friendly, and even though every table was full, I still felt very attended to. 

Michael Calleros, 38, is a Citrus College photography major, he said, “Show sushi is my spot! I love the magnolia roll and the pepper salmon. I’ve been there 5 times since they’ve been doing outdoor dining!”

Chantal Guerrero, 30, grew up in Glendora and had this to say, “I love Show Sushi but they were crowded before the pandemic and I won’t eat there with even limited outdoor seating.” Guerrero’s concerns have kept her from outdoor dining however she is still part of the 77% polled on Instagram who said they would recommend Show Sushi to their friends and family.

Positive Yelp reviews show the restaurant’s popularity has travelled from neighboring cities like Glendora and LaVerne to Diamond Bar and Claremont; it is one of the only all-you-can-eat sushi places currently still offering outdoor dine in service. 

What makes Show Sushi unique is their openness with their customers and commitment to keeping their guests informed and healthy. Show Sushi shared photographs of their cleaning process on their Instagram in a post on June 23, 2020, prior to their reopening captioned with, “We are following CDC guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting our dine- in- area, kitchen and safety for all.” They also shared they are using Environmental Protective Agency- approved disinfectants. I observed their exceptional cleanliness and process for cleaning an area to prepare it for the next guest. 

Another change they’ve made is switching out glassware for single use foam trays, paper cups, and single packets of soy sauce. Show Sushi was reached out to via phone and Instagram for comment but Logos has yet to receive a response as of publication of this story.

What I liked about the service beyond the delicious food was that I felt safe. 

They even gave me a complimentary scoop of green tea ice cream as a sweet end to my delicious experience.