Tamashii

We went to this sushi restaurant for a quick bite. We made reservations and walked right in and got a table, no problem. We sat down and our waitress gave us a very detailed explanation of the menu. We ordered our drinks, spoons, and sushi all at once. The beer came quickly, the spoons closely followed and were very good; a perfect tiny bite, according to the waitress. An hour and a half later our two sushi rolls were still not on the table.
The restaurant is not that big — quaint and cozy — and our waitress could see us sitting at the bare table, waiting. I had to get up to ask her to check on our food. Only then did she tell us that the chefs were backed up, «and we have three sushi chefs.» Um, that should be MORE than enough for this size restaurant! It took less time to eat than it did to order and we were quite upset.
The food was very good and thanks to the owner’s plea as we paid (where was he the two hours we were waiting?) that we give them one more chance, on him, we will go back for a final try. If you can’t keep up on what appeared to be a slow Saturday then you’ll go the way of past restaurants in this location.

It has been a year since I have eaten here. A new professional as been hired to help elevate service & kitchen. By all accounts remarkable progress has been achieved. My first experience was not a success. The 3 Stars are based upon my averaging of my 1^st experience with a 5 star rating that is said to be the level this restaurant is now operating.

Awful experience. It took two hours to get our food, we had to practically beg for drink refills, and the staff refused to accept responsibility for the horrible service. They also made no attempt to correct the situation and went as far as blaming the table for their staff’s incompetence and inability to deliver entrées or appetizers in less than two hours with the place half full.
The food was overpriced and very average. The names of dishes in no way reflect what you actually get (e.g. Hawaiian Poke).
I would never recommend this establishment.

Was really excited to try out this sushi place while I was visiting Wilmington. The food was very good– tried several different «spoons» as well as sushi rolls and enjoyed all of it. Unfortunately, the quality of the food was overshadowed by the poor service. We had to wait at least 10 minutes before anyone approached our table. We needed to ask for our drinks two times before receiving them (we actually placed out appetizer order AND entrée order before getting drinks!) Another staff member did come and tell us that it our server was new but it seems like a managerial fault to not properly train staff prior to sending them out of their own. No management came over to check on us nor did our server acknowledge or apologize for the long wait times or incorrect billing.

I love this restaurant! My partner and I have been here twice and had such good experiences. First and foremost, you must try the maple and wasabi ice cream. It is amazing! The quality of the fish here is very high and the sashimi pieces we shared, mostly scallops, were super fresh and delicious. My partner is a big fan of the super spicy roll which is the perfect amount of heat, actually spicy!
The service has been excellent both times and I love sitting at the sushi bar! You certainly will not be disappointed!

These guys really know their sushi. Can’t wait to go back again and try another and I’m definitely no sushi aficionado. If you’re a meat eater, DO NOT miss their ribs. And their tofu even is amazing. If you miss this place, then you’ve missed out.

This place is still by far the best sushi in Wilmington, NC. I have been there close to ten times now, getting a different roll each time. I have eaten probably every sushi roll (minus some veggie ones), and needless to say each one was just as good as the last. Each time I go the waitstaff is very friendly and always greeted the second you walk in the place. The chefs choice is an automatic get anytime you come. I have gotten this roll 4 – 5 times, it’s always different and always excellent. If you’re still looking for that sushi place to call home, make it Tamashii and you won’t regret it.

Do not try any other sushi restaurant in town — THIS is the best!
Every time I go I try to order at least one «Fusion Style Maki» (sushi roll) that I have not tried so far. Every roll I have tried is a new combination of ingredients that I have not experienced before. It is always completely wonderful. I have had:
California Roll
Spicy Tuna
Spicy Salmon
Cucumber Roll
Aloha Roll
Firecracker Roll
It’s Hip to be Yip Roll
Incredible Graybeal Roll
Magic Munn Roll
Omakase Roll (Chef’s Choice)
The firecracker roll is very spicy — do not order if you do not have a good spice tolerance. That being said, definitely one of my favorites on the menu. Somehow the spiciness enhances the fresh fish taste.
California Rolls I usually do not order because they bore me, but here it is actually good because they use REAL crab!
The Magic Munn roll (crab with tuna atop and mango with spicy sauce) is one of my favorites. I have not had mango in a sushi roll before but it is very yummy.
Do not skip trying the Omakase Roll (special of the day that is different every time). Very creative combination of ingredients. I cannot resist ordering every time I go and I certainly NEVER regret it.
It is in a somewhat inconspicuous location, but definitely worth going off the beaten path. I think it is safe to say this is my favorite restaurant in Wilmington.

Visited Tamashii for the first time during restaurant week. We ordered off of the 5-​course taster menu, and almost everything was superb. Steamed dumplings, seaweed salad starters: both very tasty. When ordering a «spoon» i really didn’t understand that the portion would be delivered, literally, on a spoon. The clasico cerviche was the most fantastic flavor the evening. Also tried the hawaiian poke spoon, which was good, but not as good as the cerviche. The entrees were solid, the miso mustard pork was the best, but also enjoyed the beef yakitori. The scallops were a bit bland compared to the rest of the entrees. The cheesecake dessert was really surprisingly good, i don’t even usually like cheesecake. I will be returning to this restaurant soon.

Was very presently surprised with the whole experience. All the fish is line caught and local except for a select few such as the salmon. All the greens are from local gardens and super fresh. Plus, the food was amazing! I had the pan seared tuna and it was cooked to perfection, my girlfriend had the grilled shrimp with pineapple and it was also cooked to perfection. The spoons were an interesting part of the dining experience, as I had never had one before. The best part of the whole night was the Apple Maple Ginger Ice Cream, WOW is all I have to say! I will def be heading back here soon.

I could eat the «spoons» all evening! A really great experience, though the drink orders could have been a little quicker. Everything we ordered had excellent taste and presentation. The atmosphere was warm and inviting to dine in. I hope they keep up with consistency, being newly open, because they are off to a great start.

This is, hands down, the absolute best sushi I’ve ever had. I travel the world and have had sushi made by the best chefs known, this beats it. The quality is second to none. The flavors are complex and exquisite. I am so excited to have this type of upscale dining in this area. I had shrimp and crab dumplings, seaweed salad, sashimi that melted in my mouth that included Big Eye Tuna from Hawaii! I had the Tamashii Roll that included real crab and beef filet. The beef was so tender, I cannot even express it. The Incredible Roll was so tasty I didn’t even use soy sauce. It was spicy scallop and mango topped with tuna, avocado and three different kinds of caviar. It actually is served with cucumber, but I requested that be held off, as I don’t like it. They were happy to accommodate me. I enjoyed a beautiful Malbec wine with my meal. They have a nice selection. Dessert was maple wasabi ice-​cream with in house made chocolate infused with lemongrass and yuzu. That definitely put a smile on my face. Not only is the food delicious but it’s well presented and as pretty as the asian décor. The staff was so friendly, from the time I made my reservation until the time I left. The owner/​chef walked around meeting guests and checked to make sure everyone enjoyed their meal. He was friendly and seemed so happy to be hearing what appeared to be great reviews from everyone. I will going back, and often.

Disappointed. Thought the sushi was overpriced. My wife sent her food back which had an awful flavor and the chef sent word out that there was nothing wrong with the dish. Not a good experience and not a good response. Was so excited to have a sushi restaurant in the neighborhood unfortunately we won’t be going back.