Kurama Japanese Seafood image

Kurama Japanese Seafood

Restaurant Bar Seafood restaurant Japanese restaurant Sushi restaurant Asian restaurant

One of the Most Reviewed Japanese restaurants in Durham


Address

3644 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707

Website

kuramadurham.com

Contact

(919) 489-2669

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.20 (1.4K reviews)


Working Hours

  • Wednesday: 11:30 AM to 2 PM, 5 to 9:30 PM
  • Thursday: (4th of July), 11:30 AM to 2 PM, 5 to 9:30 PM, Hours might differ
  • Friday: 11:30 AM to 2 PM, 4:30 to 10 PM
  • Saturday: 11:30 AM to 2 PM, 4:30 to 10 PM
  • Sunday: 11:30 AM to 9 PM
  • Monday: 11:30 AM to 2 PM, 5 to 9:30 PM
  • Tuesday: 11:30 AM to 2 PM, 5 to 9:30 PM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: great (14) hibachi (13) good (12) experience (8) shrimp (7) restaurant (7) time (7) dinner (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 4/5 Ephraim F. 2 years ago on Google
    We ordered the hibachi chicken and shrimp combo and hibachi shrimp and scallops combo. Both were a solid choice and took care of our craving for hibachi food; although, it was nothing spectacular to write home about. The service was great and quick.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 David M. 1 year ago on Google
    This restaurant is a little bit older and could use a little uplift however, do not let that take away from the food, service, or atmosphere. The staff is phenomenal and they will dish out plenty of food. You better come prepared to eat. The cost per person was very reasonable for a hibachi restaurant. Weight staff was very attentive and responsive, if you are in the mood for hibachi, this is the place to go!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Raymond V. 2 years ago on Google
    Their sushi is fresh and delicious. My favorites are the salmon skin roll and yellowtail scallion roll. I also recommend the tempura appetizer which can be made vegetarian. Service is attentive. Great place if you have vegetarian or vegan restrictions.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Alina C. 2 years ago on Google
    The place is old and dungy. The cook from El Salvador did a great job, and food was good. I would rate him at 5 and the venue at 1, thus the 3 star rating. Cocktail was okay and the second one I ordered, although it was strong, it was not made with Patron, as it was supposed to be. Most of all, cleanliness was a concern. They cleaned the cooking tables, but not so much the serving tables. While my friends and I enjoyed ourselves, I would not go back.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Chenise S. 2 years ago on Google
    A wonderful experience with a few friends. Food was delicious 😋. Generous portions where there were leftovers. We will be back. Had a great time!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Lucy R. 2 years ago on Google
    Service and overall experience are good. Food not as good as other hibachi I’ve had- they don’t do the egg sauce on shrimp if you’re looking for that. Also the shrimp are small ones, not the butterflied hibachi shrimp I was used to. Lots of rice. Still tasty! Would highly recommend making a reservation on a weekend to avoid a very long wait.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Purusha J. 2 years ago on Google
    Food was decent. But the place could use a little upgrade. A little old fashioned. The hood overhead looked a little worn and grime. The flat skillet they use to cook could benefit from a thorough cleaning. The whole place just looked a little outdated and didn't have a warm feeling. Maybe slightly better lighting would be helpful. Would I go back? It wasn't awful, the food was great but the ambiance is lacking a bit.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Kimberly E. 2 years ago on Google
    Great value for dinner for two. Food seasoned very well. Great portions. Waitress seemed to rush us a bit before we could finish eating.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Rina 2 years ago on Google
    This place is absolute trash, I waited 2 hours for a what was said to be 45 minutes & never got seated. Eventually I walked out. Terrible establishment to have people waiting an astronomic amount of time. Everyone was at the front desk angry & upset about their promised wait times. High tensions with customers. I can’t believed I even wasted money at the bar. Then the bathroom… good lord, the whole floor was covered in toilet paper bits & liquid, couldn’t decipher if it was urine or water. At this point the food isn’t even worth it. This was the worst experience I’ve ever had at any restaurant EVER.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Lakesha 1 year ago on Google
    It was a nice atmosphere we had a party of about 15 people they were very accommodating we made reservation ahead of time or food was prepared in front of us by to cooks. The portion size is large the pricing varies we had a lot of seafood items in our food therefore our pricing was a little higher but still affordable. I ordered a martini and the bartender came out and inquired which type and what type of liquor which I thought was great instead of just sending out anything. Overall the experience was great for everyone even the children that was with us if I had to say anything is just one of our cooks was a little less interactive.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jared M. 1 year ago on Google
    Really pleased with the experience. The best Japanese steakhouse from Durham to Burlington. Definitely better than that overrated, overcrowded place right down the road. Food was well seasoned. Service was great. Old school vibe on the inside which I think is charming and gives it cool character. Definitely recommend!

  • 4/5 Nicole G. 1 year ago on Google
    Delicious food and large portions! Prices are a bit steep though. Decor seems dated and dark so it could do with a bit of a refresh/update. Overall, it's a good place. I only come here for special occasions or if invited by someone else. Most recently came here with my coworkers for a department sponsored lunch.

  • 4/5 Leslie 1 year ago on Google
    We had hibachi and the food was good. The folks working there were very nice. The only reason I gave 4 stars is because of the housekeeping. A lot of Gunk around the exhaust hoods and grill, dust around lights above the bar, and dust & debris along baseboards in dining room. I know how gunked up restaurant appliances can get and they had older equipment, but I think they are overdo for a good cleaning. We did have a nice dinner and the interactions with employees were very pleasant though!

  • 5/5 Ayzha B. 1 year ago on Google
    The food tasted great. Wait time was shorter than they said it would be. The servers were attentive and polite. Our chef was quiet and focused mainly on cooking, but he still did the tricks and stuff that they all do. I actually enjoyed that he didn't talk much. Sometimes you just want a calm dinner.

  • 3/5 LeeAnn H. 1 year ago on Google
    I’m rating this place low because there was glass in our food. I took my box out of the fridge and took a bite and there was something that most definitely wasn’t food in my mouth and it was a piece of glass. They didn’t take any responsibility for it. I know they’re probably used to people trying to get free stuff but we wanted to make sure they were aware but they said we can’t prove it happened there. Their food does taste good. I had the ramen and would still maybe risk a piece of glass for it if the craving was strong enough. I’ve worked in restaurants for years and if glass breaks, protocol is to trash anything in the vicinity for safety. They knew something broke, they knew what it broke near and rather than ensuring the safety of their guests, they destined dangerous product for profit. Nonetheless, their food is tasty and service is great.

  • 2/5 Charlene H. 1 year ago on Google
    Usually, I have no problems with this restaurant. Which is my favorite 😍. This particular evening I called my order in as usual. I was told it would be ready in 30-45 minutes. I gave them a 1 hr. 15 minutes. When I arrived, my call-in order ticket hadn't been given to a table. We all know how busy Saturdays are. Families and friends coming and going. Anyway, they tried making excuses, then asked if I wanted them to prepare it at that time. I politely declined and left. I gave them an extra 30 minutes. Then waited another 10-15 min. for them to figure things out. I was very disappointed in them and the way it was handled by this time. No thanks

  • 1/5 Lamaria B. 1 year ago on Google
    The presentation from our chef was okay, the food itself tasted mediocre at best. I ordered the vegetable hibachi and my boyfriend ordered steak and chicken hibachi. The onion soup was very salty. Definitely not worth what I paid. Overall I was fine with my experience until the next day I warmed up the leftovers and came down with food poisoning that resulted in me missing several days of work. I absolutely would not eat here again. I expected better especially since I paid close to $70 for us to eat here just to get sick. Not worth it...

  • 4/5 Jacqueline P. 1 year ago on Google
    Chef was great. Food was good, too much tasteless rice, but the meat was seasoned really well. Atmosphere was great. Waitress was not very attentive to our needs. She mostly focused on the needs of certain people at the table. My niece and I had to ask for refills, whereas she automatically refilled the other people at the table drinks and gave them extra white sauce automatically. I had to ask twice for a refill on water and white sauce.

  • 5/5 Michelle C. 1 year ago on Google
    I’m from Houston Texas, I live in a City with Good Food n I can’t tell y’all rn, I’ve been in North Carolina for a week and this is the best food I’ve had while being here bc I’ve tried Cookout, Spicy 9, Updogs, etc and everything’s been either gross or mids but their food was DELICIOUS & you can see them cook it 🫶🏽 Big portion sizes too and the customer service was great!

  • 5/5 Chris K (. 1 year ago on Google
    The food was great. We hadn't been since the pandemic so it was nice to see the soup, ginger dressing for salad, and the eves taste as good s always. We went for lunch and you get just as much food as when you go to dinner for less cost. We were going to get the early bird dinner for two, which is now $54.99, but had the lunch portion of steak and shrimp for $17.99 and it still came with the shrimp appetizer like the dinner does, plus soup and salad. They seem to be short on table chef's so it took a while after we had the soup and salad till he got there. Otherwise just as good as always!

  • 3/5 Evelyn M. 1 year ago on Google
    Very fun experience for my daughters birthday. The cooks were funny and charming. My only issue is that the establishment is in serious need of a deep cleaning. There was so much caked grease above and around the hibachi station, I would honestly rather go somewhere else from now on. If they decide to freshen up the place a bit, I would return.

  • 4/5 Carlos C. 2 years ago on Google
    First time going to a restaurant like this. It was quite enjoyable! The restaurant was embedded with it's culture, both in design and decor. The hibachi experience was pretty fun. Our chef had a few tricks but slightly lackluster compared to the other chefs at other tables. The rice was just a tiny bit too salty for me, but the vegetables were great. I had steak and scallops, which were amazing! It was an enormous amount of food but they provide boxes to go if needed.

  • 5/5 sharif r. 2 years ago on Google
    I've been coming here for 30 years. I had my 14th birthday party here. I'll pass a dozen other hibachi restaurants to get to this one. The best food and the best staff. Don't believe me? Pull up on a Friday or Saturday night. Every parking space, every seat, and all the standing room at the bar is occupied. For good reason!

  • 5/5 Denice F. 2 years ago on Google
    The service, and food was superb !! I would totally recommend this Restuarant!! We had a party of 14 and they got every single order correct. Everyone was pleased. It was my daughters 23rd birthday party and she was very happy.


Call (919) 489-2669 Open on Google Maps Open on TripAdvisor

Amenities


  • Parking
    • ✓️ Free parking lot
    • ✓️ Plenty of parking
    • ✓️ Free street parking
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Hard liquor
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Happy hour food
    • ✓️ Healthy options
    • ✓️ Happy hour drinks
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible restroom
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Takeout
    • ✗ Delivery

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