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Now and Zen

3.4 (282 reviews)
Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

Now and Zen Photos

NOW AND ZEN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Now and Zen

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Giant dragon? Roll. Vegetarian

This place had excellent food and very generous portion sizes. I had the miso marinated black cod, which was excellent. My eating partner had vegetarian miso soup followed by a giant dragon roll, which was very good. They are good with food preferences gluten intolerance, and vegetarian options. The menu is very large lots of choices. The waiter was very helpful. Kitchen staff seemed friendly as we walked by. Tables were comfortable. This was an overall very positive experience with food left over at the end to take home.

Crunch Roll
Kayla P.

I've been to now and zen several times now, and it has never disappointed. The sushi and apps have always been delicious. The portion sizes are large. You really get the best bang for your buck here. 10/10 would recommend !!!

Spicy Salmon roll and Tuna Carpaccio Salad
Julia W.

I've only eaten in restaurant many years ago, but I have had take out multiple times recently and they have all been stellar. Love the jumbo sized sushi, my favorite is the Green Giant. I'm normally not much into cream cheese in my sushi, but the rolls here are where I make an exception. All excellent, fresh fish, and flavorful, delicious rolls. The sashimi salads are also excellent with lots of flying fish roe and sweet micro greens. My only comment was the Tuna Carpaccio salad that I got recently had a bit too much wasabi in the dressing, but aside from that it was excellent. Highly recommend for fresh, delicious sushi. Go all in with the jumbo sized rolls here, you won't regret it. I can't speak to the service since it has been a while since I've eaten in-restaurant, but I recall the interior having a lot of dark furniture.

New Orleans Roll
Beth K.

Yummy!!! Our server John (I think that was his name) was great! We ordered the Agedashi tofu to start; it was excellent, very flavorful! Then we ordered two large rolls- the New Orleans and the Salmon Melt Roll. They were delicious. Nice service. It was busy!

Salmon Melt Roll

The sushi is delicious, but the udon is somewhat salty and the noodles are too soft. It also contains eggplants, which is a bit unusual. The crab cake is enjoyable for those who love creamy dishes. Unfortunately, the service made us uncomfortable. My friends used bowls while eating sushi, so when the udon was served last, they didn't have any clean bowls left. When they asked for two more clean bowls, the waiter told them they should use dishes for sushi and bowls for soup. It felt like he was teaching us how to eat and judging us. I don't understand why, as people should be able to eat in the way they feel most comfortable. Just like you don't have to use chopsticks in a Chinese restaurant. Besides, he gave us the bowls at the beginning, not when the udon was served. If they are reluctant to provide bowls because of a shortage, they should feel sorry because of not meeting customer needs and increase the number of bowls. Such service definitely does not deserve the 20% tip they demand.

Crab miso
Katherine S.

TL:DR: cute space, attentive workers, yummy food I've noticed a lot of people have complained about the service here, but from beginning to end, our service was awesome. Never had an empty glass, always checking to make sure our food is good, etc. But I guess every place has it's off days. Food: Aburi salmon: So good. It's like a tower of rice and salmon, that has some type of soy glaze on it, and then the fish is lightly singed with a blow torch. Fell apart a little bit, but still worth getting Shake roll: for all you salmon lovers out there. salmon inside, salmon on top. A lot of people mention how thick their cuts of fish are on their rolls, but I am not complaining lol Crab miso: very good! But it's definitely messy to eat if you want to get the most out of your crab. Sashimi dinner: Beautiful presentation (I love flowers), and a decent amount/cuts of fish. Will always make a stop here when in Charlottesville

Fried rice.
Elda G.

I really wanted to like this spot! But as a tourist I did not do my due diligence in researching that your meals do not come out at the same time. It was pretty busy when we arrived but were sat quickly. We order a couple of rolls which were delicious. The rice bowl my hubby ordered sat because he thought our dumplings and my beef bowl would be right out, but it wasn't. 25 minutes of waiting and then we asked for our food and the waiter only mentioned that the dumplings were on their way, which meant they forgot my beef bowl. I was trying to break the tension and stress by taking my toddler to the bathroom for breaks. Did I mention this place is not kid friendly? Not this trendy restaurant's fault, though. My partner was over the place by the time our dumplings arrived followed by my bowl. We had to leave. I'm certain this place is super popular and awesome for people sans children or people who have not been restaurant manager previously. It was a bad night for them- I could see the staff was stressed and over it, too. We left and saw many people waiting to enter.

Green Giant (vegan)
Shrinath D.

As a vegetarian, it's often extremely difficult to find quality sushi places (I want more than the standard avocado or cucumber roles!). Now and Zen 100% delivers with their Green Giant! Made up of a sweet potato tempura, cream cheese, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayonnaise, vegan eel sauce, tempura flakes, and scallions, the Green Giant creates an amalgamation of flavors unlike any other. Paired with wasabi, ginger, and their house spicy mayonnaise, each bite packs a punch! I highly recommend Now and Zen (specifically the Green Giant) to both sushi newbies and enthusiasts alike!

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7 months ago

Food was really just bad and disappointing, the peanut sauce was definitely store bought, the hostess was rude, would not recommend.

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2 years ago

Food was fantastic and the staff were great with recommendations. Great Sushi and just off the main strip in the downtown mall.

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Mas Tapas

Mas Tapas

3.9
(479 reviews)
0.7 mi
$$$

Nestled in the heart of Belmont, Mas is hands down one of the top restaurants for me. It resembles…read moreCharlottesville: filled with warmth, hearty, a community affair with locally grown and sourced food, tapas meant to be shared. If you are looking for a lively atmosphere for a date night or a night out with friends, Mas tapas is for you! The staff here is incredible; helpful with their selections and operates like a family. When introducing others to Charlottesville, this is my go to. I cannot even begin to unpack the vibrancy of the food. Anything with aioli is a hit! It's a reminder of the strength of the Charlottesville food scene. It glows with that warm, golden-hour energy -- the hum of conversation, the clink of glasses, the scent of garlic and olive oil drifting through the air. Every dish feels like a small act of intention. The ultimate real pleasure is the rhythm of the place: tapas arriving slowly enough to savor, fast enough to keep you leaning in for more; an atmosphere that manages to feel both lively and deeply relaxed. It's the true peak: a simplicity and richness; a love note in the shape of a restaurant. Must try: - Gambas à la Parilla - Datil Con Tocino -queso con marmelada -ensalada Lechuga -papas bravas

Celebratory dinner and Mas came up on a couple of "best restaurants" searches. This place was…read moreterrific. High end tapas...a little pricey, but also worth the price -- unique and creative dishes. The plates came in two sizes -- the regular tapas style and one that is a double portion for double the price. Menu is typewritten and presumably changes with frequency; we enjoyed the carne asada, lamb sliders, bacon wrapped dates, guisado, and a few others -- all delicious. Nice cocktail menu and some interesting (and unusual) wines on the list, both by the glass and by the bottle. The room is surprisingly informal -- bare brick walls, loud music, hip servers in t-shirts - so probably not the place for a business dinner. But for a splurge social occasion and a group that is good sharing food...five stars.

Photos
Chocolate Sangria Cake
Chocolate Sangria Cake
Bacon wrapped dates
Bacon wrapped dates
Coliflor

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Coliflor

Now and Zen - japanese - Updated July 2026

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