First and foremost...my apologies for the delay in this review, as it is 2 weeks overdue. However, the remembrance of this COVID-19-era, curbside takeout is still fresh in my mind. I have read and been asked by many if I had dined at Genki Sushi and tasted some of Chef Danny's artistic creations. The answer up until recently, was a "no" but I'm now delighted to say that I still can recall the flavors of each roll I savored that evening. FOOD: Assortment of sushi: Spider Roll; Firecracker Roll; Geisha Roll; Philly Roll. Each piece was packed generously with fine, fresh fish. Using the sport of baseball as a grading reference, The Firecracker Roll was a homerun, the Philly Roll was a solid double due to the larger chunk of fresh salmon and added scallion inside and the Geisha Roll was also a double. And the MVP of the night was the Spider Roll! The Spider Roll is a classic, specialty maki that can blow your tastebuds away, or can be as bland or bad as you can imagine. I believe I have tasted over 200 different spider rolls in my lifetime and my favorite has been, for over 18 years, at a place in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was a Spider Roll I had asked my wife to try just once, although she, at the time, didn't want to. When she did...literally speaking...the hairs on her arms stood up. Genki's Spider Roll?? It tasted almost identical!! I had to do a double take at how another chef could mimic the flavors of my #1 Spider Roll and Chef Danny did it. Well done, my friend...well done! I saved the Spider Roll for last after that first initial piece and right now, I kind of want some more. Hope you're reading this, Genki!? :) SCORE: 4.5 STARS!! SERVICE: The call-in order was simple, curbside pickup time was on point and the employee was kind, courteous and followed all safety measures such as a mask, gloves and safe distancing. It was seamless for a curbside pickup and the sushi was super fresh. SCORE: 5 STARS!! OVERALL SCORE: All of the sushi consumed was delicious. Although 2 of the rolls did not blow me away, they were still delicious and above par against comparable rolls tasted in the past. But the Firecracker Roll is very good and the Spider Roll is simply incredible!! I look forward to dining with you soon once life can return to some form of normalcy...or, what is now "normal"? Hmmmmm. 4.75 STARS!! read more

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The sushi here is always tasty, it's nice and cozy inside as well. The servers are always very friendly and knowledgeable.

Amazing food! The staff are the best! I can't wait to go back to try something else! Katsu Curry dinner was everything I wanted it to be! I've already told friends this place is a MUST TRY! No pictures sorry lol just started eating read more

Great little place! We had some of the best sushi in the area here. We will definitely be back!

Even at "Yelp's Big Night In" on Saturday!, this restaurant does not disappoint. Ordered for curbside pick up. The quoted time was right on, the service was efficient and friendly and the food was great. Another positive, it is following CDC disinfection guidelines. read more

Genki - Japanese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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I am five years late on this review because I go into a food coma literally as soon as I pay and my fiancé has to help me out this restaurant because I can't help but eat beyond my capacity at this establishment. This is hands down the best sushi and Japanese cuisine in town. Anytime I have friends from out of town visiting i take them here, this restaurant is my "show off" card for what Wilmington has to offer. The fish is so fresh, the sushi rice is perfect, the staff is ridiculously kind and professional and the owner, Lana, is so personable and makes us feel so welcomed every time. I think the most impressive thing about Genki is the consistency, whether it's slammed or not, my dine-in experience is always exceptional courtesy of the aforementioned and chef Danny. ありがとうございます！げんきとげんきの日本料理が大好き！ read more

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Wow. Just wow. Every single thing I tasted here was fantastic. From the small edamame salad to the homemade caramels to finish, I have only rave reviews. Thank you, fellow Yelpers, if not for your praises I would not have considered Genki. We ordered vegetarian Gyoza to start. I could tell they were freshly made and hand packed. Fantastic! I tried my boyfriend's Yakisoba noodle dinner which was very tasty. It came with two sides, so he got Miso soup (yum!) and a house salad with the house sesame seed dressing (I didn't get to try that). I had a rainbow roll and the crunchy crab specialty roll. I debated whether or not I should get the rainbow roll since I was disappointed the last time I had one. Unfortunately I will only be disappointed until the next time I come to Genki; I can't imagine tasting another rainbow roll anywhere close to that one. The crunchy crab was delicious (though as a specialty roll it was more expensive). I wish I had been able to finish them both! We topped off our meal with mango and chocolate mochi. Very very good. Even my boyfriend liked them, and he doesn't enjoy ice cream very much. The service was also incredible. Sophie (Sophia? I forget) was our server and was extremely kind and did a great job. The other servers would stop over to check how we were doing as well. We were also able to try some homemade sake! I look forward to coming back here each time I'm in Wilmington. Thank you, Genki, for such an incredible experience. read more

Genki - Vegetarian gyoza (and our finished edamame seaweed salad) - Japanese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Genki Sushi is like a fine diamond hidden among the sand of a North Carolina beach. From the very moment you walk in the door, it is clear that this is not an ordinary restaurant. The staff are all family, at heart if not in body, and the service reflects a commitment to the customer that is a very rare thing these days. They are enthusiastic, warm, friendly, and always ready to serve. Such fine service comes with equally fine fare. The menu offers both sushi and non-sushi fare. Of the many dishes that I've sampled I never found one that I did not like. Even if I am not having sushi with my meal, I like to sit at the bar just to watch Chef Danny work. The man is as much an artist as he is a chef, and the passion that he has for his craft is obvious in the way he fashions and presents each dish. For such an unassuming little restaurant, they have a very good sake selection, and they are one of the few places that I have found in North Carolina that serves what I consider to the the Cadillac of the locally-available sake labels: Dassai 23, a heavenly experience for any sake enthusiast. They offer it at a modest price, too, so you can enjoy a bottle for less than what more snooty restaurants would charge for a sip. There can sometimes be a little bit of a wait for the sushi, but remember, it is being lovingly crafted by a very talented artisan, and it is worth the wait. If you want fast food, go to Burger King. If you want to dine on excellent Asian cuisine in a cheerful and upbeat atmosphere, go to Genki. read more

Genki - Futo-maki and tamago for two. The tamago is the perfect balance of sweet and salty, just as it should be! - Japanese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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First time here I've read great reviews and told my husband we should try this place. The service is great once you walk in the door and it wasn't to busy yet for lunch. My husband got the lunch Kutsu curry and I order three roll to try to see if they were good. They bring u choice of kimchi, soup or salad with the curry and for sushi rolls they brought out seaweed edamame. They were both ok but I don't recommend the kimchi. The curry was good my husband ate it all but the kutsu was to dry and the sushi was average and too much rice for regular rolls. I'd come back for second time to try other things they have. When it did get busy it did take long time for our food .. I think they need second sushi chef . One more think I don't Recommend a spicy tuna or two no it should be better quality than that! read more

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Always fresh and always delicious. The staff are friendly and accommodating. Pricey but worth it for a quality experience.

Amazing sushi. Highest quality and super fresh ingredients. Staff is amazing and the atmosphere is quaint and perfect. Highly recommend

I ordered take out this evening. When I walked in, the place was very clean the staff was super friendly. Unfortunately, that is my only positive. I won't review too harshly because I'm sure this restaurant is known for its sushi, and my large $35 order did not have any sushi. I ordered the chicken teriyaki entree which came with soup and salad. I also ordered the gyoza and a spring roll. I am absolutely appalled by the chicken in my entree. It was old and tough. The meat was so crumbly and overcooked that the texture resembled jerky. I am completely grossed out that whomever cooked my food felt that the chicken they used was adequate to serve. The rice was soaked completely in the teriyaki sauce. The gyoza came with many pieces, which I felt was a plus. Unfortunately, they were terrible. I've never had a gyoza I didn't like but today was a first. Not pan seared at all. Soggy and wet with zero flavor. The spring roll was a waste as well. Like I said, I'm sure this restaurant is known for the sushi. But what a way to blow $35, I will not be back. read more

We went to Genki yesterday after reading all the great reviews. We were not disappointed! We started out with hot sake and a Kirin, and proceeded to order the ankimo appetizer. Ankimo is a delicacy that is very hard to find and this was my first time seeing it on a North Carolina menu. It came out looking beautiful; however, when biting into it, it was still frozen, the texture of ankimo should be smooth- almost creamy... but I felt I was eating a frozen sausage. So why does Genki still get 5 stars, do you ask? Well first, it is authentic! You walk through the door and you are greeted by friendly servers. There is traditional Japanese music playing (koto music instead of just a pop Sirius XM channel). The sushi bar is decorated in the traditional Japanese style. They have real wasabi root available, along with a menu of not just sushi but other classic Japanese classics such as soba, udon, tonkatsu and Japanese curry. I tried the uni nigiri and red dragon roll. The uni nigiri is Out of this world. Let me tell you, it is hard to find uni that fresh and uni nigiri so balanced. It was so delicious I closed my eyes and savored every last bit of it. Then I tried the red dragon roll, which was also excellent- the fish was fresh and the roll itself was executed very well- a compact roll with perfectly cooked rice and lots of flavor. I then felt like I could rationalize ordering another round of uni nigiri. After all, how often do I come across uni that amazing? The last couple times I have ordered it at other restaurants it was either an unusual color, tasteless or even bitter but here? AMAZING! We tried the Matt special Roll and another roll (I can't remember the name)- so yummy! All in all, amazing, authentic and fresh! Even though the ankimo was frozen, I appreciate they had it on the menu. I can imagine it's not a great seller and many people do not know what it is or have the level of fondness for it that I do. If they continue to have it on the menu, I would just suggest improving it so that those of us who love it or even for those trying it for the first time, have a great experience and develop an understanding of just how special of a dish it is. Anyway- this is turning into a novel instead of a review so I will leave it as this- I highly recommend Genki and can't wait to go back! read more

The food was outstanding. The service was wonderful and the ambiance was perfect. Highly recommend!

I love sushi but we all know most places are risky but not this restaurant. I loved the sushi here it was amazing and so yummy. The atmosphere is relaxing and our service was great. We received a warm wash cloth to clean our hands and cute individually wrapped candies Aaron the end of our meal. I definitely enjoyed my experience here. read more

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I can't comment on the food, as I was denied service when I arrived 10 minutes before their stated closing time. I had heard good things about Genki, but may not get this way again. read more

Genki has kept the title for me as the best sushi place in Wilmington. Genki sushi is fresh and carefully made sushi that's not made in laziness. It's also a very nice and authentic environment. I recommend getting the crab salad and the spider roll. read more

I decided to treat myself tonight and go on a date with myself. I had the pleasure of having (I believe it was Sophia...the owners daughter) as my waitress and she was AMAZING! I got a spring roll for an appetizer(not pictured), because I was starving lol, egg drop soup (there is definitely some type of bacon flavor in it OMG amazing), crunchy lobster roll, and I forget the name of the last item. I will be back many many times read more

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I am not much of a sushi guy, and haven't had much of it in my lifetime but wanted to give this place a go since it's so highly rated. I can see why. It was packed at 6pm on a Wednesday but we were immediately accommodated at the sushi bar. The owner, hostess and servers were all hustling with grace and it was impressive to see how they operate so quickly and efficiently. You can tell they really care about the experience and quality they provide. The sushi was great and I will definitely be back! read more

WOW!!!! Did a pick up order from them today, quick and good service. The food was amazing!! I've never had such fresh sushi and soy sauce!!

I went here for the first time this week, and was nervous because I am pregnant and can't eat raw fish. My server Cameron was AMAZING! helped me find great rolls on the menu that fit my restrictions, checked in frequently, gave us a little special app of edamame and truly made us feel VIP. The sushi was... wow to say the least. I'm usually all about the fish and I was so impressed with how GOOD they made the cooked/vegetarian rolls taste. Perfect temperature and everything was seasoned beautifully, they are not afraid to be authentic. Honestly can't wait to go back again!!! read more

Such a great place! Quality flavorful sushi. They support medical freedom of choice and did not force their employees to suffocate in a mask to earn a living- which we support! They did have a sign out front informing those who may be comfortable with that. For us, it was encouraging and we support them more for this. Also shared with our community of patriotic Americans to support this businesses for this reason, as well as their great food! read more

Genki never fails to disappoint us whenever we go. It's a small restaurant that fills up with customers frequently. The service is always top notch. We had vegetable gyoza and the sushi appetizer which was really good. I ordered the house special red dragon roll and the king roll which was outstanding for its freshness and taste. My gf enjoyed her Philadelphia roll and spicy tuna roll very much. For dessert we shared the chocolate mochi and green tea ice cream which were both delicious. This is our go to place for really good sushi. read more

Greeted with a cheer and very nice music and vibes. Service was excellent. Quality fresh food. They even give you a little palette cleanser dish and we were presented with free saki as well. One chef but so worth the wait. Many unique food options on menu. Great desserts. And did I mention the handmade toffee they give to you at end of meal. A truly amazing experience from start to finish. Love the "mom and pop" feel. I'll be back for more :) read more

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I can't say enough compliments about how I am always treated there, the beautiful staff, Curt the amazing host, caring service staff, PHENOMENAL sushi , the best seaweed salad ever and the cleanliness and ambiance of a cozy place to enjoy a fantastic meal! FIVE + for sure!!!! read more

Very good food and excellent service. Shrimp fried rice and egg rolls were fantastic. Sushi fresh

I don't know how to rate this, so a 4 they get. Food and service was excellent! However who charges an extra 3.5% for credit card fee? I didn't see this on the menu and I didn't see it in their website or website menu. We only found out when we got the bill. So for everyone else, deduct this fee amount before adding tip. Sounds deceptive to me and transparency before ordering should be mandatory! read more

I ordered my sushi there for the first time today because the place that I usually go to is closed because of covid19. I must say I won't be going back to the other place anymore. I give this shushi restaurant 5 stars. I can not wait to take my cousins here. read more

Ok, covid has been here for a while. Are we still unable to manage seating and service? Reservations only...ok...45 minutes late to be seated with a reservation and then 2 hours for food to be delivered to our table? This is not ok. Harassing a customer over a valid review and threatening them is not ok. Update: Our party came in for a great meal and asked the waiter what he suggested. He was very polite and offered about 5 different rolls. I said that we'd take all of those and the "Real" California roll. We were stationed in California for 10 years and were intrigued by the claim. The review was about the service we received after we placed our order. We weren't offered any refills, no updates as to our place in the que, and we saw other parties seated after us and served food before us. We were told during the heated exchange prior to leaving that these people were employees. We had a reservation for 7:45, were seated at 8:15, ordered at 8:20, approached by the owner if we wanted to continue to wait at 9:30. Food arrived after 10. When the owner approached, she told us that we were still 5th in line (there are only 10 tables in the restaurant) At this point we were all very hungry and didn't see getting food at another restaurant would be any faster and would probably have to be fast food due to the late hour. We got our rolls and they were very good. However, the fried rice was bland and watery. When the check came, I asked if we could get a discount for the wait. The waitress told me that she would call the manager on the phone because she wasn't there. I was confused by this because I thought that the woman who had spoken to us before was the owner. At this point the chef came to our table and started discussing our experience. We told him that the food was very good but the wait was too long. Then the woman who I suspected to be the manager came out of the back furious because she had seen my review of the experience. Both her and the chef, who I assumed was a co-owner began yelling at me and told my party to leave. It was very unprofessional and that was the harassment. Yelling in customers face is NEVER ok. My review was truthful. There were signs posted as to the longer than usual wait time, but 2 hours would never have been expected. I worked as a cook, host and server when I was younger and know how hard it can be to get food out to customers. I also know that when the customer isn't happy, you don't make money. I can understand the stress of owning a business during this stressful time as well, but I was floored by the way we were treated. read more

Had such an amazing experience tonight at Genki. The food and service was perfect and we already can't wait to come back. Unfortunately there was one table who wanted to complain and demand a full refund for having to wait a little while for their food. Totally unjustified! Some people are uncultured and don't realize you can't rush art. This is the best restaurant in Wilmington! read more

Genki - Japanese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

By far best sushi place in town. the staff are all very respectful and kind. they check up on you and let you know if the wait is long and keep you updated on your food time. definitely recommend! 10/10!! read more

The best service and food in Wilmington! Lana and Chef are great. The wait times are always worth it - you can't beat this food anywhere in town. They are reservation only for a reason. This is one of the most popular restaurants in Wilmington. You will love it. Highly recommend! read more

Genki - Japanese Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Wonderful sushi!! Everything was fresh and delicious - and the flavors of both the classic and specialty rolls were great. The wait staff was all extremely knowledgeable, attentive, and friendly. We've been looking for our new go to sushi spot in Wilmington and this is it! read more

Apparently this is a "mask free zone" in the middle of a pandemic. I just wanted to get some sushi and support a local business but if they want to risk everyone's life then I'll go somewhere. Thanks for the response Lana. I will gladly support a business that needs it and that values their customer and employees health read more

Showed up to try them as their sushi is supposed to be excellent. Was very surprised and disappointed to see the notices on their doors that they are not wearing masks inside. We weren't able to try their food as the lack of mask wearing is a huge issue during this pandemic. read more

Service was great from the moment we entered. Menu well explained Sushi excellent. Sushi comparable to Lure in Miami Besch or Bonzi in North Shore read more

Pretty good rolls. I think they are a decent place to get sushi. They're way better in quality and freshness than nikkis

2019: UPDATE--WOW. This place has really evolved. It was always my favorite for purist sushi. But is now my favorite for the fancy stuff too. We got the pork gyoza (always delicious and 7 pieces) and four rolls. The service is always warm, friendly and attentive. All of the staff attend to you. They keep your water filled and check in on you. The rolls came out quickly and they were SO good. This is fresh seafood and variety. The most notable of their "new" rolls is the Crunchy Crab roll--crab, cilantro, spicy mayo I think wrapped in soy paper. This roll was addictive. The cilantro was so different in the best way possible. So this place reigns supreme for sushi in Wilm. They can do no wrong. read more

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Sushi was good, not terrific, but good. Service was terrible, 3 folks on the floor, 7 tables and they were absolutely in the weeds. We had to ask for literally everything twice and it was 40 minutes getting our 6 rolls. We are not from Wilmington but definitely not used to this kind of service or lack there of. read more

went excitedly to eat with a friend and then turned around and left as soon as we saw that the MAJORITY of their staff wasn't wearing masks and the restraint was packed. Largely irresponsible and inconsiderate of customers and staff considering there is a literal pandemic going on and one of the most dangerous things you can do is eat in a restaurant with no air circulation. Eat at your own risk and be considerate of others. read more