wasabiofbemidji — Restaurant in Bemidji

Went to lunch with a good friend of mine. First time I've ever been and man... I was blown away! Walking down the hallway into the restaurant felt so fancy and secretive, like I was finally getting into one of the most hip places in town. And it really is. Wasabi is an absolute GEM in Bemidji. I am in LOVE with the music selection. It pairs perfectly with the cozy seating and low light. It's just... a very intimate feeling without being overbearing.

The wait and kitchen staff are amazing. Wait staff was very attentive, patient and just KIND. It's great to find people like that.

The food was beyond incredible. We were given complementary miso soup ahead of our food - such a delicate flavor, full of comforting warmth on a cold day like today, but also nice and savory. The tofu was very tender - melt in your mouth!

I ordered the Takoyaki appetizer that we shared- it was so rich and flavorful, and I was enthralled with the authentic presentation, complete with bonito flakes - I've dreamed of being able to eat it once in my life - can't believe it was here. I really appreciate how you are warned that it is HOT in advance (in temperature). They have rich middles that are like the most delicious lava you've ever tasted (if you don't let them cool a couple minutes) - hey, I was excited!! I'd do it again.

My main was the two sushi rolls - one of the premium, and a basic roll. I tried the Bemidji Roll which was OUTSTANDING - very flavorful and amazing blend of sauce on top (spicy mayo, wasabi sauce and sriracha), and the combination of fish with it was perfect. My other roll was a spicy crab/tuna with cucumber - it was quite refreshing and super tasty!!

I CANNOT wait to come back to try more of their sushi - with a side of the Takoyaki of course. This makes me have hope that Bemidji will be more than just fast food and typical northern mn comfort foods. We FINALLY have variety with Wasabi, Tara and Slurp. The golden trio. The triforce of cuisine.

Update: They've been adding more special dishes and rolls, as well as a seasonal menu and adding Slurp Ramen. 5 stars.

Best damn sushi place in town! Not that there are a lot of options..

The customer service here is great and the staff is friendly and helpful. I've yet to have a bad experience here or a problem with my order. My favorites here hand down are the red dragon, and the corona rolls. The sushi chefs here craft each piece masterfully, and every piece tastes fresh and the rice cooked to perfection. The prices are very reasonable so no complaints there!

My only reason for docking a star would be the selection. It seems just about every one of their special roles has something tempura fried. Personally I am not a fan of tempura, and enjoy the rawness of sushi fish, sashimi and the like. I would love to see more special rolls without tempura, and a larger variety of protein. Most special rolls have either shrimp, or tuna. I don't think I saw a single special with eel (which I know is cooked) or salmon. Although these options are available in basic rolls I really hope they make a debut on the special menu!

All of that being said, I would definitely recommend this place, especially if tempura is your thing, they've got...

I've got here countless times with my family and friends and it's always been phenomenal! The sushi is great, but we mostly go for ramen. The spicy miso, shoyu, and sukothai are our top favorites, but all of the ramen is great. Even my dad really enjoyed eating here, and he's usually not a fan of places like this! They also have a vegan tofu ramen. The strawberry milk boba and coffee boba is good, the boba is a little bit strange, so I would probably avoid it just because its a little pricey for the amount of ice in the drink. Also the desserts aren't on the physical menu, only on the online menu. I haven't tried it yet but I want to try the red bean mochi sometime! The lobster Alfredo japanese was decent, but it wasn't my favorite for the price. But the service is great and we've never had to wait for a table! I cannot stress enough how great the appetizers are, even though they're a little bit expensive for the portions. BUT the ramen is huge portioning, so if you and your friend aren't that hungry definitely...