Food was amazing! There was a line down the sidewalk as we pulled up 2 minutes before 5 when they opened but we were seated immediately. (they had one empty table left) We ordered the spider roll, volcano role and the Land and Sea (yes, you could see and taste the real Maine Lobster!) All were delicious and presentation was spectacular! Service was super fast and friendly. We can't wait to go back next time we are any where near Raleigh or Apex! read more

Here's a polished version of your review: Great service and a very welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant has a nice ambiance with comfortable seating, making it a great place to relax and enjoy a meal. We sampled a variety of sushi rolls, and everything was fresh and delicious. The prices were very reasonable for the quality and portions offered. We're visiting from out of town, but we would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for great sushi and a pleasant dining experience. We look forward to coming back the next time we're in the area! read more

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This is one of my favorite places to take people for sushi. Gas station sushi? Yes, please. Being completely honest, even my husband was skeptical when that's how I described it to him before our first visit, and now he shares in my joy in introducing people to this wonderful little spot. They do à la carte service, with some regular features, some specially curated; and some timed options. They close between lunch and dinner, to reset - but don't kick people out right at closing. I have seen other patrons tell people walking in as they are closing up, that they are closing up though, which is kind of cute, and helpful to the business. read more

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Hands down one of my top 3 favorites in the Triangle. Bird the owner and head sushi chef is an expect in all things sushi! The quality and freshness can't be beat. The main focus is sushi, not any other distractions like Thai food on the menu. If you're looking for real sushi and want options you're not gonna find at any other "sushi" places... this is the place to head to. Don't let the gas station deter you... It's super cute inside! You'll thank me later!!! @theyumyumgirl read more

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Always a great experience. Wonderful people and amazing food. Every time I have a friend visit I take them here. My whole family goes here. So go to place for date night, celebration, and just when we are craving good food. read more

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Grabbed lunch here recently and had a great time! First, there were a handful of dedicated parking spots for Akami, so that was nice :) We came kind of near closing so there were a few openings, but I'm not sure what it'd look like during peak hours. We were seated immediately and ordered quickly because of the aforementioned closing :) I got a couple of specialty rolls (the phat boy and the voodoo rolls) while my wife got a sashimi appetizer platter. The food was prepared quickly, and oh man, I was not ready for the amount of food I received. Next time, I'll definitely get one roll and then a couple of pieces of sashimi or something. Anyway, the voodoo roll in particular was super tasty! Maybe the best sushi I've had in the state. The phat boy roll wasn't bad but I'll probably skip that one next time. My wife enjoyed her sashimi as well. Service was polite and efficient throughout. Overall, I really liked Akami and would definitely come back! read more

We went at peak time on a Saturday night and had to wait 50 minutes for a table of 8. They were very courteous and accommodating. The food was delicious, although the complexity of the flavor profile masked the freshness of the fish. I was really impressed by the quality of what I paid for, so five stars all around. The decor and atmosphere were really cool, and the service was good as well! I liked the Shishito roll, Phat Boy roll, and king salmon appetizer the most. The Yuzu Japanese cheesecake was lightly sweet. read more

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Best sushi in town! We love Akami. Their rolls are delicious. If you're going there, go when they first open or get ready to wait. read more

The food here was absolutely delicious! Seriously, everything we ordered was top-notch. The service was also incredibly fantastic; they really went above and beyond. We were celebrating a birthday, and the ice cream presentation was just spectacular. We'll definitely be back again soon! read more

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Some of the best sushi I've ever had! Great service too. Killer flavor combinations. I tell everyone to go here if they are craving sushi

Get there before they open to avoid long waits but they are totally worth it. Everyone is so kind and works to make it efficient as possible. It's a small space and they have a cult following. Be prepared to wait. Parking is horrible because they are connected to a gas station. Again worth it. I love the rolls but their lunch specials are great because they come with a soup and salad. The signature rolls are great, king salmon and voodoo are my favorite. It's my favorite sushi place. FYI on weekends and Friday dinner they do not do to go orders. During the week they are easy to order to go on the toast app. read more

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Overall: I originally only came for the novelty of it being a "gas station sushi spot" but I was surprised with how high quality the sushi was. A really cool spot! Food: The sushi here is all really fresh and they offer fairly generous cuts. Good tastes overall and nice flavor balancing on the rolls. Service: The wait is a bit long since they don't have many seats and this place is a bit popular. Try to come at off hours if you want the skip the line. Ambiance: This is a lively sit-down place, suitable for a casual date night. I highly suggest entering or exiting at least once via the gas station doors. Just walk in the Han-Dee Hugo and head towards the bathrooms, there will be another door at the end of the hallway that leads you to Akami. read more

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This is a super high end Sushi Bar with high end fish from Japan and around the world. Great staff and awesome cheffs. As Southern Living magazine stated it's the best in the South! read more

Don't let the "gas station" name sway or fool you into thinking any kind of way because this sushi is the real deal and very good. My friend had been wanting to take me here for a long time and I can't wait to go back. The sushi here is definitely the best I've ever experienced. It's fresh, flavorful prepared well. read more

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I can never speak highly enough about this restaurant, easily. My favorite restaurant in North Carolina! The owner is such a great guy, and the entire staff is really kind and caring. It's awesome to have them know you by name and it feels like you're starting to build a family! The food is always delicious, I went out of my way to try some new things and I'm so glad I did because I'm learning more things that I love about this restaurant! The flavor and The taste profiles are next level and the ambiance is always exactly what I want, nice, quaint and friendly! Highly recommend!!! read more

Seeing all the staff, and how their greetings is always welcoming to everyone sitting down The only sushi we eat. We appreciated the extra welcoming today. Thank you Bird and Team read more

Akami Sushi Bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Apex, North Carolina

I'm back again to give my favorite Sushi spot another 5 stars. As always great service with great sushi!! It's a small restaurant with a great ambiance. So get here asap for a great lunch or dinner. read more

Akami Sushi Bar - Volcano, Spider, Dragon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Apex, North Carolina

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I had the VooDoo, King Salmon and the Hamachi & Scallion...my son had the TarTar, Toro Scallion hand roll, Phat Boy, spicy Salmon and Spicy Tuna. Along with some Hot Sake, a Asahi and Sapporo. Best Sushi in North Carolina for sure. Much Love and Aloha to the owner and crew. read more

Akami Sushi Bar - Tuna TarTar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Apex, North Carolina

The eel jalapeno up front was the best sushi I've ever had! Sat at the sushi table and had green tee (refillable) with the hibachi torch. The experience was so wonderful, its the next day and I'm still thinking about it. read more

Akami Sushi Bar - Sushi Bars Near Me - Apex, North Carolina

This place looks unassuming from the outside, since it's attached to a gas station, but that's why you don't judge a book by its cover! Akami has great quality sushi for a very reasonable price. My wife and I came for lunch on a Monday, and the place was relatively quiet, but there were already a good number of take out orders being prepared. We were promptly seated at the bar (by request) and given drinks. I ordered the Sushi & Sashimi from their lunch menu: 3 piece Nigiri (I ended up with Tuna, Salmon, Hamachi / Yellowtail), 6 piece Sashimi (Tuna, Salmon, Escolar), and California Roll. The fish was all very tasty, good quality, and generous portion size. It also included a miso soup and salad. My wife ordered the Rainbow Roll Combo from the lunch menu: Rainbow Roll (Tuna, Salmon, Hamachi, Escolar on top of a California Roll) with 4 piece Nigiri (She ended up with Tuna, Salmon, Hamachi, Escolar). She also enjoyed her order and was very full (I helped her finish her sushi). The service was very quick and friendly. The space is small, but very clean and good for smaller groups. The bathroom is shared with the gas station, so that would be my only critique - it was a typical gas station bathroom. But overall, I enjoyed the food and the dining experience here. I hope to come back to try some other things in the future! read more

Akami Sushi Bar - Sushi & Sashimi from the lunch menu - Sushi Bars Near Me - Apex, North Carolina

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Went for dinner Sat. Was so good I forgot to take a pic! Will definitely be going back.

I absolutely love this place! Sushi in a gas station? I know right, I thought the same thing. I found this restaurant on Yelp and put it straight in the GPS based on its reviews. As we pulled up, all I saw was a gas station and immediately felt confusion. We noticed the entrance on the side of the building and parked. The entry to Akami is inviting. We had to wait for a table, but it was not a long wait. The restaurant includes a bar area where you can sit and watch the owners/chefs make your order right in front of you. The menu is full of options for those that like raw or sushi with cooked items. We ordered the Miso soup, Prawn Shumai, Dragon Roll, Spider Roll and the Shrimp Tempura Roll. Everything, and I mean everything we ordered was full of flavor. This place has the best sushi that I have ever eaten! Hands down! Eating sushi at a gas station = my new favorite place! You HAVE to try this place. This is not sushi in a plastic tray, this is sushi made to excite your tastebuds. read more

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One of the best sushi spots I've ever been to in the triangle! The fish is always consistently fresh and filling. While their menu is on the simpler side, I am always pleased with the selections available! The service is always so sweet and helpful with making decisions, and being patient while my friend and I hm and hah about what to get, or are just too busy catching up to even had glanced at the menu! The seating inside is small but definitely has a cozy vibe, and has always been nice and quiet with ambient music playing softly in the background. This little gem is a bit hard to find as it is nestled behind a gas station (hence their nickname, Gas Station Sushi) but definitely a great find! read more

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I almost don't want to review this spot but....I shouldn't gate-keep. My all time favorite spot for sushi is M-Sushi and this is the only spot in the triangle that comes close to the quality of fish at a fraction of the price. This is a super small spot attached to a gas station. If you have a party of two, you can easily get a table as this place isn't built for large parties. I came with a group of 3 and we ended up waiting about 45min for a table as there were only a few tables for "bigger" groups. I did see a lot of people come in to pick up take out so I would suggest doing that if you have a large group. The fish here is simply amazing. I don't know what else to say other than you are missing out by not coming here. The service here is also phenomenal. This spot is way out of the way for me but that won't stop me from coming back! read more

Probably in the top 3 sushi experiences I've ever had! Not only was every bite flavorful and cooked (or not cooked) to perfection but the menu choices were exciting - not the same old stuff you find everywhere. The plating was gorgeous and high-end, but in a casual, cozy, family-friendly setting. My only warning is that parking is limited... but figure it out... it's worth it! We had the spicy conch and octopus salad as an appetizer and the shishito and dancing eel rolls for mains. My son (6) got the shrimp tempura kids roll and loved it. I thought it was nice that they had some options for kids and actually seem to have thought through what would be different yet approachable, and yummy for them. We topped it off with mochi ice cream read more

Akami Sushi Bar - Spicy Conch & Octopus Salad - Sushi Bars Near Me - Apex, North Carolina

Finally tried akami and to be honest, it was a little bit of a let down. It wasn't awful at all, just not my favorite. The service was very good though and friendly, no complaints there. Parking was very rough, as not many spots to park in, a one way that brings you back to the road was frustrating. I tried several things and they had good flavor for sure, pretty decent quality but some parts weren't for me. For example, one of the rolls had seared fish on top but when they seared it, they seared the whole roll, including the rice so it left a bitter taste in my mouth. The salad also tasted like it had wasabi in it, which j didn't enjoy. The mango roll was very refreshing and delicious though. Overall, it was terrible but I've enjoyed other sushi places more with less parking hassle. read more

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Food Been to akami twice now and love the quality of sushi everytime. Top 3 sushi spots in the triangle area for sure. Love that they have salmon only options! Service Dined in once and had takeout once. Loved the service both times. Ambiance Different from your typical sushi spot since it's connected to a gas station, but overall surprisingly cozy! read more

Another Yelp Winner! I've been reading the reviews and wanting to visit Akami for quite awhile. Yelp reviewers have never let me down! My husband and I ordered the Premium ($42) Sushi -15 piece, chef's choice. The pieces of sushi were super fresh, melt-in-your-mouth soft, and sliced thick! We ordered 2 nigiri, toro and hamachi. Incredible!! Great service. We will be back!! read more

Akami Sushi Bar - 15 piece sushi (and a tuna roll, not pictured) amazing! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Apex, North Carolina

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Eating fresh raw fish at Akami is a true learning experience. Fresh Wahu fish, fresh Saba ( Mackerel) from Toyosu market, Japan, Fresh Blue Fin red meat and belly part. Miso soup was on point. Yuzu pineapple Tiramisu was incredibly delicious. read more

Akami Sushi Bar - Wahu, Blue fin tuna, Toro, King Salmon and Fresh Saba from Japan. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Apex, North Carolina

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We went there on a Friday night as a party of 4 and sat at the bar. Bird, the owner, and his staff are amazing. Everyone is friendly and efficient. We had several of the apps, rolls and the bowls - everything was excellent and fresh. They keep custom chop sticks with customers' names on them for the regulars - what an amazing touch. Highly recommend! read more

Gas station sushi? Akami Sushi Bar in Raleigh, NC is connected to a gas station, but don't underestimate the quality. Lunch bento boxes come with miso soup, mixed greens salad, & a variety of fresh sushi, sashimi, & maki options! Service is attentive, but when peak times hit, expect a bit of a wait. Nice sit down tables & seats at the sushi bar! Would come back! read more

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I used to get sushi every Friday at Kumo in Fuquay because it was close by and pretty decent and then I stumbled upon Akami a few years ago right after they opened and I've never gone back to Kumo. The quality of the sushi and the portion sizes as well as the flavor combinations at Akami are far superior than any other sushi restaurant in the triangle...and I've been to lots of sushi restaurants such as Osha, Cowfish, Ajisai, Sushi Iwa, Sushi Thai Cary and dozens of others. Akami is hands down the best. I have literally tried everything on the menu, and yes, I'm one of those regulars who has been given his own chopsticks by the owner Bird with my name on them. Where else does a regular get their own personal chopsticks? And as far as the menu goes, I keep track of it all on a note and often make suggestions to new visitors. I always sit at the bar and recommend you sit there as well, but only if you like talking to the chefs and the people around you. Please don't take over the bar if you're just gonna sit there and have your own party and ignore everyone else...this applies to all sushi restaurants as good etiquette. Anytime I bring someone new I bring them in through the gas station...that's not the preferred entrance, but it's fun and starts the night off great as it really makes you feel like you're entering a secret speakeasy. I always buy the fish jerky which is made in house and served hot for anyone that's new . The uni shot is also something unique to try on your first outing at Akami. The best items on the menu are gonna be the rolls....all of the rolls are carefully crafted to have unique flavor profiles and textures, you can't go wrong with any of them. And I'm talking about the house rolls, not the standard rolls like the tuna roll that you can get anywhere else. Same goes for the regular nigiri and sashimi. The quality of fish here is exceptional and that stuff is great, but to me you can get tuna or salmon anywhere...be adventures, get the Hamachi Torch or the Geisha Dragon or one of the many other unique combinations on the roll menu. The parking can be difficult because they don't have a lot of spaces and a lot of parties of 4 show up in their own cars...please carpool if you can. You can park along the curb near the entrance to the gas station and by Bojangles. Akami has about 10 spots with their name on it but it's not a lot if everyone drives separate. It's also super popular and might be a bit slow if they are busy but please just chill and enjoy your meal, don't rush it. If you're in a rush just order your food to go (no take out on Friday and Saturday nights due to being so busy). Once a month on Sunday they open up 3 Omakase dinners that are 13 courses long and costs about $135 + $45 for a sake pairing. I do this at least once a year and please get a designated driver if you do the sake pairing. The courses are legendary and served one by one and the menu is different each time. It usually sells out within a few hours of being announced on instagram and Facebook so keep an eye out if you want to do it. I didn't review this place for a long time because it's already busy and I wanted it to stay a bit secret, but the secret is out now so I might as well throw in my two cents. Enjoy! read more

This is literally the definition of a hole in the wall as it is connected to the back of a gas station. My friends and I had just finished walking around the Chinese lantern and wanted to grab a bite to eat. I trusted yelp to find me somewhere tasty and it sure did! I love the artwork on the walls here as well as the hand drawn specials on the board. This place is tiny since it is attached to the back of the gas station, I'd say only about 10-15 tables. I was pleasantly shocked by the quality of the food and the price. Coming from NJ/NYC area, the amount of food we ordered would have easily been double the price. This is one of the few sushi joints I've been to were they actually used real miso paste to make the soup, not a instant packet. The raw fish tasted extremely fresh and just melted in your mouth. The ginger vinegrette for the salad was delicious. The waitresses all had shirts that said gas station sushi which I thought was hilarious. They were tentative and very kind. I wish I lived in NC so I could come here all the time! read more

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Had sushi-was amazing! Great service, cozy ambiance. Super small so get a reservation or go early.

We had a great table by the wall with a woman on the mural. It gave us a good view of entire restaurant and sushi bar. Our waitress was super sweet and efficient. The miso soup was delicious. The salad was just ok. I had the ginger dressing and it tasted watered down. Next time I will try the wasabi salad dressing. The cucumbers were good, I had one tiny tomato, the greens were fresh but a bit tasteless. For my lunch special i had sashimi and I added a south beach roll. The sashimi was so fresh and the pieces tasted amazing. I also really liked the tuna roll. The south beach roll was probably my second favorite roll in my life. And I have been eating sushi for 40 years. The combination of the spicy, crunchy and fresh ingredients was just wonderful. I will certainly return. Love this gas station sushi. read more

After a lot of good reviews I decided I had to stop. Hands down, the best sushi I've found in NC. We thought it was also a great price and had a unique setting in the "gas station". The staff was friendly and very aware of timing and delivery of the food. I had the Shrimp Don and it was perfect and perfectly seasoned too! read more

Akami Sushi Bar - Salad - Sushi Bars Near Me - Apex, North Carolina

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I went a on a Sunday night not expecting it to be super busy but it was. The wait was 30 minutes or less. It's a small restaurant that is next to a gas station so that's why I originally went because it's called "gas station sushi" I was pleasantly surprised when I actually got inside the restaurant and the ambiance of the place was nice. Service was really quick. I ordered my food. We got the voodoo sushi, sushi, and another sushi roll and a soup. Everything was great. The presentation was the best 10/10 recommend. read more

Best Japanese restaurant in Apex,NC. Cozy, quiet, very clean, well lighted atmosphere. You will not be surprised by bad food or beverages. Every food is very fresh and flavorful. Make a point to arrive before opening time to ensure your favorite chair and table. read more

I've eaten sushi all over the country, including some of the places written about in NYC. Akami is one of the best sushi restaurants I've ever been to. The food was perfect, and from now on, I will only be eating fish from a gas station as long as I live in Raleigh. A5 Wagyu nigiri - seared to perfection and topped with real Wasabi. It's the perfect way to start your meal. Every roll we ordered was spot on. I will be ordering the toro scallion every single time I go back. The service was spectacular. Your green tea will never be empty. Akami is the great white shark of sushi - it swims alone, has one job to do, and kills everything in its path. read more

What a hidden gem! I heard of this place by word of mouth from a couple different friends. It's located in a small, very nondescript gas station plaza. The restaurant embraces its strange, quirkly location and the wait staff even have shirts and aprons that say "Gas Station Sushi." The inside of the restaurant is what you would expect from your average restaurant in a little strip mall/plaza - there are seats at the bar or at several tables. We went for lunch during the work week, so seating was easily available, although I was surprised by how many customers were present inside and knew about this restaurant. The sushi is delicious. The fish is fresh and tender, and the rice is soft and freshly made. For weekday lunches, they have some lunch combinations that include a salad and authentic miso soup. The dons are basically poke bowls, and are made to focus on the fish - simple toppings, the perfect amount of sauce, and absolutely oishii. Also, the prices are extremely reasonable. I can't wait for my next trip here! read more

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