Akashi

Akashi’s my favorite sushi restaurant in the Triangle, and I’ve tried a lot of them multiple times each. Shiki Sushi, Mt. Fuji, Sushi Yoshi, Spicy9, Basan and others. I would say that Basan has the highest quality fish around, but you always pay full price and it can get noisy. So Akashi’s the next best thing. I’ve been going about once a week for over six years now. The bang for the buck just can’t be beat. But… they recently (at the end of 2015) made some changes.
On the down side, I’m not a huge fan of the new paint job (purple), but I usually sit at the sushi bar so I don’t see much of it. They also changed the menu somewhat and went from «half off all rolls» to «buy one get one free». (It was NOT «buy one get one 50% off» like the other reviewer stated, but the new website read «buy one get one off» which was confusing.) The problem with this change was that it really forced a person to buy either 2 or 4 rolls. For myself, I usually preferred to get 3. Thankfully they’ve gone back to half off all rolls if you buy 2 or more. So that’s not a problem now.
On the positive side, some of the fish is higher grade now, you can still order the classic rolls, and some of the new rolls they’ve added to the menu are very good. One of the best things about Akashi is that they also allow personal preferences, even so far as custom rolls (assuming they’re not crazy busy at the time). I’ve designed around six or seven different rolls over the past few years. The staff members (both old and new) are always friendly too.
There are a bunch of menu items that aren’t sushi, and they’ve never disappointed me. Their appetizers are really good too. It’s just really good food for a very decent price.

Sadly, the new ownership has not kept the heart and soul of this once AMAZING restaurant. The menu is basic now and the change from sushi being half off to buy one get one 50% but only on rolls makes the place much more expensive. They also changed the mackerel dishes to boring tilapia which broke my wife and my hearts.
Sushi:
The new ownership bragged about their new choice for a sushi chef but we were disappointed in the quality. The rice was almost hot in the roll and the sushi rolls looked more like rice sandwiches wrapped in seaweed than concentric circles.
Entrée:
I tried the Japanese Chicken Curry dish thinking it would be a safe baseline choice for the first visit. I hated it. The rice was bland but more importantly the curry was flavorless. Even the potatoes in the dish were cut much too large (basically only quartered) causing them to be terribly under-​cooked. Sad for a meal someone can make at home in less time then they served it with better results and less money…

I cannot lie, I was super nervous about trying the sushi here simply based on their location. I know, it’s not fair to judge a book by its cover but sometimes that cover makes you really question the contents of that book… but don’t let the strip mall atmosphere outside deter you! The sushi here exceeded my expectations with the use of fresh ingredients, beautiful presentation, and unique rolls and flavors. I decided to order their sweet dragon roll to test out my favorite roll and ordered their volcano roll because I was intrigued with their twist of adding scallops in the lava sauce. The dragon roll was delicious and fresh. I found that they did a great job having equal parts of avocado and eel slices on top of the roll and was pleased to see that they didn’t try to skimp on either. I didn’t find the shrimp tempura in the roll to be overcooked or fried but pretty standard with similar rolls I’ve tried at Shiki and Sake bomb. Now, the Volcano roll is a game changer. I’ve never really been a fan of volcano rolls at other sushi restaurants because it seemed a bit bland to have a California roll with a spicy mayo/​red sauce on top but their addition of scallops in the sauce caught my attention, and I’m really glad it did because it was delicious! It does sound a bit silly that adding scallops makes such a difference but for me it does! I also liked that the roll was «oven-​baked» as the sauce and scallops had a bit of a crispness to it. I loved that texture and the flavor combination of crab inside the roll and scallops and the lava sauce warmed up on the outside; it was such an explosion of flavor and texture! Now, I’ve had «oven-​baked» rolls before where it’s well over done and dry but I found it to be just right with my roll. My dining companion ordered the spider roll and tiger roll. I tried both and they were good. I felt like the spider roll had too much rice, but to be fair it was meant to be a large roll (only 5 pieces) and that seems to be the norm for 5 piece rolls (or maybe I’m wrong? Who knows?)
The service here was good as our server was attentive. I was a bit surprised that it was empty on a week night, hopefully more people learn about their delicious sushi which is also BOGO! Can’t believe I didn’t start with that but I’m excited to have found another great sushi place that is easy on my wallet. Overall, I really enjoyed the sushi here and will definitely be returning!

Perhaps being early on a Tuesday the flow wasn’t quite there. I really wanted to give a better review but I was not enamored. I have no complaints really other than my first bite of salmon roll seemed incredibly salty. Maybe because the last thing on my road trip was a Love’s coffee?
I ordered white tuna which I love and the sashimi order was generous and delicious. I also very much enjoyed the eel sushi and the seaweed salad. The miso soup was slightly less than ordinary as was the garden salad. I did not enjoy the orange salad dressing as much as I usually at sushi restaurants, maybe it wasn’t fresh. Talked with Alex who was a very friendly veteran Itamae as I sat at the sushi bar. I will return and make a few new choices on my next go around. After all it is close to my hotel and that’s always a bonus. Take what you can and be grateful!

The $ 60 sushi platter felt more like $ 40. The rolls were average and small. The waitress was nice enough but that doesn’t make up for the minuscule amount of sushi and sashimi ordered.

This is one of my favorite places to get sushi. Every roll I’ve had has been absolutely delicious, and at half price, it’s a better value than anywhere else (including the places that have buy 1 get 1 free). The service has always been good. The interior isn’t anything to get too excited about… it’s nice, but not as nice as Tasu or Shiki (though more affordable and less busy/​crowded than both). It’s in kind of a strange location, tucked into the corner of a strip mall, next to a sketchy mexican night club, but overall it’s safe. I come here at least once a month!

Hopefully, my review will be more relevant if you know my thinking around Sushi in general as well as how I «evaluate» a restaurant. Skip to the bottom for the review of the restaurant in question.
I will start by saying that I do not comment on taste per se, whereas taste is really subjective. I will, however, comment on the execution of said item, or if it is fundamentally flawed in any way. Of course, one may disagree after eating there, and this is just my opinion. My main focus is «value.» A place which is «good and cheap,» can just as easily get 5 stars as the most respected establishments out there! Places can have off nights, and I try not to be overly negative if this is the case. If I think something is «exceptional,» I wait to review the place until I have made a 2^nd trip. Lastly, I don’t comment directly on price; if the price matches my expectation of quality, that suffices. Just keep in mind, I don’t have a 20-​something palette, so what I am willing to pay for quality is subjective.
Having eaten Sushi for well over 20 years, in my view, there are 4 main types of sushi establishments. Hopefully this can serve to help you quickly identify, if from my review (s), this is a place for you. I intend to review most, if not all, sushi places in the triangle area.
«Cheap but Decent» — This is the lion’s share of places in the triangle. All the basic Nigiri/​Sashimi will be offered, as well as all the basic rolls, and there may be a few rolls that are «variations on a theme.» The fish is usually bought from a large distributor with very little choice over the type or quality (not all fresh fish are created/​cut equal). The fish can be fresh Thursday — Saturday, but any other day, may not taste so. The chefs may or may not be experienced, or love with their job (s). Creativity and passion are not the key drivers to getting people in the door. It is about volume, about the specials; you will likely see BOGO mentioned or «Half-​price Tuesdays.» In my view, half-​price sushi should be looked at much like half-​price plastic surgery; it might be cheaper, but you may end up looking like Melanie Griffith.
«Passionate but Pricey» — At the other end of the spectrum; this is where you take an important client, celebrate an anniversary, or a 3^rd date The menu is creative and well thought out with a focus on creating a unique experience. You’ll find lots of variation even in the sashimi which often marries complimentary flavors with certain cuts. The rolls run the gamut but usually have quite a few which are works of art in themselves, and your mouth! The chefs may choose the fish in person at a more specialized market, and often will not buy certain fish if it is not up to their standard. This is a great place to get away from the traditional Maguro, Uni or Hamachi, and try something unique which you just might love. Lastly, just looking at the chef, you can tell they’ve been doing this a while and have tremendous passion for what they do.
«The Hybrid Roll» — This is a combo of the 2 above in varying degrees. These typically offer the best «value» all things considered. These are also the most scarce, and I have only experienced a few of these types in my «sushi lifetime.» When I do find then, they are usually my weekly mainstay. A balance of creativity, passion, and reasonable prices, they are most often family owned and you can expect to be greeted by name after your 3^rd or 4^th visit.
«Sushi within another restaurant» — This is the small sushi bar in the corner of the main restaurant that focuses on some regional Asian cuisine. Sushi most often seems like an after thought, but you can find a gem or two if you are patient. The place may have good reviews, but it is most often for its regional take on Chicken Satay, or an entertaining Hibachi chef. It is likely «Cheap but Decent» sushi.
+++++++Review below this line for Akashi++++++++++
Went there on a Thursday after 6 PM. The place was deserted, not a good sign I thought! It never got busy for the 1.5 hours we were there. This place definitely meets the «Cheap but Decent» model with just a glimmer of being a «Hybrid Roll» though not nearly enough to tip the scales. The fish was fresh (as it should be so no points there), the rolls were so-​so in creativity but a little dry side with an overly assertive seaweed. One of the rolls was interesting in that it was wrapped in a cucumber skin which was why I said it had a «Hybrid roll» leaning.
Sadly, this was not enough to get me excited to return, and the service was just service. I would have thought that since we were 1 of only 2 couples in the restaurant, that we might get more engaged service. For starters, when you order a bottle of white wine, you don’t keep the bottle cool by setting it on top of ice cubes. The service was neither polite, nor impolite, fast, nor slow; however, it seemed to ignore the fact that we were 2 of only 4 customers. Engage your customers when you are not busy.

Great choice of sushi and very reasonable prices for lunch.
We have tried a range of things with scallops, tuna, and some tempura prawns.
The service is friendly, and pretty good considered they’re usually slammed at lunch time.

If you want to have a decent sushi or rolls this place is for you. Very friendly staff, ambient music and lights.

I brought the family here early on a Saturday evening.
It is very nicely decorated, the wait staff is attentive and the food was very good.
We ordered:
avocado roll
vegetable roll
vegetable tempura
Mercury Rising Roll
California Supreme Roll
Kid’s shrimp hibachi
My wife really liked her veg rolls. I enjoyed my fish rolls and my daughter loved the tempura and the hibachi shrimp. I definitely recommend this place. I docked one star because the sushi is not of the highest high quality but it is sufficiently good to hit the sushi-​craving-​spot. Good place to bring the family.

Good enough sushi, great price. Bento box combo is a fantastic deal. Half off each roll here (if you buy at least 2) is a waaaay better deal than BOGO elsewhere (where they charge you for the pricier role). And now that Shiki is requiring you to buy a drink to get BOGO (outrageous), this might just be my new sushi spot.

Akashi is quickly becoming my go-​to spot for lunch during the week as its so quick and conveniently close to work. As a vegetarian, I’m happy with the plentiful choices I have on their menu. I’m not a huge fan of vegetable/​tofu hibachi but it has quickly become my choice of meal here. The tofu and vegetables are flavorful (unlike other hibachi I’ve had in the past) and the fried rice is amazing as well! Great, casual quick stop for lunch in this area!

What an amazing dinner! Half off all sushi! I had three rolls (22 pieces total), octopus-​seaweed salad and miso soup for less than $ 25! This was a great dining experience and I’m certain to dine here again in the future.

Summary: Overall, great place to get food. Quality food, great prices, friendly staff, only drawback is décor is lackluster
Pros:
Let me start off by saying this place has some of the best sushi I’ve had in the RTP area. Prices are very competitive with other local establishments. Inside is clean and the staff is friendly. They either have a BOGO free or 50% sale off of rolls, which in my opinion are the same sale.
Cons: The décor could use a revamp, but besides that, great place. The strip mall where this is located is sketchy, but should be mostly safe during the daytime: D

Lunch: Get the Bento Box, it’s a steal for like $ 7– $ 8.
Dinner: Holland Roll /​Bagel Roll are baller.
Other notes: The sushi chef, «Q,» is an innovative and adventurous chef so you can ask for variations and he’ll oblige.
The staff is friendly for a sushi joint.
Bad wifi/​cell phone reception (read, «None»).
Bathrooms are tiny and one person at a time. Can make for a long wait/​uncomfortable dining experience.
They are great with kids.
I really like this place, it’s my go-​to sushi place near RTP.

This nice and cozy place has great sushi at the best prices in the triangle. The chefs are very creative and are always trying new things so look out for their new concoctions.
the hibachi is also great, the white (shrimp) sauce is homemade and the best in the triangle.
They also serve phở here and it will hit the spot if you are looking for a hot soup.

Giving a four star cause finding Asian food in North Carolina that isn’t a PF Change or Panda Express can be a bit challenging to say the least. This place will do the trick if ur looking for a good fix at a reasonable price. Just try to get over the combo of Japanese and Vietnamese. The sushi is quite good and the phở is just as good as I get in LA. Granted the sides that go with it are lacking but that’s what you get when you cross two Asian cultures.

Had high hopes and was not disappointed. When we arrived, at 7:30, there weren’t many people inside and this scared me a bit but we ordered anyway. So glad we did. The Godzilla roll and Godzilla’s eye were both awesome. The beef bento box was so tender and wonderfully seasoned. A must try if in the area.

The sashimi was not high quality fish. It actually tasted like the fish had been submerged in dirty dish water.
The rest of the table enjoyed the sushi rolls more than the nigiri and sashimi.

Stopped by on whim for lunch around 12:30 on a Tuesday. No trouble getting a seat at the empty sushi bar. The server was a little slow to get to me, but the sushi came up quickly once I put my order in. The presentation of the three rolls I selected was good. As is typical for me, I can’t remember exactly which rolls I ordered.
A few others reviewers have mentioned their menu system as a big plus, and I agree. Seeing the icons next to the rolls to indicate spice level, or whether it is cooked or not, along with the categories of rice inside, outside, fish outside, etc. was very helpful for me to choose. That would make this a really good spot for someone new to sushi rolls.