Koumi Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Durham

I would not recommend Koumi. On May 12, 2025, I ordered online through their website, which uses the “Beyond Menu” platform. I requested for my hibachi to have the onions on the side. I received a call from Beyond Menu, where the rep said that Koumi could not fulfill my request. I told her that’s okay, I’ll accept it with onions in it, as normal. Apparently the Beyond Menu rep couldn’t get in touch with Koumi in the 20 minutes it took for me to get there. I went to the restaurant, where the person at the register told me, again, that they can’t put my onions on the side. I said “yeah, the lady from Beyond Menu already told me. I told her it was okay, just put the onions in.” I sat down and waited about 15 minutes, then a THIRD person came out to tell me the same thing again, so I repeated myself a third time. A few minutes later… I finally got my food 45 minutes after ordering… They took the onions out entirely. This tells me that 1. Koumi struggles with communication and following directions. 2. If they can take the onions out of the dish entirely, why couldn’t they just put them in a different container? I don't understand.

I also noticed that there was a paper at the register that said “no refunds for any reason!” It makes me think that they have problems like this a LOT. They are so unwilling to give people their money back, they even made a SIGN.

The food was mediocre. The hibachi was alright, though I wish it had onions. The dragon roll had too much sauce and was soggy. Didn’t like the taste of the pork gyoza and it was soggy too. My husband and I were not impressed. I spent $67 on my whole order…...

I moved to Durham in 2015 for college and was introduced to this place. I came here faithfully 1-2 a week when I lived in Durham. I moved to Raleigh in 2018 and haven’t been back since, until today. I started attending school again in Durham, and now commute. I have lunch every day from 12:15- 1:00. I arrived in the drive through at about 12:25, received my food by 12:35. I ordered a teriyaki chicken with white rice. I proceeded back to school, only had a few minutes left on my break to eat. I took one big bite and realized there was hair in my food. Not 1 tiny hair, there was multiple. Like someone took there clippers to their beard right over my food. I call back, he tells me to bring it back. I bring it back he says “I make you new one” I said well I only want a new one if your still going to refund me. I work in the service industry as a server and bartender. I know how this industry works. He was so rude, no one or the other. Well first of all, I had to completely miss my lunch because you messed up, but I also had to go out my wag to travel back to bring it to you. I have been a customer here many years, and that meant nothing to him. I feel like anyone who I willing to loose a loyal customer over 8 dollars and a plate of chicken and rice, then you never deserved my business anyways. I have never received such terrible service from a place who fed me a whole BEARD. These pictures don’t even begin to show what...

Best sushi place I've ever been to. The golden roll is my favorite.

Update: I have to unfortunately take away a star ⭐ due to the fact that previously, this was the best sushi restaurant that I had ever been to (still the case, btw) and the most budget-friendly Japanese/sushi/hibachi takeout for how much food you would get, in this area, period.

That's changed now that koumi has changed owners/management/staff since I was a patron (and employee for awhile, actually, for what it's worth!) and they've increased all of their prices by quite a lot. (which, to be fair, may be in part due to the current supply-chain/raw material prices in the current economy, but nonetheless..)

6 years ago, I could get 2x Sushi rolls for $9.99 (+1$ for Dragon Roll) and now, those same 2 rolls cost $13.99, while rolls designated as "special" cost $18.99 😞 (that's literally double the price!!).

That said, Koumi is STILL my favorite sushi/Japanese/hibachi restaurant ever and it's still my point of comparison for every other sushi/Japanese/hibachi place that I go to. So far none have stood to take out the king 👑 but the value proposition has slid quite a bit from what it used to be.

Eat here if you're in the area, (or even if you're not, it's that good. I still do 40 minutes out of my way to come here because it's THAT good.)Golden Roll...