When the desert sun beats down on Victorville, relief comes in many forms: a dip in the pool, a blast of AC, or a perfectly chilled piece of nigiri. We can’t fill your pool, but we can guide you to that last one. Victorville’s sushi scene offers an oasis of pristine fish and creative rolls. These are the spots where every bite brings a cool, savory escape from the heat.
House of Joy Restaurant
$ | (760) 241-7023 | WEBSITE
When the high desert sun beats down, House of Joy Restaurant in Victorville is one of our favorite places to find relief. It never feels too crowded, and there’s a pretty extensive menu of classic Korean-style Chinese dishes. We like the dinner special B, which arrives as a generous platter of Mongolian beef and BBQ pork in a savory sauce, with the essential veggies mix, steamed, and jasmine tea for both refreshment and aroma.
Tokyo Steak
$$ | (760) 956-6888 | WEBSITE
Walking into Tokyo Steak at any time of day feels a bit like you’ve just entered a family-friendly theater in the high desert—it’s a bit lively, the interactive cooking shows make you feel like you should be watching, and the spacious dining area is almost always full. But with that welcoming family vibe comes some fresh sashimi that tastes like it was just prepared that morning.
There’s a pretty large selection of Chinese and Japanese dishes here, but we like to go with the classic perfectly cooked meat here—served with delicious rice and accompanied by a fresh, crisp salad.
Yoshi Sushi
$$ | (760) 241-1960 | WEBSITE
Some of the specials at Yoshi Sushi change from time to time, to keep things interesting, but in general you’ll be getting a few beautiful pieces of salmon (we’ve had the albacore and crunch roll, on recent visits) with excellent quality. It gives it just a bit of richness, while still maintaining that distinct, fresh flavor that we want out of good sushi. The Kenwood lunch special adds a bit of value, and a side of shrimp tempura roll is the perfect complement for rounding it all out.
It’s a different sushi experience than most of the others we’ve had in town, but that just helps us cram more sushi into our week without too much repetition.
Dream Hanabi
$ | (760) 843-2588 | WEBSITE
Dream Hanabi offers a few different sushi rolls—classic, specialty, and a chef’s selection—but they all start with a base of premium fish and perfectly seasoned rice. They’re fresh and flavorful, but still substantial enough to make for a satisfying meal, which is good, considering these are some of the more affordable sushi options in town. Try one, try a couple, or better yet, order the AYCE silver menu where you can sample miniature versions of several varieties.
Sushi y Mi Salvador
$ | (760) 261-4200 | WEBSITE
Most people hear the name Sushi y Mi Salvador and think of fresh fish, soy sauce, and California rolls. When we hear Sushi y Mi Salvador, we think of three words: Super Crunch Roll. You can probably figure out most of the components from the name, but the element you might not have guessed is the perfect sear on the salmon, which adds a rich texture to the dish.
There’s a bit of crunch from the tempura flakes and avocado, but never in a way that feels like it’s straying too far from its sushi roots. It’s a great satisfying main for any visit, but one especially suited to enjoying in Sushi y Mi Salvador’s clean, well-maintained interior.
Young Dim Sum
$ | (760) 227-6017 | WEBSITE
The brilliant thing about Young Dim Sum is that the food stays consistently excellent all the time. The only constants on the menu are the Shrimp Dumplings—which are always perfectly steamed and translucent—and the Xia Long Bao that maintains its delicate broth-filled perfection. The most recent meal we had featured the BBQ pork bun with its perfectly fluffy texture and sweet-savory filling, alongside juicy beef balls and Sichuan Spicy Wonton with just the right kick.
The portions are generous enough for two people to share, but everything is so good you might just want to order extra for yourself.
Tokyo Sushi
$$ | (760) 955-7123 | WEBSITE
The Japanese-inspired sushi restaurant Tokyo Sushi is located in Victorville, offering delightful meals. Much like its reputation suggests, Tokyo Sushi is a well-oiled machine, balancing attentive service and a unique atmosphere with one of the neatest spaces in the area. There are many options for sushi on the menu, but we’re into the highly recommended baked rolls, with beautifully plated presentations, fresh ingredients, and perfect textures.
They’re flavorful and satisfying, and go especially well with a seaweed salad starter and a selection of great drink options.
Seoul Garden Korean B.B.Q
$$ | (760) 243-7050 | WEBSITE
Tucked away in a Victorville strip mall, Seoul Garden Korean B.B.Q is a standout spot specializing in all things grilled, from spicy short ribs and marinated meats, to a self-service bar loaded with tender options. Grab a plate of the spicy short rib while you’re there—it’s uniquely craveable—and then load up on marinated meats by the plate, or by the grill. Grab a side of kimchi on your way over to mix with one of Seoul Garden’s outstanding lunch specials.
Samurai Sushi
$$ | (760) 843-5858 | WEBSITE
A small part of us is glad that Samurai Sushi isn’t closer to downtown Victorville, because if it were we’d probably eat their Green Train roll for about 50% of our meals—it’s fresh, flavorful, and packed with perfectly balanced ingredients. Another 25% of our meals would probably be spent with their complimentary appetizer—elegant, tasty, and beautifully presented—and we’d reserve the last quarter eating spicy garlic edamame to help bring our taste buds back to equilibrium.
Instead, we’ll have to save those delicious moments for when we find ourselves craving exceptional sushi, because we haven’t successfully made a trip to that part of town without a Samurai Sushi pit stop.
Sushiaru Japanese Restaurant
$$ | (760) 245-1113 | WEBSITE
We’re not sure what happened to all the other sushi spots in Victorville, but if they were involved in the lead-up to Sushiaru, then we’ll gladly tip our hats as necessary. Sushiaru is a comfortable Japanese restaurant that’s great for small parties. There’s a full menu of things like avocado rolls and chicken noodles, but the thing to order is the house salad—a beautiful bowl of fresh greens, dressed in exceptional dressing with crispy toppings.
But as much as we love the greens in this, the fried vanilla ice cream might be our favorite part of the whole meal—it adds a perfect balance to the savory, fresh entrees.
