After hearing about this restaurant at work, my friend and I decided to try it out. Coming from Chicago, good, fresh sushi is always a hard find in central Illinois. We came in on a Friday night around 6:30pm, we were quoted 35 mins on the wait time but in reality it was only 10, something we wish we had known when we left to go to the beercade down the block. Nevertheless we were seated right after running back to Anju Above. Our server was lovely and helped us check on things that were taking too long. It seemed they forgot about our beer since it hadn't come out until after the appetizers and first main course. For our appetizers, we got the steamed pork buns. To be honest, they were the highlight of our meal! The buns tasted freshly steamed and soft to the touch, you could tell that they use quality ingredients. We also got 2 Atlantic Salmon hand rolls, a spicy salmon roll, and the Italian Beef pizza. The hand rolls were okay, the salmon did not taste that fresh, even compared to sushi I've had in Champaign. The spicy salmon roll was quite delicious though! The sauce they had on it complimented the fish well. That would be my second favorite item of the night. Unfortunately, the Italian Beef pizza fell short of our expectations. The red wine reduction on top made the entire pizza soggy and the sweetness really did not compliment the rest of the pizza that well. I get that they are trying to put their own spin on the dishes, but unfortunately that element of the pizza was way off. Overall we are glad that we tried Anju Above off and maybe next time we will come back for the amazing steamed pork buns and to try some other dishes out. read more

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A perfect selection of bourbons. It's above a type of farmer's market restaurant so all the ingredients are amazing and fresh. A wide variety of selection with a Korean influence. Kind of a (for lack of a better term) hip, trendy, playing great music, bourbon cocktails type of vibe. When I'm in town this is my go to. Sonya was the bartender/server with perfect knowledge and incredible suggestions. Love this place. read more

Anju Above - Tomago hand roll with a Buffalo Trace bourbon cocktail. All their syrups and juices for their drinks are made from scratch almost daily. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

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I ordered my food and it was late to be delivered. I arrived 5 minutes early so that I can get my food early while it was hot, but no I waited more than half an hour to receive my food. The food was cold so it was not good. The rice was not cooked properly. I was eating half cooked rice in my sushi which did not taste great. I ordered vegetable dumplings WHY did I get pork dumplings. So, top of the cold food and not properly cooked rice, I was given the wrong order. I cannot eat pork because of religious and personal reasons but it was included in my order that I did not order. I did not get to eat half of the food I ordered. The reason I gave a two star is because of the fried chicken. This is not the first that they have messed up my order or the food was not good at all (it's like they change the recipe each time they make the food). I won't be ordering from this restaurant again! read more

This is a good place to eat if you don't know what to get as it has a little American and Asian food. My friends and I came here on a Friday night and had to wait a bit as it gets pretty busy. The service was great and our waitress always checked up on us. We ordered a couple appetizers but they seemed to have come after we got our main courses. I ordered the pork belly ramen, and wish there was more meat and less veggies. The meat was a little thick in my opinion. What I enjoyed most was the Thai chicken pizza. That was delicious which surprised me the most. The pork dumplings were a little bland in my opinion. My mom was disappointed in her bowl as she felt there was no flavor in her dish as well. Overall, there were hits and missed with this restaurant. read more

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Our server was drunk and the food took two hours even though it wasn't packed. The waitress promised to comp our meal for the time, but when we asked her about it later she said she couldn't do that. Overall horrible experience. read more

Great music, lively place ,delicious food could definitely visit again. Had to wait for 40 min, definitely worth the wait.. A good place for vegetarians read more

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On our way back to Chicago from Springfield, my friend recommended that we drop by Anju Above for dinner since it was in her former stomping grounds. For bring an Asian "fusion" restaurant in an area such as Bloomington, I have to say that I was fairly impressed with the selection. The restaurant confused me at first. A mix of sushi and.... pizza? I might really need to be above the clouds to be able to comprehend this kind of combination that I thought only existed at buffets. Nonetheless, the food and drinks we ordered here were bomb! Thursday evening presented little to no wait and food came our rather quickly. * Korean BBQ Wings (5 for $7) - hands down PHENOMENAL. The flavors were on point and the drumsticks/wings were large. This in itself is worth the visit to Anju Above. * Pork Dumplings (5 for $5.25) - Going with a more Chinese flair, I was surprised at how good the ginger pork dumplings turned out. Every bite was packed with flavors that blended very well together. Another win. * Salmon Hand Roll ($2.75) - Fairly disappointing compared to the other items that I ordered. Salmon was not fresh and roll seemed to have more carrots than anything. Their spicy wasabi sauce that was provided did compliment the roll well though. * Pork Buns - I got to try one of these buns, and I most definitely approve. The buns were very soft and the meat inside was oozing with juice. Another win. So Anju got me going high on Asian flavors for most of the trip. There's some great items here (especially the wings) that make a visit well worth it. Parking is available nearby in a private lot. read more

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Love the food! Making the switch to both menus at either restaurant was such a great move! Always enjoy the staff and environment.

I was driving to madison from Cincinnati and decided to fuel up in Bloomington. Did a quick Yelp search for ramen and found this place. It was a 5 mins detour but well worth it. Small restaurant above a big one, epiphany farm, or something like that. Dimmed and cozy. Had the pork belly ramen and was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. Maybe I was hungry and have the urge for ramen for days. Anyway, the broth was delicious. Pork belly (3 small pieces) were tender and seared well. Radishes and other vege finished up the bowl of noodles. Noodles were ok. Nothing great but the whole thing was good. They gave me those Korean silver flat chopsticks and I don't fancy those chopsticks as I get cramps in my hand using them. I will return again if opportunity arises to sample more of their food. The bar was impressive so have to give that a try next time. read more

Anju Above - Pork belly ramen - Asian Fusion Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

Service was amazing, as well as presentation and the ambiance. Food didn't blow us away, though. I'd describe the ramen as tasting very pickled (broth, toppings, everything). Pork steam buns were delicious, but just kinda reminded us of a pulled pork roll. Korean chicken sushi roll was way too spicy, and we like spicy food. (I'm indian and grew up on wayy spicy food!) The cocktail however, was amazing. I'd come back and maybe try the pizza or one of the more "american food" items. 3 stars because we didn't love the food, but the rest of the experience was great! Give Jon G a raise. read more

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Great experience! My son and I visited last night. We started with funghi pizza. It was very tasty but the crust was too thin in the center and was soggy with standing water - probably from the mushrooms. It has a unique crust - more of a soft bread dough style with a cornmeal dusting which is typical Neopolitan style. We followed that up with a kampachi sushi roll. It was so pretty on the plate, it was almost a shame to eat it. Again, really tasty and Iiked this better than the pizza. Our drink selections: Anju punch and an old fashioned were PERFECT. Even the ice cubes were awesome, perfect little cubes. My drink had two smaller cubes and his had one big cube. Last but certainly not least - the star of the show for me: cookie bites. This was a small Chinese takeout container with mini, freshly baked cookies inside. Super cute and right out of the oven! The selection included: oatmeal pumpkin seed, macadamia orange, cranberry and chocolate chip. EXCELLENT and buttery and decadant! mmmmmm We sat at the bar and the service was great. The space is really comfortable but loud. They have a big bottled beer selection. I didn't see any tap handles but I know they have some draft because I saw several servers come and pick up poured pints. It also seems they use freshly squeezed juices in the bar based on observation. The two things that they could improve to garner 5 stars: eliminate the watery pizza center and add some textiles to dampen the echo/noise. Ohhhh and NEVER remove those cookie bite/crack things from the menu. EVER. :-) read more

The food is good and the menu selection is varied. The ambiance is from elegant downstairs to local pub upstairs. The wait staff is well trained and I have always had a friendly/professional experience. read more

I ordered pork belly ramen and they dint put boil egg and also their ramen make me diarrhea

The mega roll is so good! And so is the pretzel bread. Delicious! I hope both stay on the menu! The waitress we had was terrible and inattentive. One reason we will just order out next time. No one was in the restaurant but me and my fam and she was literally no where to be seen. The bartender had to go and find her - twice! What a joke. Does anyone have work ethic anymore? read more

I owe this place like a dozen reviews (because we come here so often). Big fan of the Thai Chili Wings, steam buns, and Tofu Doughnuts. Sushi is original and different from most places you've been. Flatbreads are also interesting and different. They're always adding features each week. Rotating constantly. I love the ambiance. The separate kitchens handling different items. My only criticism - the drinks can come out a little slow (the servers can be quite busy, I'd like to see everyone pitching in to grab each other's drinks and deliver them to the tables faster). Also, my boyfriend had an experience during lunch service that was a little inappropriate (mistakes were made without apology or accountability). In the end, we love bringing our out of town friends here. They occasionally have holiday parties there and it is always an amazing time. Halloween a couple years ago was pretty awesome. We tried to make it to their New Year's Eve thing this year but had to cancel due to getting sick (they were very nice and refunded my tickets). High recommend. read more

Anju Above - Asian Fusion Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

Anju is one of my favorite places in BloNo to eat. I highly recommend trying it out. We only have a couple of restaurants in town that focus on shareable meals and Anju is the best! The food here is great and don't worry if you don't like sushi they have yummy wings, pizza & more I had lunch with a friend today and we shared pork steam buns, Tuscan kale salad, tempura shrimp sushi roll, wings (in some awesome sauce that i can't remember the name of ) & a deep fried brownie served with a glass of milk! It was fantastic!! Our server was very nice, she took time to explain how the meals are served and provided us with good recommendations too. I'll be back next month for my birthday lunch read more

Anju Above - Deep fried brownies with vanilla ice cream, strawberries & chocolate sauce served with an ice cold glass of milk! So good - Asian Fusion Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

Been here twice, never coming back. Both times we made reservations in advance and had to wait nearly an hour to be seated. Totally disrespectful policy of overbooking their restaurant. I feel bad for the service workers who have to deal with the crowds of frustrated customers at the entrance. Get a table somewhere that doesn't treat diners as disposable. It's be a bit more comprehensible if the food weren't so bland. Gentrified Asian food-- not a drop of flavor in sight read more

This was my fourth time coming to Anju, they never really disappointed me in terms of Asian cuisine in this town. However, I do have to deduct points for this last visit because their quality has really gone down. Their sushi was not the same, it feels like grocery store sushi for a place that should be of higher quality. However, the ramen, side dishes and desert was extremely good. The customer service was also decent however it took way to long for my group to get my food. In my opinion, I believe that anju is better in smaller groups of 2-3 people. read more

Anju Above - Pork Steam Buns and the old photo of Spicy Korean Chicken Roll - Asian Fusion Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

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I'm still a customer of Anju Above but not as frequently as I would be due to the music volume. I most recently came here for a business happy hour around 4PM. The place was mostly empty and I wanted to network with my colleagues, but found it difficult over the blaring music. I get it--they're going for a hip, urban vibe. The music would make sense on Thursday through Saturday night after 8PM when people are there to let loose, but not when people trying to enjoy a nice meal and talk to friends/family. For this reason, I mostly do takeaway. read more

It is impossible for me to say enough good things about this place. It ticks all the boxes. Wait staff and bar tenders are incredibly nice. Food was beyond excellence. Ambiance is phenomenal. Price, for the quality of the food and portion size, is so reasonable, I forgot we were in the city. We traveled 90 minutes to eat here and all we can talk about is when we're going back!! Get the pork belly ramen, you'll not leave disappointed. read more

Anju Above - Pork belly ramen Great broth ever, soft boiled egg, local seasonal veggies - Asian Fusion Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

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This is an extension of Epiphany Farms. Same menu with a more casual vibe. Food and particularly the pizza is great. Drinks are great too. Probably my number 2 in Bloomington read more

Good parking space. I would not go again for sushi. Very pricey for the portion served. Not impressed at all.

I have to start this review by saying that all of my previous experiences have been great, but this last one was disappointing. I went here for lunch with some friends and had a few things that we split. We had gotten two pizzas the bianco and the philly. We also got two different sushi rolls a spicy tuna one as well as the smoked eel one, with pork buns. The buns as always were really tasty, we pretty much get those each time we go. The sushi rolls were good as well and the different sauces that they use on them are great. The spicy tuna one had some slices of jalapeno on it which I thought was a nice touch, the smoked eel one was still the winner of both. The bianco came out really nice a really creamy garlic sauce, very minimalist still good. I ordered a hot buttered rum to combat the cold, but it came luke-warm at best. I did tell our waitress about it which she apologized for, I guess something was wrong with the steamer and it was taken off the bill. I opted for the house punch which wasn't bad, it was a kind of grapefruity thing. Our philly pizza came badly burnt, which again was apologized for and taken off the bill. Overall not a terrible visit and they handled the mistakes well, but still kind of put a damper on things. I suppose it doesn't help things that the prices are definitely on the high side and we got kind of a shotty visit. I know that they can do better and will give this place another chance. read more

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I am very split by this review. Despite the low rating, I would go back. However, I would absolutely avoid the sushi. We ordered the yellowfin tuna hand roll. It was fishy and off putting. We also tried the Guci Cali sushi roll. There were shells in my crab meat and it, too, was also fishy tasting. The Mega Roll was equally as bad. Although, not fishy, it was an odd taste and texture. I would not recommend trying the sushi. My mother even felt slightly ill after eating it. However, the restaurant has a unique concept combining its menu with the restaurant downstairs, and you can order from either one. Before the sushi came, we tried the Beet Bruschetta. It was delicious and very unique. We also tried the Fried Pork Dumplings and enjoyed them very much. My niece who can be picky at times, really liked her Pepperoni Pizza. She raved about the chewy crust and I agree, the crust had a very nice chew and texture to it. The restaurant also had a lovely atmosphere and our server was great. Despite the terrible sushi, I would go back to try other things on the menu. The farm-to-table items were great- just avoid the sushi at all costs! read more

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I was here a couple of weeks ago and was dismayed to find that they removed the mochi pound cake from their menu. So I am removing one star from my rating; yes, it was that good! Please bring it back. read more

I'm a huge fan of Anju, but my meal today was way way off. I realize that part of the charm there is that the dishes never quite taste the same each time with variations due to the season or the chef, but... The pork belly ramen was absolutely questionable. Among several surprises I had was to find boiled pepperoncini in the ramen. Since when is that a "seasonal vegetable"? That was more excusable, however, than the tough and extremely chewy pieces of fat in it. Unlike in the past, when the pork belly has been a couple of reasonable chunks of the appropriate pork cut, this nearly $14.00 bowl of overpriced soup had two slices of pork belly fat CUT THE WRONG DIRECTION. It was essentially like two thick slices of bacon or ham fat, gristle and all, tossed into my bowl along with Brussel sprouts and other mushy veggies. There was no meat on the cuts. And the ramen was all clumped together, like it hadn't been separated when cooked! I know decent Asian cuisine as well as good meat cuts, and this dish represented neither. Worst meal I've had at Anju yet, which is not surprising given that the quality of my dining there has been going down steadily over the last year. I've been disappointed in the quality of everything lately, from the slapped-together sushi rolls to the doughy steamed buns, and charred, burned pizzas. The management needs badly to turn its attention back to the quality of food, or Anju will go the way of so many other once great Bloomington eateries, fading into central Illinois mediocrity. read more

Anju Above - The lumpy noodle and inedible fat - Asian Fusion Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

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Was in town visiting my sister, and we both wanted to try this place. It's upstairs from the owner's other restaurant, but it would be helpful to have a sign that indicated the restaurant is indeed upstairs. Onto the food and service, service was good. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. The food was alright for the most part. We started with steamed dumplings ($6.25) and the tempura shrimp roll ($11.75). I ordered the cold noodle bowl ($9.50), my mom ordered the curry rice bowl ($7.75) with chicken added ($5.25), my sister and a couple of her friends ordered the pork belly ramen ($13.75), and her other friend ordered the thai chicken pizza ($13). The tempura roll was pretty good with some good textures but nothing extraordinary. The dumplings were pretty bland unfortunately. The cold noodle bowl was pretty but there was so much of the spicy sauce that everything just tasted like hot sauce. It was also pretty small. I'd recommend having the sauce on the side instead. The sauce also isn't super great. My mom's curry rice bowl was also pretty disappointing. Number one question: WHERE WAS THE CURRY??? Asian fusion is great, but you can't call rice with some curry powder or paste a curry rice bowl. It was I'll admit, pretty good but it was just disappointing. The pork belly ramen and the thai chicken pizza were pretty tasty. Nothing to write home about though. The pork belly could be more tender. Another thing to note, something on the tables leaves a residue on the cloth napkins that almost look like lipstick. It's easy enough to brush off but can cause people to think they got dirty napkins. read more

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Food and signature cocktails were amazing. The atmosphere was a bit loud and crowded as it was very busy but the service was still good. I highly recommend the steamed buns and ramen! read more

Came back again for quick meal and once again wasn't disappointed. Flavorful and delicious just like before. Favorites this time around we're the mussels and hydra tuna roll. read more

Anju Above has such a fun, cool vibe. You can walk in the side door of Epiphany Farms and go straight upstairs, or go through the front door, continuing walking passed the host stand, open the door, and walking upstairs. It can get kind of pricey, so for some people (like me), this might just be a "special occasion" spot in terms of actually eating a meal (which is typically a few shared small plates here). However, it's also great for just grabbing a couple drinks at the bar and catching up with friends. The food I've had here has always been spot on and honestly, typing this review right now and reliving that is making my stomach growl! read more

On a road trip to St. Louis, some friends and I found ourselves making a pit stop and feeling rather peckish for Korean food. After a quick search on the app, we found ourselves here. Now, personal cultural biases aside, the likelihood of finding a Korean restaurant in central IL, let alone a competent one, is slim to none. And to be fair, this isn't a traditional Korean restaurant. But it is undoubtedly delicious and the definition of a hidden gem. We ordered two sets of the chicken wings, one Thai chili and lime and one Korean BBQ. There was a bit too much sauce on them on top of the marinade, but still pretty damn tasty. But the winner hands down was the bulgogi pizza. Marinated ribeye, scallions, and a fried egg in the middle with a special gochujjang sauce came together on perfectly baked, high quality dough. The space is rather dimly lit and on the noisy side, but that was right up my alley. It makes for a perfect late night munchies/post drinking soak up. The only question I have after eating here is...how did a portal to LA Koreatown or possibly form in the middle of nowhere??? read more

Food and service were terrible on my bday. Never trust a person when they say this place is good! It's a barnyard!

To start there was only three of us and we told 20 minutes wait and while the whole back half of the restaurant was open. Once we go seated it then took another 10 minutes before anyone came to ask for drinks but they didn't even ask for a drinks they basically said hi and bye then another 5 minutes later the lady came to take our drink order but by then we also placed our dinner order. Beers where warm. Server asked if this is what we ordered when they brought out half or meal. Told them to cancel the rest of the food and bring the check. The wait staff is rude and disorderly. One gentleman even fought with one of the owners while we there about the service. Need less to say make sure you eat and drink before you go to anju to sit and hand out your money for free. read more

Anju Above - Asian Fusion Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

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A surprising find in a small town. The pizzas are delicious and unique. The sushi is very filling and fresh. The wings were oversized and tasted great, my personal favorite was the ones with the Anju spicy sauce. They don't sell the Anju sauce, but were nice enough to package some for us to take home. Definitely will be back again! read more

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Cool vibe - sushi tuna rice cakes were phenomenal paired with a glass of tasty wine. Will be back!

I was really quite delighted to find this spot in Bloomington. I come here a decent bit for work, and this suburban city has a couple of lovely gems amongst all the average chains. Anju and Above served up a great vibe that had all of myself and all of my coworkers happy to have found it. We tried a little bit of both sides of the menu. All the food was excellent. (For groups, it doesn't come out in any specific order. Can't wait to stop back by and try something new! read more

Not sure if it was just a mediocre night but everything was just okay. Don't do the ramen. Fairly certain the broth is not tonkotsu. Tastes like miso or vegetable broth. Can't remember. We followed the servers rec for sushi and it was very meh. read more

I'm going to give Anju Above a 4 average rating. The good--the service was 5 star, no doubt about it. Our server was pleasant, friendly and professional, and knew the menu inside out. Also, the menu---it's quite varied. If you've got several folks in your party, you'll do well here. You several can order different small plates, and share. It's a good way to sample new dishes without ordering a full meal of something you might not care for. The decent--the food. All of it was good, but none of it knocked my socks off. I liked it all, but didn't love any of it. I'd give the service a 5, the food a 3, for a 4 star overall rating. read more

Love it! Great atmosphere. Very diverse menu. We were a group of 5 adults and 5 children and everyone had a dish they liked. Would highly recommend their great service. read more

My favorite restaurant in Bloomington. If you like great service, excellent food and the best pizza crust you may have ever had. Then, this is the place. The atmosphere is fantastic as well. read more