The Publix in my neighborhood has decent enough sushi but I feel like even the best supermarket sushi is second rate.

Any resident sushi chefs? What is the lifespan? (not of the chef of the food ;)

I only like it fresh personally...even when making it at home for say lunch, and snacking on the leftovers later that evening, it tastes different. The few times I have purchased it in the supermarket it has tasted like yesterday's leftovers.

I tried sushi late in life as the whole "raw fish" myth bothered me...now it is one of my favorite foods.

Actually, sushi rice and condiments are very high in sugar content. Not to mention white rice (bleached rice) isn't very good for you either. The rolls you buy at supermarkets or at your Japanese restaurants are very high in calories. The only healthy part is the raw or grilled fish in the menu.

when in HI I seem to enjoy poke so much more than sushi.

I agree with the OP, I've had many supermarket sushis and almost all were blah. There are two exceptions that I know of which are local Japanese markets near my house in NW Chicago, but even these do not seem as fresh tasting as getting sushi in a restaurant.

A high end market in Chicago Fox & Obel makes sushi on premise and it is blah. Doesn't seem easy to store AND keep the quality/texture.

Costco (their frozen/thawed stuff) is pretty nasty as well.

I get mine at Giant and I think the sushi is good.

I'd really like to see some sushi blind tastings. I think the results would be very surprising and very inconsistant.

the Pentagon Costco had/has trained personel to make their sushi for the day.

I've actually been pleasantly surprised with Whole Foods' sushi.

(One of the few things that's surprised me there.)

I don't. IME sushi is one thing where it is very easy to distinguish good from bad.

I think it varies from location to location in terms of where they get it, but at my local Kroger, it is gross, gross, gross. I tried it, then decided I'd feed the fish to my cat so it wouldn't go to waste -- she didn't want it either. That seemed *way* bad. :eek:

My local Publix makes some pretty good sushi - the rolls are comparable to many local restaurants and I can often ask the 'chef' to prepare a platter for me while I shop.

It appears to be the same vendor who makes sushi at my local Whole Foods, so there isn't much of a difference, except WF offers a brown rice option.

A good poke is hard to resist. By the way, is one of the markets Yaohan?

I agree with Jamiel about Costco's awful sushi.

IMHO, Costco sushi is pretty good for the price. Perhaps it depends on the area of the country?
I have only tried in S. Cal area where it was a good experience.

If you take it to a potluck, it goes first. :)

I avoid it in all supermarket chains except Wegman's

I'd blow exorbitant money at fusion Japanese restaurants then be stuck with supermarket sushi

the Bristol Farms in So.Pasadena has 2 live chefs and they will do custom if you are willing to wait.It is very decent stuff-but a little expensive. I have never found any other supermarket sushi to be worth going back for.
There is a market in Japantown in LA that makes fantastic sushi-and they move so much of it that it stays"fresh"it is pretty cheap also.
Folks-the whole point of the origin of sushi was preserving fish :p