I had lunch at Wasabi a couple of times when they were new and had good experiences. The food was OK and the service was above average. I had dinner there recently and ordered snow crab rolls. They had a sour taste which led me to believe that the snow crab had spoiled. The service had gone downhill also. I doubt that I'll be back.
(3)
Maria T.
I always have a great time at Wasabi. Go in, get a bottle of Sake, the Money Roll and the Yellow Dragon Roll. The clear soup is solid, and I've never gone wrong here.
(5)
Steve C.
Good martini. Pleasant service. They list conch on the sushi menu which delighted me, only to be told after I ordered it that they stopped carrying it some time ago. Rice paper roll outstanding. Fresh and stuffed with vegetables. Yellow tail roll very tasty as well. Noisy bar blessedly separated from main dining room. Found the dining room too brightly lit, however. I don't know why this concerned me, but for a dinner after the sun has set one rather expects a less Shoney's-like ambience. But, it's a casual neighborhood joint so take it as it comes. I enjoyed my meal and look forward to wandering in again.
(3)
Holly G.
What a strange place. We went one day after work at about 6 pm. When we pulled up we thought the place was closed, then we went inside and really thought they were closed. It's a big place but we were the only ones there. Red flag? Maybe, but we persevered. Good thing! The sushi was great, especially their special roll. The miso soup was different but had a good flavor. The crabmeat salad was tasty and fresh. Service was good though I could have done without the loud pop music playing in the background. My only question is...why don't more people go here?
(4)
Jared P.
My husband and I came to Wasabi during dinner and there wasn't one customer in the whole restaurant. The waiter was asleep in a front booth so we walked right out.
(1)
Erin P.
My husband and I stumbled on this place one night as we were driving around aimlessly looking for somewhere to eat. It looked slow and we were hungry so we popped in to check it out. The place is pretty large with a bar area on one side and a dining room/sushi bar on the other. We were promptly seated in the dining room and shortly a waitress came to offer hot towels and take our order. We had appetizers (LOVE the gyosa here!) as well as a number of sushi rolls. It isn't the best sushi I've ever had but the service was quick and courteous and it definitely is at least an 8 out of 10. We've been back several times since then and Wasabi Lakeview is now our go-to sushi stop, at least on weeknights when we aren't looking to venture out of the neighborhood.
(4)
D V.
I have to say I like this location better than the Frenchmen Street location. I've been to the Frenchmen location during the weekdays and several times there was an odd smell lingering through the place. That makes it a little hard to enjoy your lunch. The sushi is always fresh and I love the gyoza. They are delicious.
(4)
Amanda C.
Either I have a limited knowledge of sushi in New Orleans, or I still haven't been to the right place. I got the tempura snow crab roll, an avocado roll and seaweed salad. The seaweed salad was great but everything else was...eh. The prices were pretty fair and the location/restaurant was nice but I'd sit in a booster chair in an alley if it meant I could eat delicious sushi. So, the hunt continues.
(2)
Kimberly S.
I think the main attraction for neighborhood goers is the convenience because it definitely it not the food! I went to eat there with some friends and my snowcrab salad was not fresh!!!!!!!!!!!!! Which I think is the general consensus since they are never busy I worry most of their fish isn't fresh. I decided to try it again and ordered to pick-up - and I ordered a rainbow roll and it was THE most unattractive presentation of sushi I have ever seen. VERY SLOPPY!!!! I officially throw in the towel and give up on Wasabi.
(1)
Brittany N.
We only went here for the location, because it was convenient. There is not much to say other than the service, food, and atmosphere were just A-OK. It would have been nice to see some sort of happy hour special/menu. At 5:15 on a week night, they had nothing of the sort going on.
(3)
Anna T.
PLEH. I eat sushi all the time. I eat all kinds of sushi. I am not a sushi snob by any means (I mean, I love me some buffet sushi from places like Oki Nago), but Wasabi was definitely a big ol' disappointment. Ordered four of the specialty rolls which were about $14 each (not a crazy price for fresh sushi...but....) The specialty rolls were small, they doused almost everything in mayo and they put lettuce (doused in mayo) in and on top of their rolls? I don't get it. Was it some kind of filler? Was it supposed to add to the taste? Either way it was lame. (Yes, they do put lettuce in the description of the rolls, so I guess I should have known what I was getting into... I just didn't think it would be so... PLEH.) Prices not worth it for the roll size and quality of the food.
(1)
Lyz L.
Parking was decent. The lighting wasn't too bright, but neither too dim, and the decor is Asian marine - inviting enough for a dinner with friends. Take care to note the subtle slope in the floor towards the main dining area; I was fine, but I immediately thought of my mother with her bad knees and her tendency to stumble when the floor's not where she thought it was going to be. The edamame was almost too salty, and the portion was rather small compared to Rock-N-Sake. The hamachi kama was dry, but the ponzu sauce was great. The main yellow dragon roll was tasty. It seemed as though they skimped on some of the tuna for the tuna box, though, and tried to make up for it with excess avocado and roe. My overall impression was that everything was delicious enough for the large group meal I was enjoying with friends. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't fantastic, either. And due to its tucked-away-in-Lakeview location, I probably won't seek this place out on a regular basis, unless a friend suggests it. For me, this is one of those "Ehh, I could go for that" kind of places.
(3)
Mary Katherine B.
I am eating their $14, Poke Salad as I write this. That's right, $14. This is not the freshest or best I've had, but I don't really expect it to be. Lakeview isn't really known for their restaurants. Consisting mostly of cucumber and a little seaweed, tuna, eel. The sauce is a little spicy, which I like.
(3)
Danielle K.
This place has wonderful ambience and moreover really fresh fish. I was told to go to the Lakeview location as opposed to the French Quarter because it's bigger and cleaner. The prices are pretty reasonable. We got food enough to fill us for under $60. Definitely try the salmon sashimi. The only thing I found weird is that most rolls have asparagus and I'm not a fan of asparagus.
(4)
Brad T.
I'm not a sushi connoisseur, and admittedly my taste in the Japanese food craze is waning lately. But, the food here is reasonably priced and tastes good. Generally when my wife and I go here, we get a handful of rolls along with a full meal. Pro's: 1) Food: Good and reasonably priced. 2) Atmosphere: Very nice inside, but usually quite empty. 3) Wait staff: Friendly and no problems with order. 4) Parking: Easy. Con's: None really.
(4)
Andrea F.
I have only been for lunch. Walking in, you have to walk back to the back where you are directed to a table. It is dimly lit. The restaurant is very neat and clean. The wait staff are prompt and attentive. They are also quick with the beverage refills. Most of the time, I order a teriyaki rice bowl of some sort. Today, I ordered the mango fresh roll. Oh. My. Goodness. It was delicious. I look forward to coming back!
(4)
Erin M.
I went here Thursday night. I got the tuna sashimi which was very fresh and good. The wine and Black and Gold sake were flowing. I am a fan and the bartender Joe is fabulous!!!
(4)
Nina N.
I love this place, good food but prices are slightly higher than some other places...
(3)
Maura Z.
Wasabi is a solid 3 to 4 stars for sushi. I live really close Wasabi and I swear, they must do a big lunch business because I don't know how they stay open...there never seems to be anyone here at night. We came a couple times about 2 years ago and weren't really impressed in any way, but recently we've been coming back after being lured in with a Groupon and have been pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of their sushi. We're experiencing a Wasabi revival and I do recommend that you give it a try. We love the LSU roll, Mango Sweet roll, and Firecracker roll with jalapeño all up in it. Wasabi has a really nice atmosphere and good service. One side is the restaurant and the other side is a full service bar. I just wish it were more lively when we come in here.
(3)
Katie S.
I have a lot of mixed feelings when it comes to sifting through my numerous Wasabi adventures. I used to come here all the time for their lunch and happy hour specials and the sushi has always been consistently good. There is a woman who works the sushi bar (I think she is the manager?) and she makes some BOMB sushi! She is possibly one of the best sushi chefs I've ever met. I actually used to get really excited when I came and saw she was working because I knew it would be a great experience. Joe, the bartender/owner is a super nice guy and he's great for a fun chat if you are feeling social and want to sit at the bar and make small talk. All in all...you would think I would have no issue with this place since I am clearly a repeating customer...HOWEVER...this place has a LOT of inconsistencies with their service. So many inconsistencies, in fact, that it makes it really hard for me to really endorse this restaurant in good faith. Ordinarily I would say the food quality at this place is 4 stars, but the service is consistently a definite 1-2 depending on the night. I haven't been to their other locations so I can't speak for them, but I might have just had one too many bad experiences here to come back in recent days. We came in on a Saturday evening with a group of 4. My group rallied and ranked many nearby restaurant possibilities before leaving a nearby bar and I was actually the one who encourage them to come and try Wasabi. I hadn't been back there in awhile, but I was nearly certain they would enjoy themselves and at least love the food even if the service happened to be slow (as usual). We sat down and it took them 10 minutes before acknowledging us (ok fair enough, seems like business as usual), and then another 10 minute for waters to arrive and then the server promptly left before we could give him our order, then another 10 minutes went by and he finally came to take our order, then 20 minutes went by just to produce 2 sushi rolls. We wanted to order more but our server NEVER came back to our table. He didn't refill our waters or ask us how we were doing or anything, he just dropped off the food and never came back. We finally just walked over to the sushi bar and told the sushi chef that we wanted more rolls, which his response was "ok I get your server soon" (the woman sushi chef that I previously mentioned was not working on this night). I kid you not, we were there for about an hour and half and all we could get out of this place were 2 rolls...and we were absolutely starving! Wasabi's service has always been pretty slow and unimpressive...but this was just ridiculous. We waited and waited to close out our tab but he never acknowledged us again. Finally, we physically chased him down in an effort to pay our tab so we could just leave. Having worked in service industry jobs in my younger days, I would never condone a "dine and dash" method, but we were literally running after them with our money and trying to force them to take it so we could leave in good conscience. Quite honestly, I think anyone else with less bother than I would have just gotten up and left. In our server's defense, the dining room was packed and there was only ONE SERVER in the whole restaurant (which is actually typical for this location but I guess I hadn't been during a packed dinner before to see how bad it could really get). Our server looked like he was sweating profusely and about to have a nervous breakdown so I didn't take it personally. But I DID feel totally embarrassed that I had convinced my whole group to go there and then they all had this absolutely atrocious experience. I don't want to totally discourage anyone from giving this place a try because for lunch or happy hour the service certainly seems much more tolerable, but avoid Wasabi at all cost if you have a group during peak dinner hours.
(2)
Ellen Y.
I love Wasabi. If you go during the week, there's hardly anyone in here around 8. On the weekends sometimes you have a little wait, but it's not bad. We usually just sit at the sushi bar. The female sushi chef makes the.best .sushi and spicy mayo. it's not burning your mouth hot, but it still has a good kick for me. I'm pregnant, so no raw sushi for me (wahhh!!), so I can only speak for the rock n' roll crunch version, which you can get 8 pieces, and the crunchy roll. They're both delicious! I like getting the gyoza too. Miso soup is over priced, but when it's cold they'll give you just some clear soup, which I love. Service is always good. Just a chill place and much better than the overpriced places like Rock n Sake.
(4)
Cindy S.
Great happy hour at this location. The sushi is fresh and the pieces are big. Wasabi poppers are on the regular menu and they are wonderful! Great prices for happy hour and 2for 1 beer and sake. Staff and owner are friendly and accommodating. If you like happy hours that serve great sushi, then this one is for you.
(5)
Amy A.
I go to Wasabi at least twice/ month. My sister & I love the sushi here! This place is always empty, and I don't know why. Some of my recommendations: Money Roll, French Quarter Roll, Supercrunchy Roll, LSU Roll, Rock-N-Roll. We also love their miso soup and shumai appetizer. The place is clean, nice atmosphere, good service. Try it.
(5)
Bob R.
We eat sushi at least once a week so we have visited every sushi place in town. We finally got to Wasabi and had an awful experience. We will NOT be back
(1)
Lester D.
Very good sushi. Not many people come here but it's good sushi.. High prices though
(3)
Elfyre D.
I can't believe this place was empty on such a beautiful afternoon! Service was fast and friendly, and the price was not outrageous. The sushi was fresh and delicious, and the sauteed scallops were excellent too.
(5)
Bryan C.
I had just taken a horrible sociological theory essay exam and my hand felt like it was going to fall off. I also felt like I had given birth, the test was that intense so I decided to try Wasabi Lakeview on my way home from school. I live in a condo on Lake Marina Drive so I can practically walk to the restaurant but I didn't. I drove. So sue me. My dinner was delicious. I started with the squid salad (perfect) I had two of the rolls they had on special (from what I gather they are permanent specials) the Metairie roll and the Fuji Roll. I also had fresh salmon and eel sushi. The Sushi was so fresh and yummy. But the rolls were outstanding. The Metairie roll is tuna, snowcrab, avocado wrapped in white rice and drizzled with the eel sauce. But the Fuji Roll was out of this world. Inside the roll was tempura shrimp, cream cheese, snowcrab, wrapped in rice paper and then topped with shredded crab stick and crunchy. The roll was then topped with a delicious spicy mayo. The service was friendly and attentive and the food came out at lightening speed. (there was only one other table in there). I highly recommend this place. I've been to the one downtown several times and love it as well. I can't wait to eat at the Lakeview location again! (Sorry Hana).
(5)
Nicole F.
Service was a little strange. The sushi was ok, but definitely overpriced so the groupon made up for that. Didn't care for the softshell crab sushi....the eel was ok. Probably the best thing was the teriyaki combo plate with shrimp and veggie tempura, which is something I usually don't care for. Beer prices were reasonable. If I lived in the area I might buy a groupon and try it again....
(3)
Jen B.
Thanks to a Groupon that was about to expire, we had a late lunch at the Wasabi near the lakefront today. I hadn't been to this location yet and we had a delightful time. The decor was fun and modern. This place is pretty big with multiple dining areas and a huge bar in addition to the sushi bar area. Our server was very nice and attentive. We ordered a sushi lunch combo, the Lake Ponchartrain roll and some dumplings. The clear soup that comes with the combo was very flavorful and the sushi was great! We got some shrimp shumai to start and those were OK, but nothing remarkable. Overall, it was a good experience and we will be back!
(4)
Sidney C.
Very fresh sushi. The food and service are very consistent, the saki is always hot, and Sapporo is ice cold.
(4)
Kate B.
We went twice with a Groupon. Free soup if you sit at the sushi bar. Fresh sushi with good selection. The crawfish did not taste fresh which is sad considering you are in Nola. Big portion of fresh tuna and well constructed rolls. Not as good Kyoto in Uptown but good value with a Groupon.
(3)
vina v.
The sushi was very plain and basic , it's come in small portion for high price . They need jazz it up .
(3)
Andrea T.
I've been here several times, and I think the food is delicious! It often looks like it's closed and dead. Don't let this deter you- walk around to the back dining area where the sushi bar (not the regular bar) is. I'm surprised this place isn't more busy, which is what everyone I go with says. The food and service has been consistently well executed. I don't eat raw fish, but anyone that's eaten with me and had sushi said it was delicious. I usually get the Wasabi Honey Shrimp (crispy with a yummy slightly sweet sauce) either as an appetizer or entree, and I've had their Yaki Udon noodle dish (also really flavorful and filling) a few times as well. Their gyozas were good too. I tried the curry mussels once- I suggest you order rice with it to suck up the curry sauce. The service has always been attentive and friendly. They also seem to have decent lunch specials. The decor in the dining area is pretty nice too. I will definitely be back again and recommend it to others.
(4)
Danielle C.
The Wasabi Poppers were delicious, warm, spicy, sweet and beautifully presented, and the Money Roll was a complex combination of simple flavors in a unique arrangement. Great food, no wait!
(5)
Jordan M.
Went here with some coworkers and were awkwardly informed that we couldn't split the check beyond 3 checks. Also, when asked when lunch ends, the waiter couldn't even say a time, just that it had ended. The waiter made 6 people write down their orders on a blank piece of paper. When he would bring us a beverage or plate, he would only acknowledge one person at a time- take an order, process, return. Never did he address the table as a group to ask if we had any more requests. At the end, I took it upon myself to split the check based on each persons order to determine how much we individually owed. After 10 min, the waiter impatiently said that he can now split it up into different checks. I had just finished and asked him to charge each card based on my calculations, even going so far as to writing down the last 4 digits of each card to be associated win each amount. He returned with individual receipts that were wrong. Each person was charged the wrong amount, and when added up, was different than the original total! Terrible customer service!
(1)
Kate N.
We enjoy Wasabi for their fresh rolls and fish. I love sushi that is simple. Not drenched in creamy sauce, and Wasabi has a good selection of simple rolls not drenched with teriyaki sauce or cream sauce. The Beef Tataki is amazing. I love how it's slightly seared and sits on a bed of white onion so you'll get aroma of fresh onions on top of the beef. I also enjoyed the Special Crab Salad appetizer as well. A good combination of avocado, crab meat, fish, squid salad, lemon slices, and tobiko makes this appetizer so light and refreshing. Various special chef rolls were good too! Wasabi gets 3 stars from me. Food is great! 4 stars on food. But because of the decor and environment inside (sorta dreary inside) I had to take off a star. But we'll definitely be back bc we love their sushi!!
(3)
Lexi M.
I lived in Japan for close to 3 years, and this is the best sushi in the city!! Everything is fresh and as authentic as you can find outside of Japan.
(5)
Gar L.
Pros: cheap Cons: worth every penny
(2)
Shannon D.
This is one of the more laid-back sushi restaurants in New Orleans. We each had some edamame, a cup of soup and an order of rolls. The bill came to about $12 per person and the food was great. The restaurant is small and the rolls are being made at a counter along one side of the restaurant. There are chairs at the counter, and I've always wanted to sit there and watch the people make the sushi rolls. But we usually have too many people to do that. We had fresh salmon rolls, spicy tuna rolls and crunchy dynamite rolls. All good.
(4)
Rene B.
I eat sushi regularly and have tried many places in the area. I came to Wasabi because I had a Groupon.The fish was far from fresh, and I couldn't even finish my rolls. I will definitely not go back and would never recommend it to anyone.
(1)
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Address :8550 Pontchartrain Blvd
New Orleans, LA, 70124
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Patricia R.
I had lunch at Wasabi a couple of times when they were new and had good experiences. The food was OK and the service was above average. I had dinner there recently and ordered snow crab rolls. They had a sour taste which led me to believe that the snow crab had spoiled. The service had gone downhill also. I doubt that I'll be back.
(3)Maria T.
I always have a great time at Wasabi. Go in, get a bottle of Sake, the Money Roll and the Yellow Dragon Roll. The clear soup is solid, and I've never gone wrong here.
(5)Steve C.
Good martini. Pleasant service. They list conch on the sushi menu which delighted me, only to be told after I ordered it that they stopped carrying it some time ago. Rice paper roll outstanding. Fresh and stuffed with vegetables. Yellow tail roll very tasty as well. Noisy bar blessedly separated from main dining room. Found the dining room too brightly lit, however. I don't know why this concerned me, but for a dinner after the sun has set one rather expects a less Shoney's-like ambience. But, it's a casual neighborhood joint so take it as it comes. I enjoyed my meal and look forward to wandering in again.
(3)Holly G.
What a strange place. We went one day after work at about 6 pm. When we pulled up we thought the place was closed, then we went inside and really thought they were closed. It's a big place but we were the only ones there. Red flag? Maybe, but we persevered. Good thing! The sushi was great, especially their special roll. The miso soup was different but had a good flavor. The crabmeat salad was tasty and fresh. Service was good though I could have done without the loud pop music playing in the background. My only question is...why don't more people go here?
(4)Jared P.
My husband and I came to Wasabi during dinner and there wasn't one customer in the whole restaurant. The waiter was asleep in a front booth so we walked right out.
(1)Erin P.
My husband and I stumbled on this place one night as we were driving around aimlessly looking for somewhere to eat. It looked slow and we were hungry so we popped in to check it out. The place is pretty large with a bar area on one side and a dining room/sushi bar on the other. We were promptly seated in the dining room and shortly a waitress came to offer hot towels and take our order. We had appetizers (LOVE the gyosa here!) as well as a number of sushi rolls. It isn't the best sushi I've ever had but the service was quick and courteous and it definitely is at least an 8 out of 10. We've been back several times since then and Wasabi Lakeview is now our go-to sushi stop, at least on weeknights when we aren't looking to venture out of the neighborhood.
(4)D V.
I have to say I like this location better than the Frenchmen Street location. I've been to the Frenchmen location during the weekdays and several times there was an odd smell lingering through the place. That makes it a little hard to enjoy your lunch. The sushi is always fresh and I love the gyoza. They are delicious.
(4)Amanda C.
Either I have a limited knowledge of sushi in New Orleans, or I still haven't been to the right place. I got the tempura snow crab roll, an avocado roll and seaweed salad. The seaweed salad was great but everything else was...eh. The prices were pretty fair and the location/restaurant was nice but I'd sit in a booster chair in an alley if it meant I could eat delicious sushi. So, the hunt continues.
(2)Kimberly S.
I think the main attraction for neighborhood goers is the convenience because it definitely it not the food! I went to eat there with some friends and my snowcrab salad was not fresh!!!!!!!!!!!!! Which I think is the general consensus since they are never busy I worry most of their fish isn't fresh. I decided to try it again and ordered to pick-up - and I ordered a rainbow roll and it was THE most unattractive presentation of sushi I have ever seen. VERY SLOPPY!!!! I officially throw in the towel and give up on Wasabi.
(1)Brittany N.
We only went here for the location, because it was convenient. There is not much to say other than the service, food, and atmosphere were just A-OK. It would have been nice to see some sort of happy hour special/menu. At 5:15 on a week night, they had nothing of the sort going on.
(3)Anna T.
PLEH. I eat sushi all the time. I eat all kinds of sushi. I am not a sushi snob by any means (I mean, I love me some buffet sushi from places like Oki Nago), but Wasabi was definitely a big ol' disappointment. Ordered four of the specialty rolls which were about $14 each (not a crazy price for fresh sushi...but....) The specialty rolls were small, they doused almost everything in mayo and they put lettuce (doused in mayo) in and on top of their rolls? I don't get it. Was it some kind of filler? Was it supposed to add to the taste? Either way it was lame. (Yes, they do put lettuce in the description of the rolls, so I guess I should have known what I was getting into... I just didn't think it would be so... PLEH.) Prices not worth it for the roll size and quality of the food.
(1)Lyz L.
Parking was decent. The lighting wasn't too bright, but neither too dim, and the decor is Asian marine - inviting enough for a dinner with friends. Take care to note the subtle slope in the floor towards the main dining area; I was fine, but I immediately thought of my mother with her bad knees and her tendency to stumble when the floor's not where she thought it was going to be. The edamame was almost too salty, and the portion was rather small compared to Rock-N-Sake. The hamachi kama was dry, but the ponzu sauce was great. The main yellow dragon roll was tasty. It seemed as though they skimped on some of the tuna for the tuna box, though, and tried to make up for it with excess avocado and roe. My overall impression was that everything was delicious enough for the large group meal I was enjoying with friends. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't fantastic, either. And due to its tucked-away-in-Lakeview location, I probably won't seek this place out on a regular basis, unless a friend suggests it. For me, this is one of those "Ehh, I could go for that" kind of places.
(3)Mary Katherine B.
I am eating their $14, Poke Salad as I write this. That's right, $14. This is not the freshest or best I've had, but I don't really expect it to be. Lakeview isn't really known for their restaurants. Consisting mostly of cucumber and a little seaweed, tuna, eel. The sauce is a little spicy, which I like.
(3)Danielle K.
This place has wonderful ambience and moreover really fresh fish. I was told to go to the Lakeview location as opposed to the French Quarter because it's bigger and cleaner. The prices are pretty reasonable. We got food enough to fill us for under $60. Definitely try the salmon sashimi. The only thing I found weird is that most rolls have asparagus and I'm not a fan of asparagus.
(4)Brad T.
I'm not a sushi connoisseur, and admittedly my taste in the Japanese food craze is waning lately. But, the food here is reasonably priced and tastes good. Generally when my wife and I go here, we get a handful of rolls along with a full meal. Pro's: 1) Food: Good and reasonably priced. 2) Atmosphere: Very nice inside, but usually quite empty. 3) Wait staff: Friendly and no problems with order. 4) Parking: Easy. Con's: None really.
(4)Andrea F.
I have only been for lunch. Walking in, you have to walk back to the back where you are directed to a table. It is dimly lit. The restaurant is very neat and clean. The wait staff are prompt and attentive. They are also quick with the beverage refills. Most of the time, I order a teriyaki rice bowl of some sort. Today, I ordered the mango fresh roll. Oh. My. Goodness. It was delicious. I look forward to coming back!
(4)Erin M.
I went here Thursday night. I got the tuna sashimi which was very fresh and good. The wine and Black and Gold sake were flowing. I am a fan and the bartender Joe is fabulous!!!
(4)Nina N.
I love this place, good food but prices are slightly higher than some other places...
(3)Maura Z.
Wasabi is a solid 3 to 4 stars for sushi. I live really close Wasabi and I swear, they must do a big lunch business because I don't know how they stay open...there never seems to be anyone here at night. We came a couple times about 2 years ago and weren't really impressed in any way, but recently we've been coming back after being lured in with a Groupon and have been pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of their sushi. We're experiencing a Wasabi revival and I do recommend that you give it a try. We love the LSU roll, Mango Sweet roll, and Firecracker roll with jalapeño all up in it. Wasabi has a really nice atmosphere and good service. One side is the restaurant and the other side is a full service bar. I just wish it were more lively when we come in here.
(3)Katie S.
I have a lot of mixed feelings when it comes to sifting through my numerous Wasabi adventures. I used to come here all the time for their lunch and happy hour specials and the sushi has always been consistently good. There is a woman who works the sushi bar (I think she is the manager?) and she makes some BOMB sushi! She is possibly one of the best sushi chefs I've ever met. I actually used to get really excited when I came and saw she was working because I knew it would be a great experience. Joe, the bartender/owner is a super nice guy and he's great for a fun chat if you are feeling social and want to sit at the bar and make small talk. All in all...you would think I would have no issue with this place since I am clearly a repeating customer...HOWEVER...this place has a LOT of inconsistencies with their service. So many inconsistencies, in fact, that it makes it really hard for me to really endorse this restaurant in good faith. Ordinarily I would say the food quality at this place is 4 stars, but the service is consistently a definite 1-2 depending on the night. I haven't been to their other locations so I can't speak for them, but I might have just had one too many bad experiences here to come back in recent days. We came in on a Saturday evening with a group of 4. My group rallied and ranked many nearby restaurant possibilities before leaving a nearby bar and I was actually the one who encourage them to come and try Wasabi. I hadn't been back there in awhile, but I was nearly certain they would enjoy themselves and at least love the food even if the service happened to be slow (as usual). We sat down and it took them 10 minutes before acknowledging us (ok fair enough, seems like business as usual), and then another 10 minute for waters to arrive and then the server promptly left before we could give him our order, then another 10 minutes went by and he finally came to take our order, then 20 minutes went by just to produce 2 sushi rolls. We wanted to order more but our server NEVER came back to our table. He didn't refill our waters or ask us how we were doing or anything, he just dropped off the food and never came back. We finally just walked over to the sushi bar and told the sushi chef that we wanted more rolls, which his response was "ok I get your server soon" (the woman sushi chef that I previously mentioned was not working on this night). I kid you not, we were there for about an hour and half and all we could get out of this place were 2 rolls...and we were absolutely starving! Wasabi's service has always been pretty slow and unimpressive...but this was just ridiculous. We waited and waited to close out our tab but he never acknowledged us again. Finally, we physically chased him down in an effort to pay our tab so we could just leave. Having worked in service industry jobs in my younger days, I would never condone a "dine and dash" method, but we were literally running after them with our money and trying to force them to take it so we could leave in good conscience. Quite honestly, I think anyone else with less bother than I would have just gotten up and left. In our server's defense, the dining room was packed and there was only ONE SERVER in the whole restaurant (which is actually typical for this location but I guess I hadn't been during a packed dinner before to see how bad it could really get). Our server looked like he was sweating profusely and about to have a nervous breakdown so I didn't take it personally. But I DID feel totally embarrassed that I had convinced my whole group to go there and then they all had this absolutely atrocious experience. I don't want to totally discourage anyone from giving this place a try because for lunch or happy hour the service certainly seems much more tolerable, but avoid Wasabi at all cost if you have a group during peak dinner hours.
(2)Ellen Y.
I love Wasabi. If you go during the week, there's hardly anyone in here around 8. On the weekends sometimes you have a little wait, but it's not bad. We usually just sit at the sushi bar. The female sushi chef makes the.best .sushi and spicy mayo. it's not burning your mouth hot, but it still has a good kick for me. I'm pregnant, so no raw sushi for me (wahhh!!), so I can only speak for the rock n' roll crunch version, which you can get 8 pieces, and the crunchy roll. They're both delicious! I like getting the gyoza too. Miso soup is over priced, but when it's cold they'll give you just some clear soup, which I love. Service is always good. Just a chill place and much better than the overpriced places like Rock n Sake.
(4)Cindy S.
Great happy hour at this location. The sushi is fresh and the pieces are big. Wasabi poppers are on the regular menu and they are wonderful! Great prices for happy hour and 2for 1 beer and sake. Staff and owner are friendly and accommodating. If you like happy hours that serve great sushi, then this one is for you.
(5)Amy A.
I go to Wasabi at least twice/ month. My sister & I love the sushi here! This place is always empty, and I don't know why. Some of my recommendations: Money Roll, French Quarter Roll, Supercrunchy Roll, LSU Roll, Rock-N-Roll. We also love their miso soup and shumai appetizer. The place is clean, nice atmosphere, good service. Try it.
(5)Bob R.
We eat sushi at least once a week so we have visited every sushi place in town. We finally got to Wasabi and had an awful experience. We will NOT be back
(1)Lester D.
Very good sushi. Not many people come here but it's good sushi.. High prices though
(3)Elfyre D.
I can't believe this place was empty on such a beautiful afternoon! Service was fast and friendly, and the price was not outrageous. The sushi was fresh and delicious, and the sauteed scallops were excellent too.
(5)Bryan C.
I had just taken a horrible sociological theory essay exam and my hand felt like it was going to fall off. I also felt like I had given birth, the test was that intense so I decided to try Wasabi Lakeview on my way home from school. I live in a condo on Lake Marina Drive so I can practically walk to the restaurant but I didn't. I drove. So sue me. My dinner was delicious. I started with the squid salad (perfect) I had two of the rolls they had on special (from what I gather they are permanent specials) the Metairie roll and the Fuji Roll. I also had fresh salmon and eel sushi. The Sushi was so fresh and yummy. But the rolls were outstanding. The Metairie roll is tuna, snowcrab, avocado wrapped in white rice and drizzled with the eel sauce. But the Fuji Roll was out of this world. Inside the roll was tempura shrimp, cream cheese, snowcrab, wrapped in rice paper and then topped with shredded crab stick and crunchy. The roll was then topped with a delicious spicy mayo. The service was friendly and attentive and the food came out at lightening speed. (there was only one other table in there). I highly recommend this place. I've been to the one downtown several times and love it as well. I can't wait to eat at the Lakeview location again! (Sorry Hana).
(5)Nicole F.
Service was a little strange. The sushi was ok, but definitely overpriced so the groupon made up for that. Didn't care for the softshell crab sushi....the eel was ok. Probably the best thing was the teriyaki combo plate with shrimp and veggie tempura, which is something I usually don't care for. Beer prices were reasonable. If I lived in the area I might buy a groupon and try it again....
(3)Jen B.
Thanks to a Groupon that was about to expire, we had a late lunch at the Wasabi near the lakefront today. I hadn't been to this location yet and we had a delightful time. The decor was fun and modern. This place is pretty big with multiple dining areas and a huge bar in addition to the sushi bar area. Our server was very nice and attentive. We ordered a sushi lunch combo, the Lake Ponchartrain roll and some dumplings. The clear soup that comes with the combo was very flavorful and the sushi was great! We got some shrimp shumai to start and those were OK, but nothing remarkable. Overall, it was a good experience and we will be back!
(4)Sidney C.
Very fresh sushi. The food and service are very consistent, the saki is always hot, and Sapporo is ice cold.
(4)Kate B.
We went twice with a Groupon. Free soup if you sit at the sushi bar. Fresh sushi with good selection. The crawfish did not taste fresh which is sad considering you are in Nola. Big portion of fresh tuna and well constructed rolls. Not as good Kyoto in Uptown but good value with a Groupon.
(3)vina v.
The sushi was very plain and basic , it's come in small portion for high price . They need jazz it up .
(3)Andrea T.
I've been here several times, and I think the food is delicious! It often looks like it's closed and dead. Don't let this deter you- walk around to the back dining area where the sushi bar (not the regular bar) is. I'm surprised this place isn't more busy, which is what everyone I go with says. The food and service has been consistently well executed. I don't eat raw fish, but anyone that's eaten with me and had sushi said it was delicious. I usually get the Wasabi Honey Shrimp (crispy with a yummy slightly sweet sauce) either as an appetizer or entree, and I've had their Yaki Udon noodle dish (also really flavorful and filling) a few times as well. Their gyozas were good too. I tried the curry mussels once- I suggest you order rice with it to suck up the curry sauce. The service has always been attentive and friendly. They also seem to have decent lunch specials. The decor in the dining area is pretty nice too. I will definitely be back again and recommend it to others.
(4)Danielle C.
The Wasabi Poppers were delicious, warm, spicy, sweet and beautifully presented, and the Money Roll was a complex combination of simple flavors in a unique arrangement. Great food, no wait!
(5)Jordan M.
Went here with some coworkers and were awkwardly informed that we couldn't split the check beyond 3 checks. Also, when asked when lunch ends, the waiter couldn't even say a time, just that it had ended. The waiter made 6 people write down their orders on a blank piece of paper. When he would bring us a beverage or plate, he would only acknowledge one person at a time- take an order, process, return. Never did he address the table as a group to ask if we had any more requests. At the end, I took it upon myself to split the check based on each persons order to determine how much we individually owed. After 10 min, the waiter impatiently said that he can now split it up into different checks. I had just finished and asked him to charge each card based on my calculations, even going so far as to writing down the last 4 digits of each card to be associated win each amount. He returned with individual receipts that were wrong. Each person was charged the wrong amount, and when added up, was different than the original total! Terrible customer service!
(1)Kate N.
We enjoy Wasabi for their fresh rolls and fish. I love sushi that is simple. Not drenched in creamy sauce, and Wasabi has a good selection of simple rolls not drenched with teriyaki sauce or cream sauce. The Beef Tataki is amazing. I love how it's slightly seared and sits on a bed of white onion so you'll get aroma of fresh onions on top of the beef. I also enjoyed the Special Crab Salad appetizer as well. A good combination of avocado, crab meat, fish, squid salad, lemon slices, and tobiko makes this appetizer so light and refreshing. Various special chef rolls were good too! Wasabi gets 3 stars from me. Food is great! 4 stars on food. But because of the decor and environment inside (sorta dreary inside) I had to take off a star. But we'll definitely be back bc we love their sushi!!
(3)Lexi M.
I lived in Japan for close to 3 years, and this is the best sushi in the city!! Everything is fresh and as authentic as you can find outside of Japan.
(5)Gar L.
Pros: cheap Cons: worth every penny
(2)Shannon D.
This is one of the more laid-back sushi restaurants in New Orleans. We each had some edamame, a cup of soup and an order of rolls. The bill came to about $12 per person and the food was great. The restaurant is small and the rolls are being made at a counter along one side of the restaurant. There are chairs at the counter, and I've always wanted to sit there and watch the people make the sushi rolls. But we usually have too many people to do that. We had fresh salmon rolls, spicy tuna rolls and crunchy dynamite rolls. All good.
(4)Rene B.
I eat sushi regularly and have tried many places in the area. I came to Wasabi because I had a Groupon.The fish was far from fresh, and I couldn't even finish my rolls. I will definitely not go back and would never recommend it to anyone.
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