Came here after a long drive and immediately this place was comforting!…read more We wanted something quick and light. Ordered a lychee martini; which was yum as it was fresh lychees in the drink. Instead of vodka swapped it to Gin. Ordered hibachi; steak hibachi and sushi sashimi combo - this was mind blowingly fresh! The tuna salmon melted in the mouth. The ambience was outstanding and aesthetically pleasing. Our server was very nice, male. Extremely polite and prompt. A def must go to.

"Fresh fish, warm sake, and zero regrets."…read more We grabbed seats right at the sushi bar -- prime viewing for the art show that is sushi-making. The ambiance was calm but lively, kind of like if your therapist also served sashimi. I went all in: Sushi Deluxe, Ikura sushi, plus mackerel, scallop, and baby octopus sashimi. Everything was super fresh -- the kind of fish that practically winks at you on its way down. Washed it all down with hot sake and green tea because balance, obviously. Our server was a sweetheart -- originally from China, lived in NYC, now soaking up Asheville life. I forgot her name (and regret it), but she made the whole night better. The sushi chefs seemed authentically Japanese and knew their craft -- no corners cut, just clean, delicious perfection. Cute décor, a cozy atrium-style room in the back, and easy parking -- which in Asheville is practically a love language. Highly recommend if you like your sushi fresh, your vibe relaxed, and your sake warm enough to make you forget what day it is.

Ukiah is a gem, its no wonder they got the Michelin recognition for 2025. The eife and I stopped in…read morefor our 15th anniversary and had an amazing meal. It's Bourbon Thyme is a fantastic cocktail that paired really well with every item we ate too. We started with the wedge salad, which had. A lovely ginger dressing. The Tuna Tataki is a must, really nice rolled slices or raw tuna with the peppers and the ponzu sauce, truly amazing. The shishito peppers were wonderful and nicely charred with a great dipping sauce. The seabass may have been the tastiest item, the butter sauce and roasted lemon sauce was exceptional. We finished up with the carrots and bbq ribs, which were crispy on the outside but tender as you bit into the rib meat. Service was stellar as expected for any Michelin rated restaurant. I'm def coming back here soon, the bar looks nice and they have nice Ramen bowls and other items I want to try.

With an unusual menu for food and cocktails, this spot drew us in!!…read more Karaage Chicken, a trendy fried chicken plate of deliciousness is always a must try...and Ukiah did it well. The sliced Hanachi in in ponzu with Serrano peppers was creamy, fresh, with a bit of heat..amazing. Almost everything we had was over the top delicious except for the Pork Belly stick. It was dry and overcooked. The cocktail menu is equally unique and my gin 'So Fresh So Green' was divine..gin, green pea ginger, lemon and scallion tincture. Fresh, bright, and earthy all in one. Perfection!!!

I really enjoyed my experience at Maguro. The hamachi kama was the standout for me - perfectly…read morecooked and full of flavor. I actually like it so much, I came back a few days later to have it again. The yellowtail shooters were also great; I didn't realize they came with saki, but it turned out to be a nice surprise pairing. I tried the seafood ramen. The broth was light, which went well with the seafood. I am curious to try the tonkatsu to see how rich the broth will be. The stir-fried noodles were good too, although I felt like it could use a touch more seasoning. The restaurant itself has a cozy atmosphere, and the staff are really friendly and welcoming. I'm not entirely sure how traditional some of the dishes were, but they are tasty.

We sat at the sushi bar. We ordered entirely too much food, but everything was really good and the…read morefish was fresh. The presentation was on point. The restaurant was bustling on a Saturday night. I've been told their ramen is great. I will be back to try it.

I'm honestly really disappointed and won't be coming back. I've had a great experience here before,…read morewhich is why I brought my boyfriend for his first visit, but this time was a complete letdown--especially for the price. My boyfriend ordered the miso ramen and said the broth lacked flavor, the pork was way too chewy, and even the corn wasn't good. I got the Ito Ramen Deluxe, but it was overly smoky, the noodles were rubbery, and the pork was also too chewy. I couldn't even finish it. The only thing I actually enjoyed was the seasoned egg. The gyoza was decent, but it honestly tasted like it might be store-bought. The service didn't help either. Our server, Abby, wasn't very pleasant, and the drink options were extremely limited. Overall, I left feeling very disappointed. For the price, I could make better ramen at home for way cheaper.

We stopped in here to revisit their amazing Chasu Pork Buns and Curry Ramen…read more.. The Buns were just as delish as ever...possibly the best bao buns I've had!! But the ramen tasted a bit weaker than last time. I thought the broth tasted much milder...not spicy enough. Luckily, I asked for Chili Oil on the side...and that definitely helped. My husband felt the same...Good, but not as good as last time. Also, the service much weaker. Our waitress was very aloof, and just did not look our way, not check on us...except just once? We had to literally flag her down. For these reasons, I've got to drop some stars this time.

We appreciate the Yelp recommendations to try Wasabi…read more I am often skeptical of places along a main tourist area but Wasabi is the real deal...at least for the area. We were quickly seated at the sushi bar and the restaurant filled up quickly with other lunch clientele after that time. Sushi chef was efficient and our eel roll was fresh and delicious. Only 8 pieces so not that large. Would have paid more for a larger portion as we were sharing everything. Hot melt in your mouth yummy shumai were devoured. I saved some wasabi to add a little spice. Tempura appetizer included 2 large shrimp and veggie assortment. All around good meal!

We came here after seeing it on Mountain Xpress's Best of WNC. I appreciated the vegetarian sushi…read moresection of their menu and they had plenty of non-sushi vegetarian options as well. I ordered a house salad and 3 sushi tolls - sweet potato, avocado, and mushroom and cream cheese (which I had never seen before). The prices were not bad for sushi. We came on Saturday night of a holiday weekend. We weren't expecting to be sat down right away because of how packed downtown was that night, but we were happy to get a table for two right away! Service did take a while, but we understood because of how full it was. Once we ordered, the food came out quickly and the add-ons we requested, like sauce, came out right away! I was let down by the house salad because it did not seem fresh. The ginger dressing was delicious, but some of the lettuce looked like it had been cut a while ago or stored for a while. The sweet potato roll was great, but I wish it had been dressed up a little bit perhaps with a drizzle of eel sauce on top. They brought me a side of the eel sauce quickly, though, when I asked, which was very appreciated. The avocado roll was top tier - fresh and a nice portion of avocado in the roll. The mushroom and cream cheese roll was interesting. It was probably my least favorite, but I just don't usually go for raw mushrooms. I wished they could have a veg combo with cream cheese, like with cucumber or another fresh veggie. Overall, we had a positive experience, but maybe knowing it had been so highly rated, I had higher expectations. I'd like to go back and try some of their non-sushi items, which looked good too.

Amazing value for some heart warming Ramen! Honestly, after a long day of hiking up in the Smoky…read moreMountains, I was craving a warm and savory meal that would soothe my soul and appetite. I found this location! Service was superb! Both friendly and proactive + warm. Also the ambiance/interior decor is like stepping into Japan! The seafood ramen features grilled shrimp, fish cake, crabstick, scallions, and a boiled egg in a rich, 6-8 hour simmered broth. Honestly, you could tell! This is hands down some of the best ramen that I have ever had! Pure love in a bowl! The broth was filled so flavorful and smooth, and the seafood was all juicy!!! Mmm, I am reliving the moment just writing this review. I would return for sure! Check this place out! Cheers!

When we're downtown Asheville we like to stop in here as it's close to all the shops. It's always…read moregood food, quick service, and low wait times. We each had ramen and shared appetizers (cucumber salad not pictured) which were good. The 4 stars are because the broth and noodles seem to have a disconnect with each other and the other garnishes. Just seems put together instead of steeped/cooked together. Subjectively It's good, it's just mild and light.

Folks....Im here to talk about the Tonkotsu Ramen at Heiwa Shokudo. Yes, their entire menu is…read moreimmeasurably 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.

This is a tiny little spot on the edge of downtown. It's honestly a place I've walked past a bunch…read moreof 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!

Pretty mediocre sushi. We ordered take out so maybe dine in is different. Typically we order three…read morerolls and it's plenty for the two of us, these were a little small and less filling. The rolls were fine on flavor at least but nothing great. The ginger was also very dry. Pretty mid compared to other sushi options around here.

I really enjoy this place. The food is tasty, varied, and creatively presented, plus the prices are…read morevery reasonable. The staff is usually polite and attentive, which makes dining here enjoyable. That said, I did have one experience that felt a bit off. While we were still enjoying our meal, the server repeatedly offered to bring us to-go boxes and seemed eager to rush us through our dining experience. They also approached silently at the end with the check, which felt abrupt and a little rude, especially since the restaurant wasn't busy at the time. I hope this was just a rare occurrence, because overall, the restaurant is wonderful. Still, because of that experience, I can't give a full 5 stars.

consistently delish. 10/10 would recommend. The tomato ramen is absolutely delicious.read more

I have been here twice - once during trivia night at Archetype Brewing and the other time with a…read morefellow vegetarian. We were so happy with the options! When ordered from Archetype, the food comes out quickly and conveniently. That's a great set-up! When I came to eat at Gan Shan, we sat in their outdoor space, which was cute! Service was very friendly and accommodating as well. I don't know which dish I would pick next time between the General Tso's Tofu or the Gan Shan Rice Bowl because both were equally good! They do a great job with tofu here! The Gan Shan Rice Bowl had less tofu but more additions like pickled vegetables and kimchi. The General Tso's bowl had amazing flavor, and you didn't really need more than the tofu and broccoli! We also tried one of the ginger drinks, which was good, and some sake. It's a great place to come with a friend and share dishes to try more options. I will be back soon!