A word to the wise: If you love to unwillingly spend four hours at a restaurant, you’re in luck. Blue Ocean Sushi is here to rescue you from anything else you might want to do on a Saturday night.

Aside from its alluring signs screaming “All You Can Eat Sushi,” Blue Ocean Sushi is a small, atmospheric establishment that couldn’t contrast more with the somewhat-shady characters that frequent the adjoining Club 609. The cool blue color scheme and streamlined design create a relaxed feel, while unusual pieces of art and photography keep the eye entertained.

However, art can only do so much. At some point, you’d like water. And maybe some food. This is where Blue Ocean Sushi fell woefully behind. It took at least half an hour to get drinks once we were seated; we were even served complimentary miso soup before the drinks. Miso soup may be delicious, but a thirst quencher it is not.

To stave off our hunger, the establishment kept the munchies coming. We were given hot, fresh crab rangoon which was tasty, but light on the crab. Next, we were treated to what seemed like the exact same thing, only without the filling and sliced into strips.

Those with the all-you-can-eat deal were served their appetizers first while the rest of the party waited. Note: munching away on your edamame can put a strain on your friendship with a foodless person. For appetizers, I would highly recommend the tempura, which was light and fresh, with a healthy serving of vegetables. I devoured it in about three seconds.

Most of our party chose the larger meal option: the Level-2 for $24.99, which offered far more variety and rolls with more than one ingredient. Level-2 proved to be a wise option, as the sushi was delicious overall, though it took at least an hour. The salmon nigiri was lean and flavorful, while the shrimp nigiri was sweet and light. Best of all, the spicy tuna roll combined just the right amount of spice for someone who generally concocts a paste of wasabi so thick that it’s practically solid. It was no surprise that I also went back for the salmon roll after such wonderful nigiri, and it also did not disappoint. I wasn’t too impressed with the albacore nigiri as it seemed gray and tasteless compared to the usual yellowfin tuna. The mackerel was greasy.

One point of contention among the diners was the cheeseburger roll, which was literally hamburger meat rolled within rice with lettuce and ketchup. This was such a random item and clearly meant for the kiddie set, yet we felt someone had to try it. Others gave it slightly positive reviews, but I ended up chickening out myself.

Another mass-ordered item was the yakisoba on the à la carte menu, which turned out not to be worth the wait. None of the traditional yakisoba flavor was there, the vegetables were scant and the addition of chicken teriyaki made a strange flavor. Most who ordered it left nearly everything on their plates.

Dessert was mochi ice cream in vanilla, green tea or mango. Mochi is a small ball of ice cream surrounded by a layer of glutinous rice paste, which has a powdery, dough-like taste. This sounds vile, but don’t knock it before you try it. The rice layer is slightly sweet, but not cloying, and adds an interesting accent to your standard fare. Just don’t expect too much; servings consist of one mochi ball cut in half and I found myself asking for another.

I consider myself a pretty professional eater both in quality and quantity, but even I struggled with finishing the last morsels of my dinner. All-you-can-eat sushi is an enticing concept, especially when you feel you have to eat your money’s worth at the restaurant that made you wait more than two hours for mediocre yakisoba. In the end, though, it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be.

Many of the problems had to do with a scant staff. There were only two servers for the entire restaurant, each covering about six tables, which isn’t easy. There were also only two sushi chefs, which must have made things very difficult once orders started pouring in.

As a new restaurant, Blue Ocean Sushi clearly lacks many of the fundamentals: efficient service, an adept staff and a menu that both takes risks and excels in basic fare. However, given a few more months, they will likely adapt a new business model and adjust to demand. Until then, think twice about venturing there. Or bring your own water bottle.