Earlier on this week we came in for our favorite sushi in town, at Aonami. Jimmy is always the best and consistently have had no problems getting fresh & excellent rolls & food here. Also it's always clean & generally a lovely time at Aonami. Unfortunately the last few times I've been in, I've been stuck with the same server. He's probably about 5'10, I think his name may have been Gabriel but I didn't catch it. Initially my partner and I were discussing what rolls we might like, and our server said he would return shortly to give us another moment. He then communicated to the kitchen that we wanted both of those rolls, so we ended up paying for an extra roll. He also was fairly inattentive and dismissive, giving us almost no time to discuss with him what we would like for entrees/starters. We still tipped because we didn't want to short the rest of the staff, but I've been rather appalled at the lack of quality service from this particular gentleman. We will obviously be returning; I certainly hope someone will speak to him about his room for improvement. 2 stars for service, 5 stars for everything else. read more

Service-- 10/10! Our server was helpful, attentive, and very nice. He was there to answer questions, brought out the food in a timely manner, and gave overall great service. Food-- not the best sushi I've ever had, but good for what they offer. I got a "sumo" roll, the salmon hole roll, and it was 10 nicely sized pieces. They don't have a huge fish selection, so it seems like a lot of their rolls are similar, but they also have a good amount of options for not having much fish. The fish tasted fresh, their steelhead and tempura shrimp were good, but there seemed to be a lot of rice and not a huge amount of other flavor. I would probably go again if invited but wouldn't go out of my way to plan a meal there. (I am from the bay and they have some really great sushi places so I know I have high standards. It was definitely up to par, just not mind blowing.) read more

Aonami - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chico, California

My husband and I were having a really rough day with evacuation from the fires in Oroville and decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner. We came about an hour before closing and didn't get our food until closing, and it ended up being someone else's order. My husband ordered a Chef's Choice roll, so when it came with a name we didn't recognize, we figured that was the roll the kitchen made. We waited for the other roll we ordered, not eating anything, and realized this time that the name wasn't right. Our order had gotten mixed up with the people behind us, who had already started eating. Julia was amazing and offered to get us mochi ice cream and drinks on the house. We didn't end up leaving until over 30 minutes after closing, and the restaurant was still busy. Julia was so kind and helpful despite having to stay late, and our food ended up being delicious. We will definitely be back, despite the hiccups! read more

This place is a gemstone in Chico, CA. As vegan, I am constantly researching for places that offer vegan food; although, Aonami has many options and an entire section of vegan sushi to choose. The ambiance was great. The Service was outstanding and the food was amazing . Thank you for having sustainable food in your menu. I will comeback soon. read more

The food and service was wonderful. Their food selections tasted authentic and were in perfect portions. We (2 of us) got two rolls, the cucumber salad and wontons and were fully satisfied. read more

This place is great for vegans! They also have non-vegan options if you're into that. Every vegan roll I've had is amazing and they even have vegan tempura and vegan wine (yes, not all wine is vegan). I highly recommend eating here. Unfortunately, right now with COVID-19, they're only doing take out, but it's still awesome and the quality hasn't suffered. I am looking forward for when they're dine in again! read more

First thing to note is that their fish is sustainably harvested, so they do not have the same options you are accustomed to. I'm a big salmon lover and what they have that is really similar in texture and taste is a trout called steelhead. It's comparable to salmon and you may not even be able to tell the difference if you tried it. I ordered the chirashi bowl which isn't really the type of chirashi bowls I'm used to. They basically gave me a deconstructed bowl of 5 pieces of nigiri and a bowl of rice on the side. I asked for a little bit of seaweed salad but i don't think its supposed to come with it. It tasted fine but for $13 it's not really worth it.. Service was stellar, wait for the food was rather long, esp for sushi... read more

Aonami - Steelhead sashimi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chico, California

Just tried this place for the first time tonight and it was amazing!! The fish was extremely fresh and melted in my mouth like butter. The tempura mushrooms were also very good. We ended the meal with mochi ice cream which was also... you guessed it... delicious!! They are also very sustainable and use sustainable fish in their rolls. Cant wait to go back. read more

Aonami - Chefs special nigiri, kanpachi, tempura mushrooms - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chico, California

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Amazing sushi. Very creative rolls. The fish always tastes amazing. And they have an extensive list of vegan rolls. Always a favorite stop of mine. read more

My whole family loves Aonami. Their omakse roll is the best in our opinion because we love the innovative delicious surprises the Chefs bring to the table every time!!! You can go in for a quick snack or a full dinner and it's always inviting and delightful. read more

This is seriously outstanding sushi! Extremely high quality, melt in your mouth, sweet as candy. I've had sushi all over the world including the best restaurants in Tokyo, Kyoto, NY, and SF Bay Area, and Jimmy does it right! read more

Our server was very sweet. But, we ordered the Japanese whipped cream sandwich and it was sour and rancid. We each took one bite and couldn't have anymore. We told our server and the manager refused to take it off the bill since we had touched it. How else would we have known it was sour? $$$ down the drain. read more

I spoke too soon on my first review of this restaurant. This is now my definite favorite spot for sushi. Happy hour is a must!! $20 for a full dinner for 2? Can't beat that. Our usual order is: Salted edamame, rice, veggie gyoza, miso soup (included in happy hour), 5th roll, 20th roll, and endless hot tea. All for $20 during happy hour! So delicious and filling. I could eat here every day for sure. NOTE: Couldn't wait to start eating so please excuse the half eaten food :) read more

Aonami - 5th roll, 20th roll, salted edamame, veggie gyoza, and spicy no mayo. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chico, California

One of each please.... definitely the way to go, try everything!! Sustainable sushi is something to stand by. These rolls are delectable as much as art. Surrounded by beautiful custom wood work that would grace any home! Come meet Jimmy and crew for Chico's delicious sushi bar, with extraordinary customer service! read more

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Great service, yummy sake, relaxing atmosphere. I had the 32 Roll and Pork Belly. 32 was excellent, perfectly prepared ingredients. Pork belly was crunchy, chewy and deliciously fatty in all the best ways. I will be back! read more

Aonami - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chico, California

When I come to Chico, CA. there is only place to go for Sushi in this town! Well there are others but none compare to the ingredients, fresh taste, love and care my sushi is made with here. The new downtown spot has eye appeal and tables aren't too crowded together so you can enjoy your meal in comfort. Only the freshest ingredients will be found here and Head Chef Jimmy has been working on his craft for years! He's personable and really cares about his customers experience. Every bite of the rolls I had proved remarkable flavor and freshness. Each bite was a tasty story in itself. If you're around the corner at the other spot, just know you might as well have bought your roll at Raley's or Safeway... Besides they almost charge full price for half rolls lol. I found this place on the whim after walking out of another really close place that promotes fusion and serves sushi rolls. The honest to God's truth there was no comparison and I'm now a lifetime customer. read more

I am so happy there is a local sushi place that specializes in sustainable and vegetarian options. I used to love this place so much that I had my birthday dinner there two years in a row. Unfortunately it can be kind of expensive for my budget, but I doubt their quality ingredients come cheap. I don't go here as often these days, but still happy to have this option. It's definitely my go-to for sushi over any other place in town. read more

Very good experience! Food and service were excellent. Wish I could've tried more sushi. I'm not a vegan but their vegan rolls sound amazing. Definitely will be going back! read more

Probably one of my worst sushi experience, wont be returning. A roll over $10 and have barely anything in it? No thanks read more

Aonami - Why did I pay so much for just rice also too a long time. Big no for me - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chico, California

Best vegan food in Chico. We love Jimmy and his restaurant! Meals start with complimentary miso soup. Here are our favorites to order: veggie gyoza, veggie tempura, vegan rolls (5th, 99th, 20th), teriyaki tofu bowl, and their vegetable yakisoba. I ask for the yakisoba without seaweed. They now top it with tofu, but I really love the texture of just extra vegetables on top. It's sooooo delicious! Can't wait to be back. Wish we lived closer. read more

Ao Nami's vegan menu is astonishingly delightful. Throughout my partners pregnancy we would order off the vegan menu and never felt like we were missing out, now that we can eat fish (raw) again we order 50/50 fish and vegan because the vegan menu is THAT good. Do yourself a favor and try the shiitake tempura starter. I really appreciate their focus on sustainability. The owner/head chef couple are the sweetest! read more

Not a friendly feel... The waitress i had treated me and my wife like we were inconvenience to her dayand was really short, unhelpful an just rude. Food was ok and no fried rolls either read more

This is a wonderful Sushi Restuarant. Fesh rolls and great beer. The staff makes this eating and drinking establishment so authentic and pleasant. read more

So many outstanding vegan options! The chefs and staff are so friendly and genuine. Their popularity is completely organic and resultant of being absolutely wonderful with special requests, special conditions/diet requirements, etc. They're always happy to be creative and make outstandingly tasty food. Vegan or not, every food item they make is incredible. It's all sustainable and responsibly sourced. The ambiance and vibe of the restaurant are modern and classy. The absolute best dish is their tempura shittake mushrooms (vegan, woot!). The best deal is their Tofu Tuesday special (vegannnnn). Highly recommend both or literally any other item they sell. Such a great place! Try it out soon, you won't regret it! read more

STILL eating here!! You must come for good food, casual ambiance and great staff!! So my review is a bit too short... Soooo a good place for a casual date night or fun with friends and family!! read more

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Whenever I find myself in Chico, this is one of the spots that's on my "to eat" list. I had Skyway and Bidwell rolls today and they were great. Would recommend this place to anyone looking for some delicious sushi in Chico. read more

Their sushi is the best in town for any non-meat eaters!! I have eaten here again and again and never tire of what I order. I generally don't care for the pan fried noodles as like other reviews said they are very burned. (I threw mine away last time I ordered them and just stuck to what I knew) But, I don't think that ruins what their main vibe is. Services is always fantastic and i've never had a rude waiter. read more

I wish this review was about the food. We had a reservation for dinner last night. We were told it would be 45min to an hour for a table. No big deal.. we went around the corner for a drink. After approximately an hour we got a call that they weren't even going to seat us. It was too late and they were closing soon. WTF? I'm sure the food is tasty but the customer service was horrendous and I doubt I'll be back. Good luck if you decide to try this place! read more

This place is sooooo good! If you're looking for a variety of healthy, creative, slightly naughty, and tasty sushi this place is where to go. They had crazy creative vegan sushi!!! This sushi was super amazing. I was thrilled too that the ginger they used is the mild pink ginger, not the overly sweetened kind. Super friendly staff as well. I'd love to go back again. read more

Aonami - One of the vegan sushis (on the right) with another tasty normal sushi! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chico, California

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Great staff and service and sushi is the best in town. We started going after raw bar kept giving us less than good service.

I was verrrry satisfied after eating here! We ordered the miso soup (with vegan miso, no dashi, and shiitake mushrooms), salted lime edamame, the 99 and the vegan omakase rolls (the chef makes something up on the spot). Every dish was packed with flavor, and I thought the serving sizes were generous. The two rolls did take a little while to come out, but we were able to graze on the edamame. I'm honestly thinking up excuses to go back to Chico and try the rest of the vegan rolls! read more

Aonami - 99 roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chico, California

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Excellent friendly and knowledgable service. Kyuri noodles real tasty. Tempura shitake I'm not sure was freshly deep fried but possibly may have been deep earlier and maybe microwaved as it tasted a bit old. Yakisoba veggies were excellent. We ordered the Cal Park roll because we live in California Park subdivision. It has imitation crab and was pretty good. We like that many of the names of their rolls are Chico related (Chico street names, etc). Shishito peppers were tasty. Mochi ice cream was purchased and nor created at Aonami and were ok however nothing great. read more

Aonami - Calif Park roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chico, California

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Wonderful service and great food. Was referred by a friend, but highly recommend if you like Japanese food.

Chestnut roll...buttery spicy tuna that melts in your mouth... with pickled jalepenos on the side. Loving the spicy kick. Also ordered a side of cucumber salad...slight sweetness to the vinaigrette... perfection!!! Definitely coming back. read more

I know what you're thinking...Chico and sushi??!!! What am I doing??!!! To my surprise, the sushi was extremely fresh and the rolls very well prepared. The salmon sashimi was buttery and smooth - very fresh!! The scallop roll had perfectly cooked rice (not overcooked like most rolls at other places) and the scallops were sweet, naturally. The sushi was excellent. My only gripe was how long it took for the food to come out. There were only 2 others there for lunch, but I guess they were filling a substantial pick-up order. Still, I would think they would service the ones who are in the restaurant for over 30 minutes waiting for the food? I would definitely go back whenever I'm in town, despite the long wait. read more

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Great find in downtown Chico with an excellent super friendly staff! Will be back for Happy Hour. read more

Aonami - Chicken Teriyaki Bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Chico, California

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This place was delicious. I found it through a search on yelp for sushi. Pros - free miso soup with your order - good selection of rolls (vegan, raw, cooked) - options for non sushi eaters - they ask if you want Wasabi or ginger, which is nice cause I never eat the ginger! Possible con - university area so parking can be a hassle - small location, maybe 26 chairs - non of these bothered me but I can see how it might bother some The two rolls I got (the Nord, the Skyway) were SO good! One was raw, one was cooked. The tea was delicious. And the miso soup was great! I definitely recommend checking it out :) read more

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I really wanted to like this place a lot, especially when I read that they offer sustainable seafood, but the quality didn't meet my standards. Food: I ordered the Teriyaki Chicken Bowl and Broadway roll. The Teriyaki Chicken Bowl tasted like your average grilled chicken with teriyaki sauce over rice. I was surprised how much food the bowl came with, given the $5 price. The Broadway roll was small and tasted okay. I have definitely had more fresh fish before. Unfortunately, my friend and I had stomach aches after eating the sushi. I know that serving quality fish is not easy because not only do you have to rely on your supplier, but the fish needs to be properly maintained (i.e. kept in correct temperature). It is also possible that our stomachs are not used to "sustainable seafood." Besides having stomach aches, the quality of sushi did not meet our standards when compared to other restaurants such as Mikuni. Side Notes Ambiance: This place is small and located near Safeway. Service: Staff was very friendly and attentive. Overall: I really want this place to do well, since they are trying to be environmentally conscious, but my sushi standard was not met. read more

Came back after about 2 years. From my own personal experience, sushi places that expands tend to go down in quality and service. Not Aonami. The food was delicious and service was exceptional. Chef Jimmy walked us through the fish that he served us and how it was prepared for the day. What an amazing experience. If you've never sat at the bar, you should give it a try. The chefs at Aonami are passionate at what they do and put their heart into the artwork they create. You won't get a more finer experience than this. Great job Aonami! read more

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Saw this place had a pretty attractive Happy Hour, and decided to give it a try. Service was super friendly, and quick to list recommendations upon request. The happy hour includes some rolls, most of them vegan, a few appetizers, and beverages (including $2 bottles of various Sierra Nevada beers, served with an ice cold pint glass). I had the Oktoberfest :) I started with the Miso Soup, which was pretty tasty with the standard mushrooms, tofu and seaweed. I ordered the Skyway (per recommendation, claimed best selling of the rolls by my server) and the Chestnut ($6.25 on happy hour). My server came by and asked me a second time if I was ready to order, despite having already taken my order and menu away about 10min prior. He apologized, acknowledged he knew what I had ordered and proceeded to take care of hiss other tables. My rolls came out a solid 20min after ordering, despite it being pretty quiet when I placed my order. Both were underwhelming in size and flavor. Mostly rice, less than a few ounces of fish in either one. All together, my 2 rolls, beer, and complimentary soup cost $20... I give it a 6/10 on the bang-for-your-buck rating. For similar prices, I know I can go elsewhere in Chico for more satisfying sushi. read more

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