I ATE ONIONS. First time dropping in. Glad I did. The food was excellent - the nigiri pieces were fresh, the Niku noodle bowl broth was deep and flavorful, and oh my...the poke appetizer was amazing. Unbelievably, the spicy onions that came in the dish were so incredible that I actually ate them by themselves. What?! Me?! I hate onions. I always order without them when I can. But suddenly, here I am on a random Thursday slurping down these onions like a whale slurping krill. Who am I? Nothing fancy about this quaint little spot. No need for fancy. You're there for the food. Eat outside if the weather allows and listen to the sounds of the city. It's neat. Friendly, attentive service (thanks, Lauren). Water glasses didn't sit half empty, empty plates didn't overstay their welcome. Overall, I'd say go. read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Niku bowl with ramen noodles, salmon toro nigiri and unagi sashimi. - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Folks....Im here to talk about the Tonkotsu Ramen at Heiwa Shokudo. Yes, their entire menu is immeasurably awesome but Whoever is responsible for this recipe is a true Ramen Ninja of the highest caliber. This is a 3 Michelin star worthy bowl of ramen. How do I know, because I've eaten thousands of bowls of ramen from Michelin rated shops and this tonkotsu is BETTER than ALL of them. I have been studying ramen for over 30 years. I've eaten near ten thousand bowls of ramen since I had my first bowl of authentic Japanese ramen 35 years ago. Yes I'm qualified to make this statement. And no, I'm not telling you my name. I am unaffiliated, independent and unbiased. I've been a food critic for 45 years. If you're getting a 5 star review on a dish from me, you can rest assured it's legit. My top 5 bowls of Ramen as of tonight, are now as follows. 1- Heiwa Shokudo, Asheville NC, Tonkotsu, w/extra Chashu,pork belly, extra Ajitama, black garlic paste drizzle. Kaedama. 2- Ippudo, 5th Avenue, NYC- AKAMARU SHINAJI. Yes, Heiwa Shokudo's tonkotsu is BETTER than Ippudo's, (the best tonkotsu in the world.) 3- Totto- Hells Kitchen, Miso 4- Ichiran, Brooklyn. Classic Tonkotsu w/recommended toppings. 5- Ivan Ramen, Brooklyn, Tokyo Shoyu. If you love Tonkotsu as much as I do, go order a bowl from this place. It's epic! I'm done talking now. read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

This is a tiny little spot on the edge of downtown. It's honestly a place I've walked past a bunch of times without ever noticing it. Inside, you'll find very intimate seating (get there early or you'll have to wait), along with a beautiful outdoor patio. The menu is expansive, I always feel overwhelmed with so many pages but there's a good variety of different foods to choose from. For my vegan girls, the staff is super knowledgeable about what is and isn't vegan, and the menu is labeled clearly. Great date night spot for sure! read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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Have been a handful of times and each time is wonderful! Great sushi- rolls, nigiri and handrolls. Tried the veggie ramen with veggie dumplings and it didn't miss. The owner is super sweet and kind. Support local! read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Veggie ramen - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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I recently visited Heiwa Shokudo for dinner with friends. I tried the Japanese Steamed Buns with Pork Belly and the Yosenabe Hot Pot. The steamed buns were delicious. A nicely soft bun was filled with tender nicely fatty pork belly, creamy avocado, tender shitake mushrooms, crisp kimchi and a flavorful sweet sauce. The hot pot had a rich lightly spicy broth filled with thick soft savory udon noodles, crisp kimchi, tender broccoli, wilted spinach, tender shrimp and chicken and savory nicely seasoned dumplings. Overall, this was a quality filling dinner. read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Yosenabe Hot Pot - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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Melt in your mouth sushi! Super friendly staff. Heiwa is a standout off the beaten path spot. We were lucky to grab a table before the dinner rush hit. We enjoyed the sushi boat and spicy yosenabe hot pot. While the food took a while to come out, it was worth the wait. read more

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This is our favorite Japanese restaurant. The staff is great. The food is wonderful. The atmosphere is cozy and comfortable.

Food was amazing. Perfectly spicy. Staff was really kind. It's a little small inside and it gets busy so make sure you take that into consideration! read more

We went on a whim looking for a light dinner and this place was so good! The food and drinks hit the spot. The best part was our server though. He was so nice giving us so many recommendations on where to visit and even asked the other server for bar recommendations. We haven't had good service like that in awhile! I will definitely be back. :) read more

Our experience here was incredible. We came on a Friday around 6. It was already full (being a tiny restaurant) so we waited about 5-10 minutes and we were able to get a table. We had edemame, the caterpillar roll, vegan tempura, tofu hotpot, and beef stir fry udon. It was all delicious! I was thrilled the tempura batter was vegan so I could enjoy it. The hotpot with the ginger sauce was flavorful and tasted fresh and clean. It's a tiny restaurant so be prepared to wait. read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Tofu hotpot - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Disclaimer: Did not eat the food here Placed an order for pickup and was told the order will be ready in 30 mins. After 35 mins when picking up food order was told they ran out of rice at the same time they were welcoming guests in the restaurant. No prior calls to inform they ran out of food. read more

Great Sake selection and drink options. Good atmosphere, friendly staff. The sushi was great. Fresh and made well (as you would expect) but it was not huge clumps of overcooked rice. Great presentation. Will come back and try again! read more

The small Japanese ambiance is unmatched at Heiwa Shokudo. It's everything you want in an Asheville restaurant, a beautiful view of older downtown, outside patio seating and delicious local ingredients at affordable prices. Whether it's inside dining in a warm inviting spade or outside to listen to the birds and eat sushi, you'll be glad you came. read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Inside dining - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Man this place was a huge letdown. We were sat at a table outside and were so cramped because another table's chairs were less than a foot away. The table and one of our chairs were broken. My husband ordered a ramen bowl that came out pretty quickly. I ordered a vegetable noodle dish, and we had to wait literally 45 minutes for it AFTER my husband got his food. I eventually asked them to just forget my food and bring the check. They immediately brought out my meal and it was so obvious that it had just been sitting out under a heat lamp for a very long time and tasted so bland. Absolutely would not recommend this restaurant. We went on a Wednesday and it was this bad. read more

Before my daughter moves to Yokohama, I wanted to give her a taste of Japan. We were so lucky to get a reservation for the 9 Course Omakase Dinner on Saturday June 17th. Each course was fantastic. Her favorite was the Chawan (savory egg pudding with mixed seafood) and my favorite was the Fried Oyster (so juicy inside and perfect crispiness outside). The atmosphere and service were outstanding. Chef/Owner Dai Sugimoto is a culinary master. I can't believe how many different types of Japanese dishes he can make. His flavor combinations were amazing. I lived in Japan for 7 years and have eaten Japanese cuisine thousands of times. If you see an occaissional low rating on Yelp, it's from people who don't understand Japanese food and/or were having a bad day. They should eat at Panda Express. read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Delicious Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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Amazing! They were able to accommodate our group of 7 relatively quickly and the service was great. The prices are reasonable and so much to choose from on the menu there are options for everyone read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Salmon Sashimi, Spicy Tuna roll - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Best Ramen in town and has been for awhile. The sushi is bomb as well They have an amazing staff and are accommodating to allergies. Out of all the places for a warm bowl of soup in town and sake on the side this is the place. There is also a great outdoor seating area. It's small inside but I like how cozy and personal it feels. A great place to warm up your soul. read more

Truly authentic Japanese cuisine! If you want the real deal, check out the delicious dishes at Heiwa Shokudo. We went for lunch 2 days in a row while in Asheville, so you know we were impressed. My mother, who is a 90 year old Japanese native, judges Japanese restaurants by their tempura... and this place passed with flying colors. Friendly and attentive service too. Highly recommend! read more

This is one of my favorite places in Asheville. I daydream about the noodles here and could eat here weekly. From the ramen to the sushi and even the tea, you can't go wrong. read more

I'm a purist; no flavored coffee, no AmeriMex tacos, and no Japanese fusion for me. Heiwa Shokudo is the ONLY sushi bar in AVL owned and run by Japanese (a husband & wife). Along with truly traditional dishes, very cozy environs with lots of real wooden appointments, and a young, capable, and caring waitstaff await. The ramen swim in from-scratch bone broths, or seaweed-based, vegan stock. Nothing else in town even comes close to this wonderful locale. read more

Worst sushi place I've been to in Asheville. Never going there again. I hadn't been there before but my friends invited me. I was grateful that my friends had chosen a patio table outside because inside the restaurant was dark and stank like stale urine. The portion sizes for the sashimi were extremely small and skinny considering you're generally paying over $2 a piece. I'm a creature of habit so I typically have particular things that I order at sushi places but I decided to try something else this time. Among other things, I ordered salmon toro (fatty salmon), something I'd only heard about but had never had. I was surprised that it came seared and asked if I could send it back for regular salmon, wanting the taste and texture of what I knew to be sashimi. The server, Isheya (spelling?) told me I couldn't. Despite having studied Japanese for years and having lived abroad, I was made to feel pretty uncultured, hearing "Oh, I thought you knew it was seared! You ordered it so confidently!" (I did not. I'd literally said "I think I'll try...") It wasn't even listed on the menu that that came seared. I'd eaten one of the pieces by the time Isheya returned, saying the chefs grudgingly agreed to change my order. Of the three pieces I ordered, they gave me two pieces of my new order back. Why? Because I'd already eaten one of the pieces, thinking I wouldn't have anything else to eat. If they're going to convince a hungry customer that they can't change their order and then fault them for feeling that they have to tuck into what they didn't want, they shouldn't be in business. Worse, Isheya made a weird show out of watching me to make sure I gave back the fish I'd turned down, like I was under supervision in a bank vault full of gold bars. I've never spent over $20 in a sushi place and left hungry before. read more

Came here with my youngest as we were walking around downtown Asheville. Loved this place! I got the tonkotsu veggie ramen and my youngest got katsu chicken with rice and kimchi. She also got milk tea with boba. Everything was delicious and the egg was so good and a little sweet in the ramen. We'll definitely be back the next time we're in town. read more

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My favorite sushi in Asheville!! So fresh and delicious. Friendly service in a fantastic downtown location. Easy and quick online ordering available as well! read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Alligator Roll, Holly Mack-a-Roll, special futomaki, Inari & Avocado Uramaki - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

During my time as an Asheville local, this homey eatery quickly became one of my favourite stops. The place is small and locally owned; the owner and other employees have always been helpful. Not to mention, the food has yet to disappoint. My go-to order: veggie ramen with shiitake steamed buns. family friendly locally owned vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free options outdoor and indoor seating read more

The food was incredible, as well as the service. The team was very knowledgeable of the menu and made amazing suggestions. It has become one of our new favorites! read more

First time visitor. Small, hole in the wall establishment. Exactly the type of feel I want from a ramen spot. Sushi was on point, pan fried veggie gyoza barely lasted on the plate, karaage with dipping sauce tasted very good, and the ramen was delicious. Only less than positive I would say is, as shown in the picture, one of the soft boiled eggs was overdone. Waitress was attentive, helpful, and polite. read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Spicy miso ramen - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Best Japanese sushi restaurant in Asheville. They also offer bobba tea & have a lot of vegan options. Everyday they have specials, and their Bao Buns are delectable. And, they have their own parking lot!! read more

Excellent Japanese restaurant! The taizo blossom sake was lovely and floral. The karaage and sweet potato tempura were delicious. The atmosphere is quaint and cute. Definitely coming back! read more

Heiwa Shokudo - a plate of food and a glass of wine - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

A hidden gem. Tiny space. High quality. Nice and attentive service. Family owned and operated. Very affordable prices for the quality. Definitely recommend. read more

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The ambiance of the place is pretty nice, I liked the room they had us in there for a work dinner. The service was great as well, I thought the waiter and everyone else did a great job. I wasn't crazy fond of the food, but it wasn't terrible either. Had vegetable ramen, it was fairly bland, but like I said wasn't terrible. read more

Hands down the absolute ***BEST*** fried tofu in Asheville! As many have mentioned, if you are in a rush, this is not the place for you. It is small, quaint and conservatively staffed. That having been said: everyone is very nice and attentive. As someone who is a gluten free, non-shellfish pescatarian, the choices on the menu are vast and flavorful. I am most assuredly coming back again! Glad to have discovered this hidden gem that I have passed by far too many times without checking it out. Kudos to HEIWA SHOKUDO! Well done TEAM! Sincerely, Reuven G read more

Great ambiance, reasonable prices for huge amounts of food. Japanese hot pot was great and sashimi tasted fresh. Ramen was on the lighter side, not as filling or rich as other places we've been to, which kept us from feeling too full. The karaage was very good and they brought us a little extra portion as we waited on our mains. read more

The spicy miso ramen was delicious. They also have great mustard green bao buns. The restaurant is small and quaint which adds to the appeal. I've been twice and I'll keep going back. Highly recommend. read more

We arrived about 30 minutes before closing and didn't realize, they sat us and got our order to us in a quick manner. The food was beyond delicious. We were recommended by our coffee tour tour-guide, and we are so glad we were! If you're ever in the mood for affordable and delicious ramen, please come here!!! read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Tonkotsu Ramen ; Ramen Black - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

So disappointing! Ordered the Heiwah Ramen to go.. wanted it with pork belly but they were out so got an order of the shrimp goyza which came with 3 tiny pieces and shrimp tasted fishy. All I could taste with the Ramen was salt, no depth of flavor at all. So I got ripped off paying 15 dollars for a bowl of salty broth with noodles with a few mushrooms, spinach and 1/2 an egg, won't try them again read more

Yes they are slow but they have a tiny kitchen and have always been understaffed. So if you're in the I want it now category maybe this isn't your place. But if you have some time and appreciate good food that's made fresh this place is a winner. The food has always been impeccable. The broth has body the noodles are cooked just right and the staff is sweet and apologetic even if you're not feeling hurried. read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Ramen Black with gyoza absolutely in love - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Excellent, authentic Japanese restaurant. Attentive service, family owned. Small and intimate.

This little Japanese restaurant is almost too good. I had dinner there Friday night with an Asheville friend. I had chicken tempura with rice and broccoli. He had a large bowl of ramen. Sounds simple, right? Not. The chef is a magician, turning simple fare into top of the list. Our waiter was a 23-year-old lady who said she was new. Despite that she was knowledgeable and very nice, paying good attention to us without being intrusive. I can't recommend this restaurant highly enough. ten stars!. read more

While in town visiting family, we had dinner at Heiwa Shokudo. This was our first time having ramen bowls and they were delicious! We added in the shrimp gyoza and they were fantastic. Our waitress was super friendly and efficient even though the place was packed with customers. My husband also had two sushi rolls and he enjoyed them too. Small place but great food! read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Heiwa Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

We came here for the special Taste of Japan Omakase on my 30th birthday tonight. I told them it was my birthday when I made the reservation. Nobody mentioned it or acknowledged it the entire time, which was disappointing. Olivia was our server and service was very poor. I was given the wrong drink and price of the drink was 50% more on the bill than what was on the menu. The timing of the dishes was terrible, although the food was good. Most courses took forever to come out. Then we were given dessert before our savory courses had finished. We were on course 6 of 9 when the desserts came out. I inquired with Olivia where our other courses were and she brought them all out at the same time after we had already eaten dessert. I was looking forward to a special meal for my birthday and at over $80 a person, I was severely disappointed. A total waste of money and birthday meal. read more

Heiwa Shokudo - Sad dessert - Japanese Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina