Akeno Sushi Bar and Thai Alexandria — Restaurant in Annandale

Akeno is located in the recently renovated Pinecrest Plaza, next to Taco Rock. They definitely revived this area - the parking lot was relatively full near the storefronts, but plenty of parking further out.

Inside, Akeno is very cute. They have a flower wall with couch at the entrance for ig photo sessions, pretty wallpaper on one side of the restaurant, and a bar on the other side. The lighting is low and it's perfect for a date. The restaurant is very small with limited seating so I'd recommend reservations. You're also seated veerrrrry close to your neighbors (no covid precautions here) and the tables are tiny and unable to accommodate multiple items, making for cramped eating that can be unconfortable if you like ordering a little bit of everything. Our waitress was nice and gave great service but was a little hard to track down at times.

They have a great sized mocktail menu, which is excellent for zero proof drinkers like myself. I ordered the midori punch but wish I'd gone with the mojito or lavender spritz. The midori had a very fake candy like taste, almost like Laffy taffy, but not in a good way. I felt it could be a kid's drink, like those Hugs they used to have. It was pretty though!

I started with takoyaki, which was good. Very little octopus in it - maybe two tiny chunks per ball - but taste was fine. The sushi was great, probably one of the better ones in the area. If you order a specialty roll, they come on beautiful custom made wooden platters. I found the fish to be very fresh and I enjoyed every roll I ordered.

Price wise, everything was on the average side. The takoyaki was $9, my mocktail was something like $12-14 (which I think is a bit expensive given there's no alcohol in it), maki roll was $8, and specialty roll was $15.

Overall I enjoyed my experience and would...

My husband and I went on a date and had a wonderful experience! The restaurant is beautifully decorated with taste and the owners and staff were all so amazing!

Food: Hats off to Chef Jack for a spectacular display of sushi, sashimi and nigiri. Impressed is an under statement. The sushi selection was vast - we tried their special rolls and the Titanic sashimi/nigiri. It was so tasty and fresh. They have a unique selection of white fish, as well as, top notch seasoning/ searing of the fish. Perfectly sliced and so well presented.

Ambience: Beautiful low-light setting. The decor is Asian and high class. Lots of Asian art and we loved the selfie floral backdrop. We briefly talked to the managers and learned “akeno” meant sunrise and the restaurant goes from a darker setting (by the booth seating) to a brighter setting (at the bar).

Definitely beautiful place for date night but also, great place for gathering and family dinners.

Menu: Wide variety of food to please every palate. From picky kids to adults, there is something for everyone. My husband enjoyed nigiri and sashimi while I enjoyed pas Thai and special rolls.

The drink I got was “virgin Akeno” and it was so beautiful! I really recommend it!

Sticky rice with mango is a Store delicacy and we loved it! Not overly sweet and well paired with mango. Yum!

Kid friendly? Absolutely.

Parking: Yes

Price: $$ Well priced and I felt the food’s quality and presentation matched the cost.

Recommendation? I’d definitely recommend this to friends and family for regular gatherings and special events. We look forward to coming back!

Thank you for helping us have a...

I was really looking forward to visiting Akeno Sushi Bar and Thai again. I absolutely loved the food, the drinks, and the overall atmosphere the first time I went, —it was such a great experience that I couldn’t wait to share again with my husband. The owners were incredibly nice and wonderful, and I was so excited to continue being their customer.

Unfortunately, my second visit was extremely disappointing. From the start, the hostess (or waitress) was VERY rude and dismissive toward me. I asked if we could sit by the window because the other available tables were quite noisy, and I have a hard time hearing in loud environments. I wanted to enjoy a nice conversation with my husband, especially since this was going to be his very first time trying sushi.

Instead of being understanding or accommodating, the hostess gave me strange looks whenever I asked for something or for clarification. Her attitude made me feel uncomfortable, unwelcome, and disrespected. It was SOO bad that we decided to leave before even ordering. My husband never got to try the sushi I had raved about, and our evening was ruined because of the rude waitress/hostess.

I was prepared to spend well over $150 on dinner that night, but instead, we took our business elsewhere. I’m genuinely sad to write this because my first experience here was SO wonderful :( -- But consistent kindness and good service are just as important as great food, and unfortunately, my second visit to Akeno Sushi Bar and Thai was a complete letdown due to the poor...