Kotobuki

Recently went with my family. Great family owned restaurant. Fresh sushi and sashimi. Reasonably priced. Kitchen entrees were also great, the pork katsu was crisp and not greasy. The chicken teriyaki wasn’t too sweet. The miso soup was very flavorful. Look forward to coming back and trying the specialty rolls. Also, the piña colada was surprisingly good.

Ate here last night, 05/​26/​2016 and I really enjoyed the experience. We went in at 9:30 pm and they did not act upset with us or rush us out. They asked if we wanted any more for at around 10, so they are customer friendly. My girl order 4 different rolls, two apps, 2 glasses of plum wine, and I had a Kirin. The bill was 70 before tax and tip. I was very happy with the food and service. I would come back for sure.

Came in for lunch a while ago. I was in the area for a meeting, and decided to meet up with the bf and looked on Unilocal.Found this place as being about midway to where we both were, and glad I picked it!
I wouldn’t have thought the interior would look nice, since it definitely didn’t look like it would, based on the exterior. but it was very nice inside. Sushi bar, table sitting, and floor mat (but raised) seating available as well. Service was nice, the waitress was attentive but not smothering. The business was pretty empty when we got there, however began to pick up as it got closer to past noon.
I chose the teriyaki chicken lunch bento that came with rice, side salad and fried sweet potato nuggets. The chicken was great, light and flavorful. There was definitely a good sized portion including the rice, very satisfying. The salad was crisp and fresh, and the dressing was very good.
Would definitely go back if in the area!

I don’t go anywhere else for Japanese food. I’m half Japanese and was brought up on Japanese food and I won’t go anywhere else. They’re food is very authentic and delicious. Whenever someone asks me where to go for sushi I send them here. The cut and quality of fish is excellent, it’s worth the price. My husband and I love going here, it’s like we’re visiting family. The staff takes very good care of its guests and they remember their regulars and take good care of them. If you want delicious Japanese food prepared by Japanese people this is the place to go. I’ve tried other places because I’ve been taken there against my own will and but Kotobuki is the only place to go.
My favorites:
Tekka maki, shrimp tempura roll, volcano roll, tuna special roll, rainbow roll, we haven’t tried all of them yet tho
Zaru soba, salmon teriyaki, yakitori, agedashi tofu, tuna tataki, house salad, seaweed salad, miso, once again we haven’t tried everything yet oh and sake is great, they always have great recommendations. We LOVE this place.

Not bad not bad. I’ve been going to the places around here like Mr. Shwarma, Tropical Smoothie, Farm Fresh, I never noticed it was there the whole time.
My boyfriend and I came here during Finals Week to celebrate all that hard work and studying we put in and sushi was it. For drinks he ordered a can of the large Sapporo beer, taste like bud light. I ordered some Hot Green Tea. We started with the Ika Robataki (squid) appetizer and he loved it. I ordered seaweed salad bc it’s what I always get when I eat Japanese. That was good as well.
He was in the mood for Udon noodles and ordered the one with Shrimp Tempura. It was pretty good. I ordered some special rolls: Dueling Dragon (good but too much sauce), Eel Maki (alright), and King Cobra (the best one out of all the rolls I got).
Overall our server was kind, helpful, and refilled our drinks. Despite it being busy the day we went (Friday Night I believe) anddd under staffed. They still managed to get the food out and make sure we were satisfied. Will come back during lunch time when I’m craving sushi on a budget.

Décor: traditional. There are tables in the back where they require you to remove your shoes before entering onto the bench. It has a nice ambience and is pretty spacious.
Food: the sushi is decent. We came here twice, the second time I definitely liked more of what I ordered. However it again, is rather pricey and I was kind of disappointed when I saw how many sushi options they had that involved chicken??? Maybe that’s a southern thing for appeal but sushi shouldn’t have chicken in it!
Drink: we ordered sake both times and really enjoyed the white peach one. It’s decently priced I suppose for a bottle which my husband and I shared.
Service: the service was attentive. Our waitress never had us waiting too long and made sure we had refills on water. Our check was brought in a timely manner and she was very courteous and sweet.
Overall: I probably won’t return just because with sushi buffets in the area it’s kind of hard to pass up on the price versus what you also get but I did like this restaurant and may return in the future for a small one roll meal.

When I came in I noticed the place was practically empty. I was greeted by a nice young man. After being seated it took them 10 minutes to get back to me and ask what I would like. I proceeded with my order guy don. The soup and salad where pretty good, but the guy don tasted like straight seaweed. I’ve had it in a couple other places but never had that pronounced taste of seaweed. The rice was over cooked and I didn’t even enjoy it at all. The lady asked me if everything was ok and I told her that it was not what I expected. She proclaimed that’s guy don. Instead of asking if she could make me anything else she just shrugged her shoulders and left. I ended up paying full price to top it all off. Their sushi may be great but the kitchen items may be a bit suspect

Loved it enough to write my first ever review on Unilocal.
Walked in an hour and a half before closing, was greeted and seated. Atmosphere very warm and inviting just like the service. Food was delicious, seared tuna, tuna in sweet chili sauce, tempura udon, Agedashi tofu, and miso soup… Satisfied and filled us up. Definitely recommend trying this place if you’re in the area.
It is a bit pricey but the foods well worth it. Fresh and delicious and Let’s not forget the warm and very invitingly polite service.
Arigato!!!

I had a very pleasant experience during my recent visit to Kotobuki. It was my first time dining here, and it certainly won’t be my last. The atmosphere was very relaxing and the staff was super friendly. They have an extensive vegetarian menu, so both carnivores and herbivores will enjoy this place.
I ordered the takoyaki, which had the savory and melt-​in-​your-​mouth feel, but I think it was deep fried. Not bad! But not traditional takoyaki, it was like a crispy seafood fritter. I also ordered a sashimi appetizer, which was delicious. The sashimi tasted fresh. I will say that I did not enjoy the pieces of imitation crab that were included in the sashimi plate, it seemed misplaced to have a piece of super processed fish on a plate of fresh sushi. I still ate it because I don’t like wasting food, but in my opinion, it should stay in a maki roll and not on a sashimi plate. Either way, I’d order it again, sans the imitation crab.
Overall, great experience, lots of food options, and nice attentive staff will keep me coming back when I visit the 757 again.

The place has a great comfortable atmosphere. There was a big birthday party at the place when we went there. If people feel comfortable and confident enough to hold their party there, then it can’t be too bad right? Both my friend and I had ramen, it’s not the best I’ve had but it’s still delicious. It would be great if there’s other selections other than just pork. They have a wide range of sushi though, so if you’re a sushi lover this is definitely the right spot for ya!

Had to try it, guess what loved it. 1^st of all great ambiance, outstanding service and great food presentation. Enjoyed a variety of sushi and tempura dishes. I really liked the iced tea. Truth is I enjoyed everything. This establishment is a definite must try, love this place that’s all I have to say!

Looked them up while at an ODU Basketball game. And since we have many different palets in our home I decided to come here. The Miso soup is so very good. The side salad was also very delicious. The food is very good and I will definitely be back. Very good place for my vegetarian daughter. We all enjoyed it.

In the stylings of Mariah Carey «All I want for Christmas is foooooooooooooood!» Okay let me stop. I had the pleasure of first being introduced to Kotobuki in college 3 years ago (pre-​yelp), back then a friend of mine order enough sushi and fried tempura cheesecake to total $ 80, we just kept ordering it was THAT good. It’s been some time since I’ve ventured back in this place, but I had the oppotrunity of comming back here with Isaac because they were one of the few resturants open on Christmas.
This is the real deal, Japenese ran and owned. They even have an area where you have to take your shoes off to dine at, which I think is cool. Everyone here is so polite as well, I was asked please and told «thank you for dining with us» multiple times by every staff member. Courtesy is key and it feels good to be an appreciated customer.
I was a fan of almost everything that was put before me. The yakatori was everything (they could’ve added more to the portion for $ 7 though lol). The pork katsu roll was my favorite, I enjoyed it more than my main course. I should’ve ordered more than one of those; next time I will. The only thing that I couldn’t stomach here was the miso soup. As Isaac put, It tastes like when you get caught off gaurd at the beach with your mouth open and get a mouth full of the salt water and seaweed. I never really eat miso soup and it came free with my entrée, also maybe it’s an acquired taste, so I can’t hold that against them.
Overall, come to Kotobuki for some high quality sushi, it’ll cost you more than a buffett, but it’s well worth it.

I have no idea what took me so long to go to this place, but i am so glad i went. What really got me excited is that they offered a vegan selection on the menu. Although i am vegan im also a chef so i also check the whole menu out as a whole, and I would have to say they offer a great variety menu. But first let me start by addressing the service here. I came in around lunch time going into dinner so it was only about 3 people in there at the time. The host/​my server was very welcoming and gave the best greeting when i arrived. She let me pick my table and made me feel comfortable even though it was my first time there. I forgot what i ordered lol but i did capture a picture and also had the vegan fried «cheesecake» bites. The sushi was incredible and i also loved the «cheesecake» bites. I highly recommend this place to any vegan looking for some good eats or anyone in general… This place is my new sushi place!

Love this place! The chicken teriyaki dinner is the best and such a large portion too. The sushi is great, even the unusual ones with fried pork, etc. The staff is always friendly. We’ve ordered our food to-​go before too and enjoyed it just the same. This is my favorite Japanese restaurant in the area. Great for date night too– the atmosphere is very relaxing and couple-​oriented.

This has been one of my favorite sushi places in Hampton Roads since college. It’s actually Japanese-​owned! The staff is friendly and great. The food is deeeelicious. Brown rice is available! I love the Japanese-​style seating even though my friends prefer Western-​style. One of my favorite memories was when my friends and I had sake bombs during the Ghent Summer Bar Tour in 2013.

The food was awesome we tried several different items and everything was great
Very well cooked and the customer service was awesome…

I have been living in this area for for almost 2 years and wished i found this spot sooner. The place is warm, inviting and you can definitely feel the love that the family puts into this restaurant. They have plenty of options including ones for vegetarian or vegans. Their presentation is absolutely wonderful.

VEGAN SUSHI? Oh yes. Oh so good.
But it doesn’t stop there. For starters, the Japanese seating is amazing. I love the immersion into the Japanese culture as soon as you come in. Don’t want to sit Japanese-​style? (Or take off your shoes?) Thats okay! They have western-​style seating as well.
You have to get the Ocha (Green Tea). Its authentic, so let it settle before sipping :)
The service is wonderful and they always remember you when you come back. To me, this shows how appreciative they are for your business.
The menu is extensive for lunch and dinner with an entire page dedicated to vegan dishes, including sushi. The miso soup in also vegan. Now, let me tell you, I am not usually a fan of miso soup, but this stuff is AMAZING. My husband loves miso and said that it is the best he has ever had! I ordered the Buddha Roll and the vegetarian shrimp tempura roll. I could not tell the difference which means the texture is on point! Both rolls are amazing and I always order them because I cannot imagine not choosing something different. My friend always gets the assorted veggie rolls with sweet potato, cucumber, and carrot and then dips them in the vegan spicy mayo.
Btw…I think Mayonnaise is the devil. But the vegan mayo takes away all of the things I don’t like. Sooooo I will actually eat «mayo» here. Thanks Kotobuki!
This restaurant isn’t just for vegans! Its for anyone who loves great sushi and Japanese food with a wonderful restaurant experience!

I’m in Japan right now. Bored. Typhoon coming so I have time to catch up on my favorite Hampton Roads chow-​downs. Kotobuki is my favorite Sushi/​Japanese restaurant in Hampton Roads. I ate here at least every two months.
Service was always great for me. I typically order curry tonkatsu (deep fred pork loin) on rice, sashimi and a specialty roll (whatever is on the board). All great! What puts this place points above the rest is the desserts. Tempura battered Oreo and cheesecake bites. They have great vegetarian options to cater for the hip/​healthy Ghent area folks as well.