Koshi Sushi & Bistro — Restaurant in Norfolk

Summary: Food was lackluster and overpriced. Waitress was extremely kind but was forgetful and unknowledgeable about our food. Clean and inviting atmosphere. Ultimately disappointed with the visit.

More details:

Before I begin, I'll note that both my girlfriend and I have a relatively extensive culinary background.

My girlfriend and I decided to reserve a table here to celebrate her birthday. I noted in the special requests that it was her birthday, even went as far as mentioning her name, but there was no mention of it throughout the visit.

When we arrived, we were met with what seemed to be confusion as we mentioned our reservation. The waitstaff struggled to find a table for us before offering a seat a table smack dab in the middle of the restaurant. We countered and asked for a booth, to which they kindly seated us at the bar until a group at a booth finished their meal.

They quickly cleaned the table, we were sat, then waited a few minutes to receive menus. It took another 5 minutes to receive water, but in their defense, they were busy, had only two waitresses, that I believe were responsible for 5-6 tables each, were present.

Both cups of water smelled like alcohol in which took about 10 minutes to fade. Maybe the waitress had just used hand sanitizer before dropping off our water?

About 10 minutes later, our order was taken. Ordered the following:

-Ika Geso -Flaming Salmon Belly -Sushi Deluxe (comes with California Roll) -Summer Breeze Roll -Spicy Mayo

Eventually, the salad and miso arrived. Girlfriend enjoyed the miso soup. Both of us liked the salad; the dressing was great, but it was quite thin and left a pool of dressing at the bottom of the bowl. We asked about the dressing; it seemed to have what tasted like a small amount of ponzu mixed in, but the waitress was unable to answer any of our questions regarding it.

Then, the fried squid arrived. Neither of us had any complaints. The squid was perfectly cooked, as it wasn't rubbery from under or overcooking, and the batter wasn't overly seasoned. It came with lemon slices, which weren't great for squeezing lemon juice (I would recommend lemon cheeks), and a togarashi self-serve seasoning, which was very nice.

Roughly 10-15 minutes later, our second appetizer, the flaming salmon belly, arrived. It came in a bowl, vodka soaking the bottom, with two pieces of salmon belly nigiri atop a thick orange slice. The waitress lit the vodka for the "flambe," then left the table. We were unsure of how long to leave it for, so we grabbed the pieces after about 30 seconds, and even then, the fire was still going. The nigiri tasted akin to what Windex smells like...for lack of better words, it was just bad. The nigiri tasted like nothing but overly burnt citrus and ethanol.

After 20 minutes, the Sushi Deluxe and Summer Breeze Roll arrived. The Sushi Deluxe was underwhelming. It comes with 10 pieces of chef's choice nigiri at a price point of about $36. Though, it seems that the Chef chose some of the most inexpensive cuts to put on our plate and an awkward amount of each: 2 Salmon(of which were really good; they were closer to room temp, as it should be, and seemingly melted in my mouth), 2 Tuna(too red, a bit close to the bloodline), 2 Salmon Belly (I think, they matched the flaming salmon belly appetizer), 1 Boiled Shrimp, and 3 single pieces of others that didn't come in pairs (awkward for a party of 2). I'm unsure of the fish, but one of the nigiri was much colder than everything else on the plate, and it had a strangely firm texture that threw me off.

The waitress didn't identify any of the pieces for us. In her defense, we never asked, but there are so many similar cuts that it would have been nice.

The California Roll that came with the entree was also underwhelming, and relatively dry.

Waitress was given 2 reminders for the spicy mayo, but it was never received. She then offered after I was done eating.

Negatives aside, the Summer Breeze Roll was presented beautifully; it was light and fresh. If you come here, I highly...

Customer service is unbearable!! Came here yesterday, for my wife's birthday, with a group of about 15 people. We got there around 830pm. There was some confusion as to how many people we were having, for they did not have a table big enough ready for us. It takes a while for drinks and appetizers to come out but we were not in a rush.

Once everyone had arrived the server brings us soup we DIDN'T order, and with him trying to move quickly, spills the entire bowl of boiling soup on my best friends new dress that she purchased for our night out, as well as her belongings.

Now, accidents happen. However.. this man..at that point, should have went above and beyond to make sure my friend was not only physically unharmed but able to properly clean herself off. Let alone to be satisfied with her experience of visiting their restaurant from there forward. NONE OF THAT CAN BE SAID.

This man walks away after picking up a few things. WITHOUT APOLOGY. Now had it not been my wife's birthday I would have created a scene so powerful that you would not understand unless it was recorded. However, my friend was able to regroup after being scolded and is surprisingly able to contain her emotions for the sake of the event.

It wasn't until we confronted the server and explained our frustration that he even apologized. All other employees were dumbfounded at the time of incident. No one rushed to aide my friend, who could have potentially been seriously hurt. We had to ask for burn cream, ice, even extra napkins afterwards.

We did ask for a manager, who never came to speak with us. When we asked why they never came, our waitress informed us that the server who spilled the soup was the manager. This made a long story really short. I immediately felt his careless, unthoughtful, nonchalant presence that had rubbed off on the venue. HIGHLY DISSAPOINTING!!

Now had it not been for these careless actions, I could have said the venue is nice and the sushi is mediocre at best. However going out to a nice restaurant is not only about the food. It's more about receiving the services of being cooked for, fed, and to clean up afterwards. In short, to be served.

To top off my experience, I awoke around 3am and began my journey of unwillingly vomiting throughout the morning and I am now coming down from a migraine. Bad sushi?? You decide.

I will never plan on returning and I do intend on speaking with the owner about the situation. Clearly the manager was incompetent. Fool me once shame on you, but fool me cant get...

Our absolute favorite sushi spot, hands down! Phillip, the owner, and his amazing team make every visit special. The service is always top-notch, and the sushi? Incredible. The offerings are fresh, fun, and creative—none of the boring, stale options you find at other places. Each roll looks like a piece of art, and the flavors are just as impressive.

It’s guaranteed we’ll be ordering at least two Rainbow Rolls, but other favorites include the Summer Breeze, a refreshing riceless roll wrapped in crisp Daikon radish—perfect for summer! The Hurricane Roll is another standout, packed with amazing fish and also rice-free. The Rockfish Sunomono is a must, and their oysters are INCREDIBLE. And if you ever see on their Insta story that they’ve got uni in—RUN, don’t walk!

Since we started coming here, my son has become a vegetarian, and there are always tons of options that leave him full and satisfied, which we really appreciate. We also order takeout often, and the presentation is just as beautiful as dining in, with the fish tasting just as fresh.

They’ve got a full bar with creative cocktails, but I usually stick to wine—something the team knows well by now. 😉

But what we love most is the friendly, familiar faces that greet us every time.Phillip and his team always take such great care of us, and treat every customer with the same warmth and attention, whether it’s your first visit or you’ve been coming for years. They’ve created something truly special here, and we’ll be loyal...