Zen Sushi & Sake

Wow! Amazing experience in an unexpected location in Lexington. I got a front row seat at the sushi bar in front of the incredible Chef June, with impeccable service from Adam. They both made me feel like VIP… creating the most incredible selection of nigiri, flown in fresh multiple times weekly from a fish market in Japan. Each was a masterpiece which melted in my mouth. I suggest Chef’s choice which is an incredible value and highly curated. I have eaten sushi all around the country and this delicious spot is one of the best.

Best sushi I’ve had in a long time! Upscale, fresh, delicious. We will definitely be back to Zen soon!

So happy I stumbled upon this little place while in Lexington. AMAZING food. Absolutely wonderful. Service was also good. I had the Hong Kong steak I think w the pepper sauce, such good flavor. That meal is what is pictured. I also got the ginger salad (so fresh) and the dumpling soup which were also amazing.

We chose this spot because it was the highest rated restaurant near our hotel, and I can absolutely see why that is the case. We didn’t have a reservation, but we were able to get in after a 10 minute wait. The host and server were both very friendly. There were some great options on the menu— it was difficult to choose. The miso was delicious. The bourbon general tso’s was the best general tso’s I’ve ever had. The breading was panko style, and it was fried perfect crisp. The flavoring was tangy and delicious. The sushi they offer was unique. We got a xooker roll. It was steak and cream cheese — unusual but so good. We also got the Krispy krunchy avocado roll, and it was full of flavor. My husband and I split everything, and we were so stuffed after we felt like we had to roll ourselves out. It was one of the best sushi experiences I’ve had.

One of the best shushi in Lexington. Beautiful presentation. Sake 🍶 is dry and Japanese beer is great. Sashimi is out of the world :) so delicious 😋 enjoy all my friends

Really really great food and experience dining in the Zen. Best susi in town!

If you’re looking for an authentic and high-quality sushi experience in Lexington, hands down the best place to visit. This elegant restaurant offers not only an exquisite selection of fresh, expertly prepared sushi but also a refined ambiance that transports diners straight to Japan. From the first bite, you can tell that freshness and attention to detail are top priorities. The nigiri and sashimi are cut with precision and care, highlighting the purity of the ingredients, while the rolls combine tradition with innovation, offering unique flavors that never disappoint. The service is impeccable. The waitstaff is incredibly attentive, knowledgeable, and always ready to recommend the best dishes, ensuring a flawless dining experience. From the moment you walk in, you’re made to feel welcome and special, with 5-star service at every turn. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for an exceptional meal,zen sushi exceed your expectations and elevate your love for Japanese cuisine to new heights. It’s truly a culinary gem you can’t miss in Lexington.

Had a wonderful experience here. My pictures are not the best, but our food was! Everything tasted fresh and the waitstaff were very friendly.

Zen is zentastic. Awesome menu. Fresh sushi flown in from Japan. Outstanding staff. Warm and inviting decor and ambiance. Kayla (our waitress) made a great dining experience spectacular.

Zen is the cutest little sushi place in Lex. Their dishes were all presented with impeccable style. Everything our book club group ordered was outstanding. We had wonderful service and plenty of space for our group. I cannot wait to go back again!

Stumble across this sushi restaurant for dinner while I was in Kentucky. I definitely didn't have any expectations for a sushi restaurant that was in the middle of nowhere. Ordered the 9 piece chef choice nigiri and was told by the server that the fish was sourced from Toyosu market in Tokyo, Japan, so I was excited to try. I was so shocked how fresh the fish was. Every single piece was delicious. This place exceeded my expectation for a sushi restaurant that's in the middle of nowhere. The ambiance of this place is really nice, it was very quiet, recommend for date night. I highly recommend this restaurant, should put this on your list the next time you go to Lexington, KY.

Went here on a whim since we were nearby and its in an easy-to-get-to location. Place was nice, clean and non-hectic. The food itself was good honestly, 7/10. Service was great and friendly (we had Brooke, she was cool). While the food was great, we did leave hungry and it was not THAT cheap. They put the menu in a weird price point where you can underpay and leave hungry, or overpay and have way too much food. They need some sort of roll-combo, all you can eat deal, or something of the sort. Just one roll was not a lot, however, it definitely was GOOD sushi. We will probably come back if we are craving it!

What a find! Our waitstaff, Brooke, guided us through a wonderful, absolutely delightful meal. I'm from New England, where sushi abounds. Never thought we would get one-upped down here! We will be back!

This place is amazing!! We were traveling through and staying at a nearby hotel. Decided to eat dinner here and I am Soooo glad we did! If this place was near where I lived I would definitely be a regular :) The drink the food and the service was excellent along with a great atmosphere that was on point! Brook was our server and she gave Amazing service! Haha I found myself wanting to be friends with her. Can you tell I loved this place ... if you love good sushi then this is your place :)

Service, Ambience, and Sushi are all excellent. We will return. The owner E, and sushi chef, June, are very kind and attentive as are the rest of the staff.

I remember coming here the first time, and I enjoyed their sushi and the house sake. I was thoroughly impressed the first time, so I brought my friend from Louisville for dinner on my recent visit this weekend. We sat by the front (facing the parking lot) and ordered food! We ordered two sets of Naruto, Zander, Oruka, Zero Se, Amazing Tuna, and Incredible? As for the sashimi, my friend ordered Beni Toro, Hamachi, and Maguro? We were so hungry and ordered whatever sounded good at that time. For drinks, we ordered house sake (all for me) and single plum (for my friend), and I ordered two lychee saketini (yummy drinks and strong, too). For dessert, we ordered the fried tempura--a must-have after your full dinner. Our server was excellent, and she took great care of us while we enjoyed our dinner *thumbs up* It is a decent sushi spot and has plenty of parking in the area.

Great food. Some of the best sushi I've had. Is expensive and the menu isn't super diverse so I couldn't come too often. We were sat next to another table in a fairly empty restaurant and the table was very obnoxious but obviously not the staffs fault although could've sat further. Waiter was super attentive. Hopefully will make it back

We really enjoyed everything we ordered. The Chicken Karaage and Bourbon Tso's Chicken. The flavor on both was really unique and wonderful. Service was great. It was our first time and she recommended these dishes and we were very pleased. Ambiance is pleasant. You can watch them roll the sushi if you sit at the bar.

Incredible sushi by skilled chef and team! Fresh fish is flown in several times weekly. Gem of a spot and service is impeccable.

Came here with a group on Saturday. We had friendly service, good sushi, and a relaxing atmosphere. I'm the restaurant is a tad small so I'd recommend making a reservation on a weekend. Our group got a ton of food, but the best things in the menu were the raw rolls (not fried), veggie sushi, and nigiri.

Very nice and serene spot for sushi, the location is unassuming from the outside but very hip and modern on there inside! I have ordered to go and dined in and the quality holds up both ways! We really enjoyed our rolls, edamame, and nigiri! Our server was super friendly and attentive as well which was nice. Overall, a great sushi spot that I will be returning to!

Love this place! Great staff! Each piece of the Sashimi Teishoku (18 piece Chef's choice) is a miniature masterpiece and a a testament to the chef's expertise. A feast for the eyes and the flavors explode on your tongue!

a gem in Lexington! amazing food and great cocktails! the sushi is to die for! highly recommended

We enjoyed everything we ordered. Great food. Great server. Brook was awesome! Friendly staff! We will be back!

Quality of sushi was great! Best I've had in a long time. Chef prepared our dishes with excellent attention to detail and flavor. Photos do not do it justice. The miso soup was my appetizer, a large bowl and not watered down like most places, it's so good on a cold day. My husband ordered the Latin Heat and loved it, said the jalapeños were fresh, making a big difference to him. We also had the pork & chicken dumplings (not pictured), they were cooked perfectly. We were offered smoked soy sauce with our main dish, Nigiri Sashimi Teishoku, that is a must-have! Included were 3 types of wasabi. Some nigiri had a strong smoky flavor that was incredible! The A5 Wagyu (not pictured), King Salmon and Chutoro (fatty tuna) melted in our mouths that made us step back for a moment to reflect. Even the roasted mussel was very tender. After all that, we were so impressed we ordered another roll, Zero Sen, it was delicious. Brooke was our server, and she was very polite, and she knew the menu inside & out. Good servers are scarce nowadays, we're very happy that she was attentive and just wonderful. Restaurant was very clean and simple, love the ambiance--it was warm and cozy. Definitely makes for a nice date night spot that is more quiet than other sushi joints in Lexington.

100% recommendation. Delicious food exceptional service. You must visit this local gem! Sushi was a solid 9.5/10!

We were in Lexington looking for dinner. We found Zen Sushi and decided to give it a try. They did not disappoint. Hands down one of the freshest sushi we've ever had, that combined with great service made it a very nice experience. We will definitely be back.

Their Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice appetizer - Delicious! I also tried the "Incredible" roll. It was. Great service as well. I've found my new sushi place in Lex!

Really wasn't expecting to find this gem! Right by the hotel I'm staying at and had great sushi. Our waitress was also very attentive and sweet.

In town visiting and did take out. I got two rolls, karage and dumplings. Everything was so good!!!! If I lived here I would be a regular!

This is a wonderful place. The food is creatively prepared, fresh and tasty. The service was as good as I've had in Lexington. The atmosphere is trendy and surprisingly quiet. The incredible roll is just that, incredible.

I typically don't eat sushi but my husband brought be sushi from here a few times and it is damn amazing!! We will be coming in person soon!

Very good food, service is okay, it's a small place but definitely worth the time to eat dinner there. Sushi is great there

Great furbishment. It's quiet and new inside. But the table is a bit sticky. There are parking spots right outside. Service is good, staff is patient and nice. The food is really great. The salmon quality is very good, I strongly recommend trying something with salmon sashimi. And the Fancy Salmon rolls are good as well. Overall, very worth trying. A great Japanese restaurant!

This place was highly recommended and Japanese sushi is my sister's absolute favorite meals. The ambiance is very nice. The cream cheese stuffed into the rolls was actually pretty incredible! But I did wish I could have tasted more of the other ingredients. The unagi though, top notch! Everyone at the table had different dishes, but all had quite a bit of food left over and we didn't take it home. Dining is an experience, it can still be fun just to go out with friends and family even if the food is meh. Especially for a birthday bite, which this was. The server knew it was my sister's birthday as her partner had made a reservation for our party of 5. The server decided to never refill her drink, but was very attentive to her spouse, despite my sister politely asking for a refill and an empty cup. When the server went to refill her spouse's nearly full drink for the 3rd time, he politely redirected the server that he was good, but his wife would definitely like to have some water. It was so uncomfortably obvious that we started to gently tease him that he had a scorned lover. At the conclusion of the meal, the server cleared everyone's plate except my sisters, as there was 3/4 of the meal left and pushed slightly away. But everyone else also had quite a bit of their meal uneaten and still had their plate cleared. Without clearing the table, the server came by tell my sister happy birthday and asked if she wanted the birthday dessert and the first time the entire meal the server actually talked to her with a smile like she'd given everyone else. My sister said yes, that would be wonderful. The server then snidely stated, I mean as long as that doesn't go against your diet. Tone dripping with condescension. All parties at the table shared a glance. I quipped... "no, it doesn't. Which is why she already said yes". The server then plated the dessert in front of her husband and told him he could be in charge. She never asked to either clear her plate nor box it. None of us are sensitive whiners, but this server was so out of pocket and it was noticed by all in the party. We generally tip at 20% minimum, usually quite a bit more as most servers also share their tips with the real stars of the show, the chefs and cooks. This is the first time I have ever left nothing. Just nothing. The server's uncomfortable and intentional behavior had become the main theme of the meal instead one another. So, thanks for the memorable birthday dinner! It definitely made for an interesting topic of conversation for the evening.

Let me preface this by saying me and my husband are quite a young couple who were not dressed the nicest tonight as to we both worked long hours today and wanted to be comfortable. We come to Zen quite often and usually tip quite well, so this pains me to as that tonight was not a great experience. We walked in and got seated, and we sat there for about 10-15 minutes without any acknowledgment from our waitress (Brooke) who was walking around very closely to us. After the wait she had come to the table and right away asked us if we were ready to order our food, no asking us if we would like other drinks, no small talk whatsoever (which she was doing with other table), we ordered an appetizer, a couple rolls of sushi, and my husband had gotten a separate entree as well. After we had order she was off with other tables, no checkin with us on how the appetizer was, absolutely nothing, as the other dishes came out (one by one, which is fine) we had thought my husbands entree was coming out next but it never came out, by that time we were already over this experience and we were just ready to pay. As a waitress myself it makes me upset to leave a "bad tip" but this was one situation where it was needed in my opinion. I have no clue if it was because we looked young and were not "dressed up" while he other tables looked older, or just because that is her normal service but in that moment it definitely felt it was because we were young. I do still highly recommend to go for the food and if you have the chance to be sat with Adam do it! He has been amazing every single time we have had the pleasure of sitting with him!

Zen has been our go to place for sashimi for 3 years now. The twice weekly fish shipments from the Tokyo fish market assures that the freshness and variety will be top of the line. The sushi chef, Jun, is not really a chef. He is more of an artist and the rest of the staff, Maddey, Brooke, Kaitlin, Adam and Crystal are first rate and experts in their knowledge of what they are serving. This helps when you order Omakase, which is only available if Jun isn't overwhelmed, which is pretty standard on weekends. Next to Jun, the real star is the owner, Ye Ma, an artist in her own right who has had exhibitions of her work at UK and is one the nicest people you'll ever meet. Zen is definitely a sushi restaurant and while the rest of their menu is very good, it's the incredible variety of fresh fish with their weekly specials that set it above any of the other Japanese restaurants in Lexington and I've tried them all.

My partner took me here for my birthday and it was our first time visiting. We both enjoyed it so much. The waitress was awesome..service and food was fantastic. Great dinner and celebration We'll be back for sure!

Amazing sushi. This was my first visit to Zen. It will not be my last. The fish was extremely fresh and the service was great. If you are in the Lexington, KY and are in search of amazing sushi, look no further. This is a must try restaurant. I can't wait to go back!

Upon arriving my husband and I were very surprised as the restaurant was in the mall area. Never judge a book by it's cover! Zen Shushi & Sake Bar was amazing! The Curry upon, salmon belly, spotted prawns, big eye tuna and the scallops were AMAZING!!! We ordered seconds just for the flavor! A hidden gem! Kanpai!!

Came to Zen for the first time, was absolutely wonderful! We've been to most of the Lexington sushi locations and Zen is easily top three as far as taste and service. Fish included fresh from Toyosu Japanese Market, and speciality rolls were wonderful! We had the tuna speciality roll as well as Zander and Volcano rolls. All great. Our server Adam was wonderful, personable, and provided fantastic suggestions on fish and sake. Will be back!

The food was great! We ordered broccoli, edamame, pan seared dumplings. Xooker, Philadelphia, and amazing tuna were all excellent rolls! The service was also great. Would recommend

Food Fun Adventure Weekend ended with a trip back to Zen Sake & Sushi in Lexington. I highly encourage a reservation. I ordered A Single Plum cocktail. This is made with Choya Umeshu Sake, Tito's Vodka and a Japanese green plum. It was an interesting drink that was very sweet and could sneak up on someone if they have too many. We started with the Chicken Karaage. The chicken was fried perfectly although slightly bland. The sauce though was awesome. It was slightly sweet and spicy. The flavor that this sauce packs makes this a very enjoyable dish. I ordered a Woodford Old Fashion and the drink they brought me was essentially all bourbon again, but that is okay with me. The only roll that we got again was the Krispy Krunch, it is tempura fried roll that was warm and savory but not super crunchy. This is one of our favorites here. Moving forward we tried the Amazing Tuna. This is pepper tuna, Albacore tuna and spicy tuna. The tuna just melts, and the taste is fabulous. The sweet sauce over top cuts through the tuna and just makes it delicious. The next roll we tried was the Mango Tango. This has crab and avocado wrapped in soy paper topped with Yellow fin tuna, salmon and mangos. It is a bit of a weird texture to eat edible paper, tuna and fruit but when combined it just works. This is a tasty dish. The next stop on the sushi train was the Fancy Salmon. This combines salmon and spicy salmon in an avocado roll with spicy aioli. They mix in tempura flake to give it a crunch and texture. The aioli is not overly spicy but helps cut through the bite. The last dish we tried was Oruhka. This is tempura soft shell crab, eel tamago, avocado soy paper and eel sauce. The crouch of the tempura and the chew of the paper plus the soft omelet like texture of the tamago and the sweet eel sauce just makes for such a great dish. This is by far my favorite. Zen Sake & Sushi is fantastic. I can not recommend this place enough. Zen Sake & Sushi is Fat Man Approved and highly recommended.

Wow best ramen ever! The broth was amazing and loved every bite. Also had salmon belly nigiri and it was so fresh and delicious

Outstanding restaurant! Excellent cocktails and sushi. I got the sampler box, wife got a roll and nigiri. All was very fresh and tasty. Service was also outstanding. Ask for the fried cheesecake for dessert (not on menu).

Service is great. But Ramen is so so, below par. Rolls are alright, but not exceptional. Dumplings soup, sorry not their speciality. Best is the chicken karaage. Maybe fresh fish is their strength? Next time.

On business trip and always love testing out local sushi restaurants. This one is by far on the top of the list. Booked reservations and upon arrival table was set up and no wait at all. Sushi was perfect. Could ask for anything better!! Also the staff was very knowledgeable and amazing. If looking for sushi in Lexington make sure to stop here!!

Me and my family came to this sushi restaurant because it was recommended. Let's just say this was an amazing choice. The food was delectable, unique, and the presentation of the food was beautiful. The staff were nice and had good recommendations. Food came quick! Not to mention the decoration and music made it very homey and an aesthetically pleasing place to eat. Would recommend to everyone who loves sushi!

I was traveling for work and stopped in for dinner. I had the Amazing Tuna Roll and it was amazing. The ginger salad was really good. I also had the Philadelphia Maki. Food was great, service was awesome. If in the area I will come back!

Amazingly delicious! I had the beef tataki, melt in your mouth NY strip steak thinly sliced and seared. My partner had the cooked yellowtail and ordered a second one to go because it was so good! Will definitely be back soon to try many other dishes.

I took some out-of-town guests here because I was able to get an open table reservation during Keeneland. What a gem! I have been next-door to Azur but never to this place. They have a great drink selection to start. We skipped appetizers and went straight for entrées. My business guests love sushi and they got two different types of rolls. I'm not a big sushi eater but I found a wonderful dish of teriyaki salmon with a side of broccoli and rice. It was delicious. Our waiter was so fun and outgoing. He even brought us complementary dessert of tempura cheesecake which sounds weird but it was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend this place for any occasion!

Very nice atmosphere. The waiters and waitress is a very friendly explain the menu if we didn't understand things, the prices were fair food came out properly would recommend this to anybody please go and visit and visit often these people really deserve your business.

Upscale sushi restaurant offering a variety of options. We were in the mood for sushi- and for cheap, but more expensive items were available on the menu. We ordered the California Roll, Shrimp Tempura and Japanese fried rice. All were extremely fresh. The presentation capped it off for an overall amazing first-time experience. Zen is everything you want for sushi. For $6-8 a roll for these two rolls, what more could you want. They offer a happy hour from 4-6 for even better deals. Next time, we will try happy hour. If you love sushi, and pretty pictures of your food- this is your place! Customer service was very polite throughout our visit too.

I wish I could forget that I ate this so I can experience the pure delight I felt when eating here for the first time last weekend. Excellent service and the best sushi in Lexington. Our cocktails were perfect and different than what you see elsewhere around town thanks to the ways they incorporate sake into the drinks. The pan fried dumplings were so flavorful and the texture was perfect. Our speciality sushi rolls were melt in your mouth and fresh. The Fancy Salmon was creamy and delicious, and the Latin Heat was so fresh and the right amount of spicy. Normally cilantro tastes like soap to me, but not this time! The flavor pairings are out of this world. To top it all off, our waiter gave us free dessert - tempura fried cheesecake. If you're in Lexington and want sushi, you have to go here!

This is an unassuming gem! We were there to celebrate Valentine's Day and wanted to try something new. We were not disappointed. Everything was fresh and flavorful! We will be back!

We had a really great dinner at Zen this weekend! Located out in Beaumont near a few other restaurants, I'd heard good things about Zen but had never been. I was really impressed by our waitress's knowledge of the different sakes and the menu in general. We started out with a sake that our waitress recommended that had a very "clear" taste. She also brought us a sample of a different sake with rice particles for comparison- as a sake newbie it was nice to be able to try the different varieties. The specialty sushi rolls come with a cup of miso soup which was brought out first, along with a side of edamame we ordered to snack on. I ordered the "latin heat" roll, which was spicy but not overly so. The fish was so fresh and the flavors in the roll complimented each other really well! She also added a few pieces of sushi the chef had made for us to try which was a nice surprise. One cool thing was that Zen had a separate specials menu which featured fish sent in from a famous fish market in Japan- preeetty fancy for us land-locked Kentuckians!

Love the lychee martini here--actual lychee in it! Sushi is some of the best in Lexington.