The only gripe I had was that it is pretty pricey for the amount of food we got. Yes it was very very delicious but 8.00 for two tiny skewers of yakitori chicken (we did eat a chunk up top, but still). Maybe it's more when In store but we were pretty disappointed when we saw what we got. Regardless, the food was very delicious and flavorful. read more

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

I was extremely dissapointed after reciving a recommendation from a friend. I went with a co-worker for lunch on a weekday and was hoping for a quiet place to chat, but that was not what we got. It was very busy for a weekday and our coversations were frequently interupted. I decided to try the sweet shrimp but it did not come with the head or any sauce. I complained to our server (who had been very rude and had given a couple dirty looks as they came in with casual attire) and she never got back to me. My friend got some sort of sushi roll and said that the fish was very low quality, and was quite stringy, he has very high expectations for sushi and those were definetly not met. the cocktails were below average and clearly rushed. It was not the kind of place it seemed or we had expected. the service was poor and i will not be returning or recommending. read more

Really good lunch specials. I enjoyed the bento box and my friend the soup salad and crab roll. Andrea (bar manager and lunch waitress) was very attentive/knowledgeable and helpful. read more

I am Japanese who grew up in Japan for over 1 years and I can say this place is very authentic!! The nigiri sushi was on point. Also, the ramen is super good and affordable!! The service is great as well, Youjin is so sweet and made the experience better!! read more

We visited here for dinner around 6 on a Sunday. We made reservations but there where plenty of tables available at the time. The place seemed to be getting full but there where no waiting going on. Our family decided to try the Omakase Experience Grand Tasting menu. It was $70 per person which is not that bad compared to other fine dinning Japanese Restaurants. Omakase is basically leaving the menu up to the chef. They give you different types of small portions dishes that are normally not on the menu. The problem is that the dishes didn't feel that special. It wasn't that the dishes where bad, it was just above average. If you feel like you want to try something different then go for it! It will be a fun experience, but I don't feel like we will order the Omakase here again. 1. Cleanness- 4 out of 5 (table was sticky) 2. Cleanliness- 5 out of 5 3. Service- 5 out of 5 4. Food- 3.5 out of 5 Overall a nice Japanese restaurant located in the downtown area. There are plenty of parking buildings around the area, so parking is not an issue. We will visit here again if we visit Raleigh in the future but will not order the Omakase again. read more

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Best sushi in Raleigh hands down. Service is hands down a 5. Then you get to the rolls. We tried 5 speciality rolls and they were top 5 I've ever had. I'm from NYC and know sushi, this place stands up with any place I know in nyc. read more

A few years on and this is still the best sushi restaurant in the greater Raleigh area. Never been disappointed here. Perfect tempura rolls and the blue crab roll is reasonably priced. Mackerel sashimi quite good also. We like the plum wine and the mochi ice cream is a perfect way to end dinner. Service is professional, patient, knowledgeable about the menu. Nice pick for celebratory occasions. read more

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Love this restaurant! Sushi is amazing (all of the food is actually). I always request Sushada when I go, she's very attentive and sweet and she makes awesome drinks too. read more

Sushi...oh sushi. I adore you so much. I can always tell when you're made with love and this is certainly the case at Sono. The piano is refreshing. The crunchy diablo is perfection. But Sono recently changed their menu and decreased the size of their rolls, which is a disappointment to the regulars. As a newbie, I can't compare to past experiences but I will say the food is darn good here. My waitress was very nice but it took forever for the food and drinks to be served, which is why they lose 1 star in my book. If I'm ever craving sushi though, I know this is a reliable place to go. read more

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Was craving some good Japanese food - sushi and ramen and a co-worker suggested this place. Since there were three of us and we wanted to be able to talk during dinner, we sat at a table versus the sushi bar. Before I ordered any sushi, I had to take a look at the fish in the case to make sure it actually looked fresh and didn't smell fishy. I was happy with my evaluation and asked the sushi chef if there were any specials today. Luckily, they had o-toro so I knew at least one thing I was going to order. After the not so good ramen I had at another restaurant the night before, I was really craving a good ramen as well so I ordered the Tonkatsu Ramen along with the o-toro and saba nigiri sushi. I really enjoyed everything I had tonight. I polished off the ramen (broth and all). The sushi was very fresh and tasted great! I finished off my meal with an order of tamago for dessert and it had the perfect balance of sweetness and had the right firmness. I will definitely come back the next time I'm in town (if not again on this trip). read more

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Plenty of gluten-free dishes makes this GF family happy. We enjoyed the steak, grilled octopus, salads (which were large), and sushi/sashimi. The sushi/sashimi was a high quality. I didn't give 5 stars because there were a few minor lapses of detail, such as a piece of fish skin when it was supposed to be removed and a bad cut of octopus which smelled a bit too fishy. I've had better grilled octopus, so maybe order octopus elsewhere. The green tea was excellent, and I'd visit again just to enjoy the tea. The decor is modern Japanese with a stylish mural. The chairs are comfortable. Unfortunately, the restaurant's acoustics aren't conducive to intimate conversations, meaning it's loud, and we felt like we were struggling to hear each other. We enjoyed our dinner, and I'd return for lunch. Hope you like it! read more

Sono Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Good taste and fresh fish. However, their sashimi is a rip off. Their pieces are literally half the size of any other sushi place.

When I discovered the ramen here, this became my go to spot in the Raleigh Durham area for ramen. The Tonkatsu ramen is my favorite dish and I always add chicken to it. The portions are quite filling even for those with huge appetites like myself. If this place advertised their ramen publicly there would be lines to get it in this place. The sushi is very fresh and they've even made me custom rolls. I haven't had tried their other cooked entrees yet but it's on my to-do list. Customer service is first class and they are very attentive. You get a lot of bang for your buck so come visit you won't be disappointed. read more

Sono Sushi - Tonkatsu Ramen with Chicken & Pork - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Sono's soups are amazing! I always go with the spicy miso or the tonkatsu (if I'm not feeling the spice) and sub the pork for grilled chicken. Also, love their sushi and box meals for lunch. read more

Excellent dinner tonight! The sushi and ramen are the best in Raleigh. Jachyun was attentive and provided delicious recommendations for dinner. We will definitely be back. read more

Sono Sushi - Orion Beer - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

If you want flavorless veggie ramen, them please check them out. The broth had absolutely no flavor. Two varieties of mushrooms, one was very tough and the other tasted dirty. As if they were not cleaned properly The egg was over cooked. Never had a hard boiled egg in ramen. I sent the dish back, which seemed to offend the server because he replied back to me with a bit of attitude. They need to focus less on being a hip downtown spot and more on building complex flavors in their dishes. This could explain why they only had a couple of dinner tables. First and last visit for me. read more

Sono Sushi - Sad, flavorless ramen - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Camilla was a fantastic waitress. The food was wonderful 10 out of 10. Chicken and rice was great. Definitely coming back.

The food was quite good! Our server, Micaela, was excellent. She was attentive and quick to meet our needs. I would recommend Sono to anyone craving Asian cuisine. read more

First of all, best martini in Raleigh. Also have generous wine pours. Grand Piano roll, yes please. Rainbow roll, all the time! The blue crab meat in this roll was the best! Can I have a blue crab roll please? Service at the bar was friendly and excellent. read more

First time in a Raleigh restaurant. Being the sushi snob that I am, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Our Salmon and Yellowtail Nigiri were delicious. We also had one of their specialty roles, Dancing Eel - very good. Our waiter was knowledgeable about the sake list and helped us make a selection which ended up bein right on point; we had the Junmai Ginjo. read more

Sono Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Sonos is hands down the best sushi and ramen place in Downtown Raleigh! We frequently order their different ramen flavors. They are all amazing and each carry the right amount of spices. My favorite is the chicken ramen (solid choice), especially when I'm under the weather. The spicy miso is all delicious, with a nice kick of heat, but not too spicy. We usually pick up, but the restaurant has a cool, modern vibe. Wine list is pretty good, and I LOVE their edamame appetizer. Service is always great. When we eat there we try to ask for our favorite server, Davis. He's very familiar with the menu and always encourages us to explore something new when we come in. And we can count on him for great wine recommendations. read more

I highly recommend the tonkotsu ramen and the nigiri+sashimi is always fresh. Service is excellent! Head to the bar because Irene is the absolute sweetest! She makes incredible drinks. read more

Wow!! I mean words won't give this place the praise it deserves! I felt like I was back in Asia!! Sooooo good!! The tonkatso ramen was even better than my spelling!! read more

SERVICE/AMBIENCE-A+ This is a really great restaurant! I don't even eat sushi and I still love Sono. It doesn't have that disgusting chicken-of-the-sea smell that some sushi restaurants have. There's a cool vibe and tables are close together but not uncomfortably close, very chill and not stuffy at all. Servers are great, food comes relatively fast. The servers do not mess up here. They get things right and they're friendly and super-efficient without being overbearing. They're like a well-oiled machine. FOOD- A+ I had miso soup and yaki soba and both were DELICIOUS! Eating the soup took me waaaaaaay back to my days as an exchange student in Japan where we had miso soup with breakfast every morning. I've had miso soup since then but it was never the same until I had it here. Absolutely wonderful. BF had sushi, as usual and he loved it, as usual. The food is gorgeous and it tastes as good as it looks. This is the kind of food that you just want to keep eating and eating and eating :-) read more

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Fantastic food! Had sushi and the chicken ramen. Both were amazing! The staff is wicked friendly. And the cocktails are perfect! read more

Sono Sushi - Bullet Bourbon with ginger beer. Avocado roll. Chicken ramen. - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Terrific Japanese in downtown Raleigh. Excellent, fresh sushi and great ramen and noodle dolls. My dining partners enjoyed a variety of sushi rolls and loved them all. I had the Red Miso Ramen Bowl which I loved. Service was attentive and promp and the ambiance is nice. A great choice for sushi and Japanese. read more

I am definitely a fan. Best ramen in North Carolina so far! The tonkatsu was milky & the pork was cooked perfectly!! Really enjoyed their Ishiyaki BBQ appetizer over a stone fire. Tacos were alright but over powering flavor to really taste the fish, should have gone with sashimi lol read more

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I had a wonderful experience ordering delicious sushi at Sono! The Cashier, Camilla, who handled my order was very helpful and attentive to helping me order the right rolls for me! Overall I loved the staff and the food, I will be coming back again! read more

Sono is my favorite restaurant in the triangle. I have never had anything that wasn't plated beautifully and delicious. We dine here so often I have tried almost everything on the menu. We absolutely love Katie, she has been serving us for years! One of my recent favorites is the Crudo. The flavors in the dish are out of this world! I also always order the house salad with seaweed and braised squid.Outstanding! Save room for dessert, you won't be disappointed! Every Monday they have 4 course meals for $25, a must try! They also have sushi happy hour daily from 5pm to 6:30pm and you get 2 rolls for $16.99. read more

Sono is by far one of my top 5 DTR restaurants right now. I recently had my third visit to Sono and it was fantastic. Now this time was for a pop up dinner so it's not your normal dining experience but still the service, the chef everything was fantastic. If they host another pop up dinner you better jump on the chance to go. Now though let me talk about my experience a few weeks ago dining here. I came for dinner with a friend who dines here all the time. We started with the Ishiyaki BBQ appetizer a strip steak cooked right on your table on top of a hot rock, this dish was absolutely amazing and is a must every time I come back from now on. Ask for the REAL wasabi not the paste you're use to in other restaurants - this was my first time trying it and I loved it. We also ordered the tuna tacos, they did not disappoint and are a great choice for an appetizer. That was already a lot of food but I needed to check out the sushi. I can't even recall the sushi rolls we ordered I was already in a food coma but I enjoyed them all and the salmon sashimi was super fresh. I love the atmosphere here and the food stands out time and time again. I should also mention that you should not walk out of here without trying the pork buns, I've had so many good dishes I'm trying not to leave anything out. I'm still working my way through the entire menu. I plan on being a regular here on Monday nights for their $25 four course dinners. Sono you make my belly very happy! read more

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Good food and drink, impeccable service, décor with drama, and lastly fun company with good conversation - all elements of a great meal. Every great meal starts with a bottle (not a glass, a bottle) of wine and my inaugural meal at Sono was no different. Deciding to go with white wine instead of my usual Merlot, naturally I had some white wine ignorance induced indecision: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio. Our server was smart enough to let us try a few of them before ordering a bottle - clever chap! We ordered the crisp, fruity but still somewhat dry Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc. We went less traditional with the rolls: Surf and Turf, Magma, and the Sono (you have to get the restaurants namesake right?) I really liked the Sono - fishy (in a good way), and clean. I wasn't overwhelmed by the sushi at Sono, but they definitely drew me in with the service. First, complementary valet parking. Second, with reservations they prepared the booth with a Zen spa like "precision" - menus on the seat, candles lit, and place settings prepared when the other booths/tables weren't. Third, there was the whole letting us taste the wine before we ordered the bottle thing. Fourth, they checked on us frequently making sure (genuinely) we were enjoying our food. Sono and I aren't done - more to come.... read more

Everything from the food to the service to the ambience was excellent. It was a great choice for our Valentine's Day date. Once again, I have to thank the Yelp reviews. We would not have ordered the Ishiyaki BBQ if we had not seen its raving reviews. It was a fun and unique experience to be able to cook our own food in a way that can't be done at home. I loved being able to grill the skirt-steak beef to our own liking and I recommend liberally topping it with the amazing chimichurri sauce. The steak tastes great on its own but the sauce puts it over the top. I agree with the other reviews that this is a MUST when dining at Sono. We also ordered the Pork Buns. The dish comes with two perfectly steamed, fluffy buns packed with flavor. They do not skimp on the pork belly and it was melt-in-your-mouth juicy. For the sushi we ordered the V.I.P, the Twisted Mango, and the French Kiss. And we also ordered the 2 piece eel roll which was delicious. If you like a lot of fresh fish in your sushi, then the V.I.P is the perfect choice. The Twisted Mango was also good and I loved the crunch of the French Kiss. So many sushi places in the area have more Americanized sushi with a focus on shrimp tempura, tuna, and crab, but Sono had a wide selection. Also, if you like wasabi, order the Real Wasabi. The relish wasabi is something that you cannot get anywhere else. The service was also outstanding. There was rarely a moment when we were without our food. In fact, we waited less than 10 minutes for the Ishiyaki BBQ to come out and the Pork Buns followed shortly after. Our server was very attentive and helpful. She showed us how to cook the Ishiyaki BBQ and let us know the different ways we could prepare and season it. As soon as we were done with our appetizers, the sushi came out. In my experience, sushi takes a bit longer than ordinary dishes to come out since they are being freshly rolled and assembled, but they came out immediately after we were done with our appetizers. Normally we would stick to just ordering sushi, but I am very happy that we decided to take the yelp reviews into account and order a greater variety of food. This is a perfect date place. I can't wait to come back and further explore their amazing menu. read more

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Wow... I am in love with Sono! I normally look to yelp to navigate me to yummy food when I am out of town & Sono's review & "high marks" did not disappoint. I came here with a friend who is from Atlanta, who boasts quite a few fantastic sushi spots. He too was impressed with the service and food here. It was a Monday night about 7:30 & there were other patrons dining & it wasn't too busy. We started out sharing a potato bisque soup, which was AMAZING. It tasted like a loaded baked potato soup, it was so flavorful & was just the right temperature. I had the hamachi jalapeño roll & even with eight pieces, I probably could have ate another eight pieces. It was THAT good. And spicy, but not too spicy. My friend had the sushi bento box, which he raved about how good everything was. He too had the hamachi jalapeño roll (as his "special roll" choice) & was quite impressed. And for dessert, we had the creme brûlée cheesecake...DELICIOUS. It was just the right amount of sweet. The ambiance is really nice. It's "casual fancy", but not grossly upscale. Our waitress Rebeca, was extremely pleasant & friendly. She checked on us quite frequently. Prices fall in line with other Japanese cuisine restaurants. Very clean. read more

Best quality sushi in the raleigh area! Although they don't do BOGO like many of the Japanese restaurants in the Raleigh area, I'd invest in their rolls because they're fresh and super savory! At all sushi restaurants I've been to, I ask for extra spicy mayo because a lot of rolls tend to be a bit dull for my tastebuds. Out of habit, I asked for extra spicy mayo on the side (because I always do) but they surprised me- their rolls were so flavorful that I barely touched the extra spicy mayo! To me, that says so much. Anyhow, we ordered both the magma roll and the red bull roll, both of which were top notch! The shoyu ramen was good in the sense that it's nothing like the $0.10 instant ramen you could get at a grocery store. However the broth was pretty bland and they only give 2 pieces of braised pork for it. I will say that they are generous with their noodles! The atmosphere is romantic and classy- perfect for date night! Service was nothing spectacular. Our servers rarely came to us and only refilled our drinks when all two cups at our table were completely empty. It was a pretty busy day so I will give them that. When I come back, I'll dedicate my stomach solely to their rolls~ read more

Sono Sushi - Shoyu ramen - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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By far and away, Sono is one of my favorite restaurants and places to be in downtown Raleigh. From the freshness and quality of the food, to the pleasantness and professionalism of the staff and service, my experience has always been exceptional. Even when I'm just there to grab a drink or two, the lively environment never fails to entertain. Last night, I had the pleasure of trying two of their newest highly-anticipated offerings: the TONKATSU RAMEN and KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN WINGS. Just thinking about these two dishes makes me drool with my eyes rolled back. The broth of the ramen has a richness in flavor that rivals world-renown establishments, such as Ippudo, while the noodles were on point in al dente wellness. Although it's a given that a good bowl of ramen should be judged primarily by its broth and noodles, what really put it over the top for me was the complexity of the rest of the ingredients. The black mushrooms, the bamboo chutes, the chasu pork, all provide their own depth of savoriness, while absorbing the broth to create a symphonic stroke of culinary genius in one bowl. As if my taste buds weren't already singing, the Korean Fried Chicken wings were a perfect compliment to the ramen, and took me back to my glory days living in Seoul. Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside is what defines a great wing, but Sono kicks it up a notch with a garlic soy glaze that's a signature Korean kickback. Whether you're looking for traditional sushi or tasty rolls, the sushi chefs there will deliver. My personal favorite is the chirashi, which is basically a choice mix of fresh sashimi over rice. When I'm in roll-mode, my go-to favorites are the Twisted Mango and the Dragon. ...and this is what makes Sono special to me. The majority of sushi restaurants these days lean towards a more modern identity that focuses on specialty rolls. I'm not knocking this at all, but Sono is one of the few, if not only, that is creative enough to appeal to this new age palatte profile, while staying tried and true to traditional sushi. Compliments to the executive staff and ownership for embracing the new, while paying homage to the past. This is why Sono is the most popular Japanese restaurant in town. read more

Sono Sushi - New Korean Fried Chicken wings. Next time, I'm placing an order just for me. No share! - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I ordered the Salmon Rolls. The picture on the menu looked awesome and I was really looking forward to the meal. Well, let's just say I ended up eating a sandwich later on. The rolls that were delivered were beyond sorry. For $17 dollars, I would have been better off going to Publix. I would have gotten twice the sushi and it would have looked better. The taste was okay. I will not order from them again. ...EDIT - I have to reply to the comment from the restaurant. This was NOT a packaging issue. As you can see in the photos, the rolls I received look nothing like the advertised rolls. They were much smaller and totally different. read more

Sono Sushi - This is what it looked like on the menu. - Japanese Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Came to Sono for Downtown Raleigh Restaurant week. Been meaning to try this place for a while now and finally got around to it. My friend and I came around 9pm and our first impression was, "Hmm...lots of young people here. Trendy looking." Good amount of people there at 9pm on a weeknight. So why did it seem like there was only one server going around? He took his sweet time coming around to take our order, took a while to get us the restaurant week menu. Even though my friend and I were making pleasant conversation it was pretty noticeable that service was pretty slow. Onto the food. I got a sweet tea that was lightly sweetened which I liked...and probably got refilled like 3x. I wasn't in the mood for diabetic sweet tea tonight so their toned down sweet tea was pretty much perfect for me. My friend and I got the lobster ravioli and poke for appetizers. The siracha sauce that the ravioli came in was pretty darn amazing. It's a shame I couldn't say the same for the chewy and overcooked ravioli. Poke appetizer was delicious. Had a good kick to it, and that deep fried seaweed! I would never think to deep fry seaweed but it was awesome. Sushi was pretty standard, the raw fish tasted fresh...although I think they smothered a bit too much wasabi on the rice for the sushi pieces...like cleared your sinuses too much. Don't get me wrong, I like my wasabi...but for the taste, not really for the sensation I get up my nose. Mango sorbet was good, as was the green tea ice cream. Vanilla ice cream was...vanilla ice cream. - 1 star because I spent two hours at dinner here...and not by choice. read more

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My husband and I came here for our Valentine's Day dinner, and we had an absolutely great food experience. We ordered the Chef's Tasting Menu, which is a little pricey but worth it if you love a unique sushi experience. We were blown away with some of the combinations of flavors, and the presentation of the dishes were lovely. The chef even came out afterwards to talk to us, which was a very nice touch. The decor was dark, romantic, and modern asian. The location is great too, if you want to see downtown Raleigh. We even had a few drinks at the bar right next to it before our reservation, which is a bar we definitely want to check out again (Oxford Gastropub). There are a lot of restaurants in Raleigh that we want to go to, but this one will definitely be on the "go again" list! read more

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When I asked my 16-year-old niece what she wanted for dinner on her recent visit to Aunt Donna's, she promptly replied, "Sushi!" So where do you go when you need to find a good sushi joint in Raleigh? Why, Ron W's Yelp page, of course -- the man has been all over the Triangle. :) We ate at Sono on a weeknight, and the place was nearly empty. Okay by us. We got a cool booth in the back near the sushi bar. We really liked the chic red and black decor. Neither of us could figure out why the chick on the wall was sans one shoe. The menu has a lot to offer -- we could hardly decide what to get. I got the Crunchy Diablo and the Surf 'n' Turf, both of which rocked my world. My niece, new to sushi, got the Surf 'n' Turf as well. The spicy mayo was good. The service was rather slow, especially for such a slow night. We were there about 90 minutes instead of a more reasonable 60 minutes or so. We arrived downtown after 5 p.m. so I scored free parking down Fayetteville St by the cool water fountains. I loved the sushi here and will eat here again. read more

Finally went here for the first time (I know! Crazy, right?) I really enjoyed it. Shared four rolls and a piece of sea urchin that melts in your mouth and had been delivered fresh just hours earlier. Hands down the best rolls were "Tuna Ecstacy" and "Secret Garden". The latter had this awesome lemony flavor. The fomer had chunks of tuna tartare, made with ahi tuna and white tuna. Competitive with the fresh tuna I recently had in Hawaii (for real!) *How many times can I use the word "tuna" in one paragraph? Also shared a bottle of cold sake, which was refreshing and washed down the sushi quite nicely. I'm a fan. read more