Ben's Tune Up

I really enjoyed this place, although we got there pretty early and it wasn’t busy. I liked the sake but I’ll be honest, I’m not a sake connoisseur by any means. The star as far as food goes was the nachos. The won tons stayed super crunchy and the sauce was very tangy. The Brussels sprouts were delicious as well. I like the indoor outdoor vibe. There was lots of unique seating areas too.

The sake tasted amazing!! I especially loved the ginger & lemon infusion -- it literally tasted like Sprite. We ordered some food as well & it was spectacular. The staff is friendly & sweet as well! Highly recommend!

Super low key bar and restaurant with great food. Highly recommend the wonton nachos. I wish the turkey banh mi had higher quality turkey meat but other than that can't complain. Beer specials were great as well. Loved the music playlist also.

Cool DJ was playing when my girlfriends and I came in for drinks! Got hot apple cider infused with sake. They were really good and perfect for a cold night. The environment was really cool!

The sake is terrible. Truly. Thank God for their full bar and wonton nachos. And it's excellent people watching. This place is super unassuming, so much so that I've walked right on by many times and paid it no notice. One night walking by, my friends and I were walking to South Slope and doubled back - the air smelled incredible - and it was coming from Ben's. Inside is huge - there are at least three bars - the inside is also the outside - and there's plenty of room and seating that truly feels like different bars. Dog friendly. The first bartender we got was awesome, friendly and quick. The second bartender could NOT be bothered, and not even in a cool way, just clearly didn't want to be there. We tried the four kinds of sake they had on tap and three different sake-cocktails. Everything was real rough, and we're pretty forgiving drinkers. The flavors ranged from watery to acetone with really only the unfiltered sake being drinkable. One ding for the unreasonably bad sake - and only because it's being pushed so hard - otherwise it's an excellent place to lose a few hours.

Great spot! So many cool seating areas & good ambiance. Live music some nights. While they make sake, they have a full bar menu! Good apparel if you’re into that, and the bartenders were solid. Definitely on our list to go back!

Nice spot in South Slope. Food is great. They make their own sake and beer and offer plenty of other options. Oh, and it's definitely worth walking around and checking out the decor and building.

A couple weeks ago we went here for my wife's birthday. We brought along our 2 young kids. They welcomed us(it was in the afternoon so easnt busy yet) and we double checked if kids were welcome. The sake was incredible. Josh was the one helping us and he got 2 HUGE samples of the use cream for our daughters since it was vegan and I wasn't sure if they would like the texture. They loved it so we got a bowl and it was delicious. Josh was friendly and knowledgeable, this spot made my wife's birthday awesome! I highly recommend this to anyone as the liquid was great, good pricing, cool atmosphere and exceptional service! Thank you Josh!

Ever wanted to go to one of the Japanese back-alley restaurant bars like you see in the movies, but can't afford a trip to Japan? Well if you live in Asheville or are visiting, you're in luck: just go to Ben's Tune Up instead. Divey, but in a good way and a huge outdoor space in addition to a good-sized indoor area. We came here for both the food and the sake. I've only ever had sake in a Japanese restaurant and it is always served warm/room temperature. I didn't dislike it, but never anything to much like about it either. This place brews their own sake and serves it on their terms. No boring room temperature sake here. I got a flight of 2 traditional sakes (the natural nigori and black label premium) and 2 infused sakes (lemon ginger and painkiller nigori, which has pineapple, orange, coconut and nutmeg). All were served chilled. I loved the natural (so this is what sake is supposed to taste like!). The black label was good, but had more of a bite like drinking a straight shot of alcohol. The lemon ginger was very refreshing, like a beer from local brewery Ginger's Revenge. The painkiller was a great way to end the flight and the meal -- almost like a dessert in a drink. Complex flavors that really worked well together. Now to the food. I'm a French fry lover and theirs gave me some lovin' back. A little on the salty side (which I like), but crispy outside and potatoey on the inside. Some of the best fries in AVL. I had the gochujang chicken thigh sandwich. I have never had a thigh as tender and tasty as this one. Excellent. The sauce was nicely spiced -- not really hot spicy, but still a little zing. My husband had the braised pork shoulder sandwich. He said it was good, but was expecting a little more something-something from the blueberry sauce. Service was average. Now here's the thing about that -- and what kept me from giving them a full-on 5 star. I noticed on the bill that they automatically add a service charge. What? Is this Europe? And the default tip amounts set in their payment app started at 20%. Keep in mind you order at the bar and bus your own table. I have nothing but respect for hospitality workers and restaurant owners (my dad ran a restaurant). I tip 15-20% even when I order at the bar and bus my own table. BUT I don't like it when there is a service charge added and when my tip seems like an obligation, not a choice that I make to show the staff I appreciate their service and recognize they should make a livable wage here in AVL. I'll go back (great place to go with a group of friends I think), but I'll tip what I want and mentally include the service charge in the tip amount.

Came in to try the sake and wasn't disappointed! 3 different varieties and all were great (: Very chill atmosphere too. Nice local spot for sure!

SO FUN! The bartender let us sample different sake flavors before committing to a full cup. I really enjoyed the Cranberry Spritz. It was like drinking a tart cranberry juice. They even have food here including dumplings, nachos, fries, and more! The vibes were great and so was the crowd. They had a DJ playing on a Saturday night and everyone was dancing and having a good time. Ambiance and vibe is a key factor in if I would return to a bar, and this definitely fits my criteria! I'd definitely return again.

Such a cool and unique venue, even for Asheville standards! This bar is tucked away and secluded but has such a fun vibe on the inside. They carry mainly sake, but also have beer and cider as well. There is plenty of room to sit, talk, or play ping pong. They venue also frequently hosts shows and charges a cover fee at the door for certain performances. Overall, it's a great venue with good drink options. I recommend!

Very nice vibezzz with beer options as well as house-made sake. My first time trying the sake seltzer. DJ started playing at 8? Saturday night. The crowd seemed friendly. I think they start charging cover later in the night so if you want to go earlier, there was no cover to get in.

We had a BLAST here while spending the weekend in Asheville. We tried a sake flight and my boyfriend had a few beers, not sure which ones. The atmosphere was super chill and the music was all 90s hip hop and r&b which is my vibe forsure. Bailey was fantastic! She kept our drinks flowing and gave great recommendations for sake and food when my boyfriend wanted to order something to eat. We will definitely be back whenever we visit again.

My favorite Asheville brewery and it's not beer! The service is great. The ambiance is casual and fun. This is the best spot to bring people from out of town.

We stopped here on the way to another brewery and was a very unique place and had many game options. I like the outdoor area, but it was a little colder the day we stopped. I've never seen a Scrabble board the size they made one out back.

Fun dive bar!!! Went on a Sunday night and I really enjoyed the music and vibes! It is definitely a local dive bar. It's an very open outdoor space so as it gets colder keep that in mind. The majority of the seating is outside in a uncovered space. You order at the bar, get a number and the staff brings your food to you. The staff is very kind. There was a DJ there the night I went and they had such a good mix of music. We all had a good time!

Ben's has a cool vibe with great ambiance. It was a warehouse converted into a bar. It has indoor seating and outdoor patio. There is so much to see. They have a large selection of sake and flights. Their beer selection was decent. We ordered a few appetizers and was pleasantly surprised at how good they were. The potstickers were crispy and light, not overly fried. The sauce was soy based. We also tried the egg rolls. I liked the way they sliced them in half, but the long way. They also were very good, but the sauce was exceptional. Overall, a nice relaxed vibe for drinks and appetizers.

Had such a fun time at Ben's!!! We tried a flight of sakes which was fun! They also had a good selection of beers to choose from. I got their special which was pad thai and was surprised at how good it was- really hit the spot. The vibe is so cool at this bar, it's an old warehouse turned into bar with lots of cool seating and plants. They have a DJ later at night and it was boppin- great people watching. Definitely check this place out if you're visiting Asheville!

Love the atmosphere and ambiance. We got a flight of sake and I really enjoyed it! I also ordered the ramen with tofu and it was SO GOOD!!! Staff is very attentive and friendly. Will definitely go back when I am in the area!

Want beer? Want sake? Want great food for a good price? My only complaint is that this place has pretty weird hours and I feel like it's never open half the time when I'm in the area, so going yesterday was the first time I'd actually had the chance. This place is a typical (big) kinda dive bar with a few twists - particularly the in-house sake and asian-inspired foods, both of which are great. You can either get the sake as a small pour or as one of their combos (Lemon-Ginger, Cranberry, etc) and they have a pretty small selection of other beers and draft beer, but it's just enough (if you like Miller Lite...which you probably should if you're not lying to yourself). There's a big central open patio area which is better than half the other sidewalk and back-alley outdoor areas in Asheville. Great spot to hang out on a nice day. Best part was the food - handful of appetizers and rice bowls for $5-15. Honestly as good as the rice bowls are, skip them and just get every appetizer. The bang bang cauliflower/brussels and sesame salad are a meal to themselves for 1-2 people, only coming in at like $15 together. Great to know a spot to grab good food for a great value if you're going solo or with a group. I'll be back to try the rest.

one of my favorite places to visit when i'm in asheville! the live music is amazing and the fire pits in the winter make it so cozy. it's great if you're looking for a night out!

Really fun, laidback place! It used to be a tune-up shop (Ben's) and they kept some of it. Eclectic and fun restaurant and menu. Great for vegetarians, carnivores, and sake and alcohol lovers. We ate outside on a picnic table on a gorgeous day. You order at the bar and keep a tab and settle up at the end. They bring the food out to you. I ordered the Asian Sticky Rib Plate for $18. The ribs were delicious! It came with fingerling potato salad with a couple different colors of potatoes and sesame-peanut slaw. I had a couple bites of each. They were pretty good but I wasn't very impressed.

It's the dopest spot in Asheville, baby! Gulp down all the sake. I also recommend the beer. Amazing vibe. Have fun!

What a fun night! I went out with friends and this was one of our last stops! I had the cranberry sake and it tasted so refreshing! The bartender was nice enough to let our group have a few samples so we were sure we would get a sake that we enjoyed! The music was good and everyone had such a great time! I would like to try the food/snacks next time I come here as it looked amazing! Thanks for such a great night!

Loved this spot. They have food till 2am, great music and solid drinks. I had wonton pork nachos and my date had bacon and cheese fries. I wanted something low key and it was perfect. I had a great time. When other places close up, they are still poppin.

Stopping here was just by chance. We had big plans to go to the brewery next door, but they closed early. Well, everything worked out! Ben's has the cutest beer garden. They offer beer and sake on draft along with an Asian inspired menu. Yes, I went with the Cajun fries, which I really enjoyed, but the Asian dishes that other customers purchased looked great too. I would love to come back to listen to their DJ and enjoy the ambiance.

Literally the worst service we have ever had. Everyone was so rude. There was a girl in a black beanie who gave us the double fingers.

Bar tender very rude when asked questions about drinks. He owned up to it and apologized and said my girlfriends being difficult when asked how the jello shots were made and what flavors. First what happened to customer service right? When going to this obviously the bar tender is always right not the customer? I am a business owner and we always try to help customer no matter what....that is not how we conduct business...just saying. We left and took our business elsewhere. You either an business or you don't.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! I'm a bit of an Asian food connoisseur. I Loved the atmosphere, the food was incredible. I Got the wonton dumplings and Korean beef bowl. Highly recommend the cranberry sake! (Not a sake fan, but that one hit the spot). The staff was incredibly friendly. Parking was next door at the lot. Really enjoyed this spot! Can't wait to go again.

1. Craft American Sake - AWESOME! They brew their own sake here and each one was fantastic. Just try it and you'll be pleasantly surprised. 2. The vibe - Chill. It's like a beach bar Asian fusion type thing that was fantastic. Great music, pet friendly (Hashbrown the bar mascot and owners pup was awesome) and super friendly staff. Recommend dumplings and a flight of sake to start things off. Cheers!

We were walking down Hilliard Ave when lo and behold, we came across Ben's Tune Up. I had heard of the place, but didn't realize it was one of the few places to produce saki. Upon walking into the open-roofed entrance, Ben's has its own character and feel. A great place to hang out with friends outside for drinks, have a bite of Asian food -- which I didn't have but looked good, as well as another room that contained their sake brewery. Unique as hell, but then again, this is Asheville, so this sort of thing isn't so surprising but very welcoming. I tried a couple of their sakes, which were very good before chilling at the outside counter overlooking Hilliard Ave. Very chill place to hang out. They also have beer on tap they brew, but didn't have any at this stop.

Very unique and cool spot. The drinks were good and the staff were all very kind! Can't wait to go back!

We ate here because dogs were allowed inside. The sign said to seat yourself and we did but it was apparent no one was coming. I waited in line at the bar to ask for a menu. I got the chicken ramen. I thought that it being a sake bar would have more authentic ramen but but was yuck. Corn, carrots, bland broth, poached egg and not very tender shredded chicken. The noodles were tasted like they were seriously just microwaved in a ramen microwave cup. Throughly you disappointed for this $14 bowl I couldn't finish. They were also out of the beer I asked for. No big deal deal I got the alternative but for 2 dollars more. Being pet friendly was the only positive I have for this place.

Great spot! So many cool seating areas & good ambiance. Live music some nights. While they make sake, they have a full bar menu! Good apparel if you're into that, and the bartenders were solid. Definitely on our list to go back!

Love this place! Stopped by here while brewery hopping in Asheville, and was very impressed. It's definitely a different vibe than most of the stops that you'll have while you're in Asheville. It's like an asian fusion bar vibe with some stellar food and drink. We checked out the sake flights and tried a few different types of sake - would definitely recommend! The bar tender that helped us out was super fun and helpful. While there we tried the veggie spring rolls and were very impressed. It's not your typical take on a spring roll be for sure worth trying! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, with a fantastic dipping sauce. We also stopped by the shop and picked up a bottle of the unfiltered sake on the way out. Great experience!

Get the wonton nachos. Just do it. You won't regret it. The beer and sake was good too, but the nachos will haunt me. We also tried the Brussels sprout/cauliflower starter which was good, and the beef bowl which was also good. But really, just order five orders of wonton nachos.

Had been here a few years ago and it was such a good experience and wanted to come again to see if it lived to the hype. It did. The unique twist at this bar is the sake, we got a flight if it to try. Not our favorite drinks but no regrets in trying it. They have a variety of beers on draft, cans, and a full liquor bar. We tried the pad Thai which was . They usually have a DJ on the weekends which is a blast. Super fun to join the dance floor but equally fun to sit back and people watch.

We came to Ben's Tune Up on vacation at the recommendation of a friend and I am SO glad that we did because I'm not certain we would have found it otherwise. The drinks are great of course (they were running a Jell-O shot special which brought immediate collegiate nostalgia) but the real winner here is the food. At what bar can you get amazing Asian cuisine with a honky tonk vibe?! The menu is friendly to vegetarians and omnivores alike. We loved it.

Wow. This place is crazy cool. Open air. Unique decor. Industrial / car garage turned Asian flair. Love. Korean beef had a kick. Didn't love the juice at the bottom. Really cool seating options. Gotta bus your own spot no biggie.

Loving the live drums, singing and the band. One fallback is that they're not clear when they have waiters/ waitresses. We waited 10 minutes for someone to acknowledge us. We ordered they're pupu platter and I like the pairing of sauces for each of the appetizers and that it was placed on a rotating dish. Ben's Tune Up seem to be doing well with fusion food. Curious about some of the choices, like popcorn next to the egg rolls.

Great atmosphere, open air garden. Fast casual, order at the counter service, with finer dining prices. Food was a little pricey for what you get. Small portions for the $$$. Still I enjoy the space for drinks and a bite. Not super comfortable if you are looking for a date night spot.

If you want something different and electic, then Ben's Tune Up with make you turn it up! I tried their sake and listened to music while my friend got something off their beer menu. They have a huge patio outside, but due to crappy weather, we couldn't enjoy it. We did, however, enjoy the inside under the area that was covered along with the warmth. I find it interesting this place sells sake and you can do a sake tasting. I wish I would have done that, but since we had been barhopping, that would have been a poor decision despite being sober. The sake I had was 12.5% in itself and WOW, it was super good. This place is super chill with an Asian restaurant attached to it. It is a bit different as I said, but that is what makes the place unique. Prices are reasonable. I think we escaped paying $14 bucks for all of our items and we had 2 beers and 1 large sake. WHY DO they allow kids?! I will never understand this. Sorry, but not sorry. I really wish kids were not allowed at these types of establishments. Parents of kids and pets, all are welcome. Worth returning? Yes! At a later point in the night when I am not surrounded by families and we are partaking in festivities.

This place just has a fun cool relaxing vibe. Bartenders are super friendly and on a perfect weather day this place just hits the spot. This was a great find for a beer and chill day.

My boyfriend and I stopped in for a drink and I ordered the pineapple jalapeno sake margarita. It was so yummy. Very cool, eclectic, laid back vibe and lots of outdoor seating/space. Even though we did not order food, the food being served around us looked and smelled amazing- Asian style food. Very cool place to relax/hang out with friends.

Ben's Tune Up was definitely different from the normal Asheville bars we've gone too. It kind of felt like a beach vibe. There are 3 different bars that had different selections at each one. We sat in the outdoor patio area and then looked around like, "okay now where do we go?" I went to 2 of the bars to see what beers they had on tap and didn't want to go to a third so settled on an IPA for my hubby and I at bar #2. He stayed back to save a table with our dog so I made an executive decision for said beer so as not to wait in line again. Beer is average, nothing special. Finger food, just from a glance at the menu was things like French fries and fried tofu. Social distancing is good as far as the tables are concerned but with folks walking all over the place to the different bars it just doesn't work. The place has a fun vibe and I want to go back and give it another try when it's not as busy. I'm giving 4 stars because we didn't go inside, order food or try their sake that is apparently made on site. It's based on the vibe, friendly atmosphere and employees. We will be back, i think it's worth it to give another go!

Sake bar was very cool looking/fun decor, clientele cooler & more hipster than me & my hubby fer sure. Felt very divey & cozy with limited seating but friendly. Sake was interesting but not sure I'd return for it.. That said, from other posts/pix online we may have missed the more visited part of this multipurpose bar--seems like there's a bigger bar & music venue within?

We have been to Ben's a few times within the past couple years traveling down to Asheville. One of the places my husband and I visited the first few times and loved that they offered their own homemade sake! But later on we didn't realize they had opened up more room in the back for dancing, drinks and some amazing food! My parents went there last year when we had our family trip and loved the atmosphere and the music! Definitely recommend visiting if you've been to Asheville or it's your first time.

My boyfriend and I stumbled upon bens on a hot afternoon. They weren't busy so we got our drinks and food with a quickness. The customer service is above and beyond!! They were all so friendly and kind. The drinks are amazing. I had multiple lemon drop cocktails (on tap) and it tastes like homemade lemonade, delicious. My boyfriend had the tangerine sake and said it was the most crisp and refreshing sake he's ever had. The food....oh my god. No words for how bomb it was. We got a snack earlier in the day and ended up back there for dinner because it was so good. The Korean sticky ribs were amazing. No matter what you order though please do yourself a favor and get a side of the slaw, the peanut sauce on it is to die for. The flavors and portions were on point. The decor outside is so cute and it felt like they logged into my Spotify and played songs from my own playlist. We had the best time ever here. Honestly the best place we've gone to in Asheville for some drinks and a bite to eat. You will NOT regret coming here I swear on my life.

I can't believe I didn't know this place existed until recently (though admittedly not the most in-the-know person) but this place is amazing. Love the outdoor courtyard vibe. They make their own sake and it's delicious. And I didn't know living until I had the wonton nachos. A-yum! New regular hangout.

I'm going to give this place a good review on the basis of its great and varied sakes. Didn't try the food. BUT dock one star for the bartender. I read the other reviews about the bartender hitting his own tip percentage, and I realized he did exactly that to me! I'm 110% sure he hit 22.5% when I bought our two sake flights and immediately closed out. It was less then I've tipped in some instances this week, so I didn't fuss at the time, but that was clearly not cool. Not sure if this is the same bartender with dreads other reviewers have complained about for offensive/racist language, or the same bartender repeatedly criticized herein for inserting his own tip rate (seeing a trend here, Ben?), but if so Ben could and should do himself a real favor by replacing this dude.

This was probably our favorite drinking establishment in Asheville. It has a very chill vibe and the out patio and garden is beautiful!! We only had appetizers and a few beers but it's very good and the service was excellent, we will b next when visiting Asheville

Love this place! A great little spot for beer and a laidback atmosphere. Solid items on the food menu too. Definitely a place my girlfriend and I will consider a staple spot to visit during each Asheville trip.

Love this place. Great atmosphere, just enough seating, just enough open area. I think it's the perfect spot to start or end a night of debauchery. The most surprising is they have the best thai chicken basil in town! I often go here just to get that to go. It's bizarrely the most authentic Thai basil stirfry I've had in town. They chop the chicken and the flavor of the sauce is 100% perfect. I'm making myself hungry at the thought.

Decent music at best and not horrible prices. When Nate the bartender said racist comments to one of our party it was time to leave. No matter what your race/religion/ethnicity is it is never okay to stoop to that level. Telling someone (especially a DD) to "Go back to the farm" is never appropriate in any businesses. If we don't stand together, we all fall.

Do not go here! I repeat -do NOT go here. We tried to go to Ben's Tune Up last night for dinner and as soon as we walked in the door the bartender yelled 'no table service tonight'. We sat down anyways and decided we would try to eat there since we'd walked so far in the rain already. We walked up to the bar and the bartender rudely said 'I'll get to you when I can, I'm the only one here tonight'. I understand sometimes a place is short staffed, but it was a Friday night. They could of been a little more prepared than having one person on staff (not counting the kitchen). On a side note, the place was filthy. It smelled bad, the bathrooms were disgusting and looked like it hadn't been cleaned in weeks. If you're looking for ramen/Asian food, just google and go anywhere else.

This was the worst bar experience ever. We were waiting to get in and heard the bouncer say he loves making women wait because they have to do what he says. We didn't end up going in for all the creepy vibes. Ladies beware

Very delish. Very reasonable. I started with the Brussels sprouts and my only regret was not ordering five orders of the sprouts. They were so good I called my mom from the pay phone and told her about them. The firecracker shrimp was great. I wouldn't say special. But extremely solid. The jalapeño sake was unlike anything I've ever had. This place is actually a sake brewery - which makes me feel slightly more cultured for having visited. But that jalapeño stuff is the truth. I coulda drank her for days. Those nachos are something else. Very different take on your classic nacho. But probably the best nacho I've ever had. Get them and enjoy