Surprisingly great sushi and sashimi. Authenticity is overrated when it comes to cuisine. After years of sampling sushi all over the country, I can say this place serves astoundingly good food. If the food is fresh, tasty, and combines flavors in a pleasing way, then it's perfect. The truth is that authentic dishes are often unpleasant to people of other cultures (e.g. chicken feet and mock duck). Americans will like the food served here, and the prices are so reasonable considering the decor is so elegantly beautiful. If I could afford their interior designer, I'd hire them for my own house. The sheer inventiveness and elegance is rare in a restaurant I can afford to eat at. This is a great place for a first date, just come in after 8 pm for the happy hour prices.
(5)
Jen K.
My husband and I used to enjoy going to lunch at Haiku. We quickly noticed the food quality (at lunchtime) go down but still wanted to give it a chance, until our last visit. Not only was the food disappointing, but the Groupon we had just purchased was not honored. Haiku will not accept the Groupon for lunch even thought it does not state that in the fine print. Rather than be apologetic about the situation, the owner told us to take it up with Groupon blaming them for being inaccurate. Making a mistake on a coupon is one thing, brushing off a customer will sadly continue to drive business away. I wish them luck, but will no longer be dining at Haiku.
(2)
Grace C.
Haiku was freezing cold. Wear a sweater. Their onion soup was good. Their Spicy Tuna roll wasn't spicy at all, it was totally bland and muddled down with topiko. The California rolls ingredient proportions were outta whack: too much avocado not enough crab. I won't be going here again and instead I'll spend the extra money on good quality sushi.
(1)
Kno W.
Awesome place! Service was prompt, pleasant and generally awesome. Appetizer was a shrimp dumpling (don't recall the name) and it was wicked good. But.... The sushi rolls. The Powerful Roll - shrimp and tenderloin and some other stuff... Awesome. The Sweetheart- Salmon and tuna and some other stuff again. Both were amazing; we had a third roll that was stellar as well. Really awesome and we will definately eat here again!
(5)
Timothy F.
In terms of my sushi experiences in the Twin Cities, this really does rank right in the middle. The ambiance of the restaurant and the attitude of the servers are all very good, but it was the quality of the food that left something lacking. The sushi rolls weren't great, but they weren't terrible either. The tuna definitely needed to be trimmed a little better, and the rolls themselves were made a little clumsily. Some of them weren't formed tightly at all and wanted to fall apart as you tried to pick pieces up. Other rolls were much more proportional and much more consistently rolled and formed. It was obvious that chefs of two different skill levels put the meal together. All in all, I don't really have much to praise about this place, but there wasn't anything major to complain about either. Prices were a bit high, especially given the varying quality of the food. I wouldn't go out of my way to make a return trip, but I wouldn't avoid it entirely.
(3)
J W.
Very clean & nice atmosphere. Service can be kind of slow but they get pretty busy at the peek hours. This is my very place to get sushi & hibachi on the East side of the river. I've never been disappointed & they also have a great hPpy hour.
(4)
Adi R.
This is our absolute favorite place for sushi in the Twin Cities! Tucked away in a suburban mall, this little hidden gem has the most fresh sashimi we've had here! While the listed rolls are also really good, the chefs were happy to use their imaginations and create custom rolls to suit our taste preferences..and they were awesome! Highly recommended!!!
(5)
Helen B.
It's a surprise to find a truly great sushi restaurant so far from the sea and in a provincial strip mall to boot. Haiku is elegantly simple, beautiful on the inside - more of a hip downtown vibe than you'd expect. There's booths, central tables and seats at the sushi bar that cater for every dining experience and need. Service is cordial and efficient; appropriately understated and Japanese. There's only a few staff but they get it done. An excellent lunch menu is only surpassed by a late evening 2 for 1 special that gives you access to some of Minneapolis' best sushi for prices you'd die for. The menu includes both soba and udon, in varieties which will please everyone. I love the Nabe Yaki Udon with fresh chicken and shrimp tempura. Nicely spice and long, thick noodles that help the broth flavors and liquid. Dinner hibachi options include ten different combo pairings including filet mignon, chicken, shrimp scallops and lobster. There's an exceptionally well priced Love Dinner for 2 which includes a filet mignon, scallops and lobster trio. It's not to be passed up on date night. For those who want something Asian but non-Japanese there's chicken sea bass (expensive but so worth it), basil or mango chicken/shrimp. The sushi and sashimi is superb- a little pricy compared to other restaurants but Haiku is in a different class when it comes to freshness and accompaniments. Loved the fatty tuna, octopus and fluke sashimi. Roll wise I've tried the seafood naruto, dinosaur and black dragon. Love the eel sauce and tobiko. Desserts and kids menu both look good but I've not had a reason to try either but I'll be back to keep sampling.
(4)
Mark T.
Very good meal. Had hibachi chicken and a Kirin. Price was reasonable and had good quick service. Trendy and very clean. Would definitely have lunch or dinner here when I'm back in the area.
(4)
Trisha L.
My favorite sushi place in the twin cities. I've eaten here plenty and have never been disappointed. The Spicy Girl is my go-to every time.
(5)
Shana C.
Tried this place out on a Sunday night and was pleasantly surprised. The restaurant is adorable, the service was top notch, and the menu was endless! The quality of sushi was very good for being in Mendota Heights. No complaints, we will definitely be back.
(4)
Kim T.
Great find. BIG Sapporo on tap - $7. Great deal. Service was efficient and server very friendly. Both sushi rolls were excellent (spicy girl and slammin salmon) I wish they were spicier and will ask if that is an option next visit. We will go back!
(4)
Jodi P.
The friendly service, calming atmosphere (even when every table is full!), and above all, the food - keeps us coming back. We frequent 2-3x/mo. The owner is personable and professional, with a staff that is such, as well as knowledgable. Top faves: the sweetheart roll, sea bass soup, avocado salad. My husband likes everything he tries (varies a lot). Our 9 yr old even likes several non-sushi dishes. Having lived on the West Coast where fish is fresh, Haiku measures up - the food is very fresh!
(5)
Samuel W.
Though Haiku is in a rather unassuming location, I can assure you that you won't feel like you're in a strip mall off of Highway 110 once you step inside. The holy trifecta of dark wood, dim light and comfortable seating can only lead to one of two possible results: 1. You might get laid if you come here with an eligible candidate. 2. You'll stuff your inner fatass into oblivion *with* a pinky in the air. I've only experienced one of these outcomes. Given how suave I am, I'll just let you guys decide for yourselves which one it was*. I love sushi. I probably love white sushi, but I love it nonetheless. I'm not sure what 90% of the sauces and such they describe on the menu are but I've yet to run across one that tasted like shit. I mostly just eyeball the proteins and take a stab in the dark. The crunch roll (which is, I'm sure, 100% authentically 'Muricanized) was extremely satisfying. I love the lighter, unique crunch of panko and all the ingredients within the roll were bright, fresh and well-prepared. I'd definitely order it again, though I do believe I'd ask for more wasabi. 4/5. Speaking of the green hellhound, I noticed that I got an extremely skimpy portion on both my roll orders, so if you love the burn you should make a mental note to ask for extra. One (albeit delicious) roll isn't enough for me. I started siphoning through the smaller, less expensive rolls not listed on the Chef's Specials menu and decided to go for the white pepper tuna and avocado roll. It was predictably less of a taste sensation than my previous order but the tuna itself had a nice buttery crispness. Again, as I said before, I'd have liked to seen more wasabi to liven up the roll and it ultimately neither wowed nor disappointed me. 3/5. My dining companion, whose talents do not lie in the realm of being observant, ordered the Nabe Yaki Udon. ... Except she hates eggs. And chicken. And wasn't looking for soup so much as a noodly stir fry type concoction. I laughed my ass off when the dish arrived at the table and I saw her skin turn a sickly yellow when the raw yolk, threatening to taint the soup, wobbled back and forth. After she used all the skill of a trained bomb specialist to successfully remove the egg and fished out all the chicken, she was surprised at how much she enjoyed the flavors of the broth. She ended up eating most of it despite her initial terror and I think that definitely says something. The comment was made that she'd order a variation of it again and take a stab at the seafood udon next. Our waitress was the only sort of irritating thing about the entire meal. Don't get me wrong--she was very polite--but her hounding, insistent demeanor threw off the otherwise calm pace of the evening. Her looming and return visits to the table every minute and a half to take our order grew tiring and we eventually just spit something out to get her to stop. * I didn't get laid, you sickos. I was with my co-worker. ... FINE MAYBE I WOULDN'T HAVE ANYWAY FUCK YOU GUYS. *flails off majestically into the sunset*
(4)
Rachel T.
Wow! We come to Minneapolis a few times a month and when our go to sushi place in uptown's first available reservation was at 9:30pm we decided to go try a new place. We made the 25 min drive and it was well worth it. Sashimi was fresh, rolls was unique and delicious!!! Seaweed salad was one of the best I've had and I've had sushi from California to New York. Don't let the strip mall deceive you. When you walk in it's just as swanky as any downtown bistro. It's worth the drive if you are not in the St Paul area. Awesome place. Our new go to place.
(5)
Joy H.
At last, a trendy Japanese Bistro has made its mark on the map near my school! Haiku was a wish that finally came true for students like me who want more food variety without having to sacrifice time and labor to find one. And did it satisfy my expectation? Absolutely. In its poetry form, Haiku may be a simple string of words that fits into the 5-7-5 construct. But as a restaurant, it is an art in its own right. The setting of the place is nothing short of trendy, since even the entrance of the place makes you feel like you just walked into a ritzy bar. Based on this first impression, I expected for my food tab to match with the expensive appearance of the setting. To my delightful surprise, their menu items are actually really reasonably priced! I ended up ordering a lunchbox special with pork katsu, which also came with a miso soup, california roll, and some fried shumai. The taste department was nothing spectacular to write home about, but for a neat new spot where I can pig out during my lunchbreaks, I think 4-stars is well deserved. Hooray for options! I FINALLY have somewhere else to go aside from Village Wok!
(4)
Naomi E.
My daughter and I found this place on Yelp as we were stuck in traffic. We both wanted Asian inspired food, and this place sounded promising. We came on a Friday evening at 6pm. The place was a little busy, but we were seated immediately. The decor is flawless, and very inviting. The menu is rather large and they serve sushi, hibachi and tempura. We ordered a sushi roll off the specials called the Twin City Roll. This was superb, perfect amount of sauce, the shrimp was fresh and the roll kept its shape. My daughter ordered the hibachi shrimp and I ordered the mango shrimp for entrees. The mango sauce was excellent, a perfect blend of sweet and spicy, the shrimp was cooked perfect and were a good size for the price. My daughter loved her hibachi shrimp and ate every bite! We then shared the Mango Cheesecake, if and when you go, you must order this! Way too good for words! The only negative was the waitress, she was not too friendly, kind of robotic in a way, never really smiled. The staff all seemed this way, stuffy and robotic. We will definitely come back again, but I hope the staff loosen up more.
(4)
Jenny A.
I'm going to take the high road here and not write a haiku about this place. Mostly because I suck at poetry and the other haiku writers on yelp would just laugh at me. Sam was really excited about taking me here and this was our second attempt. The first time we tried to come here, we showed up right as they were closing after lunch. We weren't aware they closed in between lunch and dinner so we walked in and asked for a table. One of the men from behind the bar greeted us and informed us that the only way he would let us eat is if we ate really fast. He was serious. Really? We left but I was a little put off after that. Sam was still excited about going here so for our date last night we tried again. Walking in the place is very nice, and as another reviewer put it, swanky. The dining area is small, the sushi bar appeared very large and the lighting was classy. We asked the hostess for a booth and she sat us in the back corner of the restaurant. While we were seating, our hostess pointed out the giant cardboard box between the table and the wall. She said the constructions workers next door knocked a hole in the wall, which was true. They did. But there was so much cold air coming out from behind the box, she shouldn't have sat anyone there. We dealt with it because the restaurant filled rather quickly and we'd pretty much sit anywhere as long as it not at a regular table. Our waitress eventually showed up and I ordered a Cucumber Cooler. It took about ten minutes for it to arrive.The cooler was very tasty and refreshing but not worth the $9 price tag considering it tasted like water about 3/4 the way through. Sam and I ordered the Scallop Dynamite as an appetizer. It came out on a plate and a giant scallop shell filled with chunks of scallop and crab in a rich creamy sauce. It was absolutely astounding and we both loved it. For entrees, I ordered the Nabe Yaki Udon (Basically chicken and vegetable soup with an egg in it). It came with a side of tempura shrimp, which was crisp but lacked any flavor; a small salad which turns out is just a bowl of dressing topped with a little lettuce. It also came with a beginner of a small bowl of onion soup. Soup to go with my soup, huh? I didn't care for it and it was much tastier after Sam poured some soy sauce and added some flavor. When my entree soup finally came which took about 20 minutes after we finished our appetizer, I sent it back because there was seafood in it. Our waitress insisted that there was supposed to be artificial crab and seafood cakes in it. She told me she doesn't know why it doesn't say there is on the menu but that she asked the cook and it was correct. I still didn't believe her, but fine, I took it anyway. The soup itself was unimpressive. The first couple of sips were pretty good but it quickly faded into bland watery slop. The vegetables and chicken in the soup were cooked well but the fake crab did nothing for it and there were no seafood cakes that were never supposed to be there anyway. So, really, she lied to me twice. The bowl of soup was $15. Sam ordered the M-16 Roll (It was a new roll on their board and not featured on their menu) which had pretty good flavor and he seemed to like it. Sam also ordered a spicy scallop roll, which was not spicy at all and the rice was pasty almost to the point of being inedible. The filling was very mushy and there was no crunch to balance out the texture. I finally convinced Sam to order a drink so she ordered the Katana. She received it about 20 minutes later and our waitress blamed the wait on their bartender. Judging by the wait time for a just a drink, I'd say our waitress probably was the bartender. and there's nothin' like listening to a slow employee blame other employees for being slow while you're trying to have a nice meal. The Katana was too sweet. Way too sweet. It tasted like straight up melon liquor. While we were finishing up our meal, our waitress dropped off our bill and didn't bother asking if we needed anything else. I asked for a to-go container and she looked annoyed but took my bowl to do it herself. When all was said and done, our bill was $72 for an only OK meal and a bad waitress. Thank the lord almighty for good company because the food, drinks and service here are not worth the trip or the second mortgage. I want to give this place 2 stars but only because of our waitress, and I don't feel like that's entirely fair. I don't, however, think I will give Haiku another try.
(3)
Jay A.
I am giving them 2 stars instead of 1 because the first time I was here, I would have given them 4. I went here on a Wednesday for a business lunch. It was NOT busy, we were seated quickly, and our waitress was friendly and attentive. We ordered 2 sushi rolls, and then a couple of hibachi entrees. They came with soup. Some of the onions in the soup tasted like they were very old and going bad. And yes, I have had bad onions before. One of our sushi rolls was excellent. The other one contained tuna and white tuna. One of them was FAR from fresh. It should have been thrown and not served. Both of us noticed it right away. My stomach has been bothering me since I ate here also. I get that it's risky ordering sushi at a strip mall at lunch on a Wednesday. Unfortunately, if I am served food that isn't fresh, I don't forgive. It's too bad, because it is a nice place and the hibachi food is good.
(2)
Mahva J.
I LOVE HAIKU! We are very happy to have this restaurant in our neighborhood, and hope that it is here for years to come. The food, espeically the sushi, is AMAZING! It's fresh and flavorful and so needed in the TC to expand taste buds and horizons. Even if you aren't into sushi, you will find something delectable here to eat. We have never been disappointed. We've dined here both during the week and on weekends and the level of service doesn't go down. If they are a little slow, they do explain it to you. You don't need the explanation because you can clearly see when the restaurant is full. The vibe is relaxed, yet classy, without being stuffy. You can bring your kids here and they, too, will have a great meal. If you're looking for great Japanese sushi and cuisine, this is your place.
(5)
Tammy M.
Great place for sushi - especially love the american dream roll and the yellowtail jalapeño appetizers. Great quality and friendly staff.
(5)
Matt G.
My first impression of Haiku was very good. The place is decorated beautifully, even the napkins are fancy. I think the big logo on the wall is a nice touch. I enjoyed the Spicy Salmon Roll and the #9 Roll, but wasn't really a fan of the Kicking King Crab Roll. The asparagus just didn't fit well in it in my opinion. They don't have a happy hour but I did notice they had some daily specials posted. The service was good and the place itself is easy to get to with plenty of parking.
(4)
Jenn W.
Ended up going here because of a Groupon, and glad we found it! Service was fast, food was very fresh and delicious. We got the Love Boat, can't go wrong with just a boat full of delicious sushi. We got the Fat Boy Roll with it, and that was amazing! Worth your stop, they know what they are doing.
(5)
Jesse B.
Great sushi, great udon. Not quite what I've had in Kyoto, but very tasty, with good presentation. Also impressed with the service. They were busy on a Saturday night but made every effort to get us seated quickly.
(4)
Allison K.
All of the food and drinks I've gotten here have been delicious. Creative rolls and quality you wouldn't expect in a strip mall location. A little confusing last time we went as we were handed a tablet computer along with our menu and it wasn't explained what it was for. Apparently it just has pictures of the menu items on it? A little strange. Service is good, not great but you'll be hard pressed to find better sushi in the area
(4)
Katrina M.
Jalapeño watermelon margarita was strong but good. Decor is beautiful, stunning even! We had the lobster roll - good but I didn't taste much lobster, The spicy girl roll was delicious with the tempura flakes on top. The tempura flakes are fantastic! They were on our Slammin Salmon roll as well! Caterpillar roll was wonderful with mango inside! The favorite so far! Scorpion roll was good and different. Tuna family was amazing. SOme seared, the rest, raw. Slamming salmon was fantastic with lots of tempura flakes and tobiko!!!!! We went on a Tuesday night with the family and were seated immediately. Our waiter, Ferry was very attentive and sweet.
(4)
Serena R.
Some of the freshest shashimi I've ever had. Absolutely would go back again. I hope they do well as it's nice to have a good Japanese place locally.
(5)
Paul A.
Great sushi bar that has impressed each time I've visited. I think the lunch specials are very good and offer enough options. It's not a buffet style which I shy away from. I don't like sushi that waits before it's severed. Try it if your in the Mendota heights area.
(5)
Seppuk U.
Lets be clear right up front. This is quasi Japanese food. Obviously Japanese food popularity has exploded in the last several years and this place is a cheap ass attempt to cash in on that. From the error on the menu, which in japanese characters says "ageku" not "haiku"...(seriously? you open a japanese restaurant and don't have anyone that can read japanese??) and the same error all over the walls to the ridiculous iceberg lettuce salad. I have n.e.v.e.r. been given a salad in any J restaurant before comprising solely iceberg lettuce. Cheapo. Very unimpressed and if this place actually knew anything about Japanese food they should be embarrassed. to the yaki tori app that was not yaki tori. This was a shish ke bob. I feel sorry for any American that samples this places "take" on Japanese food and comes away believing that is what Japanese food really is. I suppose it'll fool the peeps who go to Chinese buffets though, and believe General Tso chicken is authentic and eaten all over China. The only redeeming factor for this place and why I even gave them 2 stars is the nigiri and sashimi were decent. I give the Chinese owners and staff props for using Japanese rice too, usually knock-off joints skip that little detail. TL:DR: This is a joint surfing a trend. The food is heavily Americanized and I would almost compare it to chain restaurant stuff, think Olive Garden as Italian. Sushi is OK, but I wouldn't go out of my way to return here.
(2)
Joe P.
Great interior! Restaurant looked amazing inside. The service was nothing to rave about nor was the food. We had a spicy girl roll which was good but far from the best I've had. We also had a steak and shrimp hibachi entree. The onion soup and ginger salad were good. The shrimp was a little over cooked. I would go back but won't be my first choice.
(3)
Angelica K.
Finally authentic sushi in Mendota Heights. We order the the yellow tail Ceviche, very tasty and the fish very fresh. We also order fatty tuna, it was supper. We have a couple of sushi rolls, and sashimi pieces fresh raw fish and good. The decor is super, the place is clean, and the the service was great.
(4)
Jenni F.
This place is magnificent!! The decor gives the impression of an ice bar or a swanky lounge, the food is incredible and reasonably priced. I recommend the Sashimi Dinner. The service is amazing - on my second visit the server asked me if I would like [the same beverage] as I had last time. I feels pretty awesome to be remembered! As someone who could take-it-or-leave-it with fried rice, theirs is to die for! We typically end up with a larger group since it's one of the go-to spots for many of Boltz's Family Martial Arts adult student after classes. The staff is so accommodating of groups and allows us to push a few tables together. I have recently taken to picking up something to-go for lunch since I work so close, too. Just as delicious and even more reasonably priced than the already-reasonable dinner prices.
(5)
Donna N.
Everything is excellent. Great sushi, hibachi dinners and great tempura. Very high quality and reasonably priced. Waitstaff very nice owner is present most times and very hospitable. Note this is on 110 in Mendota Heights, not Saint Paul
(5)
Kate D.
Love it - delicious, sushi is very fresh and well prepared. Excellent, friendly service. Decor is amazing - does not feel like you are in a "strip mall"! Great list of rolls and cocktails - many more than other sushi restaurants around. They also have a kitchen - my son loves the children's menu. Family friendly, reasonably priced and the perfect location for us.
(5)
Hyoga Z.
For the interior design of the restaurant, I'll give a 4 stars rating or even 4.5. Specially sushi bar is cool. But for the food I only can give a 3 stars rate at most. It really tastes like exactly the same thing to the hibachi Japanese cuisine, but u know the food right now is without performance. No entertainment makes it become a really normal sushi restaurant. Hope they can improve their food.
(3)
Ice C.
Beautiful atmosphere, great food and drinks. Great addition to mendota heights!
7:00pm: Arrive - the place is busy there are people waiting to be seated and I count 4 empty tables. The hostess is running around like a headless chicken and is having hard time figuring out how to get 3 sets of guests seated at 4 tables. 7:20: Get seated at the Sushi bar (after a guy who was sitting there waiting for a TAKE OUT order got up and left!) 7:35: Asked the girl washing dishes if there is a server 7:37: Someone came over and asks me for my order, (food not beverage) then he ran off right away. 7:45: Get asked if I'd like something to drink 7:50: Miso soup and salad show up - no utensils or sticks (Iceberg lettuce! Really?) 7:52: Someone finally brings over chopsticks and a napkin 8:10: I've been for over an hour and still no entree. The service is insanely bad. I wish I could review the food. Sadly I'm still without. ------------------------------------- 8:11: My Sashimi Entree arrives - I'm hoping it was worth the wait. The food wasn't all that great. The tuna was mostly fresh and was a tad softer than it should be. The salmon was edible after smothering it in soy and wasabi. I've never had to do that before. Certainly none of it was photo worthy in presentation. Sadly it was not worth the wait. 8:30: I'm ready to leave 8:37: Finally flag someone do to give them my money 8:40: I'm out of here - never coming back! By 8:00 the place had emptied to about half full, but the wait staff still couldn't keep up with other peoples orders. This place seems very unorganized and isn't capable of handling a dinner crowd efficiently. As best as I could tell only one person knew how to operate the cash register and she was also supposed to be serving people at the Sushi bar. ------------------------------------------------------------ UPDATE: 7/18/2015 This is the second time I've been here. I'll never go back. The sashimi isn't suitable for bait. It was old, slimy, smelly, nasty tasting stuff.
(1)
Kien N.
Haiku has an awesome location right on campus. The restaurant is well decorated and the atmosphere is pleasant. Our waiter was polite and accommodating. My classmates and I went during lunch and their lunch specials were very affordable. I had 2 rolls and miso soup for $8. Aside from the convenient location and affordable prices, the quality of food was average. I would recommend this place for its convenience and affordability, but if someone is looking for delicious sushi, they're better off driving off campus. Recently, they have been posting up signs for late night karaoke. I am assuming there was little appeal, so they added colored printer paper advertising free drinks for girls and $1 Bud Light. The taped color paper with sharpie writing is distasteful considering how nice the restaurant is. Also, desperate.
(3)
Elena T.
SWAG. This place is impressive. Their sleek and stylish decor matches the exquisite presentation of each dish served. The menu is extensive, creative and delicious. This place is all about perfection in the details. And it's sexy. Highlights: Kicking King Crab Roll Oyster Tempura Roll Sashimi Salad Haiku Japanese Bistro = Crazy Sexy Cool
(5)
Kristi C.
Some of the best sushi I've found in the Twin Cities and score, it's in the south metro. The spicy tuna roll was well executed and tasty. My dinner mate let me try what I've decided is the best unagi (eel) I've had to date. The interior is sleek and tastefully decorated. The noise level isn't too loud, you can still carry on a conversation. Service was impeccable!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Adele L.
Surprisingly great sushi and sashimi. Authenticity is overrated when it comes to cuisine. After years of sampling sushi all over the country, I can say this place serves astoundingly good food. If the food is fresh, tasty, and combines flavors in a pleasing way, then it's perfect. The truth is that authentic dishes are often unpleasant to people of other cultures (e.g. chicken feet and mock duck). Americans will like the food served here, and the prices are so reasonable considering the decor is so elegantly beautiful. If I could afford their interior designer, I'd hire them for my own house. The sheer inventiveness and elegance is rare in a restaurant I can afford to eat at. This is a great place for a first date, just come in after 8 pm for the happy hour prices.
(5)Jen K.
My husband and I used to enjoy going to lunch at Haiku. We quickly noticed the food quality (at lunchtime) go down but still wanted to give it a chance, until our last visit. Not only was the food disappointing, but the Groupon we had just purchased was not honored. Haiku will not accept the Groupon for lunch even thought it does not state that in the fine print. Rather than be apologetic about the situation, the owner told us to take it up with Groupon blaming them for being inaccurate. Making a mistake on a coupon is one thing, brushing off a customer will sadly continue to drive business away. I wish them luck, but will no longer be dining at Haiku.
(2)Grace C.
Haiku was freezing cold. Wear a sweater. Their onion soup was good. Their Spicy Tuna roll wasn't spicy at all, it was totally bland and muddled down with topiko. The California rolls ingredient proportions were outta whack: too much avocado not enough crab. I won't be going here again and instead I'll spend the extra money on good quality sushi.
(1)Kno W.
Awesome place! Service was prompt, pleasant and generally awesome. Appetizer was a shrimp dumpling (don't recall the name) and it was wicked good. But.... The sushi rolls. The Powerful Roll - shrimp and tenderloin and some other stuff... Awesome. The Sweetheart- Salmon and tuna and some other stuff again. Both were amazing; we had a third roll that was stellar as well. Really awesome and we will definately eat here again!
(5)Timothy F.
In terms of my sushi experiences in the Twin Cities, this really does rank right in the middle. The ambiance of the restaurant and the attitude of the servers are all very good, but it was the quality of the food that left something lacking. The sushi rolls weren't great, but they weren't terrible either. The tuna definitely needed to be trimmed a little better, and the rolls themselves were made a little clumsily. Some of them weren't formed tightly at all and wanted to fall apart as you tried to pick pieces up. Other rolls were much more proportional and much more consistently rolled and formed. It was obvious that chefs of two different skill levels put the meal together. All in all, I don't really have much to praise about this place, but there wasn't anything major to complain about either. Prices were a bit high, especially given the varying quality of the food. I wouldn't go out of my way to make a return trip, but I wouldn't avoid it entirely.
(3)J W.
Very clean & nice atmosphere. Service can be kind of slow but they get pretty busy at the peek hours. This is my very place to get sushi & hibachi on the East side of the river. I've never been disappointed & they also have a great hPpy hour.
(4)Adi R.
This is our absolute favorite place for sushi in the Twin Cities! Tucked away in a suburban mall, this little hidden gem has the most fresh sashimi we've had here! While the listed rolls are also really good, the chefs were happy to use their imaginations and create custom rolls to suit our taste preferences..and they were awesome! Highly recommended!!!
(5)Helen B.
It's a surprise to find a truly great sushi restaurant so far from the sea and in a provincial strip mall to boot. Haiku is elegantly simple, beautiful on the inside - more of a hip downtown vibe than you'd expect. There's booths, central tables and seats at the sushi bar that cater for every dining experience and need. Service is cordial and efficient; appropriately understated and Japanese. There's only a few staff but they get it done. An excellent lunch menu is only surpassed by a late evening 2 for 1 special that gives you access to some of Minneapolis' best sushi for prices you'd die for. The menu includes both soba and udon, in varieties which will please everyone. I love the Nabe Yaki Udon with fresh chicken and shrimp tempura. Nicely spice and long, thick noodles that help the broth flavors and liquid. Dinner hibachi options include ten different combo pairings including filet mignon, chicken, shrimp scallops and lobster. There's an exceptionally well priced Love Dinner for 2 which includes a filet mignon, scallops and lobster trio. It's not to be passed up on date night. For those who want something Asian but non-Japanese there's chicken sea bass (expensive but so worth it), basil or mango chicken/shrimp. The sushi and sashimi is superb- a little pricy compared to other restaurants but Haiku is in a different class when it comes to freshness and accompaniments. Loved the fatty tuna, octopus and fluke sashimi. Roll wise I've tried the seafood naruto, dinosaur and black dragon. Love the eel sauce and tobiko. Desserts and kids menu both look good but I've not had a reason to try either but I'll be back to keep sampling.
(4)Mark T.
Very good meal. Had hibachi chicken and a Kirin. Price was reasonable and had good quick service. Trendy and very clean. Would definitely have lunch or dinner here when I'm back in the area.
(4)Trisha L.
My favorite sushi place in the twin cities. I've eaten here plenty and have never been disappointed. The Spicy Girl is my go-to every time.
(5)Shana C.
Tried this place out on a Sunday night and was pleasantly surprised. The restaurant is adorable, the service was top notch, and the menu was endless! The quality of sushi was very good for being in Mendota Heights. No complaints, we will definitely be back.
(4)Kim T.
Great find. BIG Sapporo on tap - $7. Great deal. Service was efficient and server very friendly. Both sushi rolls were excellent (spicy girl and slammin salmon) I wish they were spicier and will ask if that is an option next visit. We will go back!
(4)Jodi P.
The friendly service, calming atmosphere (even when every table is full!), and above all, the food - keeps us coming back. We frequent 2-3x/mo. The owner is personable and professional, with a staff that is such, as well as knowledgable. Top faves: the sweetheart roll, sea bass soup, avocado salad. My husband likes everything he tries (varies a lot). Our 9 yr old even likes several non-sushi dishes. Having lived on the West Coast where fish is fresh, Haiku measures up - the food is very fresh!
(5)Samuel W.
Though Haiku is in a rather unassuming location, I can assure you that you won't feel like you're in a strip mall off of Highway 110 once you step inside. The holy trifecta of dark wood, dim light and comfortable seating can only lead to one of two possible results: 1. You might get laid if you come here with an eligible candidate. 2. You'll stuff your inner fatass into oblivion *with* a pinky in the air. I've only experienced one of these outcomes. Given how suave I am, I'll just let you guys decide for yourselves which one it was*. I love sushi. I probably love white sushi, but I love it nonetheless. I'm not sure what 90% of the sauces and such they describe on the menu are but I've yet to run across one that tasted like shit. I mostly just eyeball the proteins and take a stab in the dark. The crunch roll (which is, I'm sure, 100% authentically 'Muricanized) was extremely satisfying. I love the lighter, unique crunch of panko and all the ingredients within the roll were bright, fresh and well-prepared. I'd definitely order it again, though I do believe I'd ask for more wasabi. 4/5. Speaking of the green hellhound, I noticed that I got an extremely skimpy portion on both my roll orders, so if you love the burn you should make a mental note to ask for extra. One (albeit delicious) roll isn't enough for me. I started siphoning through the smaller, less expensive rolls not listed on the Chef's Specials menu and decided to go for the white pepper tuna and avocado roll. It was predictably less of a taste sensation than my previous order but the tuna itself had a nice buttery crispness. Again, as I said before, I'd have liked to seen more wasabi to liven up the roll and it ultimately neither wowed nor disappointed me. 3/5. My dining companion, whose talents do not lie in the realm of being observant, ordered the Nabe Yaki Udon. ... Except she hates eggs. And chicken. And wasn't looking for soup so much as a noodly stir fry type concoction. I laughed my ass off when the dish arrived at the table and I saw her skin turn a sickly yellow when the raw yolk, threatening to taint the soup, wobbled back and forth. After she used all the skill of a trained bomb specialist to successfully remove the egg and fished out all the chicken, she was surprised at how much she enjoyed the flavors of the broth. She ended up eating most of it despite her initial terror and I think that definitely says something. The comment was made that she'd order a variation of it again and take a stab at the seafood udon next. Our waitress was the only sort of irritating thing about the entire meal. Don't get me wrong--she was very polite--but her hounding, insistent demeanor threw off the otherwise calm pace of the evening. Her looming and return visits to the table every minute and a half to take our order grew tiring and we eventually just spit something out to get her to stop. * I didn't get laid, you sickos. I was with my co-worker. ... FINE MAYBE I WOULDN'T HAVE ANYWAY FUCK YOU GUYS. *flails off majestically into the sunset*
(4)Rachel T.
Wow! We come to Minneapolis a few times a month and when our go to sushi place in uptown's first available reservation was at 9:30pm we decided to go try a new place. We made the 25 min drive and it was well worth it. Sashimi was fresh, rolls was unique and delicious!!! Seaweed salad was one of the best I've had and I've had sushi from California to New York. Don't let the strip mall deceive you. When you walk in it's just as swanky as any downtown bistro. It's worth the drive if you are not in the St Paul area. Awesome place. Our new go to place.
(5)Joy H.
At last, a trendy Japanese Bistro has made its mark on the map near my school! Haiku was a wish that finally came true for students like me who want more food variety without having to sacrifice time and labor to find one. And did it satisfy my expectation? Absolutely. In its poetry form, Haiku may be a simple string of words that fits into the 5-7-5 construct. But as a restaurant, it is an art in its own right. The setting of the place is nothing short of trendy, since even the entrance of the place makes you feel like you just walked into a ritzy bar. Based on this first impression, I expected for my food tab to match with the expensive appearance of the setting. To my delightful surprise, their menu items are actually really reasonably priced! I ended up ordering a lunchbox special with pork katsu, which also came with a miso soup, california roll, and some fried shumai. The taste department was nothing spectacular to write home about, but for a neat new spot where I can pig out during my lunchbreaks, I think 4-stars is well deserved. Hooray for options! I FINALLY have somewhere else to go aside from Village Wok!
(4)Naomi E.
My daughter and I found this place on Yelp as we were stuck in traffic. We both wanted Asian inspired food, and this place sounded promising. We came on a Friday evening at 6pm. The place was a little busy, but we were seated immediately. The decor is flawless, and very inviting. The menu is rather large and they serve sushi, hibachi and tempura. We ordered a sushi roll off the specials called the Twin City Roll. This was superb, perfect amount of sauce, the shrimp was fresh and the roll kept its shape. My daughter ordered the hibachi shrimp and I ordered the mango shrimp for entrees. The mango sauce was excellent, a perfect blend of sweet and spicy, the shrimp was cooked perfect and were a good size for the price. My daughter loved her hibachi shrimp and ate every bite! We then shared the Mango Cheesecake, if and when you go, you must order this! Way too good for words! The only negative was the waitress, she was not too friendly, kind of robotic in a way, never really smiled. The staff all seemed this way, stuffy and robotic. We will definitely come back again, but I hope the staff loosen up more.
(4)Jenny A.
I'm going to take the high road here and not write a haiku about this place. Mostly because I suck at poetry and the other haiku writers on yelp would just laugh at me. Sam was really excited about taking me here and this was our second attempt. The first time we tried to come here, we showed up right as they were closing after lunch. We weren't aware they closed in between lunch and dinner so we walked in and asked for a table. One of the men from behind the bar greeted us and informed us that the only way he would let us eat is if we ate really fast. He was serious. Really? We left but I was a little put off after that. Sam was still excited about going here so for our date last night we tried again. Walking in the place is very nice, and as another reviewer put it, swanky. The dining area is small, the sushi bar appeared very large and the lighting was classy. We asked the hostess for a booth and she sat us in the back corner of the restaurant. While we were seating, our hostess pointed out the giant cardboard box between the table and the wall. She said the constructions workers next door knocked a hole in the wall, which was true. They did. But there was so much cold air coming out from behind the box, she shouldn't have sat anyone there. We dealt with it because the restaurant filled rather quickly and we'd pretty much sit anywhere as long as it not at a regular table. Our waitress eventually showed up and I ordered a Cucumber Cooler. It took about ten minutes for it to arrive.The cooler was very tasty and refreshing but not worth the $9 price tag considering it tasted like water about 3/4 the way through. Sam and I ordered the Scallop Dynamite as an appetizer. It came out on a plate and a giant scallop shell filled with chunks of scallop and crab in a rich creamy sauce. It was absolutely astounding and we both loved it. For entrees, I ordered the Nabe Yaki Udon (Basically chicken and vegetable soup with an egg in it). It came with a side of tempura shrimp, which was crisp but lacked any flavor; a small salad which turns out is just a bowl of dressing topped with a little lettuce. It also came with a beginner of a small bowl of onion soup. Soup to go with my soup, huh? I didn't care for it and it was much tastier after Sam poured some soy sauce and added some flavor. When my entree soup finally came which took about 20 minutes after we finished our appetizer, I sent it back because there was seafood in it. Our waitress insisted that there was supposed to be artificial crab and seafood cakes in it. She told me she doesn't know why it doesn't say there is on the menu but that she asked the cook and it was correct. I still didn't believe her, but fine, I took it anyway. The soup itself was unimpressive. The first couple of sips were pretty good but it quickly faded into bland watery slop. The vegetables and chicken in the soup were cooked well but the fake crab did nothing for it and there were no seafood cakes that were never supposed to be there anyway. So, really, she lied to me twice. The bowl of soup was $15. Sam ordered the M-16 Roll (It was a new roll on their board and not featured on their menu) which had pretty good flavor and he seemed to like it. Sam also ordered a spicy scallop roll, which was not spicy at all and the rice was pasty almost to the point of being inedible. The filling was very mushy and there was no crunch to balance out the texture. I finally convinced Sam to order a drink so she ordered the Katana. She received it about 20 minutes later and our waitress blamed the wait on their bartender. Judging by the wait time for a just a drink, I'd say our waitress probably was the bartender. and there's nothin' like listening to a slow employee blame other employees for being slow while you're trying to have a nice meal. The Katana was too sweet. Way too sweet. It tasted like straight up melon liquor. While we were finishing up our meal, our waitress dropped off our bill and didn't bother asking if we needed anything else. I asked for a to-go container and she looked annoyed but took my bowl to do it herself. When all was said and done, our bill was $72 for an only OK meal and a bad waitress. Thank the lord almighty for good company because the food, drinks and service here are not worth the trip or the second mortgage. I want to give this place 2 stars but only because of our waitress, and I don't feel like that's entirely fair. I don't, however, think I will give Haiku another try.
(3)Jay A.
I am giving them 2 stars instead of 1 because the first time I was here, I would have given them 4. I went here on a Wednesday for a business lunch. It was NOT busy, we were seated quickly, and our waitress was friendly and attentive. We ordered 2 sushi rolls, and then a couple of hibachi entrees. They came with soup. Some of the onions in the soup tasted like they were very old and going bad. And yes, I have had bad onions before. One of our sushi rolls was excellent. The other one contained tuna and white tuna. One of them was FAR from fresh. It should have been thrown and not served. Both of us noticed it right away. My stomach has been bothering me since I ate here also. I get that it's risky ordering sushi at a strip mall at lunch on a Wednesday. Unfortunately, if I am served food that isn't fresh, I don't forgive. It's too bad, because it is a nice place and the hibachi food is good.
(2)Mahva J.
I LOVE HAIKU! We are very happy to have this restaurant in our neighborhood, and hope that it is here for years to come. The food, espeically the sushi, is AMAZING! It's fresh and flavorful and so needed in the TC to expand taste buds and horizons. Even if you aren't into sushi, you will find something delectable here to eat. We have never been disappointed. We've dined here both during the week and on weekends and the level of service doesn't go down. If they are a little slow, they do explain it to you. You don't need the explanation because you can clearly see when the restaurant is full. The vibe is relaxed, yet classy, without being stuffy. You can bring your kids here and they, too, will have a great meal. If you're looking for great Japanese sushi and cuisine, this is your place.
(5)Tammy M.
Great place for sushi - especially love the american dream roll and the yellowtail jalapeño appetizers. Great quality and friendly staff.
(5)Matt G.
My first impression of Haiku was very good. The place is decorated beautifully, even the napkins are fancy. I think the big logo on the wall is a nice touch. I enjoyed the Spicy Salmon Roll and the #9 Roll, but wasn't really a fan of the Kicking King Crab Roll. The asparagus just didn't fit well in it in my opinion. They don't have a happy hour but I did notice they had some daily specials posted. The service was good and the place itself is easy to get to with plenty of parking.
(4)Jenn W.
Ended up going here because of a Groupon, and glad we found it! Service was fast, food was very fresh and delicious. We got the Love Boat, can't go wrong with just a boat full of delicious sushi. We got the Fat Boy Roll with it, and that was amazing! Worth your stop, they know what they are doing.
(5)Jesse B.
Great sushi, great udon. Not quite what I've had in Kyoto, but very tasty, with good presentation. Also impressed with the service. They were busy on a Saturday night but made every effort to get us seated quickly.
(4)Allison K.
All of the food and drinks I've gotten here have been delicious. Creative rolls and quality you wouldn't expect in a strip mall location. A little confusing last time we went as we were handed a tablet computer along with our menu and it wasn't explained what it was for. Apparently it just has pictures of the menu items on it? A little strange. Service is good, not great but you'll be hard pressed to find better sushi in the area
(4)Katrina M.
Jalapeño watermelon margarita was strong but good. Decor is beautiful, stunning even! We had the lobster roll - good but I didn't taste much lobster, The spicy girl roll was delicious with the tempura flakes on top. The tempura flakes are fantastic! They were on our Slammin Salmon roll as well! Caterpillar roll was wonderful with mango inside! The favorite so far! Scorpion roll was good and different. Tuna family was amazing. SOme seared, the rest, raw. Slamming salmon was fantastic with lots of tempura flakes and tobiko!!!!! We went on a Tuesday night with the family and were seated immediately. Our waiter, Ferry was very attentive and sweet.
(4)Serena R.
Some of the freshest shashimi I've ever had. Absolutely would go back again. I hope they do well as it's nice to have a good Japanese place locally.
(5)Paul A.
Great sushi bar that has impressed each time I've visited. I think the lunch specials are very good and offer enough options. It's not a buffet style which I shy away from. I don't like sushi that waits before it's severed. Try it if your in the Mendota heights area.
(5)Seppuk U.
Lets be clear right up front. This is quasi Japanese food. Obviously Japanese food popularity has exploded in the last several years and this place is a cheap ass attempt to cash in on that. From the error on the menu, which in japanese characters says "ageku" not "haiku"...(seriously? you open a japanese restaurant and don't have anyone that can read japanese??) and the same error all over the walls to the ridiculous iceberg lettuce salad. I have n.e.v.e.r. been given a salad in any J restaurant before comprising solely iceberg lettuce. Cheapo. Very unimpressed and if this place actually knew anything about Japanese food they should be embarrassed. to the yaki tori app that was not yaki tori. This was a shish ke bob. I feel sorry for any American that samples this places "take" on Japanese food and comes away believing that is what Japanese food really is. I suppose it'll fool the peeps who go to Chinese buffets though, and believe General Tso chicken is authentic and eaten all over China. The only redeeming factor for this place and why I even gave them 2 stars is the nigiri and sashimi were decent. I give the Chinese owners and staff props for using Japanese rice too, usually knock-off joints skip that little detail. TL:DR: This is a joint surfing a trend. The food is heavily Americanized and I would almost compare it to chain restaurant stuff, think Olive Garden as Italian. Sushi is OK, but I wouldn't go out of my way to return here.
(2)Joe P.
Great interior! Restaurant looked amazing inside. The service was nothing to rave about nor was the food. We had a spicy girl roll which was good but far from the best I've had. We also had a steak and shrimp hibachi entree. The onion soup and ginger salad were good. The shrimp was a little over cooked. I would go back but won't be my first choice.
(3)Angelica K.
Finally authentic sushi in Mendota Heights. We order the the yellow tail Ceviche, very tasty and the fish very fresh. We also order fatty tuna, it was supper. We have a couple of sushi rolls, and sashimi pieces fresh raw fish and good. The decor is super, the place is clean, and the the service was great.
(4)Jenni F.
This place is magnificent!! The decor gives the impression of an ice bar or a swanky lounge, the food is incredible and reasonably priced. I recommend the Sashimi Dinner. The service is amazing - on my second visit the server asked me if I would like [the same beverage] as I had last time. I feels pretty awesome to be remembered! As someone who could take-it-or-leave-it with fried rice, theirs is to die for! We typically end up with a larger group since it's one of the go-to spots for many of Boltz's Family Martial Arts adult student after classes. The staff is so accommodating of groups and allows us to push a few tables together. I have recently taken to picking up something to-go for lunch since I work so close, too. Just as delicious and even more reasonably priced than the already-reasonable dinner prices.
(5)Donna N.
Everything is excellent. Great sushi, hibachi dinners and great tempura. Very high quality and reasonably priced. Waitstaff very nice owner is present most times and very hospitable. Note this is on 110 in Mendota Heights, not Saint Paul
(5)Kate D.
Love it - delicious, sushi is very fresh and well prepared. Excellent, friendly service. Decor is amazing - does not feel like you are in a "strip mall"! Great list of rolls and cocktails - many more than other sushi restaurants around. They also have a kitchen - my son loves the children's menu. Family friendly, reasonably priced and the perfect location for us.
(5)Hyoga Z.
For the interior design of the restaurant, I'll give a 4 stars rating or even 4.5. Specially sushi bar is cool. But for the food I only can give a 3 stars rate at most. It really tastes like exactly the same thing to the hibachi Japanese cuisine, but u know the food right now is without performance. No entertainment makes it become a really normal sushi restaurant. Hope they can improve their food.
(3)Ice C.
Beautiful atmosphere, great food and drinks. Great addition to mendota heights!
(5)Ed C.
I've never submitted a review on Yelp before, but felt compelled to after having dinner at Haiku for the first time last night. I had planned to meet a friend for dinner at our usual spot, Village Wok, prior to the Gopher's hockey game. Instead, we noticed Haiku right next door and decided to give it a try. We were stunned at the clean, contemporary décor; the opposite of what you would expect for a college campus eatery. The place was busy, but not packed. We found the wait staff, which appeared to be largely native Japanese, to be helpful and exceedingly polite; again, a bit of an anomaly for a campus restaurant. But what really blew us away was the exceptional food. My pal had the Salmon Terriyaki, and I had the Shrimp Yaki Soba. They were both delicious! I don't remember the last time I walked into a new restaurant with absolutely no pre-reviews and was blown out of the water by the excellence of the cuisine. Thank Haiku, for a wonderful surprise. A bit pricier than Village Wok, but no comparison when it came to the ambience, cleanliness, wait staff, and, most importantly, the quality of the food. I've never found a campus restaurant so good that I would be willing to deal with the hassle of driving to campus, dealing with the parking, etc. just for the food, but now I have! I will be back! p.s. I don't know why the address of the U of M Haiku is incorrect on my review. This is not the 754 Hwy 10 location in St. Paul. It is the Washington Ave Haiku location.
(5)Wil G.
7:00pm: Arrive - the place is busy there are people waiting to be seated and I count 4 empty tables. The hostess is running around like a headless chicken and is having hard time figuring out how to get 3 sets of guests seated at 4 tables. 7:20: Get seated at the Sushi bar (after a guy who was sitting there waiting for a TAKE OUT order got up and left!) 7:35: Asked the girl washing dishes if there is a server 7:37: Someone came over and asks me for my order, (food not beverage) then he ran off right away. 7:45: Get asked if I'd like something to drink 7:50: Miso soup and salad show up - no utensils or sticks (Iceberg lettuce! Really?) 7:52: Someone finally brings over chopsticks and a napkin 8:10: I've been for over an hour and still no entree. The service is insanely bad. I wish I could review the food. Sadly I'm still without. ------------------------------------- 8:11: My Sashimi Entree arrives - I'm hoping it was worth the wait. The food wasn't all that great. The tuna was mostly fresh and was a tad softer than it should be. The salmon was edible after smothering it in soy and wasabi. I've never had to do that before. Certainly none of it was photo worthy in presentation. Sadly it was not worth the wait. 8:30: I'm ready to leave 8:37: Finally flag someone do to give them my money 8:40: I'm out of here - never coming back! By 8:00 the place had emptied to about half full, but the wait staff still couldn't keep up with other peoples orders. This place seems very unorganized and isn't capable of handling a dinner crowd efficiently. As best as I could tell only one person knew how to operate the cash register and she was also supposed to be serving people at the Sushi bar. ------------------------------------------------------------ UPDATE: 7/18/2015 This is the second time I've been here. I'll never go back. The sashimi isn't suitable for bait. It was old, slimy, smelly, nasty tasting stuff.
(1)Kien N.
Haiku has an awesome location right on campus. The restaurant is well decorated and the atmosphere is pleasant. Our waiter was polite and accommodating. My classmates and I went during lunch and their lunch specials were very affordable. I had 2 rolls and miso soup for $8. Aside from the convenient location and affordable prices, the quality of food was average. I would recommend this place for its convenience and affordability, but if someone is looking for delicious sushi, they're better off driving off campus. Recently, they have been posting up signs for late night karaoke. I am assuming there was little appeal, so they added colored printer paper advertising free drinks for girls and $1 Bud Light. The taped color paper with sharpie writing is distasteful considering how nice the restaurant is. Also, desperate.
(3)Elena T.
SWAG. This place is impressive. Their sleek and stylish decor matches the exquisite presentation of each dish served. The menu is extensive, creative and delicious. This place is all about perfection in the details. And it's sexy. Highlights: Kicking King Crab Roll Oyster Tempura Roll Sashimi Salad Haiku Japanese Bistro = Crazy Sexy Cool
(5)Kristi C.
Some of the best sushi I've found in the Twin Cities and score, it's in the south metro. The spicy tuna roll was well executed and tasty. My dinner mate let me try what I've decided is the best unagi (eel) I've had to date. The interior is sleek and tastefully decorated. The noise level isn't too loud, you can still carry on a conversation. Service was impeccable!
(5)