Stumbled upon this gem and so glad I did. Walked in and it was packed. I grabbed a seat at the bar, the server was super busy but helped as quickly as she could. This spot is in a strip mall, plenty of parking. It's dimly lit but has tons of seating and a sushi bar near the back. It was happy hour when I arrived. I opted for the chicken fried rice w/veggies, garlic broccoli, sassy roll. Everything was fresh and good. The fried rice portion was huge! I did have to add sriracha and soy sauce to give it a little flavor. read more

Hajime Asian Bistro - Japanese Near Me - Saint Cloud, Minnesota

This place has a nice bar area. The sushi taste fresh and the price is actually not bad. The service is on the slow end, but to be fair the establishment was packed the night I stopped by. read more

Hajime Asian Bistro - Japanese Near Me - Saint Cloud, Minnesota

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MIGHT BE SOME OF THE SHITTIEST SERVICE IVE EVER RECEIVED I came to this restaurant expecting greatness, a 4.5 on yelp is pretty supreme but when me and my family walked in we were denied a table, forced to sit at the bar, we complied. We waited 15 minutes and not a word came from the server that said she was going to help us in "just a minute" thank god for the guy who actually served us and gave us waters! NEVERMIND, he delayed us another 10 minutes to order. hungry as hell already, I saw my sushi on the counter, sitting getting cold as I had a deepfried roll. after this all of the sushi for 4 people sitting side by side at a bar was served on one goddamn plate, we had to ask for another and finally we were able to eat our food after 45-55 ish minutes, at least in the end i saved money on the tip. food was pretty good and the ambience was fine. Edit- not to mention they didn't have straws, napkins, or soy sauce bowls, and they didn't get our appetizer out before the meal, its called an appetizer not a fucking desert. read more

Super sweet server! Went to happy hour for my birthday and asked about birthday dessert and was given a cute complimentary banana dessert! Delicious sushi and appetizers! Enjoyed the spaces between tables so I could still have a conversation and hear everything! Will be going back again! read more

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My wife and I have dined here many times. She loves the tempura dishes and I love the sushi and sashimi. Service is good and the Asahi super dry is ice cold. Two thumbs up. read more

The hostess immediately showed us to a booth and the waitress was very attentive, from helping us order to making sure everything was good. The food was absolutely perfect and delicious. The portion sizes were great, my niece and I each took home enough for another meal. We will definitely be back again. The ambiance was simple, but nice. read more

That was the worst experience ever! Sat at table and ignored for 20 minutes. We asked to be served and waitress ignored us. We waited 5 more minutes and got up and left. I told waitress we were leaving. She had attitude and said. We're busy! Pathetic! Ruined our New Years Eve! read more

Placed a to-go order. It was ready when they said it would be. Food was fresh and delicious. Priced appropriately. We ordered a lot of different items and everything was perfect. read more

A friend and I stopped in for dinner and we were lucky enough to have Alex as our server. She was extremely knowledgeable when it came to helping me with my gluten allergy and kept my friend's drinks full without us needing to ask. The food was delicious as well. I'll definitely be back thanks to Alex! read more

Sweet and Sassy was fye as well as the Shumai. Portions were great def recommend no cap shizzy. read more

Hajime Asian Bistro - Japanese Near Me - Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Quite yummy. I'm not usually one to get just rolls, I prefer ramen. But I wanted something not too heavy and these really hit the spot. Service was great and the food came out quite quickly. I also got the pork dumpling miso soup which sounded like an odd combo but was also good. read more

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Always delicious food. I absolutely crave the seafood soup. The Rangoon and tempura sweet potatoes are great starters.. yum. Mixed fried rice is so good, too. read more

Came here today with a friend today for lunch. I'm not a sushi fanatic but the other items looked good. There was lots to choose from but I mostly got appetizers. Hard to choose with so many options. The seafood soup was yummy. My only complaints are the small portion, price, and the imitation crab. Otherwise it was good and tasty. Loved the tiny mushrooms in there as well. Next up was the octopus balls. This came topped with what seemed like paper fish. It was definitely interesting. The octopus balls were pretty good. I couldn't taste the octopus but I liked the dish. My friend liked it a lot as well Next was the whole grilled squid. That dish was very good. Love squid. It's a full squid for $8 not bad. I would opt for the sauce on the side as it was very sweet. Finally I had the cooked eel sushi. I wanted to try something I hadn't before and I'm glad I did. Everything from the pickled ginger and wasabe to the eel was amazing. Definitely would recommend. read more

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I don't like sushi rolls, so I had the hibachi chicken. It was delicious and the portions were huge! I was so sad when I left and almost went straight back, because I forgot my leftovers on the table! Lol read more

Last night here in town and thought I would give myself a treat. Was a perfect way to end my stay here at the ST Cloud VA hospital. Glad I stopped, they had Toro or fatty tuna and Uni or Sea Urchin! Considering where I am at was surprised with the quality. Both were very good. Rounded out the dinner with Unagi Don or a bowl of sea eel and sticky rice. Was also very good and would happily order it again if I get back here. I ended my dinner with a recommended roll by Lakeo and that was the North Shore roll. Perfect combination of the smoky seaweed salad on top, 5 types of roe and tuna inside the roll. Service was excellent and the sushi bar was a good place to sit. read more

Who would have thought that some of the best sushi I have EVER had would be found in Saint Cloud, Minnesota?! Seriously, when I tell my east coast friends this, they think I'm nuts (but it's their loss). I have gotten takeout from Hajime several times over the past year and each time I'm blown away. The sushi is so fresh and almost melts in your mouth. The quality is superior to several sushi places I've tried in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Be sure to get the spicy mayo on the side! I love dipping my sushi in the spicy mayo and soy sauce. I feel so happy every time I've gotten the sushi from here. I've tried other items on the menu- shrimp fried rice, green tea tempura ice cream. They were ok. The fried rice was bland. I've had better tempura ice cream. I got the ice cream to go and had a 5min car ride back to work so it melted slightly. I will have to give the tempura ice cream another shot when I'm comfortable enough with indoor dining (cause you know Covid). The staff have been fantastic to interact with on the phone while placing a to go order and whenever I go to pick up my food. The area by the register does get crowded during peak times with people waiting for their tables. But overall not an issue because my order is usually ready by the time I get there. For the sushi fanatics out there (or anyone who likes good food), give this place a try! read more

The absolute best sushi in town by far. At 8:30 pm they start their happy hour and it's such a great deal. The Hajime roll is my favorite roll. Living on the west coast for a few years I feel that I know good sushi and I was spoiled. The other place overcooked their shrimp and it was like rubber and extremely over priced for what you get. The wait staff is amazing too read more

Food was good, we went during happy hour. Awesome price points. Not the best sushi ive had, but def fills the craving. chicken fried rice was good and I loved the Yummy sauce so good! read more

Hajime Asian Bistro - a plate of sushi - Japanese Near Me - Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Very nice sushi place, great value & everything is very fresh. We both had the Sushi lunch, which comes with a roll and five pieces of sushi, as well as soup or salad. read more

Hajime Asian Bistro - Sushi lunch special, with spicy tuna roll substituted for the California roll. - Japanese Near Me - Saint Cloud, Minnesota

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It was ok, but expensive. The eel was very fatty and the sushi was different than what I am used to.

I absolutely love this place. It's small so sometimes there is a wait, but I totally think it's worth it. The food is absolutely amazing! And the drinks are great too. Everything is so fresh. read more

This place is amazing for a small town getting really good sushi! Fresh, delicious and creative rolls and sushi that are prepared by chefs with an eye for detail. Friendly staff checking in on you and happy hour...always a good time without breaking the bank. They served great drinks too...love their Lychee martini! read more

Hajime Asian Bistro - Mango roll and Flying Fish Roe sushi - Japanese Near Me - Saint Cloud, Minnesota

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Great sushi comparable with any of the best spots I've been to in California! If You're in Saint cloud and you're looking for a great meal or a good place to take a date I would highly recommend this establishment read more

Just went here yesterday had an amazing birthday meal for my son! I can't remember the last time I had such good sushi. Their kids meal is so great and they gave my son dessert for his birthday. Our server was also really great! I loved the bird on my sushi platter and was impressed with the Mio sparkling saki. read more

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Nice cozy spot in St Cloud, MN. The food is good but the ambience great. The wait staff was attentive. read more

Hajime Asian Bistro - Spicy Girl Roll; Spicy Tuna Roll, Salmon Sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Saint Cloud, Minnesota

My best friend and I were in the area to do some shopping and had cravings for sushi. We both ordered a different kind of sushi to try. This sushi was probably the best we've had. I also had ordered a cocktail that was not only gorgeous but it tasted sooo good! Definitely worth it if you're in the area! read more

Hajime Asian Bistro - Our sushi rolls - Japanese Near Me - Saint Cloud, Minnesota

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I've been back several times since my review. I've had lots of great sushi in lots of great countries and this is good. Not world class, but well above average, good in fact. Note: Meredith is right that the rice is key but I've never had bad rice here. And byerlys is better. Lmfao - that's insane. And she should learn that Americanized California sushi rice isn't the norm everywhere. I guess she just wants some kind of standardized fast food rice. Whatever. The device is good and the bar is excellent. Check it out. read more

Hajime Asian Bistro - Our sake. Very smooth brew style. - Japanese Near Me - Saint Cloud, Minnesota

St. Cloud would certainly not be my first choice for sushi but while in town we got a hankerin'. Selection, quality and service is top shelf. For St. Cloud or anywhere. read more

My best friend and I come here often for sushi! Lots of options and it's always been delicious. They have really good happy hour specials that make trying a few rolls affordable! read more

This is the best sushi you'll find in town. They also have a good happy hour menu. Two reasons I gave this 4 out of 5 stars: the wait for food is always long (while restaurant wasn't busy) and our table and floor around it was dirty. read more

Hajime Asian Bistro - Age tofu - Japanese Near Me - Saint Cloud, Minnesota

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My boyfriend and I got to Hajime Asian Bistro before they opened at 11 am. They let us in at 10:45 and sat us at a booth. The inside of the restaurant looks high end, clean and newly redesigned. We ordered from the lunch special menu. I decided to try the chicken teriyaki and my boyfriend chose the beef negimaki lunch box. Both meals came with rice, we upgraded to fried rice, a california roll and shumai. We also had the choice between soup or salad. I ordered the miso soup to start and my boyfriend ordered the house salad. All the food tasted healthy with good flavor and came out at a good time. The quality of the food wasn't the highest I have ever had but it was all good and for a good deal. The service was very friendly and it was overall a great experience. read more

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Updated Review: We've returned a few times since our first experience to try different entrees and items off the menu. The miso ramen was not good and flavorless. The pan fried soba noodles was just ok, tasted cheap and did not smell appetizing. The chicken that was in it was dry and tasted old. We tried one dessert, the fried ice cream, and it was terrible. The ice cream center was icy like freezer burnt and the Japanese coating was so thick and tasteless. We had to send it back. The service is overall nice but they're still trying to get it together. Not everyone is on the same page or familiar with everything on the menu. Had the filet mignon hibachi again and thankfully was still good. I would stick to their grilled entrees and sushi when coming here. First review: Great start! This place just opened a month ago and we tried it tonight. It was surprisingly very good because this town is so saturated with nationalized chains and great restaurants here are practically nonexistent. Especially coming from Chicago & Seattle, we are dying for some spice around here. We ordered appetizers: pan fried gyoza and shrimp & veggie tempura. Both were excellent. The tempura batter around the shrimp was like perfect panko with a nice crunch. Great house made dipping sauces too! For entrees, we had the filet mignon and ordered 2 sushi rolls. The filet mignon was not only the favorite of the night but also exceeded our expectations. The quality, flavor, and just right portion size of the meat was also perfectly cooked, medium rare. It came with a side of rice, side salad and stir fry veggies. Each element on my plate was delicious on its own and had its unique sauce. It was very filling but in a healthy way. The sushi was good and great for the area, but the Hawaiian Roll was a little too interesting for me. The mango sauce did not go well with the other ingredients of its roll. The Crunchy Roll was just ok too. The shrimp inside was too dry and the crunchy dusting was not as crunchy or flavorful as it could be. We were too full to try the desserts but will do next time. We are looking forward to our next visit and so glad Hajime is in town! read more

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I was in Saint Cloud for a family gathering and was craving sushi -- so so happy that we stumbled upon Hajime & was also lucky enough to make it during their happy hour timeframe (230-530 & 830-close) every day with all day happy hour on Sunday!!! Their HH menu is fairly extensive and was so happy to see that the regular rolls I get were on it; needless to say I think you'll be able to find some solid yumminess during your visit! Not only was the pricing amazing, the sushi was nice & fresh, the rice didn't feel cheap, the service was fast & incredibly friendly! If you get a chance, totally swing by, I may see you there! read more

Hajime was my favorite sushi place in Minnesota even before the St. Cloud location came around. When I heard my hometown was getting a Hajime, I was thrilled! I came in with high expectations because I've had such incredible experiences at both of the other locations. My experience at the St. Cloud location was just as incredible if not more. We came in around 4pm on a weekday, and honestly, it was the perfect time to come visit...not too packed, they offer the happy hour menu during this time (I posted the Happy Hour menu so please refer to the photos on Yelp), and we were seated right away. When we followed the waiter to our table, I noticed that the interior of the bistro is gorgeous! The booths, tables, light fixtures, and bar were sleek and modern. As for our waiter, he was very welcoming right off the bat. He gave us some time to look at the menu since my friend had never been to Hajime before. I ordered a whiskey and coke ($2.50 rails during Happy Hour), a philly roll ($5), and a shrimp tempura roll ($5). My friend got the boston roll ($5) as well as the philly roll. What a deal! They have an extensive happy hour menu, and you're bound to find something that pleases the eye (and the belly). When our waiter brought our dishes out, I found myself admiring the presentation. Simple yet beautiful. The sushi itself was fresh, and bursting with flavor. Our waters were constantly refilled and our waiter came back several times to make sure we had everything we needed. I will without a doubt become a regular customer at Hajime. Hajime has takeout too, so feel free to call to order their delicious sushi/Asian cuisine options! For those wondering where Hajime is, it's right behind Applebee's on Division...in my eyes, it is a new treasure of the St. Cloud area. read more

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Fantastic addition to St. Cloud! Lunch options and prices were great-easily fed three for under $40 with leftovers. Service is friendly, sushi was excellent and the bento lunch option is great for older kids that aren't quite into sushi yet. We will be back often! read more

Hajime Asian Bistro - Spicy yellowtail, spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls-best sushi in town! - Japanese Near Me - Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Ordered the chefs choice 90 dollars. Most delicious sushi I've ever had in the US. Totally recommend this place. I'll definitely will be coming back here. Great service from their workers too. read more

Hajime Asian Bistro - 90 dollar chefs choice. Assorted mixture of sashimi, sushi, and specialty rolls. - Japanese Near Me - Saint Cloud, Minnesota

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Food and service are great! The rolls were delicious. Plenty of both raw and cooked selection to appeal to all

A nice pretty quiet. Restaurant. Friendly waitresses. I didn't have to wait long for my food. I had a salmon roll, spicy tuna, and scallop sushi. It was good. Average I would say. I didn't care much for the spicy tuna as I found the texture and flavor to be a bit off. It's it something I usually order anyways. The draft Japanese beer i had was good and they do have really good happy hour prices and specials here. Give the lack of alternatives in a place like St Cloud it was fairly what i would expect but I would come back here to try more on the menu. read more

Went for some simple sushi and loved it. Clarifying, the sushi was above and beyond and I loved everything about it! Been dying to go back.

Good food, enjoyed the entire place. Would considered going back again if I'm in the area.