Aoi Sushi

We had a wonderful date night at AOI Sushi. I highly recommend requesting Ayla as a server, she steered us right and read our taste and pace with expertise. Some folks come to a place like this and order one thing; that’s just not the way to enjoy a dining experience like AOI. Sushi, IMO is enjoyed best ordered in paired courses. Figure out what you like together and ask the server, if they’re like Ayla, what’s best to enjoy side by side. I don’t want to tell you how to enjoy yourself but ordering in 2’s and 3 things at once is what makes a fantastic sushi experience. Highly recommended AOI, it does have tight seating at the moment, so plan accordingly.

Kierstyn is hands down the best server here. She always takes care of us and is knowledgeable about the menu. My favorites are the Lava Shrimp, Crispy Rice, Alaskan King, and Flaming Blu. My favorite sushi spot in ALL of NWA

I was with a party of 6 and was a birthday group. The decor was nice and felt premier. We had reservations for 7. I went to the restroom and was severely disappointed. They had NO Hot water! The door's slow hinge was ripped off, the antibacterial soap was out, and the trash was overflowing. The staff was friendly and had a good humor. Our server, Jaclyn was super personable. The downfall was we waited an entire hour for our food, they were out of the miso soup, and the lamb. They did comp my girlfriend's soup rightfully. The upside was the food was delicious and very well presented. The restaurant was really understaffed and everyone was rushed.I really hope they get it together. Overall the food and the friendly staff were the best redeeming qualities.

Incredible food. Ordered the Lamb Pops, Lava Shrimp, and Aoi Love signature roll for a meal with my wife. For dessert we had the Miso Chocolate Tart. The entire meal and experience was great. The best part was that my wife paid 😌 from her first paycheck! 🎉

Aoi Sushi is a good sushi restaurant however I was underwhelmed by the lack of vegetarian options. There was one roll - the veggie roll that is vegetarian. There are some appetizers that are (such as the edamame). The blackberry non-alcoholic drink was made with fresh blackberries and was refreshing. I would come back only if there were more vegetarian options here.

We got edamame, soft shell crabs and honey wasabi scallops for appetizers, all delicious and well made. Got a selection of rolls including wicked tuna, aoi love, lobster paradise, mt fuji, rainforest and flaming blu- well- balanced and delicious as well! Perfect date-night spot or for getting together with friends/family. Definitely recommend!

It is a delight to have a very good Sushi restaurant open in Bentonville. Super friendly and attentive staff. Went for the first time yesterday for lunch and turned around and brough 6 friends today -- they all raved about it as well. Try one of the Bourbon signature rolls. Update 05/05/2022 - Missed visiting Aoi Sushi for the past 2 years. My son and I had the opportunity to enjoy their sushi today and it is still delicious, still friendly attentive staff. Happy to be back as a customer. Still 5 stars

Went here for dinner with a couple friends. The restaurant is very cute, with the main seating area having a wall of windows with a lot of natural light, and wood paneling making the place feel cozy. Our server was attentive. The food was excellent. The garlic edamame came with fresh toasted garlic. The mackerel sashimi was fantastic. We also ordered a variety of rolls, and all were excellent. Will definitely go back.

Still very good!! Crispy rice and tuna nigiri were so good!! I think they have the best miso soup. Excited to try their new location.

We were excited for a sushi restaurant that seemed to focus on fresh raw fish and not oversaucing rolls, but were left underwhelmed. The service and the ambiance were great! Perfect for a date night, honestly. Not great for large parties due to the size of the spaces. Although the sashimi sampler was absolutely delicious, everything else was too sweet (garlic noodles, cocktails including the sake bourbon, dragon roll, two of the three hand rolls). If we returned, we would opt to sit at the bar for sashimi and beers, skipping anything not raw.

Ate at the sushi bar last night...and its still a fun and festive place. I'll hate when they leave the current location. Said I'd not have those expensive scallops again but....well, they may be some of the best I've had. Service is so friendly and food always excellent. It IS on the expensive side, but I can't seem to stay away!

Best sushi in town! Nice owners and staff. They are usually busy so expect a wait but it is worth it.

Great sushi rolls and edamame! Crowded Friday night, we didn't have a reservation but will make one next time We were luckily seated pretty quick . Have to come back soon, hubby wants to try the soft crab shell appetizer Waitress was good She was just very busy, like I said it was Friday evening and super busy

My fiance and I are originally from OC, California and have been dying for good sushi out here and have come to terms that we will no longer go anywhere else for sushi because AOI was that freakin good! We can't wait to go back!!

Jose and Rory are fantastic bartenders who always take great care of us. Whoever that Pamela Harris person is that made the post about turning the tv channel, needs to keep her negative and unfair comments to herself. We like the peaceful and positive vibe at Aoi and thank you Jose for keeping it that way. Not the place for politics or drama.

Slider sushi app is one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. Amazing food and great service, great atmosphere. Amazing all the way around!

Service was friendly just not fast. Ordered the bourbon roll since I like rolls with ponzu but didn't really taste the ponzu. In fact the roll just tasted like ham. Place itself was cool. They got a bar, sushi bar, and dining areas.

Amazing location, wonderful vibe. Always consistent with their offerings. Their Ika salad is the best!

Sushi is soo hit or miss in nwa, being from cali i can be kind of picky with my sushi, but truly this is the best tasting fish i've eaten in NWA! their prices definitely match to the level of quality they serve! they also have spicy tuna crispy rice and that's one of my favorites!

We were sitting at the bar when the news broke on television that President Trump had been shot. Jose the bartender turned the channel and said we can watch anything but this because it is a matter of politics. Since when is a news alert regarding a matter of national security and attempted harm to the former President of our great country a political issue? Sounds to me like Aoi made clear their political view! What a shame they turned the news off and turned to a basketball game. This was national breaking news. Shame on AOI for making it a political issue. Both democrats and republicans have denounced the shooting.

I have come here 4 or 5 times in the last year and half. Over that time, this place has gone down hill. The food at this point is a joke and has no flavor. It used to be really good and fresh. Now you couldn't pay me to eat here. I don't know if theres new owners or if they are using cheaper ingredients but something has changed. They are polite and friendly but it's not worth the price at all. My roll was half the size compared to when I got it the first time and had a lot more inside. It looked like a roll you get at a gas station. Just very disappointing. Don't bother wasting your money here.

Great restaurant! I got the sake cocktail and it was SO good. We got the crispy rice with tuna and the chef's choice boat and it hit the spot. My whole party enjoyed the meal and our experience.

I found this place via a Facebook ad, and I am very glad I did. The sushi is incredible, and some of the best I have ever had. It was super fresh! They also had original rolls that you won't find in every other sushi bar. They had a few other dinner options but who honestly cares when the sushi is that good. My only gripe about Aoi is the acoustics and the temperature of the dining room. When we arrived, they sat us in the dining room area right beside the kitchen. There was only a group of 6 people that were drinking saki bombs and they were loud. Because of the acoustics in the room, everything seemed amplified. It was hard to hear my husband. By the time we got our sushi, the dining room was almost completely full and we gave up speaking to one another. It was also super hot because of the big windows. So likely we will be taking our sushi to go, but we definitely will be back!

Food was amazing. Ambiance was nothing short of perfect. The service was impeccable. This is definitely a five star place. The sushi chefs were even engaging (which I've never seen before). I will definitely be back.

Waitresses were pretty nice. Drinks were okay but overpriced. We waited almost an hour for sushi that was definitely sub par and way over priced. Might as well just get gas station sushi and call it an evening.

This place is amazing. Great food amazing service and everyone is always super welcoming. I been going there since they open. I love seating at the bar. Good drink and the best sushi in Arkansas. I would highly recommend it. Jose the bartender is always amazing and so professional. I love this pace. I must place to visit. Aoi Love RollBourbon Roll- Honey Wasabi Scallop

We are pretty frequent customers and generally are quite pleased with the sushi. But we were there last night and were disappointed and found that the food was inconsistent and not as good as usual. The Yellow Tail was more tough and the cooked scallops were not prepared with the same care to the spicing. They were oilier and less spicy and the greens that came with it were also not as spicy as usual. I'm writing this review in the hopes that the restaurant can look into this because we really do generally love going there and would like to look forward to the same quality as in the past. Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

Great new high-quality sushi restaurant right by the Bentonville square! We arrived and were seated promptly. The restaurant has a great vibe with the lighting and decor. The quality of the sushi was excellent, and everything was very tasty. We weren't able to try the authentic sake, but they had several options (both hot and chilled), and our waitress recommended the Metropolitan. We had the lava shrimp as an appetizer (it's similar to boom boom shrimp but cut into smaller prices with better flavor). I got the sashimi sampler and my boyfriend got the AOI Love roll. The AOI roll had toasted salmon - I'm not usually a big salmon fan in sushi but this was SO GOOD! The crab was flavorful but not overwhelming like fake crab can be, and the drizzle of sauces on top was just the right amount of added flavors. All very fresh, not pre-made crap like some other places will serve. The food came out in a timely manner even though the restaurant was pretty busy. A great new option for a date night downtown!

Pre Covid review, they are closed during the Pandemic. Our area is permitted to open May 11, not sure if they will right away with all the restrictions. But their first restaurant is def open, The Blu Fish Market - best fish and seafood ever! Flown in fresh - truly one half a cash and carry market to take fish home ! Anyway. Aoi is an upscale Sushi and Sake bar ! Unbelievably delicious ! Swamped every night but before Covid Newly opened this year Try the sea bass - it's served standing up sideways , the most tender , delicious , can't say enough . Amazing discovery , they have 1 steak dish On The menu that is out of this world - Their sushi rolls are amazing. Ambiance is lovely , romantic and they have a patio with heaters and a couch The owners will make you feel like family. Ali and Barry.

I think I've found my new favorite sushi restaurant in the area. Got really excited when a new sushi restaurant have uni on the menu and offers omakase (weekday only, with reservations only apparently). Highlights: The hawaiian roll was really good, the flavor profile was unique and refreshing. The uni was rich and creamy without fishy taste. Yellow tail was also delicious. Fluke is also not part of my regular sushi playlist but I enjoyrd it. Service and decor are also top notch. Might be slightly more expensive than other sushi joints but the step quality was worth the difference in price. What didn't impress: Subjective but the lava shrimp didn't wow. Not bad but I just feel like I've had many versions and better versions elsewhere.

We're visiting from out of town and attempted Ordering via 3rd party an hour before close. We Arrived 30 minutes later to pick up our order and when I walked in I was told they were too busy to make the order and they had just called the 3rd party service to cancel it and We should be expecting a call from the service shortly. It's easy to turn off your online ordering when you get overwhelmed. You can also up your wait times in order to give yourself more time to successfully complete your orders. I would've gladly waited longer for my order but being turned away after ordering, driving and somehow finding a place to park in a very congested area, is simply unacceptable protocol.

I want to preface my review and say as an avid sushi fan I hate to do this to an establishment that's trying to offer a high end sushi experience in NWA. The food here is DECENT but not excellent and definitely doesn't live up to the price. Furthermore the service here is atrocious, which totally ruins the experience. The hostess greeted us with a very rude and disrespectful response when we asked for a table for two. Her response was "I don't know if I can seat you" mind you the place was half empty and she gave zero idea about wait time, essentially tried to deter us from dining there. One of her coworkers had to step in and explain that she's new and only 14 years old. Which in my opinion doesn't match staffing you'd expect at a fine dining establishment. We proceeded to sit in the bar area to dine even though there were atleast 10 open tables. Unfortunately the experience just kept getting worse, the bar tender Jose served us a drink with a dead fly in it. So upon returning the drink to the bar instead of an apology or some resolution instead he rudely said "well did it just fly in there" as if that even matters. Jose then proceeded to carry on rude behavior the entire time we dined, dirty looks, slamming plates down on our table, intentionally not refreshing our drinks, just rude unecessary behavior. Totally ruined the experience for us, won't be back even though the fish here is pretty decent. Sad, they should hire staff that match the atmosphere their trying to achieve.

OMG! What a wonderful place! The service, cocktails, and food were outstanding! Try the Yellowfin tuna carpaccio! Absolutely to die for, you might want to order two!!! I know I won't be sharing mine!

Came here for a friends birthday with a large group. If you come with a group get here early. It'll take a while, which expected. The atmosphere is great. The food is good and the staff very friendly. I got the shrimp tempura with no avocado due to allergies. They brought me my food first so it didn't get mixed up with another shrimp tempura. Attention to details. I like it. I will definitely come back with my family and enjoy the sushi.

Fresh, fresh, fresh! We've had West Coast and East Coast sushi, and since we moved here from NY, used to drive all the way down to Fayetteville to get sushi worthy of the name. Well we're glad we can save on gas and head over to the 21c Hotel area (they're across the street from the hotel - yay for guests!) for fresh and absolutely tasty sushi. I've been trying seafood on occasion now, being vegetarian since 2005, and was really hesitant to do sushi in this landlocked state. But when I saw the yellowtail carpaccio, I had to try it. I'm not going to lie, I actually LOVED it! I ordered it the second time we returned in less than a week. It's got fried capers and micro green tendrils in a chili oil/ ponzu (I tasted citrus) marinade and it's addictive. For a vegetarian to say that, tells you it's that AWESOME! I stuck to avocado and cucumber rolls afterwards, but I just might make that our standard appetizer. The exterior is 1950s Prairie style meets small town commercial business, but inside is a hidden gem with angled windows that give you a view of the interior rock garden/Japanese bridge courtyard. They have a stone patio just off the bar area and 3 separate seating sections with wood tones and ambient lighting, and soft music. It feels hushed and intimate even though there may be a table next to you - and I notice they stagger the arrivals to maintain social distancing when possible. Again, there's the outdoor area and the sushi bar if you're not wanting to be close to other tables. We've had Eric and Nick serve us and always go to the Aoi website to reserve a table in advance. https://aoibentonville.com/ We had their: Mix Poke Cocktail that comes in a martini glass, Spicy Tuna maki, Eel Chu maki (nori on the outside), Rainforest roll (tuna, salmon, yellowtail, cucumber, wrapped in soy paper), Dancing Shrimp (shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, avocado), Mt. Fuji (salmon, tuna, yellowtail and honey sriracha), and were just AMAZED! You really can't go wrong. We've been to their seafood restaurant, Blu Fresh Fish Marketplace blubentonville.com on 5th Street, so we know all about how they get their fish flown in from both Coasts and sometimes Hawaii, so we've come to expect the freshness and quality, but Aoi (the adjective Blue, in Japanese) really knocked it out of the park! Don't take my word for it, look at these photos, make a reservation and see for yourself. Just keep in mind that opening up to full capacity when there's a hiring shortage means you'll need to be patient with the staff who actually are showing up to work. Also, don't listen to the dude from Kansas - his review is so off the mark, it's outrageous. So just go, then write your own review.

I was skeptical of coming to this place because I lived nearby the ocean and didn't think that this place could ever live up to my expectations. After coming here I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was the seafood fresh the interior is amazing! Definitely some place you should take your out of town guests to or for a special occasion (especially those from SoCal who would not think that Northwest Arkansas would have a great sushi place)

Keirsten was great! Fabulous sushi - even with all our special requests. Very convenient to all the fun downtown Bentonville spots, too!

This place really is a hidden gem. You get the benefits of being in the square without all the foot traffic around. The food was delicious! They offer a great selection of sushi and entrees. We love supporting local businesses and this is one I'd highly recommend!

If you're looking for good sushi, this is the place to try! The AOI Nachos were delicious! Ayla was very attentive!

Probably driven by 50 plus times & never knew it's hallowed existence until I noted a couple snapping photos outside & a chalkboard with hours & specials. Just past the square, it looks like a pretty wooden jewelry box & encased inside is a blushing gem of a restaurant!!! Jose' immediately greeted me & gave me a tour of the restaurant & allowed to pick any option of place to be seated as it was early & there was a small audience. The establishment itself is Uber clean with a modern, warmly lit, kitsch Asian fusion vibe. Although I am a wine drinker, I tried the Emperor Margarita which was magnificent with house made sweet & sour & they pride themselves & artfully craft quite an array of cocktails with premium spirits as well as an accompaniment of a well thought wine & beer selection. I was blown away by the "Golden Crab" roll. My pictures capture the beauty of their craft but, the freshness & vibrant bright flavors & yet sumptuousness of this roll was a supreme delicacy & one to savor!!! Jose' also introduced me to a margarita/sangria shot which was pretty jewel toned shot which tastes just like drinking a mini sangria swirl margarita with no harshness to it! From beginning to end, this experience sealed the deal for me as my new favorite sushi stop & hangout!!!! Kudos to owners bc, this epitomizes 5 shiny stars in every capacity!!!!! See y'all soon!!!!!

We love sushi....and we especially love Aoi! Too many favorites to mention....but we were super impressed by the ramen! Highly recommended!

Amazing food! The service was amazing. We got the yellowtail carpaccio, Aoi love roll and wicked tuna roll. Highly recommend.

Such a sushi snob, and I can honestly say I had some of the best sushi I have had in quite some time. It is fresh, the service is A+, the atmosphere is amazing. I had the best server too, Frankye, who was so attentive and friendly. I highly recommend when in Bentonville.

Very cool atmosphere and great service! The restaurant has a Facebook special going on right now if you like their page. The price point is high, but you will not regret your food or experience.

I wish I could rate them higher....but I can't even. I placed a fairly large online order AND received a text confirmation that they received it. When I arrived 30 minutes later, they hadn't actually received my order and I had to wait another 20 minutes for them to put it together. While they apologized for the issue they didn't seem to really care. The manager offered for me to come back later instead of waiting which seems obsurd given gas prices. If you decide to order online, I would recommend calling to triple check the order was received. The sushi was just ok and we like Blu Fish better.

Delicious- love the Sushi Nachos. Everyone was very nice and helpful. We'll be back soon.

Always a delicious dining experience at Aoi! Chef has an understanding of AlphaGal and they do everything they can to accommodate my AlphaGal and soy allergy. A must visit if you enjoy sushi! They have chef specials like crispy Black Bass with local sautéed veggies, Japanese Curry with Panko Fried Cod and savory Ramen. Having lived in Japan, this is probably the closest I could get to being back in Asia. It's a must try!

We have been here twice. They are the same people that own Blu Fish, so we knew it had to be good and we were right! It's a nice intimate setting perfect for a date night or special event. I was honestly impressed with the prices given the quality of fish that is flown in. The service was very good as well. I really don't think you need to go to any other sushi place. This is the best there is!

Wow! Aoi sushi is such a cool find! Can't believe we've never been here before because this place was great! We started with drinks and the Aoi sushi nachos! These were really interesting and super fun for the experience, but not sure if we'd order again. As for the actual sushi, it was AMAZING! We got the Aoi sushi roll and tuna and salmon nigiri. We will definitely be back!

I've been here several times and most times have had good service. The most recent visit, I was there with my significant other and we were sat in the bar area. We ordered our appetizer and two sushi rolls. A friend and his date showed up after us and sat at the bar, they ordered - ate - paid - and left by the the time we got our order almost an hour later. In addition to that, my significant other saw the bartender/manager taking shots with the patrons at the bar. I asked to speak to the manager because our food was taking so long and the manager was the bartender. He made excuses as to why our food had taken so long instead of just taking accountability especially after pointing out that my friend and his date ate and left before we did. I asked if there was a manager above him and he said the owner, but told me that I could take myself to Blu Fish to speak to the owner to provide my commentary.

Made a reservation for a Saturday night, got seated on time. We were greeted quickly and politely. We ordered drinks and an appetizer. Drinks came out a little slow and the appetizer came slower than the average experience. The appetizer was the highlight of the meal. Yellowtail carpaccio was quite good. It was another 45 minutes before we got our entrees. No apology or anything. The sushi rolls were ok, on par with much cheaper sushi experiences available anywhere. Overall, the atmosphere and quality don't justify the price. There are better options for now.

Wonderful sushi! 10/10 Great service and atmosphere. Definitely a must on the Bentonville square.

High quality food and service. Great atmosphere & drinks. Will forever be a customer. Thanks AOI!

Ordered soup, one cocktail, and two rolls. Soup was average. Cocktail came out after the rolls even though I ordered it first. It was nothing special. Super sweet and full of ice. Yellowtail roll was average. Very boring and small for $12, though. Philly roll had cooked salmon which I have never seen before. Cooked so much that it was dry and tasted like jerky. For $12, I was very disappointed. $45 pre-tip for a mediocre meal.

Had a weeknight dinner recently with a friend. We had a yellowtail and jalapeño starter and a few rolls. Service was very good - but we were seated in a bit of an awkward room off of the sushi bar and main dining room. He kept drinks full and was appropriately attentive. The yellowtail starter and spicy tuna, spicy salmon, and bourbon rolls were very good. This is not bargain sushi, but it is definitely high quality fish and presentation. I look forward to trying some of their other rolls and dishes next time. (Pics sushi rolls did not turn out)

Had a wonderful dining experience here tonight. The sashimi on the chefs choice was amazing and highly recommend the edamame. As far as entrees go, you can't go wrong but the AOI love is dinner and a show. To really top off your culinary experience, ask for Erick, tell him what you like and let him take it from there. Best service ever.

Best sushi in town!! Amazing architectural jewel with a intimate bar and patio. Jose the bartender is the best.