Akaoni 6th Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921

"Amazing food! The best sushi I've had all year. Fish is so fresh and rice is cooked perfectly. New favorite sushi place."

"I love this place. It offers a calm, comfortable, intimate transport to Japan with food that is very traditional: simple, elegant, clean, subtle. The fish is incredible and equivalent to some of the finest no-frills high-end sushi spots in the world. Truly, this place is a gem - and to think you'd find it in Carmel, CA is pretty shocking. There's no sign on the restaurant and Google maps is just a bit off, but it's pretty obvious which restaurant it is if you just walk the street a bit. Service is quiet, methodical, and follows a structure. The environment, too is pretty quiet - so if you're looking for a boisterous sushi-roll spot with fast-paced service, rolls loaded with ingredients, etc. - this is NOT your place. I think the other reviews highlight disappointment w/the service and/or requirements for reservations. I think those patrons failed to understand why they require reservations - with fish flown in from Japan and hyper-fresh local fish, too the owners must plan in advance. I went with a friend and we both found the service kind, formal, planned, purposefully-paced, and reserved - which is spot-on culturally as well."

"Really lovely owners who were incredibly sweet and hospitable. I did not have a reservation but it wasn't a busy night so no one seemed concerned. I got the 10 piece chefs choice, which was absolutely extraordinary, with the fish being a wonderful mix of local and flown in from Japan. The handpicked selection of sake was excellent as well."

"Tried for two days to call and get a reservation. Finally showed up at 5pm and told we would not be served because no reservation. A couple in the restaurant offered to let us sit with them and the owners became very snooty arrogant and rather than stay we chose to just leave. This dump may have the best sushi ever I don’t care I will never visit it again. Thomas Keller of the French Laundry was a thousand times more accommodating and polite, rather than rude and insulting ."

"My husband and I had dinner at Akaoni, we both ordered the chef special of sushi and the salmon roll, the food was out of this world. Best sushi ever! The server was very nice and accommodating! The chef was very pleasant! Hope that we get the chance to dine in again!"