I ordered the special maki combo with a bowl of miso soup, and a side of white rice. Very fresh and full of flavors. I even ordered extra eel sauce. It's very tasty but also salty which is normal. The service was timely and very kind. The ambiance was very chill and relaxing. I ate my food in peace and enjoyed every minute of it. Will for sure be back!!! read more

I ordered sushi to go the weekend of the marathon. I saw positive reviews on Yelp and checked reddit for recommendations on the best sushi in town. While people recommend another nearby restaurant for fancy rolls, Wasabi was recommended for your standard type. The staff were prompt, kind, and friendly. The restaurant appeared to leave a bit to be desired. I ordered four rolls, which were small and packed into one take out container. The sushi was bland, oddly prepared, and lifeless. I've enjoyed sushi at dozens of restaurants and felt Wasabi was in the lower 10% I've ever had. read more

Wasabi - Tuna Roll Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll Philadelphia Roll Yellowtail Roll - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Wasabi is consistent and reasonable. They have one of the best lunch specials in the area. I particularly love the Three Roll Special. Their Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll is one of my favorites, alongside the Eel & Avocado Roll. This super small, but mighty neighborhood spot won't disappoint. read more

It's good to have Wasabi around. All in all, Wasabi serves good sushi. Both locations are very similar in every aspect. The one on Elmwood has, obviously, a more urban vibe, which I personally prefer. Although the interior is somewhat worn, dim, and nothing fancy, it remains cozy and inviting. We ordered the Titanic, again. I still think that any boat, loaded with sushi, should have an impressive presentation. There should be some extra touch to look festive and special. It should be fun, right? :) My 'sushi buddy' doesn't necessarily agree. Wasabi's Titanic was full of tasty treats, but its presentation also showed a different opinion than mine. Nothing more to report right now. Just keep calm and eat sushi. read more

Wasabi - Titanic. - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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Great options for lunch and cute atmosphere. The wait staff could be more personable. The sushi was fresh and yummy. There are Gluten free options as well and the miso soup was very tasty. Reason for one star less - the bathroom should really be on the first floor - my husband can't navigate stairs due to a broken leg. I can't imagine anyone with a wheelchair would be able to use the bathroom as it's tiny as well - not really more than a small closet in size. read more

Wasabi - Sushi Roll lunch - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I haven't had a bad meal at wasabi. I actually prefer it to sato. Their hand rolls are banging. No complaints.

This place does not look too inviting from the outside, but it is a very serviceable sushi joint. Obviously never judge a book by its cover, these are the often the places that are the gems in a town. There are better sushi joints but it's a charming neighborhood. When I'm traveling for work out in Buffalo, I do come here when I have to work in the city. I have a couple of other places out in suburbia, but this and Sato are my go to in the city limits. read more

Please never change. My Go to for so many years. So so so good. Sushi dinner is the best thing ever for 18 something dollars.

Call myself trying nothing but new Restaurants for 2024. And this is my first review. The miso soup was darker than others I've seen but spot on no complaints the prices were on point and when it comes to the sushi my my. The sushi rolls were all chunky meaning they weren't stingy with the ingredients placed inside and just all around everything was great. Give em a try!! If your around the Elmwood strip read more

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Food good, price good. Service wasn't good. I pointed to get a salad in the image from the menu. I receive seafood salad instead of a regular salad. I requested water with no ice. Got it with ice. I added extra sauce and was given a 5th of the container. Not sure who the older lady is. Seems to be in her 50's. The way she walks around it seems like she's the manager potentially owner. She proceeded to say that's what she "claimed" and by "claimed" she brought me the wrong and proceeded with a follow up saying the images in the menu aren't used? What you mean you have images on your menu but some of the foods aren't in the restaurant. Why have them on display to begin with? Overall not the best experience, everyone else seemed so kind and gentle while she was shit talking us in her language as she proceeded to walk away. As yk a tip is given via optional+excellent service. Not lying and then gaslighting the customer to "do you want something you clearly didn't order" but in a sense that she kept implying that it was as if we ordered the seafood salad. Didn't admit fault until she realized she couldn't pressure me into spending $6 on something I didn't order. Made a female family member of mine uncomfortable rolling her eyes in the distance. Have some decency. Smh. You have to be assertive against such behavior or else you'll end up either getting up and leaving possibly never coming back or sitting through eating your food itching to leave. Best one orders take-out to save themselves the headache 100%. Long story short. Dishonest and 0 attention to detail. Edit: I in no way want to tip nothing, but she ruins it for the rest of her staff. Like as an owner have some decency for the rest of your staff. I repeat everyone else in there was super respectful except her. read more

Went on a Friday at 8 PM and we were the only 2 in there! By time we were leaving around 9 there were two other tables filled. We got the love boat and you get a choice of soup or salad, we got the miso soup and it was so yummy. Love boat was great. Lots of flavor, good selection, staff was fast and welcoming. Such a great spot on Elmwood! Ambiance is small and cozy, maybe about 8 tables. Love the vibes! read more

Wasabi - Miso Soup - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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I recently moved to the Buffalo area after living in Hawaii for 50 years. Coincidentally I've also been of 100% Japanese ancestry for all 50 of those years. So it's fair to say I'm a total sushi snob. I came here on a whim while in the area for an event, and was extremely skeptical that a place called "Wasabi" would actually be serving non-hipsterized, non-Instagram-worthy Japanese cuisine and sushi, especially in the same neighborhood where there's another restaurant called "Waikiki Poke & Grill", where you'll find them committing the cultural hate-crime of putting mango, pineapple and wonton chips on "Poke" bowls. I'm happy to report that my culinary snobbery and prejudice was totally wrong. Wasabi is legit. My skepticism was quickly reversed when I saw that they had an all-Japanese staff running the place. The server understood what I was ordering when I asked for a piece of "Unagi" (broiled fresh water eel), even though that word is nowhere to be found on their printed menu. Sure, there are odd diversions on the menu like Pad Thai and General Tso's Chicken, but if you're looking for no-frills fresh sashimi and nigiri, and for insanely cheap prices, you won't be disappointed. I ordered a Chirashi, and was a bit confused when I received a large platter of assorted sashimi with just a small scoop of sushi rice in the corner of the platter. It wasn't a typical Chirashi-don, where all the sashimi was piled on top of a bowl of rice, but I'm not complaining, because the individual slices of sashimi were generously sized, and very fresh. And I couldn't believe that it was only $21.95! My absolute favorite thing to order at sushi bars is Ikura (salmon roe). And over the years I've come to use it as a litmus test regarding how much care a sushi restaurant has when it sources its fish. And if a self-proclaimed sushi restaurant doesn't even offer Ikura, you should definitely question the culinary sincerity of the place. The Ikura gunkan at Wasabi wasn't particularly generous in terms of its serving size, but it definitely passed the test in terms of freshness and quality. And regarding the size of the nigiri at Wasabi, I have to always remind myself that their smaller serving sizes are very typical of how nigiri is served in Japan, where you're expected to be able to eat the whole thing in one bite. Comically large nigiri is more of a US thing, and although I do enjoy big pieces of nigiri and sashimi, the way they are served at Wasabi is not atypical. While you're not going to have your mind blown by the variety and rarity of sushi offerings at Wasabi, you'll definitely get an outstanding ratio of price vs quality here. Highly recommended! read more

Wasabi - Unagi (fresh water eel) and Ikura (salmon roe) gunkan - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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I love this place. I'm not sure if it was as this is where my future wife and I used to visit often when we first started dating. Or if it was because of the low key yet cozy ambiance. Or the well crafted sushi. Either way, I was saddened when they had closed during the pandemic. I am glad that they reopened for dining in at the beginning of the year. My wife and I went back this weekend, and it was just as good. The prices are roughly 25 cents higher than on the menu, but they probably haven't had the time to update it yet. Either way, their prices and sushi are much better than some other places I've been visiting. We do miss living in the city and wish we could visit more often, though I guess this will be a reason to visit more often. :) read more

Wasabi - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

This sushi was the best I've had in Buffalo. The restaurant was small and felt like I was in Japan. The service was great and we had a fantastic time. I recommend making reservations as this restaurant is so small. We will definitely be back!! read more

Wasabi - Eel Avocado Roll - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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Decent food, small place. Not much room to maneuver around - tricky with a large group!

Rly delicious food, good for a quick bite. Very courteous service, cute and intimate environment. Enjoyed the patio seat read more

Wasabi - Sushi for 2 - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Great sushi. Its not a restaurant you can go inside, you just walk up to the window and place your order. There are a few tables and chairs outside. I don't think the woman inside said one word to me other than, "ten minutes." But hey, no complaints. Sushi was ready in ten minutes. Really fresh, quality tasting. Great prices. I got two rolls (spicy tuna and california) for 11$, comes with the chopsticks, soy sauce and wasabi of course. I recommend for some really quick, casual food. Definitely go before 3pm and catch their lunch deals. read more

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This place is the most amazing and consistent place I have been to. Its extremely affordable, the environment is nicely small. Like cozy its super awesome. The service is incredible, fast and so sweet and I would not want to eat anywhere else. I literally come here like every 1-2 weeks because I can't get enough. The food is fresh and done right unlike many other places ive tried and reminds me of how Japanese food should be. If you want a gold standard restaurant to swear by, you have found your place. read more

Always enjoyed the sushi here, everything I ever had tasted so fresh. Now due to covid, your no longer able to eat inside. So everything now is takeout. They actually created a takeout window for you, so you can pick up your food. read more

Wasabi - Eel rolls - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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I've been making the rounds trying to find the best sushi in the downtown area, and Wasabi has been the best yet! We ordered takeout tonight and got three rolls each. I opted for a salmon roll, spicy tuna roll, and salmon skin roll. My boyfriend called in our order at around 6:15 and it was a half-hour prep time, which was fine by us! The salmon and spicy tuna rolls really wowed me! The salmon was incredibly fresh and had a great flavor. Spicy tuna rolls are my favorite, and they really didn't disappoint here. The salmon skin roll was just a-okay in my opinion; there was way too much sauce on it and it was overwhelmingly salty. In terms of price vs quality, I think you get the most bang for your buck here. Many sushi places downtown are relatively expensive and not nearly as delicious, so I know I'll be ordering from Wasabi again! read more

Wasabi - Salmon Skin Roll, Salmon Roll, Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll, Salmon Avocado Roll - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Went in with some friends this last weekend when our initial plan fell through and someone recommended it to us out of the blue. The sushi here is incredible, very fresh and incredibly well prepared aesthetically as well. It's not a particularly upscale looking establishment from the outside, but inside it's perfect for a quiet dinner with friends. I can't recommend the omakase plate highly enough, and I'm absolutely sure I'll be back to try more things here. read more

Wasabi - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Some of the best salmon skin rolls have had it my life. Great ambience very small and good service. I'll be back. One star held back because the chef smokes and was smoking in front of the restaurant read more

One of my favorite sushi places in the Buffalo area. The location itself is a smaller restaurant so I would make sure to get reservations sold you want to sit down inside. The fish always tastes fresh and great and the staff is always friendly. It is on Elmwood so there is no parking lot but as long as you are aware of that you'll enjoy the rest! read more

Wasabi - Sushi - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I've always loved wasabi, but unfortunately I have to speak my most recent peace. The last few times I've gone here (probably the last 5-7 times) my food has been soggy, like fall apart, barley edible, soggy. And it's kind of disappointing. My cheese cake is also very soggy and just not good. And I started to think it might of been because my fiancé took longer to drive home, or stopped at a store or whatever else. But it has NEVER been this bad, and now we live even closer to the restaurant so I just don't really understand. It seems like their may be some new people working there, or perhaps the order in which they cook it in is causing this. But whatever it is, I come here at least once a week, or every other week and it just doesn't seem worth it anymore. If it was once or twice I would understand, but it has been getting consistently worse every single time we go ‍ So I think I'm going to take a break for a while. And I hope that in the meantime, they get to the root of the problem! Best of luck read more

Wasabi - Just falls right apart, anytime I try to grab it (using chopsticks) I don't even know how to eat it anymore - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

This place is a small restaurant on Elmwood. I am now spending a lot of time in Buffalo on business and this is my third visit in 2 weeks. If you don't get the Wasabi Lobster roll your life is incomplete! read more

Wasabi - Tuna Carpaccio with crunchy and spicy mayo! - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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Strangely my video of a cat on the table top is missing. I was disgusted by watching a cat being played with during business hours while eating. read more

Wasabi - Grilled Marinated Beef Ribs - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Their sushi is one of best at buffalo. The lunch package of 3 rolls for $15.5 is an amazing deal. This combo is my Fvt. It's very inexpensive and portion size is 18 rolls, can't go wrong with this!!! read more

Wasabi - Crunchy Spicy Shrimp, Crunchy Spicy Salmon Roll, and Shrimp Tempura - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

One of my favorite restaurants in the Elmwood Village. I usually get take-out and it travels great as they package it very well. The teriyaki steak and teriyaki beef negimaki are two of my favorite dishes from here. The vegetables are always seasoned well and compliment the dishes nicely. The pork goyza are a great appetizer choice. Recommend to anyone in the EV looking for a yummy Japanese meal. read more

Wasabi - Beef Negimaki & Pork Goyza - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

A coworker took me to Wasabi for lunch, and after that first visit we have been going once a week. It's maybe 5 or 6 weeks in a row now. We drive from downtown and we have never been here longer than 45 minutes. It's usually 30 minutes or less. They are super fast and very pleasant. I love their lunch menu. Two rolls for less than $10!? ...and they are delicious! It can you beat that? My go to order is the Spicy Crispy Tuna roll and the Eel Avocado roll. In my last lunch visit I wanted to try something different, I tried the Sushi Lunch, it includes 5 pieces of sushi and a Spicy Crab Roll for $9.50. It was delicious. For dinner I've had the Wasabi Cake, the Ocean Special and the Grilled Chicken Satay. Sorry I didn't have the chance to take photos u was too hungry, they were all delicious. I would highly recommend the Ocean Special. read more

Wasabi - Cloudy Sake - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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The food was so good! This is an amazing Japanese restaurant. Highly reccomend! Tables can fill up quick, so it might be good to make a reservation in advance. read more

Wasabi is a local Elmwood Village favorite. It's affordable prices, and fast service make it an ideal spot for a weeknight bite. The sushi rolls are fresh, well made and delicious. If you are a bit adventurous you simply must try the Wasabi Cake, it is hands down the most delicious item on the menu - You will not be disappointed! One small thing to keep in mind - there is no parking lot, and it is right on Elmwood. Be prepared to park on a side street and get a little exercise, or pay for metered parking on Elmwood! read more

Wasabi - Wasabi Cake - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

A really good choice for sushi and other Japanese dishes! Wasabi is a really solid restaurant that does everything a tad better than their competitors in this particular type of cuisine. The food, although very flavorful and satisfying, can be a bit on the salty side at times. I've gone in and had just the right amount of salt to the dishes, whereas other times it was just a hair too much. The teriyaki chicken and torikatsu chicken plates are always my go-to for entree dishes. Hands down, the best sushi rolls they have are the spicy crunchy shrimp and wasabi lobster roll! Why 4 stars and not 5? I would attribute the deduction of one star due to the lack of cleanliness at their elmwood location. The location has a dirty, and at times, unsanitary feeling and look to it. I'd love to see them remodel and give the elmwood location a more clean and fresh look to it. read more

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Wasabi is grated Horseradish that accompanies Sushi (whether its in a Package or on a Plate), possibly Green or Greyish White turned to Paste and rolled up into Ball to add a Ballistic Flare up. Like Fireworks going off on the 4th of July or Chinese Firecrackers on Chinese New Years when it makes first contact with your Tongue. This wasn't even my idea to even eat at this place, after looking through all the Exhibits, glancing at all the Artifacts and shortly letting my Inner Child go in the Play Room at the Buffalo Science Museum. We wanted to eat out at SATO for Lunch, as it sadly turned out that they are not open to the Public for Lunch on Sunday's and my Brother Nathan saw this place across the Street, so we just went in (we didn't care we were just Hungry). Small Place with about 6 to 7 Tables, It was a bit crowded inside as I maneuvered around a couple other Patrons to sit at a table that was located near the Kitchen. Dad & Nathan split a Sushi Roll Lunch Special (I think it was 3 Rolls for 10 Bucks or something), selecting Crab, Spicy Tuna and a California Roll, picking off each piece one by one (although they just used their Forks since their not crazy with using Chopsticks like me). Dad also had himself a Bowl of Miso Soup, murky Broth with white chunks of Tofu, Seaweed and mildly accented with slivers of Scallion. Me though, like a Steak it is Rare that I have ever had a Bad Meal out, this fell into that Category. What I wanted to order was a Pad Thai and I saw Spicy Mango Chicken on the Menu and I wanted a Pad Thai, the waitress misheard me and thought I just wanted the Entrée. What it was a cluttered bunch of Chicken (the Mango came through but the Spice was Light and was severely lacking for that Punch I wanted). Chicken was perfectly cooked but there was too much Pepper & Onions (especially Green Peppers), I mostly put them off to the Side or gave them to my Dad to eat. The Rice was cooked nicely but a bit Bland. I would not order that again, service was ok (in my Opinion), like I said this wasn't my option but I just went with it. Which is what you do sometimes when things don't go your way, go with Plan B, a Backup if you prefer and ride Along. Moderately Priced food, which I thought was Fair. Would I return here, I'd have to think about that long & Hard and get back to you on that. read more

I've only been to Wasabi a couple times, but overall I really like this place! But of course, let's break it down: -Atmosphere- When you first walk in, you're greeted with a few tables and a counter where all the magic happens (where they make the sushi). Try and keep your groups around 4 people or less, otherwise you may find thing to be a tight fit. The staff was very pleasant, patient and we were given our food with little wait. -Food- Those sweet potato tempura rolls were AMAZING! The sweet potato was of course the star of the dish, the tempura batter was light and fresh, the rice was evenly coated along the roll and the soy sauce brought everything together. Both rolls were quite filling, and I'm one who usually needs a lot to stay full. Also a kinda odd sentiment, but even the water they serve tastes really smooth... hard to describe but pay attention to it if you ever go! -Things to Consider- 1) The seating is pretty small. Like I said earlier, you'll make things easier on yourself if you go in a group of around 4 or less (although one of the waiters was more than happy to help us combine tables to accommodate our group) read more

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Got the King Kong and the sweet sixteen plus the spicy crunchy shrimp,yellowtail,and salmon. The specialty rolls were amazing and the regular rolls were pretty great too!! read more

I love the Wasabi lunch special. A few rolls and a miso soup for right around $10 and you can't go wrong. It's always consistent and always delicious. I never am let down by my order and the turnaround ticket time is very quick for takeout. My favorite appetizer is definitely the Harumaki. As for the rolls, I tend to always lean towards the spicy crab (which is not very spicy but certainly has a delightful kick), and the Philadelphia roll. If you want to dine in, the tiny patio is super nice and right in the heart of the Elmwood Village. The inside is small, but really nice for a date or a quiet dinner with a friend. This sushi isn't earth shattering or anything, but it's always delicious and always consistent. This is one of my favorite spots in Buffalo, hands down. read more

Wasabi - Favorite lunch takeout. Spicy crab roll & philly roll - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

The best thing about this sushi restaurant is the location. It's in Elmwood Village, and has some cute outdoor seating. The inside is very small, but it wasn't very busy when I want tonight. It's not the fanciest looking place, but it's clean. There was an up charge of 50 cents for avocado instead of cucumber in my sushi roll, but I didn't mind because she was up front, and it's still inexpensive. Plus avocado is probably more expensive than cucumbers. Now I'm wondering if other places do the same, but without telling the customer. My sushi tasted good. Service was good. I even saw the hostess run after someone who forgot their to-go box. read more

Wasabi - I like it hot - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I went July 8th, 2023. The food was amazing (I ordered the sushi dinner). The service was very good. The food came to my table very quickly. The place is small but charming and I would like to return soon. read more

Wasabi is my go-to sushi place to satisfy my cravings when I'm in Elmwood Village. For the portion and price, in my opinion, it's pretty cheap! The service is decent. The first time I was there, they were pretty attentive and refilled my water right away. The second time I ate here, I was waiting for my boyfriend at our table for about 30 min (He was getting out of work and on this way there). They didn't really seem to acknowledge my existence but went to the other tables. I didn't get a water until my boyfriend came in. The sushi itself is okay. I make my own sushi and the rolls are kind of small in my opinion. The restaurant is kinda small and cramped. But for the price and portion, it's pretty good. read more

Wasabi - Teriyaki chicken dinner - Japanese Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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This place was my kid-free date night saving grace. My husband and I originally tried to hit up another sushi place up the street, but the wait was way too long. So we went here, and had a pretty great time. Wasabi is very quaint and feels like you're going to a friend's house whose mama cooks so well, she puts a bunch of tables near the front window and charges people. There's barely any space between the tables -- to the point you pray to God the person trying to squeeze by you doesn't break wind over your food. But once you sit down, you'll be straight. (If you're known for peeing every 10 mins, sit on the outside.) One of the things I remember about my time st Wasabi, aside from the tasty food, was the '90s R&B throwbacks that were played. So unexpected, and very welcome. (I get to chow down on octopus AND bump to the beat of Mary J. Blige?) The food came out pretty quickly which was great. Everything was fresh, tasty, and hit the spot. I had so much fun eating my sushi rolls that I started ordered individual pieces of sushi just because. All in all, this is a great spot with great food. read more

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