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    Akai Hana

    4.3 (807 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 8:00 PM

    Akai Hana Photos

    Business Info

    AKAI HANA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Akai Hana

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    Crispy Kale Roll
    Nick S.

    If you're a sushi fan in Columbus, Akai Hana needs to be on your list of places to go! They are located in the Japan Marketplace where there are so many great spots and shops to explore! The vibes here are awesome and it's great for any occasion! Every dish feels so authentic, and the quality of seafood in their rolls are top of the line and taste incredibly fresh! The bento boxes are always fun to do and allow you to taste a little bit of everything! Be on the lookout for their specials they have going on the Crispy Kale Roll was one of the best rolls I've had in the city!

    Super Dry
    Eric F.

    Am I turning Japanese, turning Japanese? I really think so. Can we get somebody at Yelp! to check how often that joke has been used to start a sushi restaurant review. This place is in a strip mall with bakery - Belle's- and a Japanese grocery store. They are all hopping. The story I get is that when Honda opened a plant here the services followed. Tracks. The sashimi is great. Also got the tofu, which I really like. Soft shell crab are great. The ambiance is that of a very busy Japanese restaurant. The servers are teched up so everything moves at a pace. Simply said, if you are in Columbus come here.

    They have a very large selection
    Jeffrey B.

    This is my fist time here and you need to make reservations. Every time I'm in the area this place is always busy. I ordered the octopus because no matter where I go I must try how they prepare it. Then I ordered the Alaska. It was a bit smaller than I expected but still good. I would go back since they have a lot of different options to try on the menu. Service was fine. Did feel a little rushed though.

    Caterpillar Roll on the bottom  Tuna Bliss A Roll on top
    Karina A.

    Not my first time at Akai Hana, but my first review. Each time I have gone I have just simply loved their sushi. Service was wonderful. Ambjance was a little loud, but as expected for a fully packed Saturday night. We started with miso soup and tempura shrimp and veggies for appetizers. The tempura was fantastic, with the perfect crunch. My partner also tried a salmon hand roll. The hand roll was packed with salmon and incredibly fresh. For the mains, we opted for the suki yaki (which my partner had most of) and the caterpillar roll and tuna bliss A roll. The rolls were exquisite, each piece perfectly put together. We were so into our meal that I even forgot to take pictures until midway in! I also appreciate that their online menu had pictures for everything, it certainly made picking our items much easier. I definitely look forward to going back to Akai Hana, especially for the sushi and fish.

    Nigiri - Fatty Tuna was my favorite
    Clare K.

    Really wonderful authentic dishes like Hamachi Kama (fried yellowtail collar, or cheek - tenderest part of the fish) and soft shell crab. We also ordered some nigiri with melt in your mouth fish (Fatty Tuna was my favorite). Our waitress was attentive and lovely.

    Samantha M.

    Found this restaurant amongst a list of recommended sushi spots in Columbus and the recommendation did not disappoint. I was a bit skeptical with the sushi in Ohio based on my last experience when I ordered sushi from a different restaurant. Akai Hana redeemed the sushi scene and provided a delicious meal with great service despite us walking in a bit late. We ordered two rolls and noodles and they were delicious. We ordered the salmon avocado roll and a spicy tuna roll. It was a great spot for our date night or you can come for a family dinner. I definitely see myself coming back, I'm craving sushi just writing this review!

    Tuna Bliss A Roll
    Nafisa H.

    I love the restaurants in this shopping center and this is the more upscale Japanese restaurant in the group. The atmosphere is cozy, a tad loud when we came but we were seated next to a very large group. Expect it to be busy but you can still manage a table with little to no wait. I shared the tuna bliss a and sweet potato roll with a friend and it was delicious! You can count on them for having consistent quality food.

    Front: Spicy Scallop Roll  Back: Pixie Roll
    Sammi M.

    Other than Japan, this is the best sushi I've ever had. So authentic and their fish could not be more fresh. We tried the spicy tuna crispy rice and I'd totally get it again! For simple rolls, get the yellowtail. It's a great option to go with other special rolls. I'd recommend all the rolls we got! All great. The baked scallop roll is a roll they're known for and it's delish if you like warm scallops and a creamier sauce. Regardless if you like sushi you MUST go to Akai Hana. Also visit the Japanese market next door. It's the closest I've gotten to Japan since I went last summer.

    Eel hand roll
    Talor B.

    Was craving a good hand roll and this is one of the few places in the city that make them! I had my toddler with me so we weren't able to dine in but I got 2 hand rolls and some nigiri to go. The host was super friendly and my order was ready early although they seemed fairly busy. I really enjoyed the nigiri. I got a king salmon and a smoked salmon. Honestly not sure which one was which but one had a ton of yummy flavor. The hand rolls were pretty loaded - I got the shrimp and the eel. I'd probably dine in next time but definitely will be back.

    Aubrie H.

    If you love sushi and you haven't been here, you're missing out. Always made fresh and delicious! They have so many specialty rolls but a lot of regular rolls as well. They have more than just sushi but that seems to be our go to when we visit. Tried the pixie roll again on this visit and it was delicious but the rainbow roll is a close second. Between service and delicious food, this is a great place to visit.

    Shrimp Tempura Roll
    Abby R.

    Stopped in for dinner on a busy Thursday evening. We made a reservation and were seated promptly. The resturaunt is larger than you'd think and can get a little noisy. Our server was only around intermittently, it was busy so understandable. The spring rolls and the udon were by far the best things we ordered! The spring rolls were hot and crispy with fresh filling, and the sweet and sour sauce on the side was delicious! The udon was very cabbage heavy and needed soy sauce, but the dish tasted fresh (and the leftovers were good). The sushi was just alright- both speciality rolls had a lot of sauce so the tempura batter was soggy and really only the sauce flavor came through, which for spicy mayo had too much mayo, hardly any spice.

    Chef's Special - letting the sushi chef choose the best pieces for you is the way to go
    Gabriel G.

    This place is just incredible! Best sushi in Columbus. Hands down. The selection, the quality, and the preparation are top notch! Even their rolls are amazing because the fish is so fresh, but for the true top shelf experience, you have to get sushi and/or sashimi. Always great to start with some tempura veggies too! And then of course there's pleeenty of sake to satisfy your rice wine desires :) IMPORTANT NOTE : Be sure to make a reservation several days in advance if you want to get in on a Friday or Saturday at dinner time! If I'm being picky, it's time for them to upgrade the furniture inside, but the staff is always a delight and the food is out of this world!

    Yose Nabe
    Cindy M.

    Love that there is a japanese village in Columbus! This restaurant is quite large. Came here on a Wednesday night and it was busy but luckily there was no wait to be seated. Friendly service. I ordered a yose nabe and it came out steaming hot. Loved how hot it was but had to wait 10 minutes for it to cool down lol. It was huge! Def could feed two people. I also ordered a uni nigiri and a amaebi nigiri - both were super fresh. I would def come back if im in the area!

    Eel!

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    7 days ago

    Delicious food and extremely kind staff with excellent service. The decor is actually very nice, I may try again.

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    4 months ago

    Quintessential Japanese food in Columbus. It won't blow your mind, but it's pretty solid overall in terms of price and flavor.

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    10 months ago

    Really good sushi! We got the miso soup as well which I recommend. Our server was attentive and friendly. It was a nice atmosphere.

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    Akai Hana Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Akai Hana

    Do they have all you can eat sushi?

    No we do not have all you can eat sushi.

    Are there any gluten-free options? Is the sushi rice gluten-free? Gluten-free soy sauce?

    Rice is gluten free. Even so-named "glutinous rice" does not have gluten in it.

    View All 4 Questions

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    The Seasoned Farmhouse

    The Seasoned Farmhouse

    4.4
    (16 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$$

    I want to start this review by saying that our instructor for the macarons class was fantastic and…read moreaccounts for all four stars. Baking macarons is a tricky thing and Damaris did such a good job breaking down all the steps. She gave us lots of tips and tricks for our home baking, and you can see her passion for what she does. That said, I have been to several of the cooking schools in Columbus and this was my least favorite overall attendee experience. It was more expensive, yet very "basic" for lack of a better word. All of the cooking classes I have attended come with some kind of amenities - a welcome cocktail, wine bar, cheese and crackers, hot coffee/tea, etc. Something. This class was three hours long and there was nothing offered but water and iced tea (on a 20 degree day). We also did not receive any kind of information prior to the class, so parking was like solving a mystery (hint: the parking lot is behind the house down a side alleyway)

    So first off I want to say I am glad my husband purchased me this gift. In theory cooking with tea…read moresounded like the coolest thing ever and it was a very thoughtful gift, but the actual experience was a bit lackluster. The Seasoned Farmhouse is a beautiful space, but the cooking class was just okay. I unfortunately didn't learn any new skills and the main reason for this review being so low is because my husband and I got food poisoning at the event. I felt sick as soon as I ate the food and didn't feel better until 24 hours later. I have lots of thoughts on why this happened, that I will explain later. Class + Recipes: The recipes we tried were good. It was a class all about learning how to cook with tea. We made Shaoxing Wine Tea-Poached Chicken with Scallion Oil, Sweet Tea-Brined Roast Chicken, Salad Greens with Golden Raisin Vinaigrette, Tea-Poached Eggs, Black Tea Poppy Seed Muffins, Earl Grey Tea Cake with Chopped Chocolate and Tea-Infused Cream Cheese Frosting and Roasted Yukon Potato Wedges with Aioli Sauce. The food tasted good and I appreciated the amount of thought that Chef Cindy Ramsey put into creating them. However, I was severely disappointed with the set-up of the class. I've been to 6 cooking classes at other locations and always was assigned to a specific station where each participant would make each dish and learn new cooking skills. This class was set-up where we were given a 20 minute lecture and then told to wash our hands and disperse to focus on different aspects of the meal. For instance I mixed the aioli sauce, iced the cake and teared lettuce leaves. Though we were told to wash our hands, we didn't wear gloves and this is what I believe caused my husband and I to get sick. Cons: Lack of cleanliness. During the demonstrations sometimes the chef would touch raw ingredients like eggs and chicken and would then touch other ingredients that would not be cooked. This leads to cross contamination and should have been avoided on the chefs behalf. In addition, because 10 different people peeled eggs, and various people touched ingredient components that would not be cooked I believe this also may be the cause of getting sick. As a science nerd let me share that we all have a different skin microbiome. Sometimes people carry more of one bacteria on their skin than others. Also depending on the length and cleanliness of finger nails, this also could cause unwanted bacteria on food that was prepared without being cooked. If these bacteria get into the ingredients, some people can get ill from them. Net: PLEASE HAVE ALL PARTICIPANTS WEAR GLOVES WHEN PREPARING FOOD, ESPECIALLY ITEMS THAT WILL NOT BE COOKED. I feel like the price of the class was not cheap and hopefully could cover the cost of gloves in the future. Based on this experience, I would not come here again and do not recommend it to someone who is looking for a more traditional style cooking class.

    Photos
    The Seasoned Farmhouse
    The Seasoned Farmhouse
    The Seasoned Farmhouse

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    Lee's Seafood Boil

    Lee's Seafood Boil

    3.8
    (217 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    Love coming here! Daniel at the front is so great!…read more This time I got 2 lbs crawfish and 1 lb jumbo clams! Homemade juice extra hot!

    We've gone several times and have always had good service and good food. We went tonight (Sunday)…read morearound 6pm and it was PACKED. Which is a good sign these days. Pretty loud and hard to hear, but that vibe is OK for a boil place to me. Only waited about 15 minutes. Two adults, two elementary kids. I like Lees of all the boil places because they have good options for non seafood people too. Both kids found wings, chicken fettuccini, etc. Started with the hushpuppies, about 12 smallish sized but a perfect starter for 4 people. Came with ketchup, I wish they would do a remoulade option. My wife and I split the duo (snow crab, shrimp) and I decided to add a LB of blue crab. Medium homemade juice sauce (always....it's sooo damn good). Snow crab was really good this time, snappy not bendy like some places. knuckles sweet and not overly briny. Perfectly cooked and came apart and out easily. Shrimp were just a tad overcooked but not much. Potatoes were perfect. We sub +1 tater for the egg. Corn is never good at these places. :) gotta do those fresh not frozen to get it right. The blue crab had good flavor. However, crazy overcooked which made getting meat out damn near impossible. Stringy instead of in chunks and stuck totally to the shell. I mostly gave up. My biggest complaint is they have ZERO typical utensils. No crackers/pickers/hammers/etc. I managed to cut myself trying to get into a snow crab large claw, and the lack of pickers made the blue crab impossible to eat. I'm bringing my own next time....serious. Finished with the fried oreos which were a perfect finish to the meal. 6 oreos for $6 was a great price.

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    Crab, shrimp, lobster
    Crab, shrimp, lobster
    Lee's Seafood Boil

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    The Modern Southern Table

    The Modern Southern Table

    4.4
    (19 reviews)
    2.1 mi

    Catfish was almost 50% overfried crust and batter. There wasn't much meat on the catfish. The sides…read morewere good but the catfish was not due to the pieces being half crust and batter. Service was ok...

    Came here when my first choice nearby was closed for the day. I'd heard a ton of good things about…read moretheir other location, of course, and meant to go eventually but forgot this one was here. Tiny, carryout only, though there are a couple of tables to sit while you wait or maybe to eat a quick lunch. Super friendly staff. Fairly short menu; all the good stuff. I wasn't famished and didn't want to wait for chicken or fish, so I got an assortment of sides thinking that would be quicker. They fried up the okra right then, though, and had a steady stream of pickup orders coming through the door, so it still took 10-15 minutes. It was okay, though, smelling the amazing scents coming from the kitchen, talking to the staff and customers. I hadn't noticed they have ribs (just a picture, not on the menu) so I might've ordered those. Oh well. $20 I think, or they do combos with sides or fish and sides. Anyway. I got fried okra, and it was a big portion and absolutely amazing. No need for any sauces, tasty on its own. Perfectly crisp. Baked beans: my style, sauce so thick you can eat them with a fork. Slightly sweet, mostly savory, very good. Greens (collards) with turkey: outstanding. Tender but not floppy, nicely seasoned. Cornbread: soft, sweet, crumbly, topped with butter. Yum. Geechee rice: seasoned, bacon and sausage, very good. And black-eyed pea salad. I like black-eyed peas but had never had them in a salad. These were great: plump, with bits of tomato and cucumber and onion, in a vinegary dressing. Again, yum. Enough food for two meals. They gave me the side plate special, three sides and cornbread, which helped with the price. I was headed home and not thirsty so I didn't get a drink, but based on conversations with other customers I missed out on the lemonade and sweet tea. I'll be back for those and maybe a rib-fish combo. And to try the mac. Get here if you can!

    Photos
    The Modern Southern Table
    Baked beans, cornbread, Geechee rice, fried okra, collards, black-eyed pea salad. Yum.
    Baked beans, cornbread, Geechee rice, fried okra, collards, black-eyed pea salad. Yum.
    To go plates

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    To go plates

    Akai Hana - japanese - Updated July 2026

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