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Nakato Express

3.6 (65 reviews)
InexpensiveJapanese
Closed • 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

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NAKATO EXPRESS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Quiet
Casual
Outdoor seating
Good for kids

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Hibachi Vegetables
Jeanette N.

Big portions on hot plates, not styrofoam. I asked for double veggies and it was huge. Well worth the extra $2.50. The location is clean and the atmosphere as well as the music is pleasant. Our new favorite hibachi.

Soba Noodles with Vegetables
Shenna W.

We have visited this location for a long time. Always had a good experience overall. However, the last few times have been well less than desirable. I believe it will be our last time going. We ordered: Spring Roll Hibachi Steak Side of Soba California Roll Cream Cheese Salmon Eel Cucumber Roll The Soba noodles were okay. Nothing really to say about them, good flavor and not oily. The spring rolls had some odd spice/seasoning and were a little oily than normal. Not sure if this is due to reheating them or just sitting in the oil longer. Where things went downhill for us was the Hibachi Steak and the sushi. Have you ever had Wasbi that has no heat? No, me either, but I did tonight. The Wasbi was dark, dark green and well flavorless. The ginger was hard and well that still isn't the worst of it. The fish in the Eel roll was old! We couldn't even eat it just because of the smell! The other sushi had no flavor at all. We just throw it all away. Then for the steak in the Hibachi - there was less than a handful in the whole thing - very disappointing. To pay all of this, you expect more, but that wasn't the case.

the inside of a restaurant
Sammi W.

a really nice & convenient spot for any hibachi or noodle cravings! everything came out super quickly, not even 10 minutes after ordering. the owners were very sweet & conversational. i especially loved the soba & added some yum yum sauce from the hibachi added some creaminess too! definitely would love to try the fried dumplings next time & some sushi pieces too. we had a late lunch so there wasn't too many people but it's also very quiet & peaceful given the decor. the place gets a lot of natural sunlight as windows cover each corner. they had fountain drinks but also had bottle ones, i chose the peach sparkling water which was really good! we'll come back for dinner some time!

Hibachi Chicken

Fresh, hot, and reasonable wait time. The portions are great too. Definitely one of my go-to food places now

Not fancy, but perfect for pick up and go.

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15 years ago

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9 years ago

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7 years ago

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12 years ago

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12 years ago

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12 years ago

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8 years ago

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11 years ago

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19 years ago

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12 years ago

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10 years ago

Standard cheap hibachi place. Gets the job done when you're in the mood for standard cheap hibachi food.

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8 years ago

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11 years ago

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7 years ago

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12 years ago

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15 years ago

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11 years ago

Very fast, very cheap. Not great customer service but good food, ate here all summer.

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Matsumoto Craft Ramen

Matsumoto Craft Ramen

4.6(52 reviews)
3.7 mi
Eco-friendly
Established in 2025

Overall: Matsumoto punches above it's weight class in terms of quality for its ramen. Highly…read morerecommend you come and try. Food: The ramen here was great. Rich flavors and high quality ingredients result in a very deep flavor you look for in a warm bowl for ramen. The quality to price ratio is great here, I think it packs the punch of a premium ramen, but at a lower price point. The curry was also fantastic, very thick curry and the tonkatsu pairs super well with it offering great variety in texture. The calamari I thought was pretty normal, nothing crazy here, thought it was a bit over priced for what was offered. Service: The service is fast, you order at the front desk and then pick your own seat. Food comes out quickly, even during standard lunch and dinner hours on both weekend and weekdays. Ambiance: The inside has plenty of seating and a fun entrance. As soon as you walk in the store you are greeted with a wide variety of drinks and small figures that you can purchase.

Parking: located at Waverly place but plenty of parking located in front of the cinebistro which is…read morelocated right next to it. Food: Got the Seaweed salad and chicken curry with rice. Seaweed salad was seaweed on a bed of lettuce. It was a unique flavor that was the first time trying. The chicken curry was absolutely delicious and flavorful and the chicken was super tender. It also included rice and you also add any protein with it. Service: when you first walk in you order your food at the front and then you can seat yourself anywhere throughout the restaurant. They were super nice and incredibly helpful. Ambiance: Included booths, tables and stools to be seated at. Had a collection of anime figurines all throughout.

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Matsumoto Craft Ramen
Matsumoto Craft Ramen
Matsumoto Craft Ramen

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Shijiri Sushi Bar - The set

Shijiri Sushi Bar

4.8(61 reviews)
2.1 mi

The best sashimi/nigiri experience I've had in the triangle area! I originally came because I was…read morecurious about the restaurant's "no tipping" model, but ended up discovering a real gem. The four of us tried multiple sets, and the portions were incredibly generous. For example, the signature set was honestly too much food for one person. Considering both the quality and quantity, the pricing felt like an absolute steal. Not only was the fish excellent, but the shellfish was outstanding as well -- the clam & scallop were both some of my favorite bites of the meal. Everything tasted extremely fresh. They also had a great sake selection. Dessert options were limited (it seemed like they usually offer just one item). Service was incredibly efficient. At times, the pace made me feel slightly rushed, but the staff were always friendly and attentive throughout. The restaurant itself is small, welcoming, and stayed busy throughout the night. I really loved the casual, low-key atmosphere paired with truly top-notch food. Already looking forward to coming back many more times!

One of the better authentic sushi spots in the Triangle. Came in on a Saturday night and it wasn't…read morethat busy, we didn't have to wait to get a table. Menu has a bunch of different set meals, an Omakase, and some a la carte stuff. The inside is a bit small and the tables are also on the smaller side so if you order a lot it's hard to fit the set meals on the tables as they come on bigger trays and with sides (miso soup, salad, etc.) Service was good and they did a good job of explaining what everything came with and what was included. We tried a few different set meals and everything was fairly good. I especially liked the miso soup as it was very umami forward. The fish was also pretty high quality. The rice in our chirashi dish also stood out as it was seasoned or marinated pretty nicely. Overall a good sushi restaurant if you're looking for something a little better than your standard sushi restaurant. Bonus points as they are also a non-tipping establishment.

Photos
Shijiri Sushi Bar - Entryway and front of seating area, Nov 2025.

Entryway and front of seating area, Nov 2025.

Shijiri Sushi Bar - Sashimi Premium Selection

Sashimi Premium Selection

Shijiri Sushi Bar

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Oiso - Another Bento Box

Oiso

4.6(355 reviews)
0.1 mi
•$$

This is my latest favorite Sushi place in Triangle. It is a Korean owned sushi place, so I love…read morethat this place has Korean seafood/sushi dishes. Oiso is in a big shopping center, so there is no headache when it comes to parking. But the parking does get busy during dinner/evening time. Service is superb. Everyone is so friendly, and service is top notch. This place is not super big, and it's never too crowded, where I do not get any service. It's perfect, and I hope it stays that way. My go-to dish is Hwedupbap. Think of it like a poke bowl, but Korean style :) I love the spicy + sour sauce (Chogochuchang sauce) that comes with the dish so so much. The portion is GENEROUS! I repeat: The portion is generous. Mama didn't raise a quitter, so I always finish my bowl. But it is hella big for anyone who loves to eat. It comes with lots of veggies and raw fish, and it's perfect. I cannot wait to go back to this place for more fish :)

What a great find! This adorable hidden gem felt like walking into a time warp back to when I was…read morestationed in Japan. There were only 3 people managing the restaurant, the server, sushi chef and a runner but they three of them were keeping the flow moving quickly. What we ordered: Fire Station Roll, Rainbow Roll, Crispy Rice with Salmon and steamed gyozas. Everything was delicious! It was my first time having crispy rice, my husband ordered it thinking it would be similar to fried rice but we were pleasantly surprised when it came out. I typically prefer fried gyoza but the steamed was perfect, they came with a lovely light but flavorful dipping sauce. My only critique is I would have liked low sodium soy sauce, I didn't ask for it so not sure if they offer it but I will next time.

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Oiso
Oiso - CHIRASHI DON

CHIRASHI DON

Oiso - Ebi Lover

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Ebi Lover

Kinoko Ramen - Shio ramen

Kinoko Ramen

4.7(26 reviews)
3.0 mi

I visited Kinoko Ramen on Jan 12, 2026. It was noon, and I was the only dine-in customer. There was…read moreno wait time for a table. Water and menu were provided the moment I sat down. I had already looked at the menu online and knew what I wanted: shoyu ramen. The order was served with a spoon, a side plate and a paper towel. There was 1 soft-boiled cut into two halves and ample amounts of scallion, menma and braised pork belly. The latter had a rich flavor, helped in no small part by the pork and chicken broth. Not only that, the broth complimented the rest of the ingredients; the egg was enjoyable. My only (minor) complaint is the portion size of the ramen itself. It was smaller than I would like. The lady that served me was probably (best guess) the owner. Her service was impeccable. In addition, Kinoko has a pleasing amenity not found in most restaurants: an AC outlet at every table that was by the wall. This was very handy for a heavy user of laptops and phones like myself. Although there was music playing in the background, it wasn't loud. The server and I were able to hear each other, and I could also hear the voices of others at the bar. The restroom had an interesting decor of newspapers for wallpaper. That was something I didn't see elsewhere. If you love good ramen, come to Kinoko Ramen. If you like a quiet place to dine in, come to Kinoko Ramen. Perfect scores in food, service and atmosphere.

I had another better known local ramen shop in mind, but saw the reviews and that this place had an…read moreinteresting vegetarian selection, so I decided to give it a shot. It wasn't crowded, but it was doing a lot of takeout for a ramen spot (generally a food best enjoyed fresh). The mala ramen (a mix of spicy and tingly sensations) that I sought delivered on the premise. It was a fascinating flavor mix, with some harsh notes that would be a discovery for those that haven't had mala before working well because of the balance of salty and savory flavors and some nice greens and sweet corn. It was unique and I enjoyed it. They had some appetizers and things that I wasn't hungry enough for, but I did wash it down with tea. It was a very reasonable price given how the hipster ramen market has gone. And they had enough menu options that returning would be worthwhile. I ended up going to the other local ramen place anyway the next day, and I would say that both were really good. You can't go wrong.

Photos
Kinoko Ramen - Bar seating, posted June 2025.

Bar seating, posted June 2025.

Kinoko Ramen
Kinoko Ramen - Restroom wallpaper

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Restroom wallpaper

Masa Sushi & Ramen - 2 pc unagi nigiri

Masa Sushi & Ramen

4.4(238 reviews)
3.6 mi
•$$

The facility this restaurant is open used to have my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant prior to…read morecovid that was closed during 2021 and since then I did not enter the shopping complex because I was so sad to saw that place close. This week my teen reminded me that a new Ramen place has opened in the same facility so I decided to give it a try. The ambience is cozy, though I found that tables are very close to each other, so it is very hard to keep a conversation going without you either disturbing the other table or worrying about having someone else listen to your conversation menu is fine. I did not care for sushi because I was there for Ramen. Besides, they have a vegetarian Ramen is what I was looking for, my daughter ordered a teriyaki Ramen. My vegetarian Ramen had a lot of tempura in it, which defeated the purpose a little bit for me because it was a little oily. The taste was more or less like a red curry and there was very less vegetables mostly it was sweet corn and one or two bok choy on the other hand my teen, who is very hard to please loved the teriyaki Raman and is already planning to go back this weekend to try the other ones , all in all I gave this place a four star because the umami of the Ramen was very comforting, even though I did not like the taste much

I took my boys to Masa Sushi & Ramen to celebrate my older son's birthday, and this year was a much…read morebetter one than last, when he spent his birthday in the hospital. So spirits were high right from the start. For the record, I've been here a handful of times before, usually for lunch, but this was my first dinner visit. Parking was easy and plentiful, and even though the restaurant was fairly busy, we were seated right away. Always a nice win. We kicked things off with a bowl of edamame that was perfectly salted. The boys went with miso soup, which was flavorful but came out lava hot. Like, ice-cube-required hot. Tasty, but proceed with caution if you have kids. For sushi, we kept it simple and solid with a mix of one classic and two specialty rolls: Spicy Tuna, Phoenix, and the Crunchy Roll. All were fresh, well-made, and hit the spot. Food came out quickly, service was friendly and attentive, and the overall value felt right. Since we live nearby, this will definitely stay in our regular rotation. A great, easy dinner spot for sushi with family.

Photos
Masa Sushi & Ramen
Masa Sushi & Ramen - Tonkatsu Ramen - soooo good!

Tonkatsu Ramen - soooo good!

Masa Sushi & Ramen - 2 pc unagi nigiri

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2 pc unagi nigiri

M Sushi - Cary

M Sushi - Cary

4.5(132 reviews)
2.9 mi

Ambiance is nice. I really like the food, it was a great experience and the service was superb. I…read moresat at the bar and my chef was in front of me, her name is Carina I believe. I ordered "Grand Omakase" and I liked that she's able to accommodate with how I want things. I also liked how she's very clean as far as preparing my food. This restaurant is a must try.

My view on sushi as a whole has completely changed...in an absolutely amazing way…read more Omakase Style: basically translates over as "I leave it up to you." The chef curates a multi course and highly personalized tasting menu. My wife and I had the pleasure to partake in this unbelievable experience for our 21st anniversary, and it was hands down one of the best meals we've ever had. Not this month, not just sushi, not just in NC...but one of the top meals of all time anywhere. We had the Grand Omakase, which came out to 10 courses in total. I won't go into detail on each and every course, but let's just say that each and every course was of the highest quality fish, sushi or meat we've had anywhere. From the sushi flown out straight from Japan, to the beluga caviar and A5 Wagyu, and everything in between. We've had sushi across the nation and overseas, 100s of times. This has taken the top #1 spot out of all of them, especially with what we were served in the Grand Omakase package. Impeccable service, 8 sushi chefs all working efficiently at once in an open style sushi kitchen, all within a classy (but not pretentious by any means) establishment. The Grand Omakase package here is one of those bucket list items for anyone who loves sushi, top shelf meats and fish, and enjoys a high level foodie experience.

Photos
M Sushi - Cary - Bar area.

Bar area.

M Sushi - Cary - 1 of 8 from the Omakase Lite

1 of 8 from the Omakase Lite

M Sushi - Cary - M Special Maki

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M Special Maki

Noodle Boulevard - Spicy Seafood Tom Yum Ramen (spice level 4, on a scale of 1 to 6)

Noodle Boulevard

4.5(1k reviews)
3.8 mi
•$$

Delicious!! This was…read moremy first time having ramen, and my friend suggested we go here, and I'm so glad we did! Noodle Blvd is located in a spot that you could easily miss, but it's easy to get back on track. I pulled into the gas station parking lot beside the restaurant, then just turned right into the restaurant parking lot. The parking lot is fairly small, so be warned about that. My friend was there when I arrived, and he sat at the bar. When I walked in the door, I was greeted with smiles and waves. It was very inviting, which is fitting for a ramen restaurant. My friend ordered us Lychee Margaritas, and oh my goodness, it was so good! We decided to visit right at opening on a Saturday, so the bartender was still preparing some of the ingredients needed for the margarita. The bartender informed us that it's usually better once a key ingredient sits for a while, but I loved the drink regardless. I ordered edamame for an appetizer, which came quickly and was good! Since I've never had ramen before, I asked our server what he recommended, and he told me about some of their most popular dishes. He told me the N9. Chicken Curry Ramen was a favorite of his and the patrons, so I decided to order that. It came quickly, and I was immediately in HEAVEN upon my first bite. I loved every bite after! I decided to play it safe with the spice and got level 2, but I can definitely go up a level or 2 since I love spicy. Highly recommend, and I will be back! Worth the drive from Clayton, where I live.

Noodle Boulevard delivered exactly the kind of comforting, flavorful meal I was hoping for. I…read moreordered the Shoyu Ramen with Chashu Pork and an Ajitsuke Egg, and it was outstanding. The broth was rich and balanced, the pork was tender, and the toppings--bok choy, beansprouts, bamboo, onions, nori, and that perfectly seasoned egg--brought everything together beautifully. I did ask them to cut the meat up but they were "not able" to accommodate that request. Every bite felt warm, fresh, and thoughtfully prepared. The service was friendly and efficient, and the overall vibe of the place is fun and energetic. The music was a bit louder than I prefer, but it didn't take away from how good the food was. If you're craving a great bowl of ramen in a lively atmosphere, Noodle Boulevard is absolutely worth the stop.

Photos
Noodle Boulevard - Inside restaurant

Inside restaurant

Noodle Boulevard - Black Garlic Miso Ramen (spice level 4, on a scale of 1 to 6)

Black Garlic Miso Ramen (spice level 4, on a scale of 1 to 6)

Noodle Boulevard - Vegetarian Ramen

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Vegetarian Ramen

Nakato Express - japanese - Updated May 2026

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