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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.
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.
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
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!
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!
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. :)
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!!
Rly delicious food, good for a quick bite. Very courteous service, cute and intimate environment. Enjoyed the patio seat
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.
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.
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!
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.
4 years ago
8 years ago
We found Wasabi on yelp and decided to give it a try based the reviews. We were not disappointed. The restaurant is very small with some out door seating. It was busy but we were seated right away. We ordered 5 rolls. Snow White, spicy crunch shrimp, Maui, spicy family, and I can't remember the name of the last one. Every roll was really good with really fresh fish. The rolls came out so quick which was a really nice surprise since we were in a time crunch. So you might be wondering why not 5 Stars?? Well the sushi was really good but it wasn't fantastic. It just seemed to be missing that pop of flavor. The other reason is the seating. Yes, it's small but when they seated the table next to us it felt like we were eating dinner with them. Would I go back to Wasabi? Sure. But I would likely want to try another place first. read more
ROLLIN DEEP! I've been craving sushi since this pandemic started so today we decided to order from Wasabi on Elmwood. Their lunch special hit the spot and they even offer beef and chicken sushi for anyone who doesn't care for fish. We decided on the Spicy Crunchy Salmon, Spicy Crunchy Tuna, and Chicken Asparagus Rolls. We also ordered their salad with ginger dressing which I definitely recommend over the miso soup for a small extra charge. read more
4 years ago
6 years ago
I love wasabi - it's a tiny sushi place, and usually a go-to with my friend. During non-COVID times, wasabi is a great place to go for a quick bite. Your food arrives soon after you order, and there's never any trouble getting the check and getting out. And the food is delicious. I wanted to share that for takeout, Wasabi has this really innovative setup at the window. The person in-store slides the glass, takes your payment, places your food and card, and slides it shut. No contact, just tasty sushi! read more
8 years ago
This place was pretty okay. The sushi rolls were small, but they tasted good. Prices weren't bad, but overall not the best I've ever had. We got calamari as we usually do when we go out for sushi. I wouldn't get it again. It was pretty rubbery and chewy. I could only eat one piece. We ate on the outside patio which was nice for a summer night. The inside seemed a little crammed though. I would come back, but again it probably wouldn't be my first choice. read more
5 years ago
7 years ago
My favorite little sushi place in buffalo! So quick, so tasty! My best friend and myself stopped in at 7pm and it was busy (as usual) but regardless you will find a cute little spot to sit and order freshly made rolls! Everything is quick but you don't feel rushed and the atmosphere is so cozy!! Definitely stop in, enjoy and then walk around Elmwood after! read more
Wasabi deserves more than 5 star. Space inside the restaurant is crunchy but food is excellent. Sushi rolls and chicken fried rice were amazing! I can eat here everyday and never get bored :) Prices are decent and I am coming back for sure.. read more
Wasabi is my go-to spot for sushi takeout in the downtown to Elmwood area. Is it the best sushi I've ever had? - No; however, it is a great joint with delicious sushi options at a very affordable price. Additionally, they have some awesome lunch specials - my favorite being the 3 roll lunch special that comes with 3 basic rolls and a soup, for around $10 - so awesome! [FOOD - 4] The quality of the sushi I've had here has been pretty decent. It's not the highest quality, but I've definitely never gotten a feeling that anything was spoiled or didn't didn't taste right. I've never ordered food from the kitchen so I can't speak on that, but the sushi and sashimi have always tasted great and they have a pretty good selection of rolls. I am not one to get cooked or fried sushi rolls, so I appreciate their selection of raw roll options. [SERVICE - 4] For the most part, i've had pretty good experiences here. Waiters are always attentive, prompt, and very quick to take care of you. You're never just sitting and waiting around, which is nice especially when you're on a time crunch. Take out orders are completed in a very reasonable timeframe (I think the most I've waited is 20 minutes and I order rather frequently) [ATMOSPHERE - 4] This is a rather small space; I want to say somewhere around 8 or 9 tables. This can be a drawback during popular times if you're trying to dine in. They have additional seating outside on Elmwood, but obviously this is only available during nicer weather. I like the coziness though and I always enjoy my dining experience. NOTE** On street parking only. This is a busy area on Elmwood so it can be difficult to find parking, even on off streets. It can be difficult to even find a place to park for a second to run inside and grab takeout. I find it easiest to have someone drop me off and circle around to get me if I have the option. read more
3 years ago
8 years ago
7 years ago
I have passed by this joint for years but have never eaten here because my wife hates sushi. Loathes and despises it. But I was walking by around lunchtime today and, having read about a few choices last night, I ordered the Christmas Tuna rolls. Simply delicious with wasabi and soy sauce. Nothing more to say except "see the accompanying photo." I think the red topping might be some sort of fish eggs. Not sure. I will ask next time but they don't taste like anything anyhow. read more
6 years ago
Moving here from California it has been very hard finding a sushi place that is appeasing to me. Wasabi has been the only place that I have found to be good so far in buffalo. I have tried other places and the fish wasn't fresh or was to americanized. The lunch special here is a great price for the amount of food. The fish is always fresh and because the restaurant is so small they get the food out quickly. The waitresses are always attentive and refilling the drink glasses. I have recently tried their hot green tea and it is amazing. I have been here multiple times and will be back again. read more
First thing you should know is that seating is extremely limited here, not ideal if you're looking to dine with a group. There's a handful of tables inside and the tiny patio can seat 10, in close quarters. I came for lunch around 1 and the restaurant had to turn away two groups of four because there just wasn't enough room. That being said, this is a great little spot for your sushi fix. By no means is it the best sushi I've had, but it does the trick when you've got a hankering. The lunch deal is fantastic, two classic rolls and miso soup for around $8. I ordered a Boston and a spicy crunchy crab. The crab was good, the crunch was inside the roll as opposed to a lot of restaurants piling crunch on the outside. It was contained, easy to eat. The Boston roll on the other hand was strange- usually a Boston roll is like a California roll with shrimp instead of crab. This one was a piece of shrimp and some dressed lettuce. Not sure what that whole deal was, but I wish I would've opted for something else if I had known it would be some off-kilter version. Also ordered calamari, which was fine. Nothing spectacular and to me the portion size was a little lacking. Good little spot with good service, but I wasn't wowed. Still would go again, though. read more
13 years ago
This restaurant is so tiny. I walked in to pick up my take out order... or should I say I stuffed myself in through the doors to get my order. Perhaps that's all by design, because the small space provides protection for the restaurant from big fat guys that might eat all the artfully cut sashimi and cause the restaurant to close as a result. The food here is tremendous and priced to sell. Quite possible some of the best sushi I've had in the Buffalo area. I tried the "sushi lunch", I believe it was called. Home run. Only issue is I couldn't tell you what I ate because their website I tried to use to help me order is awful. In fact, the website is so hard to understand that it advertises, and I may be paraphrasing here, but it stays something to the effect that "We now don't take online order (sic)". I figured that was a typo, but when you try to order it then says, "Now we don't generate real order (sic)". I guess that means to call them to order, and that's what I did. But the website wasn't even helpful when I wanted to see what was on the menu either. So, my recommendation to you is that if you want to eat excellent sushi/sashimi/nigiri/etc., then definitely eat here, but don't use the website to order and don't be too fat. (This last recommendation also should have you realized not to eat too much in the restaurant, in case you can't get back out again.) read more
10 years ago
6 years ago
Came here with some friends for lunch. Great lunch special. 3 rolls and a miso soup for around $10. I got the salmon sashimi which was good. I didn't have my socks blown off, but it was satisfying. I normally get the salmon avocado and spicy salmon avocado roll which are both very good. The decor is very nice. Has sort of a Middle Ages vibe. The service is hit or miss...but most of the time I have been pleased with the service. read more
Good sushi can be found here. I have eaten Bluefin toro in the Tokyo Fish Market in Japan and I was very surprised to find it on the menu at Wasabi for a reasonable price. The service was quick and efficient as we were there for lunch and it is a very small place. I enjoyed the sushi here and would definitely go back. read more
I get takeout here usually once a week. By far my favorite Elmwood sushi spot for lunch. Super fast, sushi just melts in my mouth gahhhhhhh (only giving them 4 stars because they always tend to have an attitude and don't know how to smile much) read more
6 years ago
11 years ago
We've gotten takeout from here and also dined in- great, friendly, fast service and the fish is so fresh!! The only "down side" is this place is a "hole in the wall" kind of spot, so don't expect to go here with large groups. The food was so authentic it tasted like I was back visiting Japan!! The food was presented beautifully and tasted equally as great. For two of us to get a starter each, three rolls to share, and one beer/wine each the bill was approximately $55. The service, price, and quality of the food are well worth it, plus we were in and out within 30-45 mins. Never had to wait more than five minutes after ordering or between courses for food to come. Portions are enough such that we even had leftovers. Definitely a "must visit" if you're looking for good, authentic sushi- it has become our "go to" spot. read more
Wasabi is a great sushi place with very cheap prices. I eat a lot of sushi and I would say Wasabi is pretty standard when it comes to the quality and taste of sushi. However I do enjoy their lunch special. You can either get the two roll special for 6.95 which comes with soup or the three roll special for 9.95 which comes with soup as well. WHAT A GREAT DEAL! That's like 15 pieces of sushi plus soup for 10$. Only downfall is that the special only applies Monday through Saturday from 11-3. My favorite rolls include the crunchy spicy tuna, crunchy spicy crab, salmon, and shrimp tempura. Their edamame appetizer is also delicious, but that's something that's kind of hard to mess up. I've also had bites of the teriyaki chicken and that was pretty good and there was a decent amount of food for how cheap it was. Wasabi is located on Elmwood, which was pretty convenient for me to come to on my breaks during classes. However I am sad now because I graduated from college and am no longer on Elmwood everyday, which makes it a bit of a hassle coming to Wasabi. I will say though that the cheap prices and lunch special does make it worth it...so i'll have to come down if i'm ever off from work between those times. The staff is friendly and the service is quick. The reason I took off a star is because the inside of the restaurant is so tiny, to the point where you are almost touching the people at the table next to you. Other than that, Wasabi is a great place to come for quick, cheap sushi. read more
6 years ago
Wasabi has some of the best sushi I've had in Buffalo. The fish was very fresh and the size was good. I had the dragon roll and it was flat out amazing. It was bursting with flavor and super fresh. The service was a little slow but the food made up for that. read more
8 years ago
11 years ago
When I lived in WNY I was so spoiled to have this gem! This is one of the best for fresh sushi and sashimi around Elmwood! My boyfriend, our friends, and myself would specifically commute an hour to dine at this restaurant once a month, and we were never disappointed with the service and meals. Be grateful for the sashimi you order here; not only is it affordable but the cuts of fish are thick, fresh, and generous compared to nearly every other location available. Their appetizers are also delicious and made with finesse. The sake list is decent. I usually sealed my evening with a plum wine and mochi ice cream--an experience I highly recommend! Note that their dining area is a small space (they have outdoor seating but to hell with that in winter!), so it's best to beat the dinner rush and stop by for a late lunch or early dinner hour. Or make a reservation if possible. I miss this place. If I visit Buffalo in the future I'm making it a point to stop here for my sashimi again! read more
6 years ago
8 years ago
17 years ago
The Place: Clean, Casual, Modern Style The Service: Inviting, Friendly, Quick, Helpful The Food: Fresh, Good Variety, Flavorful, Excellent Presentation Honestly this is THE BEST Sushi I have eaten! Living out west for last 9 years, I've had my fair share of Sushi, and I honestly feel this place has out done ANY Japanese restaurant / Sushi Bar I've eaten in San Francisco, LA, or Vegas. Teriyaki, Katsu, and the Sushi where Extremely Flavorful & Fresh. Excellent Food Presentation! I wish I could find the Quality of this place out West! read more
Not great for larger parties due to the spatial limitations of the location but absolutely perfect for small groups, solo diners, or dates. I was here on a Wednesday evening after a spell at a local beer garden for dinner. The staff, in my experience, has always been on point, attentive, and quick. My partner in crime lost a chopstick to the floor and when I looked up a waitress was already on her way over with another pair. We tried the sushi for two and a Sunflower roll. The sunflower roll was cleverly plated which I didn't notice until we had already finished it. But, it had an asparagus sprig for a stalk with the mango slices atop the sushi in a circle. The sushi for two was an impressive spread. I wish I knew more about what exactly we were eating but it was all delicious and was the first time I had to take sushi home. Great atmosphere, great service, great food. I was wishing for a little bit more elbow room not just for our own privacy but, we also got a little raucous and felt bad about surrounding parties. read more
More info about Wasabi
752 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14222
Elmwood Village
Directions
(716) 887-8388
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Visit Website
https://www.wasabielmwood.com
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