The food is delicious, the service is excellent & so is the ambiance. Umi is my go to restaurant when I'm in the mood for Japanese cuisine.

The best time to go is at lunchtime, cause if you have dinner you paid twice as much for the same amount of food read more

Umi Japanese Steakhouse - Chicken fried rice - Steakhouses Near Me - Florence, Alabama

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this was my first time here and i got the 3 sushi roll deal! it was 3 rolls for $12. we were seated quickly despite it being post church rush. i ordered the salmon, yellowtail with scallions, and snow crab roll. overall, the sushi was pretty good! the fish wasn't fishy and it tasted fresh. the rice was a bit overcooked and was on the mushy side which is why i only gave 4 stars. it came with soup and salad. the ginger dressing salad and soup was good. nothing too special. my wife ordered the chicken hibachi and it was great! tender chicken with fried rice and veggies. i would get that next time i come. overall, our meal was great. service was good and i would come back to try other items on their menu! read more

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Enjoyed my food. Had a mix of sushi's and they did not disappoint. Was expensive. Service was really nice and quick. Restaurant could use a cleaning! read more

Umi Japanese Steakhouse - Sushi - Steakhouses Near Me - Florence, Alabama

Went here for lunch with my father in law since he enjoys this place. I did not have big expectations based on the building, and was not wrong on my first impressions. The building is old and seems a bit dusty. The carpet definitely needs a good cleaning. PROS: -Cheap CONS: -Subpar food. Ingredients seemed cheap. Iceberg lettuce, watered down soup..etc. -Sushi was bad. Weird mayonnaise on top, shrimp tempura was fried last week. -Staff seemed disinterested, most of them on their phones in the dining area, including the sushi chef. -Not Japanese! Having lived in Japan for 4 years and been to many Japanese restaurants, this is not authentic or even close. Seems like a cheap Chinese knock-off. We will not be returning and hope that they put some work into rennovations, staff training and buying upgraded ingredients. read more

Pretty good except their seaweed is so tough on the sushi. Otherwise it's great! The hibachi is really good

My chicken hibachi was excellent and so was the soup, salad, shrimp tempura and sushi. The service was great as well!! read more

Umi Japanese Steakhouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Florence, Alabama

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I come here all the time and i'm never disappointed. Love the food and the atmosphere! Service is really fast and delicious! read more

Visited Umi on a Friday night after seeing many locals rave about it on local social media. My wife got the Hibachi and said it was good. I ordered Sushi and a bowl of Miso soup. The miso soup was hot, but that's about all I can say about it. It had a few very small pieces of tofu and no seaweed or anything else in it. It was flavorless and I would have sworn they gave me a bowl of dish water. The sushi was nothing impressive at all. It's strange to go into a Japanese Steak House and not see one Japanese person, nor anyone of Asian culture working there. It was decorated as you would expect a Japanese steak house should be. Over all I was not impressed and probably won't be back. read more

i go there weekly always have a good experience Dan and Taylor are always good employees. There is a new chef that plays the ukulele. Many japanese chefs that do amazing jobs. The yum yum sauce is always amazing the soups and salads are 10/10. The decorations in there are amazing the place is very clean. read more

My second time at this restaurant and it was just as good as the first time. Hibachi dining the first time and It was awesome but this visit we decided on table dining. Had a party of 8 and reserved table for a birthday celebration. We were warmly greeted as we entered and immediately escorted to our table. Our server was Reagan and she went above and beyond to make this a very happy occasion. She was friendly and attentive. We never had to ask for anything. The food was amazing. We tried a variety of Specialty Rolls as well as appetizers and Chefs Favorite entrees. The staff sang Happy Birthday along with a sweet birthday dessert. Again a huge thank you to our server Reagan for taking such good care of us. read more

I absolutely LOVED this place! The customer service was fantastic, the ambiance was fantastic and the food was incredible! I've been back 3 times and will continue to come back. My favorite things to order is the calamari appetizer and the sushi themed bento box meal it comes with a salad "I highly recommend the ginger salad dressing YUM!" And a bowl of soup. So much food for about $30 but we'll worth it for a wonderful Japanese meal. read more

Umi Japanese Steakhouse - Very delicious Suimono Soup which is chicken broth mushrooms and chives. - Steakhouses Near Me - Florence, Alabama

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Food was awful, especially for the price. Paid $75 for two of us. Husband had two simple sushi rolls that were gross. I had hibachi that was not eatable. The veggies weren't cooked all the way through and still hard, the chicken and steak were super bland and had absolutely no flavor, and the rice tasted like burnt eggs. Their Yum yum sauce tasted like vinegar and was not good either to try to help it. I was very disappointed and upset that I even paid for such awful food. Brought it home hoping to fix it with some good teriyaki and yum yum sauce. read more

Went with my family for the hibachi dinner. The food was lackluster to say the least. Service was also lacking as they rushed you to order and didn't check up on your party until room was not available on the service area. read more

Service wasn't great. Had to ask the waiter for a bunch of different things and at one point just grabbed soy sauce and silverware from another table. Prices are kind of crazy for the quality. read more

This place is definitely my favorite place to eat! I go here every chance I get. The staff is always so kind, the food is delicious, and out of the many many times I've been here I've never had my food messed up. Will always recommend. read more

We've enjoyed UMI's for many years now. It's a favorite place to go for Sunday lunch and for take out. The staff is very friendly. Service is quick. The food is reasonably priced and it's very good and consistent. Their yum yum sauce is the best I've had. The decor is dated and the hibachi chefs could be more skilled in their presentations but the food more than redeems the few weaknesses of this places. I recommend! read more

I've been here a few times, never once have I heard a cook getting promoted from cook to manager to owner. Then, when questioned about it, told that is how this restaurant is structured. They got both mine and my husband's order wrong as well as the family at the table. I did correct the waitress before she left when she read it back and even the cook/manager/owner, when he he arrived. Nothing was done. Other times at this restaurant, when they messed up my order, I had to speak a different language, they were not happy about it and have asked me to leave when I did it. (I was speaking the language THEY requested they understood better.) I think what made this time worse is the fact that at no point did anyone even try to correct it. It was 2 different proteins, from 2 different animals. read more

We live in Birmingham, AL and come to the Florence area about three times a year. We always eat at George's Steak Pit in Sheffield, AL during the week days we are here. George's is closed on Sundays, so we have to eat elsewhere. In the past we have eaten at Salt, but today when we went there, we found out they no longer offer their lava stone menu at lunchtime. So, we decided to go to Umi. My husband loves sushi, and I love sashimi. When we got there, the waiting area was literally packed with people waiting to eat. Hostess told us the wait would be about 25 minutes. We asked if we could sit at the sushi bar, and she said yes. So, we walked over the sushi bar with no waiting. The sushi chefs were very personable and eager to answer any questions we had. My husband had an edamame appetizer and two sushi rolls, and I had 12 pieces of sashimi. We enjoyed our lunch and will definitely go back when we are back in town in April 2024. read more

I just can't get over how Dirty this place is .. I know better when the front Doors Are so dirty you don't want to touch them . 11.30 in the morning you must tell the 3 hostess the woman's restroom needs service. Garabge is over flowing. No soap mirrors are very messy The hibachi grill had food all over it from many previous meals. I can not believe they can pass the health department . Not to return. Dirty . read more

My daughter introduced me to this restaurant on my last visit, and I am so glad she did! We went after church, and she had been very clear that I couldn't linger and talk too long afterwards, bc Umi fills up fast after church on Sundays. She was right!!! She made a reservation for 12:30 and we were promptly seated upon arrival. The soup was delicious, despite it being such a simple concoction. We're talking chicken broth with a thinly sliced raw mushroom on top. How can something that humble be so tasty? The salad was good, as well. The dressing is mayo based. The hibachi comes with yum yum sauce for dipping. We enjoyed the chef's show, which was fun, but never too intrusive. If my daughter wants to return on my next visit, it's on me! I loved it! read more

Caught an employee writing fraudulent tips on my carryout order, management didn't care. My credit card company contacted me about a disproportionately large tip on my $14 lunch carryout order. It appears that an employee forged both the tip and total amount. I was forced to contact both my credit card company and the restaurant on a Saturday morning. The "manager" I spoke to did not apologize and offered only to refund the amount that was fraudulently tipped. After two long and unpleasant conversations, he ultimately offered to comp 10% off my bill; a whopping $1.40. Terrible management and customer service. Fraudulent business practices. Sushi was pretty good though. read more

Normally I would give UMI five or four stars because I normally eat at a hibachi grill, however tonight I ate in the dinging room and ordered my food from the kitchen and I found objects in my food. I am not pleased read more

Umi Japanese Steakhouse - Objects found in food off my plate from the kitchen. I found the black wire first then I found the white ceramic piece. - Steakhouses Near Me - Florence, Alabama

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My husband and I love Habachi so anytime we visit our aunt in Florence AL we eat at UMI, just this past Sunday my whole family ate there for dinner, my complain is the cook, yes it's nice for them to talk to us, but refrained on how you talk to us, my husband got a little upset because the cook keep talking to me with my language but yet his not fluent about my language just making small talk and telling my husband to repeat what he said to me. My husband got very uncomfortable not to mention the cook have a very thick accent that you can't hardly understand even when he speak English not to mention speaking my language his not even native. Please talk to your employee. read more

Great food, really good service, hibachi entertainment was fantastic and very funny. I really enjoyed the drinks and cocktails being served!

My fiancé and I come here literally all the time since I've moved to alabama. We've never had a bad experience and the food is soooo good. At this point, we've become regulars but we really don't mind it. I'm super picky with asian food too because half the time at restaurants the chicken is just breading. Umi is not like that. Also the sushi is great!! I recommend the Mt. Fuji roll; sometimes I want to order two orders just for myself. Pro tip: order the gyoza deep fried! -We've never done the whole hibachi experience, (the hibachi from the dining room is great) but it always sounds like fun, and I'm sure it's just as good. We'll always be back read more

I came in from out of town. Ate in the dining room not at the grill. Huge serving sizes, friendly staff, and inexpensive. I had the sushi bento box. I won't get that again. The tempura was bready, rice underseasoned, and sushi didn't seem very fresh. Next time I will order sushi off the menu, and ask what is fresh. There aren't a lot of restaurant options in the area, especially on a Monday night. Next time I would have gone to a place that had more local specialties. read more

I love the vibe and the service is great! The food is absolutely amazing! One pf the few Japanese restaurants in my small town that I grew up in, so I definitely like it! read more

I come here pretty much every time I'm in town. Pretty much the only place in town I've found that has good sushi for a great price. The service was great and fast. The restaurant seemed to be very clean. The lunch prices are very affordable and a great portion of food. I tried the Japanese Sunflower Margarita this time and it was tasty, the salt rim tasted like coconut so that was weird to me. My mom got the Hibachi chicken and she loved it. I had the three roll sushi lunch special with the spicy salmon, dynamite, and Philadelphia rolls. All three were great but the spicy salmon was the best in my opinion. Overall a great place to get some Japanese food in Florence. read more

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Umi is a great Japanese Steakhouse in the area! The few times I have gone there, I have not had an issue. Sometimes I eat at the hibachi table; other times, I'll eat just for dine-in. I usually get the Teriyaki Shrimp and Salmon combo. Last time I went, our server, Reagan, was amazing! She recommended the Gyoza as an appetizer, but to ask to have them deep-fried! Best recommendation ever. She was great. read more

There was a blue hair in my to-go salad that was visible. Thank goodness I didn't eat it. Absolutely disgusting! read more

Umi Japanese Steakhouse - Blue hair - Steakhouses Near Me - Florence, Alabama

I wanted to like this place because of the reviews but after arriving @920pm at 928pm we were told they were unable to serve us even though signage and listing indicated they closed @1030pm. I understand it's covid and in light of that if there is a last seating or change in closing time that should be listed and or posted. I think the most frustrating part was the amount of employees who looked at us and or walked past us and sad absolutely nothing. The young man who did finally address us was asking if we were picking up a doordash order.smh read more

Umi is a solid Asian spot for the Shoals. The food: it doesn't hold a candle to Ichiban in Sheffield, but it was really good. I ordered the hibachi chicken, which came with mounds of fried rice, a ginger sauce and a white sauce (a.k.a yum-yum sauce), and loads of grilled veggies. I also ordered the Philadelphia roll. It was rolled really well, it didn't fall apart like most failing Asian restaurants. If you can't roll good sushi, then don't offer it. I don't want to have to eat all those parts individually, especially not the seaweed. It was salmon, avocado, and cream cheese. Very good. The lowdown: the chicken was a bit over cooked and didn't have enough of the sauce cooked in with it. The white sauce was too runny, I like it thicker and creamier. The veggies had little or no taste. The sushi was the highlight of the meal Good atmosphere, better entertainment. Our chef was hilarious. Umi is worth checking out. It can get a bit pricy, so be warned. read more

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I take my Fiance here at least once per week, as Umi has, to me, cemented itself as the best Eastern Cuisine in the Quad cities. I enjoy the friendly service in the dining room each time I visit, and appreciate the varied menu, and competitive pricing. UMI's Bento Box is a personal favorite, and presents tasty choices including quality steak, grilled chicken, Sushi, tempura, Gyoza, stir fry, Miso Soup, and salad. Hibachi options are available fresh in the dining room, as well as a wide selection of freshly prepared rolls. I will continue to return, and I know UMI will not disappoint. read more

It was ok. The flavor was not worth the price. We sat at a table and not at the grill. Maybe that was the problem. I will give it a second chance. read more

Had high hopes, drove from an hour away. We ate in the dining area. Worse hibachi and rice I have ever eaten. Also my I am a small person, chair felt like I was going to hit the floor. read more

Great hibachi, best yumyum sauce I've ever had. Sushi is great with good prices. Love that kids hibachi chicken is free on Sunday unfortunately my kids tried my steak and now we miss out on the free meal. Very friendly staff. Very busy on sundays immediately following church but we never have a terrible wait. read more

I would give this place 0 stars if I could. When you walk in it is stinky "mildew in the carpets", carpets are stained like crazy. We went there to eat hibachi and there was roaches running out towards us from the grill. This place is soooo nasty y'all!! Please don't eat here you will wind up sick. read more

The ice was cold as was the food! On a positive note: The chopsticks were of high quality. Very disappointing.

So good I ate here twice while visiting for work! The first night with a friend....I ordered one roll off the menu and asked for them to custom make me another. They said no problem! Both rolls were delicious! The second night I stopped in to get food to go. This time I got the steak fried rice....sooooo good! And plentiful and it came with salad and soup! The atmosphere is good, not loud, no tvs ruining it. They have tables and booths and hibachi too! Would definately recommend checking this place out if you are in the area and am thankful that my friend brought me here the first night! read more