We stopped by late in the evening, as we were driving by and hungry…read more Nice ambiance of a typical Japanese restaurant. I ordered Sushi Deluxe - everything on the plate was fresh and tasty. I also got an Uni to finish my meal (love Uni). Also learned from the chef that here in the US there are two main types of sea urchin - coming from California and from Maine. Uni from California is sweeter, and the ones from Maine were earthier. The uni which were served were from Maine, and they were very good. Nice, prompt, friendly service. Definitely recommended.

Came here for quick lunch. It was really quiet and it wasn't that busy on a Wednesday afternoon…read more Inside there was plenty of seating and very clean. The host sat us pretty quickly. I didn't really look at the whole menu but it looked like the had a lot of options. I went straight to the lunch special sushi and got 3 rolls for $15. I got the salmon avocado, tuna cucumber and shrimp tempura. It also came with a miso soup which was good. The sushi tasted fresh. I also got the crab Rangoon which was also good as well. Good ratio of cream cheese and crab meat. I would definitely come back for a quick lunch.

Awesome new spot right outside of New Haven!…read more The music was good and at a perfect volume to where you could hear and the decor is soo cute! Lots of cats! I got the tteokbokki which were the perfect chewy soft texture coupled with that nice spicy sauce. It has a lingering heat that I personally really love. For my main I got the Japanese curry with chicken cutlet (chicken katsu) it was AWESOME!!! This is my fav dish ever and I haven't seen anywhere with it so I was absolutely elated when I saw it. Absolutely perfect, the curry itself has carrots and potatoes in it which were nice and soft. It also comes over rice! The owner came over to our table to check on us and she was so sweet. Everything came out quickly, and hot! As we were leaving all the staff said goodbye. I highly recommend coming to Donburiya!

Donburyia in Hamden, is a Korean and Japanese restaurant. Among other things, they have sushi and…read morenoodles. I loved their Korean Japchae glass noodles, served with stri-fried veggies and pork. Everything had a nice char grill flavor. This was one of my favorite Japchae dishes I've had. There is comfortable inside seating, but I suspect they're also good for takeout. Service was friendly and efficient. 4.5 Stars

Seems the owners spent more time on decor than on training staff…read more We ordered several items and none were any good. I also asked the server if they had sashimi and he said "Not Yet" Huh? Food: Then I tried the rolls and pretty sure I know why. All the rolls are covered in SO much sauce that it's impossible to actually taste the fish. Tuna or Salmon, who knows? The rainbow roll, which I have never had any sauce on in 30+ years of ordering, was covered here. The sad truth is that is typically an indication of using low quality or not so fresh fish. The fish should be able to stand on its own! The yakitori? The beef was not chewable, the pork belly was decent and the scallops were good. Outside of the beef, this may be the only decent edible option. Service: One server, even though it's a small place, it's not enough. Also factor in that he seemed to be somewhat clueless of how the process works. We almost left, as it was 5 minutes before we could get his attention to take our order. The rest of the meal time was not much better. Overall: Seems this place has been open long enough to fix these issues. I guess the owners do not care enough to do so.

Anime fans, this place is for you! Especially, if you love Naruto - that's where the name Akatsuki…read morecomes from - Akatsuki in Hamden is calling your name. A small, cozy restaurant that is decorated to full anime vibes: anime art covering the walls from floor to ceiling for favorites like One Piece, Dragon Ball, and many more (how many can you name), dividers, lanterns, cherry blossoms - it's a total vibe! The menu is small, but has a variety from entrees, sushi, noodles, and shareable appetizers. There were specials as well that we took advantage of and ended up with a lot of food. My husband and I shared the Yukitori Platter, something that I haven't seen before on a menu. It's a Japanese street food that has skewered meat. Our platter had chicken, shrimp, beef, pork, and zucchini and each were very good. My husband got the Gyu Don (which is a beef bowl) and for $5 more, he got the set that included three side dishes and a miso soup. I ordered the Shrimp Tempura Udon and made it a Combo for $5 more which included a classic Brown Sugar Bubble Tea and a Pork Bun. I loved my Udon, was flavorful and not too salty. The bubble tea was perfect, even the tapioca pearls weren't too hard or gummy. The service was good, but it was a slow start since there was only one staff member hosting and serving the dining room. It was a little busy with a couple of other tables. The staff were very kind and respectful. The food came out fast after we ordered. Akatsuki is really a hidden gem and it's a must try. My husband and I look forward to returning soon.

One of the best all you can eat sushi spots in CT. The food is made to order and it's so good. The…read moreservice is amazing and the restaurant is beautiful. I would 10000000% recommend you go...like RIGHT NOW

Came here recently and the quality of sushi and service was not the same like the previous times…read moreI've been here. I'm disappointed because we drove 40 minutes here and I was expecting to eat my moneys worth. Even the premium apps did not taste the same. Presentation was similar but I was super let down. The regular apps taste the same like shu Mai and teriyaki salmon. Even the enoki bacon didn't taste the same anymore to me. I don't know if there's too many sushi spots this place fell off. I won't be taking the 40 min drive anymore.

Delicious sushi and great portions, also awesome that they have a lunch special. The perfect lunch…read morewhen I'm in the area.

Easy sushi takeout with good value. Seared 3 way was very unique with different sauces, but a…read morelittle too much sauce so would get on the side next time.

I was so pleasantly surprised from our first visit at Sakana that I had to make a return trip later…read morethe same week. It was a humble reminder that you don't need to go to a culinary destination to find good food. Cheshire Connecticut may not be known for its food scene, however, I found Sakana was a genuine diamond in the rough. My expectations were admittedly low going in. My level of skepticism is always high when I see the "Asian Bistro" moniker, as it is frequently used for restaurants to try to appeal to the masses at the expense of quality by having a "jack-of-all-trades" menu that lacks the technical intricacies and mastery required for specific dishes. Additionally, these establishments tend to follow a "cookie-cutter" menu and offer the same boring dishes you can find at every other Asian Bistro. Even when initially walking towards the restaurant, I had my doubts. The exterior of Sakana honestly looked more like a clinic than a restaurant. Once I saw the menu however, my skepticism shifted towards optimism. For a local bistro, they feature a surprisingly extensive wine and cocktail menu, including premium sake options. I was particularly impressed to find toro on the menu; although it's undoubtedly becoming more of a trend in Connecticut, I was nevertheless happy to see it offered at Sakana as well. Overall I liked their sushi selections and everything I ordered was well-prepared and tasted fresh. We ordered a chicken and broccoli for our daughter and found the chicken tender and broccoli perfectly cooked. That may not sound impressive to those reading, but you'll be surprised how many restaurants fail to execute this baseline dish correctly. The service, although pleasant, was probably the only "weak link" of our experiences here. The quality of service was noticeably inconsistent between our two visits, and they would benefit vastly from having a more reliable and experienced front-of-house team to match the execution coming from the kitchen and sushi bar. Despite this minor gripe, Sakana was a standout. As long as I'm in the area, they will definitely be among the top of my list of places to eat!

Dined in for the first time here tonight. Have had takeout a few times in the past. Ambiance is…read morelovely and the bar is nice as well. Service is exceptional. Our waitress was great. So friendly. Is the food exceptional? To me no, but my parents enjoy it. Tonight we started with crab rangoons. Pretty good. Sauce on the side not very exciting. A chili sauce would be better. I got a sushi roll with White tuna inside and cooked shrimp on top and wasabi mayo. I forget the name of the roll but it was better than the two times I've ordered takeout. Miso soup was also good. Their soup bowls are in the shape of a heart which is super cute. Dad got some sort of a mixed protein dish with brown sauce (had shrimp, chicken and beef). Mom got the chicken and garlic sauce. They both got fried rice on the side. I tried it and it was very bland. Dad also got a salad with his meal and the ginger dressing was not very good. Red coloring to it. Usually ginger dressing is more on the orange side. Dad also got the Malaysian chicken coconut soup to start and it could use a bit more flavor. Was a bit watery. Mom loved her sweet and sour soup. Nice that this place is 5 minutes away. Cheshire needs more restaurants. Def not my fav restaurant in town though. Food to me is just ok.

I couldn't decide if I wanted Japanese or Chinese so why not try a place that serves both. Always…read morewanted to try this place and decided today was the day. Ordering was easy and can be done online. There was a lot of parking and inside looks clean and organized. I picked up my order and everything was packed neatly. I ordered the general tso lunch special that comes with soup and egg roll. I also a shrimp tempura roll. Let's say I go enough food for two lunches. The shrimp tempura roll was good. Not a lot of rice on it, the way I like it. The hot and sour soup was thicker than I like but good. The egg roll was pretty standard, there was a lot of cabbage in it that I didn't mind. The general tso could have been more crispy but that is just my preference. The fried rice was good but could use a bit more seasoning. Overall it was good and that was lot of food for $20. I would definitely come back and maybe eat in.

We went to Diner's Haven last Saturday because of all the great reviews. Walked in around 6:30 pm,…read moreand only one person was dining in. It was an older woman watching videos on her phone on full volume. The restaurant was warmer than I would have liked, the AC was not fantastic. We ordered drinks, I asked if they had the hot Chinese tea and they said yes. They brought me a cup of what tasted like hot dishwater. They didn't bring any sweeteners. I didn't drink it. The server never asked about it and did charge me for it. My husband ordered a mai tai which he said was fine. I had heard good things about the crab Rangoon, so we ordered those and I asked for the crispy noodles. The crab Rangoon were just ok, and noticeably absent was any sauce to dip them in. The crispy noodles were a bit off, maybe not fried long enough? They were just not as good as they are at other spots, and the duck sauce was sweeter than your average duck sauce. The hot and sour soup was better than average and honestly was the best part of the meal. My husband said his wonton soup was good as well. The meals came out, and I was not impressed. Very small portions of the main meal. For $14.50, I would expect more. The rice was very bland, and it was odd that it had red onions in it. Not a typical Chinese ingredient. I ate two bites and didn't bother with the rest. The chicken with garlic sauce was also fairly bland and the sauce was clumpy and congealed so there was a gelatinous pile on the plate but some of the chicken wasn't covered at all. Too much cornstarch, I'm guessing. The egg roll was fine and was what I ate, but it was not the best I've had. I boxed up pretty much my entire meal and again, the server did not seem to care to ask if anything was wrong and why I hadn't eaten it. I took it home and recooked it myself with additional seasonings, and it was much better! Overall, food was blah, service was blah, and you may have to listen to some lady's videos on blast the whole time if you dine in. I was not impressed, and probably wouldn't have reviewed it, it's just that my experience was such a stark contrast to other reviews, that I wanted to share to ensure people know that not everyone loves it.

We were a group of 20+ people the day after Thanksgiving…read more We called to make sure it was OK to load up. They accepted and the service was really good. The food was excellent and hit the spot after all the food the previous day. (Satisfying different taste buds). Lot of orders around the table, with drinks. They managed it really well. (Given the lethargic start to the day after Thanksgiving everywhere) Great spot.

I'm glad I revisited Roishi, having only dined there once during the first few weeks of their grand…read moreopening. At the time, I found the ramen competent and the interior pristine, spacious, and modern. Returning for a second visit, I'm happy to report they have withstood the test of time, maintaining high standards for both food quality and cleanliness. To provide context: when Roishi first opened, it felt like ramen shops were everywhere. Fast-forward a few years, fewer shops remain, and unfortunately, many of those survivors just don't stand out to me. The mid-range sushi scene has proven equally unimpressive. Aside from high-end establishments like Hachiroku Handroll Bar, or the outstanding Gohan in Southington, most mid-range joints disappoint with mediocre quality and a lack of creativity. Many may start off strong in quality, like Niu Sushi in East Haven or Sayori in Orange, but eventually their standards slip over time. In the current food scene in Connecticut, finding a restaurant that excels at both ramen and sushi is a rarity. While I enjoy the Spicy Miso at Akatsuki in Hamden, their sushi remains lackluster. Conversely, from what I recall when they initially opened, the sushi at Takumi in Branford impressed me, but their ramen has disappointed. This is where Roishi shines. Perhaps my previous disappointments at other establishments have made me quick to judge, or maybe I simply caught Roishi on an exceptionally good day. Regardless, our last experience at Roishi has won me over, and it has officially become (for now) my go-to for a satisfying bowl of ramen paired with fresh, creative sushi rolls. It is clear the sushi chefs put effort into curating their menu and making their rolls look visually appealing. Our server was pleasant, professional and attentive without being overbearing. While the menu would benefit from rotating specials featuring higher grade ingredients, the restaurant's ability to maintain standards and consistency is a rarity, and is the primary reason I will continue to return as long as they continue to do so!

So this was rather an interesting experience…read more..... Upon arrival, you'll question yourself and anyone at the front: "is this place open for dine-in?". Like when I mean it's one of those places STILL not fully re-opened from COVID, this is definitely one of those places. The space is rather large however, there were only three (3) tables open for seating. The rest of the tables were cluttered with some pretty looking Thai culture "knick knacks" that were nice but they also made it hard to wipe all the dust off the tables. Not sure if this is still the case but less clutter and more clean would be nice. Make your restaurant look more open and inviting. It looked more like a gift shop with a couple seats rather than a restaurant with a small gift shop. Anyways, everyone there was super nice. I always appreciate the kindness of course. But this was where I drew the line. My favorite Beef Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) are advertised to be spicy, per usual. However, there was not one hint of any spice, kick or whatever you want to call it PERIOD. It wasn't even sweet enough to call it Pad See Eew (a sweeter, not spicy version of Pad Kee Mao for reference). I mean it was good, it was edible, but it just didn't remind me of the Beef Drunken Noodles that I signed up for. 3-Stars for the kindness and the effort. It just didn't feel like a restaurant when I visited. I knew I wasn't the only one to think this either as the next group of people that walked in straight up asked if this place was even a restaurant anymore.

Sirinan's is my go-to for delivery when I'm feeling lazy and craving Thai. Their drunken noodles…read moreare always flavorful, and the extra spicy is a good amount of spice for me. The Thai tea is also good. My only complaint is the pricing. It is pricier than some other Thai places, but it's the best option near me so I don't really have a choice.

We to get an alternative meal late night. I got to try the chicken and steak combo. It was amazing…read morelike cooked fresh great taste of teriyaki. Not to filling but just enough to enjoy all of it. If you haven't tried this it is a must try. I got there late so it was a little dark inside and definitely felt cold. Probably they were getting ready to close but I can this place being packed for lunch. They are open late so it makes it nice get there and eat after work. Will need to try the shrimp bowl next time, can't wait.

Food was good. We ordered 2 chicken veggies bowls but we had to wait a longtime because there was…read moreonly one worker taking orders and cooking. Very clean inside. Also, I've gone to this location 2 other times when it said they were open, but were closed.