ZEN Japanese Grill & Sushi Bistro — Restaurant in Miramar Beach

Before I begin, when I go to a Japanese restaurant, I have pretty high expectations because my uncle is Japanese and I've grown up with authentic Japanese cuisine. That disclaimer out of the way, I felt like this was more of Asian fusion cuisine than Japanese cuisine.

I did like the food a lot, however! The staff brought us a complimentary sushi roll to try that they called Cajun jalapeño roll. It wasn't spicy at all which was perfect for me. Honestly, that was probably my favorite item!

We ordered several dishes to try as a family including: gyoza, edamame, shrimp tempura, yakimeshi (fried rice dish), and calamari. We liked them all. We got the gyoza pan fried because that's the traditional Japanese way and it was great!

We individually got several sushi rolls: fantasy crunch roll, Filet mignon roll, Cajun creole roll, shrimp tempura, rock and roll, and I love you soy much.

I liked the fantasy and Filet mignon rolls, my family members loved everything, except for the 'I love you soy much" roll. They actually only ate one of the pieces of the last roll and left the rest.

Some things I wasn't really enjoying about the sushi: The rolls were too big. They're supposed to be bite size, but many of them were 3 to 4 times the size of traditional sushi.

The rolls were kind of loose, which makes them difficult to pick up with chopsticks.

Many of the rolls with crunchies were absolutely covered in crunchies. It took away from the taste in my opinion.

Otherwise, the service was excellent and the staff was very kind and patient. They were all extremely considerate! The restaurant space was absolutely beautiful and very clean as well. Overall, I would definitely go back but may choose different things to try if I am able to get back down here...

My first time tasting this restaurant was when my husband brought his to go food home. I tried it and thought to myself," if it is this good as to go food, I wonder if it's even better in person." This past Monday I was able to try it with my mother and wow did it not disappoint. Everything was absolutely spectacular. We both got the hibachi filet mignon and fried rice which comes with noodles, veggies, soup and salad. I did opt out of salad and noodles but the soup was delicious. While we sipped on that, the sushi chefs brought us a mini sushi roll for free to try and my mother loved it. The food came out fast and hot. Though I did add some soy sauce to my rice, everything was delicious, especially my steak! Often times when I go to Japanese restaurants, I feel like my medium cooked steak tastes bloody, even if I can't see blood, but this steak was just phenomenal. I really can't speak more highly. The service was incredible and even a waitress who wasnt ours was attentive to our table. The atmosphere is like if you try to make a warehouse cute, which they succeeded. There are bamboo plants, a cherry tree, some tvs, cute photo op parts. I have been looking for a good Japanese hibachi restaurant and I've just found my new spot. It's no wonder that this place has 4.9 stars from over 200 people and stays busy all the time. Highly,...

Absolutely amazing sushi spot! We ordered the Chirashi Bowl, Rainbow Poke Bowl, and the Touchdown Roll (recommended by a staff member). They even gave us a complimentary Cajun Jalapeño – such a thoughtful touch!

The sashimi in the Chirashi Bowl was thick, fresh, and honestly some of the best I’ve ever had in the U.S. The rice was seasoned just right – I highly recommend it. The Rainbow Poke Bowl was packed with fresh tuna and generous toppings. Super filling and satisfying.

We were overwhelmed by the number of rolls to choose from, but thanks to the staff recommendation, we tried the Touchdown Roll – so flavorful and delicious!

We’re big sushi lovers, but after moving to the U.S., we had almost given up on finding thick, chewy sashimi like we used to enjoy in Korea. This place changed that – it was incredible.

Everything we ordered was delicious, and we were so happy to discover this restaurant on our last day in Destin. The staff was so kind and genuine – we were truly touched by their hospitality. I wish I had caught the name of the woman who helped us. She even recommended some great local spots to visit. Please thank her for us!

We’ll definitely be coming back to Destin – just to...