I wasn't even planning to write a review for this place until my BF made me try their weekly special ice cream swirl. This week's flavor was Red Bean and Matcha, and HOLY WORD-I-SHALL-NOT-SAY... this absolutely blew me out of the water. The red bean and matcha balanced each other so perfectly, and somehow tasted even better swirled together. Both cashiers were super cool too (was that Japanese I heard them speaking?). The guy with the awesome silver hair mentioned he was also from Houston, and we somehow ended up talking about how Austin's Asian scene just can't compare to how insanely diverse Houston's is. Still, it's always nice connecting over a mutual love for a great Asian environment--which Asahi definitely is. Wow--I've been here for 15 minutes, and I already have so much love for this place. My phone is literally dying as I hastily type this, but I felt obligated to spread the gospel immediately. read more

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I walked into Asahi Imports with ONE GOAL: black sesame soft serve. That was the mission. Anything else I bumped into would simply be a bonus. And I didn't know what to expect my first visit. I thought I was going into a mini Japanese version of H Mart or something, but nope. This is very much a Japanese CONVENIENCE STORE with a little extra bonus on the side, so adjust any expectations. SIXTY PERCENT OF THE STORE IS NOODLES. Like WTF...is this a noodle headquarters? It felt unbalanced...like I had walked into the wrong store and wasn't supposed to be there. So many noodles, it scared me. I expected a variety store. Carry on. The layout is also a bit confusing for such a small space. I genuinely wasn't sure what areas were designated for customers and what areas were for employees...at one point wandering way into the back. My bad. They've got a solid selection of imported goods. Slightly pricey, but this is expected since they offer quite a few niche items you can't find everywhere. Still affordable, though. I HAPPILY grabbed some black sesame latte mix to whip up iced lattes at home as well as some black tea flavored soy milk. This is what you come to these stores for! The niche items. Now to the soft serve: Flavor-wise? Good strong black sesame flavor. Texture? Not so great. This was very icy and not creamy at all as I had hoped. The online pics were deceiving. Plus there were clumps in it that should've been blended out. However, it was refreshing and I could MAYBE see myself returning on a hot day for more if I'm close by. They only offer it on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It's good, but no need to run for this. You can walk. Lol. It scratched the itch but I'm not running back for it. All in all, not an everyday stop, but an "I'll see you when I see you" spot. Know what I mean? 3 stars. read more

Asahi Imports - Black sesame soft serve - International Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I'm genuinely so happy that Austin has a Japanese grocery store like Asahi Import. This was my third visit, and every time it feels like a little slice of Japan right here in the city. One of my absolute favorites is their onigiri rice balls--I honestly crave them. I stopped by a little after lunchtime, and there was already a sign saying they were finished taking onigiri orders for the day. I was browsing around anyway when one of the ladies kindly asked what I was looking for. I casually mentioned a few onigiri styles, and to my surprise she smiled and said they still had some left and could make them for me. That small gesture completely made my day. The kindness and warmth of the Japanese ladies working there truly stands out. You can feel the care they put into both the food and the customers. I also picked up some Japanese noodles and sweets while I was there, which made for a very delicious and comforting lunch at home. Thank you for the wonderful service and atmosphere. Keep up the great work always. Cheers read more

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I stopped by today just to grab some condiments, only to discover they're serving a matcha and black sesame swirl. The aroma and flavor--earthy matcha and nutty black sesame--are spot on. We ordered a regular size, thinking they'd just fill the cup, but they went all out with a full, picture-perfect swirl and packed the cup to the brim--all for just $3.99. Our only "regret"? We probably should've gone with the small. The regular was so generously portioned, it was almost too much for the two of us to finish... not that we're really complaining. I always like checking out their bottled tea section too. They used to have a delicious black sesame cheesecake--and I think a matcha one as well--but I didn't see them this time. As usual, the staff were chill and friendly, and the store itself is bright, clean, and well-organized. No surprise it's always busy--it totally deserves the hype! read more

You know you love a place when you return 3x in one weekend because you just can't get enough! A must-get is their soft serve. You need to order it at the counter when you pay and then they will bring it out to you. I highly recommend getting swirl, because then you get both flavors offered! My only mistake was that i got a mini. I should have gotten the bigger size, it was THAT good! Flavors were on point. I think mine was peach and melon (?). Nevertheless, it was the highlight of my visit. The grocery store is well stocked with unique items. If I had a kitchen to use, I would have bought more but since I was visiting, I got the onigiri (ready to devour!) and take-to-go little bento. They are so cute and packed with flavor! I couldn't resist getting some of the little mochi squares (in the fridgerated section). The little container I got was different fruit flavor mochi. It was a nice refreshing treat! There's so much to offer here from ramen, miso soup, furikake, mentaiko sauce, etc and housewares.. it's a treasure! read more

Asahi Imports - Mango + melon - International Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

Its a neat japanese grocery store with a ready to eat food section, such as onigiris, bentos, and softserve! I got to try their matcha and black sesame softserve and it was delicious! Despite the lightness in color, the flavors were rich and in depth with right amount of sweetness to keep eating. Would love to come back soon!! read more

Asahi Imports - Black sesame and matcha softserve - International Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

We initially tried to catch Choo Omakase for lunch but they were only fulfilling preorders; we decided to check Asahi Imports and were pleasantly surprised by the options. I will say there was a good amount we wanted to try that was sold out on a Saturday by 11:30 am; so if you want the most variety; arrive as soon as possible! We had a couple of rice balls, a gyudon bento, potato croquettes, and a fruit sando. Everything was amazing; we scarfed it down so I only had a chance to take a photo of the sando lol! This is definitely a great place to check out when visiting Austin - the grocery is well stocked. Highly recommended! read more

Smelly smelly smelly. Crowded crowded crowded, mostly with people buying Asian snacks Ridiculously Expensive And they had ZERO umeboshi (pickled plums) that have no msg in them. read more

I stopped by to try one of their bento boxes. Unfortunately, they were not selling any that day, but I was able to try some of their onigiris. I really liked the ebi shrimp tempura onigiri. The shiitake beef soboro was also delicious, and I enjoyed the seasonings in it. The karaage mayo came with large pieces of chicken, but I found it slightly oily since the chicken had been fried earlier in the day and was no longer fresh. If I had to choose one favorite, I'd choose the beef one, but all three were great. I thought the onigiris had a good ratio of rice to meat. Some other onigiri places I've tried have been really skimpy on the meat, so I appreciate this place. The general selection of snacks in the market section is also really good. I'll definitely be back to try a bento box and their soft serve ice cream. read more

Asahi Imports is a small Asian grocery store that has so many amazing Japanese imported foods you can't find at other larger Asian grocery stores here in the area. As such, they make fresh onigiri and they have variety of matcha and specialty Japanese snacks all in Japanese language. So cool! They have a small section of produce as well. I always come here for their soft serve Ice cream - only offer on the weekend. They are one of the very few places in Austin that offer black sesame soft serve ice cream. I switch off flavors often and I especially love their black sesame, Ube and matcha soft serve. We were here this weekend for their Taste of Japan event and got to sample so many amazing Japanese import snacks like mochi and pastries as well as variety of juices and green tea drinks. read more

This is a go to store for your Japanese import foods. They have everything you need there in a nice little store.

I always love stopping by Asahi imports because they always have new snacks or treats for me to try out. I have gotten their onigiri multiple times and have tried at least half of the flavors. The Ebi is my favorite with the chicken karage as my second. You can either see what they have in the baskets or order which takes a little longer. Friday-Sunday they have rotating soft serve flavors which I tried for the first time and really enjoyed. They are very generous with the serving size and the smaller size is enough for one person. However I got the regular size not knowing this and had no regrets. They also have a variety of Japanese pottery, snacks, groceries, and frozen sushi grade fish available. There's a couple benches outside to try your new treats but nowhere to sit inside. read more

Asahi Imports - International Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

I've been coming to Asahi back when it was just a "Konbini" and even then it was pleasant. The owner was such a polite humble older woman. Since its expansion, the place has really become a place of its own. A true little slice of Japanese "Konbini" culture that checks all the boxes. I thoroughly enjoy going for bentos like Katsudon and little swirl soft serve, amazing. It's popularity has rightfully increased so it may be a little close quarters at times but when you catch it at the right time, bliss. read more

The best Japanese market in Austin, probably the only one though. Asahi is small but within its four corners is a fairly comprehensive stock of Japanese flatware, snacks and refrigerated items. I would say that the crown jewel is the their counter: onigiri, bentos and the soft serve. Depending on the day and the time your choices might be limited but they're all pretty good. You can call ahead and pre-order but I like the fun of going in and being surprised. On top of that their selection of Japanese beers and sakes is pretty good but also ready to drink so you can get a nice combo if you want a quick make your own happy hour. read more

Absolutely adore Asahi, my husband and I go at least once a month to attend events, get onigiri(umeboshi is the best flavor and I will die on that hill)or simply just to satisfy our soft serve craving. I love the ramen kits they have as well as their sashimi grade fish. The staff are always friendly and willing to help you find what you're looking for and the prepared food is absolutely mouth watering. If I had one complaint about this store it's that it should be bigger lol. I would love to see them expand their snack selection as well as their frozen food selection. read more

Always a treat and pleasure to stop by Asahi for all my Japanese product purchases in Austin! The best is the fresh made onigiri, bentos and deli selections of our fav red bean and chocolate filled breads in their pastry selection. My tot was thrilled at the doreamon bread - and I always love finding cute Japanese sandos present in their fridge! The soft serve is also always a treat which is run on weekends! Finally, this is the best place to get a wide selection of sauces, furikake and curries and even my tempura ebi that I normally want a particular brand when Costco and Sam's and Hmart may be out, love the friendly staff who are always around to help if I'm looking for something in particular. The interior is quaint and can be a little cozy, and parking is free - we love always coming around and finding something fun for all in our family! read more

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Great Japanese supermarket! This market sells a wide variety of Japanese food items and ceramicware. They also sell prepared foods like onigiri, bento boxes and soft serve ice cream. I highly recommend the soft serve - super tasty and well priced in flavors such as matcha, black sesame and swirl. I also love the onigiri which they make fresh to order. The service is fast and the employees are very friendly! Definitely come and check this place out! read more

Asahi Imports - Soft serve - International Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

Easy to walk in and get greeted by lady's, nice fast service and friendly people who know your question. Easy to find and read labels , live points read more

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Asahi Imports is my favorite place to get Japanese bowls, plates or anything Japanese locally. Some of my favorite Japanese bowls were from here and I love them all as they have pretty designs, they are made in Japan, microwaveable and durable! The staff are always friendly and courteous. Even though the place is quite small and doesn't have a large selection of Japanese groceries, surprisingly I often find some of good items here. Love their frozen sashimi grade fish, raw small fish, octopus, cooked CHASHU - braised pork belly (so good and perfect for a quick meal). We always get their cooked food (whatever is available that day); and Onigiri to-go and ohh let's not forget about their SOFT SERVE which is available Friday to Sunday only (I think, don't quote me on that but check with them to make sure). You can get Matcha flavor or black sesame or swirl with both. We always get the swirl with matcha & black sesame as their flavors are on point (don't taste artificial), so creamy and delicious!!! I highly recommend this place if you'd like to explore Japanese food & culture or expand your Japanese dinnerware collection (like I do)! read more

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One of the greatest soft serve ice cream deals in the city on the weekends. Large portion easily feeds three or four people. It's nut allergy friendly. It's intense on the matcha and black sesame. It's very reasonably priced. You can't ask for anything else. read more

Asahi Imports - Soft serve ice cream - International Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

I come here for the onigiris only and occasionally would grab a drink. Easy grab and go onigiris and bentos if you go early in the day. They now have pre-ordering by text if you want to order ahead and set up a pick up time. Very convenient. My favorites are the Bonito, salmon and tuna. There are vegetarian options too! read more

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Asahi has some of the best soft serve! They only have it available for purchase on the weekends. If you're there for soft serve, be sure to check out their onigiri! I will say they are very crowded on the weekends so be sure to head there earlier in the day. Some of the more affordable onigiri in the area. They charge about $3 each. They are always tasty and made fresh daily. My favorite ones are tuna and karage. read more

Asahi Imports - Soft serve - International Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

Asahi imports is one of those hidden gems in Austin. It's a great and well supplied store with a variety of Japanese products you could find. They have all the best snacks! My favorite part of this place is the food corner. They have the nicest team making quality Japanese food. From bento boxes to my favorite the onigiri. Onigiri is Japanese rice balls. Seasoned rice with filling inside. At Asahi imports they have some of the best flavors like the shrimp tempura or the mentaiko (pollack roe). They can run out but you can always place an order online. If you got here to pick up and don't see the items you want, you can order with the staff. I wish the space was bigger and parking wasn't as tight. Overall a great experience go check it out. read more

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Super cool Japanese grocery on Burnet road. They have a little bit of everything and a great selection of treats and candies you can't find anywhere else! The noodle and condiment selection is exceptional! Authentic tastes! The staff is really friendly and super helpful too!! They have a great looking selection of prepared foods but I only sampled the Tuna Onigiri (seaweed wrapped rice ball) and it was delicious! But you gotta try the ice cream!! The yellow is citrus and the purple is sweat potato but I am not kidding it is super tasty!!! (Not sure how to describe it but it doesn't taste like sweat potato!) if you want something that's not the same o same o try this authentic Japanese market. It will be a pleasant surprise! read more

Asahi Imports - Super tasty ice cream in front of the Asahi Japanese Market! - International Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

Such a cute grocery store! Great place to pick up onigiri and on weekends they have soft serve matcha and black sesame. So refreshing! read more

Asahi Imports - International Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

I love this grocery store! I've been coming here since college and I'm so glad they expanded their onigiri service. Whenever I'm in the neighborhood, I always have to stock up on some of their ready made items, miso soup packets, and Japanese drinks. If you've never had one of their riceballs, you are missing out. I always end up with like 3+ onigiris even when I tell myself I'm only grabbing one. Their bento boxes are also a great deal. Honestly, this is one of my favorite places in Austin. Everyone is always so friendly to! read more

Asahi Imports - International Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I absolutely love this shop. In such a small space they pack in so many Japanese goods, including sauces, rice, seaweeds, snacks, candies, baked goods, kitchenware, miso and other refrigerated goods, sakes, noodles, etc. and their selection of frozen sushi-grade fish is usually great. If all that weren't enough, their onigiri counter is reason alone to visit and taste the inexpensive but filling rice balls, and the other dishes they have on rotation such as curry breads and pork katsu sandwiches. And of course their sesame and matcha ice creams are a flavorful staple you have to try on the weekends! read more

Cute little store - I came for the onigiri and they didn't disappoint! I do recommend coming early and maybe on a weekday because they can get pretty busy. They have onigiri out (if they haven't all been picked) or you can place your order for them to be made to order. As they're making your orders, they have bento boxes too and other items such as cooked items like croquette and what not. We got 3 onigiris and waited about 20 minutes as there were a handful of people in front of us too. Had come for ice cream too but it was a day they werent serving them. Aside from their cook stuff, there's a handful of snacks, frozen section and knick knacks here. if you're not in a rush, i recommend stopping by for the onigiris! Theyre a great snack to take to go and its nice that theyre made to order. Unless you come on a non-busy day where they're already out fo you. read more

I always have to stop by every time I make a trip to Austin. I was here on a recent Wednesday, and they had bento. I had to grab a Hamburg beef bento, which was so tender and flavorful. They have different foods/snack selections available daily. Their onigiri are also the best. They have a good ratio of filling to rice, and I always have to get a bunch of onigiri from here every time I visit Austin. The store is small but is always packed with a wide variety of Japanese snacks and produce at affordable prices, and the staff are always super nice and welcoming. Definitely check it out if you're in the area!! read more

Asahi Imports - Hamburg Beef Bento - International Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

Like teleporting to Japan for 15 min. Love this place! Special japanese item grocery/convenience items and awesome onigiri made to order with special packaging that preserves the crunch or the seaweed wrapper. Try all the onigiri varieties, bentos, and sandos. A special find in ATX for all things Japanese. read more

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Asahi imports is a small asian grocery store that also sells ready to eat meals. I can't say that I have shopped here for any groceries but I have been here multiple times for there Onigiri and to-go meals. They probably have the one of the best onigiri I have had in Austin so far and they have so many options it's so hard not to buy them all! The meat to rice ratio is perfect and the flavor is great. I also sometimes get the chicken karaage which I like as well. I will say that by leaving it out for too long maybe that's why the chicken is not not crunchy anymore because it's always soggy. However, the flavor and seasoning is there and it's still yummy. This is definitely the place to come if you want a quick meal or want to try something different. read more

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Very small space but they have yummy and unique onigiris plus really delicious soft serve.

I've been doing an onigiri tour of Austin (here's a hint: HEB onigiri--if you can call it that--sucks) and Asahi still sells my favorite. Beautifully shaped, ample rice, good fillings, packaged neatly... so delicious! My favorites are karaage and ume tuna, but all are good. Everyone here is very friendly! Love this shop and all its offerings. If you're new to Japanese snacks, be sure to try dango (sticky rice balls covered in sugary soy sauce paste, found in the freezer section; thaw before eating), manju (red bean paste wrapped in sticky rice balls, lots of types found in the packaged section in the middle of the store), and if you wanna be a little more basic, Pocky! read more

Awesome local Japanese joint, saw lots of familiar snacks since my last trip in Japan, love their fresh foods! Place to go for a quick snack and onigiri! read more

Craving Japanese snacks or drinks? This is a mini market of what you might find in a Family Mart/ convenience store in Japan. They also make fresh daily rice balls "onigiri" with assorted choices of insides including tuna, shrimp, mushroom, miso and more. The staff was very helpful and went out of their way to help me find what I was looking for. I also picked up red bean mochi and a green grape variety to bring home with the onigiri to share. They also have plates/cups/service and gift items read more

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I am obsessed with this store. Their fresh onigiri and bento boxes are delicious. Japanese rice is superior to any rice you can find at Costco or H‑E‑B. There are pastries and specialty snacks. But my absolute favorite thing to get is their soft serve. The matcha soft serve is made with REAL matcha. The black sesame soft serve is a must try! Each serving comes in a decent sized cup. It's a generous portion! read more

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My go to place for some nigiri. They can make it to order so it's fresh. My favorite is the shrimp tempura nigiri. The proportion of rice to tempura shrimp is satisfactory! They also have a little Japanese market that ranges from spices to ramen to authentic Japanese cookies and snacks. read more

I was in town visiting and wanted onigiris and saw this was the place to get it. Nice, little Japanese shop and the workers are very helpful and nice. I picked up one of my fav yakisoba along with so much onigiris! It's so good, make sure to come early since the onigiris sell out fast. read more

This was an absolute hidden gem in Austin. I finally had the chance to visit this past week and I love love love this store. It is such a cute and cozy convenience store and literally any Japanese snacks and ingredients that you can possibly think of, you can probably find it here. For such a small store, they offer such a large variety and selection of items and the prices are GOOD!! The highlight of this store has to be the Onigiri and the Bento boxes that they sell AND their bakery. They have this side section to the grocery store where everyday, they stock up on freshly made onigiri/rice balls that you can grab and go and speciality Bento boxes. The rice balls are around $2-$3 based on the filling that you get (they also have vegetarian options) and the Bento boxes range anywhere from $8-12 based on the protein selected. I tried the Salmon, Tuna, and the Shiitake Beef Onigiri. I liked them all but if I had to pick a favorite it would have to be the Shiitake Beef one. It is really savory and there was a nice blend of the meat and the shiitake that I really liked. But the Salmon and Tuna are also very good, it just tastes like fish and rice. I did end up adding my own furikake and spicy mayo on the rice cakes which made me like it even more. TIP: the employees said that if there are ever any specific bentos or rice balls that you want, you can order in ahead of time and they can set it aside for you. A lot of the rice balls and bento box do sell out quite fast and the kitchen closes at 3pm, so if you do have any special requests, this might be the best way to order! read more

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We initially came here to see a pop-up market that was outside this store but opted to go inside to escape the wind. This store is full of Japanese items from different sauces, to crackers, treats, and candy. There is also a market side to the store but it was pretty busy. We may come back later to check it out when it's not so crowded. read more

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