Hissho Sushi has a nationwide presence of to-go sushi, with over 2,000 establishments offering its pre-packaged rolls in the deli sections of grocery stores, airports and hospitals. With a full-service restaurant comes an elevated experience, complete with new entrées that are made to order and beer and wine to sip.
We first went looking for Hissho to fuel our scavenger hunt of groceries to follow. We mistakenly went through the home and garden entrance, having to pass many sights to our destination, including the vision center, locked up tobacco products and a FedEx. It was a lengthy walk, but there was a light at the end of this tunnel: a cool blue glow. Yes, it’s super blue everywhere in a Walmart, but Hissho adds to the experience with its bougie blue hues.
A stark contrast is evident inside the restaurant, looking out toward the familiar Walmart terrain. Beautiful photos of sushi adorn the walls, a high communal table is good for big groups and a lounge area is perfect for happy hour. The atmosphere is cool and sleek, oddly partnered with country music over the airwaves. Numerous televisions surround the bar’s perimeter; we watched Monday Night Football during our visit.
The Japanese and Asian-inspired menu is extensive, offering nigiri, sashimi, maki rolls, specialty rolls, appetizers, dim sum, bentos and dessert. Their drink menu includes a selection of beer and wine, priced between $5 to $6. A glass of pinot was tempting, but I’ve been known to buy some weird stuff even with a little bit of alcohol. The candy and random yet useful items at the store cashier were too close for comfort.
We ordered a few items: the Boom Boom Shrimp appetizer, tuna sashimi, salmon sashimi, Living Color roll (their version of a rainbow roll), Rising Sun roll (spicy salmon, avocado, cream cheese, scallions, mayo), and their current special, Frank’s Red Hot Crunchy Buffalo Chicken roll (grilled chicken, avocado, cream cheese, carrots, crunchy fried onions, mayo and the namesake hot sauce).
How was the sushi? Overall, it was ... just OK. We went with an open mind and knowing that Hissho’s business is based on sushi made for convenience, but were hopeful this experience would make us a believer with their made-to-order rolls. The quality of the fish could be better, but the sushi rice, a defining ingredient, has big room for improvement. Hopefully, this was just a one-off, as recent Google reviews and local foodie Facebook groups shared better experiences here at Hissho.
We did enjoy the Boom Boom shrimp, which was lightly battered and fried to a crisp, tossed with a creamy, spicy and slightly citrusy coating. On a return visit, we'd get this again, along with a few more hot appetizers and perhaps a bento bowl.“Remember the time we got lit off of bentos and wine at Walmart on a Wednesday?” - All of Us (Hopefully)
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While the sushi alone won't bring us back, Hissho is still a unique concept that has the potential for a fun time. The staff is super friendly and accommodating. The restaurant is large and pleasant enough to host you and your friends for an impromptu happy hour. Wouldn’t that be a fun memory to look back to? “Remember the time we got lit off of bentos and wine at Wal-Mart on a Wednesday?” (By the way, is “lit” still a thing? The millennial in me needs confirmation.)
With all-day prices for food and drink that are more affordable than happy hours nearby coupled with the ability to easily run some errands after? Sounds like a productive and fun time, a wonderful win-win situation at Wally World.
Hissho Sushi & Wine Bar (Inside Walmart Supercenter, near the Grocery Entrance), 1700 Dallas Parkway, Suite 100G (Plano), (972) 931-9846.