NC restaurant ranks among best places to eat in US. Why it’s a favorite for sushi fans

Simone Jasper
·2 min read

Customers can’t get enough of a North Carolina sushi spot — which helped it snag national recognition.

M Sushi restaurant in downtown Durham was named one of the 100 best places to eat in the country, according to OpenTable.

To come up with the list, the restaurant reservation website said it studied more than 10.5 million reviews that verified users left at U.S. eateries in 2021.

“The result is a selection of spots across the country that constantly serve up creative dishes, unparalleled hospitality, and one-of-a-kind dining experiences for all occasions,” OpenTable said in its report, which was published last month and updated on Jan. 17.

M Sushi was the only place in North Carolina to receive a top honor on the nationwide list. That’s not a big surprise since the restaurant boasts 4.9 stars of 5 on OpenTable.

Last year, some website users said they were fans of the restaurant’s fresh fish and other foods served in a welcoming atmosphere.

“The quality of our dishes is a direct result of our dedication to fresh ingredients, and our emphasis placed on maintaining traditional Japanese cuisine with Peruvian and Spanish influences...,” M Sushi said on its website. “We only use real grated wasabi for all our dishes. Our rice is special blend of Koshihikari rice which we mix with top quality Shiragiku Japanese rice vinegar.”

The restaurant said it specializes in sushi and sashimi, drawing inspiration from other dishes. Diners can find “raw and cold applications of fresh exotic seafood as well as cooked and vegetarian courses utilizing the same high quality ingredients” on its menu, according to its OpenTable page.

Chef Michael Lee started the sushi bar, which has been serving customers from its downtown location since 2016, The News & Observer reported.

Despite the business’ recognition, Triangle-area restaurants got snubbed on another recent list.

Also in January, the business review website Yelp said eateries in Greensboro and Dobson were the only ones in the state to be named among its top 100 places to enjoy a meal in the United States. That list weighed restaurant reviews and ratings, among other factors, McClatchy News reported.