Hmmm your comments are very appropiate, here's how I look at it. Sushi is my favorite food, all Japan for that matter has the best food in the world (for me, so far)
Here's the rundown:
1. Sakura: in my opinion, prices a bit lower than Samurai. Excellent food, fresh, great taste, I specially like the small salad you get courtesy of the chef when you sit in his eye view. Im not sure if this is done for everyone but I enjoy it alot. I call it a salad, maybe someone can enlighten me as to what it is exactly. Great people working there, very very nice, Arsenio, Noel and the whole gang. There's even the every pretty Kenya who is very nice to all customers. The place is a gem. Beautiful decoration, service, food, everything.
2. Samurai: Beautiful place, nice nice blonde at the door (hey baby!). Beautiful fish tanks, decorations, etc. Some of the waiters are very nice, havent met all of them yet but so far no complaints. Parking is kinda hard sometimes
but usually there is no prob. Food is almost almost always excellent, near perfect. Very nicely decorated, fresh, simply excellent. Prices in my opinion are a bit steep. Other than that, all is good all is good. Id like to meet the owners, they're supposedly in the business too huh?
3. Opium: Not as nice physically. Food is good but could be alot better in my opinion. Look at the red tuna, the thing is pink...Nonetheless, the food is good overall. They seem to make their food with no heart though, the cali rolls look like they've been run over by a car before they serve them..Once when i was there, there were kids hanging around the bar, and the chef was giving em food and everything, not a very pretty site,oh and he was eating some sort of cone as he prepared the food. That impression was not nice but everything has been cool after that. Like I said, food is good but not close to great. Prices are, I guess a bit steep for the quality of the thing. Oh and that Japanese-Mexican combo is no good in a restaurant.
4. Sushi Itto: Mamma Mia!!! No its not an italian restaurant but the comment well suits the place. Oh boy...bad food, horrible pieces of everything, not nice not nice. You wanna impress a date? Dont take here there...Miguel Angel Rodriguez was seen eating there apparently (shows he knows nothing of the japanese art). Their lunch buffet is a bunch of baloney, none of the pieces have any fish in em. Only bright spot here is, they have the best Miso soup in CR. Its weird but they do. They put some mushrooms in it,tasty, very tasty. Cheap but hey, it sucks. Go there only if the rest are closed. And if you're nearby, its better to go to Tre Fratelli.
4. Others: Called Bonsai, diagonal from Munoz y Nane y San Pedro, in front of d'pelufos. Nasty nasty nasty. Cheap but yuck.....disgusting. You dont play with food, even more when its raw fish. Dont go there, the stuff ive made at home is better than the one there.
Goyi in Tibas: folks have told me the place is actually good, haven't gotten around to going there yet though, doesnt look pretty, but hey, might be good