Akira

5+++++++++⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A perfect evening at Akira. we sat at the sushi bar and our sushi chef was Taro the owner. He got creative and even though we ordered from the menu, he surprised us w some off the menu items. Sushi was fresh and spit on. We’ll be back next week. This restaurant makes me happy that we live here in Eugene!!!

I came across this restaurant while searching for reviews and recommendations from a friend. The name had a slightly more casual feel, which drew me in. I sat at the bar table, watching the chef prepare sushi right in front of me as Ienjoyed my meal. The meal began with a few simple appetizers: potato, beet, and miso soup. The beet was worth recommending, but the potato lacked seasoning and tasted overly plain. One thing that struck me as odd was the miso soup—it had an oily surface, which felt unfamiliar and slightly off-putting. The nigiri was skillfully crafted by the chef. The rice portion was well-balanced in relation to the size and thickness of the fish, and the wasabi was placed between the rice and fish, with a light soy-based glaze brushed on top—giving it a traditional touch. The chef’s expertise was evident in the delicate knife work on the fish, making it more tender, and in the personalized sauces applied to each piece. These techniques reflected a high level of craftsmanship. However, I felt the rice lacked depth of flavor, and the fresh wasabi had little to no kick. There was no sharpness when biting into the sushi. Perhaps this was an intentional choice to appeal to a broader audience with milder flavors, but personally, I would have preferred a more distinctly Japanese taste. As for feedback to the restaurant: I believe more care should be taken when plating dishes—any spills or smudges around the plate should be cleaned before serving. Also, if a dish is returned due to lack of flavor, the restaurant should be willing to accept it (unless the customer has already eaten more than a third of it). Refusing a return over a single $6 item could prevent a customer who spends over $150 per visit from returning. Aside from the overly simplistic and somewhat rude service from one of the servers, I found the restaurant overall to be quite good. The entrance featured a subtly maintained garden, decorated posters and artwork, and a second-floor dining area with casual seating for groups—all of which gave off a trendy, hip vibe. I do plan to return, and I recommend this place.

We came here on a busy night & no reservation! The food was sooooooo delicious. We asked for a chirashi bowl and it was so so so good. We sat at the bar and chef asked what our preferences were too. Erik makes some seriously delicious dessert, id get whatevers on the menu! we had the rhubarb chocolate mochi cake and the plum wine cheesecake. So sad i dont have a photo. Felt very cared for here. 10/10 recommend.

Taro and his staff at Akira provide an atmosphere, quality of food, and elite service that is second to none. I have lived and eaten at high end Sushi houses throughout the West Coast and I can say without prejudice that Akira is the best of the best. I had a decent day going energetically and went in for a date night tonight, and through Taro's great and honest energy, amazing food, and supporting nature, I left happy and uplifted. Enjoy Akira and you will love the visit!

Fantastic night out for my wife's birthday, and discovered my new favorite sushi place, to boot! Cocktails were awesome, especially the Ra-Ra-Rasputin! Pickled veggies for an appetizer, and 3 awesome rolls including the Me. V (pro tip: add mango!!) The owner was hilarious and friendly, and when they heard it was my wife's birthday, they brought her a free dessert that ROCKED!! As we were getting ready to leave, we were treated to some of the chef's personal closing snack: some beef sashimi that blew my mind! Definitely coming back! Thank you guys for an awesome night!

Fantastic sushi and other Japanese dishes. An interesting blend of music accentuates your meal with everything from Kendrick to Steely Dan to Clarence Carter. My favorite dish was the smoked duck buns and the sake sushi salmon was so tender. I’m looking forward to coming back.

Stumbled on this place driving from Vancouver to San Diego. What a lucky stop! The Chirashi bowl - to die for. Blackened shrimp steam bun taco - phenomenal. Beets - the most incredible flavor. There was more but those where the standouts. Just impeccable.

Super friendly staff that brings you mouth-watering food from a limited yet fresh and diverse menu. The miso soup and the hamachi roll were my favorites. We were seated downstairs, fairly intimate setting with an open view to the kitchen where you can watch them make the magic. Drinks were tasty also, but the bar was a bit slow; it took 20-25 minutes for a drink. However, the bar was upstairs, and I couldn't guess as to how busy the tender was. I would recommend going when you have a couple of hours to enjoy the place.

Taro is back! And with him comes the expanded sushi menu. Best sushi in Eugene well worth the extra cost. I had the chef pick sushi for $60. Each bite was perfect. For dessert the chocolate mochi cake with hazelnut and rhubarb was unique and tasty. My cocktail was just ok- I miss Thor.

The food was subpar, the table had that horrible sticky residue that old 1970's bars have, the bathroom was filthy. I don't understand the high rating.

I've heard they take reservations, but I wasn't able to get ahold of anyone by calling -- it's recommended to reach out on Instagram. The main draw for me is their tasting menu, at $150 pp. I can safely say it's worth the price! This time, it was a Monday so the tasting menu was not available -- we ordered a variety of nigiri, sushi, buns, and other small plates, as well as some cocktails. Everything was well executed and greatly enjoyed by our group. The quality of the fish is particularly impressive. You must get dessert! The mochi cake is to die for. I highly recommend sitting at the counter so you can watch and chat with the sushi chefs. They are entertaining and knowledgeable and will recommend things to order if you ask. There are also tables downstairs and upstairs, but they only offer the tasting menu downstairs.

I've been trying a lot of sushi places since I moved to Eugene a few years ago. Akira has amazing sushi, rolls, staff, and the vibe of the place makes me happy. They have outside, upstairs and downstairs seating but we chose to eat at the sushi bar. I don't think I want to eat anywhere else but at the sushi bar. Not only did we get to see all the sushi and rolls being put together but Taro was very informative and entertaining as well as crafting perfect sushi for us! If you truly love sushi and willing to pay for quality, this is the place for you!

This place sucks, they don't do "substitutions" but he said I can't get eel sauce or any sauces to dip my sushi into, if you have a allergy or anything then goodluck, they took a hour and a half to bring out 3 simple rolls and didn't say anything about it, they were out of half their ingredients including rice and salmon but don't do substitutions lol only cool thing about the place is the way the restaurant is decorated.

Another great night at Akira! Julie and I took my son Dylan out and I'm pretty sure we ordered most of the menu...and everything was sooo good! A few high points: - The hamachi roll (with pear and green onion) - The Chef's Omakase Chirashi Bowl (with Soft Shell Crab, shrimp, ikura, greens, and a smoky white fish) - The new drinks on the menu (50 First Dates and the Guarding Tess, both yummy). As usual, the service was great. Food came out at a nice pace that allowed us to enjoy each dish without feeling rushed or crowded. Every dish is crafted just so. With all the beautiful wood and Thor's (the bartender) music playing in the background,it's a great place to sit and enjoy friends and a bite!

Hands down some of the best sushi!! The cold smoked yellow tail (hamachi) was buttery and fresh. I also appreciated the vibe and ability to walk in on a Saturday evening. We also tried a cool complimentary roll as well. We will definitely come back!!

Very cute restaurant located in an old house. They don't take reservations. Service was very efficient. The vegetable starters were delicious. We had beets that had a nice kick to them. The carrots were perfectly roasted. Pickled beans sprouts were a nice palate cleanser. The preparations are straightforward, vegetables being vegetables. The Dungeness crab baos were very good. The fried chicken was too salty for my taste, but the table seemed to enjoy it. The only disappointment was the sushi bowl. It was small and there was nothing that impressive about it except it did have very good fried softshell crab.

Wow wow wow!! I think I had the best miso soup I've ever had in my LIFE here! I was also lucky enough to have the Dungeness Crab steamed bun tacos while they were on special.. while they were a LIIIIIITTLE spicy for my liking they were so good and so filling. I also snagged some of their version of fried chicken (I'm not remembering the name off the top of my head) but it was FRESH and HOT! As I left they also gave me an extra dipping sauce for the extra chicken I had left! The service was great! Thor the bartender was SO nice and wonderful to talk to! My waiter, whose name I didn't catch, was very attentive and answered any questions I had. I love the ambiance of the historic house and they really did fuse Asian and American pop culture on their upper level.

Absolutely delicious sushi, and the people were so nice! We sat at the sushi bar and had such a great time talking to the sushi chefs and other people there. Highly recommend this place!

Great little hidden gem! The menu is small but they always have a variety off the menu specials. Some items they serve makes you a little curious as to why they would mix those ingredients together but once you give it try you realize it was delicious choice. I'm currently traveling to Oregon for work and have been coming here every time I'm in town. The bartenders are very friendly. I've tried a variety of items here and my top favorites are...Chirashi bowl - the sashimi is so fresh and melts in mouth and the shrimp baos are packed with so much flavor. The only item I tried that I wasn't a fan of was the appetizer mushroom - it had good flavor but it was a texture thing that threw me off. Highly recommend! Pictured are the Chirashi bowls during different visits. Excellent every time.

Excellent restaurant and maybe the best in Eugene. It's spendy but highest quality food and ingredients and always superb service. Their cocktails are also wonderful. Try their creative daily specials, they have never let me down. Dungeness crab steam bun tacos. If it's on their specials do NOT skip this. The seasonal hand rolls are also a must.

Incredible staff who genuinely care about the food they work with. My favorite restaurant in Eugene, hands down.

Superb meal, interesting flavor profiles in every dish, the tempo and flow was spot on.

So good! We tried to sample a little of everything and everything we tried was amazing. Service was fantastic!! Would definitely recommend this restaurant. One of the nicest places in Eugene. It is pretty small, so you may want to get there right when they open to get a table. Monday and Thursday are supposed to be their slowest days.

First time patrons @ Akira in Eugene, OR. !! What an experience! We were looking for a great sushi restaurant and we weren't sure what to expect, but the reviews were amazing, so we were up for it and very pleasantly surprised! First of all, Akira doesn't look like your typical restaurant on a major street, but luckily it had a discrete light in a window so we knew we found it! Akira has very limited seating, and does not take reservations during regular week days, so we were not able to secure a coveted upstairs spot, but rather happy enough to be seated at a nice table downstairs. We did make our way up there before leaving and next time we'll be prepared to call ahead of time! Our host was very hospitable and made our time here a truly enjoyable one. The food was quite delicious indeed! We treated ourselves to their savory dishes and a sweet treat to end the night. Everyone was so welcoming and happy to be there. The food was inspiring. One of a kind experience to be enjoyed time and time again, as their limited menu constantly evolves! Thank you.

The sushi was okay / fish quality seems good for what little there was... but quite frankly this place is way over rated on yelp - so not worth the money you pay for so little food. I have no problem paying for sushi but this is the most expensive in town and certainly not the best. Spicy tuna by the way was totally lacking in flavor and wasn't spicy at all. Just way too over priced.We went and ate at a taco truck afterwards because we were quite hungry after dropping $80 for a couple of snacks at this place. No return here for us

This was our first time at Akira and it was amazing. I am from Los Angeles and am always disappointed by Sushi in other places. Akira could be the best sushi in Oregon it is definitely in the top 3. Everything was amazing. The sushi chef was super passionate, knowledgeable and added to the zen of the whole experience. Each bite was visual and epicurean art. Can't wait to go back!!!

From the moment I stepped in, I knew this would be a very special meal. The atmosphere is electric and magical and the food was incredible. Best sushi in the state.

Service was amazing and the food was great including the cheesecake. Even though we were past closing almost an hour they were very nice and never felt rushed

The upstairs dining room at Akira is a definitely a good time. The menu is mainly small plates, geared to sharing, along with tasty, creative cocktails. I'm tempted to say this place is like Meiji's younger, more eclectic cousin. We came around 7:30pm on a Saturday, thankfully it was not very crowded. It's a funky cozy attic space, a bunch of different-sized tables. I liked the decor with old-school comic books and other fun things. Cool music created an upbeat vibe. I started off with the mezcal-based "Take a Look Around" cocktail ($11) and it was delicious, nice and smoky and smooth, served in an interesting glass. The "Pickled Things" plate ($8) was pretty awesome, I really enjoyed the variety of tastes and flavors, and it was thoughtfully arranged Next up was the steam bun tacos. They have 3 different kinds, I went for the chicken karaage (fried chicken Japanese-style) and they were great (2 for $14). The crispy texture of the chicken combined with the soft bun was very enjoyable, and the flavor was popping. Then we had the Donburi bowl of the day ($34), which is a big bowl of rice and seafood. There was a good amount of salmon and tuna, along with two entire fried soft-shell crabs. It was quite delicious. You pay a little extra for the quality of food, and if you want to satisfy a large appetite, it won't come cheap. I'm looking forward to working through this menu!

A cool trendy restaurant. Love the layout and wood look simple and clean. Nice sushi type bar plus a limited amount of tables downstairs and maybe 3 upstairs where the bar is located. Bartender was very friendly and professional. The staff here works together to make sure that you enjoy yourself. It was fairly busy with only one server and it was enough! Great service because of the teamwork. The steamed buns are delicious and creative, I thought some combinations were too sweet for me but well executed. Sushi is top notch the scallop appetizer was epic as well as the sprouts. Go check it out!

Wow! Delicious and beautiful food with attentive service in a chill, yet sophisticated atmosphere. This hidden gem is a must visit for seafood lovers, Asian fusion foodies and those who just love really good food.

Been a favorite spot in Eugene of mine for a while and I've been here for private events and many dinners with friends and my wife. the food is always great, and the service has been good as of This experience. I decided to bring family to show them one of favorite restaurants in town, Drinks were great, food started coming out then had just stopped. We noticed the sushi chef was talking to the people in front of him quite a bit and looked like he may have missed a couple of our orders. After waiting for a long time for the last two dishes we politely asked about them and were returned with an answer of "they will be ready when they're ready." After waiting an additional 15-20 minutes we asked again and the waiter had a very rude and defensive response to my mom about "not letting tofu ruin her night". At that point I told him not to be rude to my mom and he said "you got it". That's when we asked for our bill and opted for them to not bother making the last dishes. I'm not sure what's up with the attitude from the new waiter but it was really uncalled for and left a terrible taste in all of our mouths.

The host pick and chose which customer to serve without utilizing order in line. After one hour of being ignored and all the other people that came after us got seated , and there were a bunch of unoccupied tables indoor/ outdoor/ and upstairs, we left. We only have a small party of less than 4. The building look like someone's home built in the early 1900. Was told that our teen cannot go upstairs because she is under 18. Later on, a group (who came after us) went upstairs by themselves and took a 10 year old with them. There is some preferential treatment going on. Not very kosher if you ask me.

Akira was a lovely dinner for two. The menu is a bit limited, but all high-quality. The drinks were delicious, the setting was cozy and modern, and the service was excellent. It can be a tad pricey, dinner for two was almost $100, but you pay for high-quality, and this is a high-quality restaurant. would definitely visit again for another date night.

Hands down best restaurant in Eugene! Very clear that everyone working there has a real passion for the craft. I am consistently impressed by everything on the menu, and have a hard time keeping myself from spending far too much. If you consider yourself a "foodie" this place is a must. Yes it is worth waiting for a table, yes it is worth the price tag. I hope they stay around for a very long time.

Love the food.. Great service and drinks Hanging out by the bar or on the patio are all really good experiences

Amazing time at the bar last night. Staff was welcoming and friendly to this visitor. Uni was the special. Uni was delicious. All was delightful, including my Con Air cocktail. I had hamachi sashimi and hand roll. The old house was a nice location as well.

We were a party of 7 adults. This was my 3rd time here although not my choice, but the choice of two others in the party. I honestly don't know what the hype is about. It's spendy yet underwhelming, and I'm a 60-year-old adventurous PNW foodie. We were first to line up as the restaurant doesn't take reservations, but we'd called ahead and were told they could accommodate a table of 7, and so we waited for 45 minutes. When the restaurant opened, we were told to wait to one side. Multiple others were seated and after an additional 10 minutes, we were told they could put us in a row at the sushi bar. We wanted to be able to speak with each other because we were celebrating, which was politely communicated, and said we'd be okay of they broke us up into a table of 3 and 4 if that would be easier for them but didn't want to sit in a line of 7. We were very rudely informed that they had given us an option and we blew it. We were told that we should leave. I was frankly stunned! We had just waited for almost an hour. The arrogance. Clearly, they didn't need or care about our business or feelings or event. The guest who had chosen Akira started to cry. I walked out. What an ugly place and attitude.

Best restaurant in Eugene! Akira is a must-try. This is coming from an LA sushi girl who is very picky. The menu is limited for a reason- everything is perfection. I have to shoutout the sushi chef who made us the most insane chirashi bowl. Who would've thought that some of the most traditional Japanese food would be at a place in Eugene Oregon.

Akira is a Japanese inspired eatery that focuses on quality dishes, unique drinks, and excellent customer service. Coming into an unsuspecting home the quaint ambiance of Akira is warm and inviting. Heading upstairs takes you to a small bar with tables and small side rooms to sit. Each setting will give you a different experience but I highly recommend sitting at the bar. The food is fantastic and consistently changing to match the season and what is fresh in the region. The steam bun tacos are fantastic and I hope they are able to bring some cuitlacoche back to the menu. The real hidden gem to this place is the unmatched playlist that keeps the mood lively and your head boppin. Stop by Akira and don't mind the wait because you're in for a real treat.

My wife and I ate at Akira with our friend Lauren and her hot husband, David, who works for a local title company. I sat in an oversized chair in a corner of the dining area and sipped negroni's while David took control of ordering food. I have to say that I'm usually nervous to let somebody else order for me, but like leaving your cellphone at home for the day - I find it can be liberating to relinquish control of the menu. I was safe with David. The food was A+ and second only to the overall experience; quaint space, cool vibey no non sense male staff, and decor that will take you back to Daikanyama. 5 stars.

Amazing sushi, beautiful presentation, and a cool place to have dinner! Service was attentive, even with a larger party including one child in a high chair!

We had a wonderful dinner here on a trip to Eugene. We weren't exactly sure what to expect but loved that this restaurant is located in a former house. The decorations are fun and it felt very homey inside. There was a bit of a wait but we were able to order drinks while waiting which was great. We loved the food. We had a variety of things, including the carrots+radish, pickled bean sprouts, scallops, pork belly steam buns, hand rolls, salmon roll, and sashimi. Everything was super flavorful and delicious. Our favorites were the scallop dish, the hand rolls, the bean sprouts, and carrot dish. We were super impressed and can't wait to return when we're back in Eugene!

My roommate and I went here for our birthdays in April. We hadn't been previously. The cocktails were definitely the highlight for us. The food was really good as well but didn't blow us away. It was all really good (especially the pickled bean sprouts) but not something I'd rave about to others. My roommate ordered a sushi bowl and it took a lot longer to come out in comparison to my main dish. I wish the entrees came out at the same time so one didn't get cold while we waited for the other. The fish was very fresh. The duck curry noodles were ok, very curry forward. Overall, I'd recommend going to Akira if you haven't been before.

Uniqueness at its finest. Thor the bartender is a true gem even though he has never had Chipotle or a Mexican pizza which is a little suspect IMO. Duck tacos were top tier... too bad I ordered the last one. Literally ever because today was the last day it's on the menu. Tahini chocolate cheesecake was also a winner. Come for the food...stay for the soundtrack.

Akira delivers on service and flavor with their drinks and eats! You can't go wrong with the BBQ ribs and the Taro the Killer cocktail is my all time favorite.

Scrumcious. Charming environment in a warm, cozy craftsman house with an upstairs and downstairs area, both surrounded by fir walls and hardwood floors. The chef just had a baby, so he is out on paternity duties, so the sushi menu is currently limited. I can't wait for him to be back. We ordered the tofu bowl, salmon rolls, spicy chicken tacos and mochi dessert. Everything was delicious, perfect really. Our server was also very sweet and made excellent recommendations.

Akira is by far one of my favorite restaurants in town! The service was amazing - our waiter was friendly, attentive and recommended an amazing bottle of Sake based on our drink preferences. I also tried two cocktails, the Face Off and the Naatu Naatu. Naatu Naatu was my favorite, super easy to sip and on the sweeter side - I highly recommend. We tried a lot on the menu! They had two specials, an A5 Wagyu Steak and Fish Salad. We paired them for a surf & turf and we're not disappointed! We also got the shrimp, miso soup, steam bun tacos (mala-Nashville fried chicken & salt roasted prime rib), pork ribs, chef's choice hand roll, and salmon roll. Everything was absolutely delicious! The freshest ingredients and unique flavor profiles all around! My favorite items were the wagyu steak, fish salad, prime rib steam buns and salmon roll. The ultimate line up! If you have the opportunity to dine here, take it - you won't be disappointed! Already planning my next visit back.

Very pretentious. Food is okay, but the menu is incredibly limited. Their handrolls are $14, and with that price tag, I would expect to be able to choose what goes into them, but you apparently can't? No soft drinks, but they have every IPA under the sun, even though half of those taste like garbage anyways. Service was subpar, the waiter was kind of weirdly condescending and didn't give us much attention. We are very polite, easy customers, and it was a bit disappointing to have to wait so long just to order our entrees, as we finished the apps very quickly. The actual atmosphere was okay, but it's literally just a house. A nice house, but you don't really get a lot of privacy and it was pretty hot in the entire place. All in all, kind of meh. Overpriced, pretentious, and full of itself. Personal gripes as well: We got the fried shrimp, and it was $8 for 3 pieces of shrimp, and a good half of the shrimp was inedible because it gets stuck to the inside of the shell and cant be pulled out without lots of effort when you fry it with the shell on. Why do so many places in Eugene leave the shell on? It doesn't enhance flavor, it's just more work for the customer for zero benefit.

First time in last night and it was excellent. Iz was great at the bar mixing very unique and tasty drinks. The food was delicious and beautiful. I love sushi and this will be a regular stop for something different.

This is not your typical Asian Fusion restaurant. This place is definitely worth multiple visits so you can fully explore the menu. The Chef owner has a great talent for blending flavors of high quality well sourced ingredients. The craft cocktails are extremely creative and worthy of venturing outside of your comfort zone. Can be a slower dining experience depending on how many patrons are on premise but worth the anticipation.

absolutely f-ing incredible. top notch service, food, and experience. worth every penny.

Really enjoyed our meal here. Great vibe, cool art, funky space. Food was great, as were the drinks from the small bars (one on each floor). Menu feels a little small but everything was great- sushi, interesting Asian flavor tacos, fried chicken. They were short staffed when we visited but server worked hard to keep everyone happy. We'll be back

Visited in for dinner, had the vegetarian options for tacos and bowl and both were great. Service was okay, not a very busy day and it was fine. The environment and feel is interesting and I enjoyed the experience.

Went here with a friend and waited around 30 minutes for a table. In total we were there for 3 hours, the food was small and overpriced and took about 2 hours to even make it to the table. Our server never checked in on us and ended up charging my friend double and then insisting he refunded it even though that has not come through even now. Probably will never go back.

I did not do adequate research. I thought Akira was a traditional Japanese restaurant. It is not, it Japanese influenced fusion. It is also wonderful. The atmosphere is spare and clean. The downstairs seems a little more formal, the upstairs has the bar and is decorated with anime and comic book touches. We had the za'atar roasted carrots, the fried chicken steam bun tacos and the ribs. We found it easy to swap and share. I am not sure that was very Japanese of us, but it made for a wonderful meal. The service was attentive but not intrusive. The waiter explained and answered every question we had. Some of the options were new to us. They make more of their offerings and ingredients in house than most other restaurants do. This makes for a unique meal and experience that would be impossible elsewhere. This place is well worth a visit. Come with an open mind, leave full and happy.

Taro and team effortlessly create a vibe... food, atmosphere, and culture. Truely something alot of people strive to create. I generally ask Thor to make a fun rum cocktail, and i get the Donburi, And from there im satisfied beyond expectations. Thanks for being consistent and looking forward to more!