Woochi Japanese Fusion & Bar

Went before the South Bend Cubs game and we had a fun time. I’ve had sushi all over and it was good, but I’ve had better. But for the area, it’s a nice place to stop if you’re craving sushi.
It’s pricy, but most sushi is. Pretty sure we ordered half the menu and I really enjoyed the avocado tower. I like things extremely spicy and nothing felt overly spicy to me — but that’s a personal preference.
The atmosphere is decent, but our service was really good so that always makes for a better experience.

Food is freshly made to perfection. Lettuce wraps were extra salty and not to my liking. However General Tso’s was delish! Sushi Sandwich was delectable! Nice clean atmosphere.

Yum. Delicious sushi for a fair price. Drinks are a bit pricey, had a couple of weak fruity martinis that ended up costing me $ 10 each. Will definitely be back for the sushi though.

This is hands-​down the best sushi in town, and also the best Japanese (and even some Chinese, really) that you’ll be able to find in the area. It’s genuinely a great restaurant, and well above and beyond what you should expect in the South Bend area. It might be a 4-​star for those of you who are super picky sushi lovers who are used to high-​end big city places, but for everyone else, this place is a solid 5-​stars.
The food is very fresh and very tasty! I’ve come here many times with friends and family, and even the pickier sushi fans in my groups have loved everything they’ve gotten. The Chef’s Choice options are consistently good, and the chefs are also always willing to work with you to create something you’ll truly enjoy. I’ve ordered off the menu plenty of times when I want something different (though usually it’s a simple and traditional dish that just happens to not be on the menu), and the wait staff has never even batted an eye at me; the chef has always been able to happily accommodate and the food has been excellent.
In addition, the food is GORGEOUS. Honestly, the designs on some of the plates are so beautiful that you sometimes don’t want to start eating because it’d ruin the artwork. That said, I haven’t noticed breathtaking designs on /​every/​dish; maybe the chefs are just more creative when the kitchen is slower… I don’t know. Go a few times, and you’ll see what I mean.
The bar service could be a bit better. I’ve noticed the wine menu does change throughout the year (or maybe it’s just the featured wines that rotate), and there have been visits where I’ve had a great selection of wines, and other trips where I haven’t been too impressed by the options. I’m picky with wines, though, so maybe I’m not a fair judge.
Price-​wise, it could be a bit cheaper during dinner, but it’s not all that unreasonable. Actually, I think the pricing is very fair for all of the non-​sushi entrees (including when you order off-​the-​menu!) but the sushi rolls themselves can be a bit higher than expected. Their lunch deal is always great, though!
PRO-​TIP: If you can, make a reservation when you’re planning on going during the dinner rush on Thursdays through Saturday nights; the place can get a little busy and sometimes you have to wait a few minutes even if it doesn’t look too busy (maybe open tables are reserved?). It’s definitely not mandatory and I’ve never had to wait long to get a table without a reservation, but if you’re in a rush, it’s worth the quick phone call.

We have been to this restaurant on several occasions. I enjoy the Orange Chicken and have had it for dinner on many occasions. The salad or soup and choice of rice Is excellent. The service is quick and the ambiance is great. And no I have not been paid to say these things. The deserts look good. Truthfully I have not had any because the meal portions are so large, I have not had room for them.

Best Sushi in town, I simply love this place! I’ve tried two dishes and two different types of sushi. I was not at all disappointed. Definitely going to be my weekly spot!

Ignore the hits against this. It’s a great, friendly place with a rock-​solid menu to suit anyone from trendy to Bendy, and the food is delicious. I’ve been to a place called Wildfish in Deerfield, in the north suburbs of Chicagoland, and it is about the same quality, higher quantity, and lower price as Wildfish… and Wildfish is considered one of the hottest new restaurants up there. Theirs, however, is darker and their tables are smaller, so I think that justifies their higher prices.
Woochi, in other words, is a quality place that serves a good quantity of well-​prepared food. I don’t drink, but they made the best Virgin Mary I have *ever* had. For starters, I had a hachimi jalapeño that had very thin slices of tuna (IIRC) over a light, golden sauce, with a single pepper slice on each with, I think, roe in the center. (I went roughly two weeks ago, so I am relying on memory.) Most excellent. I had the mashed potato soup – something you wouldn’t dream of combining, but a light fish broth with actual, not powdered, potatoes was brilliantly tasty. I’m trying to remember the names of the rolls I had – one was called the Apollo Roll, and as one reviewer commented, it certainly does capture the Japanese fascination with mayonnaise. But I don’t think it’s accurate to dig at them for playing with an American-​influenced Japanese fixation. The friends with me had different courses off the menu, going from a plain old dinner salad (I blame that on my colleague :)) to miso soup, and if they offered goma-​ae I didn’t see it. They did have green tea ice cream for dessert, though I declined, and one of my friends commented on the quality of the cabernet he’d ordered. I was sorely tempted to order their hibachi beef instead of sushi, but left that for the future. Their menu is varied enough to satisfy many visits.
The atmosphere is very nice, and the waitstaff is attentive, friendly, and brisk without rushing. The timing of courses was almost ideal. The lighting was just dim enough to be intimate, but not dark enough for a dungeon. The space is inviting, not cramped. We had a lovely, friendly time there, and made my northern Chicago suburban friends very happy. I’ve now recommended it to a couple to hold their first anniversary dinner. I am awaiting their report.

Complacency is Devatsatating. $ 56 for overcooked chicken and 2 pieces of shrimp. This is why ‘Top Notch’ closed.

I feel like the quality has gone down quite a bit in the last year or so. But service is usually good and the bar is nice. It does kind of look like NeoTokyo, which can be either good or bad, depending on how much you like animé.

We find it very surprising that Woochi still (or ever) has a 4 star. This was panda’s second time eating here for lunch and both times they failed to honor the discount that was advertised (restaurant week and SB 250), on top of neglecting to provide the discounted price menu unless asked.
The décor is nice and the restaurant is clean, but that’s where the positive aspects of Woochi end. The service, bland food, and overpriced sushi that didn’t taste or smell particularly fresh or flavorful outweighs the superficial fancy façade.
Sushimi: not fresh or flavorful. Cut way too thick, and the low quality of the fish made it chewy instead of the delicate texture it should be. We tried to cover up the bad taste with soy sauce and ponzu, but both tasted like water, lacking the salty unctuousness that comes with quality kikuman.
Service was awful (see above)
White wine tastes as though it had been open, wasn’t cold, and had oxidized to the point where you could smell and taste the alcohol.
Overall, we felt cheated by the high prices (and lack of acknowledgment of the discount), bad service, and all around low quality food and wine. Not going back.
Pablo’s ratings:
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Value: 1

We came here for a bachelorette party and the atmosphere is very cool! It seems like a place you’d find in Chicago and not South Bend.
The food was phenomenal! I had the spicy salmon sushi rolls and another kind with cream cheese, crab and cucumber! Everyone loved their food except for those who didn’t get sushi or Japanese foods (obviously they specialize in sushi). The menu had TONS of options and was priced well! Will definitely be coming back!

I’ve been here a few times now and definitely enjoy the meal and ambience. The have a great menu that features sushi to Thai to Japanese. Usually those types of places scare me as they are never good at one cuisine. But I must say that woochi will woo you across all the cuisines. They have plenty of seating including the bar area… but you have to be 21 to sit in that area…, they also have outdoor seating as well. Service is very just like the food. If you are in town catching an ND football game… I highly recommend.
Cheers!
John

Yum! We came here for our anniversary because I was craving sushi. The presentation was amazing. I am also really picky and asked for substitutions/​additions and they were incredibly accommodating without making me feel like a pest for asking. Amy was our server and she was very friendly and attentive. The hostess at the front even took a picture for us outside of the restaurant to document our anniversary dinner. We ordered a lot of food to share… The unagi, volcano roll, California roll, and the hibachi steak and lobster. The price was VERY reasonable for how much we had and the quality of the food. Needless to say, we will definitely be coming back regularly. They were great!

A very cool trendy restaurant. The server was very nice and explain to me on what to order. I ended up getting the Chirashi.
It was really good and very fresh. I was surprised to get a cold salad and miso soup. The restaurant has a nice bar area.
I was disappointed that it didn’t have a sushi bar. As a business traveler, it’s a nice place to have dinner. Sometimes it’s a place where you can strike a conversation with the sushi makers.
Other than that, I recommend this restaurant. #SeñorFood

Cool location with great deco. I sat outside and it was a nice evening but a lil on the cool side.
Opted for the ginger salad that had way touch dressing. And the pear martini only $ 5 on Mondays. Score!
Moved on to the rock and roll and the Philly roll. Both were delish! Moderately priced for a sushi restaurant. Great customer service and I will return!

I am a regular here and have never had a poor experience. If you cannot decide what to get I recommend the chef’s choice. It is a great choice to split between two people and what they bring out is always delicious with a good variety and not intimidating if you are not a regular sushi eater.

Woochi has a fabulous atmosphere however the food is overpriced compared to what you are served.
Food — Overpriced compared to what you actually get.
Service — Average.
Take away:
It is good place for date however not so much if you plan on getting full on sushi.

I really enjoyed it! We had a great server and the food was super! I went a week prior and got sushi, yesterday I go the General Tso Chicken, and that was delicious. The sushi is competitively priced and I would say it is the best in the area, as far as my novice pallet is concerned. My only detraction is the music is bad, it is like a house techno blend, that isn’t enjoyable. Otherwise Great!
This is just one mans opinion.

Just no.
Look, I’m from Europe. Ikea chic? I get it. I love the yellowblue warehouse as much as the next person.
I didn’t even mind the 80’s party hall carpet (with confetti and streamers included in the pattern), or our waiter whom I swore disembarked off the Love Boat the previous night. It’s all good.
What was not good was lunch. The menu was as comprehensive as the old testament, so we stuck to some basics. Rock n roll– roll, Cali rolls, salad. Easy does it.
Sushi rice? Dry, hard, yuck –weird. Spicy Cali? Not available — solution: sriracha swirl (I do appreciate the effort!). Thank the Rooster for that swirl because the rest of the roll was bland. Rock n roll-​roll. cold, oily, and so, so, SO bland.
Décor: wowza
Rolls: no-​za
I was disappointed, maybe I ordered the wrong thing, or maybe I am spoiled eating all the sushi all the time all over the place. I don’t know. I prefer writing positive reviews but all the positive ones do not reflect our particular experience so. take it for what it is.

My favorite DTSB restaurant, I love their Hibachi, sushi, and tea. They offer bento boxes for lunch. One of the best things about Woochi is the atmosphere, it’s very neo-​tokyo. I also know they are known for their cleanliness.