Raw fish that's fresh in the middle of the scorching-hot, arid Sonoran Desert is a huge challenge, I would imagine for sushi restaurants. But Sushi J has defied geography and has made it his own "standard" to always have the best cuts of the freshest fish (recently caught) with papers to prove otherwise.
I've only visited once (on a date) and had the special opportunity of having off-the-menu plates made exclusively by "J" himself. It was near life-changing - let me tell you... Quality of fish was on par with fish found in CA or WA, in my opinion.
I'm also not a wasabi fan - I hate the taste and avoid it at all costs. My date pleaded with me to at least try J's "real wasabi", not the fake, mint-green paste I've been avoiding. I try to be open-minded and so I did - quite impressive! It was almost a "relish" type consistency and really didn't taste similar to the mint-green paste at all!
The atmosphere isn't fancy or upscale, but it isn't a dump either. It's simple and serves its purpose - to provide a high-quality sushi experience. I would definitely rate this restaurant as #1 in the Valley, by far.