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Asaka Japanese Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
6414 E 82nd StIndianapolis, IN 46250
(317) 576-0556
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 9:30 pm
Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
23 reviews for Asaka Japanese Restaurant
Review Highlights
23 reviews in English
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Review from Ron S.
Indianapolis, IN
3/11/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I believe this is one of the best sushi places in Indianapolis. Even beyond the rolls, the appetizers and entrees are very flavorful--some personal favorites include the agedashi tofu and any of the udon dishes. As far as rolls are concerned, there is quite a variety and the namesake Asaka roll is nice and meaty, and I can't recall any roll that has disappointed (I've been here about 4-5 times). One other positive that can't be understated: this place is JAPANESE-owned which is a nice change of pace (most places in Indy usually have Chinese owners). Lastly, this place is quite reasonable in terms of pricing, I find.
One gripe however: the service is very inconsistent. Sometimes the waitresses are quite attentive but largely they have a tendency to ignore your table for long stretches of time. A couple of times, we would order more food only to wait an eternity and have to ultimately cancel it because we had to run. That said, I'm willing to put up with it to a certain degree because I think the food is worth it, just be forewarned. -
Review from Dan G.
Indianapolis, IN
11/29/2011
Why do you go to a Japanese Steakhouse? Sometimes it's because either you/your date doesn't like sushi. Otherwise, let's say special events and/or nights out with friends. My visit was of the birthday persuasion. I love sushi (but my wife doesn't) so this seemed like a fun, different place to go than the usual Scotty's/Champs/Etc.
When we walked in, I thought about turning around to go somewhere else, but it was late and we were hungry. I loved the comment below about this being the Denny's of Japanese Steakhouses. Dead-on. Koi pond, check. Everything else in the place, boring and plain. Not even background music? This place was DEAD on Thursday at 7pm.
Escorted through the dining room, through crying babies at 2 tables. Sat at the hibachi and waited 20 minutes before the chef came out. Let's call him 'disinterested' - you know all of the mildly humorous things you expect from the guys behind the hibachi? Well, he pulled off most of them, but now imagine he's been doing it for 35 years, and working 2 other jobs. That was about the level of enthusiasm that our guy had. There wasn't a problem with the food, but this place doesn't have what I'd expect for a Japanese Steakhouse. If you just want good sushi, go to a sushi place. If you want to be bored through a half-hearted dinner, this is probably the place for you. -
Review from DeAnna P.
5/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Asaka has a sushi happy hour early evenings. The rolls were fresh and came out FAST (it may have helped that we sat at the sushi bar). The rolls were not very creative though. I would like to see some more outrageous rolls there -- they were pretty basic. The quality was fantastic though.
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Review from Zach S.
San Francisco, CA
3/5/2012
They have the best spicy tuna.
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Review from Dave P.
Reno, NV
3/1/2012
Wow, to get six sushi rolls for take out they told me after waiting 15 minutes that I would have to wait another 30 minutes. The place was dead with only two couples on the restaurant. Guess they have lazy sushi chefs that work there. All is ok though, went to Sapporo across the street and got great sushi for take out, and it took under 15 minutes.
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Review from Tom G.
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Average quality. Below average price. I got what I paid for.
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Review from Daniel B.
One of the many things that I love about older music is the lack of compression. What is compression, you ask? Picture a wave - a sound wave - that rolls along your Winamp or Windo$e media player; it looks like a set of rolling hills. Now, understand that the vertical axis of this wave denotes volume and (please) understand that the expression of recorded music through volume has been severely limited in the past two decades. It has been limited because of the advent of compression. Thanks to the technology of compression we no longer have to turn up or turn down our stereos (read iPods) while listening to our favorite music - it's all done for us through mathematics and hardware.
Now apply this concept of compression to your food... It's not to spicy, not too bland, not too... Well, anything.
I love my music RAW! And I love my food...
Raw, like Asaka gives it to me! There is no toning down of spice and no turning up of mayonnaise, like another of my "go to" sushi spots. Asaka operates without compression and without many of the strictures imposed upon sushi restaurants around the world. Specifically, Asaka is owned by Japanese folks, and staffed by the family of the classically trained sushi chef. Also, on all of the days that I have been there recently, his daughter is "wo-manning" the sushi bar while his son takes care of the kitchen.
The cuts of fish that are given to guests are divine. Perfect. Thick and palatable at the same time, they are displayed with not a modicum of grace upon traditional wooden "plates." The udon noodles from the kitchen reflect the same amount of attention and care as does the sushi. It is not apparent in the reviews, but Asaka is, without exception, the best Japanese restaurant in the city. I hope that my FIVE STAR review will describe this Indianapolis jewel as I see it: without compression. -
Review from Lauren R.
Noblesville, IN
7/20/2011
I've been coming to Asaka since 04 and it is still my favorite Indianapolis sushi restaurant. I base that on the freshness of the fish and the selection ONLY. I could care less about ambiance or atmosphere. If that were the case I would have ruled it out altogether because it sits between a hooters, red lobster and a Burlington coat factory. Good fish, great service and they great you every time you walk in the door. I will say they used to have free dumdums lollipops years ago, but have since abandoned this sweet post dinner treat.
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Review from Liz P.
Downers Grove, IL
6/29/2007
I used to go Benihana for 1/2 price Sushi twice a week, but now that Benihana remodeled, got rid of their half price sushi menu, and hired a bunch of rude, surly, and absent sushi servers, I don't go there anymore.
I am sold on Asaka mainly for their half price sushi menu from 5pm-7pm Tuesday-Sunday (they're closed on Mondays). Pieces are $1, with the exception of a few things (salmon and eel come to mind) which are $1.25-1.50 per piece. The rolls are not half price though.
The restaurant itself is hardly ever full to capacity, meaning that even on a Friday night you can expect to get a table without a wait. They don't charge for green tea (some places do!) and the wait staff, for the most part, are attentive and helpful.
If you're looking for a sushi restaurant that can be a place you return to over and over, Asaka is it. Two adults can eat here (including a salad or seaweed salad and tea) for under $40. My fiance and I can escape for under $30 sometimes if we're not starving. That's totally reasonable considering sushi can cost $50+ at Wasabi and other places in the area.
Asaka would get 5 stars if the tables didn't have squeaky chairs, and if the decor and music were a bit better. You will look at the walls and go "what were they thinking with this attempt at decoration!" But the food is great. That's why I am there about once a week! -
Review from Andy T.
Noblesville, IN
9/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
Pro: One of the best "pure" Sushi in Indianapolis. The cook is actually Japanese, not Korean or Chinese. Their appetizers are great too. The staff are friendly. I recommend going there on weekdays 5-7pm for their half price nigiri. Great deal!
Cons: A little bit pricy, but all good Japanese foods in Indy are too. -
Review from Robert A.
Indianapolis, IN
6/22/2011
This was a huge disappointment compared to what I was seeing in everyone's reviews. The sushi was alright, but the atmosphere was downright horrible. Maybe I came on an off night, but it felt like the Denny's of sushi restaurants.
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Review from Jennifer L.
San Antonio, TX
8/15/2008 1 photo
People seem to love this northside dive. I did love the happy hour sushi prices, which were still in effect on Friday evening when I visited (full time is 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday). Hand rolls were going for $2.95, so I chose spicy tuna and shrimp tempura. The shrimp tempura was pretty good and crisp; the spicy tuna was a blob of electric red gop spiced up with Sriracha sauce to the point I couldn't taste much else.
I also tried the agedashi dofu, deep fried tofu in a vegetable "sauce" that was really a very salty broth. The shrimp and crab dumplings ("shumai") were tasty, but a bit soggy.
This is the kind of place that would be great with a few tweaks. -
Review from Mia M.
Updated - 2/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
Still fantastic! Free miso soup in the wintertime is amazing, and the tuna is still the best I've had. The service is fast and friendly too, a nice change from Sakura (see my review). They've been a lot busier the last couple times I've gone, so make reservations if you're going on a weekend.
However, I don't recommend getting anything with the tempura "crunchies" as an ingredient. I ordered the "Funky Tuna" roll and was less than impressed because of this unfortunate addition. They're kind of greasy and flavorless.Listed in: Top Indiana Restaurants, Sushi!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/24/2008
What a nice surprise... a strip mall in Castleton (with a Hooters at one end of it!) contains a… Read more »
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Review from Sarah A.
Indianapolis, IN
10/31/2008
I really like Asaka, although it's not nearly as bright and glowing on the inside as the pictures on the website would have you believe. It is kind of dive-y, but the food is good. I can never resist the yakiniku, which is thinly sliced beef in a very flavorful sauce. If you like bulgogi, you'd probably like yakiniku. What little sushi I tried was also fresh and tasty.
My favorite part of coming to this restaurant, though, is dessert--green tea ice cream. Mmmm. -
Review from Bethany S.
Carmel, IN
7/6/2011
I have been to Asaka several times and only had one bad experience here. All the other visits were fantastic. In general, the sushi selection is large and flavorful, with reasonable prices and free yummy miso soup. The service is also usually quick and good as well. The one time that everything went wrong, I ordered a bowl of noodles that had almost no flavor and I made myself eat a few bites before giving up. And the service was of course super slow that day - maybe our waitress was having a bad day because she is usually great. I would stick with the delicious ramen and sushi here, as I'm not so sure about anything else and am now afraid to order outside my favorites. I keep going back and just try to pretend that one little (or major) fluke didn't happen. :-)
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Review from Emily U.
3/13/2011
You mightn't guess that hidden behind the Hooters in a Castleton strip mall is this cozy little sushi joint. The menu, in Japanese and English, is extensive, and they seem to have plenty of weekday specials, including free miso soup. I sampled some veggie rolls, the house salad, seaweed salad, inari and miso soup--all were above average. I washed my meal down with Asahi, which was 20 percent off, making the 24-oz bottle a steal. The service was gracious, though perhaps a tad slow when it was time for the check. But by that time I was in a warm, belly-full-of-sushi kind of haze so I didn't much mind.
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Review from Yoshelinn L.
Indianapolis, IN
Updated - 11/30/2011
Amazing! We go at least twice a month. I don't think we'll go anywhere else ever again. Best salmon roll!!!
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Review from Ivy C.
West Lafayette, IN
7/27/2010
I love this restaurant! I think this is the best place to have fresh suchi in indy. I dined in and took out before, both experience were wonderful! Further, 5-7 pm on weekdays are happy hours, they are almost half price of nigiri and some rolls. Great place to enjoy local Japanese style night :)
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Review from Robin P.
Indianapolis, IN
11/18/2008
I was really expecting a lot more after reading reviews on Yelp and deciding to come to Asaka. Maybe it was an off night? Visited the restaurant on a recent Saturday night and we ordered an assortment of nigiri - along with a two rolls. Before I jump into that, I'll say that the soup and side salad were wonderful (great dressing on the salad). The edamamee appetizer was also very good (just the right amount of salt). But the sushi didn't follow suit. It didn't seem fresh. The color of the sushi seemed dull. It tasted a little too fishy. We had leftovers - which never happens and neither one of us wanted to take the extras home. The price is definitely right here, though. It's the most affordable sushi that I've found so far, but I'm not sure if that will get me back in the door.
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Review from Torrey R.
4/11/2011
I am a huge sushi fan so was excited to try something new. I was pleased with the happy hour prices and the extent of their menu. I was pleased with the kindness of our server. I was appalled by service itself and for this reason, I will never come back. I came in with a party of five, one of whom ordered chicken while the rest of us ordered sushi. The chicken came out 20 minutes before anything else and was cold before anyone else received their dinner. Two more sushi plates arrived, 15 minutes after that one more arrived, and a full hour after the chicken dish was set on the table, the last plate of sushi was served. Beers were never delivered without having to remind the server. The checks took forever and only after they were requested. Finally we inquired why 5% wasn't taken off for those of us who paid in cash as it had been advertised. "I'm sorry but I can't do that for split checks." Gee, thanks for letting us know. I forgot to mention that the fish wasn't that great either.
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Review from Zornitsa A.
Jacksonville Beach, FL
6/5/2010
Love it! I go there often and in my mind they kind of set the sushi standard. The cooks are very nice and fun, it feels clean and comfortable, the service has always been great. It's a little sushi treasure.
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Review from Kylie C.
New York, NY
7/16/2010
my favorite sushi place in the indianapolis area, hands down. i've never been disappointed with the food - it's always delicious. i'm a vegetarian and love their asparagus tempura roll. definitely can't complain about complementary green tea, either. the wait staff is a little hit and miss, and the decor is nothing special, but the food makes up for it. soooo good.
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Review from Rachael H.
Algonquin, IL
2/18/2009
This was not my favorite sushi place by quite a long shot actually. Saying that, if you are on a budget, this place is probably the joint for you and in that scenerio...this is the place to go. I was here during the happy hour and got a bill for two just over $30 which is pretty darn good for sushi. I guess where this place just doesnt do it for me is in the freshness of the seafood. I dont think that it was very fresh and they were really lacking in the presentation department. Sushi should be really artful and they definately were not able to deliver that. We had ordered a roll that was a special that night and they actually splattered soy sauce on the plate...which really does not work at all since soy sauce is not dense enough to stay where it was splattered and ended up running all over the platter and that was the extent of the decorating of the roll. There was not even an attempt to lay the roll out in a unique way, they just set it down on the plate. Similar things can be said for the other things we ordered. This place did they trick but really there was nothing that stood out at this place except the happy hour prices. I guess you could say that this place is very forgetable.
