Drunken Monkey Sushi

“Amazing sushi. I can’t wait to go back and try the hot dishes, such as the noodles. Inside it was very noisy, but outside was pleasant. We arrived at 5, so no wait but it quick started getting busy, and they don’t take reservations.”

“You stumble into Drunken Monkey like you've wandered off-course from a Sapporo back alley and ended up face-first in a fever dream—except instead of neon kanji and drunken businessmen chain-smoking under paper lanterns, you're staring down Brockway Road and wondering what kind of cosmic joke dropped this place in a sleepy ski town. The vibe? Imagine a sake-soaked jazz bar had a baby with your woodsy uncle’s fishing cabin and then handed it over to a lighting designer with a God complex. Everything’s dim, warm, and weirdly perfect. You could lose your phone and your dignity in here—and you wouldn’t care. Behind the bar: Ja-ear (how he breaks it down to you). A man, a myth, a sushi-slinging demigod with hands that move like they’ve got a cheat code for time. The guy pops up like a culinary specter—"Try this," he says, dropping something on your plate that looks like it was painted by a Michelin-starred monk tripping on wasabi. You eat. You black out in bliss. You come to licking sauce off your fingers, unashamed. Da Vinci couldn’t carve raw fish like this man. There’s always a “How’ve you been?” from Ja-ear, and I mean it when I tell him “Better now.” Because once the sake starts flowing and the sashimi hits the bloodstream, you realize—you’re not just at dinner. You’re on a damn pilgrimage. The staff? Surgical. Like culinary assassins in crisp black shirts, quietly plotting your next flavor ambush. No ego. No nonsense. Just pure, razor-sharp execution. You’ll swear you’ve fallen into a Tokyo izakaya—except there's a golf course a block away and snowboards on the roof racks outside. We parked ourselves at the sushi bar—because dinner tables are for the indecisive. The calamari came out like Poseidon’s revenge: golden, crackling, bathed in a sauce that made me question the meaning of life. That tang still lingers in my dreams like a bad tattoo I don't regret. Dan-Dan ramen? Jesus. That bowl had the depth of a Kurosawa film and the kick of a back-alley brawl. Brisket so tender it was practically weeping in the broth. I’ve eaten noodles in Hokkaido alleys in the dead of winter—this was right there with it. No passport required. The sake kept coming. Something went wrong with the ginger in one of our drinks—minor glitch. They took it off the bill before we could even pretend to be bothered. That’s hospitality. That’s pride. That’s Drunken Monkey. And here’s the kicker: this isn’t some flashy Vegas knockoff or big-city clout trap. It’s tucked next to a damn roundabout in Truckee. TRUCKEE. You’d never guess this much flavor and finesse was hiding out where ski bums and snowplows cross paths. But here it is: a Japanese fever dream in flannel country. So skip the cookie-cutter tourist spots. This isn’t just dinner, it’s aboys’-night-out-meets Blade-Runner-meets-Hokkaido food hallucination. Drunken Monkey is raw, loud, fast, and deeply personal. You’ll leave full, buzzed, and spiritually rearranged—and you’ll curse that roundabout for being the only thing between you and your next bite.”

“The sushi here was fantastic! It was a lively spot in town. We had a lot of fun and our waitress was great, the only reason for a 4 star was not due to her but that they were just a little too understaffed. If it's during a peak meal time, I would certainly allow additional time and not expect this to be a quick in and out meal. Otherwise, great spot to have an amazing sushi dinner!”

“One of the best sushi places in the area. Anything is good. Negi toro is a must. Also good poke, noodle and beef options. Nice atmosphere, ok music. It is a little pricy, but the quality is high.”

“We came here for lunch based on the reviews and were honestly very underwhelmed. The ambience and location were nice, but that was pretty much it. The food was extremely overpriced for the quality and flavors. We don't mind spending more (have been to several Michelins), but only if the food warrants it, but in this case, not so. The taste was very mediocre, and I definitely cook better at home, and I'm not a professional by any means. The sushi had a ton of fixings/sauces/etc but they did not blend well together, and we've had better ones at AYCE joints in Reno. Overall disappointed for the price, and would not be coming back.”