If you’re looking for a game that lets you slow down, make some sushi, and take a break from the usual competitive or skill-heavy games, Ugoku Sushi Bar might be worth checking out.
At first glance, it looks like a typical restaurant simulator, but what I enjoyed about it is how detailed the sushi-making process actually is. You’re not simply selecting ingredients and tapping a button to serve customers. There are quite a few steps involved in preparing each dish, which makes running the sushi bar feel more hands-on.
It’s More Than Just Buying Ingredients
One of the things I found interesting is that you don’t have to rely entirely on the shop for your ingredients. You can actually go fishing to catch your own fish, while tea leaves also need to be planted and grown. These little activities add another layer to the simulation and make the process of preparing food feel more connected to where the ingredients come from.
Even preparing a sushi order involves multiple steps. You’ll need to cook the rice, grill items such as unagi, and put everything together before serving it to the customer. It might sound like a lot for a sushi simulator, but the game does a good job of making these tasks feel manageable rather than overwhelming.
A Relaxed Pace, But Plenty To Do
Another thing I liked is that the customer service isn’t particularly rushed. Unlike some restaurant simulation games where customers constantly pile up and you’re frantically trying to complete orders before they get angry, Ugoku Sushi Bar gives you a much more relaxed experience.
Of course, there are still plenty of things to keep you busy. You’ll need to wash your dishes and cups, wipe down the tables, and keep your restaurant running smoothly. These small chores may sound mundane, but they actually contribute to the relaxing simulation aspect of the game.
And yes, the game even makes you responsible for remembering your recipes — well, kind of.
How Good Are You At Memorising Recipes?
For players who struggle to remember recipes, there’s some good news: every customer order comes with the recipe you need. You can simply check it whenever you receive an order.
But if you’re feeling confident, you can ignore the recipe and try making the dish from memory instead. It’s a small feature, but I liked that the game gives players the choice. You can play comfortably by checking the recipe every time, or challenge yourself by trying to remember everything.
There’s Actually a Casino
This was probably one of the more unexpected things I discovered — there’s a casino inside the game. Instead of just focusing on running your sushi restaurant, you can head over to the casino, roll some dice, and play puzzle-matching games to earn money.
It’s a pretty interesting change of pace from the restaurant activities. You can basically take a break from making sushi, roll some dice, solve a few small puzzles, and hopefully come out with some extra cash.
I definitely wasn’t expecting a sushi restaurant simulator to come with its own casino, but here we are.
Collectors, This One Is For You
As someone who enjoys collecting things in games, I also appreciated the black market, where you can purchase chopstick blind boxes. Yes, you can gacha for chopsticks in this game.
It’s definitely not something you need to run your sushi restaurant, but if you’re the type of player who sees a collection tab and immediately thinks “I need to get all of them”, this could become another little side goal to work towards.
And Yes, You Can Automate Your Kitchen
Like many food simulation games, Ugoku Sushi Bar also lets you upgrade your kitchen and eventually automate certain parts of the cooking process.
This gives you a sense of progression as you continue playing. What starts out as a hands-on process gradually becomes more efficient as you invest in your restaurant, giving you another reason to keep upgrading and expanding.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Ugoku Sushi Bar is a surprisingly chill simulator. What I enjoyed most is that it doesn’t try to make everything fast-paced or stressful. Instead, it focuses on the small details of running a sushi restaurant — from preparing ingredients and cooking rice to washing dishes, wiping tables, and serving customers.
It’s definitely a game I would recommend for those moments when you don’t feel like playing another PvP game and just want something relaxing to play at your own pace. The detailed processes may take a little getting used to at first, but once you settle into the routine, there’s something quite satisfying about watching your little sushi business come together.
Now, excuse me while I go back to the black market to see if I can complete my chopstick collection.
