Overall a really nice surprise in Hickory NC! It's a combo of burgers & sushi which is unique but actually works quite well. I got the bento box to try a little of everything and my slider was well cooked and had a ton of flavor and the sushi roll was fresh & balanced. We sat on the patio which was super nice for a pretty day. Service was great and attentive, may be a new favorite in Hickory. read more

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I have had two experiences with Cowa Sake. First of all, I ordered takeout from them through DoorDash. Everything was neatly packaged and remained warm for the drive to my hotel. I had the dumpling of the week which was DIVINE and I also had a spicy tuna roll which was excellent. Most recently, I stopped in for lunch. I ordered the tuna poke bowl and it was good. I didn't enjoy it as much as the sushi roll and dumpling I tried previously because it didn't have many ingredients and was a little bland. But I will consider this a one off since the other food I've tried from here was so good. The space is trendy and bright. It is a little loud, at least during the lunch hour, but it is a fun vibe. Staff are kind and work hard. This is a great restaurant. read more

Cowa Sake - Poke bowl - Burgers Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

We had an incredible dining experience here! We sat at the bar and were warmly greeted by our server as well as the head of the bar Chaf Tikoh. The decor of the restaurant was unique and inviting. We started with drinks- the ginger pear martini and the very creative Kuahana's elixir. I had never had a drink with a curry sugar rum before and it really worked! Highly recommend. For dinner we ordered the chicken lemongrass dumplings of the week, the peanut salad with chicken, and the Big Bang roll. Everything was super fresh and tasty. We mentioned that we were visiting from out of state and we were treated like family. We can't wait to return. read more

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Cowa Saké is a Japanese inspired restaurant that serves different dishes ranging from sliders to sushi to bento boxes. There is also a full service bar with various spirits and cocktails. This restaurant is located downtown, so the location is fairly ideal for people in the area. The seating inside is rather not that big, but there is outdoor seating for when the weather is more ideal. There is also a modern ambiance inside the restaurant. I came for lunch and ordered the California Roll and Tempura Shrimp Roll. I will say that I am not a big sushi person, so I do not think that I am the best judge of sushi. However, I did enjoy my California Roll and Tempura Shrimp Roll. The California Roll is as basic as one can get so I feel like it would have been hard to get this wrong. The Tempura Shrimp Roll was really good as it came with a spicy mayo sauce. Both the imitation crab meat and shrimp in the rolls were hefty in size, so that helped fill me up. I am glad I ordered two rolls as I do not think that one roll would have been filling enough, so that is something to consider when you go here. I will say that my cousins, who I came here with, noted that the price for the amount of sushi that we were given was a bit high, but I feel like that is to be expected for an ~ Asian ~ restaurant in a small town in the South. Another thing to note is that their lunch menu is very small compared to their dinner menu, which I did not realize until I got to the restaurant. Some of their more extravagant rolls are only available at dinner. Also, I wanted to order their Kimchi Fries for an appetizer, but they had run out, which kind of confused me unless they had no more kimchi in the kitchen? Overall, if you are in the area, this is a fine place to checkout if you want some Japanese food but there are definitely better places for Japanese food if you venture to Charlotte or Raleigh. read more

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We come here AT LEAST once a month. The ambiance is lovely, the service is always amazing, and the food just always hits! It's a great date night spot. My husband can enjoy and get full of burgers, and I get to enjoy sushi! If you haven't tried it, I really recommend doing so. You will want to come back again and again! read more

Cowa Sake - Shogun Roll, Garlic Tuna Roll, Bacon and Cheddar burger with Sweet Potato fries. - Burgers Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

Best sushi in Hickory! This place slaps every time! Always get the dumplings of the week!!! read more

Cowa Sake - Snow Crab nigiri - Burgers Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

I usually love whatever I order here but it's pricy for what you get. They have a weekly noodle dish that changes so the price isn't listed on their menu. The last time I went I got the dish without the chicken. It was basically vegetable lo mien. They didn't adjust the price for not getting it with chicken and charged me $30 for noodles and veggies which is ridiculous. They have a sushi roll with filet on top that is amazing (but also pricy). I've never had a meal that I didn't like, I just think their prices are too steep. Try the Japanese Old Fashioned! read more

Awesome lunch spot in a great downtown! We were seated and served quickly. The service was great and fair prices. I had the bento box and chose noodles, Szechuan chicken, and a spicy tuna roll. Everything was excellent. I really loved that the noodles weren't too oily. The chicken had great flavor and texture! I also ordered their salad and it was large and tasty read more

Cowa Sake - Bento box - Burgers Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

Cool vibe at this place which is actually two places. Two restaurants in one which is a cool idea. We got the Asian food but you could get brunch food as well from the "chicken" restaurant (forgot the name). I got the Bento box and my kids shared the sushi. Everything tasted good but smaller portions for priced paid causes me to give a 4 stars. Also we got over charged for an item which isn't kosher for anyone. All in it was $45 before tip for a 2 roll sushi plate, bento box and dumplings appetizer. Staff were friendly as well. read more

Cowa Sake - Bento box - Burgers Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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Did a reservation for a party of 14 ladies, but only 12 showed up. Which was fine. Booked for 8pm since that's the time everyone was able to meet up for my birthday (and they closed at 10pm -- we were able to leave at 9:30) I felt like the service could had been better? Our server just did not have a welcoming vibe at all. I don't know if it was because a large party or maybe because it was 8pm? I don't know. But it was definitely not vibing. The appetizer and drinks were the only superb part. The rolls were not the best. We all ordered and shared so we were able to pick from one another. Sushi is not the best. But I will definitely come back for their appetizer though. Other than that, it was okay. Will I be back? Maybe once in a blue moon only. Maybe not. Oh yeah, went there also for the "bubble" drink but our waiter didn't even tell us that they "ran out" of the bubble for the drink until she gave us our drink and probably heard us asking/complaining where the bubble is. And then she tells us they were out of it. Wellllllll. Too late isn't it? Would had been better if she told us when we were ordering it. read more

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Great Asian fusion! Had the bento box with a slider, sushi roll and two sides. Washed it down with a Tokyo Mule made with Tito's and Sake. Two thumbs up read more

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I don't care how good the food may be- this place is awful. We have tried to come twice, both for special occasions, and made reservations. Both times, we've been pushed to the side, told we can't all sit together (the first time we came they tried to seat us separately over an hour apart), and virtually ignored. Today was the final straw. We walked in with a reservation. We made a note in the reservation that it was my son's birthday. We were checked in and then everyone walked away. The restaurant was half full. The manger came over and asked if we had been helped. We told her we checked in and no one said anything past that. We were then immediately sat and told someone would be with us. The server came through looked at us, and walked away. He went to the bar, other tables, ran a check to a table, and then sauntered over saying he was just informed about us. I told him he had actually noticed us and walked away, why to the bar, etc. he then argued with me saying he was a bartender and didn't know he had us as a table (he had other tables directly around us). I asked where the "cow" part of the menu was (we came here to satisfy both sushi and no sushi eaters) and was told they had a breakfast menu. No burgers until dinner (no time given, just "dinner"). His attitude towards us, coupled with the attitude of the entire staff caused us to get up and walk out ON MY SONS BIRTHDAY. I thought the first time we went was a fluke. Turns out, this place has a staff that either hates their job, or are so apathetic that this is their "best." No thanks. read more

3.5 Stars is what I would give. We went for the first time last night for my birthday. I was excited because I had seen their posts and it looked delicious. We ended up ordering the special sushi and noodles along with the green onion soup. I should have asked pricing on the specials as 35 each seemed steep for what it was. Didn't see the price until the check. The noodles had good flavor. The sushi looked gorgeous but not as much flavor as I would have thought. The cream cheese flavor came through strong. Our opinion is the the 5 dollar soup was the best part of the meal. The bathrooms were immaculate. We were seated on the frothy rooster side of the building. Our waitress was nice just not the most personable. Noodles were a 4 Sushi was a 3 Soup was a 5 read more

Had a late night dinner. We knew we were pushing it in terms of the kitchen closing. The staff was really good and made sure we were able to get ordered and enjoy a meal. We had a couple appetizers and several rolls. Everything was good and tasty, but not the best sushi ever. The highlight of the meal was the Lychee Death Note. The flavor bubble is really unique and the drink is fantastic. Would go back for that any time. read more

Cowa Sake - Lychee Death Note - Burgers Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

Food was excellent. Very generous with the cucumber pickles. Service is somewhat stretched thin it seems. Sat at the table for 10 minutes before a member of staff from the connected restaurant next door finally came to take my order. Music was playing at an obnoxiously loud level to the point where you could not communicate with the person in front of you. Food 4.5 Service 3 Ambiance 1 read more

I've waited a couple of days before writing this review because we had such a strange experience at Cowa Sake. Let me preface by saying that I've been super excited to try this restaurant, and the whole experience was just downright weird. First, our friends arrived around 5:45. There was a wait for the main dining area, and our friends were given the option to sit in the Frothy Rooster restaurant. (The two are connected by the kitchen and restrooms as well as the reception area.). We arrived around 5:55. We noticed that the side of the restaurant we were seated in had little lighting, and only one other two-top was seated in the entire restaurant. The two-top had a male server who saw us multiple times. However, at 6:12, we had to walk to the "busy" side of the restaurant to ask about service. When we finally did get a server, she was apologetic. We ordered a variety of appetizers and our friends ordered some apps and a burger medium rare. I'll say that the drinks we had were fantastic. We were enjoying those when our server came back about five minutes later to let us know they were out of steam buns. This was disappointing, but we just replaced them with lettuce wraps. About five minutes later, the server returned to say they were out of dumplings. At this point, I just didn't know what to think. We did not make a replacement order. Then, just a minute or two later, a member of the kitchen staff - might have been the chef - comes out to tell my friend they would not make the burger he ordered medium rare because it was a chicken sandwich. He shared that he thought the sandwich was a burger because it was in the burger section. She said, "Well, we aren't going to make another section of the menu for sandwiches. And...the reason have no steam buns and dumplings is because our steamer is broken." She was very matter of fact in her tone, and it just felt dismissive. My partner did ask for some compensation due to the totally off-putting nature of our entire visit. I will say that once our food arrived, everything was absolutely delicious. We loved the bang, bang shrimp, lettuce wraps, crab dip, and vegetable spring rolls. Our friends enjoyed the tuna roll and a chicken, bacon, avocado sandwich. However, they had to ask multiple times for their vegetable spring rolls which they gave up on and asked them to take them off the bill. After the bill came, they did bring out their spring rolls. After all was said and done, they did not charge us for any food - just drinks. We were all very appreciative. The whole experience was bizarre. It's really hard to put the vibe of the whole evening into words. When all is said and done, I'd give the food a 4.5, the drinks a 5, the service a 3 and communication a 1. Will I go back? Yes, the food and drinks were worth giving them another chance. And, we were really grateful for the compensation. read more

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We love going for a weeknight sushi fix. Weeknights aren't as crowded so we can usually get in and out quickly. Even though they aren't as crowded I still recommend making a reservation or the host will force you to sit at the bar. There are usually a good amount of openings. The bar has comfy seating and the service was excellent there. The calamari is my favorite I can make this my meal it is perfect texture and the wasabi sauce gives it just the right flavor. read more

Cowa Sake - Burgers Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

We've been here a few times and each time the experience does not disappoint! Some of the selections are unique, but always delicious, we've tried many of the dishes and plan to experience each one overtime! I enjoy eating in the restaurant more than the overflow area, but the service and food are always exceptional! read more

Went here before the Candle Light concert for the first time. The food was stellar! The only downside was how close our table was to the table next to us but wasn't a deal breaker. Definitely try the Korean Beef! We will definitely return! read more

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I dined here for my birthday dinner & I really enjoyed the food, drink & overall experience. The reason I am giving 4 of 5 stars is because of how close the tables are to one another. Other than that, I enjoyed the atmosphere & I had a great meal. Our server was attentive & our food came out quickly. I ordered a Bento Box, which was delicious & plenty of food for me. My mom thoroughly enjoyed the Mongolian beef & the Bang Bang Shrimp was also a hit. I look forward to going back to try more of the menu! read more

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My party of three sat at the sushi bar and experienced exceptional service. We were able to watch Chef Tikoh craft the most stunning and tasty dishes while sharing laughs with him. The music added to the ambiance. Observing Tikoh as he presented his beautiful creations and eagerly awaited our reactions was pure joy. I can't wait to return and bring my friends along. I highly, highly recommend this place! read more

Ideally situated right downtown Hickory, Cowa- Saké offers sidewalk dining or comfortable inside dining. The atmosphere of Cowa-Saké is very intimate and is great for a part of 1 up to a very large party. It's a great open-air environment where people enjoy each others company. As for the food, you'll indulge in an exquisite culinary journey at this Japanese theme gem, where each menu item is a symphony of eclectic ingredients meticulously curated. From the first bite, you're enveloped in a tapestry of crafted flavors that transcend from ordinary. The dishes, a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, promise a sensory adventure, leaving you savoring the memory long after the last exquisite morsel. As important as the food exploration, the service was outstanding! The wait staff was highly attentive and customer-focused. read more

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Ambiance is perfect for any occassion. Service started out shaky, I was ignored by 3 servers while waiting to be seated. Once I sat down, I had an awesome server and delish sushi. I'd come back and recommend to others. read more

Cowa Sake - Sushi, chefs special - Burgers Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

Amazing service, they are very friendly and caring. Food was delicious some of the best sushi I have had in a long time and, they have a grand variety of options to choose from. The atmosphere inside of the restaurant was great also they have outdoor seating if enjoy would enjoy having some fresh air. I would recommend to anybody in the area. Again great service and food and thank you for a great first experience! read more

Great weeknight vibe for a birthday party. Amazingly phenomenal bar drinks - not only gorgeous in presentation, but absolutely delightful in taste. I had the "Cowa", ie Texas burger and fries - it was a very generous portion and delicious! We love this place! read more

I stopped by Cowa Sake at a late hour (40 minutes before closing). We were served by Bartender Ashley, and I just have to brag about the amazing service she provided! She was so helpful and had a sunny attitude! It was my very first time eating here, and the location was clean and very inviting. The food was beyond amazing, and I cannot wait to come back. I had the bento box with a Cali roll and a bao bun with noodles. I was highly satisfied with my order and drinks. Thank you, Cowa Sake, for giving me the best experience I have had in a while. read more

I am giving this 4 stars instead of 3 (like I want) because I believe the potential at this restaurant is achievable with a better organized establishment. I'll start with food, amazing! Not a single complaint. Service unorganized from the beginning to end. No host to greet guest as they enter. No dedicated pickup place for Togo foods so many people waited and waited for their Togo without being helped. I watched every single server being pushed to their limits which is sad because this causes burnout fast. There is clearly so seating plan for staff. I watched the manager go to each server and ask can you take this table or that one while every server was running around in the weeds. Should've put on a wait list to help alleviate the stress her servers were on. Which also helps her staff more because people don't have terrible service to start when their server isn't assigned a section. Is running back and forth between the dual restaurant space. My suggestion to this restaurant, don't let it be ruined because service and management is unorganized. Have a hostess and lunch and dinner. Have the hostess manage how many tables a server has and assign server sections. Create a wait list when servers are busy to help the server and also guest have a better experience. It could've been way better today if it wasn't so apparent the lack of organization from a management level of operations. Also it is no fun to watch you server struggle. It's also not fun to sit at a bar with a bar tender with an attitude and other start clearly have frustrations on the lack of clarity of who is taking what table or the sushi bar because of a "rotating" seating style. It can be better and service and properly run management is a huge part of a successful restaurant. The food saved the day for me. Oh an separating the two establishments more would be way less confusing than having some of the employees wearing the coffee shop attire be running around taking tables too. Hard to tell what's going on. read more

Sunshi is great, love the ambiance. Service needs improvement. Husband and I have been here 3 times. The first time, everything was superb! 2nd time, not as great as the first but every restaurant has an off night. Went back the 3rd time, we won't be going back. read more

Cowa-saké has been open for two weeks! It's Hickory's hot spot! There were six of us, so we got on the wait list online. Upon arrival we waited just a few minutes for a table. Be ready for a food experience with great flavors and artistic presentations. A single or couple needing dinner? Sit at the sushi bar. We had such good cuisine and service that we will return. There are food items for everyone. Try the Bang bang shrimp, steam buns, meat on sticks, sushi, and sliders and more. We loved the Smokey drinks. The Japanese whiskey was light and flavorful. Three of us had the Ginger-Pear Saketini, and it was fruity and delicious. Everything we ordered and shared was great, and we reordered more. The Bento Box was a nice way to sample different foods. The slider was a beef burger that was very flavorful, but packed tightly, and dry. Having a less dense medium cooked burger is our only suggestion. Our server, Phil, answered our questions with a smile. This place is friendly. Cowa-saké is a gem downtown. It's trendy. Handicapped accessible. Parking lot is is in the back. read more

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Hands down.. best sushi I have ever had! Fresh fish, accent garnishes perfectly highlight the flavors, and the peanut salad- a great starter. Erica, our server, was knowledgeable and friendly, upbeat and really matched the vibe and feel of the restaurant. The wait was around 45 minutes for a Friday night. To be expected with such an upcoming and vibrant addition to Hickory's restaurant scene. Will definitely be back! read more

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We originally had reservations, but after sitting outside for 15 min with no sort of acknowledgement, we moved to the bar. Food was amazing but this is the 3rd time we have set at the bar and the service is awful. I hate to give a bad review because we really enjoy the food/vibe, but when the bar is almost empty maybe be a little attentive to guest in front of you. The little guy has an air of superiority that makes one want to order take out instead of sitting down. I would suggest putting him back on the floor, and getting a proper bartender. read more

Wow, where do I start off... I am blown away! We are from out of town visiting my husband's family and saw Cowa Sake on yelp. I was hesitant at first cause let's be honest NC isn't known for its sushi or Asian cuisine. But I am throughly surprised by how amazing our food was. The calamari was some of the best I've ever had. And as for the sushi, it was delicious! My husband had the chicken avocado burger w/ jalapeño cream cheese and he was shocked at how good it was, given it's a sushi place. Overall I am going to be so depressed knowing I cannot come here whenever we leave for home again. Service 10/10 The atmosphere 10/10 The food 10000/10! read more

Second time eating here and the food was just as splendid as before! I ordered kimchi fries with pork belly! Amazing! read more

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I love everything about out this place: food, ambiance and service! We have been to this establishment 3-4 times since hearing about it. It's only been open for barely a year? It had a few "growing pains" getting organized and handling busy evenings at first - but the last 3 times we have been here, it's been superb. We have lived in Japan twice and are constantly seeking authentic Japanese and Asian fusion dishes. This place nails it. Prices are reasonable for what you get. It tastes fresh, better than I had hoped and is served quickly. Everyone on the staff is friendly and smiling. Our waitress was Epiphany. She was awesome. We actually tried eating at Old Hickory Station initially, but no one ever came over to take our order after the hostess seated us on the patio - we waited about 20 minutes for eye contact from a server. We were completely ignored there - and it wasn't the first time we experienced awful service, so we walked away and happily dined at Cowasake instead! Cowasake is my favorite restaurant in Hickory, hands down. Can't wait to return..... Their cocktails are also "fun" and atmosphere inside is very "date friendly"! Just go! read more

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I really enjoyed my time here, after a long day me and my family were tired and the road home had many potential restaurants. I didn't expect the parking situation to make it so we didn't eat here, but I'm glad we did find a space. Delicious beef, pineapple, sushi, and it also was my first time trying edamame. Everyone was really nice too, and it made the fact that we live around an hour away from here even more painful because if we lived closer I'd go here a lot more. If this restaurant ever wants to expand, the Ballentyne area would be great for me and my parents because the food here was too good for me to only have once in my life. read more

I have touted cowa-sake as best in Hickory. Well not now. 5:00pm. 4 tables with people and all have food and/or drinks. My wife and I arrive and sit for 10 minutes without even a "be with you in a minute". Just completely ignored. Wife asks where I want to go grab a bite for my birthday and of course I pick cowa-sake. Very disappointed. It's not always about the food. If you are treated like crap then everything else also sucks. read more

We came here this past Tuesday for my Fiancé's birthday dinner. There was 10 of us and they could only seat us outside. We weren't ecstatic about sitting outside but it ended up being really nice because the sun was setting so it wasn't too hot outside and their outdoor area was shaded. The food-- all the appetizers/ small plates that we ordered were AMAZING!!! My favorite was the Poke Tower and the bang bang shrimp! We also ordered the shishito peppers, Thai cucumber salad, and seaweed salad which we also enjoyed. I got the kimchi burger and I thought the flavors were nicely put together but it wasn't the best Korean/ Asian fusion burger that I have had.... My favorite thing about my entree were the fries and the fry dipping sauce! It was soooo good! We got a few sushi rolls to try (Grayson roll & Big Bang) and they were good but not mind blowing. All of the raw fish that we had was very fresh! I thought the food took a while to come out BUT the service from our waiter, Daniel was great! He was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu and gave us great recommendations! This is definitely a great spot for Hickory and for a special date night or celebration! I would come again but in a much smaller party and only for special occasions since their menu is pricey. read more

Cowa Sake - Bang Bang Shrimp & Poke Tower - Burgers Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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Sushi place that doesn't serve most of their sushi at lunch. The food is Asian influenced so it is worth trying.

Wonderful food and presentation! Service was friendly and spot on! Beautifully decorated and feels like home. read more

We had sushi which was decent (we only had rolls). Sushi rolls vary in price from about ap to low 20's. However, you might want to ask the price of the special roll of the night. We assumed it would be in line with the others, but it was not - it was more than 30% higher than the most expensive one on the menu. Not a nice surprise! read more