Francis’ Asian Bistro

Ive been here twice. Has the best view out of all the restaurants I’ve been in Reno. They have really good service. The food is good too.

You probably would never think to order chicken wings at an asian restaurant, BUT they have the BEST asian wings EVER. A total MUST.

When I use to live in Reno I came here all the time. Now whenever I visit Reno, it’s an absolute must that I stop by here.
The food is delicious. My favorite is the Mongolian Beef and Francis Chili Roll. The food always comes out hot and very flavorful. There’s a full bar and lots of fine wine selections.
The décor of the restaurant is very classy and has a nice ambiance to it. It’s always clean. The view is amazing. I would recommend this place for first date.
The owner, Francis, is very kind. He’s usually there to ensure the quality of his restaurant. When leaving he always asks how things were sincerely.

Best potstickers in the world. Good atmosphere. Mu shu chicken is bomb, but the hoisen sauce is too sweet. Good cocktails.

I love this place. The food is extremely good and the sushi is by far the best in town.
Unfortunately, the last few times I’ve eaten here (in groups of 6+) the service has been terrible. I believe the bad service can be accounted for by the fact that Francis’ recently started offering All-​You-​Can-​Eat sushi. Anytime we order All-​You-​Can-​Eat, the orders take forever, the sushi never comes out right, you can’t tell what’s what (even the servers don’t know), things end up missing, you get things you didn’t order.
Last night, we spent over 2 ½ hours in the restaurant. Our first round of sushi came out missing a few items, so we ordered another round to replace what was missing. IT TOOK ALMOST AN HOUR TO GET OUR SECOND ROUND! This was of course a disaster to the people who weren’t eating sushi and had already finished their meals. They were basically waiting on us. So by the time we got our sushi, it was a mad rush to eat and go.
There’s not doubt that I will go back in the future, but I recommend not going with a large group of people who will be ordering All-​You-​Can-​Eat.

I have visited Francis’ on a handful of occassions ordering different dishes and wines each time, and have been very pleased with the food and the service. The maitre d’ was probably the reason why I bumped it up from a 3 to a 4 star review. He was able to recommend perfect wine pairings. My favorite is the Rebecca Deluxe long roll.

We tried Francis Asian Bistro last night and absolutely loved it! This was undoubtedly the highest quality sushi I’ve had in Reno, and we’ve tried it all here.
The nigiri pieces were large, and honestly tasted fresh! The rolls were creative and savory… They seemed more like artful cuisine than the smacked together, rushed rolls we get at the other usual sushi spots (Pier I & II, etc).
It’s a few dollars more than other all-​you-​can-​eat dinner options in town, but includes things like lobster in some rolls, soft shell crab, etc. A wide array of appetizers are also included, and high quality ice cream to finish (choose from 3 flavors).
Our server was incredibly hospitable and attentive from the moment we walked in. No wait, and he walked us straight to the best seat in the house with a stunning view of Reno.
One heads up: the rolls and pieces seem to be bigger here than at other local places. We ordered our usual amount and ended up having to cancel half of it! Choose wisely for your first rolls & pieces… You’ll fill up fast!

This is, hands down, the BEST sushi in Reno, period (and i’ve tried it all).
the Chef are are super nice and very knowledgeable, they served us quik and with a smile.
Nigiri here means Giant pieces of fish, on small amounts of rice. And this fish is FRESH, not fishy at all! We got All you can eat, and I did leave a lil Rice on my plate… no worries. I did NOT get heckled, or get a dirty look like some of the other Reno places are known for … They just kept the food comin!
Business did seem slow when I was there, but I don’t see why. Maybe because this place is a lil’ hidden and not well known…
But that said, Francis’s is my new favorite Reno Restaurant and I would suggest to anyone who is tired of the same ol’ Sushi pier /​Hiroba /​Sky Bridge vibe to check it place out!!!

Francis’ is one of my favorite places to go to dinner or have Happy Hour in Reno. Also, they have outdoor seating that overlooks the Reno cityscape… always fun.
They have a happy hour (I think from 4 – 6) with sushi rolls and other tasty apps for around $ 5.
I have been to Francis’ multiple times for lunch and had Chinese food, which was always tasty. The most notable experiences, though, have been ones involving sushi.
One of the things about going out to eat that I make note of is whether I would come back and order the same dish again. While elements of a sashimi dish are arguably simple, I’ll take simple over the highest degree of culinary skill any day, if it means that will get a tasty meal. Having said that, the simplicity of the Poki salad was perfect. It might make a better appetizer, but I thoroughly enjoyed it as my entrée.
It’s basically cubed ahi tuna in a ponzu dressing on a bed of avocado and shredded cucumber, carrot, and maybe jicama. I noticed a lot of them were coming out of the kitchen, so I had to try. It’s been a few days now, and I’m still thinking about it.
I guess the most prominent of things was the flavor of the ponzu sauce– a little spicy, but not overwhelming. The next, and arguably more satisfying thing for me, was the texture combo (something I am admittedly obsessed with). The delicately dressed ahi tuna was perfectly accompanied by the light little crunch of the shredded veggies surrounding it. And the avocado added that almost-​creamy finish that one can’t help but get excited about.
I’ve noted Francis’ consistency in their meals, and I look forward to coming back and ordering, among the other sashimi dishes that are intriguing (I remember a Salmon one — perhaps with lemon and daikon radish? And a Spicy Hamachi dish?), the Poki salad!
See you soon, Francis!

Excellent Asian fusion food, with sushi good enough to please this admitted sushi snob. (Just *try* their spicy tuna roll and disagree with me – I dare you.) ;) Their pot stickers are home made and first rate. I also especially like their Kung Pao chicken, which is hot and spicy with less sugar and fat than you’d usually get in standard American «Restaurant Chinese» Kung Pao chicken. The other dishes that I have tried — mostly Chinese and Japanese, but some Singaporean and Thai stuff as well — are uniformly good or better.
The service is excellent; quick and helpful without being overly intrusive. The décor is memorable, mostly because of the view from their windows and outdoor dining porch, which is a stunning panorama of north and central Reno as seen from the West Reno highlands west of Skyline Blvd. The prices aren’t low, but are reasonable for food, service, and décor of this quality.
Definitely recommended.

i moved to reno three years ago and was so excited to hear about all you can eat sushi. there are so many places to choose from. too bad they all stink. to be fair, the economy has upped competition on low prices, but sadly, the quality has suffered. tiny pieces of fishy fish over tons of mushy and flavorless rice, most of the rolls are so big and full of battered and fried stuff that you try to awkwardly shove into your mouth… you get the idea.
i know some people are big on large pieces of fish, so more power to them. me, i am about the fish and the rice. the concept of sushi is defined by rice. i love that perfect combination of perfectly cooked rice with the right amount of rice vinegar and sesame flavors. i gave up on reno and have been seeking it at whole foods, which was my go-​to place for quality sushi for the past several months! i even tried ichiban and while it wasn’t bad, it still wasn’t great. everyone raved about hiroba. not a bad place, but compared to even suburban places in the bay area it didn’t even compare.
i went to a running hash a few weekends ago and a friend mentioned francis’ asian bistro. limited all you can eat, but if you have a few extra bucks, she said, just order a few of the rolls a la carte and you won’t be dissapointed. i took my mom who was in town for a visit. we eat sushi in the bay like three times a week but i never take her in reno because i was embarrassed.
i ordered the carlos roll (spicy tuna with cucumber topped with avocado and shrimp) but had them sub salmon for shrimp because i don’t care for shrimp. a tiny dollop of spicy mayo and red caviar made this a refreshing, fresh and delicious roll. not too spicy or over sauced or breaded or fried. really delicious and a great size. we shared the lobster roll. it was really good, if not a little over indulgent with the seared cream sauce on top. as health nuts, we would have loved it even without the sauce, but it still wasn’t overrun with cream like most sushi platters in reno.
we shared the tuna poki. i love poki, this was good, though i’ll admit not the best i’d ever had, maybe a bit too much ponzu sauce, but also i prefer it with salmon so i may be biased, and i have yet to see poki on a menu here, a nice alternative to sashimi.
mom had the sashimi, decent for the price, though i would opt for some of the specialty rolls if you have a chance. the nigiri was just what i was looking for. perfectly sized, FRESH pieces of salmon over a great ball of balanced sushi rice (not rushed, cheap mushy rice). warm sake and a decent wine and beer list, and we finished with the rainbow roll, a mundane choice to some, but man is it hard to find it fresh in this town. it was very satisfying. i am a little less depressed knowing that, even though i may have to wait until payday every two weeks, if i am feeling self-​generous, there is still a place with enough dignity to ask a little more money for quality sushi and still manage to impress and bring in the customers who could easily choose cheaper all you can eat, but prefer quality over quantity.
On a quick note, the staff were very friendly and attentive. i know that changes from experience to experience, but that was mine. VERY friendly and attentive, and gave good recommendations when i asked for help choosing.

I thought the ambiance and décor was better than the food which lifts this rating all the way from a 3 to a 4. This room with a view restuarant serves some fusion dishes and I thought the sushi was very good. But the dishes were smallish and that kills it for me. It’s not reasonable to charge approx $ 13 for a plate of Kung Pao Chicken which if eaten without sharing would not feed one. :/
Small portions aside the food was of good quality and good enough to deserve a better rating than what has been given to date.

I’ve eaten here many times over the past couple of years and every meal has been excellent. The dishes are simply prepared, not over-​sauced, over-​battered, or over-​fried — you can taste the meat and veggies in each dish, rather than only the batter or the sauce. Also some of the best sushi I’ve had in Reno, well worth the slightly higher price.
I haven’t had any of the issues with the service that other folks have experienced. The staff can be a little stiff perhaps, but I’ve never had any cause to complain — and you should only notice the service when there’s a problem, anyway.
Highly recommended and I always enjoy my opportunities to a enjoy a meal here.

Francis’ Asian Bistro is OK. As many have said, the ambiance is nice. The food is OK. We had a couple of nice rolls, but other dishes were a miss. The shrimp we had was terrible and a tofu dish was uninspired. It consisted of tofu and a soy-​type sauce. Service is a bit of a miss, strange given that Francis and his wife are constantly overseeing everything there.

The food is good, even if the portions are small. I’ve tried the following which tasted fine: potstickers, kung pao chicken, mu shu pork, and garlic snow peas. I like the décor of the restaurant and the bar area is nice. However, the prices are too high and the entrée portions are too small. And if you want one of the coveted window tables, better make a reservation.

Tasty Asian Fusion Restaurant. I give it a total of 3 ½ stars for these reasons:
4 stars for a: Creative and original menu that also includes standby favorites such as sizzling Mongolian Beef, their extremely scrumptious Cucumber Garlic Salad, and Honey Glazed Chicken. My meat-​eating compatriot was very satisfied!
2 ½ stars for service: meh, it was average. Although the wait-​staff did their job and were well kept, they had an aire of piety which was not 100% pleasant.
4 stars for ambience: A uniquely designed interior uses the limited floorspace of the restaurant in a very wise manner, Many of the tables on elevated split level in the dining area give the excellent views of the Reno area that the window seats provide. The elegance inspired me to try their well balanced wine menu.
3 stars for vegetarian options and preparation: As a vegetarian from the Los Angeles area it’s unfortunate that the addition of Tofu as a possible «meat» option is rare if not impossible in Reno. I would be donning 4 to 5 stars if Francis Asian Bistro had Honey Glazed Tofu! However, the Veggie Tempura Sushi was large, filling, and only 5.95, and in a restaurant where menu items average for around 13 $-16 $ this was a great find. It did not contain any fishy flavors and the plating was attractive.
All in all a fine place to dine in the Reno area, and definately a good recommendation for classy Asian dining for dates and family gatherings

Went to lunch here today and ordered their sushi combo platter. I lost count how many sushi was on the plate but they were delicious. They were out of my favorite flavored iced tea so I was disappointed. Service was good. Sushi was fresh and yummy. They are on the expensive side because you are paying for the view. It is a good place for business lunch. Patio dining is lousy because it backs up to McCarran so it can be noisy.

The stars are for the atmosphere and décor. I think it’s fancy.
However. The chicken was dry and the chow mein left a lot to be desired. I asked the waiter if they had oolong tea and he said yes. and then brought me green tea, while assuring me it was oolong. No it wasn’t! I can tell the difference… trust me.
My mom says the shrimp is to die for. but I dont eat seafood. so that tip is lost on me.
I won’t be back.

Hands down the freshest sushi in town. I have tried Sushi Pier, Sushi Pier II, Kokopelli’s, Kyoto, Sushi Club, Sushi Moto and Sushi Time, and they all use fake crab and frozen (then thawed) fish. The yellowtail is sublime, and consistently fresh — I use that to judge how fresh the fish really is, as the flavors are much more subtle and delicate than some others like tuna which can hide lesser freshness. I was also surprised to see the other negative reviews — Francis goes out of his way to make his customers feel wanted, and greets us, and other regulars, by first name. The non-​sushi dishes are much like P.F. Chang’s — not always traditional, but very tasty. I have never personally met anyone in Reno who didn’t love Francis’ food.