Ishi Japanese Restaurant

Ishi Japanese Restaurant

8109 University City Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28213
704-921-9219
Ishi Photos In The Gallery

Finally got to Ishi Japanese Restaurant And Sushi bar after hearing second hand rave reviews from a few people including our own prior review here from one of our readers. I have also since sat with a family member who is a freshman at UNCC and her father both who raved that we must try Ishi as soon as possible.

The rumors of the incredible value at Ishi along with the great food made this possible as I am pretty broke lately for restaurant money.

unlike reviews of fancy uptown “bistros” and “4 star affairs” mine are dictated by what’s in my wallet this week and not checks being picked up by “the man”. This is envy talking I know, I admit that much, I am only jealous of larger dining budgets than my own.

This location is not what I excpeted as it is very tucked away in the back of the Home Depot plaza right next to Peak Fitness. The workout addicts must love having healthy, fast and very good food right next door to their daily routine.

I was a bit surprised by the small hole in the wall feeling of this location and the completely dated and worn decor inside. I knew this wasnt a dressed up perkins or upscale dining but it is such a roadside diner feeling i was surprised on how “casual” (run down) it was inside.

The location was clean enough and family feeling enough it is just time for it to find its way out of the 80s.

I want to rebutt this last sentecne and remind myself and my readers that with good enough food, who cares if the stools are from a 1970’s waffle house.

No booths inside is sometimes a bummer, since I was ther with the kids in tow the lack of booths is a bit of a discomfort. I know everyone reading doesnt really care but if asked would always choose a booth.

The menu, which I have scanned and linked to here to save me time in explaining it, is packed with huge and wide variety of great lookig plates. This statement lends to the fact that this place would be a great fast and healthy lunch stop. A lunch stop with a seeming endless variety of choices keeps the patrons coming back over the long haul.

Everything on the menu here is basically between 4.50 and 8.00 which means 40-50 things to choose from for under $7, not many restaurants can say that. I had the Habachi Steak, which means Sirloin steak cut into small pieces and laid on top of fried rice (Japanese fried rice so its basically white rice), this is served with japanese style sweet carrots. These carrots are round carrot sliced and boiled with a sweet flavor. I could take or leave the carrrots, which I imagine all men agree about all carrots in the world, but they were good enough and original.

The habachi steak was without a beter way to put it, the best meat i have tasted in the last few years. I was lucky enough to get to atend the grand opening samplign at the “texas land Company Steakhouse in Concord, at which i had lobster and a T-bone steak. The meal was free as it was a training night for the staff, but would have cost about $40. The Habachi Steak was far better tasting and perfectly cooked soft beef for all of $5. The flavor of the steak and hw tender it is cooked will really impress anyone who sits and orders it.

The major problem with this meal was the fact that it was exceptinal steak pieces on top of essentially white rice and steamed sweet carrots. After eating me meal I could have easily finished my Wife’s, reached over and finished both the plates of the patrons behind me, and still wanted desert. The meal is so “not filling”, while at the same time so delicious that I may order 3 plates on my next visit. This lack of filling food really creates a hole in the “affordable” menu.

If you are going looking for a light lunch, healthy meal or fast high quality taste for somethin orginal to eat this place is a exceptional choice. if you just done doing “negatives or Powerlifting legs” at Peak Fitness and need a heavy filling meal? this place will likely leave you still very hungry.

My Wife had Teriyaki Chicken and Shrimp ($9) which was the same rice with sweet carrots served with chicken and shrimp that has been stir-fried. Again the meat was excellent and the rice and carrots god enough but the meal not very filling. We did determine that the steak was by far the best choice of the two plates and that is the recomendation.

We got out the door for $20 with the tip on the table $23 and was very pleased with the taste though I had to make sandwiches at home 2 hours later.

The steak was one of the best things on any of my plates since moving to Charlotte. The steak and healthy taste was very good, perhaps too good, since it just reinforced the problem that there wasnt enough to fill me.

I will go back and explore this huge menu as well as the excellent sushi choices and have a beer and sushi afternoon. I have given up on the great low prices on the menu though since I expect tohave to order twice.

Amazing tender flavor, great taste, low prices and huge menu including great sushi choices. The food just didnt fill me up and the portions were not nearly big enough for any hunger beyond light lunch.