Sushi Aka has quickly become one of my favorite spots downtown. Between this place and Harper's Table, you're basically getting a 1-2 knockout punch for the best dining options in the area. The sushi and sashimi are consistently excellent...fresh, well-balanced, and clearly made by someone who takes a lot of pride in what comes out of the kitchen. That said, even though the sushi is great, I also really love the hot kitchen dishes. The teriyaki chicken entrée in particular is fantastic and easily stands on its own, not just something you order if you don't want sushi. Everything feels intentional, from the menu to the service, and the atmosphere is relaxed without losing that high-quality feel. If you're looking for a place that delivers every time and holds its own among the best downtown has to offer, this is it. read more

I really held off on doing a review because we wanted to keep this our little secret. We have been a couple times now and each time was phenomenal. The service is high quality, the sushi is incredible, and the menu is frequently updated with new recipes. It is a very chill and upscale vibe; perfect for date night. This will forever be a local fave of ours and when we get another kid free night, we will be back! read more

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Great artistic restaurant. The food is spectacular and served with a beautiful hand. The rolls and sashimi are all fresh and tasty.

This place is bar far the best sushi in the Hampton roads area. I don't mind driving 50+ mins from VaB to get some of their fresh sushi. Still can't find any place closer by that comes remotely close to Sushi Aka Everything is top notch, when hosting small parties call ahead for to order their sushi and sashimi platter 5/5! read more

I can't say enough good things about this place. It's a very small restaurant with a calm atmosphere; perfect for date night. The food was so delicious that I can't stop thinking about it read more

Sushi Aka - Sushi Bars Near Me - Suffolk, Virginia

We have been going to Sushi Aka for several years now. Up until yesterday, I would say it was one of the best places around. Sadly, I don't feel that way after what we were served yesterday. Sashimi is one of my favorite things. My daughter and I ordered tuna and salmon Sashimi both of which were not good. Both seemed like Mike was trying to use the bits that were left over. Both had a chew to them they should not have. Both were also flavorless. The rolls were not much better. Really disappointed. read more

This is easily the best sushi and sashimi in Hampton Roads. Michael is passionate about his craft and about making sure his guests have a great time. This is truly a gem and I highly recommend that you make the time to visit. And be sure to have the chef's choice sashimi!! read more

Yummy spot in Suffolk. Would not have expected it, but the sushi, drinks and dessert were awesome.

The most authentic sushi and sashimi place I ever tasted here in Virginia! We were station in Japan for 3 years and I fall in love with their culture, place and food. We've been here 5 years now, so far this is the best place I found. This place is so amazing and so authentic sushi, specially the sashimi! AKA is local and own by the chief that work closely with the famous Japanese sushi chef from NYC! I don't know if you're that craze with sushi and sashimi to drive an hour away but it's all worth it! It's the closest one from authentic Japanese sushi and sashimi! From their salad, appetizer, main course, up to dessert (red bean cream brûlée) ! Even their alcohol is really good as well as the service! Highly recommended! read more

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My husband and I recently celebrated our 2nd Wedding Anniversary at Sushi Aka. The service was excellent, food was fresh and delicious and the ambiance was exactly what we were hoping for! We started with edemame and gyoza as appetizers (we were practically fighting over ever bite of the cabbage salad that came with the gyoza ) as entrees we each got 2 rolls and every bite was fresh and delicious! Since it was our anniversary we decided to get dessert and so glad we did...we probably would have licked the plate if we weren't out in public! We will definitely be back! read more

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Every time I go here it is an experience. This is hands down the best sushi in the area. Eat all you can handle but also save room for their incredible desserts. read more

Did you ever live in or visit Japan? Do you like Sushi? Well come on down to Sushi Aka's they'll get ya right. They have "American" style and can go traditional depending on what you order. We had multiple delectables, including some delicious wagyu that was on special. Great for a date night, business meet-up, or for just a splurge. Arigato Gozaimasu! read more

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Hands down the BEST sushi restaurant if not all of Hampton Roads but all of VA! We've dined all over the world, and we throughly enjoy the quality of ingredients, fish, and service. It's a small intimate restaurant run by a small staff, which are like family. The owner is the sushi chef, which to me is a good sign because you know his attention to detail with quality ingredients is going to be top notch. They make all their dishes in house including some amazing desserts. If sushi/sashimi aren't your preference, they have great beef, pork and chicken options too. Their pork belly ramen special is so good my daughter craves it. Most of the time when we dine in or order takeout we give them a budget for a sushi/sashimi platter with our likes and dislikes and they come up with an outstanding presentation. A home run every time! Support local small businesses, especially this one, it's a gem in downtown Suffolk and Hampton Roads area! read more

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I really enjoyed the food, the service was a bit slow and that was the only negative. The food was extremely fresh.

Ate here tonight and was very pleased! The food was excellent, service very good, and the restaurant very nice! My wife had the Caribbean roll (daily special) and I tried the salmon with risotto and asparagus. Both were very good. Give it a try if in the area! read more

Sushi Aka - Salmon with risotto and asparagus - Sushi Bars Near Me - Suffolk, Virginia

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Best sushi in the region! Just wish they were open every day! Great ambience and the food is delicious.

Quiet. Unassuming place but with a calm relaxing feel which is perfect to enjoy the incredible food. The first thing that grabbed me was the eclectic menu. From the drinks to the culinary treasures and the unique pairings of ingredients. Our waiter was very informed and helpful. I will definitely be back read more

Second visit - I had the salmon teriyaki bowl again with the house salad. That salad dressing is divine! It's very light and the Nori elevates it. I also appreciate the array of lettuce. I'm a huge fan of darker greens in my salad, and this did isn't disappoint. Service was decent - it just took a minute to place our orders and get the rolls. But, it was lunch time so no biggie. I tried the rockfish roll. It was great! I'll be back!! read more

Sushi Aka - House salad - the dressing is delish! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Suffolk, Virginia

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Ate here last night for the first time, and I wasn't disappointed. The waitress brought over an amuse-bouche while we waited to place our order, and everything we tasted was fantastic. The tuna pizza is definitely an interesting spin on sushi, but was tasty. I got the tsunami roll, and it was delicious and fresh. The staff was attentive and friendly, definitely a small hidden gem in the downtown area of Suffolk. read more

Atmosphere: delightful, service: fantastic, sushi: exceptionally fresh and tasted incredible! Probably some of the finest sushi I have tasted ever, and the staff were all super welcoming and pleasant. We ordered a chefs choice dinner that came with a roll and sashimi which was all beautiful and tasted amazing. The Adam bomb roll is my favorite and just melted in my mouth. The island roll was also sooo good, the mango and jalapeño made it taste so fresh and just really brightened the palette. We also ordered the smoked octopus with pickled corn and holy crap it was sooo goood! Fresh REAL wasabi, and tons of gluten free and Vegan options. Also extremely allergy conscious! Cocktails were also AMAZING, my husband ordered 2 of the sake mixed with gin he loved it so much. I would recommend this place for anyone and can't wait to go again! read more

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I read so many good reviews of Sushi Aka here in Yelp so we went for Valentine's day. We didn't know what to expect since we lived in Japan for 3 years but when our appetizer came out, it brought smile to our face. The seaweed salad tasted like the one we used to have in Japan. Their sashimi were all so fresh and tasty. The sushi rice on the sushi though was a little bit different. Nonetheless, we still enjoyed it. My little foodie enjoyed their calamari although it didn't taste fresh. The ambiance was romantic. We knew for sure that the restaurant put effort to make everyone feel the love on Valentine's. We will surely be coming back for more to try on the menu. read more

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Only one word to describe this hidden gem, "Wow!" I've gotten sushi all over the world and Aka is easily in the top 5. The eel and Salmon are among the freshest and finely cut I've had. The overall quality is topped only by the friendly staff - who went above and beyond to make the experience enjoyable. Can't wait for next trip - will be my first stop. read more

Sushi Aka - 239 Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Suffolk, Virginia

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11/10 Thursday at 6ish pm. This is our second visit and IT. DID. NOT. DISAPPOINT!!!! We were able to try 3 rolls that we weren't able to last time and they did not disappoint ONE STANKIN BIT!! I must say that each roll was COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, in taste, presentation, flavor profile. Nothing was ever duplicated by means of using the same sauce, or repetitive use of the same "innards" of the sushi. Hands down this is the place to go for sushi. We had the pleasure of working with Shelby, who by the way was an amazing hostess. Very prompt and detailed explaining their specialty items for the evening. Speaking of evening, the lighting inside is perfect. Not too bright or dark. Enough to not see flaws but enough to see that natural beauty . We ordered the salmon nigiri x2 (sake), 2 orders of the cowboy roll, 239 roll, tsunami, adam bomb, spicy chirashi, the yakisoba appetizer and their specialty roll for the evening. ALL FANTASTIC AND NO DUPLICATIONS OF FLAVOR PROFILE!! Yes, I'm putting this in caps because it's so rare to find a gem like this. I lived in Japan for four years and can say this is some of the best westernized Japanese influenced sushi we have tried in Virginia. Our bill was about $130 not including tip and worth every bitcoin . Highly recommend again and cannot wait for the next meal. read more

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What a hidden gem. Traveling for work and stumbled across this. Omg! This place is absolutely amazing. Beautiful flavor profiles. The sashimi with fresh grated wasabi was to die for. The owner and staff are super friendly. So much so I came twice in a row so I could try more menu items read more

I've been here a few times and every time is an amazing experience. The atmosphere of the restaurant is intimate and cozy. The restaurant itself is pretty small and the lighting is dim and warm. This makes it the perfect spot for a nice date night. The service here is wonderful. Everyone we have had take care of us has been very personable and knowledgeable about the menu. Even if the service or atmosphere was bad (which it isn't) I'd still get the food to-go because it's so good. The food is fresh and delicious. I would also say their specials are always phenomenal and worth trying out! read more

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We ordered the omakase which is 6 courses, chef's selection. Just had the first dish. It was fatty tuna. Absolutely loved each bite. Of course, I forgot to take a picture. I'll remember for the rest. Just was so hungry. Just took a picture of the restaurant. It is small. We are in a corner table. Our server is very pleasant. It is a bit dark in the restaurant. So it was difficult for my old eyes to read the menu. The spicy snapper carpaccio was incredibly delicious. Not too spicy for me. Next came an octopus. Octopus came with corn and green beans. This course was sweet. So good. I ended up picking up the bowl to drink the sauce. Worth every sip. Bonbi (spelling?). It is the braised pork belly. I took another picture of the pork belly so you could see what it was sitting on. I'm pleasantly surprised at how good this is. I had pork belly before and it was all fatty. This was tender and delicious. Not at all fatty. It came on cucumbers. Also very good. And then had assorted sushi which was a wonderful ending prior to dessert. Cost was $75 before tax and tip. Well worth it. I enjoyed the whole dinner. I got full. Dessert was strawberry cheesecake. Excellent meal. I also took some Japanese pickles home. They make them here so I am expecting good. read more

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Excellent!!!!!EXCELLENT!!!!Excellent!!!!! My family and I had our first sushi experience and it was excellent!!!! I had Caribbean roll, it was ridiculously delicious! My sons had the Adam bomb roll, chicken teriyaki bowl with the dumpling soup, and the tuna roll; we left no crumbs!!! Everything was perfect!!! Then we had dessert...... the strawberry wonton will make you rethink every dessert you've ever had..... it's ridiculous....i am already planning on my next visit. But honestly everything was so great including the service.... The waiter patiently walked us through how and what to order.... The entire experience was great. I will definitely have to go back because there are no pictures, we demolished everything before we could take any. read more

Ok so came here on a friend's recommendation. We ordered an appetizer the bahn mi pork belly appetizer. It was tasty. We enjoyed the vinegar flavor of veggies and left nothing on the plate. The pork belly was nice but not amazing. Just a little too fatty I wanted more meat. The flavor was on point though. We ordered the coconut curry rice. It was fantastic. Great flavor and a big bowl. My wife ordered the spicy salmon roll. Very nice and thick cut. Very tasty roll. I ordered the Caribbean roll. Very tasty. They did a great job. We probably will return. Service was good and our hunger wished the service was a little quicker but it was good timing. I recommend this small place for anyone to enjoy some unique sushi. Great joint. read more

This restaurant is very nicely done. The decor is warm and inviting. We enjoyed the sushi tremendously as well as the rock shrimp (yummmmmmm). The portions are pretty large in my opinion. My brother ordered some sashimi as well and really enjoyed it. We both agreed that our favorite was the Island Roll. The Server was super helpful for my brother as he was looking for a good local IPA and she gave some good recommendations. She was also very helpful with the menu. We will definitely go back (and I don't say that about too many sushi restaurants!) read more

Hands down, one of the best places we have had ever. We have tried well over ten different locations here in Hampton Roads since our move from DC. And unfortunately the quality/experience we have grown up having in DC is much different than here in Hampton Roads. However, I can say this is amongst one of our top 5 we've ever had, including NYC. When you first walk in you can't help but notice the interior design is unlike any other Sushi Restaurant you're used to seeing. We thought we had stepped into the wrong place. We had heard about this location and saw photos on Facebook, we figured we'd give it a try. It was honestly based off of the Facebook posts that made me feel like this place was different. It was posts offering all kinds of specialty fish that you don't normally see in a typical sushi restaurant. We decided why not try the Omakase. ($65/85) We received several dishes, nigiri pieces, and dessert, making it a total of 6 courses. The nigiri cuts were our absolute favorite. The rice was perfectly seasoned and portioned with the cuts. Everything was unbelievably fresh and delicious. We had such a great experience we actually came all the way back for dinner three days later. The weekends are quite busy and it's only Michael working to get orders out from the sushi bar. But on weekdays it was much more quite. Michael was able better serve us and gave us great choices to pick from! The servers are all fantastic and incredibly knowledgeable about everything on the menu and each of the cuts. Overall we are so glad we found this place. Due to the long drive it does require just a little more planning in our schedules in order to may our way out there. But it is worth every mile! Big thanks to Michael and everyone there for a great experience and incredible food. We will be back quite regularly! read more

This is definitely a gem for the area of Virginia it is in, but they are being quality sushi to Suffolk, VA. The service was great and the atmosphere was quiet and cozy. read more

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Excellent food, and the service was over the top excellent. Our server Noah, was stellar, his knowledge of the varieties of fish, their flavors, and texture were impressive. We drove out on business from NC but I will definitely be returning for the food and the level of customer service that Noah delivers. The setting is nice the soft music and lighting were perfect as well. read more

Very good sushi and very good price. Only four stars because the options are limited compared to other sushi restaurants.

We were in the mood for sushi for our Friday night date night. It was kind of late and driving a great distance was not in the cards for me that night. South Suffolk, Va is not known for the best in restaurants but they have their select few. This location is a great go to when we just don't feel like traveling to far from home. Small intimate spot and great atmosphere. Parking can be a issue because it's located in the middle of downtown Suffolk, but it's worth the search. Now they are pricey compared to the other available sushi in the neighboring cities. Also the type of sushi is limited but still great flavors. Christina was our server and she was friendly, energetic, knowledgeable and very accommodating. We enjoyed the pork soup dumplings and two sushi rolls which we shared. This is definitely a local spot for those familiar with downtown Suffolk, I don't suspect many will travel to eat here but if you ever find yourself here and in the need of Sushi, they are worth the stop. read more

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I have been to this gem three times already. I'm the past few weeks. I moved to HR 5 years ago and have ever since been looking for a good Sushi Restaurant. Good sushi is pricy. So don't read on if you enjoy "all you can eat". Nothing wrong with that. I sometimes do it but I am also a sushi connoisseur. There is another place in VB that's really good and also very pricey. There is a difference though. From the videos I have seen and some places I have experienced, the smaller, more intimate sushi scene restaurants are where it's at. Sushi is not just the food. It's the whole experience Chef Michael, who I believe has studied under a well known chef, creates a unique experience for every single customer. At least that's how I have felt the three times I've been. The experience is very personal -- and the fish is out of this world. Order some of the specials. Order Toro. One of the only places in this area who consistently has amazing toro. read more

I order the Tofu Fried Rice every time! It's a plant based eaters dream! I love it! The tofu is so crispy making it so good! read more

Sushi Aka - Tofu Fried Rice - Sushi Bars Near Me - Suffolk, Virginia

Imagine ordering something and not even knowing half the things you're eating yet making uncomfortable "omg" and "MMMmmM" sounds at a table on the opposite side of a wall where most patrons sat (because your group was large). Yes, I went with the smaller sashimi plate. The only bad part was not having a list presented of what each fish was, so that I may request certain sashimi in the future. Every fish tasted delicious, almost buttery. Each bite was fantastic, and the sushi rice on the side was seasoned perfectly. Most of us at the table ordered the sashimi plate without octopus/tako. We shared some appetizers such as the special of the evening: Hamachi kama, which is the fatty collarbone of a tuna but juicy as heck! It almost melted in your mouth and didn't even have a fishy taste due to the sauces poured on top of it. The warm appetizer was gobbled up fairly quickly by the group. Warning, it does have fish bones in it, but not a lot and none of the bones we picked out were tiny. The second appetizer sounded incredibly questionable: tuna pizza. All I can say is, this is worth a try if you came with a group. It surprisingly works, and I'm not a big fan of "Asian fusion." The miso soup was too salty though. Perhaps a large pot was brewing all day and made it super salty, but opt for a salad if you eat here for dinner. I was told the miso soup tastes normal during lunch time. The ingredients are noticeably fresh here, so I understand why people travel 40 mins. to eat here. Parking isn't awful because Suffolk isn't a busy place, so you have time for maybe 3 mistakes on your parallel parking attempt. The prices reflect the quality of sushi, and it's worth it. read more

We live in Va Beach and we drove almost 40 mins to check out Sushi Aka. Why? Read all their rave reviews on Yelp and I had some friends already try it and they said it was really good so off we went this past Saturday. The head chef here is Mike who works behind the Sushi Bar cranking out some good eats. He was friendly and easy to talk to throughout our dinner experience. I made reservations for Omakase (they spell it Omegaze here) at the sushi bar. My experience with Omakase in the past at several different places follows this lineup: a couple of kitchen plates followed by delicious pieces of Nigiri (anywhere from 6 to 10 pieces or more). That is NOT the case for Omakase here at Sushi Aka. Instead we were served 6 different kitchen entrees which included: kanpachi, seared hamachi, torched toro chunks, beef tataki, salmon carpacio and grilled salmon with mashed cauliflower and mushrooms. All of these dishes were executed well and tasted amazing. The beef tataki was a bit on the colder side for my tastes though. After our "final" main course, the Sushi Chef asked if were still hungry and if we were, we can consider ordering a few other things off the menu (we were still hungry...) He recommended to get a sashimi platter so we opted for a small one which came with: octopus, salmon, chutorro, and a few other fish pieces that I don't recall. All of them were fresh and tasty but we really wanted some rice (nigiri). For dessert, we had this AMAZING fried wonton skin with blueberry mascarpone. I could eat this thing every night. It was flaky and crunchy and was just a delight to eat to end the meal. I would come back again but make sure we end up getting more nigiri instead of the Kitchen entrees. Side note: towards the end of our dining experience I did ask him why we didn't have any nigiri and he stated they do things a little differently at Sushi Aka and wanted to showcase other things they did instead. He did mention that if we wanted only nigiri to tell him that next time and he would give us price points on how much it could cost. I just wished this was a bit more clear when we ordered the Omakase at first(chef's choice). read more

Have you ever had an experience where the server is just as amazing as the food?! Well, we had one such a night with one such a waiter! I could kick myself for not remember his name, but since he was the only male waiter on a busy Friday night, I will just have to call him, "the amazing waiter from Gates". He knows who he is, and hoping that all you amazing yelpers out there tip those hard working waiters who make your night that much better...and for the ones that just shine...like ours did last night...go above and beyond to make their night just a little better...their working very hard as well to pay their bills also (maybe even harder)! I know I have spent a bit of time raving just about our waiter, but he deserves the accolades and is one reason we will be returning to this wonderful sushi joint. Aka Sushi from the outside may look like your typical main street sort of front...but step inside and you will see and experience such a cool eclectic feel that embraces the old but also celebrates the new by incorporating contemporary styles that make a person feel welcome, relaxed, and just that nice little wow factor of all that is good in this world. The chef is creating...and I do mean creating since the menu and sauces change all the time...and each item has his own personal touch that also shines and truly tickles the taste buds into longing for more of aka sushi's creations. Honestly, I am not even a sushi person...and for a person who isn't even into sushi, I still found a jillion and one options on the menu that actually left me wanting to come back and try the other things I didn't get a chance to try...and with an ever changing menu, I will probably never run out of new dishes to try! It was a long week, and this later dinner out with my husband was exactly what I needed....I didn't realize it at first...but in the moment at this eatery, all the delicious culinary delights I experienced and all the wonderful service and talk with our waiter made for a perfect night out! Whoever this gem of a waiter was, a big "THANK YOU" shout out goes his way as well as advice for the Chef, "keep that waiter on staff, because he adds the perfect combination to a great night! With your food and his service you just can't go wrong!" read more

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After years of looking, we finally found the best sushi place in Hampton Roads! Friendly staff, fresh and delicious sushi! read more

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