Professional Chef Gives Honest Review of Costco Sushi

It seems like there are two distinct schools of through when it comes to prepackaged grocery store sushi. Those who enjoy it may see it as a way to satisfy a craving in a pinch without having to spend the extra money on takeout or a sit-down meal, while the second camp wishes the first godspeed on their ensuing bout of diarrhea.

But would you try sushi from Costco, of all places? Chef Mike Haracz, a former McDonald’s corporate chef who has made quite a name for himself on TikTok, where he offers DIY hacks, did just that. Haracz obtained a “California Crunch Combo Deluxe” from his local Costco, which appears to be a combination of two 12-piece rolls of imitation crab and cucumber with spicy sauce for just $9.99.

Before digging in, he first clarified that he didn’t want to misspeak on the sushi’s quality level. “Is this authentic sushi from a fancy [restaurant]?” he said in his car after purchasing the dish. “No it is not. So if you like supermarket sushi or whatever, I’m thinking this is more your style.”

When Haracz returned to his kitchen, he gave the prepackaged sushi a shot. And while he wasn’t blown away, his consensus seems to be as that it gets the job done, which is honestly all you can hope from supermarket sushi.

“It tastes like every other supermarket sushi I’ve ever had,” he remarked, after taking a bite of the first roll. “That I actually get quite a bit, I love me some California rolls. It’s not overly spicy, the rice in supermarket sushi usually after it sits in the fridge for awhile, is a little firmer than traditional … so it’s there. It’s got that bite, it holds together.”

Next he tried the second roll, which appeared to be the same thing, only with some extra sauce slathered on top. “It gives it a little more flavor,” he noted, but didn’t elaborate further. Overall, when all was said and done, he rated the Costco sushi a 7 or 7.5 out of 10, but more like 8.5 out of 10 if you account for the value.

He did also mention that the store also did offer a salmon sashimi-style roll, which cost more money and presumably came with greater gastrointestinal risk. “Don’t know how I feel about that at the Costco,” he added. “Maybe I’ll try that some other time.”