Waraji Japanese Restaurant

Sushi is fresh and authentic. Had the chirashi bowl, it was excellent and packed full of sashimi. Also highly recommend the tofu appetizer and tempura. Service was mediocre, a bit hard to get the servers attention even though it was not busy at all. Otherwise food was amazing. Would definitely come back.

My go-to spot for traditional Japanese food! I usually get sukiyaki, Nagoya wings, and grilled fish when I come with family or friends so we can share family-style. The fish quality is consistently good every time I visit. Plus, their warm and welcoming service gives it that cozy local restaurant feel that I love. 🫶🏼

We have been looking for the best sushi in Raleigh. I believe we found it! Don't let the strip mall setting fool you, this sushi is fantastic. Our waitress and the host were lots of fun. We got the sushi for two, which came with soup and salad. Highly recommend! We visited on a Friday night and was glad we had reservations.

this place is the perfect mix of upscale and cozy without the high price tag. loved the vibe! the servers and host were super friendly, and the food was amazing. the menu is huge—i could’ve easily ordered everything. this might just be my new go-to sushi spot in raleigh. definitely coming back to try more. i’d recommend making a reservation ahead of time and dressing nice casual—nothing too fancy, just a little dressed up.

Don't let this quiet plaza fool you, Waraji has the absolute best Japanese food around! My favorite dish here is the Nabeyaki Udon and the Shrimp & Veggie Tempura, but every dish I've ever had here is delicious and beautifully presented. On this most recent visit, our server was Celeste, and she was perhaps the best server we've ever had anywhere! She was charming, informative, and helpful. She was extremely attentive, and we joked that she was a mind-reader because she'd bring us the items we needed before being asked! She stealthily refilled, replenished, and replaced necessary items throughout our meal without interruption. She made sure the meal was well-paced, and even packed up all our leftovers for us in a tidy fashion. I appreciated that we were able to check out right at the table. It was a joy to chat with her on our way out. Thanks for making this a special experience! We'll definitely be back!

Had a delicious birthday dinner here! Our server Kevin made excellent recommendations and added to our experience! Tastes reminded me of home! Will definitely be coming back!

Huge shoutout to Chef Fon for creating the most beautiful and delicious sushi platters for our birthday celebration! The sashimi was incredibly fresh, the rolls were packed with flavor and creativity, and the presentation was stunning. From the colorful toppings to the cucumber flower and garnishes, every detail was perfect. Chef Fon truly made the meal unforgettable—everyone was raving about it! Highly recommend for any special occasion. 🍣🎉

Forgot to make a reservation (which I recommend), however they still put in a great effort to sit us as soon as possible. Food has been some of the best Japanese cuisine I have had in years! Everything was great, my only regret was not having more room to eat more in house and try more of their menu, this time. Will make a conscious effort to return every time I'm in the area from now on.

TLDR: Excellent option for a date or fancy occasion. Waraji is a little pricy, but worth it for the high quality, delicious food. Highly recommend the Una-Ja, Katsudon, and Matcha IPA (who knew matcha IPA would taste so good??) We also enjoyed some chilled nigori and hot sake (50% off on Wednesdays!) We parked near the front and were greeted at the hostess stand. We did not have a reservation, but were seated quickly since we dined late. The hostess gave us a choice to dine in the room to the left (lively, louder, upbeat atmosphere) or the quieter, peaceful atmosphere on the right. We chose the room to the right. I believe our waiter's name was Joseph. Joseph was enthusiastic, helpful, and attentive. A few of us ordered entrees, while the rest shared several small plates. We enjoyed all of the items ordered. I particularly liked the Una-Ja. Overall, we had a great experience and recommend this restaurant to others!

A bad night or OVER RATED. So many friends suggested this place but service was S L O W and food way below average. We ordered their specialities and assumed they would be a hit. So many awards on the wall but you have to assume this was an off night. We LOVE sushi and this was a big letdown. Terribly so service and waiting an hour for our food is not excusable. I am new to Raleigh and I doubt I will find good sushi. Bummer

First parking in the plaza was awful I was driving around trying to find a spot to run in and get my order- I ended up parking around back. Going in place was pretty empty. The two hostesses were nice went and got my order- I paid while the other hostess went in back for my order, she asked me if I wanted to tip the chef- why? It was to go and I had not tasted seen or tasted yet. The food was ok- looked good tasted fine. Was fresh. The guacamole roll all you could taste was the guacamole. Most of the rolls were tempura on the menu or eel.(I don't like eel) The shrimp tempura roll I could taste the fryer oil. The Kendal roll was different fried claws sticking out. Taste was good. I tried the sashimi blue fin tuna for the first time- it was fresh, nice color,greasy like it's supposed to be- tasted like nothing I was expecting more flavor- I was happy it was not fishy. The complementary soup and salad were the best.

Our favorite local place to have sushi. The sashimi is always super fresh. The specialty rolls are very creative. I appreciate the complimentary hot tea! My son loves the Scary Jerry Roll. The best deal is the Holy Moly - it's large! We both like the Shamoo Roll. It cost $20 for 4 pieces, but if you like soft shell crab, I highly recommend it! The walls in the restaurant are covered with awards. I really think it is the best sushi in the area.

It was a great dinner experience for me and my wife. We went for the first time with 2 other friends' family, and they didn't disappoint. My favorite sushi was the deluxe sashimi and fire dragon roll. For people who don't eat raw fish, you can try the Nabe-Yaki Udon, it is surprising good (I rarely order cooked dish at a sushi restaurant lol) I would take friends or family there again when they are in town.

This was some of the best sushi I've had in a long time!! We were sat at the bar and were told the retired chef Masa was working and it's a special treat, which didn't mean anything to me. Afterwords, I know why the hostess said that. He was such a kind, funny, and talented man, it was a pleasure to be served by him! My party of 3 requested to have whatever he wanted to give us, and we weren't disappointed. I didn't take pictures of all of it but I included my two favorite: a special roll that was similar to the hot dragon (I could have that name wrong) and some salmon belly that was seared and topped with eel sauce and sesame oil. There was nothing I didn't like from him. We also ordered some gyoza and that was a little disappointing, especially the ponzu sauce, which was very strong in vinegar flavor. I would like to come back and try more of their food from the kitchen, but as for their sushi, 10/10. Lastly, although the shopping center looks a bit lack luster, the inside of the restaurant does not. It was quite nice in there, with tables, a bar, a sushi bar, and open rooms/sections where you eat sitting on the floor. I'm sure there's a name for that but I don't know it! Also, the drinks were nice and pretty, and the rest of the staff was interactive and lovely!

Best in the USA ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION was epic. Dassai Junmso 23 Daiginjo sake was served in chilled glassware and was absolutely delicious ! Shrimp tempura appetizer was crispy and hot. Miso Soup was complimentary Sunomono Mixed was fresh Seaweed and Cucumber that was complimented by 5 different seafood items Beef teriyaki dinner was tender steak and was easily two helpings to enjoy. Ebi - Shrimp Ika - Squid Yako - Octopus Unagi - Eel A5 Wagu - Japanese Steak Uni - Sea Urchin Quail Egg All Nigeria was extremely fresh and rice Highliy recommend this skillful presentation and cheerfully served by Emily Q. You'd better try this restaurant because it is epic

This was truly one of the best sushi I have ever had . Our hostess, Julie, was super sweet and friendly and answered all our questions about the menu. The sushi was DELICIOUS.. and the place had a very authentic Japanese ambiance. Next time we will go back without kids so we can try the floor tables..

Good sushi spot on the outskirts of Raleigh. I was impressed with the menu and it's a creativity. I loved their selection of shareable bites and appetizers-- the stuffed jalapeños were amazing. There were also lots of fun sushi rolls. The staff were polite and our food came out quickly. We did not need a reservation and were able to walk in around 7pm on a Tuesday. My only complaint is how expensive this place is for being a suburban feeling sushi spot. Besides the plain rolls, most of the rolls were $20 a minimum.

Slurp! Really good! Ever since moving to New Hampshire, I have missed good sushi. Thankfully work takes me to Raleigh fairly often, where I have rediscovered Waraji! They are now back to pre-COVID business hours, opening at lunch and dinner every day. They offer non-stop hot green tea with your meal and even keeps coming after you pay your bill! The sushi bar is a great experience, where you can enjoy a wonderful meal and energetic conversation with Chef Jorge and Chef Kenny as they masterfully prepare your plate. I wish that Waraji offered platings per serving at the bar, but I do understand that it isn't always possible with such a busy front of house. I look forward to returning, everything has been extremely tasty without any misses.

A real hole in the wall, and worth a drive as I was in NC new and staying near the airport. The atmosphere was nice, service was prompt and both the food and sake were on point. I will definitely come back when I'm the area

We always try new local places to eat while traveling and found this gem. If you are looking for a great place for Japanese cuisine, you must give this place a try. The staff was super helpful and made a special plate for my autistic grandson to accommodate his food needs. We we very grateful. The portions are so large, we had plenty to take with us for lunch the next day. If you are a light eater, I would recommend sharing the entrees, especially if you order appetizers. We would definitely return on our next trip.

By far, the best japanese restaurant in the triangle (outside of M sushi). this is a very well kept restaurant in Raleigh that offers amazing dining options. They have a very nice sushi bar with actual asians working behind! the sashimi dish that i typically get comes with a huge amount of fresh fish at a reasonable price as well (i believe it was in the 20s). my mother typically gets the hamachi kama, and they cook it very well. (baked, not fried). wish they made another location closer to me (apex),. but this is the best, so taking the trip out there every so often is a treat...a very yummy treat!

Taste: I thought the sushi was really hit or miss. I appreciate the quality of the fish and the creativity in their specialty rolls, but they just weren't really doing it for me. That being said, specialty rolls are usually 50/50 and it really ends up just being luck whether you like it or not. I thought the uramaki rolls were much better off, showing Waraji's strong fundamentals in sushi. Experience: Everyone here was incredibly kind and the service was great. The interior offers many different scenes: a dimly lit bar-like setting, regular tables, a sushi bar, and then the traditional tatami mats. They kind of cover all the bases here. Price Point: The uramaki rolls I would say were competitively priced for their taste. But I feel like the specialty rolls fell short for what they were priced at. Will definetely be back to try the entrees out and see if they can push my review to a 4 or 5.

This is by far the most authentic & best quality sushi restaurant in the triangle. Ambiance is busy sushi bar with plenty of seating. Our server was very attentive & made sure we were well taken care of. The star attraction here is the food. We were starving so forgot to take a pic of the tempura appetizer. It was a very generous portion for an appetizer & everything was well fried & not greasy. The sushi...OMG...it was all heavenly & of high quality...extremely fresh. There's not many places in the triangle where you can get whelk (highly recommend) & fresh uni. They not only had uni, they had 2 different types & both were amazing. This will definitely become one of our favorite haunts.

Came here the Wednesday after Christmas Day around 5:30 pm and it was very busy!! A good size lot available to park. My friend and I were seated at the sushi bar because it was so busy but I'm glad we were. The inside is cute and has a nice feel to it. The menu has lots of options so it took us a while to decide what we wanted. But we loved everything we got. We split everything. We started with the gyoza. It took a little bit to come out but we still delicious. I loved the sauce that game with it. We then ordered two special rolls with advice from the sushi chef. It was fun sitting at the sushi bar and watching them make sushi. I love both of the rolls we got! They were pretty filling and beautiful. The flavors worked very well all together. The sushi chef then gave us complimentary salmon that he glazed with fire because he heard us talking about them. So kind! We then ended with a small spicy tuna roll. Delicious! The meal ended up being ~$31 per each person. The quality of fish was great and I would come back! Great experience!

We have been back several times since my last review and I am thrilled to say that Waraji is back to its usual high standards! The sushi chefs put forth great effort and serve up deliciousness. We are so glad to make Waraji our go-to place for sushi once again. A second dining area and bar have been added along with additional outdoor seating. The entire staff is welcoming and hustles hard to make sure customers are happy.

I have been hesitant to try any Japanese and sushi in the triangle bring a transplant from the SF Bay. No shade but Japanese and sushi in NC...no thanks! My son convinced me to try here with him for lunch after an appointment near by. We were both pleasantly surprised. Everything we tried was fresh and delicious. We did find the teriyaki bento to be drowning in sauce but it tasted good. Pricey for lunch but decent service, seated quickly, food came out quickly and was fresh. Worth it!

So I moved back to the area a couple of years ago and have been back probably at least twice a week since then and this is by far the best sushi restaurant in the triangle. The servers are so welcoming and always know my order and give hugs and are so friendly and the fish is so fresh. Kenny is an amazing sushi chef along with the rest of the team! Also they offer uni shots here which is hard to come by. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

We wanted to love this place but honestly found it really lacking. Sorry to say that We don't plan on retuning. Food was mediocre, sauces were watery and flavorless. Service, while pleasant and polite, was thoughtless in that it served individual entree portions for for five people in three waves over a 30 minute period (meaning people had to eat before everyone was served and several were done before others started. Cost was about $70 each which wouldn't phase me normally but this was not worth it for a below average experience. The bright spot was the half price bottle of wine for a Sunday. Sorry, but that's how I feel

Food is good but extremely expensive. Sushi is always a work of art. I like the ambiance and like how close it is to me.

The shrimp tempura and veggie dinner entree from waraji was battered to perfection and included crispy pumpkin, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini , asparagus, and large shrimp. I thoroughly enjoyed their side of ridiculously tasty salad with housemade ginger dressing and suimono soup (light seafood-based broth with kamaboko fish cake slices, crab meat, scallions, seaweed and Japanese mint leaf.) Check them out

I mentioned to a friend that I wanted sushi and have heard nothing but positive things from here about this place, from what I gather she visits often and this evening was my first time here. I had the forethought to make a reservation. I was glad I opted for seating in the main dining room bc my first impression walking into the restaurant was that the bar area was cramped. We arrived 20 minutes early and was pleasantly surprised that they were able to seat us right away. We ordered a number of small plates which allowed me to try things that I have never had before while still being able to enjoy some of my favorites like the miso soup! I loved the firecracker shrimp-pure perfection in my opinion! I also gave the "octopus balls" a try and really enjoyed them, something I doubt I would have ever tried if it wasn't for my friend! I ordered one sushi roll, the exact name escapes me but it was Kendall something and it was really good-it had shrimp and tuna and savored each bite of it! After the sushi I decided I wanted a little something more and discovered the shrimp dumplings which were amazing. My friend ordered the green muscles I had the chance to try them and they didn't do much for me, they tasted like a fancy mayo, which didn't taste bad, but I felt like it had too much of that mayo sauce on them. I did also have a pretty good drink served with two lychees and would have totally ordered another if I wasn't being the responsible dd! I finished off the meal with mango mochi! Our server was decent, pricing was reasonable, and would definitely consider returning in the future! Thanks for a great meal and keep up the good work!

In town on business so had to stop by. I ate at this restaurant many years ago. It was just as good as I remembered! Got the Sweet Dragon Roll and something else we asked them to surprise us. It was amazing! Cannot wait to be back in town again so I can get my fix!

Waraji has been in business for 25 years and is in northwest Raleigh. The restaurant takes reservations so that is always a good thing. I dined here for lunch. The restaurant was a little dark for the daytime or it could just have been at the table we sat. The service was very good as was the food. I ordered the beef shogayaki. It came with miso soup; a house salad and rice. The mochi ice cream was fantastic to end the meal. The prices are on the high side so it isn't somewhere I'd be able to dine often but nice for the occasional treats.

Although busy, the service was fast and fantastic. The food was delicious and well worth the wait. The servers would often check up and make sure we had all we needed (water, etc) and even had us let them know if we liked/disliked the dish or needed anything changed. Great service and food overall. The place itself is spacious and great for singles or groups. They have walk ins and reservations

Absolutely loved this place. I'm kind of snob when it comes to sushi and this place did not disappoint. Ask absolutely loved my server. She was amazing, so kind, and personal. Will definitely be back.

Online menu loaded slow on my phone. Finally asked for a real menu. Get there early, 20 people in line waiting for them to open. The food and service was great though.

Great atmosphere! Great food! A good price for their meals. Staff are friendly and fun to converse with.

Came here on a Friday evening - make reservations or get here early - and had some of the best sushi ever. The Shawny and The Mary rolls were incredible. The ambiance is great and the staff were all very helpful and friendly. We will definitely be back often!

We are so lucky to have such an amazingly delicious sushi restaurant in Raleigh! They have expanded since the last time we were here. We drove 2hrs for Waraji! Congratulations!!!

Traditional Japanese meets contemporary spin. Sushi is fresh and amazing. Service is personal. Sushi bar, bar, tables, and traditional style sitting on floor available as well. Overall great experience. I got the Mary and Bonzai roll.

Great food. Wonderful decor and fresh fish. Asahi beer on tap which was very nice. We like sitting at the sushi bar

Best Japanese restaurant in the triangle! Fresh sushi, very nice servers and great food! My husband loves this place! It's his go to place to eat sushi and he always compliments this place for having the freshest sushi in the triangle in his opinion. If you are going there just for sushi, sit at the sushi bar so you can watch them making it freshly for you. But if you want the full Japanese experience you can sit at the traditional Japanese seating and take your shoes off just like it is in Japan. Before going to Japan in 2019 I wanted to try some Japanese food to warm up for our trip. My husband took me to Waraji and our server, a very nice lady that had lived and worked in Japan, recommend the Udon noodles soup since I don't like sushi. It was my first time trying Japanese food and everything was very good! I went back there again a few weeks before my trip for some more soup! We also tried wagyu nigiri and the sake flight. Everything was great!

It's been 10 years since we last visited Raleigh. Waraji used to be my favorite Japanese restaurant so I had to come when we're in town! We made a reservation for 5:30 but there were plenty of seats. By 6:30pm the sushi side of the restaurant was pretty much filled up, so I'd suggest making a reservation if you come after 6:30pm. My son ordered a ramen and taki nigiri. I ordered a shamoo roll, spicy tuna hand roll, and a caterpillar roll to share. The sushi were delicious and just like how to used to be. The ramen wasn't bad, but comparing to authentic Ramen from Japan, it had too much MSG. All in all it's still a fave.

Even though this spot is in a strip mall, inside the restaurant has a classy elegant vibe with French music and low lightening. Be prepared for an impressive drink and food menu featuring basic and speciality rolls along with other options if Sushi is not your thing! This is restaurant is on the pricey side for Sushi as they don't offer deals on the their rolls (no buy one get one etc...) and many of the specialty rolls are close to 20 dollars. With that said, I got two basic rolls for about $10 dollars each and they were fresh and incredible. The wait staff was friendly as I was greeted and had brief conversations with several wait staff. Though it seemed like they were understaffed for the holidays, the staff made it a point to promptly greet everyone and check in on their tables to ensure customers had a quality dining experience.

4-5 years ago when i moved to raleigh this was the best place for sushi whether it was dine-in or take-out. Unfortunately their consistency has gone seriously down hill. Quality of food varies every time i go there. Service for takeout is terrible since the restaurant never answers the phone. if they ever do, they'll leave you on hold 5-10 min after answering or just forget entirely when trying to place a takeout order; not to mention, food via takeout is always subpar compared to dine-in. The fish (even when dining in) is fresh half of the time. it's a shame this place is only great once in a blue moon. Waraji relies on you being resourceful and asking the chefs when they get their fish shipment in (if you come in right after a shipment quality will be good), but more often than not, the fish isn't fresh and quality will be usually be lacking.

This is still the very best sushi resto in the Triangle, haven't tried them all, but hard to top. The new team has kept a good thing going and glad to see the nice Izakaya expansion. The fish quality, taste and texture and piece size is perfect and still the best spider roll around. The eel roll with avocado and cucumber is also excellent. Waraji will remain our sushi go-to as it has for almost 30 years, keep it going! Oish-ka-ta

Staff was very helpful in creating a wonderful experience for my wife's birthday dinner.

Japanese Dining as it should be. Wide range of sushi offerings and fantastic service. Larger dining area. Very. Comfortable

Food: 4 Service: 5 Ambience: 4 Date/Time: 12/23/2021 12:30pm Order: Chicken Katsu-Don, Chicken Shogayaki Crowd: 2/3 full Waraji is more of a high end Japanese restaurant complete with sushi bar and tatami mat seating in addition to standard table and chairs. The setup in the dining area is a little tight with the tables to give room for the tatami mat seating against the far right side wall as you enter. The sushi bar straight ahead of the entrance takes the entire corner and is staffed with at least 4 sushi chefs. Being at the high end of the spectrum you can expect the prices to match. The service is excellent and surprisingly the server actually states the dish names with very little accent for not being of Japanese descent. He was very attentive and efficient. The orders are entered by the server into a handheld touchscreen remote which doubles as the payment device which will take your credit card or Apple Pay and ask how you want your receipt (printed, emailed, texted). The Chicken Katsu-Don was very good and served in a very large bowl with a little heaviness on mushrooms but very tender chicken. The Chicken Shogayaki was also very good with a little light on the veggies. Miso soup was excellent. Overall the meal and experience was great and would recommend it for lunch. The dinner menu seemed to have less variety and was also more expensive all around.

Excellent find for sushi bar with talented sushi chefs - we love sashimi and nigiri and are open to new types of fish and their selection was amazing as well as having uni from Japan - next level delicious! Close to airport so we like to go before and after our flights before heading home. Unassuming location in a strip shopping center but it doesn't matter once inside - really delicious sushi and a large selection of sake.

Unfortunately, the restaurant has gone downhill in the 14 years of our patronage. I liked the expansion and the expanded menu from a few years ago dueing my last visit but I left disappointed this past weekend. It's moved away from being an establishment that cared about the quality of the food to yet another sushi restaurant that serves poor quality fish drenched in japanese mayo and sauces and humongous rolls that would require you dislocate your jaw to eat it. Not to mention overpriced. The service as great and the sake list was extensive. But this is probably the last time I will go to Waraji unless something changes.

Great quality sushi. Best I've ever had. Clean decorative environment. Professional staff. I got the holy moly roll and highly recommend it!

We've been patrons of Waraji for many years Masa and Naomi had the best Sushi restaurant in Raleigh in my opinion. Their sushi was simply the best always fresh and consistent. The service was amazing and authentic. The new Waraji and owners expanded the business and it's not the same. I'm not bashing them but service and quality of the sushi rating has declined from A+ to B+ but still good. It's nice to see Masa and Naomi still working with the new owners.

DELICIOUS, fresh and original sushi! We were happily thrilled to find this great restaurant when we moved to Raleigh!

Excellent Sushi best I have found in the area. The service was outstanding and the steamed dumplings were perfect. I would recommend to anyone that enjoys Japanese cuisine.

First and last time to ATTEMPT to eat here!! Single diner from out of town, I was shown to my seat, handed a menu, then ignored! Parties seated after me were being attended to. Waraji had one chance to make a good first impression and totally blew it!

Very long waits and rude manager when there was a problem with our order. Waiter was great and our sushi when correct was great as well. However, due to this horrible experience as a first time guest I will not be back.

After a few years, i went to Waraji with a friend. The space is nicely expanded from the last time I had been. The bartender was great. Got a few drinks which were nicely delivered. Ordered sushi which i would give a 3/5. The rice was half dried and the roll just kept falling apart. We ended up leaving after. The bartender did mention that the ownership changed a year or two prior.