ShinBay50th birthday delightWe hadn't been the ShinBay since it moved from Chandler! The experience was a TRUE delight. The service was impeccable and the food was truly for foodies. The flavors were delicate but exploded in the mouth making you wish for more! Michael received a birthday card signed by ALL of the staff! What a treat and personal touch to be remembered.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMShinBayWe went to ShinBay for our anniversary dinner. What a great place! Wonderful, fresh seafood with imaginative preparation. Highly recommend.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMDifferent in a great wayIf you are a first time diner at ShinBay they call you and make certain you understand this is not your standard Japanese Restaurant.
There will be no California rolls.
The chef is in charge of what is served, but that turns out to be a good thing.
The food is excellent. The place is small and well designed. This is not inexpensive but that's OK since you won't get back too often since reservations are tough to obtain. Forget about walking in without a reservation.5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazingAlways consistent with top notch quality. Best in town5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMOishi!Not your average Japanese restaurant. Food was excellent - fresh and innovative. It felt it was out if place to be in Scottsdale. I can see this place more in SF or NY.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMHad heard and read a lot ofHad heard and read a lot of raves about this restaurant and it turned out even better than expected. Food was unbelievable and presentation was exquisite.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMAuthentic & modernOutstanding food, presentation & service. 10 out 10.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was great. RestaurantFood was great. Restaurant was almost empty,. Yet, as the only customers sitting at the bar and ordering the full omakase, the chef was very indifferent, never spoke to us and pretty much had his back turned to us the whole time. Rest of the staff was friendly. Barely even acknowledged us when we left. Very odd, and left a very poor impression on us, despite the excellent cuisine.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMA fully satisfying experienceI have wanted to try ShinBay ever since it opened 2 years ago and last night I got the chance to do so. The service is warm without a trace of contrived stuffiness, the atmosphere is beautiful in its simplicity, and the food is a surfeit of delights. Every course was a WOW! and some were so beautiful in presentation that you almost didn't want to eat them (almost). The quantity of food was far more than expected with a lovely pacing of hot dishes interspersed with cold/sushi/fish dishes. Both of us are foodies and we agreed that this was the best experience we have had in a Phoenix restaurant.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMThe real JapaneseMost authentic Japanese restaurant in AZ. I spend a great deal of time in Japan and this is as close as it gets in food, service, ambiance. This is a very high quality restaurant in all regards.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous! Enjoyed every momentFabulous! Enjoyed every moment of it and will most definitely go again.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding JapaneseThe food is superb; one of the best Japanese restaurants in the country! And, I'm so happy they added a delicious custard dessert to their menu.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely Wonderful.ShinBay not only never disappoints, it always amazes. It's one of my favorite restaurants on the planet. Couldn't recommend it more - and every friend I've introduced to it feels the same way. Worth every penny and more.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is a world-class JapaneseThis is a world-class Japanese omakase seafood restaurant.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGave it a shotIt has a nice feel upon arriving, but all the tables lined the wall which was beautiful by the way. The food was great and the service was good but our server was a little overwhelmed with number of diners it seemed. We asked for some siracha but were rudely told that "the chef doesn't permit that". Our next dish came with a bit of siracha on one of the items, so where's the harm. I'm paying a lot of money and ordered an expensive bottle of Saki also. We had a talk after my meal about his tone, I felt it was rude and entirely improper. Didn't seem to faze him, oh well, plenty of others to try!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMShinBay is a very good gourmetShinBay is a very good gourmet Japenese restaurant. We were there on Easter Sunday evening and it was VERY quiet with only two other patrons eating in the 1.5 hours it took to eat our meal. We opted for the $100 Chefs Table menu which has to be ordered at least 24 hours in advance. It consisted of six courses, including a delicious dessert. We both thought that the shushi portions were generous and generally tasty. I'm not a big squid lover so those entries were passed to my partner. In my opinion the best and most unique course was the "grill your own" beef and veggies which was a real treat right at your own table. Our waitress, Susan, was excellent and extremely attentive.
Overall we would recommend ShinBay for a special occasion3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMLittle expensive but wonderfulLittle expensive but wonderful for a Special Occasion.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food and service.Excellent food and service. One of the best dining experiences we've ever had.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMEven the Japanese agree.Best authentic Japanese cuisine in AZ if not USA! My in-laws flew in from Japan and I took them there - they told me "food here is better than most fine restaurants in Japan." 5 Stars all day!3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic. Not for the unadventuroFantastic. Not for the unadventurous, nor the light of wallet. High attention to all detail.
We went for my father's birthday, and it was memorable. 5 course cheft's selection. Do it.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMThe place is dark. VarietyThe place is dark. Variety is lacking. Few vegetables. Food very good.3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding meal at this beautifulOutstanding meal at this beautiful gem in Scottsdale. We ordered ahead and got the chef's tasting course. They were waiting for us when we arrived and started sending out beautiful, delicious dishes shortly thereafter. Every dish that came out was spectacular for both taste and display. In many ways, the food was more art than meal. However, the tastes lived up to the art. Interesting list of Japanese craft beers and a very good list of sakes. A quality Japanese experience in the middle of the desert.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMDon't Miss This Gem in Scottsdale!This was a beautiful and serene restaurant which made you relax as soon as you enter. We got the $100 tasting menu (which you must request in advance) and we got 6 outstanding courses. Everything was fresh and delicious. I especially enjoyed the seafood course with the 6 different kinds of seafood and the sushi course where there were 5 different kinds of melt in your mouth sushi. The cook your own beef course was a little different. Service was professional and friendly. I definitely would go back.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat an extraordinary meal!What an extraordinary meal! We had the five course tasting menu: delicious, gorgeous and creative. The chef could accomodate individual food preferences. Our waitress was knowledgable and attentive, Terrific sake selection.Wish I lived in Scottsdale so I could return often.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food and experience wereThe food and experience were fantastic. A real treat. The wine list was substandard for such a high end dining experience.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMLovelyAn oasis in Scottsdale's culinary wasteland. Much more than sushi, this restaurant offers rare delicacies in a room where every detail is lovely. My favorite in Scottsdale.3/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThe quality of food is outstanding.The quality of food is outstanding. The fish was so fresh you may not know it's even fish! Some people may be a little intimidated by the menu but your server does a good job of describing the ingredients. This is a dining experience and should not be mistaken for quantity over quality2/23/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat, creative sushi, butgreat, creative sushi, but not as outstanding cooked entrees. odd menu: you basically leave the sushi choices up to the chef. so a bit 'odd' but very good & nice atmosphere.1/9/2013 12:00:00 AM