Aker Restaurant & Lounge

One of the best meals I have ever had. I chose to do the chefs tasting menu and I was not disappointed. Starting off with the Wagu gyoza which was so flavorful. The texture and the taste paired so well. Next was the crispy rice and it was served with cilantro and that was a little wrinkle for me. But I just removed it and was so tasty. Just a tad hard to eat with my clump at chopstick hands. Then came the showstopper of the freshly grated wasabi. The sushi was so fresh tasting and the roll with strawberry was unexpected but one of the better rolls I have ever had. Then came the main attraction the Wagu steak. The broccolini was cooked perfectly with a bit of a crunch and it paired well with the homemade chimichurri but the steak was melt in your mouth perfect. Finally, to end the night I had the Oreo cheesecake and the presentation alone was worth it. The fruit was delicious and fresh. The mochi was light and paired well with the fruit. The service was top notch and the restaurant was basically empty so it was very relaxing.

I ordered the pan-seared Chilean Seabass, and it was cooked to absolute perfection—silky, tender, and beautifully seasoned. The truffle mashed potatoes were delicious, with the truffle flavor really standing out without overpowering the dish. The miso-truffle glaze and the leeks tied everything together nicely; the sautéed spinach was a bit to bland for my tasting. Service was excellent throughout, and the atmosphere is quite enjoyable. Highly recommend

The ambience creates a great setting for a special dining experience. The maguro is one of my favorite things I have ever eaten! I also tried the nigiri flight and it was superb. The rest of my party had the steak which I tried as well and was incredible. For appetizers we tried the gyoza (10/10), miso shrimp (10/10). The Oreo cheesecake is a must try!

If you’re from Utah, or at least have spent a lot of time here, you know that fantastic food is few and far between. We went here last night for my fiancé’s birthday and it was incredible! We got the Wagyu Ribeye and 15-piece Chef’s Choice Sashimi, along with a few of the rolls and some cocktails. Everything our waitress recommended to us was exceptional, her service was fantastic, and even though it was a busier evening for them, we still felt very secluded and it didn’t feel like it was as busy as it was. The cherry on top was the lava cake they gave him on the house— 10/10. Transparently it is on the more expensive side, but it is well worth every dollar. We will definitely be celebrating life’s big events here in the future!

First, it must be said that the location and atmosphere of this restaurant is incredible. It's a bit of a rough spot of town, but the history surrounding the buildings here as well as the rest of the city nearby means you should arrive before dinner with enough time to walk around, especially if you're visiting. Once inside, you'll be greeted with a huge bar with a beautiful backdrop as well as spacious seating area. I found the tables to be spaced adequately so that we weren't being overheard and still had a bit of privacy. Unfortunately, the service for our visit was less than stellar. Although the restaurant was mostly empty, we waited for quite some time before being greeted by a server who was confused as to who should be waiting our table. She was happy to help but the confusion left off on the wrong foot. From there. We ended up waiting quite a long time between courses as much as 20 minutes or more between our appetizer and then sushi rolls and ultimately second shared course. Due to the delay, we were eager to skip dessert and make our way out. Now, that being said, the food was incredible. The bone marrow appetizer was succulent and delicious and something new. The sushi rolls made to order with a unique flair and the wagyu gaioza nearly had me seeing Divine eyes. I'll be back, it definitely warrants a second chance

Food was amazing! Our waitress was friendly and had great menu recommendations. Try the nigiri platter, ribeye and the citrus tide roll. A note for the manager - your front desk staff was extremely inattentive and unprofessional.

Best meal I’ve had maybe ever. Definitely in Salt Lake. Chris was the perfect waiter. Never rushed my friend and me, never made us feel like we were underspending/tried to upsell us, he was a pleasure to chat with, answered all the questions we had about A5 steak and beef cuts. (Most waiters in SLC are trying to clear plates and have you sitting at an empty table within the hour, it drives me crazy!) The water guys were on point, too. My glass was always full on a hot day. The restaurant is beautiful inside. The low-volume house music playlist they had going was perfect. I was Shazam-ing in my seat. And the food, man, the food. The king crab + torched A5 roll was insane. The miso cod was the best fish I’ve ever had. I see why it’s been so hyped up at Nobu. I had the key lime pie with raspberry sorbet for dessert, and it was perfect. Solid portions for the prices, too, don’t worry about not getting enough to eat! I can’t speak highly enough about this place. I’ll be back soon. Oh and the old fashioned was as good as they come, but you guys should get some Buff Trace in stock 😉

The service was exceptional from start to finish. The food was beautifully presented, full of flavor, and perfectly portioned. The atmosphere created the right balance between upscale and comfortable. Definitely a place I’d recommend for both casual dining and special occasions.

Another great add to the downtown restaurant scene. Although I will kinda miss Maxwells, this is a big upgrade. They've done a great job updating the interior making this a very fun perfectly located downtown spot. Perfect summer night, with Main Street closed to vehicles, made for a fun time to walk around after dinner. The staff was so much fun and accommodating, our server, Derick was attentive, knowledgeable and always there when we needed him. Kept my drink full the entire night and never had to ask. We asked another Server about a plate she passed us with and she was so willing to give her take, even coming back to check on us and chat a bit more. So friendly! We started with the tempura vegetables and shrimp, I know boring right!?! But theirs was so good, maybe the best I've had. 5/5 Beef skewers, comes with two skewers with four big bites on them. Great flavor, small bit of kick with a bit of teriyaki taste separated with mushrooms. The steak was just a little on the tough side and a couple of the bites were almost too big, maybe a knife would have helped. But I would order it again. 4/5 Sushi rolls: Ahi Zen - Bluefin tuna in agave soy marinade and chili garlic oil, cucumber, mango topped with avocado, black tobiko, fried shallots, and micro green salad. Very good! A citrus roll, and a spicy inferno roll. All very good. The inferno roll we requested the habanero sauce on the side, and a good thing, it had a lot of heat to it, but amazing flavor!5/5 We were celebrating my birthday, when we arrived there was a wax sealed card with a hand written note inside. Very nice touch! And the Oreo Cheesecake wasn't bad either. I'll definitely be coming back to try one of their steaks. They looked amazing.

I haven't ate in downtown Salt Lake City in almost five years so I was pleasantly surprised with all the new restaurants and bars that are there now! Wow! Aker has a very sexy date night/girls night ambiance with low dim lights, chic interior and perfectly spaced out seating. There were plenty of tables available on a Saturday night but I would recommend making a reservation just in case! Service was excellent, they came around multiple times to check in on us and offered recommendations on the menu. We ended up going with the servers choice (next time you go out to eat, do servers choice - they usually tell you the best on the menu). We got the beef yakitori (skewers), dozen oysters and the Aker roll. I'm a bit of a food snob now that I've live in different culinary cities so I'd say the presentation was there but I found the food to just be alright. The skewers were very salty, it needed something to offset the salt perhaps maybe some jasmine rice. The oysters in my opinion were good, just not great! I'm in a coastal city now and the comparison isn't quite fair but it's good for the price! The Aker sushi wasn't anything to write home about either. We both had two bites and left the rest. Overall, I'd say this is more of a drinks with friends place or a cute date night! I'd definitely come back for a pre-dinner drink of before a night out!

Ambiance, lighting, tables, utensils, music etc were all on point. In this area, Aker succeeds. To preface this review, our friend went on Akers website and emailed days in advance for a reservation. He had also inquired about a specific burger that was no longer on the menu. This was the sole reason he wanted to bring us....THE BURGER. He hyped it up as "not just any burger" so I got excited. Aker emailed back and said that it would be available when we went. Cool! We arrived on Sunday evening with a party of 14. Somehow, when we arrived, we weren't on the reservation list. The host was pretty frazzled and took a bit to work things out. Since we arrived right at 4pm and no one else was there, they were eventually able to accommodate our party. Appreciate their flexibility! They brought out this super yummy mango/ginger sorbet. Really refreshing, but it's primarily to cleanse the pallet. I could've just eaten a bowl of that. Regarding the burger we came here for....There was a breakdown of communication. When we inquired about the burger with our server, he wasn't aware of anything. Our friend brought us here SPECIFICALLY for the burger. They were not aware of the communication between us and Aker via email a few days earlier who guaranteed that it would be available. After some back and forth and perhaps the server contacting a manager, they made it happen. Unfortunately, the burger they made was not the burger that was hyped and one our friend had initially brought us here for. The burger they made was just okay, but for $18, I expected more. Bummer....We also ordered the Mac n cheese which they serve in a little cast iron server. This was awesome! This was the star of the night. Ide order that again. My wife burned her finger on the cast iron - I wish the server would've told her it was really hot. One burger, Mac n cheese and edemame appetizer ended up costing $50. Def on the expensive side. The place was clean and the staff did their best to accommodate us given the breakdown of communication.

Just for background. Friend of ours emailed the restaurant about a burger they have on the pictures. Owner emailed back told friend no longer on menu but let us know when you come in and we will make it for you! Cool! Friend gets a group together to try out this secret menu burger. We arrive at 4pm reservation he made 1- no reservations was actually made 2- no they don't serve the burger Owner never told his staff... which a comment was made he does frequently... yikes Good thing our friend still had the e-mail and showed the hostess. She was nice and spoke to the manager. They ended up accommodating us. We were the first ones there. They open at 4 so it was good we came early and not during a busy time. Otherwise I could see it looking bad. The restaurant is nice and clean. The waiters were friendly and we appreciated the staff actually accommodating us and trying to make the burgers. I honestly would have preferred they said sorry we can't make them we don't have the ingredients. Please come back tomorrow or we will throw in appetizers for the mix up. Why? Because they weren't anything special. The meat was thin. And buns were so dry. Which made the burger taste dry. The waiter had said the meat was seasoned with some seasonings and if everyone was ok. But I tasted nothing at all, Nothing special about the burger. Not even aioli was special to me. I ordered edamame - very good and flavorful Mac n cheese was delicious. Cheesy and perfectly cook noodles. I think some crunchy topping would be good. It's really hot!!! Don't touch the pan the cook it in. I burned my finger trying to move it. A friend ordered their crunchy roll and mentioned rice was undercooked or tasted stale and I said maybe that's the crunch part hehe. ;-) Another friend ordered some beef skewer appetizer and said it was overly cook It is a pricy restaurant. Music was low which allowed for us to talk. I feel bad for the mix up which causes the low rating. Hopefully maybe I'll stop by again to give it another try.

Aker tonight was off. Service was clunky. There was so much club music. There were sparklers going off at every table for birthdays Iike it was Applebee's. The beef robatoyaki was overcooked. The pork belly was a no. The gyoza was burned. We didn't finish those. The miso cod was decent. The Burnt Offering cocktail was really well done. But $400 for a couple of drinks, apps and a single entree? Aker needs to step it way up to justify a bill like this. You can't coast on the aesthetic alone. The server held the the credit card machine instead of handing it to us while we paid which was awkward because tipping. Gonna be a minute before we try again.

While walking around downtown Salt Lake City, you can't miss this place as it's off of Main Street. A lot of activity in the area and the venue sits idea to the plaza. With my family, we were looking for a good Japanese experience that would include the classics that we all know when it comes to sushi, but also with a fusion twist. Make a reservation to secure your dining experience. It was easy and when we arrived, we waited about 5 mins to get seated. When the weather is nice, opt for the patio seating. We sat at a bar height table (not so comfortable so I would recommend a standard table in your reservations unless you're doing a meet & greet date or using this place to pre-game). One major highlight the Live DJ was on point!!! I like the vibe, atmosphere and location. As for the food, for a party of 4 we went in pretty hard. Price point was higher than expected for some dishes. We loaded up for sure on Margarita, Grey Goose based cocktails and of course wine. Drinks were around $10~18 each, which wasn't bad and they can do some custom requests as I wasn't feeling my initial drink (Tokyo Flame) and switched over to a Reposado Margarita with St Germaine & passion fruit... For the food, we started off with 2 Kale Salads, Gyoza (Waygu), the Kanpachi Sashimi & the Aker Trio. The salads were bigger than expected and were shared with the other starters. No complaints. For the main course, we ordered a few of the signature rolls via our server's recommendations. The Aker Crunch, Ahi Zen & Spicy Shrimp Tempura were good; however, it was the start of a pattern... none of the sushi rolls with rice were staying together. No, it wasn't my chopstick skills that made them fall apart, they didn't seem tightly rolled. Maybe a bad batch of sticky rice. That was the core of my dinner and that made it less enjoyable. I had to ask for a fork to scrape them together. This was the biggest miss for me as this is a place that specializes in Japanese fusion items and that should never be served. , An order of the Chaffeu Fried Rice was added and one of us had the Seaside Harmony, which was a nice combination of Pan-seared scallops. My return here would be with a group (or date night) again. Hopefully the feedback provided helps to create a more signature experience.

Business trip = stress. Stress = sushi. This is logic. So I wandered into Aker and emerged a changed and very full human being. The rolls are works of art. Like, stop and stare before devouring them like a wild animal kind of art. I told myself I'd just get a couple things. I then proceeded to eat like I was prepping for hibernation. No regrets. The Vibes? Cool without trying too hard. The Staff? They didn't judge me for the speed and quantity with which I consumed their menu. Sushi is always the answer.

A friend and I shared the Chocolate Lava Obsession and let me tell youuuu. It got devoured and we left not a piece on the plate! It's not too sweet, it tastes homemade and yet elevated, dusted with powdered sugar and presented like a work of art. The ice cream was so good we wished it had a double scoop. The ambiance is quite unique to many places I've been to in SLC, and reminded me of restaurants you'd find on the east coast. The servers are kind and appear to be happy to be there. For me, as an occupational health and safety professional, I feel like I do my part by going to businesses with happy staff. Highly recommend coming to Aker!

WOOF!!!!! Amazing, loved every bit of my evening at Aker. Our waitress was ON IT, very attentive, gave great suggestions and had a calming presence about her. I got the drink special to start "the Vegas Wedding", a whiskey based drink with melon? So great. For food, got the Sunomino Kimchee starter, similar to Din Tai Fung cucumber salad, great portions to share with the table. Next I got the Hanabi and the 12oz NY strip. A huge steak perfect for sharing with the table paired with one of the best chimichurris I've had. Polishing things off with a classic Lava Cake the "Chocolate Lava Obsession" and vanilla ice cream. This is a perfect dinner, big fan. My only wish was to be offered patio seating, they have such a lovely patio I didn't notice until mid dinner I would have loved to be sat out there/given the option to.

TLDR - I recommend this restaurant and would love to go back! Really happy that there's a solid seafood place in SLC for special occasions! We celebrated mother's day with my family here and ordered the Ahi Zen, the 30 piece sashimi platter, the miso cod, and all 3 desserts (yay!) Starting with Ahi Zen. It is tasty but not memorable. I find it quite salty even without dipping in additional soy sauce and that it distracted from the flavor of the tuna. Overall, the 30 piece sashimi platter was good, especially because it came with fresh grated wasabi - that was the real gem of the night! It really elevated the sashimi experience. We specifically asked to include uni if available and were lucky enough to snag the last of it. My first bite of uni was good, but then the second bite was really fishy... The toro was beautiful, however, it wasn't the best cut (see pic) as it included the connective tissue so parts of it was a bit stringy. For $160 I was hoping we'd get otoro but for SLC... I'd stay it's a big step up already. All the other fish was good but if you don't like toro / uni / and the more expensive cuts of fish, I don't think the price point makes sense. If you do, you'd still need to be a bit forgiving. The miso cod was good. I think it would be even better if it comes with a side of rice or grain for all that saltiness and sauce. Our server was great and knows the menu well (ugh i forgot her name!) but it seems like the escort and some of the staff are still settling into the newish restaurant and groove of things.

Meh... i wanted to like this place but the food was just meh for me. Cute atmosphere and wonderful service but the food was mediocre at best. The drinks were ok but the lychee martini tasted like fruit juice. The bartender was sweet and i feel bad leaving this review. Uni was from Santa Barbara but was not fresh and texture off. For $26 a nigiri order, was not worth. If this was good. I would of done the toro (fatty tuna belly) for $36 a nigiri order. Kanpachin nigiri - it was ok. Not as fresh as i would like. $11 Bone marrow with minced beef tartare ($36) probably the most decent and sharable. Not the best. Kind of bland but doable. Miso cod ($37) really salty but flaky Espresso martini with resposado tequila was good Lychee martini was more like fruit juice. Over all 3/5 mainly for the bartender and ambience

Great service, great menu with lots of GF options so it was hard to decide what to order. Started off strong with the free watermelon slushie palate cleanser. I tried the rename, katsumi roll, citrus roll, salmon nigiri, sunomono, and skewers. I would say the edemame flavoring was great and the nigiri fish was fresh. The rest were alright but nothing blew me away. Service was good and ambiance is fantastic too. I'd go back for more nigiri.

Ate here tonight with coworkers after a long 2 days of trade show duty. Great cucumber whisper, sashimi platter & butter cake we split . Amazing food. Asian fusion for the win!

The food was sooo good!! The service was also so great, our server was so nice and attentive! Our steak was cooked to perfection, the fish was so good and perfectly cooked, and the sauce was beyond. We tried the uni for the first time and I'm obsessed, the hanabi ctispy rice was very very good however the rice was a bitttt too hard but the tuna on top was very good and fresh! they also offered us a free desert because we were celebrating our anniversary which was so so sweet and kind! Will definitely definitely be coming back and trying more items!! But GET THE STEAK AND FISH FORSURE!!!!

Ambiance: as the pictures show, this restaurant is upscale to the Nth degree. I enjoyed the moody, lower lighting room-wide with thoughtful table side lamps for menu reading. Service: I received personal communication from the hostess to confirm our reservation and to ask for more information concerning my food allergy. Our server and bartender was knowledgeable about the menu and swift with delivery. Food: I can't even tell you how much the quality of the fish, the beef, and the pork brought me back to my favorite experiences in Tokyo and Kyoto. This is the kind of quality meat I don't think we have in the US. 10/5 stars, will return when my wallet has fattened up again.

Aker lives up to the hype! Great customer service, exceptional food and nice ambiance. The sushi rolls introduced new flavor fusions that were delicious. Ahi Zen, Salmon Citrus and Pae Inferno graced our table. Tremendous flavors and rolls elegantly stuffed to the rim. The skewers were delicious and flavorful. We ended the night with the delectable Oreo cheesecake. Our waiter was attentive and knowledgeable!

We had a mixed experience here, but there were definitely highlights. The steak took quite a while to arrive--and I'm not sure it was entirely worth the long wait--but when it finally came, it truly melted in my mouth. My husband ordered the branzino, which was a unique presentation. While we appreciated the creativity, having to hammer the shell for several minutes took away from the overall enjoyment. That said, if you're patient, the steak is worth trying, and the branzino might be a fun experience for some. The atmosphere is a real plus--fun, youthful, and classy with great energy from both the staff and other diners. I'm hoping the long wait was just a one-off, and despite that, I'd still recommend checking it out for the vibe and food quality.

The ambiance of Aker is incredible. It's a beautifully curated space. We also enjoyed the service we received. The cocktails were fabulous. We tried three different cocktails, all of which offered unique and refreshing flavors with my favorite being the Cucumber Whisper. For starters we ordered the Miso Shrimp and Wagyu Gyoza. The Miso Shrimp was phenomenal and offered bold and unique flavors. I found the Wagyu Gyoza to be a bit underwhelming and I wouldn't order again. Next we had two of the premium sushi rolls. I would skip these altogether next time. The quality of the sushi rice was very subpar and disappointing. For the entree we went with a Wagyu strip steak with a side of the truffle mashed potatoes. Both were just okay. I felt they were lacking flavor and weren't anything special. Finally we finished with the brown butter cake. I would also skip this in the future. The cake was very dry but did have a nice flavor. In the future I think I'd come here for cocktails and appetizers but skip entrees and dessert.

Phenomenal dining experience. Went to this place with a group of 5 and was greeted with such kindness from beginning to end. Due to the size of the group we ordered a bunch of dishes to share, so let's run down the list: - Inca sunset roll 8/10, - the beef yakitori skewer was delicious 10/10 hands down my favorite thing-- I recommend dipping in the middle orange sauce.-- this was so good we ordered it twice. - I loved the Sunomono kimchee 9/10, - kale salad 7/10 (we did this with no mushroom but I'm sure the mushroom would have sent the dish to another level) - Salmon citrus roll 6/10, - the edamame was delicious 9/10, (very generous portion the sauce is mouthwatering the soy is really good on it.) - Wagyu gyoza was also quite good I'd rate that pretty high as well as a 7.5/8 out of 10. We also ordered the oysters and yuzu, the yuzu citrus gives a nice balance to the oysters, so I'd absolutely recommend if you like oysters. Due to the birthday we were gifted the chocolate lava cake that the table absolutely swooned over. Vakes was our waiter, he went above and beyond in every way. I would absolutely recommend this place again and again!

Fabulous experience. Great service, cool space, incredible food. Wait staff was very knowledgeable, helped with sake selection. Try and leave room for dessert, it'll be worth it.

I love Aker! I have been here a number of times and have continued to have great experiences. I make reservations every time, so I have never had issues waiting for a table. I love the atmosphere. The lighting, decor.. rad vibe. I'm obsessed w the dressing on the Kale Salad. I want to buy it and take it home--it's so good! Salad is big and plenty to share with 2-3 people so you can try other things, too. This sushi dish in my pic isn't listed online so I can't remember the name, but it's the first roll listed on the menu. I get it every time I go--delicious!! Service has been on point. Everyone is friendly and food comes timely.

An incredible all round experience in such a beautiful setting. The restaurant was just radiating cool, we had the Wagyu New York strip steak with broccolini and garlic mashed potatoes ( not pictured) and the sashimi platter. The steak was cooked perfectly and the sashimi tasted incredibly fresh. Our waiter Zach was very attentive and very knowledgeable which also added to the experience. We tried the Tokyo Flame and White Pearl cocktails and they were sweet enough to gift us a dessert for our anniversary! Just an awesome experience. Highly recommend.

Aker used to offer a burger late night, when they started new hours some of the menu items were excluded from the menu. We were informed we could order an item that was not on the menu just to come in at an arranged time and we could get it. We arrived but to confusion, there was major miscommunication but the staff was very professional and accommodating! Even though they did not have the ability to make the meal how it used to be served they made our group what they could. Thanks to the staff, 4 star due to confusion that was caused but overall the restaurant offered up a beautiful atmosphere with just the right amount of music.

Second time here and love this place. Situated on Main Street in the old maxwells building. Live dj, upscale and intimate ambience. The same list is so cool, the names of the choices are like something out of an anime. Service is impeccable. The apps are so good, bone marrow, hand rolls, oysters, what more do I need to say? The Wagyu ribeye was tender, juicy, and delicious.

Decent upscale restaurant. Ambiance: Nice and classy with an upscale vibe. Service: The server was nice and friendly. I just wish they had told us what they were out of before we started ordering as it seemed like we had to redo our plan everytime. Food: Had the rock shrimp, beef and pork skewers, maguro, and sailors voyage roll. Rock shrimp was delicious and shrimp was still crispy. The skewers were decent. The maguro had an interesting and unexpected flavor palate that we enjoyed. The sailors voyage roll was just okay. They were out of their mocktails but was able to make one based off of preferences that was good. Overall, nice upscale restaurant for a date night but I didn't feel like the food was up to par for what was expected, esp for the price.

Service was amazing and the food and drinks were delicious. High prices. Lovely ambience and beautifully crafted inside and out. The bathrooms are beautiful too. Came for a friend's birthday and she was brought a complimentary dessert with a sparkler which was a thoughtful touch. I ordered "wagyu" something or other at Lake Effect for the same cost and it was super tough... this place is far more worth your money.

Beautiful ambience, amazing food and friendly staff. Everything was high quality and delicious. The fish was fresh and cooked to perfection. We came here for my birthday as a last minute pick and it was fantastic. The lava cake with the giant candle on top made my day. Will come back!

One of the best meals I have ever had. I chose to do the chefs tasting menu and I was not disappointed. Starting off with the Wagu gyoza which was so flavorful. The texture and the taste paired so well. Next was the crispy rice and it was served with cilantro and that was a little wrinkle for me. But I just removed it and was so tasty. Just a tad hard to eat with my clump at chopstick hands. Then came the showstopper of the freshly grated wasabi. The sushi was so fresh tasting and the roll with strawberry was unexpected but one of the better rolls I have ever had. Then came the main attraction the Wagu steak. The broccolini was cooked perfectly with a bit of a crunch and it paired well with the homemade chimichurri but the steak was melt in your mouth perfect. Finally, to end the night I had the Oreo cheesecake and the presentation alone was worth it. The fruit was delicious and fresh. The mochi was light and paired well with the fruit. The service was top notch and the restaurant was basically empty so it was very relaxing.

Aker absolutely delivered on all fronts. We Ubered over, so can't speak to parking, but everything else was fantastic. The ambiance is modern and inviting, with a great energy that still allows for comfortable conversation. As soon as we arrived, they brought out a palate cleanser--such a nice touch. For a party of two, we ordered the wagyu dumplings with kimchi (yum), hanabi, salmon citrus roll, negi toro maki, Ahi Zen roll, and a beef yakitori skewer, along with two cocktails. Everything was beautifully presented and full of flavor, and they took care in working around my mushroom allergy. We even had enough to take a roll home. Service was friendly and efficient, and even the bathroom was spotless and well-attended, which says a lot about the overall care they put into the experience. Highly recommend and can't wait to come back!

We have been here several times. We are obsessed with their wagyu, Mac n cheese and sushi rolls. We've always had excellent servers, very professional. I love their cocktails too! This restaurant used to be Maxwell's and the remodel is stunning. It's gorgeous and sexy inside. We had an anniversary dinner and had a less than stellar experience but they did reach out and made it up to us. We will definitely keep returning.

Since the change in management these guys have been a shit show. Inconsistent, rude staff, and lazy. Walked into an empty restaurant on a Friday night a few weeks ago at 9 no reservation but only 2 tables taken. Refused to serve us because they weren't seating people or taking reservations for the evening. If you do make a reservation don't count on getting the type of seat you want. Drinks are meh. Ambiance depends on their moon- sometimes it's moody and other times it's bright and zero music. Laziest rudest staff in SLC. Do yourself a favor and grab mid sushi somewhere else.

Alana at Aker is such a gem! I'd come back for her alone! This place has great plates and great drinks but I really have to give it up for the staff! So attentive and thoughtful. Really fantastic service.

I needed to book a last minute business dinner for 20 people in town for a conference, and the Aker staff and management pulled through with a custom menu that hit all their best meals! Great price and the atmosphere was just right for my boss and his colleagues. Thank you Aker staff for really pulling through with delicious blends of sushi and steak!

Our first impression was the cool vibe and atmosphere of the restaurant. We started with wagyu dumplings and the premium nigiri flight. Both were a big hit. Our waiter was Zachary and he was so helpful and engaging with us through the night. He helped us navigate the menu and the entire experience. The 5oz A5 Wagyu special came seared with table side heated rock. It was a nice surprise so we both could get it to the temp we preferred. It came with five different sauces and black and white finishing salt. The sauces were great but the beef melted in your mouth. No sauce is necessary. Miso Salmon and the Sea-bass was a nice finish. The desserts looked amazing but we were very full. I should mention that they have a full bar and great crafted cocktail selections. We are excited to come back!

From the moment I stepped in front of Aker, I felt the positive hospitality and service. The staff's high energy made my night even better. I had the bone marrow and kale salads, both of which were delicious. The fun ambiance was enhanced by DJ Chris, who played great mixes that made it enjoyable to groove and eat. Overall, I'm definitely coming back and will bring friends and family.

This is a solid addition to the downtown dining scene. This is also licensed as a bar that's 21 and over only. That's a big plus for me. I was sold on the Yakitori emphasis. I wish they gave us a interesting option, or two, but the straight forward selection of different proteins was fine. The salmon was a little bit more done than we'd like, but the others were perfect. The room is large and well divided up, but I didn't love the chairs, comfort wise. One of the highlights was the bone marrow beef tartar. It was simply stunning. Taking the marrow and putting it on the toasted bread while allowing us to add the tartar was perfect. It was melt in your mouth with well blended subtle flavors. The nigiri sushi was as good as any of the top tier sushi places around town. They have fresh wasabi on request. Desert was nice. The cocktail was nice. My sake by the cup was nice. Service was a bit too earnest at times. I chalk that up to it being opening weekend. Still, everyone was outgoing, and did a first rate job.

So this place was fairly new, apparently just a a week or two new from today dining in. Location of this place is where the old maxwells used to be, for us millennials lol. Definitely a fancy ambiance of a place, so come dress up! Cute for a date night. Our waiter came to me and my husband to take our drink order right away while we waited for the rest of our party to get in. So for the food... maybe it wasn't what I was expecting. Small tapas plate style, expect that. Our table had a party of 12 of us, so we pretty much got all the appetizers on the menu. Seaweed salad was a starter I got and mind you, this is real seaweed and not the ones you get at typical sushi restaurants. Not to my taste personally, however others may like it because of the real seaweed, and the sesame sauce is good with it. Two of our side dishes the truffle mash potatoes, came out with our appetizers which I thought was a bit weird as I thought it would be served with our main course. I had the miso cod, I think one of the best things I've ate here. Mind you, it took almost 2 HOURS to receive our mains dishes. I understand being a new restaurant, our big party but we were there from 7:30PM and left the restaurant at 10PM. I was pretty cranky and so was the party I was with that our main dishes took forever to come out. I give it 3 starts for our waiter who was sweet and understanding and the miso cod, as well as my husbands scallops were good. Every other dish we tried were mediocre. Other than that, I'm not entirely sure I will be back personally, however I'd love to see this place thrive even better.

A great new addition to the fine dining scene downtown. Serving some classic sushi as well as some fusion style crudo/ceviche and rolls as well as steaks. While I would say the focus is more on the higher end steaks and entrees, the sushi we tried was great. They have good bluefin tuna, and the roll we tried was tasty and creative (Ahi Zen Roll). We got the ribeye steak which came out perfectly cooked and juicy, served South American style w/ a tasty chimichurri and excellent roasted brocollini. Even the side of mixed vegetables we got was surprisingly good - a stir fry of juicy baby onions, mushrooms and tender potato slices. The kurabata skewers were probly my fav - everyone does pork belly nowadays but these were delicious and succulent w/ the perfect blend of fatty to meatiness. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the miso shrimp, but if you like honey walnut shrimp you'd probly like these. The sushi bar treated us to some dessert nigiri, some seared sablefish on top of a kind of sweet mashed potato purée instead of rice which was interesting and delicious. The service was excellent and the space is very cool and modern w/ cool booths and high tops as well as a lounge section w/ some couches.

This pretentious place... they pick and choose reservation requests. The audacity is shocking. Why would I continuously try and give you my business?

Had so much fun at this restaurant! We got to sit at the sushi bar and the server made amazing recommendations! If I was local I would be back all of the time!

I paid $63 dollars for a steak that was nothing but fat. It wasn't cooked to the correct temperature. Very disappointing.

Came here for a work dinner so it was nice to try more items than I usually would if I was paying haha. However, I do think most of the entree prices are reasonable, some of the appetizer prices were a little too pricey for me even if they were delicious. The food was amazing, the fish was cut well and tasted amazing and fresh. The wagyu was the best, we got two and honestly could've gotten more but we were so full from the other items haha. Love that it comes with a small clay grill (i think that's what it's called?) and it really added to the experience! Oysters were amazing as well, I always get nervous eating oysters and getting sick but we had the best experience with them! The desserts were fantastic, our favorite was the cheesecake. The only thing I think they could improve on is their cocktails, we tried a couple different ones and I personally didn't enjoy most of them. Other than that nothing but good things to say about this place, it's pricey but worth it for special occasions! It is pretty dark inside but was perfect vibes, the bar also is very open and added to the space well. I can't remember our servers name, but she was so kind, and helped us get the restaurants playlist cuz our team loved the music they were playing! We bonded with her over fred again, love her!! I definitely would recommend and come here again!

The food was so so good here!! We ordered both fish and meat options and everything that came out was so good and beautifully plated. The edamame WAS INCREDIBLE! The dessert was also super delicious (specifically the orea cheesecake which was a limited item). The drinks also were very nice. The restaurant itself was super beautiful, slightly dark but it set the mood. Parking was rough but that's because it's in the middle of downtown so just give yourself time or be ready to pay to park. Lastly the service was PHENOMENAL! (shout-out Rachel!). We had a large group and all of our food was coming out quickly and rachel was super friendly. Also the staff that was helping rachel was clearing out plates and table space so nicely! I definitely am planning on coming back soon. So so good and great service! Also the playlist of the establishment was so good, I even asked for the name so I could look it up on Spotify! Very nice spot specially for fish and meat lovers!

One of my newest favorites for dinner downtown with a cool vibe. The service is great, and the seabass is phenomenal.

Have been a couple of times and LOVE the food, drinks, and atmosphere. An absolute must hit! You feel like you're stepping outside SLC as you enter, and this spot, to me, exemplifies the elevation of SLC's dining scene.

Aker SLC has a stunning space--seriously, the ambiance is so nice, it could host a yoga retreat. Unfortunately, that's the only thing worth writing home about. The food, on the other hand, seems like it was cooked by someone who deeply resents taste buds. I tried the "wagyu" gyoza, which tasted less like wagyu and more like someone whispered "beef" at a pile of sadness. The kimchi had all the funk of a frat house, and none of the good kind. And those yakitori skewers? They tasted like someone marinated them in toilet water and regret. To top it off, the prices were astronomical. I left feeling like I had just funded their interior designer's new Tesla. If you're thinking about eating at Aker, I'd recommend donating your money to a charity and dining out of a trash can instead--you'll save cash and improve your dining experience. At least the chairs were comfy.

We came here for date night and the food was spectacular. I was so pleasantly surprised with the flavors and complexity of each dish. The cucumber kimchi salad was divine. The service was great and the ambiance was lovely. Definitely coming back!

Had the most wonderful experience here! Walked in around 6 o'clock on a Friday. Seated immediately with our server Addie. She was great!! Awesome knowledge of the menu. Got a little bit of everything and not one item disappointed. Was very impressed with everything and especially the mocktail I enjoyed! I recently stopped drinking and the mocktails here didn't just taste like juice as most do. Loved it! Will be telling friends and definitely will be returning customers. Thanks Aker!!

Food was great. Service was excellent. Note to future patrons: sushi rolls are anywhere from $25-30 The place is completely different from Maxwell. The owner sunk a ton of $$$$ into the ambiance, bravo there! Try the Kale salad and the shishito peppers!