THE GOOD ---------------- + Solid sushi, nothing spectacular, but hits the spot. ++++ Sushi Regular fish was relatively fresh on the sushi pieces, 8 in total. It also came with a choice of a regular roll. ++++ Spicy Maki Combo, which consisted of any 3 spicy rolls, did not taste or look like spicy rolls. They just looked like regular rolls, but they were still decent. There were only 4 spicy rolls to choose from though, of which I chose the Spicy Tuna, Spicy Salmon and Spicy Yellowtail. ++++ Chicken Udon was surprisingly VERY good. Even though it was just a simple chicken udon, the chicken was quite flavorful and tender. Broth was your typical miso broth/soup. THE NOT SO GOOD ---------------------------- - Waiters can be a little bit more enthusiastic, but food arrived pretty quick. MIXED THOUGHTS --------------------------- = Nada. RANDOM OBSERVATIONS -------------------------------------- = Extremely busy on a Friday evening at 5:30 PM so make reservations! We were fortunate to have secured walk-in seats at the sushi bar since it was reserved for a party at 7:30 PM. read more

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- Located right off a main road in a residential area, with a decent-sized parking lot that seems to provide just enough spaces for dine-in guests - Small restaurant with a mix of tables, booths, and sushi bar seating; décor is dated and feels a bit dingy--an update would go a long way - Quite busy on a Friday evening--most tables were either occupied or reserved; we were seated at the sushi bar but were told the seats were reserved in about 1.5 hours - Service was OK--staff were efficient but not particularly warm or attentive, and often appeared to be rushing - Large menu with plenty of choices, including sushi, sashimi, rolls, udon, donburi, katsu, teriyaki, bentos, and more - Food was fresh and portions were decent--the sushi regular comes with eight pieces of sushi (with nicely sized cuts of fish) plus your choice of any regular roll (I chose the American Dream--large portion with nice flavor, but seaweed was very chewy); the spicy maki combo (tuna, salmon, yellowtail) was underwhelming as none of the rolls were actually spicy; the chicken udon arrived hot with a mild broth, generous pieces of tender chicken, a handful of greens, a couple of kamaboko slices, and a satisfying portion of chewy, bouncy udon noodles - Cash discount available read more

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Wasabi is a smaller Japanese restaurant that really takes pride in the quality of its ingredients. The prices are reasonable--not the cheapest, but definitely not the most expensive either. You can watch the sushi chefs at work, and the fresh fish on display makes the whole experience feel authentic. Our waitress was amazing--so energetic, attentive, and friendly, really enhancing the dining experience. I really think aside from how delicious their food is, it's the service here that makes it. This was our first time, and we'll definitely be back. All of our rolls were packed with fresh fish and ingredients, the rice was perfectly seasoned, and the nori had the best snap. While the sushi is the star of the show, don't sleep on their sweet potato tempura fries--they were unexpectedly incredible! Another perk is that they have lots of parking on site so you don't have to worry about scrambling for parking like in downtown Ridgewood. Great date night spot, seems to be BYOB. read more

Little bit outside of Ridgewood downtown area, this restaurant is located in a beautiful garden area, with their own parking lot. The inside of the restaurant appears old and under maintained. But their has lots of goodies, sushi, sashimi, udon, katsu, all of them either in combos or individual dishes. I loved the spider and dragon rolls. They were large pieces, rice was soft, they were well made. Got the chicken karaage combo as well. Chicken was little over fried to my liking. Miso soup and rice bowl were good. The combo plate had lots of chicken, easily shareable between two. Service is pretty good. We didn't have to wait long to order or to get our food. Overall we had a nice weekend lunch, but not impressive enough for a return. read more

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Nice Japanese restaurant outside of Ridgewood downtown. Big parking lot. Inside is not as spacious as I feel it could be. Food is good. Karage is good, not dry. I love my Katsu rice bowl. Sushi is pretty good but I don't like their sushi rice. Too sticky for me. Service is great. Friendly staff and food come out quick. read more

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Waiter was very attentive. He was so welcoming despite us not having reservations for 5 ppl and it happened to be our 15th year anniversary . Thank you for making it special at such last notice!! Food was wonderful, as always. Second time going and just amazing very good quality food. read more

The food is great. Very authentic Japanese lunch boxes. Service is very nice and friendly.

Went for lunch and grabbed the bento box, everything tasted amazing. 10/10 highly recommend read more

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant - Chicken teriyaki bento box - Japanese Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

Great quality fish! This is my go to spot, just make sure you reserve before coming in as it gets super busy. read more

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant - Alaskan roll, dragon roll and spicy tuna - Japanese Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

Love their sushi so good always order take out from them. They have a sushi/sashimi special platter which is pricier but uses better fish and it's absolutely delish! read more

Stopped in for weekday lunch special. They have a little parking lot and dingy interior but good food. We really enjoyed our steak and chicken teriyaki and everything tasted fresh. The service is excellent and we will definitely be back read more

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant - Bento box - Japanese Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

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Deliciously high quality ingredients Quick to correct any mistakes in take out orders. My favorite sushi place in northern Bergen county read more

It was a year ago when we posted our last review of this place. Unfortunately the culture of spotty service seems to remain embedded. It seems more prevalent with the male servers than the females. Our order was made very clear as we actually pointed out our choices. All this was written down in a paper notepad. My wife had a salad to start, and I hade the miso soup. I received my soup quickly, but once again no salad arrived for my wife. We had to remind our server of the ordered salad. He appeared totally confused, but the salad finally arrived after I was long finished with my soup. Then came the entree. My full entree came on time, nicely presented. After a couple of minutes it became uncomfortable obvious that my wife's dinner was not going to arrive. Sure enough we had to remind our waiter that my wife's order was missing. Again he was totally confused and brought over the menu for her to make a selection of her sushi roll. It was like they thought that I was the only one who came there to eat, and my wife was going to sit there and drink tea. The place was not that busy, and the two waiters had nothing to do but look at us. No refills on tea were offered, and we had to ask. No recommendation for dessert was made. The whole thing was like Deja vu all over again from last year. BTW, the place could use a couple of fresh coats of paint. It looks like no money was put into the place in 25 years. read more

Came here for a quick grab-n-go lunch to take to the nearby park, and I left wanting to come back again for dinner. The restaurant is located in the middle of nowhere, but on a busy road which connects the town of Paramus and Ridgewood. It is in a free standing building with 2 other businesses that has ample parking. They have a pretty big menu for a small restaurant. I could not decide on what to eat...whether sushi, sashimi, Japanese appetizers, combination plates, udon, soups, salads, rice bowls, special rolls, teriyaki, etc. At this point I became really hungry so I decided to go big, and try the Chicken Teriyaki dinner meal. Yes, dinner for lunch..gotta feed the beast! This was a big portion of several mixed menu items. The chicken Teriyaki was tender, and perfectly marinated. The courteous staff member had suggested I could exchange the roll to any of their "regular menu" rolls. So instead of a California roll I went with the Alaskan roll. With that it came with an appetizer portion of edamame, and shumai. Also, a nice sized portion of shrimp tempura (3 pieces), and mixed veggie tempura. All this came with wasabi, ginger, some Japanese topping (black thin strands, very tasty), and sauces to suit the individual cuisines. This dinner box also gave me the option for a soup or salad. I chose the salad, because I wanted to judge their salad dressing. All Japanese restaurants have their unique house dressing which can make or break the salad. This sesame ginger flavored dressing was on point! It was tangy, a little bit sweet, and so addicting. After this meal, I was actually stuffed. The portion of this dinner box is definitely worth every penny (surprisingly was under $20 for everything plus tax). It's a great find, and I will be back again to try out the rest of the menu. read more

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Real Japanese Food that it's hard to looking for.... Amazing staff and attentive friendly manner service. Feeling Zen to eat and authentic taste. Deserved more than five stars if I could give! read more

I've ordered take out a number of times but this was my first eating in. Overall food quality, seafood selection and value are good. Service was a little slow except when they were about to close at 9p - everyone was Johnny on the spot to get us out. read more

Probably the best sushi place I've had around the area (although I haven't had a ton) - there's regular tables, booth and sushi bar seating. The staff are very friendly and nice. I got the sushi & sashimi combo and a Wasabi roll with salmon and avocado. This was a LOT of food for just 2 people and pretty reasonably priced. The inside is not very big, so I recommend making a reservation on busy days. would definitely recommend trying out! read more

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant - a plate of sushi - Japanese Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

It was okay. Definitely a bit disappointing considering the reviews and the prices. Also, it is close to home, so I wanted it to be better. We ordered three different meals for takeout. None of them was particularly good. Presentation was very good. Everything looked great. Portions about what you would expect. The beef and chicken were both okay. The chicken was a little tough and didn't have much taste. Not bad, not great, but nobody finished the meat. Both people at the rice. The sushi was also okay, but not great. Probably wouldn't order from there again. read more

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Started this post two years ago but it ended up as a draft and while I have eaten here on several occasions since, thought I already did my review. The few months have been getting Sushi from Sakura walking distance from the house, so convenience was the driver as Wasabi is in Ridgewood and a 12-15 min drive. This establishment deserves its 4 star review for freshness and no compromise on quality of fish. 26.00 Sashimi 15 piece was delightful although what seemed to be missing is scallop, my favorite so the price is too high. Other places you get scallop is included and the price is not more than 23.00. Also had a 7.00 spicy salmon roll with a large chunk of salmon where in contrast to Sakura that uses minced salmon bits. Others ate shrimp tempura roll, Mexican and Tuna rolls what again had large chunks of fish. No one disappointments. In the past the service was good but this time it was takeout. I typically never see staff smile in any Japanese run sushi place so hard to judge but in general seeing happy people makes me happy. Will continue to go here. read more

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant - Crown Royal - Japanese Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

Not the best considering their high price point. Got their chicken teriyaki dinner box, which is actually quite a lot of food for just one person. But their tempura was bland and soggy, chicken was dry, shumai had no flavor, and the dressing that came in the complimentary salad was extremely salty. The tuna and avocado roll was the only decent item but the tuna didn't taste fresh at all. It's been a few years since I last dined here so I was hoping this would make up for my bad impression of this place, but unfortunately I'll be staying away from revisiting. read more

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant - Chicken teriyaki dinner box - Japanese Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

Have lived around the corner from this place for years, just tried it for the first time last night. It's a great place, they got my order exactly right (we were having a few people over) and it was ready quite quickly. The food was delicious and just what we wanted. We will definitely be returning for more. The one thing I would change is the lack of online ordering - but they made calling and placing an order very easy. read more

I've been a hard core sushi person since the 70s when it first came to NY Metro. I think I know my stuff having been to Asia as well. I've found some really good sushi places in Bergen County: this isn't one of them. My correct assumption was that it would be overpriced simply because it's in Ridgewood. It costs more than far better places in Manhattan! We ordered 2 appetizers and several different sushi rolls. The fish wasn't good and the ratio of fish to rice was ridiculously small. The hamachi wasn't fresh and had the day old fishy scent. The Dragon Roll was very skimpy and I could not detect the slightest taste of eel. And it was half the size of what you'd find at other places. I don't know how one can ruin that dish but Wasabi did. I cannot understand how people give it such high ratings when there are far better places in Fair Lawn, Glen Rock and Ridgewood itself. Avoid! read more

I don't know what took me so long to visit Wasabi. I always pass it coming to/from downtown Ridgewood. When I finally tried it, I was blown away! The sushi is fresh and the service is great. And it's going to sound a little silly but even the miso soup stands out from other places (I swear something is different about it, unless it was just the time I visited). They have a pretty decent selection of specialty rolls. It's not pages and pages like the bang-for-your-buck spots but it's pretty much the "fan favorites". It is a BYOB location though, so keep that in mind. But this place has recently become my go-to restaurant for non-AYCE, less crowded, quality sushi. If you haven't given it a try yet, I'd recommend it. read more

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

Wasabi is a solid spot for fresh and authentic Japanese fare. I got Combination D with Sashimi off their Lunch menu, which has broiled fish, pickled radish, tofu, miso soup, and rice plus 5 pieces of Sashimi for $18. The tofu was my favorite part with it's delicately coated outer layer and it was surprisingly flavorful. The fish was pretty good, the sashimi was fresh and the miso soup was standard. The service was very welcoming, though the tables felt a bit cramped together. Overall, if you want a light meal, this is a great choice! read more

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant - Combination D with Sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

This restaurant has been around for more than 2 decades. The food is amazingly fresh. There is a parking lot next to the restaurant and street parking has 2 hour limit. There are different combos for sushi and sashimi, and you can always order a la carte. The hot food section has many choices. I am sure you will find something you love here! read more

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62 Yelp check-ins later (and I'm sure I've missed a few) -- it would be an understatement to call this my favorite restaurant. It is far more than that. Once upon a time -- years ago -- I would source fish for sushi at Mitsuwa in Edgewater (called Yaohan in those days) -- and owned all the knives, gadgets and stuff necessary to make a proper nigiri and the perfect su. But I have yielded to the reality of my amateurishness -- having since tasted the work of many true masters of this art in the ensuing decades. Wasabi is my extended kitchen -- with arcane tools and ingredients I no longer stock in mine -- and skilled Japanese chef's who can run circles around me with just their little finger. It is magic to watch them work and their efforts are heaven in my mouth -- ALWAYS. I have NEVER had a bad meal here -- not once. While Wasabi is not the flashiest looking place -- flash is not what they sell. The fish is what's for dinner -- and most of it imported from Japan. If it 'aint screamingly fresh -- and perfectly cut and presented -- it doesn't make your plate -- EVER. A convenient walk from home for me -- the truth is I would drive an hour or more to eat here -- the fish is that good -- and since I prefer sashimi -- in the end it is all about the quality of the fish and how it's cut and presented. Wasabi is an AUTHENTIC Japanese restaurant -- owned and operated by a Japanese trained chef - Kazuhiko Takahashi ("Kazu") and serviced by a Japanese staff who deliver traditional sushi meals and omakase on request -- priced below most neighborhood sushi restaurants -- where you often pay for real estate -- or -- fit out -- or AYCE -- or vibe -- but not for food quality and authenticity. The service staff is appropriately restrained as I see it -- which could be misinterpreted as aloof or even rude. I welcome "less is more" service at sushi restaurants -- so I can better appreciate my meal and my companion(s) with a bit more zen -- and less volume. The lunch and dinner sets are sensibly priced (in the teens and low 20's respectively) -- but I'm hooked on the sashimi in all it's forms and for its' quality -- which is priced just right for me. Last night's omakase ($40pp) featured sea bream, toro, otoro, uni, ikura, fresh sardines and mackerel -- with a side of snapper and salmon. Everything on the plate was edible and delicious and all of it harmonious with everything else. Slivered Japanese shallot complemented the sardines with a mild onion flavor -- and the shiso leaves ("perilla") and spiralized diakon gave crunch and basil nuances to the mackerel and toro -- the perfect foil for both. And the uni -- OMG -- the cucumber cup that Kazu fashions then fills with this silky smooth and nutty favored urchin imported from Japan is always my last bite -- and its' sweet flavor and buttery texture lingers on my palate long after my meal has ended. So many other things on this menu are outstanding that the list is just too long to catalog in one review. Suffice to say we have sampled just about everything over the years and on balance -- it is authentic, consistent and mostly outstanding. Don't miss out on the hot green tea served gratis with your meal -- it is the real deal and perfectly brewed -- and the sushi bar is a great place to watch the chefs do their thing and to ask questions. Kazu is a very forthcoming host and it is a sign of great respect in his culture to take an active interest in his craft and his food. If you judge Wasabi solely on California rolls, tempura, dumplings, some sort of katsu or the like -- you are missing the point here. OTOH -- if you crave the freshest raw seafood in it's most basic and authentic Japanese preparation -- this is THE PLACE to dine in Ridgewood. Top Tip: Leave your sushi or sashimi choices up to Kazu -- you won't regret it. お任せ read more

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My family and I order from here every weekend. The fish is fresh, the price is reasonable. Service is always amazing. Sometimes there's a little bit of a wait. 30-45mins on the weekend. read more

Food is delicious. I have had many good meals here. I am concerned about the cleanliness of the place... starting with the bathroom which I mentioned to the management 3 weeks ago... no change. But if they maintain bathroom this bad... bow is the food prep area????? Is it safe to eat the food? Friendly staff! Very nice people. But the health department should check out this place. read more

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We ordered take out, as we are in town visiting family and chose this place based reviews. We ordered two rolls and edamame. My avocado cucumber roll was pretty good. My husband got the Grand Canyon. We are from California, and the only place we have been to out here so far is Blue Ribbon. Wasabi was a bit overpriced for the quality. Maybe we are just spoiled, being from California and having a ton of great sushi places nearby. Nonetheless, the staff was friendly and the presentation was great. I would love to come back and sit down to eat. Cute little place. **was a Monday night**. We enjoyed it. I would recommend if in the area! read more

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant - Grand Canyon Roll (To go) - Japanese Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

Pretty good. Little over priced. But well done. Sashimi is in the small side More to come once I settle in read more

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant - Royal Crown. Crab, tuna, eel, salmon, white tuna, yellow tail and scallop - Japanese Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

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Excellent. Excellent excellent!! Wasabi house is amazing. The sushi was so fresh and everything on the menu was above our expectations. The place is packed so expect to wait. Well worth it. read more

Lived in the area for decades, often passed by but never ate here. Now the we have family just down the road, and we needed a place for dinner the other night, we stopped in ~ and we'll go back when we are around! The sushi and sashimi were high quality and served beautifully. Splurged on dessert (calories) and that had to have been the very best, most intense, green tea ice cream I've ever had (it's one of my favorites, anyway; this was REALLY good!); the red bean mochi was delicious as well, the outside wasn't soggy as it can sometimes be. If you are a sushi fan & appreciate gracious service, this is worth a ride! read more

Not much in the way of ambiance here but we enjoyed our dinner very much. Wasabi is easy to miss since it looks like a house from the outside. Parking lot outside, but it fills up damn fast! - Edamame - very lightly salted. Small portion, nicely steamed. - Wasabi gyoza - not as spicy as we hoped they'd be but very good. - Rolls/Pieces - good rice/fish ratio. Rice was very well seasoned and the right temperature. Fish was excellent. This is not a place for someone looking for a night out in Ridgewood, complete with trendy music and specialty rolls with tempura/cream cheese/mayo/mango/apple. In other words, they don't offer the standard deep-fried, "insert-name-of-street" roll that you'll find at many New Jersey sushi places. The menus are kind of beat-up and the atmosphere could probably use a face-lift. That being said, this is a place to go if you're more interested in the quality of the sushi. read more

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Good and authentic Japanese restaurant - hidden gem in the heart of Ridgewood. We ordered variety of things from the menu and everything was made fresh read more

Wasabi Japanese Restaurant - Tempura Udon - Japanese Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

Wasabi is as good as Sakura Bana, except I'll be full afterwards and I wouldn't have spent as much. The lunch deals here are excellent and the food is top notch. Wasabi even has it's own parking lot, even more reason to come. I got lunch combo B which included chicken karaage, rice, potato salad, pickles, shumai, and miso soup. The karaage was awesome, seasoned well and not overcooked/dried out. Shumai was pretty standard, miso soup was good. Lot of pepper in the potato salad. I also picked up spicy tuna and salmon rolls to share with my sister. I actually prefer the sushi here to Sakura Bana. The rice wasn't as overly seasoned with vinegar. Interestingly enough, the spicy tuna roll was not processed tuna and mayo like I'd usually find. It actually still resembled a piece of tuna, albeit with some spicy mayo. I'd gladly return here for some awesome Japanese food. read more

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One of my new favorite places to eat. It's just a block from where I live. Really relaxing atmosphere. They play jazzy music in the background while you eat and the staff is really friendly. Sushi is astounding and fills you up good. Would recommend to anyone wanting to eat Japanese food in Ridgewood. read more

Having driven past this multiple times, my husband and I finally decided to come here on a weeknight to try it out. Every time we drive past, there's always a lot of cars in the lot. Since we came on a weeknight, it was extremely quiet with about two families already seated and eating when we walked in. We sat to the far right hand side of the restaurant and immediately noticed the service was 'ehh'. The people that were already in the restaurant seems to be regulars that live locally and they were obviously being served first. We didn't get waters right away and we had to wave someone to take our order after sitting there for a good 10 minutes. It seems there were only 2 servers that night, which I guess made sense since it was a week night- however the place ended up getting pretty busy around 8pm. A group of 6 came in shortly after we placed our orders, a few regulars came in to pick up their orders, and some solo diners. Being pregnant, I couldn't get a lot of the sushi I normally would've gotten so I opt for an avocado roll and a shrimp tempura udon. Avocado rolls seems kinda hard to mess up so my expectation of it tasting good was on point. I can't say the same for my shrimp tempura udon...the udon was something that I could've made at home if I went to an Asian supermarket to get frozen udon; the shrimp tempura was absolute crap. The shrimp was old and shriveled up which shows me that this was either frozen shrimp or super old shrimp that they're trying to get rid of before the end of the night. I've had my fair share of shrimp tempura udon and this shrimp was at the bottom of the pile. The gyoza we ordered, an appetizer, came out way after our entrees were given to us to the point where we thought they had forgotten about it. It tasted great when it finally came out, but at that point I was too full to finish it. No one came around to refill our waters and no one stopped to ask how the meal was until they came to pick up our empty plates. The regulars were treated first here and having 2 servers that seems very unorganized for working on a week night has me questioning how the staff is on the weekend. Finally getting a chance to try this place, I don't think I'd be back here for any of my Japanese fix! read more

Attentive service at this very good BYOB.As for the sushi, it was fresh and very enjoyable. The professional sushi chefs take great care and produce food with pride. Looking forward to returning soon. read more

Two years after my previous review, I'm sad to say that Wasabi has not reclaimed its former place of glory in my heart or stomach. An unfortunate combination of dirty, sticky chairs and tables, along with falling quality of food has left this restaurant severely lacking in multiple departments. On my most recent visit, my mom got the sushi deluxe platter, which arrived quickly and well-presented, but we were both a little taken aback by the large amount of rice surrounding the rolls. They were practically drowning in rice. In addition, two of the white fish on the platter had a rotten smell, but the waitress brushed it off and told us to let her know "next time". We also ordered the vegetable tempura which was fried well, but came with a dipping sauce that tasted watery and almost flavorless. I drowned the vegetables in the sauce hoping to improve the taste, but was sorely disappointed. While the restaurant itself seems to still enjoy a certain degree of popularity, I really do regret to say that I don't understand why. read more

Delicious noodle soup and service fresh chicken. Lovely ambiance. Pleasant staff. Looking forward to a return visit.