Yesterday, I did go The Wasai Bisro for the second time. It was wonderful taste again. Not only small special plates, various rolls are great. I will recommend for both special sashimi lovers and simply rolls lovers. Cakes and tea/coffee are wonderful. service are friendly and ambiance is open and bright. Good for lunch. I will try dinner soon. read more

Truly one of my favorite sushi places I have visited. I kept it simple and ordered a salmon roll and shrimp tempura roll. I also had a bite of my friend's meteor roll. I was really impressed by the fish quality -- it was so fresh and practically melted in my mouth. For dessert, we tried their coffee-flavored creme brûlée and lychee gelato. I love the unique flavors they offered. Plus, the lychee gelato was a real standout - it was so fresh, flavorful, and had a nice texture. The interior of this restaurant is pretty cozy, but bright. It made for a nice dinner setting. We were also able to get a reservation same day. The food came out pretty quickly and we overall had a great dining experience. read more

We started our meal with soup. I had Miso Soup and my partner had Clear Broth Soup. Both were hot and included beautiful pieces of mushrooms. Next came a Tuna and Avocado salad the server recommended. The Yuzu dressing was fresh and citrusy. It was definitely enough for two to share. The sushi here was amazing. It was so fresh and delicious. We shared a Sashimi Deluxe which included 18 thick pieces of sashimi including 3 pieces of Amberjack fish and beautiful, deep red Tuna with a daily special called the Triple Blue Fin Tuna Roll. The Blue Fin Tuna roll was mainly fish and delish. The servers were great. They normally have just 2 seatings a night at 6pm and 8pm, but when we called and asked for a 7pm reservation they were very accommodating. This feels like a neighborhood restaurant with big city quality. The ambiance was just right for a low key Thursday night dinner. We will definitely be back and will bring friends. read more

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just my opinion w/ wife....sushi great. rolls great. tuna carpaccio...great.....roasted duck amazing....miso chilean sea bass....amazing...seared tuna and cod great.....spicey rock shrimp...not good, way too much batter. there were 3 tables in entire restaurant. summertime slow...but one family had 2 kids and felt like disney world dinner @ epcot read more

I've been back to Wasai several times since my last review, and recently tried more of their french menu instead of my usual sushi. The lemon salmon with mushrooms was not only delicious but also an enormous portion. The roasted duck confit with green beans and mushroom risotto was another highlight--risotto is rarely nailed, but this one was perfectly balanced and spot on. The only downside was that the duck could've used a touch more salt and arrived less hot than expected. As usual, I ordered the smoked duck appetizer, which is always beautifully presented in a smoke-filled dome. Unlike my entree which wasn't hot enough, I wish it had been served colder this time- it was a bit too warm. The miso soup and seaweed salad are always solid, but I actually prefer the spicy versions of both. They add more flavor without being overwhelmingly spicy. Desserts are delicious, the sesame ice cream that comes with the bread pudding and cheesecake is some of my favorite- I wish I could buy a pint of it to bring home. Big fan of Wasai, both their French and Japanese, but it's just missing that 5th star for me. read more

On the Main Street but has a nearby parking lot so I found parking easily on a Friday night. I made a reservation for 8pm dinner and was seated promptly. Such a plus that they are also BYOB. I got the sushi and sashimi for 2 which included an assortment of fish, and two chef's choice specialty rolls. The server wasn't sure of the types of fish for some of the sashimi so that was a little disappointing but the food all tasted super fresh and amazing so no complaints there! read more

Wasai Bistro - French Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

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Food was delicious. I enjoyed the sashimi and pink lady sushi roll. I thought the portion size of the grilled octopus appetizer was quite small for the price (but it was still yummy). Our server never came by once to refill our water. The seating was also very tight. I probably wouldn't visit again just bc I didn't enjoy the vibes as much as I enjoyed the food. read more

Wasai Bistro - French Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

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Finally, a sushi joint in Union County that I would wholeheartedly recommend. In fact might be in top 2 in NJ. They serve both French and Japanese food. And I don't mean fusion. They serve good French food and good Japanese food. On the French side foie gras and duck confit were so good. Better than any French bistro in NJ. Food is well seasoned--meaning it's not over seasoned which lets the quality of the ingredients stand out. On the Japanese side, the approach is similar--food is not drowning in sweet teriyaki sauce. Fish is fresh and they had a long list of specialty items and sushi based in what they had best that day. There were some unusual fish I've not seen in a lot of menus anywhere, even in Tokyo. The dining room is somewhat small but cute. I recommend reservations unless you come at 4pm. Only complaint I had was that they did not have enough servers. There were at least 5-6 in the kitchen but only 2 in the dining room and as hard as they were working they really needed another server. However for the quality of the food I didn't dock any stars. From now on if anyone asks for recommendation for sushi in central NJ I will point them here. read more

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I had high hopes for Wasai - I saw so many amazing reviews (especially about the duck!), but unfortunately, I don't think I'll be coming back. Upon entering, no one really greeted us, but after checking in, there were a few tables open, and the servers were still making us wait. (Throughout our dining experience, there were no reservations at those tables, so I was unsure why we were waiting, though it wasn't for long.) The service itself was average - the servers didn't check in on us often and only came occasionally when we asked for water or assistance. However, I could understand as it was a Friday night, and may be a bit busier (if there are others there, the interior is very packed and tight - not much space between tables). I had high hopes for the dishes and wanted to try their sushi that day. I got the sushi sashimi for two, and after asking the waiter which special rolls came with it, we were told that we couldn't be told, which was interesting (never been told such things, especially in case one has an allergy to something). After our order arrived, we noticed that there wasn't much attention to detail - the yellowtail sashimi came partially cut; the bottom part hadn't been sliced all the way through, so we ended up using our knives to cut it ourselves. Nice that this also included scallop sashimi, though I noticed one piece of scallop was cut into four pieces - It was a bit pricey for what we got. However, the worst part was that after my dinner here, I was left feeling unwell that night. I'm not sure exactly what it was from the order, but I was disappointed by that. Safe to say, I will not be returning to Wasai, though everything on the menu looked very appealing and interesting items. Note: They charge a 3.5% surcharge for cards, so be sure to bring cash if you want to avoid this! :) read more

Wasai Bistro - Sushi Sashimi for 2 - French Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

One of my favorite Japanese restaurants in the area! Everything here is well cooked and fresh. The interior is quite small and there is only street parking. Make sure to make a reservation regardless if you are coming with a large party. The place is also BYO so it's a great place to come and bring a bottle of wine, beer or sake. The hotate scallop sashimi and torched salmon are my favorite. The uni pasta is also amazing and grilled octopus has great flavor. We love ordering the rolls and the hot stone steak that you cook on the hot stone. For dessert the black sesame crème brûlée is one of our favorites which they only have some times - check the board for specials! My parents come here often and continues to be in our regular rotation of restaurants. read more

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Excellent food , excellent service, Chef Nelson pays attention to every little detail, mixing his French influence into the entrees the sushi speaks for itself. read more

I can't believe I had not written a review for this place recently but I must! Perfect fusion of french and japanese food. This has become my new favorite place for lunch and/or dinner. This was probably my 6th time here! This time we ordered the octopus as an app, the crunch roll, and the confit duck, and for dessert, the cheesecake. Everything is always on point. Food is always amazing and delicious! The service is also on point. Even in nights it was packed, they were quick to get us a table and the wait wasn't too long. Most of the times though I did make a reservation in advance. The place is small so there's limited seating, especially when they have big groups (which is often). The place is BYOB and I def recommend to check out! Can't wait to try more items on the menu. read more

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This place was interesting, French Asian. Food - We had steak, pasta and sushi. The steak I cooked on that hot rock. It was good. The seafood pasta was too creamy and rich. The Sushi was sushi. BYO Service - Good Service. They were always available Ambiance - Nice ambiance. Felt like we were out for a nice meal They have seating's. Not staggard times. read more

The sushi was absolutely delicious, and the service was great. The ambiance was charming - the place is on the smaller side where tables are close to each other, but the vibe is intimate rather than crowded. Feels a bit like being in someone's home, but in a nice way. read more

Love this gem of sushi restaurant tucked away from downtown Cranford. The sushi here is always super fresh and absolutely delicious. The quality here is comparable to sushi places in NYC. I always try to order something from the daily special, and definitely a few pieces of the torched sushi. The sushi sashimi for two is a fantastic choice when you are unsure about what to get. Desserts are always delicious and perfect end to the meal. Seatings are 6 and 8pm, and they are very strict about enforcing the time as it is a very small restaurant and they need to turnover the tables. BYOB. Service is always friendly and helpful. read more

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Excellent small restaurant the food is very high quality and fresh.. many unique dishes always a great meal.

I was so excited to have my family all together, I forgot to check in!! My son and his fiancé recommended Wasai! My daughter made the reservation for party of 8. Told we have the reservation/ table from 6p -8p. Worked out well it was Friday, with traffic we kind of arrived at different times but we had a table and were seated! It's bring your alcohol. Have limited number of actual menus Had menu scan Appetizers, entrees and desserts- wide variety and with daily specials Strange thing happened with the entrees- Server came back stated my son and fiancé were served the wrong sushi platters and the 2 platters were taken. My son said he had already eaten at least 7 pieces. But the platters were taken. If you served the wrong platters either don't say anything because we didn't notice or tell us but we should have kept the platters that were served Right ??? My son and his fiancé got their ordered platters. My daughter's boyfriend even asked what are you going to do with those platters. Server didn't reply. Their signature dessert was the cheesecake! It was awesome! Bread pudding was a bit dry. Enjoyed being with my family. Service was good. Food was tasty. Just didn't think they handled the wrong platter situation well. read more

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I was looking for a closer sushi spot that I can go to so ai do 't have to drive to Woodbridge anymore. I saw Wasai through the high reviews on Yelp and Google. The Ambiance is great, you can easily tell the workers are clean and they prepare food properly. The design of the restaurant has a beachy feeling and very inviting and chill. I ordered the Sushi and Sashimi deluxe combo that came with a Chef's choice roll. It is $35 and I found it pricey compare to different sushi place I've been to. The seafood was really fresh and the presentation was great. The california roll, spicy tuna and shrimp tempura rolls tasted great but again pricey. For the two trays that you see in the photos, I paid $73. It did not come with any salad or soup side. For this reason, I am deducting a star. Otherwise, food was great. I would give the overall taste a score of 8.2. read more

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Always the best fresh sushi and quick, attentive service. Tables are close together. BYOB.

Excellent everything! I love it so much, I almost want to marry it! I reserved a table for 3 and though I'm Filipino, I was first to arrive. I was immediately seated. My group then ordered to share. The Escargo in Mushroom Sauce- they snailed it!!! ;) Perfectly tender snails were relaxing in an amazing sauce. Then every item in the Sushi and Sashimi for 2 was super fresh and tasty. Then the Angus Steak on Stone (in the entree section of the menu) was magnificent! It was up to us to cook each slice the way we liked and came with 3 condiments. I highly recommend this. Then for dessert, the Cheesecake and Bread Pudding which both arrived with a scoop of black sesame ice cream were divine! From entrance to exit, a wonderful experience perfect for friends, dates, and family! NOTES/TIPS: **BYOB. Vast menu. Cute inside and out! Kids welcome. **Street parking sometimes available. 2 municipal lots nearby along the same street. **2 dinner sessions- 6pm and 8pm. Reservations strongly recommended. read more

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The five star restaurant's food overcomes its physical flaws. The wooden chairs are bare wood and uncomfortable to sit on. The place is drafty with the air blowing pleasant warmth followed by chill from the outside. The smell of cooking food from the open kitchen intrudes into the dining room, including the smell of something burning. Parking was limited. The service was attentive and professional. There's a charge of more than 3% for non-cash payments, including bank cards. It's the food that makes this place shine. The duck confit was juicy with the mushroom risotto perfection. The deluxe sushi was very tasty. The Japanese cheesecake with burnt sugar topping and black sesame seed ice cream a must try. Bring a seat cushion and relax. Don't forget to bring cash and a nice bottle of wine. read more

Wasai Bistro - Japanese cheesecake with back sesame seed ice cream - French Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

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Service was good. Friendly staff. However, quality and freshness of fish were very disappointing. Ordered sashimi and some of the pieces had an odd metallic aftertaste, some had pale discoloration, and some had a texture as though it was sitting for a long time. Perhaps I went on an off night. Nevertheless, the overall ratings are grossly overrated. read more

The good: Nice restaurant. Torched salmon belly, california roll and kani salad. Salmon combination. Mid: Lobster bisque tasted ok and it featured one tiny claw meat. Tonkotsu ramen. King crab avocado salad. The bad: Service - It took them over an hour to cook my 9 year old's basic chicken fried rice so he ate when we were all done. It wasn't even a full evening. My wife told them it was my birthday. They sang and brought a cake with candle for one table, but not ours. Not a big deal, however my significant other was disappointed for me. The $42 seafood pasta with uni sauce - Many clams were just shells and no meat, some were grainy I had to spit them out, and I had maybe three tiny dots of uni so the taste of it was nonexistent that I felt robbed. I informed the waitress about the grainy clams, but no one came back to apologize and speak about it. read more

This is maybe my favorite restaurant in the area. We had the oysters with garlic last night and they were to die for. So flavorful. Also the sushi is very solid. Have never had a bad or even mediocre dish here read more

Good food, excellent service and a good price point. Sushi was fresh and delicious. BYOB, definitely will return.

What a GEM! Wasai Bistro has some of the best quality and variety sushi I've ever had, which is especially rare for central Jersey. I was in love with their Japanese/French menu but I had my heart and my stomach set on trying their sushi for the first time. Everything had exceeded my expectations from the food to the service. My server was so pleasant and helpful with menu suggestions. My absolute favorite dish was the Chutoro (fatty tuna) sashimi. This item is on the pricey side but it is so worth it. The smoked salmon belly sushi was my servers suggestion and she nailed it. I will be ordering this again next time. Lastly, I had the sushi lunch special which is my go to lunch order and of course did not disappoint. I look forward to returning to Wasai to try more of their menu and am hopeful to see an Omakase option in the future! read more

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Best sushi restaurant in the Cranford area! Fresh food and amazing chefs. Great service. Owners are good people. Ambiance is nice too. Small place but very cozy. A family favorite for us and good for date night too. Need to make reservations. Two seatings a night. Highly recommend! read more

Lovely local spot. Fish was super fresh. And service was great. It's a small spot so reservations are a must. It's BYOB so that's super convenient. Can't wait to be back. The flourless chocolate cake was amazing! read more

Wasai Bistro - Sushi & Sashimi Deluxe - French Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

Came here to meet up with a friend from college. This restaurant is tiny and can be crowded at times. We made a reservation, be aware they only have seatings at 6 and 8 for dinner. Service was pretty slow as they were so busy. I was kind of disappointed that they didn't have omakase but they did tell us that we could reserve that a week or so in advance if anyone is interested. The clam soup with udon was pure umami and I liked the broth a lot. We also got sushi and sashimi for two (I think) and though the sashimi and nigiri were very enjoyable and fresh, with a good variety of fish, the "special rolls" that came with it were basically just a spicy tuna roll and salmon with avocado and I kind of expected better selections. We also got the wasai bowl which was quite pricy but we did enjoy the fresh toro and uni. Truffle fries came with a generous amount of truffle cream. By the time we tried to order dessert, all of the options we wanted were sold out so we skipped that. I might come back and try to reserve for omakase if we ever happen to be in the area again. It is kind of overpriced here but the fish tasted very fresh. Full disclaimer--I did have food poisoning later in the night but that could be because of something else or just that my stomach is not used to certain types of raw fish that I usually don't eat. No one else in my party (that I know of) had symptoms. read more

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Wasai came highly recommended as a great local sushi spot. The interior was clean, neat, and decorated nicely with lots of natural light. The tables are small and crowded extremely close together so it can be very difficult to walk through without bumping into others. We came on a Saturday evening and had the option of a 6pm or 8pm seating. It is BYO wine. Service was quick and friendly. The menu has many options to suit everyone's taste. The edamame appetizer ($6) was fresh and a good size for sharing. I ordered the Naruto Roll (tuna, salmon, white fish in a cucumber wrap). It was wrapped so loosely that it was falling apart through the chopsticks. The fish was fresh and cut well, but the portion size (5 pieces) was a bit disappointing for the cost ($18). read more

Wasai Bistro - Naruto Roll (tuna, salmon, white fish in a cucumber wrap) - French Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

Dined in on a Saturday evening and the restaurant space is small, so it was very packed! For a party of 5, we ordered 2 seared foie gras, 2 Wasai signature sashimi platters, a tableside steak, uni seafood pasta and a mes reves roll. It felt like this would be enough but it was only just enough and we could've probably ate more.. the portions are a little small but the quality of their fish, steak and seafood were very on point. Their sashimi quality definitely compares to NYC omakase quality for a fraction of the price. I was originally thrown off by the French-Japanese fusion but I will say it was a great pairing- to be able to order steak, foie gras and pasta with our sushi. And neither quality was lacking. The steak was also a great concept, we loved being able to cook to our own liking and the dipping ponzu/salt went well with it. Would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a Japanese/French fix in the area! I will be back! read more

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Let's start out by saying if you have not been here, you are wasting time reading this review and you need to Make a Reservation or get in Your car immediately and head there. Wasai bistro is as amazing as they come- literally don't waste your time in NYC. I have been here multiple times and the quality of the seafood, the cut, and the attention to detail is unmatched. Nelson is the head chef and he's spent 20+ years learning sushi and omakase. These photos are all 11 courses of omakase at the bar. When I tell you it's impossible for my to have a favorite- it's not a lie. From every gold foil to melting tuna fat on the sushi to give it a more Smokey taste.... Truly chefs kiss. The caviar with whipped cream Cheese and Japanese sea urchin was probably something I could have as my last meal. The japanese shrimp is the most beautiful orange color and nothing like I have ever tasted. I can now never enjoy shrimp going forward because I will always compare it to that one piece of sushi. Of course I'd you know me you know I love my desserts! I am always a sucker for a good crème brûlée! I really like their chocolate cake and bread pudding- not pictured. The jelly, lychee sorbet, and mango sorbet in a single glass was delightful. Super fresh and actual fruit was used to make it. Fresh pieces of fruit were spread throughout the sorbet, not that horrid syrup most places give you and pawn off as "fresh". The whole staff and kitchen are incredibly nice and truly care about the quality of food they put out. I would rather come here and enjoy the highest quality seafood and cuts than go to the city and pay 100x what Wasai bistro charges. If you stop by, ask to meet Nelson! He's the head chef and a Wealth of knowledge! He explained each course and educated us on all the intricacies of omakase. 10/10 read more

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Glad we finally tried this Japanese-French fusion restaurant in the area. The place has limited seating so I recommend making a reservation. We forgot but it is BYOB so plan accordingly. The menu was extensive and we appreciated the variety; they have everything from cold/hot apps to sushi to entrees. Some of the highlights were bluefin tuna roll, eel don, and roasted duck confit. The tuna was fatty and the seasoning was impeccable, no soy sauce necessary. The eel don tasted so fresh and the sauce over rice was near perfect. Lastly, the duck confit was a neat spin to Japanese food, the skin was crispy and the meat super tender, the side risotto was buttery and smooth. Wasai stood out because it's just another sushi joint, the menu was designed to give a neat spin to Japanese cuisine. We had a fantastic time and would definitely return. read more

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Probably would have given this 3.5 stars, food was good for suburban sushi but overpriced for what you actually get, not comparable at all to high-end sushi places in the city or Hoboken/JC for that matter (referencing the review that convinced us to make the effort and come here) If I lived in this area and did not need to drive 30 minutes for it, it probably would have been my favorite special occasion local sushi. For sure I would have known this is just a slightly higher-end local sushi, that is better than average. Has a definite date night atmosphere, with lots of couples over the weekend, and gets busy, our table was actually very cramped when we started but were able to slightly improve once the table next to us left. Service was OK Nowadays even Jersey has a handful of MUCH better options, so if NYC equivalent sushi is what you crave, I would recommend to skip. Not sure if this was due to the night we came in, but there was no omakase option, and what we got was pretty standard fare. FYI I had this place confused with another sushi place, right next to where we live, so the review was edited read more

Quaint and charming interior, great service and great food. We came here to Celebrate a birthday and it made a perfect finish to the night. Would highly recommend everything we had (posted on this review.) The chef came out and chatted, very friendly and personable. Would come here for just a regular dinner with the fam. read more

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This place is absolutely beautiful! It is in my opinion a HIDDEN gem! It is beautiful inside. It's soo clean, neat and organised. Not huge, but that doesn't even matter. My family got there and ordered food to go, but we saw some people come in and I'm assuming it's a byob style place as well. PHENOMENAL! The waiter there helped my one relative understand the menu as they like to try different rolls and I knew nothing about them. They tried the eel rolls and said they were good! My other relative wanted to try chicken fried rice and I nibbled off from that as well and we all agreed that is soo good. While we waited they covered us cold glasses of water. We declined but it was very nice of them. This place is clean cut and I want to go back mainly for the ambiance truth be told. I don't eat sushi but I'll try more off the fried rice options. GO HERE! It's good! read more

Wasai Bistro - Chicken fried rice - French Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

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My wife took me out for a birthday dinner and we weren't thrilled. Been here 2-3 times and always enjoyed our meal. Service was fair, very friendly but attention to detail was lacking. Food was just ok. Not sure we will return. read more

Superior--truly excellent--service from Nate, who was welcoming, engaging, and attentive. The sushi was very good (well above average in terms of fish quality) and the spicy miso soup was a perfect aperitif. Thanks! read more

For hot tasting, I had Japanese grilled octopus. It was perfectly grilled, tender, a slight char Served on top of little greens with aromatic dressing, Served with a dipping sauce . It was so yummy ! Fro entree, I had salmon donburi. Salmon was fresh with ample amount of rice and some picked ginger, radish and cucumber. just what I wanted... Dessert: flour less chocolate cake: small but can be shared between two people Bec it was dense and packed with good fudgy cholateness. It was just right and not too sweet. Service was excellent! On street parking Definitely coming back here and bringing my friends! read more

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The food was excellent. Although I don't typically eat sushi, it was definitely worth trying here. Everything tasted fresh and delicious, and I didn't experience any discomfort afterwards. The aroma of the food was delightful. Despite the service being decent, the outstanding quality of the food overshadowed any shortcomings. Despite the apparent busyness of the staff, they managed to attend to everyone efficiently and were very attentive. The decor was thoughtfully arranged, with well-placed decorations creating a pleasant ambiance. We were seated by a window, which added to the overall enjoyment of the experience. Additionally, it's worth noting that the restaurant is BYOB. read more