Akai Hana - Morehead City

If I could get six stars, I would. Amazing sushi and incredible service. I was in Japan and would say the sushi at Akai is definitely in place. The ginger tastes fresh and the Wasabi is definitely not the cheap stuff like other places. This has become my food stop once a week.

The only place I will ever go for sushi. By far this is the best place around. Staff are always nice and helpful. We have grown a strong relationship with San who always takes care of us. Ingredients are always fresh and everything is always delicious everytime.

I was honestly just buzzing the strip on a grey, rainy day when I spotted Akai Hana. I 'm glad I stopped, even though the place was dead when I drove by. By the time I left there was a small crowd and everyone seemed to be enjoying their food. I went straight to the sushi bar and was greeted by the chef. He politely engaged with me about what he felt a need to recommend. He, the waitress, and the short order cook (he popped out for a couple of minutes) were all extremely friendly and customer service oriented. My preference for octopus and mackerel guaranteed that I was going to order them and they were both great. Actually, the chef admitted that he had found an especially nice mackerel so I know he is intimately familiar with what he is serving. I also ordered yellowtail, fresh local flounder, surf clam, a spicy mackerel roll, and a Green Roll. Everything was fresh, clean, flavorful, well prepared, and artfully delivered. My miso soup and hot tea were both good and while they won 't be what I remember most from my visit, they were both good and I would order them again. I am traveling and may not make it back here anytime soon, but I WILL make a point to stop in whenever I am able to. One of my top sushi choices spanning my years of eating cold, dead fish.

I've visited this restaurant several times, and it consistently delivers an excellent experience. The sushi chef usually remembers my regular order, but since he wasn’t there tonight, I decided to try something different. I ended up having the best sushi I've ever tasted—it's called the Banzai roll. We also enjoyed some delicious soups and various other sushi and dishes, and everything was fantastic as always!

The sushi was great, but I think they should offer the buy-one-get-one deal daily for lunch. The staff was very friendly, and the sushi chef was especially nice. I plan to return on Tuesday or Wednesday for another round if you buy one! Definitely sit at the sushi bar; it's a fun experience!