Akiyama Sushi Bar & Grill

Elite '08

169

226

Harmony O.

Boulder, CO

Many months ago, a couple at a party I attended in the mountains highly recommended Akiyama to me.  So a few weeks later I called a friend who lives in the Gunbarrel area to see if she had tried it yet.  She hadn't, so we decided to dine there a few days after that.

Honestly, a person either is or isn't a raw fish eater.  I am not.  That limits me to rating only the cooked fish sushi and the vegetarian sushi.  I did try these, and they were very good.  I also tried the Salmon Teriyaki.  It as a relatively small portion at lunch, and the price was higher than it is at other Japanese restaurants I've been to in the Boulder/Denver area.  The green tea was excellent and I liked the teapot and teacup.  The service was friendly and efficient.  Tempura is something else I enjoy...and I tried it the second time I dined here at Akiyama.  Though it was ok, the portion was relatively small, and the price somewhat higher than at other comparable restaurants.

A combination (think Bento) that would have cost me ~$10 at Japango cost $18.50 here, for the exact same ingredients, only measurably smaller portions.  The quality of the food is fine here--my main issue is with the portion sizes and overall cost.

I did eat here a third time, too, in March, and not much had changed.  Decent food, smaller portions than other Japanese restaurants, and higher prices.  

So the stars I've given are for friendly efficient service and good food.  And that's that.

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Elite '08

36

78

James W.

Boulder, CO

heard some decent things about this place & also nice review in Daily Camera (which we've learned more and more to distrust).

Sushi was OK, but not up to downtown Boulder quality/authenticity (Sushi Tora or Amu, where we go once a month).

It was pretty dead on a weekend night. Service was not up to normal professional level and we heard staff conversing in chinese, so we wondered about the authenticity of the japanese cuisine. My wife's nabeyaki udon had NO Broth flavor - like they dumped the ingredients into noodles boiled in water - blandest we've ever had; that's a mistake in something basic! We should've sent it back - :(

Definitely not worth the hike to Gunbarrel...but i suppose if you live nearby and don't want to stand in line waiting on Pearl St, maybe...

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9

11

Beth J.

Denver, CO

Forget Hapa.  Forget Zanmai.  Drive a little way out east and be prepared for real, quality sushi.  This place really is the best-kept secret in Boulder.  It's not trendy.  It's not hip.  It's not packed, or loud, nor do you need to wait on the sidewalk for a half hour to get a seat at the bar.  Rather, it is peaceful, elegant and the food will blow you away.

Head Sushi Chef Beni-san recently completed a stint at Nobu in NYC.  Not that this is a be-all, end-all recommendation, but it does indicate the gentleman knows his fish.

The nicest thing about Akiyama is the sheer unexpectedness of it - you'll find this tranquil Zen oasis plunked right in the centre of the Gunbarrel strip mall / King Sooper's shopping centre - right between a (terrible!) dive tex-mex joint and a quickie-nail salon.

Walk in the front door, however, and this could be any of the high end sushi bars I've been to in NYC, SFO, DC, Monterey, LA, Maui or Aspen.  And it blows them all away.  And while Sushi Sasa in LoDo is very good, this place is spectacular, with the same attention to detail and full course menu options, but just that little extra something that makes it all come together.

They have a standard compliment of the now-standard rolls and salads.  Forgive me a touch of snobbery though if I find things like '69' and 'Rainbow' rolls to be 'Engrish' sushi - they're westernized, and in my opinion analogous to an appletini or cosmopolitan as opposed to a perfect gin martini.  Tasty enough, and ok for a certain mood, but not the genuine article.  

Where Akiyama truly shines is in their standard  nigiri and sashimi offerings.  Buttery soft hamachi, saba, squid or amaebi literally melt in the mouth.  They're one of the few places I've found to use fresh wasabi, rather than coloured horseradish paste.  

Service is always prompt, considerate and friendly, even when they've had a full house.  And although I've only been there a couple times in the past six months, the host and chef still remember me.  When it's not hopping busy (only on rare weekend nights), the chef has sometimes been known to offer samplings of different fare.  

Overall I get the impression that the folks who run this place are in it because they truly love the food and want to show it off to the clientele.

Oh and the single most unique thing about the Akiyama sushi experience?  Free, abundant parking!  I don't personally have a car, but this is one of the things I know puts a damper on my friends' LoDo and downtown Boulder dining experiences.

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Elite '08

17

67

Mark M.

Boulder, CO

I don't usually review a place after only one visit but based on the price and general feel, I don't think I'll be going back.

Two people ordered the sushi which looked OK and they thought was OK.  Both thought that they liked the Sushi at various other Boulder Longmont places better.

My Bento box lunch special was the real disappointment.  Very small portion of salmon drowning thick ultra-sweet terriyaki sauce.  Very small portion of rice and salad.

Prices are on the high side for any Japanese place for lunch as we dropped $55 for three lunches, no drinks, no desert and we were all hungry when we left.

ON the plus side it was quiet but I think that was only because there were not many customers.

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Elite '08

13

69

yokes f.

Boulder, CO

Being Japanese and having moved here from LA, I've been on a quest to find good Japanese food in Boulder or anywhere around here. Akiyama is pretty good. If you're from LA, just think, it's one of those average places you could stop by casually for lunch or dinner. I had their vegetable tempura bento lunch which was very decent and places can do tempura very bad very easily. So I respect this place (although I did want some grated daikon for my tempura dipping sauce). My Japanese friend who has lived here a little longer than I have told me that their sushi is pretty ok too. After being traumatized by Sushi Zanmai on Spruce, anything will be better. Maybe I'll find the courage to try sushi at Akiyama next time. I'm still recovering from my shock at Sushi Zanmai.

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