Akida Japanese

Recommends

maikeru

Joined 3 years ago

Pretty Authentic Japanese Cuisine. I believe what some of you're looking for is a trendy, perhaps up-scale restaurant experience... which this clearly is not.

It's quite authentic however, which is what gives it it's appeal.

I've lived in Japan and have been all over the Tokyo metropolitan area, this place may not have extravagant presentation (Japan is known for it's minimalism, thus their cuisine tends to be simple but highly refined and perfectly prepared)... but it is very Japanese.

Again, there is better, but I have been to many habachi-style (which is not found in Japan) locations in the greater Richmond area (Kobe, Yamato, Sakura, Kabuto, Tenjimura, etc.) as well as a few more traditional types (Akida, Wasabi, Soya, Carytown Sushi, among others), and although this place is 45 mins from where I live I still consider going here for that authentic experience.

There are places in Richmond which as far as the cuisine goes, are just as authentic, but of better quality and the atmosphere is much more ambient and comfortable. I always opt to go to these places instead.

Two places I'd highly recommend are Carytown Sushi and Soya.

Recommends

ComesandGoes

Joined 4 years ago

Nice Local Find. With all of the options available in the area, Akida's a nice find tucked away in a strip mall. Extensive menu with reasonable pricing. The sushi is hands down some of the best I've had in Virginia.

Recommends

VAMommy01

Joined 5 years ago

Suprisingly Great. When a fellow sushi-lover recommended Akida's as the best place for sushi in Richmond, I was skeptical. I mean, the place is in a strip mall!

Suffice it to say, I was really shocked at how good the sushi, the appetizers, the service - everything was wonderful. We have returned many, many times. The extremely reasonable pricing makes the deal even sweeter. Going to Akida's is a great experience - it is quiet, cozy, and and is always a pleasant experience.

Recommends

susheelover

Joined 5 years ago

Best Sushi in Richmond!. I used to always go to Hana Zushi for the box lunches/sushi, recently the service and food has gone downhill. Akida on the othe hand is excellent! The sushi always tastes super fresh, the ginger dressing on the salad is the best i've ever had, and the miso soup is packed with lots seaweed and tofu. The service is speedy and friendly. Would recommend this place to any sushi lover. The Richmond Rolls tastes divine!

Recommends

Bucki

Joined 5 years ago

Great sushi!. I've been looking for a good sushi place for quite some time. My son & I recently found Akida's & had a wonderful experience. The service was very good, the food excellent. I'm middle of the road on spicy and ordered there #7 combo (Spicy salmon & spicy tuna) & may ask them to add a bit more spice next time... delicious. My son & I will eat at Akida's again. The price was quite reasonable. Check it out, you won't be disappointed.

Recommends

divjam

Joined 5 years ago

Best for people on a low-budget. Being new to Richmond, I read the reviews on this website and decided to give Akida a try. My wife and I are determined to find a GREAT sushi restaurant that isn't too far from the down town area. About me: 31 years old, have had sushi in Japan and Korea, so I know what really GREAT and BAD sushi tastes like!

DATE OF DINING: Monday, January 14, 2008.

DINING ROOM: Very small, it has ~10 tables and a very small sushi bar. Actual decor in the restaurant was nothing to write home about.

SERVICE: Our waitress was not friendly, barely said a word to us and was more interested in watching the TV in the corner of the room.

MENU: Very simple, having basic sushi type rolls (spicy tuna, rainbow roll, etc) and a few cooked items.

PRICE: I was blown away at the prices, very cheap relatively speaking!

FOOD: The food tasted fresh. I had super white tuna sushi that was pretty good; not "blown-away awesome", but good. The other rolls tasted fine, but simply lacked any true rich flavor. If you are in to food presentation, there was nothing creative or "pretty" about the food.

SUMMARY: I would rate this a 5 on a 1(worst) to 10 (best) scale. If you are a college student who hasn't been to a lot of sushi restaurants and are on a budget, this is the restaurant for you! If you prefer sushi rolls that have deep rich flavor and don't mind paying a premium, I would avoid this restuarant.

Recommends

silvanos

Joined 6 years ago

A wonderful find. I stumbled into Akida this afternoon after passing it numerous times, and after having been recommended by friends to try it out. The atmosphere and layout of the place is wonderful, and I was quite happy to find such a small hole in the wall restaurant. I'm not sure how it would feel if the entire place was full, but for a Friday afternoon it was certainly fine. The service was exceptionally and my food arrived unbelievably quickly. The sushi itself was fantastically fresh, well made, and incredibly delicious. Their prices were average for a sushi restaurant, but the quality of the food certainly made it seem cheap enough. Akida is a wonderful restaurant that in my mind raises the standard for sushi in Richmond.

Recommends

33rdstreet

Joined 7 years ago

Best Sushi In Richmond!. I would highly recommend Akida. They have the best sashimi and their edamame is never over-steamed. I have been to several sushi restaurants in the area and it doesn't even compare to Akida. The way I remember the sushi chef is "Ray" for Robinson Street. Ray will fix any special type of roll that you ask for. My favorite is the Dragon Phoenix Roll. The only complaint that I have is that if you get there say around 9:30pm (they close at 10pm during the week), they expect you to leave right at 10pm so they can go home.

Recommends

blehrhoff6

Joined 9 years ago

Always a pleasure. Judging by the crowd it appears the secret is out about this tiny hole in the wall sushi bar. With great selections and prices its hard to resist coming to this Japan meets fan restaurant.

Recommends

uvachief

Joined 11 years ago

Best Sushi in RIC for Your Money. Hard to beat this place and it is so dang cheap. Tiny little place off Robinson near West Broad Street in the Fan. Sushi is very fresh and the beer is cold. Be prepared to wait if you arrive after 6:30 p.m. as the place may hold 32 people. Never had a bad meal here. Wish they would move to a larger location.