I have been to this sushi bar many times & it is the BEST sushi place I have EVER been to (best in Atl & Birmingham, AL). The super crunch is my personal favorite but I always have to get a cowboy hat as "desert"! I've also had the tuna, spicy tuna,& yellowtail. I have had sashimi & it is always fresh and wonderful! I honestly don't know how pricing is b/c someone else has always paid (parents, friends) so I don't know how this compares but it is simply outstanding! The atmosphere is homey & run by a family & you feel like family when you come here. Highly recommend!! Service is fast & friendly. read more

I'm trying to choose my words carefully to make this review as dazzling as possible. This is probably my favorite restaurant in the world. I wasn't big on sushi most of my life but my coworkers insisted I try this place after moving companies 4 years ago. I've been hooked since. Whether you're into raw fish or not, there's something for everyone including the squeamish and the adventurous. I love the music and chill atmosphere as well, but all of these pale compared to the people there. Everyone that works there is so nice and genuine and they will remember you and your orders after just a few visits. I bring my mom there and Kevin after meeting her one time remembers exactly what to make her because she's picky- but she LOVED what he came up with to cater to her. They always treat me with kindness and care even on busy days. I'm attaching a picture of a dish they surprised me with after they had been too slammed to talk to me (which of course was fine in of itself) and I was just blown away. I can't recommend this place enough! read more

Minato Japanese Restaurant - Smyrna roll + tuna/ salmon mix - Japanese Near Me - Smyrna, Georgia

Great quality service and sushi/sashimi! The fish was so fresh and buttery. I loved the variety of fish in the Chirashi. The Super Crunch roll was crunchy with freshly fried shrimp tempura. Not to mention, all of our dishes were plated beautifully and came out quickly. The miso soup and salad were yummy, as well. When you walk in, the environment is very cozy with lots of pictures from loyal and regular customers. Will definitely be returning as it's some of the best sushi I've had in Georgia. read more

Minato Japanese Restaurant - Chirashi - Japanese Near Me - Smyrna, Georgia

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Long story short: waited 40 minutes for sushi so lackluster that I felt it was a crime against the fish who died to be in the rolls. Genuinely curious about the generous cuts of fish I saw in others' experiences as all our rolls were small (think the size of a big toe for reference...) I normally choose to not write a review if I have a poor first-time experience at a family restaurant and opt to visit again, but this visit was so disastrous that I cannot stomach the thought of round two. Service: First dish (ton-katsu) came out after ~30 minutes after ordering. Rolls came out 45 minutes after order. The restaurant was not packed. We were notified ONCE by our server while she hastily dropped off the ton-katsu saying "your sushi is late but you know all of it is." Food: - Ton-katsu (3/5): The sides (potatoes, miso, and salad) were fine. The meat was intriguing. It was impossible to eat without it falling apart as there were evidently two different mystery cuts of meat (one dark, one white) packed together. The texture of the dark meat resembled that of stale hamburger patty and the white meat was probably pork tenderloin? Regardless, it was fried nicely, but was incredibly dry and overall meh (especially for the price). -Georgia Roll (1.5/5): I love wasabi and spice in general, but this was not it. The wasabi mayo had way too much wasabi and it was inconsistently distributed throughout the roll. Almost inedible. The roll itself was not packed tightly and started falling apart before I started even eating it. -Dynamatic Roll (2/5): Overall, it was fine as there were no glaring errors that pushed it to the inedible front. The amount of eel inside was negligible and there were pieces that didn't even have any towards one end. Roll was also packed poorly and fell apart before we touched it. -Fried Scallop Roll (1/5): Wayyy too much eel sauce inside the roll. All I could taste was overly sweet teriyaki. 2 of the 8 of the pieces didn't even have a single scallop-- only tempura bits! Despite being fried, the scallops were cold inside, which was an odd experience. All I could taste was eel sauce and raw onion. Did we finish the food? Yes, because I don't want to waste food. However, I could not on good conscience recommend it to even my non-existent enemies. read more

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It was my first time at Minato. I wasn't allowed to sit at the sushi bar like I wanted. Apparently they were already full and chef was at his limit for guests at the counter. I wasn't allowed to wait for a spot to open, so I was seated in a nice tucked away booth by myself w/ a view of the sushi bar. I had the sashimi lunch & it was served with miso soup and ginger salad, both tasty. The sashimi wasn't to order, it was a selection of chef's choice, very good. I was most pleased with the cuts of fresh fish, very much so! Great service and I look forward to coming back next time I'm in the area. Arigatou gozaimasu!! Diane read more

Minato Japanese Restaurant - Chef's selection of sashimi lunch - Japanese Near Me - Smyrna, Georgia

I love the family atmosphere here. It was my first time but I went with a friend who comes often, and everybody said hey to him. Our server remembered some of his favorites & brought them out without him even asking. ALL of the food (appetizers, poke bowls, sashimi & rolls) were yummy. Please NOTE* there is no actual wait list so they just seat you as you come & wait. I am coming back for sure. read more

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Wonderful place. Amazing owners. Homey atmosphere. Great quality fish. 10/10 recommend!

I was a little worried when I got here since the place is in a basement- however, the inside is nice enough though dated. Service was a little slow but they made it work. Main reason for the 5 star review is the delicious sushi- I had the sushi and teriyaki combo. The teriyaki was just OK, but the sushi had large pieces and the fish tasted very fresh. At the end of the day, I came for the sushi and I think they deserve a good rating there. read more

Came here for lunch and everything is so freaking delicious!!!!! service is also amazing!:-) *get the super crunch roll* read more

i went tuesday night to get some sushi- we were worried at first because the menu seemed to include alot more of the other options aside from sushi and sashimi- but to our surprise, the sushi's quality was great, a really thick cut of the fish compared to a small amount of rice highly recommend their yellowtail, melts in your mouth! i didnt get the waiter's name, but he was amazing and told us some fun facts about their sushi. fast and friendly service definitely go for their sushi! read more

This is a popular sushi restaurant. Their entrances is filled with postcards/graduation pictures. The place is packed and there's a line to be seated. Parking spaces available on an open parking lot. Spacious for seating and the bathroom is clean. Food is ok. However, during the visit - it took 1hr to be seated. And then it took 45min and some change to get food. It appears that the establishment was short staff. One could tell by the staff as they looked frantic and overworked. Try this place- but bring patience... read more

Service was quite slow, food was acceptable but not particularly memorable. Atmosphere fine, but overall, nothing to see here.

Next time I'll ask for light rice. Very nice place, service was great :) Very tasty meal. read more

Minato Japanese Restaurant - Lunch Combo Roll B: if I'm not mistaken this is their version of California Tempura. I did ask for my roll to not include cucumber. - Japanese Near Me - Smyrna, Georgia

I absolutely love this place. The sushi is the best I've ever had in Georgia. The food is great, the service is great, the vibes are great.. I highly recommend this restaurant read more

Minato Japanese Restaurant - Sake bombs & miso soup - Japanese Near Me - Smyrna, Georgia

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Over 40 years historic traditional Japanese restaurant vibe with cute decorations and photos by entrance. Very popular local Japanese restaurant for lunch and dinner. Strongly recommend the bar for dining alone or small group. Fast and experience services and very delicious food. Pretty thick portion sashimi and chirashi sushi. read more

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Still the best sushi in all of Atlanta. They are all awesome and the best service! Make sure to order a love boat for maximum enjoyment within the soft atmosphere. read more

We were craving for sushi and decided to try this well-established restaurant that has been around for 30+ years. It was a very cute place tucked behind a shopping plaza. For appetizers we got the shrimp teriyaki and the Kara-Age chicken, which was the perfect starter while we waited for our entrees. For entrees we got the salmon sashimi, spicy tuna roll, caterpillar roll and the sukiyaki dinner. The sukiyaki dinner came with salad, miso soup and a bowl of rice. The salmon sashimi was extremely fresh and melted in my mouth. The servings were very generous and we did not leave hungry. The owner/staff were very nice and treated us like family. read more

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I was really excited to try this place as I've seen them on a few lists. It's 25 mins from me so I finally convinced myself to make the drive only to be utterly disappointed. I came in by myself on a Saturday night. I was told the sushi bar was closed but they seated me at a table within a couple minutes. They brought me water and gave me the basic menu and didn't come back for 30 minutes. A waitress finally came by and I asked if they have a sushi menu. She brought the menu and never came back. I waited another 5-10 mins and finally left. The table across from me didn't even eat their dinner and told their waiter "it wasn't fresh" to which he replied "maybe next time it will be". Needless to say I will not be going back. read more

Right when you walk in, you know you're in a good, authentic, quality sushi restaurant. The seating here is great, my friend and I sat in a little booth/box which was walled off, making it a great, almost private dining environment. We got the Chirashi & Tekka-Don bowls, which each came with a soup and salad. This place is definitely on the pricier side - Chirashi was $36 and the Tekka Don was in that range as well. Growing up with my dad as a sushi chef, I'm very particular about where I choose to consume raw fish. I can say that I felt all the sushi was fresh & I wasn't worried about the raw fish. I love trying new things, & I do love some good sushi, however towards the end of my bowl I was definitely wishing I could've picked my fish as I didn't love anything and felt bad wasting. Overall - this is a great place to check out for some authentic & fresh sushi, however be prepared to pay a pretty penny! read more

Minato Japanese Restaurant - Chirashi & Tekka-Don - Japanese Near Me - Smyrna, Georgia

Lived in Smyrna for a while and didn't know about this place, until we found it on Reddit. It was so good! Soft shell crab for appetizer was amazing. Service was amazing. The server helped us order. We got sukiyaki and the sashimi bowl. All was so yummy! read more

This was my 2nd time at Minato and I'm pleased both times. They are accommodating and gave great suggestions. I gave them 5 stars because of the following: 1. location: close to where I live so awesome there. 2. Price: rolls are roughly $12-16 per specialty roll, but the portions are larger than other restaurants 3. Service: they are always phenomenal. 4. Setting: I love the authentic Japanese decor with the wooden bridge and pond in the middle of the restaurant. Overall, I will definitely be back. read more

The sushi is sooooo GOOD! Best fresh fish I have had in Georgia!! I grew up eating sushi in Hawai'i and I was scared to try another sushi restaurant in Georgia but this was great!! Love this hole in the wall restaurant, family owned and operated. Knocking down a star only because it took 1 whole hour to get our food (we only ordered what is shown in the picture). We understand that it's family operated and their staff is limited, so we suggest going in as soon as they open or else you'll get stuck waiting to be seated or waiting super long for your food (take into account we went in for dinner on a Friday). Teriyaki chicken was okay, we were not the biggest fan of the dish. Our opinion, it was not worth the price for the quality and portion. But will definitely be coming back when I get a sushi crave!! read more

Minato Japanese Restaurant - Super crunchy roll - Japanese Near Me - Smyrna, Georgia

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Amazing sushi!!! This is one of our favorite spots. I'm not a big fan of sushi but I do love the options here read more

All people are not treated equally here. Sadly will not be back after waiting over 45 minutes and being treated like a potted plant while other "favored" people were seated ahead of me. Sushi chefs are great. Good food. Staff could use some courtesy training. Everyone has choices for sushi. read more

Absolutely LOVE this place! They have the best sushi. Service is wonderful as well. This is such a hidden gem, I am lucky to have stumbled upon it! Be sure to check their hours, they are kinda funky. They can get busy, but if there is a wait I promise you it is worth it!! The bar is always fun to sit at as well! The ambience is casual and intimate read more

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Delicious sushi! We tried 4 different rolls and LOVED the Super Crunch Roll the best. Would definitely come back even if just for that. The Spicy Tuna Roll was weird tasting, though. They only had one waitress working but she was prompt and doing her best. This was a fun experience though and would visit again read more

Minato Japanese Restaurant - (Top left to bottom): Shrimp Tempura Roll, Bagel Roll, California Roll - Japanese Near Me - Smyrna, Georgia

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Arrived at 6:20. Still waiting for food at 8:27... people who arrived after us are receiving their food. A neighboring table who had already eaten ordered addition sushi which arrived and we havnt seen a single thing. They prioritize take out and reservations over regular walk in customers. Maybe the sushi is heavenly but you have to wade through a hell of a wait time to get there. read more

Minato Japanese Restaurant - Nothing... - Japanese Near Me - Smyrna, Georgia

This was a fun experience. Since we were eating out on a Saturday night, we figured the best course of action was to get there early since it didn't appear that you could make reservations (I could be wrong). We arrived around 6, and thank goodness we did. The line just continued to grow behind us, though we were seated within 10-15 minutes for our party of two. This is clearly a family-run business, and they do an amazing job. They are hustling to get everyone seated, get your food to you, make sure you have anything you need, etc. It looked like they were definitely dealing with a staffing shortage, but they still provided great service. We saw on Yelp that people recommended the "cowboy hat" as an appetizer. It comes as a portion of one, so you'll want to order one per person - it's a shrimp chip topped with crab salad and a fried scallop. AMAZING. We also got several rolls, and the waitress' recommendation of green onion and yellowtail definitely surprised us - so fresh and the perfect amount of savory. The atmosphere here is so fun with a fake waterfall, a stone wall, and the little sunken courtyard area we sat in. The front entrance is decorated with years worth of Christmas cards from their loyal customers. I can understand completely why this is a neighborhood favorite, and how it's lasted for decades. We'd definitely come back - maybe on a week night when it's not so busy! read more

Disappointed/Embarrassed Came here to celebrate wedding with 20 guests- made reservation -Didn't seat us until every member arrived -Never refilled water; I had to find the waitress -Didn't provide plates/forks for cake; I had to find the waitress -I visited the waitress more times than she visited our table -Food came out late (2+ hours) and in phases. I was almost done with my meal before the others arrived -Contemplated leaving 1.5 hours into sitting down because service was terrible -Seemed like they were severely understaffed -Sushi was subpar; I've had better at Sam's, Giant, etc. Overall terrible experience. I would never come here with a group of people, let alone an important event. I saw 4.5 stars and felt comfortable choosing this place. It's unfortunate that my worst dining experience involved my loved ones and a hefty bill. Some of them haven't had sushi before and I ruined their experience by choosing this place. Let me think of something positive to say...their chairs were sturdy. read more

I don't know if we just caught them on a bad night or what, but I don't think we'll come back. It was just ok and just the two of us were there for 2.5 hours. When we were there it was just the couple that owns the place running around as the only two servers and front of house. The pros: - Owners seem friendly and it looked like they knew a lot of folks there - Decently priced for sushi I guess? The cons: - The wait. Dear God, the wait. We walked in around 5:40 and left around 8. It was just two of us and we ordered 2 rolls and a sashimi plate - The food was just fine. The sashimi didn't taste very fresh and the rolls were pretty standard. - Maybe it was just my perception after waiting for an hour and a half for food to start showing up, but the owner definitely served people he knew before us even though they sat down at least a half hour later than us. We saw multiple people around us take their food to go or give up on food they ordered just so they could leave. I'm not willing to take the risk on another 2+ hour meal for some OK sushi. If they hire some servers and get more organized maybe we'll try again. read more

The service, food and atmosphere were top notch. I'll be back the next time I'm in Atlanta

Came in after a long day, and boy did this place exceed my expectations. Once seated at the sushi bar, I promptly was given a warm hand towel, and my drink order was immediately taken. I decided on the super crunch roll. It took about 20 minutes to come out and in the meanwhile the sushi chef gave me a complementary shrimp roll with crab salad, it was phenomenal. I must have made a satisfied noise bc the guy next to me said, "that's how he reels you in, with those little touches." Another bar patron asked if it was my first time and I said it was. She said, "welcome to the best kept secret of Atlanta." She was not wrong. Everyone who came in knew the staff and was on a first name basis, the sushi was fresh and the service was great. I will definitely be back next time I'm in town! read more

Talk about hidden gem. Minato is THE place to go for sushi, especially if you want good sushi without the stress of having to go out and dress up. Let's be honest. When I first went to Minato, I was questioning where my boyfriend had taken me. It's downhill, behind a QT gas station and next to a store called Golf. You walk in, and you kind of feel like you've gone underground. But then you see people and signs of life. And then it's not so bad. I can't emphasize enough how great the service is. As soon as you walk in, it's almost like you're walking into grandma's house for dinner. They make you feel so comfortable, and here, you really get to just enjoy the food without caring about anything else. I would highly recommend sitting at the sushi bar and just letting the sushi chefs feed you. The food is so fresh and the prices are also very reasonable. I would highly recommend the sashimi sampler and chirashi. You get so much food and for such a reasonable price. I'm used to having to pay over $30-$40 for dinner prices, but at Minato, they're only $27 and we actually were so full before we even finished eating it all. Minato has so many regulars, and it's obvious why. Overall, I would highly recommend Minato. read more

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Had higher expectations. The place is a bit unique, owners tried to give it a typical Japanese vibe, but it feels a bit old and run down. The sashimi is cut thick, much too thick. To the point I had several pieces I had to cut. Both presentation and quality were average. Nothing really stood out. read more

I sat at the bar this time but when I'm with other people we sit at a table - fish is the best maybe I've ever had -- tuna - yellowtail - salmon - all amazing !!! Big pieces - everything here is so good - I go back every time I'm in town which seems to be more often lately !!! Definitely a don't miss if you love sushi - it's off the beaten path and not fancy but the food is a 10 read more

Minato Japanese Restaurant - TOBIKO with Quail nigiri ... outstanding and you can also get with wasabi TOBIKO - Japanese Near Me - Smyrna, Georgia

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So fresh and good. Very authentic, very fresh, and a hidden gem. Looks like a house from the outside and is so cute inside read more

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Called before, they said they do not take reservations and then when entering at 630, had two parties enter and sit with reservations. They do not have a hostess that will take your name down, very uncoordinated and slow. Make sure to block out your entire night in order to sit. read more

I have traveled around the world several times and enjoyed sushi in Japan and the South Pacific. I can honestly say that Minato in Atlanta is as good as you can get outside of Tokyo. Seriously five stars is not enough. Absolutely the best sushi in the United States. read more

The best sushi in Atlanta by far. Kevin and Pat show you love on a plate or bowl. Please dont take my bar seat!!!!!

Food is amazing my grandparents have been going for the past 35 years, yes 35. Service is so fast. Restaurant is a bit small but it is nice as the food come out so quickly read more