I was very pleasantly surprised by our experience at Waraji. We chose to visit based upon Yelp reviews, and proximity to our hotel. We received a friendly greeting at the door, and that friendliness continued throughout our visit. The atmosphere inside is lovely, clean, and inviting. There's even tatami seating for special gatherings. Our meal was fantastic. We shared a "Holy Moly Roll" - and it was very good. Lots of fish, and not overloaded with rice. My wife was ecstatic on receiving her Katsudon - the pork was very tender, and everything else in the bowl was a delight. Chirashi dinner was also exceptional - everything was very fresh, and a sizeable portion. Tuna was some of the best I've ever been served. The only downside was the Chawanmushi, which was watery and broken. Flavor was good, but the mushrooms and spinach were likely too wet going in, and it resulted in a wet curdle, rather than a custard. But truth be told, everything else was so good, that this wasn't enough to affect our overall experience. It's hard to find a Japanese restaurant that not only gets sushi right, but also traditional hot dishes as well. Ignore the negative reviews, none of them make sense based upon what we experienced.

Maxine was AMAZING. she was so bubbly kind and helpful. Food was yummy too! It was really cool eating at the tatami mats :)

Ate here while in town visiting family. Had edamame, Philadelphia roll and tuna roll. All were very delicious. There were a few other parties eating while we were there on a Saturday night. Map was roughly $35. After dinner, we went to the bowling alley around the corner, so perfect t location for a fun night out. Service was okay, had to wait a while for a water refill.

Perfect ! Service was friendly thnx Sydney!! The Food was done just right . Good Ambiance.

Great sushi spot! Visited on a Sunday evening without a reservation and it was packed, so I definitely recommend making one. Sat at the sushi bar which I love to observe them making the rolls. My partner and I split the Hinata, Crunchy, and Sweet Dragon. While I loved the crunchy and sweet dragon, I was not a big fan of the Hinata roll. Other people in my party ordered the chirashi bowl and the Pork Katsudon. Everyone was super happy with their food. Service was a little lackluster, but they were very busy. I would definitely give this Japanese restaurant a try!

The food quality and service at Waraji has been great each time we've gone. Over three visits, it's continued to cement itself as an awesome location for interesting sushi and amazing sake. While the wait on sushi can be significant (30+ min wait isn't uncommon), it's totally worth it. That being said, on our last visit there were a few hiccups. The biggest issue was we had a big of a bug issue. Over the course of our dinner, we ended up killing three separate gnats that came to our table and spotting a large waterbug/roach running across the floor maybe 1-2 ft from us. On one hand, it's NC in the summer so things happen. On the other hand, it wasn't exactly the vibe you expect from a nice, fairly expensive place. I'd totally still come back but maybe in a few months after they have a chance to address whatever was causing all of that or the winter makes it less of a problem.

TLDR: Excellent option for a date or fancy occasion. Waraji is a little pricy, but worth it for the high quality, delicious food. Highly recommend the Una-Ja, Katsudon, and Matcha IPA (who knew matcha IPA would taste so good??) We also enjoyed some chilled nigori and hot sake (50% off on Wednesdays!) We parked near the front and were greeted at the hostess stand. We did not have a reservation, but were seated quickly since we dined late. The hostess gave us a choice to dine in the room to the left (lively, louder, upbeat atmosphere) or the quieter, peaceful atmosphere on the right. We chose the room to the right. I believe our waiter's name was Joseph. Joseph was enthusiastic, helpful, and attentive. A few of us ordered entrees, while the rest shared several small plates. We enjoyed all of the items ordered. I particularly liked the Una-Ja. Overall, we had a great experience and recommend this restaurant to others!

Our favorite local place to have sushi. The sashimi is always super fresh. The specialty rolls are very creative. I appreciate the complimentary hot tea! My son loves the Scary Jerry Roll. The best deal is the Holy Moly - it's large! We both like the Shamoo Roll. It cost $20 for 4 pieces, but if you like soft shell crab, I highly recommend it! The walls in the restaurant are covered with awards. I really think it is the best sushi in the area.

Best in the USA ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION was epic. Dassai Junmso 23 Daiginjo sake was served in chilled glassware and was absolutely delicious ! Shrimp tempura appetizer was crispy and hot. Miso Soup was complimentary Sunomono Mixed was fresh Seaweed and Cucumber that was complimented by 5 different seafood items Beef teriyaki dinner was tender steak and was easily two helpings to enjoy. Ebi - Shrimp Ika - Squid Yako - Octopus Unagi - Eel A5 Wagu - Japanese Steak Uni - Sea Urchin Quail Egg All Nigeria was extremely fresh and rice Highliy recommend this skillful presentation and cheerfully served by Emily Q. You'd better try this restaurant because it is epic