Great casual (and fresh) sushi. Kind of annoyed that my maki rolls looked like a hot mess when they arrived (see picture), but I've dined with them on multiple occasions with better results. Not to be overlooked--they could just work on their presentation.
(3)
Sari S.
They do have excellent service! A great plus is how they have brown rice available. However, I am disappointed in the taste if the sushi rolls. If you're in a hurry and need to eat, it's certainly edible and will fill you up. I just wouldn't recommend eating here to appease your need of delicious sushi rolls.
(3)
Thi T.
3.5 stars Maki rolls: 8 pieces, brown or white rice Blossom: salmon, green apples, arugula, goat cheese, lemon-thyme vinaigrette Sour, sweet vinaigrette with tart green apple. Gives it a light, fresh flavor. Goat cheese? I can barely see it, much less taste it. The other ingredients make up for this though. Signature maki: 8 pieces, brown or white rice Bamboo: spicy tuna, salmon, avocado, cream cheese, cucumber Hard to differentiate the different fish meld together. I could barely taste the spicy tuna at the tip of my tongue. They forgot the cream cheese initially. I didn't want to trouble them so I asked for it on the side to satiate my cream cheese craving. They were nice enough to stuff it back into the sushi. I got a rich amount. I'll try something different next time and check to make sure my cream cheese is not neglected. Cucumber draped on top didn't look crisp or the most fresh. I asked for spicy mayo and they gave a tiny little container enough for maybe one roll. I'm not sure if they normally charge for it. There's an electronic drink dispenser, for you soft drink and nerd fans. Plenty of booths and tables. Quick service. Friendly staff. Perfect for a quick meal.
(4)
Jake R.
My friend had Maki Fresh platters for a dinner party and the sushi tastes like plain rice; no flavor, no spice, no enjoyment. Waste of money. I do not recommend.
(1)
Lia P.
I really, really want to like Maki Fresh. I love the idea of a quick grab and go sushi spot but this one sort of misses the mark. First of all, they have a very limited menu. They only have a few sushi options which is tough if you're looking for a roll that uses raw fish that isn't one of their pricier options. The cheaper rolls are about $7 which would be okay if they weren't so skimpy. It would also be okay if they weren't going for more of a fast food model. I've also gotten the miso soup which is a generous serving but a little too salty for my taste. Customer service is generally friendly although there have been a couple times where no one was upfront other than one of the sushi chefs who didn't speak English and couldn't ring me up, I guess. He also couldn't get anyone for me so I ended up waiting a few minutes until someone came out of the kitchen area. An okay spot, but a little overpriced for the set up they have.
(3)
Jasmine B.
This is a great option for a quick healthy lunch. Their Kokoyashi Bowl is my favorite...fresh chunks of tuna and cucumber over brown rice with a coconut sauce. Their veggies are always crisp and fresh, and the staff is super friendly and helpful. Their catering service is great too! I use them for work, and people are always so excited to have such fresh, healthy, yummy food.
(5)
Ansley K.
I placed a large catering order. Nothing complicated or demanding - straight off their menu. MASSIVE PROBLEMS. #1 When I called the woman taking my order complained that she was "off the clock" but would do me a favor and take my order. She kept speaking under her breath about how she was supposed to be off the clock, gone, not working, etc. This is completely unprofessional regardless. #2 I gave a card # to hold the order. I informed and confirmed with the woman that we would pay in cash upon pickup. My card was charged. #3 I ordered several trays of sushi. 2 salads, 2 edam., 2 trays of sliders. Confirmed the order with her twice. Guess what ? We were only given one tray of sliders. Upon pickup we were told that it was two orders. It wasn't - it was one. We confirmed the count. The only good thing is that the office liked the lunch but we won't be ordering again since we're apparently in the way of the girl not working and the fact that they mess up the ordering process and don't communicate amongst their staff.
(2)
Jenna S.
Great sushi, pleasant atmosphere and fantastic unexpected items like brussel sprouts. Highly recommend!
(5)
Michael K.
Gave it a try and unfortunately, will not be returning. Pros: Free parking, friendly staff, fast service Cons: Overpriced given the quality I got the Teriyaki bowl. It was a good portion size. However, there wasn't much chicken compared to how big the rice serving was. The rice looked and tasted as though it was from an instant-microwavable rice bowl you get from H-Mart. It was also drenched in Teriyaki sauce, so I felt like I was just eating sauce with small morsels of chicken. I came here to get my "Asian fix". However, I won't be returning. There was nothing impressive about the menu or the quality of the food. I will say the place looks great and is clean. That's about it. The sushi didn't look too good either.
(2)
Kristin L.
What a funny little place! You order at the counter , then sit. The manager (i think) was extremely helpful explaining almost the whole menu. I got the crispy Brussels (super yummy, tempura okra (good, especially with their creamy ginger salad dressing), and seaweed salad (standard but always delicious). Portions were satisfying. Suggestions: don't serve sauces in disposables. Doesn't jive with your vibe. I came in expecting some more traditional japanese fare like tofu adegashi, so consider adding a few options like that. Enjoyed very much!
(4)
Theryl J.
Great sushi! They also do an Asian fusion take on the Chipotle "bowl" style of food with Asian-themed bowls.
(3)
Dr Michael D.
Excellent service and great food for a reasonable price!!! Also very clean. We were very happy with our experience and will definitely be back.
(5)
Anna J.
Crispy Brussels! Noms!! They are exceptional here, served on rice (you choose white or brown) with a teriyaki style sauce. I have to be totally honest. I haven't eaten much of anything else there, not a big vegetarian menu. But, who cares, there's crispy brussels!
(4)
Nemil S.
Went for lunch and shared the following: Grilled Salmon Maki Bowl (1/5 stars at $11) - This came with a good size portion of salmon slathered with bbq glaze on top of brown rice, few shiitake mushrooms, raw carrots, cooked brussel sprouts, and bean sprouts. The salmon was tough and dry, like it had been taken out of the freezer, reheated, and served---and yet this was the best part of the dish. The rest of the plate was bland and didn't really go together. It required soy sauce and hot sauce to be edible. Samurai Roll (3/5 stars at $7) - I opted for the brown rice. This was a decent dish for the price with an okay taste. Left me with a "Meh. I've experienced better", but I was starving so I felt "A-OK" although (like all sushi places) left a little hungry. I realized that I still prefer white rice to brown rice on my rolls. It was a little weird because the rolls were served room temperature. The taste reminded me of the prepackaged sushi rolls that you get at Whole Foods, not bad...
(2)
Latonia H.
We had the sushi sampler & tried the Crunch Crunch, Blossom, Makidoma then added the Kyoto roll, all were great. The Blossom tasted fresh like a salad ask for extra lemon-thyme vinaigrette it makes it perfect. The Makidoma & Kyoto were my favorite. The strawberry lemonade was great!
(4)
Carrie Neal W.
Maybe it was because I started a talk thread about foods you rarely eat, and one of mine was sushi (enjoy it but don't crave it), and ended up wanting it for lunch today! Seeing as I was working from home as usual and in workout clothes, Maki Fresh was perfect! I checked out the menu online to see what might be perfect for today's lunch and was very pleased with my selection of the Bamboo roll. So good! Spicy tuna, salmon, avocado, just a bit of cream cheese and cucumber - interestingly, the cucumber is wrapped outside the roll. Delicious and very filling (I only ate half- 4 pieces- and took it with, but unfortunately spilled my container of soy sauce all over it in my bag and kinda ruined the leftovers. Next time, no sauce to go!). Quick, friendly service, and across the street! Whenever I want sushi in a hurry again, it's a go-to choice.
(4)
Sarah P.
OK i ate here between church services at the cathedral. we traditionally go to the chinese restaurant down the street but we needed to move fast due to our call times. I ordered the hibachi bowl with no tomato. I wish i'd ordered the grilled edamame too, because THOSE ARE AWESOME. My bowl tasted pretty good but i was a little freaked out by the bright orange sauce all over the top - the sauce was good but i guess i could have done with less of it. i tried the brussels sprouts which were amazing, except what's with the rice in the bowl? i wanted sprouts not rice! Anyway, i'd go back and order a double edamame!!!!
(3)
Judy L.
Maki Fresh is okay. It is a casual Japanese sushi restaurant. I had a Groupon to use for this place. The Groupon allowed for us to get 2 maki rolls,1 maki signature roll, and 2 drinks. We ordered the Crunch Crunch roll, the Samurai roll, and the Jinsei Special roll. -Crunch Crunch: tempura shrimp, avocado, cucumber, and japanese spicy sauce. -Samurai: tuna, asparagus, avocado, and cucumber. -Jinsei Special: tuna, hamachi, jalapeno, cilantro, and avocado. I really like the Crunch Crunch roll. I think the other ones are okay. I'm not much of a tuna fan. My boyfriend ordered it. I like salmon. I think the Jinsei Special roll is really unique. You have so many flavors and textures in it and you don't expect the jalapeno. If I were you, I'd definitely try it. The cool thing about this joint is that they have one of those cool Coca Cola machines that put out 120 or so variety of sodas. I opted out to try their green tea. It was pretty standard. They also have grab-and-go sushi rolls/dishes in the front. They have specials: Sundays: 2 maki rolls for $10 There are other specials on certain days on wine and there's a college/university student days where students get 10% off. The only bad thing that got to me about this place is the guy working at the cashier's/front. He seemed mad that we came in and barely spent anything because of the Groupon. I think the only reason why I would try this place again is if I was in the area and I was really craving for sushi without all the fancy smancy stuff that comes along with it. Straight up sushi.
(3)
Janelle D.
My friend and I were craving sushi last Saturday, and the first place we stopped by was closed so we Yelped and found our way here. I was a little nervous at first. I admit it: I'm not a big sushi buffet fan nor do I like to order it at counters. I start to question the quality very easily when that happens. But I decided to go for it, placed my order at the counter and waited for it to be served. This is good, solid sushi that will take care of a craving and be a couple notches better than grocery store sushi. It hit the spot -- we got seaweed salad, which came with cucumbers and was very good, and miso soup, which came filled with mushrooms and was piping hot. I really liked the bubblegum roll. For less than $20, I had two rolls, a beer and soup. Not bad. You can choose whether you want brown rice or white rice. The veggie tempura rolls are really good and you get PLENTY for a couple of dollars. We ordered the okra and sweet potato rolls thinking it would be a couple of pieces each but we were wrong. We didn't finish them because we were stuffed by that point. It's good to know this is an option when other sushi places are closed before dinner.
(4)
Stephanie M.
After all of the positive reading I decided to check it out and was not disappointed . All of the ingredients are fresh and you can even watch while they make they are making sushi , salads or bowls . The menu is rather small and simple , nothing complicated or fancy and you don't even have to dress up cause there super casual . Have had the Jinsei roll with out the cilantro and gotta say it was pretty tasty and filled with Tuna , Yellow tail and super fresh Advacado . I was just starting to eat it when a new flavor came into play a slice of jalapeno (didn't notice it on the menu) . The burn was a nice surprise and even made it a little more interesting . You could taste every flavor and will order this again . The Kokoyashi is an attractive dish with all of the colors popping . This is actually a bowl with choice of rice and topped with pieces of raw Tuna , seedless Cucumber and Scallions with a touch of soy sauce . Seaweed salad was even included big plus for that ! The flavor of the fish really stands out and didn't even have to use the dressing that it comes with . Don't feel like waiting , grab and go is by the front door .
(4)
Michael B.
My first experience with Maki Fresh came during the Yelp Elite Sushi Shindig event a few months back. It was a very fun event highlighted by the wonderful sushi and other food items provided by Maki Fresh; we even got to roll our own sushi rolls during the event. After this event I wanted to wait until another visit before writing a review for Maki Fresh. I "liked" the Facebook Maki Fresh page and was able to score a 1/2 off coupon for their 80 piece sushi platter. So this past weekend we were having some guest over and I decided it was the perfect time to cash in the coupon and order a tray of sushi. We ended up getting 10 different roll on the platter; all of which were totally wonderful in appearance and taste. Some of the rolls that we ordered included: Crunch Crunch, Spicy Tuna, Makidoma, Ringo, and Samurai to name a few. Maki Fresh is great when craving sushi, whether you want to sit down to eat or grab some on the run. They offer both in house sushi dinners as well as prepacked sushi in the cooler out front. I'll certainly be back to Maki Fresh soon!
(4)
Kelsi V.
I highly recommend the Kokoyashi and seaweed salad! Love Maki Fresh for lunch! I ate here one time prior to discovering the Kokoyashi and wasn't necessarily impressed but in my opinion you can't go wrong with that dish...I'm yet to try anything else. I tend to be the type that finds something I really like, and from then on when I go there I always order the same thing.... chances are if I'm going to that particular place I am craving the dish I know I really like.
(4)
Will P.
Excellent experience today - the staff should be commended. After getting snubbed at Cheyenne Grill, we hoofed it over to Maki Fresh (my original idea - just saying) and had some delicious eats and great service. I had a grilled salmon on arugula that was excellent, solid; and a shrimp tempura roll with japanese may that was both really yummy and presented nicely. Despite being in a shopping center with absolutely insane drivers (beware slanted parking spaces - they make folks cray-zee), this joint is worth the visit. Will go back.
(3)
Maria S.
Maki Fresh is a great casual restaurant with an excellent staff that aims to please. This is not the place to go for fine Japanese dining; sushi snobs take note. It is the place to go and share an assortment of maki rolls, along with a bottle of sake or a custom soda from the Coke Freestyle machine. Très cool. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the sushi rolls. Some were actually much better than rolls I've had at RA Sushi or Ru San's in Midtown. For an odd, but tasty twist on maki, try the BLT or the Ringo. The BLT comes with hickory smoked bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato. The Ringo is composed of eel, strawberry, jalapeño and cream cheese. Try it-- you might be surprised how much you like it. Both of these rolls can be prepared gluten free (GF) and Maki Fresh offers GF soy sauce as well. Just be sure to let the friendly and helpful staff know up front, and they'll tell you which menu items can be prepared GF. Even their bacon is GF! (I'll be letting Yelp readers know more about GF options in the future, as I was recently diagnosed with a wheat allergy.) My husband enjoyed their signature roll, the Makidoma, with cripsy rice cake, spicy tuna, avocado and jalapeño. He wasn't so hot on the Beetnik though, and he does like beets. Be warned. I spotted a couple enjoying the chicken maki bowls; they looked and smelled delicious. I might just have to try one on my next visit.
(4)
T.A. B.
I was craving sushi, but didn't have a lot of time and was looking for something quick. Maki Fresh was exactly what I was looking for. The menu is semi limited, but just enough to get a sushi fix quickly. The man working the register (may have been the manager) was SO helpful. I was unsure what I wanted and he took a minute to explain things to me on the menu, as I had never been there before. I really appreciated that.
(3)
Cherry L.
I wanted to like you Maki Fresh....but so sorry, im NOT a fan fan fan :( Dropped by for lunch today and overall, the food was mediocre at best. Between Nemil S. and I, we shared: -Grilled salmon bowl: SKIP THIS! This $10 rice bowl included brown rice (you can also get white rice), fried brussel sprouts, raw carrots, raw bean sprouts, [cooked] shitake mushrooms, a sizeable piece of thin/dry salmon, and teriyaki sauce on top. Everything just didn't taste good together--the raw veggies and brussels really took over the flavor of the entire bowl, making it very 'vegetably' flavor. Then add some mushy brown rice, dry salmon, and flavorless-i-came-out-of-a-jar teriyaki sauce--I had to spice it up with soy sauce and srirancha (FYI-they keep it behind the counter). I feel like there was so much opportunity to make this dish tasty...but sadly no...... -Samurai roll: IFFFFF I ever go back to Maki, I'd probably get this. Decently priced at $7 (for 8 pieces), the tuna tasted fine (I was scared it wasn't going to be fresh), the avocado added creaminess, and the asparagus and cucumber added some good texture. Another thing I found confusing and wanted to note: -Self serve wasabi, pickled ginger, and lemon (by the soda machine) -You also find straws, cup lids, plastic cups for wasabi/ginger, and chopsticks -No napkins -No other utensils So I guess the assumption that everyone will use chopsticks for their meals? Which is fine....but they brought a fork with my rice bowl? AND NO FEAR! THEY BRING YOU A NAPKIN WHEN THEY BRING OUT YOUR ORDER!
(2)
Cat D.
I was not impressed. This is a good place if you want grocery store sushi, and don't mind paying a buck or two more for a nice place to sit down. The maki is fine. Nothing special, but not bad, however, the selection was very limited. I'd avoid the rice bowls - mine was a huge bowl of mushy, overcooked rice, doused in mayo sauce. The tempura shrimp and veggies were served on top of a bed of shredded cabbage and carrots... I guess so you can make a nice coleslaw with all that mayo?? The tempura okra was awful - the texture was unlike that of any okra I've had before - possibly keeping it frozen does that? I'm not sure. The shrimp was ok, but I wish it had been tempura battered instead of panko breaded.
(2)
Julie S.
Love the blossom roll & bamboo roll. So good and on Sundays they have 2 rolls for $10, can't beat it!
(4)
Shyam S.
My first visit to Maki Fresh was about a month ago in conjunction with a Yelp Elite event. My friend and I went to check it out and we liked the idea behind it - apparently it is the brainchild of the guy behind Zoe's Kitchen, so the idea of a pan-Asian and Asian-inspired fast casual place makes sense. We finally decided to check it out during the week and were not disappointed. There is way more here than just sushi; in fact, we didn't even try the sushi. We had the beef sliders, which are delicious due to the organic and locally-sourced beef, and which come with tempura onion rings, that have not been overly battered, and are quite tasty. We also shared the Thaiphoon brown rice bowl, which was so fresh that I thought I wast at Whole Foods. The whole meal was healthy and excellent and I am very happy to support this location. Oh and the manager is a really nice guy who actually comes to your table to drop off food - gasp! - and talks to you.
(4)
Kevin C.
Staff - ok the first time, great the second. Food - meats have been pretty good, probably 4-star. Rice has been 1-star, maybe 2. The sushi is also 2-3 star sushi. An overall decent attempt at a quick Japanese-y menu. Nothing to write home about, but nothing to get too pissed over.
(3)
Martha C.
When you order nigiri you get tiny pieces. Also goes for the wine. They do not pour you a full glass of wine either. Quality isn't that great either. Take your chances at Benihana next door.
(1)
Kelsey F.
Maki Fresh is my number one, numero uno, always first choice, favorite sushi place in Atlanta. It is delicious, affordable, and super quick. I've been here about three times a month for the past year and have never had a bad experience. Order at the register, wait five minutes and your sushi is good to go. The menu features less traditional sushi than most places, but I have never been disappointed with an order. Best seaweed salad in this city- it is served with oranges and cucumbers. That unique twist along with the freshness of the seaweed is always a hit for my mouth. I would recommend trying their crispy, soy sauce brussel sprouts which are loved by all. If you are in a serious hurry, they have a to-go cooler with fresh made sushi and salads that you can swing by to pick up. Nothing too fancy or pretentious about Maki Fresh, but over all one of my essential Atlanta go to spots.
(5)
Jing W.
I'm giving one star for the way my Groupon was honorred. I got a Groupon for a sushi tray and a side. Although it is stated that there are three sides to choose from, only one, edamame, was available. I was told that they did not have the ingredients to prepare coleslaw salad or potato salad. I was a bit late (slightly under 1 hr) to pick up my order coz something came up and to my horror, my food was left sitting on the countertop. I assume they finished the food before my pickup time so this means the food had been sitting there for over one hr!!! And it's sushi we're talking about. This is completely unacceptable. I don't know why my friend and I picked up the food still. This is not the end. The lady at the cash register was the MOST UNHELPFUL person ever (she was on shift in the evening on Oct 3rd). She let my friend carry a huge sushi tray with a large box of edamame and a bowl of soy sauce on top. There's no bag whatsoever. I had to ask the lady for a bag. She also didn't give us any chopsticks or napkins. I'm Asian so I didn't really need them but she could at least have offered. My overall impression is that they don't care about Groupon customers. Well, if you don't like us, don't offer Groupon. I don't want to have to ask for everything, it makes me feel like a beggar. As for the sushi. I'd say you get what you paid for. The rolls are mediocre but then they only cost $20 (6 rolls and a large side).
(1)
Brittiany M.
Short and sweet : This restaurant is awesome and their service is amazing even if it is order at the register ! BUBBLEGUM ROLL IS THE BEST and the guys that make them are awesome.
(4)
Alisa B.
Every time we go the food and service is very good. It is nice to have a place where you can get fast, quality food. One time they overcooked the Salmon, the next time I asked for medium rare.. and all was good.
(4)
Joshua B.
I had never been to a Maki Fresh before I moved to Atlanta, so when I finally wandered in to this location I was immediately a fan. I'm no sushi snob, but these guys serve some of the best sushi I've ever tried. I like to take advantage of the 2 for $10 deal on the rolls so I can try all of them without paying too much. Their menu goes way beyond sushi, though. They also have sliders (salmon, chicken, and beef), salads, rice bowls, edamame, and crispy brussels. They have a large selection of beer and wine, and of course sake. The setup of the restaurant is similar to other fast-casuals. You go up to the cashier, place an order, you sit, they bring you food. Super simple. I've seen people often confused by the concept. The service here is phenomenal. The manager really knows his stuff, and he even hosts a sushi-making class in the conference room of the restaurant. The rest of the staff is top-notch, from the cashiers to the cooks.
(5)
Asma A.
It's a small little joint, more like a fast food sushi type of place. Definitely there was a hype from the yelp shindig and I expected a lot more from This place, but it really was okay sushi. The only reason I came here was because I had a groupon and maybe I wouldn't have came there if there wasn't a groupon. Definitely better sushi spots, but this is a good place if you're looking for a casual sushi place to go to. the upside is the coke machine.. i love that machine...
(2)
Lara M.
Bought a Groupon for a Sushi Making class before reading all the reviews so we were not expecting too much. However, we were very surprised and pleased! This is a fast casual sushi joint that provides unique menu options from the other sushi joints in town. The class instructor was knowledgeable and fun - the overall experience was well worth our time. Sushi was good and the strawberry green tea lemonade quite tasty!
(5)
Emily G.
My disclaimer is that I do not eat seafood and I am not a fan of sushi because even the seaweed tastes fishy to me. I know that this immediately disqualifies me as a decent reviewer of a Sushi place, but hear me out.... I swear it will be helpful. After a Yelp Elite event, I found myself with a LOT of Maki fresh coupons and free food, enough to say "alright lets go use them, it will be cheap". Luckily, my date loves seafood, so he was all about it. He ordered the Maki Signature Roll, the "tide roll". It is salmon, crab, avocado, cream cheese, jalapeño all deep fried in tempura and served with a thick glaze on top. I didn't try it, but the sauce was amazing and he said that the roll itself was absolutely fantastic. Win for him. Now for this super-picky eater, I got the beetnik roll: beets, arugula and goat cheese rolled in rice paper instead of seaweed. Once I first tried it with soy sauce, it wasn't all that great... but then I ate it with the thin slices of ginger on top (and I little bit of the glaze from the tide roll) and it was absolutely outstanding... definitely the type of sushi I would eat. We were pretty full after that, but my dumb self had already ordered the kokoyashi bowl with chicken instead of tuna. It had white sticky rice, cucumber, coconut, scallions and a coconut lime dressing. This one.. was a bit weird. The rice is sticky (not fried) and it is served cold instead of hot. I wasn't a huge fan of the stringy green things (im assuming scallions?) and the dressing was all sorts of confusing. BUT- my date thought it was decent, so he ate it all. Overall experience was good. The rolls are excellent and the place is pretty nice. Although the rolls aren't particularly cheap ($10 for a signature roll won't make me come back all the time), they have coupons and offers all the time, so it is very easy to score yourself a deal and try a discounted item. The coke machine is a plus... just because I like playing with my food.
(4)
Carrie B.
Have to admit I'm a little surprised about some of the reviews for Maki Fresh since everything I had was quite tasty. It's the perfect casual sushi place and the price point is perfect for what it is. I had never thought of salmon sliders, tossing the arugula w/ lemon basil vinaigrette and then topping the salmon with wasabi aioli was excellent! I wouldn't change a thing! The rolls were decent and sure they have some awesome ones in there (I'll know more with a few more visits). The also have the Coke Freestyle machine, which I'm convinced can make any day better! The decor is nice, parking is plentiful, even though I have to admit Peachtree Battle and the drivers around it scare me a bit. Go check it out and write your own review!
(4)
Steve B.
Not great, not bad, eh eh it's ok. You have two main options if you want just average sushi. A) Go to your nearest grocery store. Check into Publix, Kroger, Food Lion, Stop & Shop whereever your local grocery store in the deli section or B) Maki Fresh. Basically they both taste the same. Nothing too ethnic or extravagant. There are a bunch of sushi places, almost too many to count for to by pass just for some average sushi in Atlanta. I guess the justification for Maki Fresh is if you are running errands around the city, you can grab this in between shopping, errands and all that other miscellaneous activities. Not sure what to reallly recommend. I had the crunch crunch and the shrimp on it was pretty good...it was recommended by the staff. If was good but put on a pedestal borderline overappraised. The only thing that stood out to me was the spicy chicken and philly. Those are the buy out sushi rolls at any establishment. Grade: C
(3)
Rebecca C.
The Brussels sprouts were the best thing we tried, but overall underwhelming. No hot tea in this "Japanese" restaurant. Staff was friendly, everything was clean.
(3)
Juan M.
First time back after the Yelp event (she had her baby and they both look great!). Love the place and the owner; went for a business lunch and the food was awesome. What makes it a 4 star instead of 3 is the attention to detail and good training of the staff. I need to make it a point to go over more often!
(4)
Dina C.
It is like a Willy's or Moe's, but for sushi. It was fresh and decent. Rolls cost from $7 to $12. You order at the counter. I enjoy fresh raw sushi and I found many of their rolls to be fried and filled with cream cheese, with is very Americanized. However, I appreciate the concept and they would be a good choice for a super quick sushi fix.
(3)
Leanne E.
The self service suishi is helpful when you are in a hurry. Decent food good pricing. Fends off hunger.
(3)
Hannah E.
There I was, walking home in the freezing 40-something degree wind that was turning my hands blue, when I came upon the peachtree battle shopping center. Thinking I could get some miso soup to warm up before continuing my walk, I decided to go into Maki Fresh. When I smelled the food being made, I realized I would not be getting a miso soup after all. I have a lot of trouble deciding what to eat, so I asked all the workers for their opinions. Finally, the cashier offered me a deal, two maki for $10 (really, it's a steal - regular price is $7+ for one). If you can't decide, like me, maybe she will offer you the same. With two options, I went for the Blossom and Spicy Tuna. The blossom was very fresh with green apples and goat cheese, and I felt healthy eating it. This one even comes with some special sauce that is similar to a vinaigrette salad dressing. The spicy tuna is pretty basic, but hard to go wrong with. I didn't expect just the fish and cucumber to satisfy my taste buds, but this roll definitely was my favorite. I would absolutely order both again... But then again maybe I will try two new things next time!
(5)
Akshata M.
Really nice place if your craving some quick sushi. While it doesn't have the biggest selection almost everything on the menu is appetizing and made fairly quickly. Spicy tuna roll was out of this world and you can pick brown or white rice. It also comes with this really nice sauce apart from soy and wasabi which is delicious. They really impressed me with the kids meal selection which comes with edamame, oranges rice and your choice of lean protein..my daughter ate it all! I love that its so close to home and when I don't feel like cooking its a much healthier option for all of us. I took away one star because they didn't get my order right the first time. But staff was really polite and friendly. We'll be visiting this one often.
(4)
Mary M.
I went in for miso and seaweed salad takeout today-- first time there. The miso was served in a thin plastic to-go container, which was not holding up to the hot soup. The soup was overly salty and had a plastic flavor, probably due to the container. The seaweed salad was topped with some dry, stale cucumbers and the seaweed itself was of poor quality. I threw it away after the first two bites.
(1)
Mary-Catherine W.
My favorite lunch spot! Not to mention I love this shopping center! It has everything, Boutiques, restaurants, H and F bottle shop, Publix, Drug Stores, Hardware Stores. They need MORE of these in the city! I always get the Kokoyashi Brown Rice Bowl. Its tuna, brown rice, dried coconut shavings, cucumber, soy sauce and a frothy coconut sauce with seaweed salad. They have an amazing selection of teas. And their sushi is innovative. Almost on the weird side. But I do like the blossom roll with salmon goat cheese and green apple. Different but good.
(4)
Ben O.
I spotted a Maki Fresh employee buying supplies at the Doraville H mart and thought "hmm, this is a good sign". Sure enough, when I arrived at 8:45pm a few days after they opened, I was impressed by the freshness of their rolls (and that's really something when they close in 15 minutes). Oh, did I mention I got there 15 minutes before they closed? Yeah, I got there 15 minutes before they closed. And you know what they said on our way out? "By the way, if you want, you can just have whatever's left in the quick-picks cooler. We have to throw it out every night anyway." SUSHI FOR LUNCH THE NEXT DAY! And I have to say that it was tasty, but the freshness is really worth paying for. (Also, I don't expect that they'll get into the habit of doing that or else they'll have people lined up outside by 8:30pm. Times are tough and fresh sushi is not.) But that sort of generosity made a great first impression on us.
(5)
Gill B.
Speedy and delicious! You can even opt for brown rice over white rice which I have found that many higher-end sushi places in the area don't do. A great local sushi joint!
(5)
Ben D.
I'm surprised this place wasn't better, I mean, they had real Mexicans making the sushi! Anyways, the sushi tasted like the inside of a fake leg. After soaking it with soy sauce and piling wasabi and ginger on it, it upgraded to awful. Half a star, which sucks because its a couple of blocks from my house. AVOID!!
(1)
Seth A.
How 'fresh' does a restaurant need to be to survive in Buckhead? While the bar is set pretty high (judging the by number of 1 & 2 star reviews), I think that Maki Fresh pulls off the casual Japanese motif well. On my recent visit to ATL, I found the restaurant to be one of highlights. Its not a five star sushi restaurant, but its by no means a Japanese-themed McDonalds. I like to splurge at restaurants while on vacation and ordered some appetizers on a recent visit-grilled edamame and tempura fried green beans. Yum yum! I followed it up with a chicken salad with ginger dressing. The bowl was enough to feed three people, filled with green beans, romaine lettuce, carrots, and cubed grilled chicken. Whoa nelly, it was tasty! I doubt that Japanese have a concept of salad dressing, but its clearly an American take on Japanese ingredients. I washed it down with strawberry green tea. Do Japanese grow strawberries? Who cares? If you're a Japanese food purist, you will be appalled by Maki Fresh. But if you have a taste for moderately priced and domesticated Japanese food, you too will realized that Maki Fresh is a fresh choice compared to pricey authentic Japanese joints and bland Americana. AND if you're a tourist like me, you'll be proud to boast to your friends that you did not go the Aquarium after eating at Mary Macs and seeing the Braves. Get off the beaten tourist path and save some hype, some pretense, and some money with fresh Japanese-inspired food!
(5)
Bailey B.
Maki Fresh is a brand new thing (as of this writing) located in the Peachtree Battle shopping center. It is inexpensive, excellent, and attractive. Ever wonder what casual restaurants are like in Japan? I mean, the full-blown sushi experience with lanterns and Kyoto-inspired detailing is pretty fancy, right? It's the Japanese equivalent of of a fine steakhouse here in America. So, what does a casual, every day restaurant look like in Japan? Enter Maki Fresh. If you have spent some time in Tokyo and miss the feel of the good, regular-day type restaurants serving fusion food in a clean, pleasant space for just a few yen, you'll be able to relive the experience here. This restaurant is the most "I can almost believe I'm back there" type place I have seen in the US. In addition, the food is outstanding, includes ample portions of flavorful raw fish if that's your thing, and incredibly affordable. I had a very nice dinner here, in the form of a rice bowl with sushi, for $12 including tip. Wow. Try that in Tokyo!
(5)
Kelly S.
Oh, Scoutmob, how I love thee. It was a combination of a craving for sushi and me being a total cheap ass that brought me to Maki Fresh. We had edamame, a green salad, and a few unadventurous rolls. Everything was pretty good, although it definitely wasn't the freshest tuna (but anything with "spicy tuna" in the description seldom is). But we left full and happy for not a lot of money. The restaurant is cute and modern. The employees were helpful and fast, if not super friendly. Saw Clark Howard while I was there, too! They also have beer, wine, and sake if you feel like gettin' a little boozey. It's in the Peachtree Battle shopping center, where Oxford bookstore used to be. (Anyone remember that? Good times.)
(3)
Jaymi C.
There's a little witticism that is usually applied to pizza: "It's like sex; even when it's just okay, it's still pretty awesome." I think the same can be said of sushi. Even just average sushi beats a burger any day. And the sushi was only just average. I ordered a spicy tuna roll, which was not only a little bland, but the tuna within was really mushy. The freshest part of that roll was the slivers of cucumber tucked in with the fish, and those slivers were miniscule. The tiger roll was a work of art - fried shrimp and a generous amount of avocado in the roll, topped with a lovely pink pile of shredded surimi. Very nice to look at. To eat? Eh. Again, the roll was kind of bland, the fried shrimp was a bit over cooked and with the thick crust it seemed like the kind of frozen, quick-fried shrimp you'd get at a Sizzler somewhere. On a whim I ordered onion rings, and those were actually the tastiest part of the whole meal. They were lightly fried with a tempura batter and came sprinkled with black sesame seeds and laced with a delicious spicy mayo sauce that I would have lapped up with a spoon. They also were offering a homemade strawberry-green tea lemonade that was out of this world! It was sweet, fruity, and herbal all at the same time and was absolutely refreshing. If I thought I could have gotten enough of a lead, I would jumped the counter and carried off the entire jar of that. The atmosphere is nice and clean, the decor is cheery, and it's easy to park, and I would have happily given it one more star, but the cold fact is that for what they are offering, the price is too high. Visually, the food is art, but I could get about the same quality and taste up the street at Publix and save a few bucks.
(3)
John E.
Let me preface my review as I believe many would categorize me as a bit of a sushi snob. I think of myself more as a purist than a snob - what I mean by that is that I like very fresh fish in largish portions either as sashimi or nigiri. I tend not to buy rolls with the exception of something really spicy (volcano or spicy tuna, for instance) or something like a rainbow roll where there's so much fish that you can still taste it over all the other stuff used in the roll. As for sushi buffets, I've found most to be rather on the crappy side (the fish is almost always frozen - the only way they can afford to serve so much of it and break even on costs) - however there are a few exceptions and I will occasionally visit a buffet, mostly due to the quick in-and-out nature as I don't always have a lot of time to enjoy my lunch. All of the above being said, I was relatively leery of Maki Fresh, more due to my own tastes, but secondarily due to my buffet experience (I know it's not a buffet but if you've been to one you'll know they rely heavily on rolls so my immediate thought was to place Maki in the same category). I was both mildly surprised at Maki, and at the same time disappointed. More to follow. The first thing I noticed was that the rice at Maki seemed a bit under-cooked and flavorless. I'm not sure if it was a bad night or what but there's nothing like "off" rice to turn me away from sushi (sushi really is all about the rice, in case you didn't know - and in that regard I am indeed a snob). I wanted a bit more vinegar and the right consistency (slightly sticky, not crunchy rice) so the rice was a bit of a negative to my experience. On the good side, I was surprised at some of the combination roles available at Maki - I especially liked the beet and cream cheese combination. I also liked the Ringo (eel, strawberry, jalepeno and cream cheese) and the BLT. Many of their rolls also contained jalepeno which is always a plus to me. Most of the others I didn't feel were either unusual enough or had strong enough flavors to pull off the combinations. I personally think that rolls should have rather strong flavors - try the rolls during the sushi lunch at Shout to see what I mean. I did like the ahi salad but it's nearly become a staple these days at many restaurants (especially Goldfish and the like in Atlanta) so Maki Fresh's version was on par. I tried a few other things but I especially disliked the chicken salad roll (not my thing I guess), didn't really like the asparagus (seemed "misplaced" in a roll) and I thought their version of spicy mayo a bit weak. On the flip side, I liked the drinks I sampled - the sakerita was much better than I had expected. As you can see my opinions are all over the place. Overall, I like the concept. I would have graded it 4 stars if the rice was better and the rolls a bit stronger in flavor. I think I'll wait a few months and see where this menu goes before returning - always good to see new concepts and I wish them good fortune.
(3)
Mustard Mayo I.
Pros: Cute decor Cons: Expensive for what it is, subpar sushi Yikes. This place is like Ru-San's without the bumping club music. I don't know if this is supposed to be the McDonald's of japanese food but it's neither cheap nor good. You know you're in the wrong place for sushi when 75% of the menu has cream cheese on it. There was so much mystery brown sauce on my sushi, I had to wipe it off on a napkin. You simply cannot take a shortcut with sushi. Save your money.
(1)
Jessica M.
Great chill place to enjoy pretty good sushi and not worry about "dining" or servers...its set up like fast food, except the price and taste are up to par with non fast food dining. I like this place....good music ...the free style coke machine can make anything you could ever want....and they even have a private back room for events. Not giving 5 stars bc i think the staff could be better, its not too hard to get an order right but twice its been messed up---the manager took care of it, but these are simple mistakes that would keep from a 5star...easy fixes and it def wont keep me from coming back. Great place i reccommend it!
(4)
Mahsa G.
Not a bad lunch sushi place. Good prices, especially if you split the Sushi sampler plate with a friend - $24 for 3 rolls and edamame. Sushi is not the best, but it's ok. We got the crunch crunch roll, spicy tuna, and tide roll. Service was fast but the cashier seemed irritated. Edamame had a little too much salt but was not bad otherwise. Buttttt.... I probably won't go back because I've had better sushi at Rusans.
(3)
Sherry W.
3.5 stars. I've been here twice, once on a regular weekday night and once for an event. The event was great -great staff, great service, plentiful sushi rolls and choices. However, this review is more based off my first visit. Maki Fresh is a very casual sushi dining establishment located in a shopping center in South Buckhead. You place your order at the cashier and then take a seat to wait for your food to be taken to you. We ordered a couple rolls, some better than others. The sushi is typical American fusion sushi, with mediocre fish quality. However, the items here are definitely cheaper.
(3)
Loren M.
Personally I don't understand all the haters. I come here all the time and I love it. It may not be authentic Japanese style sushi because they put things like strawberries, apples and bacon into their rolls, but that's what makes it unique. We don't need another run of the mill sushi place in Atlanta, and to say that Ru Sans is better? Thats absurd, that place cares more about yelling "sake bomb!" than making good sushi. My favorite roll is the Blossom roll with salmon, green apples, goat cheese, and lemon vinaigrette, it tastes so fresh and light, like no sushi roll I've ever had. My second favorite is the Ringo roll with eel, strawberry, jalapeno, and cream cheese, the flavor of this one is very unique, sweet, spicy and savory all at once. This place is great for inexpensive sushi with a unique twist. I hope they open more locations in Atlanta soon.
(5)
Kristy S.
I bought a Groupon for the sushi platter. I will agree with others that it is not "top shelf" sushi......but it was really great for the price. Even at regular price I feel it is a good deal. The rice seemed a little dried out and the wasabi was a bit dry and weak in flavor, but other than that it was good. I was suprised to like the pieces that had chicken in them, considering I would have never thought to use chicken in sushi! If you are looking for a good value this is a good place to go, however, I would admit that I prefer Publix sushi to Maki Fresh.
(4)
Ben-Sheryl B.
I have been to Maki Fresh a few times now, and everything that I have ordered has been great. The decor is nice, the staff is very friendly, and they have a Coca Cola Freestyle machine! Oh, and the food is delicious as well. So why didn't I give them five stars then? Well, for me the menu is too small. I don't think that there is enough variety in the rolls, and there isn't even nigiri on the menu. Another strike is that it took a little bit of time to get our food. Thankfully we ordered some edamame, and miso soup which helped to pass the time, but it took too long to get the food. Last strike is that you have to go up and order at a cash register. I would be more than happy to tip a server for waiting on me. All in all I will be going back, and I suggest that you do too. It will be my Buckhead sushi restaurant of choice until I find something better. EDIT : It's been a little while since I wrote this review and I wanted to change my stars from 4 to 5. After this place becoming a weekly stop for me, this place has sufficiently won me over! I frequent here at least twice a week now and every visit it is ALWAYS delicious! I have also learned they DO serve nigiri; you just have to ask for it! Delicious!!
(5)
Justin S.
I don't like write alot of review but i'll have to say this place is awesome. My only complaint is that it isn't open later. They have a very fancy sister restaurant called Jensei in Birmingham, AL. I use to go there all the time and drop $20 on the hamachi. When I came here the first time I didn't realize they used pretty much the same stuff! So yeah try the hamachi... if you like raw sushi (rolls are for girls!) then try the yellow fin. It is great! The kobayashi is really aweomse too although i probably didn't spell it right!
(5)
Dan D.
To call this a sushi place is wrong. Uninspired rolls presentation that is lacking. I make sushi as good as this and I don't make sushi. This should be listed as a fast food place where you wait for your food. If you want Sushi I do not recommend Maki Fresh. I only had Sushi so I can not comment on the rest of the menu.
(2)
Faith R.
I had a wonderful experience at Maki Fresh. At first, we didn't get our food until 30 minutes after we ordered. My Mom, cousin, and I became grumpy and frustrated. But it wasn't their fault. The store was swamped with a large crowd and their scoutmobs. To make up for the lateness, the owner not only comped one of our rolls, but she also gave us a coupon for a free roll the next time we visited the restaurant. On top of our free food, we were given more free food like their delicious green tea icing cookies, their house salad, and their delicious Ahi tuna salad. We really enjoyed Jennifer (the owner) and Ben's (our waiter's) kindness and hospitality. We will definitely return to Maki Fresh....maybe tonight!
(4)
Jackie L.
I normally like Maki Fresh, but today, I was very busy and called in a "to go" order. The man who answered the phone listened to my order, they were busy with a catering order, I understand, but when I got there to pick up my order, he said "you cancelled that order" and I said, "no I didn't", and he said I didn't give him my name and I did. I understand they were busy, but all I wanted was an apology and didn't appreciate the blame on me. I could have a big order one day as well and he took my order, but then seemed annoyed by me when I showed up.
(2)
JanieMac D.
So good! One of my favorite places in bham, so glad they finally opened one in Atl! Great sushi fast! Oh and I love everyone one of the sliders, but the chicken slider is my all time fav, so juicy!
(5)
Eric F.
We had a Groupon for a Maki tray and ventured from Roswell to Buckhead to retrieve it. Other than the fact that I would rather be beaten with chains than drive in Buckhead, the sushi was very good. Although I didn't eat in the restaurant it had nice decor and kind of a cool vibe.
(4)
Michael B.
Not much better than Publix
(2)
Ann N.
Not good. Really. I was very hopeful, but my food wasn't that great. I was there at noon on a Tuesday and no customers came in or out the entire time I was there. The seaweed salad, while generous in portion size, was very oily. The spicy tuna roll I ordered at the cashier's suggestion was , again, generous, but dry and tasteless. The two stars I did give this place is for ambiance, which is lovely, and for convenience. But if you really want easy, convenient AND tastes amazing, go down the road to Whole Foods.
(2)
michael f.
Nice little place - very clean and in the style of a far east fast food place. While we are not huge fans of ordering at the counter and sitting down (we prefer to be served) the food was very good for the price. The tuna sashimi was fresh and had an excellent taste to it (although you are very limited in terms of sashimi and nigiri but I suppose this is why the place is names Maki Fresh). The rolls are reasonably priced (6.95 to 9.995) and were prepared well. They could use more variety here but all in all it was a decent experience if you want a fast and inexpensive meal. It is rare to get decent sushi on the cheap and this place fits that bill. I would caution anyone though... I recommend this as a fast, inexpensive, and casual dining experience. If you would like a nice, sit down, and "real" sushi experience this is not the place. Hit Sakura off of lower roswell if you want that.
(4)
Bobbi L.
Quick and easy. Great music. Brown rice option!
(3)
Charlene W.
I came for the Yelp Elite event and the Maki Fresh staff were filling us with trays of sushi. YES! I had plates and plates of sushi, trying every roll they dished out: spicy tuna rolls, California rolls, veggie rolls, tiger rolls, Philadelphia rolls, and more. They also had chocolate chip green tea bars, a delicious fried rice with edamame (Tokyo Maki Bowl), and a strawberry green tea lemonade. All the sushi was pretty average, but the one thing that shocked me was the BLT roll. The second the bacon hit my mouth, I was stunned and mindblown! Bacon makes everything taste better, so why hasn't anyone put it in a roll before now?! I'm somewhat of a sushi snob, so despite eating way too much sushi, I thought Maki Fresh was only okay. Go with the signature (or specialty) rolls over the basic rolls and you'll be much happier. The non-sushi items dished up were surprisingly good.
(3)
Amanda G.
Really great attentive staff and good sushi, but Maki gets a 3 because of decor. I know it's hard to work within the walls of Atlanta, but starting off in a shopping center will make it difficult to create atmosphere. I think this is a great quick lunch place, but if you want something quaint, not quite so cookie cutter, you probably have to get out of buckhead.
(3)
Chelsey C.
Mass produced sushi... The food isn't bad but it certainly isn't great. Very middle of the road food.
(3)
S To The S.
The sushi here is less than impressive. I'd dare say that you can find better quality at Ru San's for half the price... which is saying something because I consider Ru San's the "fast food" of sushi places... I know their location in AL does fine, but this is Atlanta... our standards of "fresh maki" are much higher. Now, the restaurant establishment itself, and the decor, is really modern and chic. Its a lovely place to go eat, but the food isn't worth the trip. Even their salads and bowls are lackluster... I'd suggest they some inventive sauces to liven up the bowls and salads... and offer a better selection of "maki" on their limited sushi rolls list. Unfortunately, because this is located in Buckhead, it's hard to compete with other high-end, high-quality Japanese restaurants in the area... and I don't think Maki's menu appeals to the refine tastes of Buckhead diners. I would recommend that the owner move this restaurant to a different location... perhaps Chamblee, Druid Hills, or even Westside. The trendy decor, self-serve set-up, and high-tech drinking fountains cater to a younger crowd and this business would do much better near a college campus.
(3)
Brandon G.
I'm very confused. I see raving reviews but we were not impressed. We found out about this restaurant through Scoutmob and live 1 mile away so it made sense to try it out. I would compare it similar to Ru Sans sushi quality. I don't know if we were impressed enough to try it again.
(3)
Jennie K.
I am going to give it a 5 for what it is: a very quick, convenient sushi place. I feel like some are saying good things but giving it a 3 because it's not "high end". Well, that's not the market it's trying to compete in (it's called "casual", for crying out loud!) So, no, this is not a high end sushi bar; but I do think the food is very good and the establishment is much nicer than you find in a lot of quick bites in a shopping center. I think they have interesting rolls, the maki bowls are yum, and the grilled edamame is a MUST. We go here quite often, and I've never been disappointed.
(5)
Lacey M.
Awesome Awesome Awesome!!!! Best salmon sliders Ive ever had. Returned 3 days in a row
(5)
Iris L.
This was really good and casual! And I love having the option of brown rice!!! The sushi tasted fresh and there was just enough rice on the sushi. And plenty of options for everyone.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : Yes Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
M Q.
Great casual (and fresh) sushi. Kind of annoyed that my maki rolls looked like a hot mess when they arrived (see picture), but I've dined with them on multiple occasions with better results. Not to be overlooked--they could just work on their presentation.
(3)Sari S.
They do have excellent service! A great plus is how they have brown rice available. However, I am disappointed in the taste if the sushi rolls. If you're in a hurry and need to eat, it's certainly edible and will fill you up. I just wouldn't recommend eating here to appease your need of delicious sushi rolls.
(3)Thi T.
3.5 stars Maki rolls: 8 pieces, brown or white rice Blossom: salmon, green apples, arugula, goat cheese, lemon-thyme vinaigrette Sour, sweet vinaigrette with tart green apple. Gives it a light, fresh flavor. Goat cheese? I can barely see it, much less taste it. The other ingredients make up for this though. Signature maki: 8 pieces, brown or white rice Bamboo: spicy tuna, salmon, avocado, cream cheese, cucumber Hard to differentiate the different fish meld together. I could barely taste the spicy tuna at the tip of my tongue. They forgot the cream cheese initially. I didn't want to trouble them so I asked for it on the side to satiate my cream cheese craving. They were nice enough to stuff it back into the sushi. I got a rich amount. I'll try something different next time and check to make sure my cream cheese is not neglected. Cucumber draped on top didn't look crisp or the most fresh. I asked for spicy mayo and they gave a tiny little container enough for maybe one roll. I'm not sure if they normally charge for it. There's an electronic drink dispenser, for you soft drink and nerd fans. Plenty of booths and tables. Quick service. Friendly staff. Perfect for a quick meal.
(4)Jake R.
My friend had Maki Fresh platters for a dinner party and the sushi tastes like plain rice; no flavor, no spice, no enjoyment. Waste of money. I do not recommend.
(1)Lia P.
I really, really want to like Maki Fresh. I love the idea of a quick grab and go sushi spot but this one sort of misses the mark. First of all, they have a very limited menu. They only have a few sushi options which is tough if you're looking for a roll that uses raw fish that isn't one of their pricier options. The cheaper rolls are about $7 which would be okay if they weren't so skimpy. It would also be okay if they weren't going for more of a fast food model. I've also gotten the miso soup which is a generous serving but a little too salty for my taste. Customer service is generally friendly although there have been a couple times where no one was upfront other than one of the sushi chefs who didn't speak English and couldn't ring me up, I guess. He also couldn't get anyone for me so I ended up waiting a few minutes until someone came out of the kitchen area. An okay spot, but a little overpriced for the set up they have.
(3)Jasmine B.
This is a great option for a quick healthy lunch. Their Kokoyashi Bowl is my favorite...fresh chunks of tuna and cucumber over brown rice with a coconut sauce. Their veggies are always crisp and fresh, and the staff is super friendly and helpful. Their catering service is great too! I use them for work, and people are always so excited to have such fresh, healthy, yummy food.
(5)Ansley K.
I placed a large catering order. Nothing complicated or demanding - straight off their menu. MASSIVE PROBLEMS. #1 When I called the woman taking my order complained that she was "off the clock" but would do me a favor and take my order. She kept speaking under her breath about how she was supposed to be off the clock, gone, not working, etc. This is completely unprofessional regardless. #2 I gave a card # to hold the order. I informed and confirmed with the woman that we would pay in cash upon pickup. My card was charged. #3 I ordered several trays of sushi. 2 salads, 2 edam., 2 trays of sliders. Confirmed the order with her twice. Guess what ? We were only given one tray of sliders. Upon pickup we were told that it was two orders. It wasn't - it was one. We confirmed the count. The only good thing is that the office liked the lunch but we won't be ordering again since we're apparently in the way of the girl not working and the fact that they mess up the ordering process and don't communicate amongst their staff.
(2)Jenna S.
Great sushi, pleasant atmosphere and fantastic unexpected items like brussel sprouts. Highly recommend!
(5)Michael K.
Gave it a try and unfortunately, will not be returning. Pros: Free parking, friendly staff, fast service Cons: Overpriced given the quality I got the Teriyaki bowl. It was a good portion size. However, there wasn't much chicken compared to how big the rice serving was. The rice looked and tasted as though it was from an instant-microwavable rice bowl you get from H-Mart. It was also drenched in Teriyaki sauce, so I felt like I was just eating sauce with small morsels of chicken. I came here to get my "Asian fix". However, I won't be returning. There was nothing impressive about the menu or the quality of the food. I will say the place looks great and is clean. That's about it. The sushi didn't look too good either.
(2)Kristin L.
What a funny little place! You order at the counter , then sit. The manager (i think) was extremely helpful explaining almost the whole menu. I got the crispy Brussels (super yummy, tempura okra (good, especially with their creamy ginger salad dressing), and seaweed salad (standard but always delicious). Portions were satisfying. Suggestions: don't serve sauces in disposables. Doesn't jive with your vibe. I came in expecting some more traditional japanese fare like tofu adegashi, so consider adding a few options like that. Enjoyed very much!
(4)Theryl J.
Great sushi! They also do an Asian fusion take on the Chipotle "bowl" style of food with Asian-themed bowls.
(3)Dr Michael D.
Excellent service and great food for a reasonable price!!! Also very clean. We were very happy with our experience and will definitely be back.
(5)Anna J.
Crispy Brussels! Noms!! They are exceptional here, served on rice (you choose white or brown) with a teriyaki style sauce. I have to be totally honest. I haven't eaten much of anything else there, not a big vegetarian menu. But, who cares, there's crispy brussels!
(4)Nemil S.
Went for lunch and shared the following: Grilled Salmon Maki Bowl (1/5 stars at $11) - This came with a good size portion of salmon slathered with bbq glaze on top of brown rice, few shiitake mushrooms, raw carrots, cooked brussel sprouts, and bean sprouts. The salmon was tough and dry, like it had been taken out of the freezer, reheated, and served---and yet this was the best part of the dish. The rest of the plate was bland and didn't really go together. It required soy sauce and hot sauce to be edible. Samurai Roll (3/5 stars at $7) - I opted for the brown rice. This was a decent dish for the price with an okay taste. Left me with a "Meh. I've experienced better", but I was starving so I felt "A-OK" although (like all sushi places) left a little hungry. I realized that I still prefer white rice to brown rice on my rolls. It was a little weird because the rolls were served room temperature. The taste reminded me of the prepackaged sushi rolls that you get at Whole Foods, not bad...
(2)Latonia H.
We had the sushi sampler & tried the Crunch Crunch, Blossom, Makidoma then added the Kyoto roll, all were great. The Blossom tasted fresh like a salad ask for extra lemon-thyme vinaigrette it makes it perfect. The Makidoma & Kyoto were my favorite. The strawberry lemonade was great!
(4)Carrie Neal W.
Maybe it was because I started a talk thread about foods you rarely eat, and one of mine was sushi (enjoy it but don't crave it), and ended up wanting it for lunch today! Seeing as I was working from home as usual and in workout clothes, Maki Fresh was perfect! I checked out the menu online to see what might be perfect for today's lunch and was very pleased with my selection of the Bamboo roll. So good! Spicy tuna, salmon, avocado, just a bit of cream cheese and cucumber - interestingly, the cucumber is wrapped outside the roll. Delicious and very filling (I only ate half- 4 pieces- and took it with, but unfortunately spilled my container of soy sauce all over it in my bag and kinda ruined the leftovers. Next time, no sauce to go!). Quick, friendly service, and across the street! Whenever I want sushi in a hurry again, it's a go-to choice.
(4)Sarah P.
OK i ate here between church services at the cathedral. we traditionally go to the chinese restaurant down the street but we needed to move fast due to our call times. I ordered the hibachi bowl with no tomato. I wish i'd ordered the grilled edamame too, because THOSE ARE AWESOME. My bowl tasted pretty good but i was a little freaked out by the bright orange sauce all over the top - the sauce was good but i guess i could have done with less of it. i tried the brussels sprouts which were amazing, except what's with the rice in the bowl? i wanted sprouts not rice! Anyway, i'd go back and order a double edamame!!!!
(3)Judy L.
Maki Fresh is okay. It is a casual Japanese sushi restaurant. I had a Groupon to use for this place. The Groupon allowed for us to get 2 maki rolls,1 maki signature roll, and 2 drinks. We ordered the Crunch Crunch roll, the Samurai roll, and the Jinsei Special roll. -Crunch Crunch: tempura shrimp, avocado, cucumber, and japanese spicy sauce. -Samurai: tuna, asparagus, avocado, and cucumber. -Jinsei Special: tuna, hamachi, jalapeno, cilantro, and avocado. I really like the Crunch Crunch roll. I think the other ones are okay. I'm not much of a tuna fan. My boyfriend ordered it. I like salmon. I think the Jinsei Special roll is really unique. You have so many flavors and textures in it and you don't expect the jalapeno. If I were you, I'd definitely try it. The cool thing about this joint is that they have one of those cool Coca Cola machines that put out 120 or so variety of sodas. I opted out to try their green tea. It was pretty standard. They also have grab-and-go sushi rolls/dishes in the front. They have specials: Sundays: 2 maki rolls for $10 There are other specials on certain days on wine and there's a college/university student days where students get 10% off. The only bad thing that got to me about this place is the guy working at the cashier's/front. He seemed mad that we came in and barely spent anything because of the Groupon. I think the only reason why I would try this place again is if I was in the area and I was really craving for sushi without all the fancy smancy stuff that comes along with it. Straight up sushi.
(3)Janelle D.
My friend and I were craving sushi last Saturday, and the first place we stopped by was closed so we Yelped and found our way here. I was a little nervous at first. I admit it: I'm not a big sushi buffet fan nor do I like to order it at counters. I start to question the quality very easily when that happens. But I decided to go for it, placed my order at the counter and waited for it to be served. This is good, solid sushi that will take care of a craving and be a couple notches better than grocery store sushi. It hit the spot -- we got seaweed salad, which came with cucumbers and was very good, and miso soup, which came filled with mushrooms and was piping hot. I really liked the bubblegum roll. For less than $20, I had two rolls, a beer and soup. Not bad. You can choose whether you want brown rice or white rice. The veggie tempura rolls are really good and you get PLENTY for a couple of dollars. We ordered the okra and sweet potato rolls thinking it would be a couple of pieces each but we were wrong. We didn't finish them because we were stuffed by that point. It's good to know this is an option when other sushi places are closed before dinner.
(4)Stephanie M.
After all of the positive reading I decided to check it out and was not disappointed . All of the ingredients are fresh and you can even watch while they make they are making sushi , salads or bowls . The menu is rather small and simple , nothing complicated or fancy and you don't even have to dress up cause there super casual . Have had the Jinsei roll with out the cilantro and gotta say it was pretty tasty and filled with Tuna , Yellow tail and super fresh Advacado . I was just starting to eat it when a new flavor came into play a slice of jalapeno (didn't notice it on the menu) . The burn was a nice surprise and even made it a little more interesting . You could taste every flavor and will order this again . The Kokoyashi is an attractive dish with all of the colors popping . This is actually a bowl with choice of rice and topped with pieces of raw Tuna , seedless Cucumber and Scallions with a touch of soy sauce . Seaweed salad was even included big plus for that ! The flavor of the fish really stands out and didn't even have to use the dressing that it comes with . Don't feel like waiting , grab and go is by the front door .
(4)Michael B.
My first experience with Maki Fresh came during the Yelp Elite Sushi Shindig event a few months back. It was a very fun event highlighted by the wonderful sushi and other food items provided by Maki Fresh; we even got to roll our own sushi rolls during the event. After this event I wanted to wait until another visit before writing a review for Maki Fresh. I "liked" the Facebook Maki Fresh page and was able to score a 1/2 off coupon for their 80 piece sushi platter. So this past weekend we were having some guest over and I decided it was the perfect time to cash in the coupon and order a tray of sushi. We ended up getting 10 different roll on the platter; all of which were totally wonderful in appearance and taste. Some of the rolls that we ordered included: Crunch Crunch, Spicy Tuna, Makidoma, Ringo, and Samurai to name a few. Maki Fresh is great when craving sushi, whether you want to sit down to eat or grab some on the run. They offer both in house sushi dinners as well as prepacked sushi in the cooler out front. I'll certainly be back to Maki Fresh soon!
(4)Kelsi V.
I highly recommend the Kokoyashi and seaweed salad! Love Maki Fresh for lunch! I ate here one time prior to discovering the Kokoyashi and wasn't necessarily impressed but in my opinion you can't go wrong with that dish...I'm yet to try anything else. I tend to be the type that finds something I really like, and from then on when I go there I always order the same thing.... chances are if I'm going to that particular place I am craving the dish I know I really like.
(4)Will P.
Excellent experience today - the staff should be commended. After getting snubbed at Cheyenne Grill, we hoofed it over to Maki Fresh (my original idea - just saying) and had some delicious eats and great service. I had a grilled salmon on arugula that was excellent, solid; and a shrimp tempura roll with japanese may that was both really yummy and presented nicely. Despite being in a shopping center with absolutely insane drivers (beware slanted parking spaces - they make folks cray-zee), this joint is worth the visit. Will go back.
(3)Maria S.
Maki Fresh is a great casual restaurant with an excellent staff that aims to please. This is not the place to go for fine Japanese dining; sushi snobs take note. It is the place to go and share an assortment of maki rolls, along with a bottle of sake or a custom soda from the Coke Freestyle machine. Très cool. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the sushi rolls. Some were actually much better than rolls I've had at RA Sushi or Ru San's in Midtown. For an odd, but tasty twist on maki, try the BLT or the Ringo. The BLT comes with hickory smoked bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato. The Ringo is composed of eel, strawberry, jalapeño and cream cheese. Try it-- you might be surprised how much you like it. Both of these rolls can be prepared gluten free (GF) and Maki Fresh offers GF soy sauce as well. Just be sure to let the friendly and helpful staff know up front, and they'll tell you which menu items can be prepared GF. Even their bacon is GF! (I'll be letting Yelp readers know more about GF options in the future, as I was recently diagnosed with a wheat allergy.) My husband enjoyed their signature roll, the Makidoma, with cripsy rice cake, spicy tuna, avocado and jalapeño. He wasn't so hot on the Beetnik though, and he does like beets. Be warned. I spotted a couple enjoying the chicken maki bowls; they looked and smelled delicious. I might just have to try one on my next visit.
(4)T.A. B.
I was craving sushi, but didn't have a lot of time and was looking for something quick. Maki Fresh was exactly what I was looking for. The menu is semi limited, but just enough to get a sushi fix quickly. The man working the register (may have been the manager) was SO helpful. I was unsure what I wanted and he took a minute to explain things to me on the menu, as I had never been there before. I really appreciated that.
(3)Cherry L.
I wanted to like you Maki Fresh....but so sorry, im NOT a fan fan fan :( Dropped by for lunch today and overall, the food was mediocre at best. Between Nemil S. and I, we shared: -Grilled salmon bowl: SKIP THIS! This $10 rice bowl included brown rice (you can also get white rice), fried brussel sprouts, raw carrots, raw bean sprouts, [cooked] shitake mushrooms, a sizeable piece of thin/dry salmon, and teriyaki sauce on top. Everything just didn't taste good together--the raw veggies and brussels really took over the flavor of the entire bowl, making it very 'vegetably' flavor. Then add some mushy brown rice, dry salmon, and flavorless-i-came-out-of-a-jar teriyaki sauce--I had to spice it up with soy sauce and srirancha (FYI-they keep it behind the counter). I feel like there was so much opportunity to make this dish tasty...but sadly no...... -Samurai roll: IFFFFF I ever go back to Maki, I'd probably get this. Decently priced at $7 (for 8 pieces), the tuna tasted fine (I was scared it wasn't going to be fresh), the avocado added creaminess, and the asparagus and cucumber added some good texture. Another thing I found confusing and wanted to note: -Self serve wasabi, pickled ginger, and lemon (by the soda machine) -You also find straws, cup lids, plastic cups for wasabi/ginger, and chopsticks -No napkins -No other utensils So I guess the assumption that everyone will use chopsticks for their meals? Which is fine....but they brought a fork with my rice bowl? AND NO FEAR! THEY BRING YOU A NAPKIN WHEN THEY BRING OUT YOUR ORDER!
(2)Cat D.
I was not impressed. This is a good place if you want grocery store sushi, and don't mind paying a buck or two more for a nice place to sit down. The maki is fine. Nothing special, but not bad, however, the selection was very limited. I'd avoid the rice bowls - mine was a huge bowl of mushy, overcooked rice, doused in mayo sauce. The tempura shrimp and veggies were served on top of a bed of shredded cabbage and carrots... I guess so you can make a nice coleslaw with all that mayo?? The tempura okra was awful - the texture was unlike that of any okra I've had before - possibly keeping it frozen does that? I'm not sure. The shrimp was ok, but I wish it had been tempura battered instead of panko breaded.
(2)Julie S.
Love the blossom roll & bamboo roll. So good and on Sundays they have 2 rolls for $10, can't beat it!
(4)Shyam S.
My first visit to Maki Fresh was about a month ago in conjunction with a Yelp Elite event. My friend and I went to check it out and we liked the idea behind it - apparently it is the brainchild of the guy behind Zoe's Kitchen, so the idea of a pan-Asian and Asian-inspired fast casual place makes sense. We finally decided to check it out during the week and were not disappointed. There is way more here than just sushi; in fact, we didn't even try the sushi. We had the beef sliders, which are delicious due to the organic and locally-sourced beef, and which come with tempura onion rings, that have not been overly battered, and are quite tasty. We also shared the Thaiphoon brown rice bowl, which was so fresh that I thought I wast at Whole Foods. The whole meal was healthy and excellent and I am very happy to support this location. Oh and the manager is a really nice guy who actually comes to your table to drop off food - gasp! - and talks to you.
(4)Kevin C.
Staff - ok the first time, great the second. Food - meats have been pretty good, probably 4-star. Rice has been 1-star, maybe 2. The sushi is also 2-3 star sushi. An overall decent attempt at a quick Japanese-y menu. Nothing to write home about, but nothing to get too pissed over.
(3)Martha C.
When you order nigiri you get tiny pieces. Also goes for the wine. They do not pour you a full glass of wine either. Quality isn't that great either. Take your chances at Benihana next door.
(1)Kelsey F.
Maki Fresh is my number one, numero uno, always first choice, favorite sushi place in Atlanta. It is delicious, affordable, and super quick. I've been here about three times a month for the past year and have never had a bad experience. Order at the register, wait five minutes and your sushi is good to go. The menu features less traditional sushi than most places, but I have never been disappointed with an order. Best seaweed salad in this city- it is served with oranges and cucumbers. That unique twist along with the freshness of the seaweed is always a hit for my mouth. I would recommend trying their crispy, soy sauce brussel sprouts which are loved by all. If you are in a serious hurry, they have a to-go cooler with fresh made sushi and salads that you can swing by to pick up. Nothing too fancy or pretentious about Maki Fresh, but over all one of my essential Atlanta go to spots.
(5)Jing W.
I'm giving one star for the way my Groupon was honorred. I got a Groupon for a sushi tray and a side. Although it is stated that there are three sides to choose from, only one, edamame, was available. I was told that they did not have the ingredients to prepare coleslaw salad or potato salad. I was a bit late (slightly under 1 hr) to pick up my order coz something came up and to my horror, my food was left sitting on the countertop. I assume they finished the food before my pickup time so this means the food had been sitting there for over one hr!!! And it's sushi we're talking about. This is completely unacceptable. I don't know why my friend and I picked up the food still. This is not the end. The lady at the cash register was the MOST UNHELPFUL person ever (she was on shift in the evening on Oct 3rd). She let my friend carry a huge sushi tray with a large box of edamame and a bowl of soy sauce on top. There's no bag whatsoever. I had to ask the lady for a bag. She also didn't give us any chopsticks or napkins. I'm Asian so I didn't really need them but she could at least have offered. My overall impression is that they don't care about Groupon customers. Well, if you don't like us, don't offer Groupon. I don't want to have to ask for everything, it makes me feel like a beggar. As for the sushi. I'd say you get what you paid for. The rolls are mediocre but then they only cost $20 (6 rolls and a large side).
(1)Brittiany M.
Short and sweet : This restaurant is awesome and their service is amazing even if it is order at the register ! BUBBLEGUM ROLL IS THE BEST and the guys that make them are awesome.
(4)Alisa B.
Every time we go the food and service is very good. It is nice to have a place where you can get fast, quality food. One time they overcooked the Salmon, the next time I asked for medium rare.. and all was good.
(4)Joshua B.
I had never been to a Maki Fresh before I moved to Atlanta, so when I finally wandered in to this location I was immediately a fan. I'm no sushi snob, but these guys serve some of the best sushi I've ever tried. I like to take advantage of the 2 for $10 deal on the rolls so I can try all of them without paying too much. Their menu goes way beyond sushi, though. They also have sliders (salmon, chicken, and beef), salads, rice bowls, edamame, and crispy brussels. They have a large selection of beer and wine, and of course sake. The setup of the restaurant is similar to other fast-casuals. You go up to the cashier, place an order, you sit, they bring you food. Super simple. I've seen people often confused by the concept. The service here is phenomenal. The manager really knows his stuff, and he even hosts a sushi-making class in the conference room of the restaurant. The rest of the staff is top-notch, from the cashiers to the cooks.
(5)Asma A.
It's a small little joint, more like a fast food sushi type of place. Definitely there was a hype from the yelp shindig and I expected a lot more from This place, but it really was okay sushi. The only reason I came here was because I had a groupon and maybe I wouldn't have came there if there wasn't a groupon. Definitely better sushi spots, but this is a good place if you're looking for a casual sushi place to go to. the upside is the coke machine.. i love that machine...
(2)Lara M.
Bought a Groupon for a Sushi Making class before reading all the reviews so we were not expecting too much. However, we were very surprised and pleased! This is a fast casual sushi joint that provides unique menu options from the other sushi joints in town. The class instructor was knowledgeable and fun - the overall experience was well worth our time. Sushi was good and the strawberry green tea lemonade quite tasty!
(5)Emily G.
My disclaimer is that I do not eat seafood and I am not a fan of sushi because even the seaweed tastes fishy to me. I know that this immediately disqualifies me as a decent reviewer of a Sushi place, but hear me out.... I swear it will be helpful. After a Yelp Elite event, I found myself with a LOT of Maki fresh coupons and free food, enough to say "alright lets go use them, it will be cheap". Luckily, my date loves seafood, so he was all about it. He ordered the Maki Signature Roll, the "tide roll". It is salmon, crab, avocado, cream cheese, jalapeño all deep fried in tempura and served with a thick glaze on top. I didn't try it, but the sauce was amazing and he said that the roll itself was absolutely fantastic. Win for him. Now for this super-picky eater, I got the beetnik roll: beets, arugula and goat cheese rolled in rice paper instead of seaweed. Once I first tried it with soy sauce, it wasn't all that great... but then I ate it with the thin slices of ginger on top (and I little bit of the glaze from the tide roll) and it was absolutely outstanding... definitely the type of sushi I would eat. We were pretty full after that, but my dumb self had already ordered the kokoyashi bowl with chicken instead of tuna. It had white sticky rice, cucumber, coconut, scallions and a coconut lime dressing. This one.. was a bit weird. The rice is sticky (not fried) and it is served cold instead of hot. I wasn't a huge fan of the stringy green things (im assuming scallions?) and the dressing was all sorts of confusing. BUT- my date thought it was decent, so he ate it all. Overall experience was good. The rolls are excellent and the place is pretty nice. Although the rolls aren't particularly cheap ($10 for a signature roll won't make me come back all the time), they have coupons and offers all the time, so it is very easy to score yourself a deal and try a discounted item. The coke machine is a plus... just because I like playing with my food.
(4)Carrie B.
Have to admit I'm a little surprised about some of the reviews for Maki Fresh since everything I had was quite tasty. It's the perfect casual sushi place and the price point is perfect for what it is. I had never thought of salmon sliders, tossing the arugula w/ lemon basil vinaigrette and then topping the salmon with wasabi aioli was excellent! I wouldn't change a thing! The rolls were decent and sure they have some awesome ones in there (I'll know more with a few more visits). The also have the Coke Freestyle machine, which I'm convinced can make any day better! The decor is nice, parking is plentiful, even though I have to admit Peachtree Battle and the drivers around it scare me a bit. Go check it out and write your own review!
(4)Steve B.
Not great, not bad, eh eh it's ok. You have two main options if you want just average sushi. A) Go to your nearest grocery store. Check into Publix, Kroger, Food Lion, Stop & Shop whereever your local grocery store in the deli section or B) Maki Fresh. Basically they both taste the same. Nothing too ethnic or extravagant. There are a bunch of sushi places, almost too many to count for to by pass just for some average sushi in Atlanta. I guess the justification for Maki Fresh is if you are running errands around the city, you can grab this in between shopping, errands and all that other miscellaneous activities. Not sure what to reallly recommend. I had the crunch crunch and the shrimp on it was pretty good...it was recommended by the staff. If was good but put on a pedestal borderline overappraised. The only thing that stood out to me was the spicy chicken and philly. Those are the buy out sushi rolls at any establishment. Grade: C
(3)Rebecca C.
The Brussels sprouts were the best thing we tried, but overall underwhelming. No hot tea in this "Japanese" restaurant. Staff was friendly, everything was clean.
(3)Juan M.
First time back after the Yelp event (she had her baby and they both look great!). Love the place and the owner; went for a business lunch and the food was awesome. What makes it a 4 star instead of 3 is the attention to detail and good training of the staff. I need to make it a point to go over more often!
(4)Dina C.
It is like a Willy's or Moe's, but for sushi. It was fresh and decent. Rolls cost from $7 to $12. You order at the counter. I enjoy fresh raw sushi and I found many of their rolls to be fried and filled with cream cheese, with is very Americanized. However, I appreciate the concept and they would be a good choice for a super quick sushi fix.
(3)Leanne E.
The self service suishi is helpful when you are in a hurry. Decent food good pricing. Fends off hunger.
(3)Hannah E.
There I was, walking home in the freezing 40-something degree wind that was turning my hands blue, when I came upon the peachtree battle shopping center. Thinking I could get some miso soup to warm up before continuing my walk, I decided to go into Maki Fresh. When I smelled the food being made, I realized I would not be getting a miso soup after all. I have a lot of trouble deciding what to eat, so I asked all the workers for their opinions. Finally, the cashier offered me a deal, two maki for $10 (really, it's a steal - regular price is $7+ for one). If you can't decide, like me, maybe she will offer you the same. With two options, I went for the Blossom and Spicy Tuna. The blossom was very fresh with green apples and goat cheese, and I felt healthy eating it. This one even comes with some special sauce that is similar to a vinaigrette salad dressing. The spicy tuna is pretty basic, but hard to go wrong with. I didn't expect just the fish and cucumber to satisfy my taste buds, but this roll definitely was my favorite. I would absolutely order both again... But then again maybe I will try two new things next time!
(5)Akshata M.
Really nice place if your craving some quick sushi. While it doesn't have the biggest selection almost everything on the menu is appetizing and made fairly quickly. Spicy tuna roll was out of this world and you can pick brown or white rice. It also comes with this really nice sauce apart from soy and wasabi which is delicious. They really impressed me with the kids meal selection which comes with edamame, oranges rice and your choice of lean protein..my daughter ate it all! I love that its so close to home and when I don't feel like cooking its a much healthier option for all of us. I took away one star because they didn't get my order right the first time. But staff was really polite and friendly. We'll be visiting this one often.
(4)Mary M.
I went in for miso and seaweed salad takeout today-- first time there. The miso was served in a thin plastic to-go container, which was not holding up to the hot soup. The soup was overly salty and had a plastic flavor, probably due to the container. The seaweed salad was topped with some dry, stale cucumbers and the seaweed itself was of poor quality. I threw it away after the first two bites.
(1)Mary-Catherine W.
My favorite lunch spot! Not to mention I love this shopping center! It has everything, Boutiques, restaurants, H and F bottle shop, Publix, Drug Stores, Hardware Stores. They need MORE of these in the city! I always get the Kokoyashi Brown Rice Bowl. Its tuna, brown rice, dried coconut shavings, cucumber, soy sauce and a frothy coconut sauce with seaweed salad. They have an amazing selection of teas. And their sushi is innovative. Almost on the weird side. But I do like the blossom roll with salmon goat cheese and green apple. Different but good.
(4)Ben O.
I spotted a Maki Fresh employee buying supplies at the Doraville H mart and thought "hmm, this is a good sign". Sure enough, when I arrived at 8:45pm a few days after they opened, I was impressed by the freshness of their rolls (and that's really something when they close in 15 minutes). Oh, did I mention I got there 15 minutes before they closed? Yeah, I got there 15 minutes before they closed. And you know what they said on our way out? "By the way, if you want, you can just have whatever's left in the quick-picks cooler. We have to throw it out every night anyway." SUSHI FOR LUNCH THE NEXT DAY! And I have to say that it was tasty, but the freshness is really worth paying for. (Also, I don't expect that they'll get into the habit of doing that or else they'll have people lined up outside by 8:30pm. Times are tough and fresh sushi is not.) But that sort of generosity made a great first impression on us.
(5)Gill B.
Speedy and delicious! You can even opt for brown rice over white rice which I have found that many higher-end sushi places in the area don't do. A great local sushi joint!
(5)Ben D.
I'm surprised this place wasn't better, I mean, they had real Mexicans making the sushi! Anyways, the sushi tasted like the inside of a fake leg. After soaking it with soy sauce and piling wasabi and ginger on it, it upgraded to awful. Half a star, which sucks because its a couple of blocks from my house. AVOID!!
(1)Seth A.
How 'fresh' does a restaurant need to be to survive in Buckhead? While the bar is set pretty high (judging the by number of 1 & 2 star reviews), I think that Maki Fresh pulls off the casual Japanese motif well. On my recent visit to ATL, I found the restaurant to be one of highlights. Its not a five star sushi restaurant, but its by no means a Japanese-themed McDonalds. I like to splurge at restaurants while on vacation and ordered some appetizers on a recent visit-grilled edamame and tempura fried green beans. Yum yum! I followed it up with a chicken salad with ginger dressing. The bowl was enough to feed three people, filled with green beans, romaine lettuce, carrots, and cubed grilled chicken. Whoa nelly, it was tasty! I doubt that Japanese have a concept of salad dressing, but its clearly an American take on Japanese ingredients. I washed it down with strawberry green tea. Do Japanese grow strawberries? Who cares? If you're a Japanese food purist, you will be appalled by Maki Fresh. But if you have a taste for moderately priced and domesticated Japanese food, you too will realized that Maki Fresh is a fresh choice compared to pricey authentic Japanese joints and bland Americana. AND if you're a tourist like me, you'll be proud to boast to your friends that you did not go the Aquarium after eating at Mary Macs and seeing the Braves. Get off the beaten tourist path and save some hype, some pretense, and some money with fresh Japanese-inspired food!
(5)Bailey B.
Maki Fresh is a brand new thing (as of this writing) located in the Peachtree Battle shopping center. It is inexpensive, excellent, and attractive. Ever wonder what casual restaurants are like in Japan? I mean, the full-blown sushi experience with lanterns and Kyoto-inspired detailing is pretty fancy, right? It's the Japanese equivalent of of a fine steakhouse here in America. So, what does a casual, every day restaurant look like in Japan? Enter Maki Fresh. If you have spent some time in Tokyo and miss the feel of the good, regular-day type restaurants serving fusion food in a clean, pleasant space for just a few yen, you'll be able to relive the experience here. This restaurant is the most "I can almost believe I'm back there" type place I have seen in the US. In addition, the food is outstanding, includes ample portions of flavorful raw fish if that's your thing, and incredibly affordable. I had a very nice dinner here, in the form of a rice bowl with sushi, for $12 including tip. Wow. Try that in Tokyo!
(5)Kelly S.
Oh, Scoutmob, how I love thee. It was a combination of a craving for sushi and me being a total cheap ass that brought me to Maki Fresh. We had edamame, a green salad, and a few unadventurous rolls. Everything was pretty good, although it definitely wasn't the freshest tuna (but anything with "spicy tuna" in the description seldom is). But we left full and happy for not a lot of money. The restaurant is cute and modern. The employees were helpful and fast, if not super friendly. Saw Clark Howard while I was there, too! They also have beer, wine, and sake if you feel like gettin' a little boozey. It's in the Peachtree Battle shopping center, where Oxford bookstore used to be. (Anyone remember that? Good times.)
(3)Jaymi C.
There's a little witticism that is usually applied to pizza: "It's like sex; even when it's just okay, it's still pretty awesome." I think the same can be said of sushi. Even just average sushi beats a burger any day. And the sushi was only just average. I ordered a spicy tuna roll, which was not only a little bland, but the tuna within was really mushy. The freshest part of that roll was the slivers of cucumber tucked in with the fish, and those slivers were miniscule. The tiger roll was a work of art - fried shrimp and a generous amount of avocado in the roll, topped with a lovely pink pile of shredded surimi. Very nice to look at. To eat? Eh. Again, the roll was kind of bland, the fried shrimp was a bit over cooked and with the thick crust it seemed like the kind of frozen, quick-fried shrimp you'd get at a Sizzler somewhere. On a whim I ordered onion rings, and those were actually the tastiest part of the whole meal. They were lightly fried with a tempura batter and came sprinkled with black sesame seeds and laced with a delicious spicy mayo sauce that I would have lapped up with a spoon. They also were offering a homemade strawberry-green tea lemonade that was out of this world! It was sweet, fruity, and herbal all at the same time and was absolutely refreshing. If I thought I could have gotten enough of a lead, I would jumped the counter and carried off the entire jar of that. The atmosphere is nice and clean, the decor is cheery, and it's easy to park, and I would have happily given it one more star, but the cold fact is that for what they are offering, the price is too high. Visually, the food is art, but I could get about the same quality and taste up the street at Publix and save a few bucks.
(3)John E.
Let me preface my review as I believe many would categorize me as a bit of a sushi snob. I think of myself more as a purist than a snob - what I mean by that is that I like very fresh fish in largish portions either as sashimi or nigiri. I tend not to buy rolls with the exception of something really spicy (volcano or spicy tuna, for instance) or something like a rainbow roll where there's so much fish that you can still taste it over all the other stuff used in the roll. As for sushi buffets, I've found most to be rather on the crappy side (the fish is almost always frozen - the only way they can afford to serve so much of it and break even on costs) - however there are a few exceptions and I will occasionally visit a buffet, mostly due to the quick in-and-out nature as I don't always have a lot of time to enjoy my lunch. All of the above being said, I was relatively leery of Maki Fresh, more due to my own tastes, but secondarily due to my buffet experience (I know it's not a buffet but if you've been to one you'll know they rely heavily on rolls so my immediate thought was to place Maki in the same category). I was both mildly surprised at Maki, and at the same time disappointed. More to follow. The first thing I noticed was that the rice at Maki seemed a bit under-cooked and flavorless. I'm not sure if it was a bad night or what but there's nothing like "off" rice to turn me away from sushi (sushi really is all about the rice, in case you didn't know - and in that regard I am indeed a snob). I wanted a bit more vinegar and the right consistency (slightly sticky, not crunchy rice) so the rice was a bit of a negative to my experience. On the good side, I was surprised at some of the combination roles available at Maki - I especially liked the beet and cream cheese combination. I also liked the Ringo (eel, strawberry, jalepeno and cream cheese) and the BLT. Many of their rolls also contained jalepeno which is always a plus to me. Most of the others I didn't feel were either unusual enough or had strong enough flavors to pull off the combinations. I personally think that rolls should have rather strong flavors - try the rolls during the sushi lunch at Shout to see what I mean. I did like the ahi salad but it's nearly become a staple these days at many restaurants (especially Goldfish and the like in Atlanta) so Maki Fresh's version was on par. I tried a few other things but I especially disliked the chicken salad roll (not my thing I guess), didn't really like the asparagus (seemed "misplaced" in a roll) and I thought their version of spicy mayo a bit weak. On the flip side, I liked the drinks I sampled - the sakerita was much better than I had expected. As you can see my opinions are all over the place. Overall, I like the concept. I would have graded it 4 stars if the rice was better and the rolls a bit stronger in flavor. I think I'll wait a few months and see where this menu goes before returning - always good to see new concepts and I wish them good fortune.
(3)Mustard Mayo I.
Pros: Cute decor Cons: Expensive for what it is, subpar sushi Yikes. This place is like Ru-San's without the bumping club music. I don't know if this is supposed to be the McDonald's of japanese food but it's neither cheap nor good. You know you're in the wrong place for sushi when 75% of the menu has cream cheese on it. There was so much mystery brown sauce on my sushi, I had to wipe it off on a napkin. You simply cannot take a shortcut with sushi. Save your money.
(1)Jessica M.
Great chill place to enjoy pretty good sushi and not worry about "dining" or servers...its set up like fast food, except the price and taste are up to par with non fast food dining. I like this place....good music ...the free style coke machine can make anything you could ever want....and they even have a private back room for events. Not giving 5 stars bc i think the staff could be better, its not too hard to get an order right but twice its been messed up---the manager took care of it, but these are simple mistakes that would keep from a 5star...easy fixes and it def wont keep me from coming back. Great place i reccommend it!
(4)Mahsa G.
Not a bad lunch sushi place. Good prices, especially if you split the Sushi sampler plate with a friend - $24 for 3 rolls and edamame. Sushi is not the best, but it's ok. We got the crunch crunch roll, spicy tuna, and tide roll. Service was fast but the cashier seemed irritated. Edamame had a little too much salt but was not bad otherwise. Buttttt.... I probably won't go back because I've had better sushi at Rusans.
(3)Sherry W.
3.5 stars. I've been here twice, once on a regular weekday night and once for an event. The event was great -great staff, great service, plentiful sushi rolls and choices. However, this review is more based off my first visit. Maki Fresh is a very casual sushi dining establishment located in a shopping center in South Buckhead. You place your order at the cashier and then take a seat to wait for your food to be taken to you. We ordered a couple rolls, some better than others. The sushi is typical American fusion sushi, with mediocre fish quality. However, the items here are definitely cheaper.
(3)Loren M.
Personally I don't understand all the haters. I come here all the time and I love it. It may not be authentic Japanese style sushi because they put things like strawberries, apples and bacon into their rolls, but that's what makes it unique. We don't need another run of the mill sushi place in Atlanta, and to say that Ru Sans is better? Thats absurd, that place cares more about yelling "sake bomb!" than making good sushi. My favorite roll is the Blossom roll with salmon, green apples, goat cheese, and lemon vinaigrette, it tastes so fresh and light, like no sushi roll I've ever had. My second favorite is the Ringo roll with eel, strawberry, jalapeno, and cream cheese, the flavor of this one is very unique, sweet, spicy and savory all at once. This place is great for inexpensive sushi with a unique twist. I hope they open more locations in Atlanta soon.
(5)Kristy S.
I bought a Groupon for the sushi platter. I will agree with others that it is not "top shelf" sushi......but it was really great for the price. Even at regular price I feel it is a good deal. The rice seemed a little dried out and the wasabi was a bit dry and weak in flavor, but other than that it was good. I was suprised to like the pieces that had chicken in them, considering I would have never thought to use chicken in sushi! If you are looking for a good value this is a good place to go, however, I would admit that I prefer Publix sushi to Maki Fresh.
(4)Ben-Sheryl B.
I have been to Maki Fresh a few times now, and everything that I have ordered has been great. The decor is nice, the staff is very friendly, and they have a Coca Cola Freestyle machine! Oh, and the food is delicious as well. So why didn't I give them five stars then? Well, for me the menu is too small. I don't think that there is enough variety in the rolls, and there isn't even nigiri on the menu. Another strike is that it took a little bit of time to get our food. Thankfully we ordered some edamame, and miso soup which helped to pass the time, but it took too long to get the food. Last strike is that you have to go up and order at a cash register. I would be more than happy to tip a server for waiting on me. All in all I will be going back, and I suggest that you do too. It will be my Buckhead sushi restaurant of choice until I find something better. EDIT : It's been a little while since I wrote this review and I wanted to change my stars from 4 to 5. After this place becoming a weekly stop for me, this place has sufficiently won me over! I frequent here at least twice a week now and every visit it is ALWAYS delicious! I have also learned they DO serve nigiri; you just have to ask for it! Delicious!!
(5)Justin S.
I don't like write alot of review but i'll have to say this place is awesome. My only complaint is that it isn't open later. They have a very fancy sister restaurant called Jensei in Birmingham, AL. I use to go there all the time and drop $20 on the hamachi. When I came here the first time I didn't realize they used pretty much the same stuff! So yeah try the hamachi... if you like raw sushi (rolls are for girls!) then try the yellow fin. It is great! The kobayashi is really aweomse too although i probably didn't spell it right!
(5)Dan D.
To call this a sushi place is wrong. Uninspired rolls presentation that is lacking. I make sushi as good as this and I don't make sushi. This should be listed as a fast food place where you wait for your food. If you want Sushi I do not recommend Maki Fresh. I only had Sushi so I can not comment on the rest of the menu.
(2)Faith R.
I had a wonderful experience at Maki Fresh. At first, we didn't get our food until 30 minutes after we ordered. My Mom, cousin, and I became grumpy and frustrated. But it wasn't their fault. The store was swamped with a large crowd and their scoutmobs. To make up for the lateness, the owner not only comped one of our rolls, but she also gave us a coupon for a free roll the next time we visited the restaurant. On top of our free food, we were given more free food like their delicious green tea icing cookies, their house salad, and their delicious Ahi tuna salad. We really enjoyed Jennifer (the owner) and Ben's (our waiter's) kindness and hospitality. We will definitely return to Maki Fresh....maybe tonight!
(4)Jackie L.
I normally like Maki Fresh, but today, I was very busy and called in a "to go" order. The man who answered the phone listened to my order, they were busy with a catering order, I understand, but when I got there to pick up my order, he said "you cancelled that order" and I said, "no I didn't", and he said I didn't give him my name and I did. I understand they were busy, but all I wanted was an apology and didn't appreciate the blame on me. I could have a big order one day as well and he took my order, but then seemed annoyed by me when I showed up.
(2)JanieMac D.
So good! One of my favorite places in bham, so glad they finally opened one in Atl! Great sushi fast! Oh and I love everyone one of the sliders, but the chicken slider is my all time fav, so juicy!
(5)Eric F.
We had a Groupon for a Maki tray and ventured from Roswell to Buckhead to retrieve it. Other than the fact that I would rather be beaten with chains than drive in Buckhead, the sushi was very good. Although I didn't eat in the restaurant it had nice decor and kind of a cool vibe.
(4)Michael B.
Not much better than Publix
(2)Ann N.
Not good. Really. I was very hopeful, but my food wasn't that great. I was there at noon on a Tuesday and no customers came in or out the entire time I was there. The seaweed salad, while generous in portion size, was very oily. The spicy tuna roll I ordered at the cashier's suggestion was , again, generous, but dry and tasteless. The two stars I did give this place is for ambiance, which is lovely, and for convenience. But if you really want easy, convenient AND tastes amazing, go down the road to Whole Foods.
(2)michael f.
Nice little place - very clean and in the style of a far east fast food place. While we are not huge fans of ordering at the counter and sitting down (we prefer to be served) the food was very good for the price. The tuna sashimi was fresh and had an excellent taste to it (although you are very limited in terms of sashimi and nigiri but I suppose this is why the place is names Maki Fresh). The rolls are reasonably priced (6.95 to 9.995) and were prepared well. They could use more variety here but all in all it was a decent experience if you want a fast and inexpensive meal. It is rare to get decent sushi on the cheap and this place fits that bill. I would caution anyone though... I recommend this as a fast, inexpensive, and casual dining experience. If you would like a nice, sit down, and "real" sushi experience this is not the place. Hit Sakura off of lower roswell if you want that.
(4)Bobbi L.
Quick and easy. Great music. Brown rice option!
(3)Charlene W.
I came for the Yelp Elite event and the Maki Fresh staff were filling us with trays of sushi. YES! I had plates and plates of sushi, trying every roll they dished out: spicy tuna rolls, California rolls, veggie rolls, tiger rolls, Philadelphia rolls, and more. They also had chocolate chip green tea bars, a delicious fried rice with edamame (Tokyo Maki Bowl), and a strawberry green tea lemonade. All the sushi was pretty average, but the one thing that shocked me was the BLT roll. The second the bacon hit my mouth, I was stunned and mindblown! Bacon makes everything taste better, so why hasn't anyone put it in a roll before now?! I'm somewhat of a sushi snob, so despite eating way too much sushi, I thought Maki Fresh was only okay. Go with the signature (or specialty) rolls over the basic rolls and you'll be much happier. The non-sushi items dished up were surprisingly good.
(3)Amanda G.
Really great attentive staff and good sushi, but Maki gets a 3 because of decor. I know it's hard to work within the walls of Atlanta, but starting off in a shopping center will make it difficult to create atmosphere. I think this is a great quick lunch place, but if you want something quaint, not quite so cookie cutter, you probably have to get out of buckhead.
(3)Chelsey C.
Mass produced sushi... The food isn't bad but it certainly isn't great. Very middle of the road food.
(3)S To The S.
The sushi here is less than impressive. I'd dare say that you can find better quality at Ru San's for half the price... which is saying something because I consider Ru San's the "fast food" of sushi places... I know their location in AL does fine, but this is Atlanta... our standards of "fresh maki" are much higher. Now, the restaurant establishment itself, and the decor, is really modern and chic. Its a lovely place to go eat, but the food isn't worth the trip. Even their salads and bowls are lackluster... I'd suggest they some inventive sauces to liven up the bowls and salads... and offer a better selection of "maki" on their limited sushi rolls list. Unfortunately, because this is located in Buckhead, it's hard to compete with other high-end, high-quality Japanese restaurants in the area... and I don't think Maki's menu appeals to the refine tastes of Buckhead diners. I would recommend that the owner move this restaurant to a different location... perhaps Chamblee, Druid Hills, or even Westside. The trendy decor, self-serve set-up, and high-tech drinking fountains cater to a younger crowd and this business would do much better near a college campus.
(3)Brandon G.
I'm very confused. I see raving reviews but we were not impressed. We found out about this restaurant through Scoutmob and live 1 mile away so it made sense to try it out. I would compare it similar to Ru Sans sushi quality. I don't know if we were impressed enough to try it again.
(3)Jennie K.
I am going to give it a 5 for what it is: a very quick, convenient sushi place. I feel like some are saying good things but giving it a 3 because it's not "high end". Well, that's not the market it's trying to compete in (it's called "casual", for crying out loud!) So, no, this is not a high end sushi bar; but I do think the food is very good and the establishment is much nicer than you find in a lot of quick bites in a shopping center. I think they have interesting rolls, the maki bowls are yum, and the grilled edamame is a MUST. We go here quite often, and I've never been disappointed.
(5)Lacey M.
Awesome Awesome Awesome!!!! Best salmon sliders Ive ever had. Returned 3 days in a row
(5)Iris L.
This was really good and casual! And I love having the option of brown rice!!! The sushi tasted fresh and there was just enough rice on the sushi. And plenty of options for everyone.
(4)