Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill
  4. Raleigh
  5. Raleigh
Izakaya Lounge - Waraji Japanese Restaurant, Raleigh, NC

Waraji Japanese Restaurant

4.6
4.6
394 Reviews
$31 to $50
Sushi

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 15 times today
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for business meals
Established in 1997 Waraji has been offering an extensive selection of sushi, sashimi & authentic Japanese cuisine. We also feature a unique selection of Japanese microbrewery rice-based beers. Our sushi menu includes the highest quality sushi and sashimi including omakase, japanese uni, hirame, spanish bluefin, madai, king salmon, hamachi and a wide variety of specialty house rolls (Scary Jerry, Hinata, and The Sweet Dragon just to name a few) Our authentic kitchen offers a full menu of tempura, teriyaki grilled items, nabeyaki udon, katsudon, sukiyaki, shabu shabu hotpot, A5 wagyu, ishiyaki, chawanmushi, age nasu, gyudon. Chef Masa, with over 30 years of sushi experience, invites you to join him and his staff for a true taste of Japan.

Waraji added an Izakaya Lounge which has the largest Sake and Japanese Whiskey selection in the Carolinas. Also, we carry Japanese Beers such as Matcha IPA, Orion, Sapporo, Kirin, Asahi, and Echigo Koshihikari as well as a fine selection of wine.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Sushi, Japanese, Asian
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm Sat 11:30 am–3:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Masatoshi Tsujimura

What 394 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Waraji Japanese Restaurant is celebrated for its "amazing sushi," consistently fresh ingredients, and a "wonderful experience" that keeps diners returning. With "excellent service" from attentive staff like Joseph and Angie, the restaurant is a favorite for special occasions. Diners appreciate the authentic atmosphere and extensive, diverse menu offerings.

394 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    Wilmington1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This place was super cool! The decor and layout was very nice. The star of the show was the food. The waraji war z sushi roll may have been the best sushi roll I’ve ever had.

    Is this helpful?

  2. LNSM

    Raleigh4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My favorite spot for Japanese in Raleigh!! Consistently excellent food and service (thanks Carlo). Kendall and spiral ecstasy rolls, green beans and hamachi this time. Nice touch for my birthday - ice cream and a song.

    Is this helpful?

  3. OpenTable Diner

    Raleigh1 review

    3.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    The sushi was great but the other food items were just ok. The service was pretty slow. It took two hours total - the first hour + we essentially spent waiting. The appetizers we ordered took over 30 minutes and they forgot one - so we waited again. Our waiter forgot to ask our daughter what she wanted to drink and she was left out when everybody else got their drinks. (She’s 12 - not like a baby). So we waited on her drink. A random woman (I sort of get the feeling she was the owner) kept wandering around with food and drinks in her hands asking every table if they’d ordered it. She was extremely sweet just odd that a restaurant at this level doesn’t have a system to know where the food is supposed to go (I’m certain they do). Weird small detail oriented things like getting 3 menus and 4 plates for a table of 5 kept happening over and over. Everybody was nice - it was just a strange experience. They were exceptionally busy too and I know that makes a difference. I don’t think we’ll go back.
    Waraji Japanese RestaurantResponded 3 days ago
    Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re glad you enjoyed the sushi, but we’re sorry to hear that the rest of your visit didn’t meet your expectations. We truly apologize for the slow service, the forgotten appetizer, and the issues with drink orders. Your feedback about the disorganization is valuable to us, and we’ll work on improving our coordination and attention to detail. We understand how frustrating these small mistakes can be, and we’re grateful for your patience. We know we can do better, and we hope you’ll give us another chance in the future. Thank you again for your feedback!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Kim

    Raleigh2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Sushi was wonderful, drinks were great and service was excellent. Highly recommend Waraji for their wonderful sushi .

    Is this helpful?

  5. OpenTable Diner

    Raleigh2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I have been going to Waraji for 25 years. It is the best!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Melanie

    Raleigh14 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful server, great atmosphere and extensive menu that appeals to all diners. Cocktails were fabulous! Mt Fuji was my favorite not to mention the delicious sushi rolls. We will be back soon!

    Is this helpful?

  7. OpenTable Diner VIP

    Raleigh1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Carlos was our waiter, and he was fantastic. It was a busy night at Waraji, but he still took the time to be attentive. He was knowledgeable and verified our order when we ordered and when we paid. It was a great experience.

    Is this helpful?

  8. BrianF

    Richmond5 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Nice atmosphere , really good sushi, overall good value. They were not busy but showed no tables on Open Door after 515 would of preferred to come later. They also forgot my salad and soup and did not bring them until after my dinner came. Other than that the restaurant is top notch and would go again!

    Is this helpful?

  9. Vanessa

    Philadelphia3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful Experience! We celebrated our daughter’s bday and our family of 5 sat at the traditional Japanese chabudai table. The food was yummy and Carlo, our server was attentive and pleasant. We had a 5pm reservation and the restaurant quickly filled up! A must go!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Caitlyn

    San Francisco2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great experience and quality ingredients showed in every meal

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Waraji Japanese Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (919) 783-1883.

Waraji Japanese Restaurant is rated 4.6 stars by 394 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 15 times today
Google Map for Waraji Japanese Restaurant

5910 Duraleigh Rd, Raleigh, NC 27612-2582

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Sushi, Japanese, Asian
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm Sat 11:30 am–3:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Masatoshi Tsujimura
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable International Ltd. Alphabeta Building, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo