Everything about this place is awesome. The sushi, drinks, service (Zuayi) and atmosphere. I believe they have the best sushi in town. The Gyozo was so good, I could have had two more orders. My friend had a bowl of yummy and ate all of it. The grand piano suggested by our wait-person was the best. Even a simple tempura shrimp sushi was made of high quality ingredients. read more

Sono Sushi - A bowl full of yum - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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This was a referral place, the waitress was cordial the room was clean with a romantic atmosphere. We enjoyed our food except that the chicken teriyaki did not have much flavor. It could have been due to eating it after all the Sushi. Either way overall it was a good family date night. read more

Sono Sushi - Dress to impress - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Nice date night if you want to impress someone. It's gives off more upscale sushi vibes but I dig it. Parking downtown sucks but luckily we found a spot really close and went on a Tuesday night and there was no wait! I've heard good things about this place. I started off with a spicy mango cocktail and KFC appetizer (Korean fried chicken). The cocktail had a nice spicy rim but was lacking in salt but overall yummy. KFC was alright, it wasn't the best I've ever had but it wasn't bad either. I was expecting chicken wings but it was boneless but pretty meaty. Next I had Tonkotsu ramen paired with the Surf and Turf roll and my husband had the Story Of the Salmon roll. His complaint was he didn't realize the fish was on top so he didn't like it as much. My surf and turf was okay but we traded and I loved his much better! The sushi tasted really fresh overall and flavorful. We had so much to eat and I had brought leftovers home which tasted great the next day. Would def come back if I'm looking to splurge on sushi read more

Sono Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

You might want to make a reservation for this one, but we were able to walk-in and be seated! Great service and fantastic sushi! read more

Sono Sushi - Sushi Rolls - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

One of the best Ramen noodle I ever had. The Yakitori appetizer was also delicious!!! Our service was very helpful to accommodate our tight lunch time schedule. Overall we will definitely come again. read more

Sono Sushi - Chicken ramen noodles!!! - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I used to help keep the books for this restaurant and though I have not worked with them for well over 5 years, this is still one of my favorite places to eat in Raleigh. The other reviews are spot on when they repeatedly say how good the tonkotsu ramen is (my favorite)... or the sushi (try the himachi)... or EVERYTHING ELSE. I recommend going often and working thru the entire menu. Try something different each time. Challenge yourself to be adventurous with at least one of your selections. Having seen "behind the curtain," I know that they only use the highest quality ingredients and only work with team members that truly care about putting forward an outstanding product each and every time. read more

My girlfriend heard about this place from an online article raving about its ramen. This place's tonkatsu ramen is the best I've ever had in NC period, and is on par with some of the finest ramen shops in NYC and Toronto. It's seriously that good. Milky tonkatsu ramen pork soup base is cooked twice over a 24 hour period. 1st 12 hours reduces all the pork bones and marrow into a wonderfully milky white broth. Second 12 hours gets an additional green onions, ginger and some other ingredients to make the flavor more complex. If you like spicy ask for their in house made chili spices to add a wonderful kick to your ramen. Amazed to find ramen this good in the Carolinas. Will definitely be back again. Been over a year and a half since my review here and multiple ramen restaurants later, this place is still my benchmark for the best tonkatsu ramen in the North Carolina. read more

Sono Sushi - Tonkatsu milky broth ramen. - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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On a whim, I dropped by this place on Thursday night 30 minutes before they closed. The staff was very friendly and accommodating and made me feel welcome. Can't say too much about the overall atmosphere because with the exception of two people at the bar it was empty. What I ordered - Korean Fried Chicken appetizer - Crisp and tasty with a soy glaze, although a bit more batter than I'm used to for korean fried chicken. - Angry Tuna and Crunch Diablo rolls - Both were large and higher quality than what I've had a lot of the Raleigh area restaurants. - Uni nigiri - ok quality, I probably wouldn't order it again. I really wanted to try their ramens, but they were already out for the night. Their omakase also sounds intriguing and I'll definitely be back to give it a go. read more

Sono Sushi - KFC - Korean Fried Chicken appetizer - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I always order the sweet shrimp here because it came with the head. However I ordered four today to-go, and they said they do not give the heads when you pick up, but some times they do if they're not busy on weekdays. It is unclear. This is very upsetting since I only order the shrimp for the delicious heads too. Also, the octopus usually comes with sauce as pictured, but we given octopus with no sauce, no flavor. Please don't cut corners with your customers. They might not come back. read more

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Been there 3 times within 3 weeks and I am amazed by this place! Sashimi is so fresh and you will keep coming back! Services are excellent every time!I highly recommend it! read more

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The sushi was delicious. Also, the tables were spaced out for COVID and all employees diligently wore their masks. I will definitely come back and recommend to others! read more

Sono Sushi - Sushi Trio Dinner & Story of the Salmon Specialty Roll - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I've been wanting to try this restaurant for awhile now and finally got a chance! The atmosphere in this restaurant is upscale and would be great for a date night or even first dates. Service was impeccable- our waiter was super knowledgeable and helpful. The sushi here was really good! I ordered the tonkatsu ramen because I am a ramen addict and it was pretty good! I'd like to come back to try their spicy miso ramen. I recommend ordering their sushi over the ramen though. All around great place! read more

Sono Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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My brother hates sushi. So, I decided to see if he would try his taste buds at the one place I had confidence in that might change his mind. And, Sonos delivered. The world has one more sushi fan. It certainly helped that our server, Andrea, was supremely delightful. We will be back! read more

Sono Sushi - This is my brother. - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I guess I'm on a Japanese food kick during this Raleigh trip. So after two nights' Japanese dinners, I was in the mood for ramen. I saw other yelper's pic of the tonkatsu ramen looked pretty decent, so I figured " Sono it is!" This restaurant is a lil hard to find, I had to circle the block to first spot it and then find a parking spot. But once you're inside, it all goes uphill from there. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen. It took a while to come out but I'm not complaining. My server was very attentive, the ramen tastes pretty good. The broth was rich and their marinated egg was done quite well. Overall a happy dinner experience, and I'd definitely come back again! read more

Sono Sushi - Tonkatsu ramen was yummy - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Best sushi in Raleigh. They have two AWESOME (and huge) veggie rolls that I dream about. Their house salad dressing is amazing as well. Great ambiance - welcoming and cozy inside. Located smack in the middle of downtown with lots of shopping and sight seeing nearby. Service was wonderful. My server, Courtney, was just lovely! read more

Sono Sushi - Great spot for people watching... I mean lunch.... - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

We came to Raleigh for New Years Eve. It was cold. It was crowded. And we were hungry. We completely forgot to make reservations, so we wandered into this place and they had a 30 minute wait which wasn't bad. Our server (I wish I could remember his name) but he was SO great. He explained the food to us in great detail, and answered any question we had. And it wasn't generic answers - which was nice. He gave us his opinions on the food and his favorites , etc. my FAVORITE was the appetizer of grilled octopus. The presentation, the flavors, the textures .. ugh so good i could've had 4 of those orders. My boyfriend got the ramen - and it was everything ramen should be.. creamy, spicy, and all the toppings. He thoroughly enjoyed it and I realized (later) that this was his first REAL ramen experience. Obviously besides instant ramen. I ordered the raw raw, which is a very interesting take on sushi. The wrap of the sushi was a daikon radish. The flavors were very fresh and bright - I didn't care much for the mustard flavor ponzu, but everything else about it was good. In hindsight I wish ordered something warming and meatier, but gives us another excuse to come visit again. read more

Sono Sushi - Grilled Octopus - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Sono AMBIANCE Beautifully decorated, very modern with cool atmosphere and great wall art. Space is compact but well laid out. Bar in front is sleek and great for people watching. SERVICE Zoe was excellent! Very knowledgeable about the menu, made great suggestions and attentive. We will ask for her when we come back. FOOD/DRINKS We came for lunch, got the chef special bento box and the soup, salad, roll combo! Food portions were good, We were full without being overstaffed. RESTROOMS Clean, modern, no changing table, but there was a bench and tons of cool mirrors. OVERALL We really like the restaurant. The hostess Alyssa was warm, accommodating and Zoe our server was top not h. This would be great for lunch, date night, friends in town, pretty much overall anyone who loves sushi. I'm a big fan! read more

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Love love love Sono! Service is terrific, and I have never had anything here that wasn't delicious and perfectly presented!

Ate here on Valentine's Day. Service was great but sushi was mediocre. Tuna was tasteless and they didn't have oysters, which was advertised in other posts. The ramen was also okay. Ordered gyoza and shrimp tempura as an appetizer and it was also just okay. I enjoyed the veggies and meat in the ramen but overall it didn't satisfy my ramen/sushi craving. :( read more

Sono Sushi - Shrimp tempura, specialty roll, and spicy tuna roll - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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This sushi is just very average, with some of the rolls pretty flavorless. On top of that, we had a horrible experience with the staff. Our waiter convinced us to order a $16 app that consisted of small pieces of steak cooked over a stone (can't remember the name). We finally agreed. Several minutes later he returned to tell us the normal cut of beef used is unavailable and there would be a small upcharge for a slightly better cut of beef. Fine. We had our mediocre meal and got the bill. Guess how much they charged for the app....Just guess. WRONG. They charged $60 for this small little app! We were astounded! We complained to the manager who was reluctant at first to see our point of view. Our waiter appeared and insisted he told us about the upcharge. Yeah an upcharge is like an extra few bucks, not $16 to $60! Well things got a bit heated and the waiter told my significant other, "Hey, I bet it's hard to be wrong, isn't it?" At that point we were appalled at how rude this kid was! We were so upset that the manager told us he would charge us the original $16. Yeah, you think?? Now normally I would not penalize the entire restaurant for one dip-shit kid waiter. But that fact that the manager didn't even take the entire app off the menu, let alone credit out entire meal? Nah. Too many other places with better sushi and good service in the triangle. This place is awful! Never been talked to that way by wait staff in my life! Go elsewhere. read more

We came here for our six year anniversary and it did not disappoint. Drinks were great not too sweet and the food was really really good. High quality fish and everything we ordered was fantastic. Staff was nice and we found parking right out front and it was free. I couldn't have asked for a better place. Pro tip: walk around the corner and get dessert at Bittersweet afterwards. read more

The spicy miso ramen was awesome! Our server was also very helpful and sweet. Also, the environment was warm and calming. Would definitely recommend to friends shopping near the city market. read more

Cool place, great food, and the best bartender. Irene is my hero. One time I was eating some delicious Ramen at the bar, talking to her about the epic mural on the wall. There was a loud noise like an explosion and 17 ex-Navy SEALs repelled down from the ceiling, demanding all the cash in the drawer. At the exact same time, a 23-car pileup happened right outside because some dude's Gotcha Bolt scooter said he was in a no-ride zone even though he wasn't. I was stunned. But Irene wasn't. By the time I got myself together, all 16 of the burglers left alive were tied up. I saw her, back behind the bar, holding the three babies she saved from the burning wreckage behind me, folding napkins like a boss and serving me delicious drinks. No problem. Anyways, you definitely like this place, whether you know it or not. read more

I travel to Raleigh for work quite a bit and was able to visit friends this trip who just moved to the area and found this place as having "good enough ramen" compared to other places they've looked in the short time they had been here. They wanted to give it a second try as we all love ramen and was looking for a good bowl of soup with the weather. (I'm a bit of a ramen snob, also living in Boston area with superb flavored ramen, and have traveled to Japan many times to have ramen). I first want to say that our server, Zoe, was incredible, attentive, and ensured that our questions were answered. She was the shining part of our dining experience. I looked up this place here on Yelp and was pretty excited to try out some dishes as the reviews and pictures made it quite appetizing. Unfortunately, there were some missed points. The food was good, but...really, just okay. We ordered the Piano Roll. Although it was indeed delicious, I was a tad bit disappointed that there was no spice with the "spicy crab" and no kick I should have tasted from the "wasabi aioli." The crunch from the shrimp tempura added a great texture to the dish. The wasabi given with the dish seemed to have a whipped consistency and was way too mild for my liking. I did enjoy the ginger. I ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen that had a good milky broth to it. Added the spicy chili that was brought to the table, which added great flavor to the broth. The noodles were cooked well as I like it, not too soft but with enough chew. The disappointment: the broth was not hot. It was warm, but not what you'd expect from a bowl of soup. the marinated soft boiled egg was way too cold. It sat on top of the warm soup, so the bottom was warm, but the top with the yolk was not a great feeling in your mouth when you're expecting something at the very least, warm. Pouring warm broth over it did not help. The pork. Oh, man. What a major disappointment, especially when the pictures on Yelp showed huge pieces of meat! Three very small, pathetic pieces that were mostly fat and 20% meat. The meat was also cold. Overall, the bowl of ramen was just, okay. If the soup was hot along with everything else, it would probably be better. We also ordered the spicy miso ramen. You're better off saving a dollar by ordering the Tonkotsu broth ramen and adding chili oil to it. It was very much sooooo lacking in flavor, for some reason, even though we were told that they just added spicy miso to the Tonkotsu broth (only difference between the two. The food came out surprisingly quickly on a Friday night; the place was not busy, so that could have been the reason. 2 Stars because service was excellent. Minus one star for food being just okay (nothing special to rave about); minus one star for misrepresented food description (spicy crab not spicy, etc.); and minus one star for items on top of the ramen being cold... read more

Sono Sushi - Tonkotsu Ramen with cold egg as well as cold (and very small and fatty) pieces of pork - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Havent been to Sono for a bit, but it will be going to back on my regular rotation. Had a wonderful conversation with James and definitely excited about the news of introducing a few new items. He demo a salmon tartare today that just melts in your mouth and simply delicious. The service was a bit slow today, but the restaurant was packed. Understandable since it's one of the best place downtown. My co workers and my meals hit the spot. The sushi sashimi was fresh and yummy. The ramen was hot and hit the spot on such a cold day. If anything, best ramen in town. Again, thank you James for the hospitality. read more

Great place to eat and good vibe! customer service was top tier!! The Manager is great and I enjoyed everything about the restauran!! Marsha read more

Best sushi of my life! Loved it great, everyone is so friendly!! The food was so good, and would de recommend it to friends.

Went here last night and had a very pleasant experience! The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. Obviously being a Tuesday night during these times, it was pretty dead inside, but it was a really nice and quiet dinner with my wife. Starting out I ordered the Battle Royale fro myself and the Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita for my wife. The drinks were quite unique and had great flavor while not being too pricey! We ordered the ribeye to share and 2 rolls (Sono and Shrimp Tempura) and all of the food was amazing. Some of the best and most fresh sushi I have had in a while, you can tell the ingredients are a step above other places. The ribeye was incredibly juicy and cooked to perfection while being absolutely soaked in flavor from the teriyaki sauce.. I think the prices were very reasonable considering the portions. Our waitress was extremely kind and helpful regarding the menu and when asking about the surrounding area. We felt very safe eating here as well regarding COVID guidelines. The restaurant is in a neat area you have to check out if you happen to be in the city! read more

As always, 5 stars! We went back to Sono a couple weeks ago when family was in town and had the chef's omakase. It was AMAZING. We got to try a little bit of everything--from special nigiri and a super refreshing crudo to an extraordinarily tender Japanese style steak, we loved it all. Special shout out to our server that night who realized we are food lovers and suggested we switch our dessert course to a half-size portion of the pork ramen. We're going back again this week for a birthday dinner and I can't wait. read more

Delicious food!!! The grilled octopus is my favorite dish on the menu. Atmosphere is always laid back. Good food and will keep coming back!

Classy restaurant, good sushi and great service! Celebrated our anniversary dinner here and we were treated with a complementary champagne toast or dessert. We chose the dessert, a chocolate lava cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Excellent presentation. Pocky sticks were a bonus touch. Much appreciated. We each ordered our own sushi rolls. I had the spider roll and a spicy tuna. Both were very satisfying and generous cuts. Next time I'll be a little more daring and try their special rolls. Started off with their gyoza and KFC. KFC was ok, mostly breading and a bit skimpy on the meat, however, the snappy crunchiness and savory Korean flavor helped offset the negatives. Gyoza was fine but a little pricey for only 5 potstickers. Slightly irritated when an odd quantity is offered, for an appetizer which is typically shared by 2 people. C'mon chefs! Please consider making it 6! Overall, a very pleasing dining experience if you are in the neighborhood (which we were) and convenient if you are hoping bars (as we were this particular evening). Only a 7 minute walk to Boxcar (woo-hoo!). Our service was outstanding! Brandon deserves a super shout-out for making our dining experience a very memorable one. It was his own b-day (and who wants to be working on their own b-day) so I had mad respect for him! Definitely worth another check out. Again, prices are a tad on the higher side, but well worth it if the occasion calls for it or if you simply have the means. Oh, and the $3 drafts special on Sapporo didn't hurt either! read more

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We really enjoyed our dinner here. Service was kind and fast. The plates we had were full of flavor. The ambiance, art, and entire feel was romantic. read more

Sono Sushi - Hamachi jalapeño app! - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I got takeout for lunch on 12/18. The food is rarely disappoints and takeout is fast and convenient. I had a very unpleasant experience that was unexpected. The young hostess for that shift was very off putting and I was in a great mood. I was very nice to her and she gave me the cold shoulder which was odd. She didn't even respond to thanking her and hoping she had a great day. It wasn't busy and there was one other order ready since they had just opened. This experience really left me feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome which makes me wonder if it was because I didn't leave a tip for a takeout order. read more

The food was good and I enjoyed the sushi I picked. The only thing I would say is that it is expensive compared to other sushi places in he area. The fish did appear to be fresher but minutes away are sushi spots that offer bogo deals and are just as enjoyable. The environment is nice. It has a slightly intimate feel however there are Tv's and seating is close. But it is a potential date night location. Service was good and I tried lychee sake for the first time...I did enjoy it! It's white but not milky, it reminded me of coconut water. It's kind of sweet. The sushi selection is limited compared to other sushi restaurants in the area. This could be a benefit if your indecisive. They did have some seemingly unique rolls. Whether you pick this place depends on what's important to you. Are you trying to be cost effective? Or get the freshest ingredients? read more

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Yum yum yum, great sushi! We went on New Years eve and somehow landed bar seats. I'd recommend making reservations on busy nights! The cocktails were okay, and the bartenders were pretty friendly. Service was quick to get food and drinks out quickly and I appreciated that! I think the only thing missing was something to improve the service. The front desk hostesses weren't very enthusiastic, though I probably wouldn't be either if I was hosting in the cold on New Year's Eve. Overall, great sushi option downtown. A little pricey but good experience. Decent service. read more

Sono Sushi - California Roll and Rainbow Roll - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Best Ramen in Raleigh! Sono has the best Ramen in the Triangle area by far. There are many more shops popping up now but the Tonkotsu Ramen here still outranks them all. The four stars is because I'm not too fond of the other food here (it's delicious but way too expensive for what it is), the Ramen is on the pricier side (almost $15), and the pork could be better quality (it's a little gray and tasteless). However, the broth, mushrooms, noodles, garlic and spicy oil are all on point! And it's a huge bowl. You would definitely be full from just this as your main meal. This place fills up fast on weekend nights so I would plan ahead and try to get a reservation in advance. If you love Ramen, this is the place to go! read more

If you read no further you must know that Sono fanatic. Like many people we've been in a bit of a restaurant hibernation with the pandemic, so this was our first trip to Sono and we were blown away! The food was delicious, I never thought a bowl of ramen could have so much flavor. We had both a pork and chicken ramen that left us wishing for more when we got to the bottom of the bowl. The sushi rolls had inventive flavor and spice combos to suit just about every palate. The service was a bit slow as they were overwhelmed, but they were very friendly and obviously giving 150% so I can't fault them. I loved the dark funky atmosphere that's suitable for small or medium groups. I'd definitely recommend a reservation. Sono we'll definitely be back! read more

I really enjoy the ramen from this spot. This is my second time time getting food from here and like I said it's real good. But today I ordered the gyoza and ended up chewing on a chunk of plastic that was in one of them. good gyoza the plastic was so so. read more

This is a small restaurant in downtown Raleigh so leave extra time to circle and find a parking space. I was surprised for how small it was that the place got incredibly loud & noisy! I was a table for 6 in the back corner and I could only really here the person next to me which was a bit annoying. I ordered a lite meal consisting of the miso soup & grilled octopus (pic below). Both were tasty and nice but I didn't eat the garnish that came with octopus. The people I was with all ordered the sushi. It looked beautiful and they all said it was excellent. For my cocktail (pic), I ordered a cosmopolitan, an old stand by, and it didn't disappoint. read more

Sono Sushi - grilled octopus appetizer - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Pros: Convenient location to the hotel, friendly hostess, OpenTable +1000 points, decent chicken teriyaki Cons: Not fresh sushi with fish scales, mediocre server, dinner prices for okay food read more