A New Sushi Obsession: 5 Stars for a Flawless First Visit! It's rare that a first-time visit completely knocks it out of the park, but this place is doing something special. If you are a sushi lover, stop reading this and just go. The Starters We kicked things off with the Tora Poke Tuna appetizer, and honestly, I could have ordered three more and called it a night. The fish was incredibly fresh, perfectly seasoned, and had that melt-in-your-mouth quality that sets great sushi apart from the "just okay" spots. The Roll Breakdown The sushi rolls here are creative, generous with the portions, and--most importantly--high quality. * Tuna on Tuna Roll: For the purists who can't get enough, this is a masterpiece. Double the tuna, double the flavor. It really showcased the freshness of their catch. * Queen Charlotte Roll: I'll be honest, I was on the fence about the strawberry salsa. Fruit on sushi can be a gamble, but trust me: it is a must-try. The sweetness of the salsa cuts through the richness of the fish perfectly. It's a total flavor bomb. * Carolina Roll: I really liked this one, though it's definitely the "indulgent" choice. It's fried and features cream cheese, which I loved, but it's worth noting that it's quite heavy. If you aren't a fan of tempura-style or creamy rolls, it might not be your vibe--but if you are, it's a home run. The Verdict The atmosphere was great, the service was attentive, and the food was phenomenal. It's safe to say I've found my new favorite spot. 1000% will be back to see what else they have up their sleeve! read more

See all

I came here with a friend for a catch up and a good meal! This was my first time here so I was super excited. We did enjoy the food, service and restaurant overall. Our only complaint was that we ordered a sushi roll and when it came out the fish was dark grey and didn't look or smell the best. We sent it back and just opted to skip the sushi for that day. I do want to go back and try it again because everything else we had was really good. I really enjoyed the sake and the wings. There's plenty of parking here and their menu has some really good offerings. Will definitely come back again! read more

See all

We were looking for someplace open and close after a shopping trip and found a new favorite spot! Seats were available in the dining area but we decided to sit at the bar. Right away we were greeted and welcomed. Menus were placed in front of us along with glasses of water. Our server Gadang inquired if we had any questions which he patiently answered. There were plenty of sushi and non-sushi items on the menu. We all ordered a variety of items including cocktails which the bartender Putra (sp?) was sincerely interested in making to our individual satisfaction! Can't wait to return here. I'm also excited to try their other location uptown. I was so hungry I forgot to take pics of the food! read more

See all

Really good local place. Always have great service and everything on the menu was great. We love how the place is decorated and it's great to see that they are Busy! Keep up the great work! read more

The service was exceptional, with food arriving perfectly on time. The rolls were delightfully light and refreshingly crisp. The restaurant's atmosphere was bright yet calm, creating a welcoming space where everyone seemed happy and smiling. This spot earns a solid 10/10 for outstanding sushi. read more

See all

Tora Izakaya is a good compliment to the food scene in the university area of Charlotte. This restaurant boasts an ample offering of various Japanese, Indonesian and Thai favorites like sushi, Pad Thai, fried rice among many others. It's located in the same area as IKEA and has a ton of parking. The overall vibe is super chill, relatively quietly and cozy. Very casual energy. The shrimp + chicken hibachi bowl were both a generous portion and pretty flavorful. It's very simple put a bowl of rice + lots of veggies and a protein of choice with teriyaki sauce. The bowls are all safe options and great if you're picky or craving something easy. I do believe the veggies they use in these bowls either come frozen or canned and they'd really be upgraded and go to the next level if they used fresh veggies. The crispy rice and tuna appetizer was my favorite: Crunchy rice and fresh fish - 10/10. I also tried the basil lychee mojito and it was surprisingly delicious. Very basil forward and easy to drink more and more because it genuinely great. Our servers were all friendly and helpful. The food came out in about 10-15 mins tops. I would return to this place again and hope they uphold the quality of food and service. P.S. guys please change the radio station of the soft pop covers lol ... it's dreary and the original songs would be better. read more

See all

Stopped by while in town. We had the mango tango roll, super crunchy shrimp roll edamame and seaweed salad. The rolls were amazing. Not the biggest fan of their seaweed salad since it's made like a salad with lettuce and dressing, so I wouldn't order that again but we will definitely be back for the rolls. Service was good, we were checked on several times. There were others there dining, as well and they mentioned how good their rolls were, too. Definitely a place to check out! read more

Tora Izakaya - Mango tango - Japanese Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

University City HAS GEMS! This is my go to Sushi spot in this area, the food is always fresh and the service is great! Also the mojito hit the spot just right read more

See all

I already love Tora so to have this location in north charlotte is even better. All the appetizers are amazing (chicken, crab Rangoon, and more) ramen is amazing and my favorite is the habaci bowls with bang bang shrimp. Sushi rolls have a huge variety and drinks specials on different days read more

Friendly staff, the sushi was amazing and they were fast. The ambiance is nice. I would recommend to friends. read more

Tora Izakaya - Buzz City Lobster - Japanese Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Had a fun, quick dinner that left me wanting to come back and try more items. The server was great because we weren't rushed, he answered our menu questions and gave us suggestions on what he liked and this vs that to try. The sushi roll we got was fantastic (sorry, can't remember what it was) and the hibachi was average (the rice wasn't great) but the steak was flavorful and was cook nicely. The restaurant had a beautiful vibe with calming colors and decorations. For a quick meal, it was good. Like I said, I'd go back to try other items on the menu. read more

We walked in and got to choose our seats. The hostess was nice. Our waiter brought us waters and allowed us to browse the menu. I chose a spring roll, California roll and shrimp Yakisoba. The waiter was attentive and the food was served timely. I thought everything tasted really good. The food was served at the appropriate temp. I would definitely visit this location again. read more

See all

The food here was really good and it came out very quickly without sacrificing the quality. Inside was clean and decorated nice. The server brought us water immediately and checked on us regularly. I would go back. read more

See all

Came for a late lunch with a friend and we enjoyed the food! Great music and the service was great. Someone was always checking in on on us throughout the meal. Everything was delicious and we will definitely be coming back to try out more stuff soon. Highly recommend checking this place out. Especially try the hibachi bowl! read more

See all

Excellent food! They just opened not too long ago and their sushi is fresh and flavorful! They also have really good drinks! This is a good place to come for lunch for sure! Our service was knowledgeable about the menu as well. The crab Rangoon was soooo good too! read more

See all

I was craving sushi so my sister and I went to this new spot that opened up. The service was soo good and the food was even better!!! They were playing nice music too. This is a good spot to go to with friends or even a date night. I got the crunchy shrimp tempura roll and the shrimp tempura Raman. All of it was amazing! I will return to try more things on the menu! read more

See all

The spot was nice and bright, the tunes were chill. They were not busy at all which was a plus. Got some sushi and spring rolls along with an espresso martini. Would be great for lunch or grabbing dinner with friends. read more

See all

Tora ftw! Is it the best sushi in Charlotte? No But it's the best value in North Charlotte, so that's pretty cool. Yes, a roll may fall apart here and there. And yes, they put sauce on everything lol. Parking is usually a breeze. It's mostly booths so larger groups may have to split up. If you're on a date night, then you're in the right spot. Service is quick. They have a machine that shakes tins at the bar. That's kitschy... read more

Oh boy where do I even begin... well I walked in on a lazy Sunday and by gosh surely I was in for a treat... I ordered the chicken katsu not knowing what it was and my goodness I was metaphorically and more definitely nutting everywhere. This yummy food was so delicious that I was hardly able to contain my excitement lol... Service was okay read more

Tora Izakaya - Japanese Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I had the bulgogi loaded fries, California roll and the hibachi bowl with steak and substituted the rice for noodles, I spent 41.00 on this meal but it was well worth it. read more

Tora Izakaya - Bulgoi fries - Japanese Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

This was really good I got the sauce on the side and I'm glad I did, there was this vinegarish sauce I did not enjoy but everything else was good! It was salmon and shrimp read more

Tora Izakaya - Japanese Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

New spot offers fresh ingredients with an abundance of flavor. We started with the gyoza and fried calamari. Our entrees were the Mr Alaska roll and Thai noodles with chicken read more

Tora Izakaya - Japanese Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

See all

More times than not when I order ramen, I end up disappointed, but this place is one that gets it right. I really enjoyed the shrimp tempura ramen, it had a great depth of flavor, and the shrimp tempura was fried lightly and complimented the broth very well. Everything in the bowl was flavorful. The crispy shrimp tempura roll was good also. The restaurant was really clean as well, and the waiter was cool. The pricing was very fair as well. My only complaint is that I didn't get my water refilled Overall this was a great experience I'd give it a 9/10 (Would be 10/10 if I had my water refilled) I would recommend giving it a try read more

Tora Izakaya - Shrimp Tempura Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

All i can say is chef kiss. The spring rolls are so good and crunchy. The sushi I didn't get but the regular California roll and still was amazing! read more

Tora Izakaya - California Roll added crunch - Japanese Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I ordered sweet and sour chicken. It was not what I expected. It was a tomato sauce (very thick. No sauce for the rice. The rice was average. The chicken was rubbery. The coating was very mushy. read more

Food was delicious! Server was very nice and accommodating. Good place to meet up with friends or date night.

The woman up front who took our order (pixie cut) customer service is excellent. She was extremely sweet and super helpful. The staff as a whole is so nice. The vibe inside is cute & quiet. Food Is good will be returning soon :) read more

This place is amazing. We instantly love it, good location, great parking, friendly staff, awesome food, I'm a Takoyaki fan and is hard to find a good one, well they do have an amazing one. Overall our food was excellent, the menu is extensive but real well explained. We are coming back for more for sure. read more

See all

The food was amazing and all of the employees were so hospitable for all of our band members! The environment of the restaurant was also a very cool space and they play good music. read more

I ordered pad tai (chicken) my favorite in the whole world and it smelled like when you haven't given your dog a shower in weeks. The sushi was warm and it kinda scared me, my friend said his meal didn't have any seasoning he had to add yum yum sauce and soy sauce. Music is so bad it's giving 2013 sephora and old navy. Honestly this was a bummer, I've gone to the other Tora and they've been amazing, so maybe it's just this location. Save your little gold coins and go somewhere else. read more

Tora Izakaya - I ate as much as possible because I didn't want to be rude. - Japanese Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I ate here once and had no desire to go back, even though it's within walking distance. It's not a real izakaya, it's just a standard sushi and hibachi place. read more

Totally a great place! Dias was super friendly and made our experience awesome. We highly recommend this spot! The location has great parking, the decor is stunning, and the food is absolutely top-notch. Amazing taste and great vibes all around! read more

Tora Izakaya - Hibachi bowl. - Japanese Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

DO NOT EAT HERE! I went to this spot for the first time Wednesday, 11/05/2025. The heavier guy, bald with black framed glasses was DIGGING SO FAR UP HIS NOSE LIKE A TODDLER for like 4 minutes and OUT IN THE OPEN!! He was at the front check out counter on the phone and digging so far up his nostrils like no one could see him. I immediately stopped eating and watched him completely disgusted. Two ladies walked in and with those same hands and fingers, HE GRABBED THEIR MENUS and led them to a table. I audibly said "OH HELL NO!" He didn't hear me and while at their table, one of the ladies asked him to charge her phone. He used those same gnarled booger fingers and grabbed her phone. That's when I stood up in my booth and told him to "WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS!" My server came to my table asking what was wrong, I told him that guy had been digging deep for about 4 minutes. He walked up to the disgusting creature and told him in a low voice. Creature looks at me in disbelief and I said "YOU ARE SO DISGUSTING! THIS IS A RESTAURANT AND YOU TOUCHED THAT LADY'S MENU AND PHONE, AND WAS ABOUT TO GRAB THEIR PLATES AFTER DIGGING IN YOUR NOSE AND FLICKING BOOGERS OUT IN THE OPEN. SICK AND DISGUSTING!" I couldn't finish my food at all and left half of two expensive ass rolls on the table. I checked out, still tipped my mediocre waiter and left. I WILL NEVER RETURN TO THIS ESTABLISHMENT IN MY LIFE!!!!!!! I ain't neverrrrr seen nothing like that before. MY GOD!! read more

It did say soft launch so hoping it gets better. But we haven't been to the other Tora so were so excited this was opening and highly disappointed. I had hibachi chicken which was very chewy and carrots basically raw. Spring roll filling was overly mushy. We got sushi rolls that were really tiny- half the size of other sushi places. Only good part was bulgogi fries! read more

See all

This place has fantastic food, fun atmosphere, amazing service, and a terrific playlist. Highly recommend.

loaded bulgogi fries were soo good! a must get if you're here. wish they had more options for handrolls but otherwise service & food was good! read more

See all

So I've been to the Morehead location a couple times and it was a good experience no complaints. This university location has a more limited menu and although the food was decent I was appalled at our server. As he was taking our order, he was blatantly digging in his nose, like I can't make this stuff up. And even then when he was putting our order in still was digging in his nose. We were hungry so we let it slide because he himself wasn't handling our food just bringing the dishes to us. But definitely was a major turn off. Place is super casual, good sushi addition for the area; personally though I'd much rather go to the morehead location for their more extensive menu. read more

The best restaurant I ever been to amazing service amazing people everything is clean the food is amazing 5 star restaurant for sure.

The service was great. However, pricey for the quality of food. The sushi was below average and the ramen was absolutely flavorless. I went home hungry and would not recommend. read more

great food great service great employees. dining area is very clean! food is amazing. super good!