Reviews of PinKU Japanese Street Food (Restaurant)

Noelle Gonzalez

Tasty, high quality and authentic food. Casual space with quick service. Great selection of drinks.

Chris Smith

Some touches of artistry. Gentle lighting. Clean, small tables for eating all in a line. Nice display if beverages and ingredients. One worker exuded enthusiasm about his work. Tasty food.

Konrad Orthwein

Tasty food, good service

EnVi-Defiant

Amazing service, nice personell

Victor Rogachevsky

Pretty good Japanese dishes. Limited variety, but has interesting cocktail options.

Chip Potato

I love this place. All of the food is delicious. Also, they do takeout! I love eating here because it's such a cool space but I also love takeout. You should definitely eat here.

Brian Ekart

Great food and service!

Beth Gasser

Absolutely delicious. They have their own unique take on sushi and goyza that really transforms it into an amazing experience that will leave you wanting more! Exceptional service and recommendations.

Kāwika Kolomona Kamake'e'āina

First impressions, this place is great. Awesome music, clean, and well maintained. The menu is a little unusual, posted on boards hung on the wall as you enter. The host was very helpful, explaining how to order, what ingredients were in dishes, etc. That's the good. The bad: the price was a little high for what you get. I tipped 20% based on service being that you have to pay prior to being served. Being Polynesian I've had my fare share of poke and though this establishment calls their version pok, it's basically the same, except not nearly as good. Maybe it was the dishes we ordered, but half the meal seamed to be made up of rice and half the garnishment seemed to be red cabbage. Conclusion: The food was decent, but not worth the cost. Might be a place to tickle your fancy for something a little different, if you don't mind blowing your budget (if you follow a budget that is).

Lanie Hei

Fresh sushi, thoughtful plating, and friendly service. I would like to see more sustainability efforts on their part since they are aiming more towards the high-end crowd. Also, the tables are very long and close together, so it is not a place for intimate conversation. Go for the sushi and a fun experience!

Tianyu Lei

Very friendly staff here with amazing food. The front even gave us a brief introduction and some advices when we walk into the door. Just order whatever you want because all dishes will shock you. Good place to hangout with friends and price is reasonable!

Shanna Woods

Such great food options!

Gaurav B Sharma

Ordered food specifically saying no shellfish. Ordered 6 dishes and first bite I took - had shrimp. Had to rush into pharmacy. Restaurant was not apologetic or understood the seriousness of the situation. This was life threatening on account of their carelessness. Never again.

Tianwei Gu

Expensive, but nice

Sarah Stauffer

The food was delicious and the staff was very friendly. The size of each item is designed to be smaller so you can try multiple things. Our table ordered 2-4 items per person and each person was full after they finished. One thing to note as it was a surprise for us, one of our group ordered a cocktail (I believe a sake spritzer thing) and the glass was smaller than a child's juice cup for about $12. Though delicious, if we had known the size vs cost before, a different beverage would have been ordered. That being said, I will dream of the crispy shrimp and rice dish I had! Will visit again!

Molly Garner-Puff

PinKU is such a wonderful restaurant! I have never had a bad experience here. Even when they are crowded, the staff is attentive and considerate. The menu has been different every time I visited, but you will always find something delicious to try. The staff will gladly answer any questions you have. I would eat here all the time if I could afford it! Thanks for being great, PinKU!

Sarah Marrinan

Good food, good service... rolls were sliced large making them harder to eat.

Alexander Paulavec

Tasty instagrammable food, quality ingredients, but portions are small for the money tho. Small can of cider will run you $7

Brandon Noel

The gyoza and sushi special was delicious.

Sam Bonnett

Love this place! We love to go weekly to try the specials.

Ka Xiong

The food was delicious, and the host was super helpful. I really enjoyed my dine here.

KZBay

Nice place for a sit down snack/meal. Small portions very well prepared. Good flavor and presented well. A little pricey, but I think it's worth it. Staff was friendly and helped explain what they have and what to expect.

BOOOM GRIZZLIES

It was a good calm place guy who worked there gave me some suggestions on what is the best on the Manu the dude was very helpful I'd go here again and staff was nice.

rick rice

Fun and delicious food

Banle Gaar

Been dying to eat here, forever. Great sake selection, quick bite foods (get 2-4). Jumbo crispy are a must, pot stickers are great. Tried the spicy tuna roll was ok, but big. Will be coming back to try more.

Matthew Thompson

Great fish, great beer selection. Love the setting and size. Style works for any dress. Priced so I can get full stomach too! A standout in Minneapolis.

Kevin Huyck

Crispy Shrimp is one of the best bites in town! X is awesome

Garret McGraw-Hanson

The presentation outpaced the food. The atmosphere was excellent and based on that alone I'd say it is trying. Unfortunately, the food itself didn't quite justify the cost so I don't have much interest in returning.

Cho Ng

Very interesting flavors. Food was fresh and tasty. Service was great. Only thing is that you pay ahead. During that tranaction, it asked for the tips amount. Hestiated, I tipped before actually experience the service. At the end it was appropriate.

Dan Bonnett

This place is awesome! My wife and I have gone several times, man does she get strong cravings to come here.. Their menu always has something new to try and all the options are terrific. The staff is super friendly and always explains very well what they have to offer, especially if it's your first time. It is a must if you have never been and love sushi.

Luke Johnson

Counter service spot with awesome small plate dishes. Great food.

Leilani

Delicious fusion Japanese food. It is not the most authentic food but tastes great. A few elderly folks came in and asked for a paper menu because they couldn't read the menu on the wall but they didn't have any paper menus, so I would suggest they have that as an option.

Ana K

Delicious food! Went with a vegetarian and he was very impressed by all the options he had.

Pa Thao

Great customer service and food was good...just a bit different in taste bud for me.

Michael

Staff was extremely kind and helpful! More importantly the food was amazing. So much effort went into the presentation of it, and for the price you can't beat it!

Dan Olson

Tastes great! - like what you would get in Japan. Great service, they came over and showed us pics of the daily specials and described the menu. We are already talking about planning another visit.

Suzanne Durkacs

Friendly staff explains menu and specials. I had the special: crispy shrimp pot stickers and a side of rice. Next time I'll get 2 dishes. I want to try the spicy tuna. You order and pay as you enter the restaurant. They have local beers in cans, Japanese beers, sake, wine, sangria. I had the white sangria, Refreshing! A mirror ball welcomes you. Baskets are provided for cyclists who need a place to hold their helmets. Nice touches! I ate alone and was comfy.

Natalie Roehrig

The food here is really good. A little pricey but worth every penny. The staff is fantastic! The gentleman at the front came around the counter to show and explain the menu to me as well as advise of some recommendations for the current fan favorites. They're all "small plates" and they do tell you this with the recommendations of ordering 2-3 per person. It was my first time so I ordered 2; the spicy tuna roll and the seared salmon rice. Food came out quickly and with great presentation. Torn between wanting to savor the flavors and eat it all up quickly! I was full from 2 selections but it was so good it left me wanting to order a 3rd!

Alexandra

Delicious food! Great service! My favorite dish was the okonomiyaki, a savory, saucy Japanese pancake. PinKU is a NE gem. I'll be back ~

Gjerda RhodeHumphries

My favorite restaurant in the city by far. I go once a week. Always excellent food, extremely clean and lovely service.

Mike Jensen

First off, they nail the rice. Perfectly cooked, which is essential to Japanese food. I have been here several times for lunch, tried most of the menu. I love it all.

Jairo Molina

This place is great. A perfect combo of chic and street. Food is tasty (although on the pricey side) and fun and the decor is urban, modern and current. I love Pinku. The music is right and it's the perfect level of "noisy". I hope they stay for good.

Bhumi Mata

Amazing Japanese food and really cheap!

Alec Larsen

Great casual but unique dining experience, must try for foodies

Lori Burnstine

Unique eatery; must try the fantastic food and unique experience. Delicious!

Dave Mariani

The gyoza and okonomiyaki are very good. This place allows you to share many different dishes. We will be back.

Nicholas Morgan

Fun, casual atmosphere. Friendly employees. Food is a bit spendy for "street food" - 2 rolls and a beer came out to $30 after tip. For the price point, I think I would tend to go to a more formal restaurant.

Brittany Estrada

Loved this place. Everything was fresh, well-made, and delicious!

Tammy Delfun

Crispy shrimp with rice and pork gyoza were incredibly flavorful. Love to see organized and impeccably clean kitchens. Nice vibe and friendly staff.

SAKSHI GOPAL

Good food. Small portions, much like street food so you should order accordingly. Almost missed the place as it was our first time here, because the sign is small. Bright interiors that could do with less florescent lights. They serve some Japanese beers to go with the Japanese food. A good experience, not great.

Ezra LC

Great service, excellent "small plate" style menu. Slightly pricey for the portions but worth the money.

Otoki Sicily

A modern take on Japanese food. Highly recommend the crispy shrimp and yellow tail. Great value. The service and ticket times are really fast. Even with drinks we've never taken more than 30 min from walking in the door and leaving with full happy stomachs.

Tamara Murphy

Really nice people

Pavel Ushakov

Love PinKU! The best tasting shrimp hands down! Salmon is also highly recommended.

Shela Usadi

I've wanted to try PinKU for a while and finally had a chance to stop by there around 2 days ago. Pros: The food was delicious and healthy. It tasted fresh and pretty authentic. The price was reasonable. Cons: Parking was awful. The tables were so tiny. I felt like a giant knowing things over here and there... and I'm 5 ft tall! Portions are tiny. They are Japanese portions. It is fine for a tiny person like me. I get full really quick. However, the friend I was with was really unsatisfied. He went to get pizza after cause he was still hungry. Overall, pretty good experience. I will come back again.

Khushboo Shakya

Absolutely loved this place! I believe they have rotating menu guessing by how they have placed their menu. We got spicy tuna crispy rice, salmon cakes, ikayaki and tuna poke. They were all very good. The idea is to get a couple of dishes. They also provide small basket to hold your bags so they dont have to sit on the floor. This is a counter service which makes it fast!

jon jonson

It's always good and great staff all around

Benjamin Rattle

Cool atmosphere in this place; a lot of cool bits of artwork encompass the walls. The food was high quality. My wife and I enjoyed grabbing a lot of small plates and sharing. In the end we agreed that everything was great, but couldn't agree on what was best! Staff was very friendly and inviting. This place is worth a second visit.

Avery Hildebrand

Great little place for a quick meal. Very cool atmosphere true to the "street food" style with lots of options. Definitely a unique experience and glad to have them in the city. A bit pricey though.

Guaranlam

Incredible. The spicy tuna crispy rice and Gyoza are a MUST HAVE. Get here soon!

Chelsea Cheung

Loved the layout of the menu board. The food was great and the service was quick. The portions were a bit small for the price.

Tim Sullivan

Very cute place but on one of the visits here the chicken was so oily and greasy it made my gf and I feel sick.

Tierney Fawbush

The salmon hand roll was delectable! I am not akin to seafood,which means I've never like sushi. However PinKU makes it easy to like. I will continue to cross the bridge for this sushi restaurant.

Nikki Toussaint

I got the gyoza and crispy shrimp rice, would recommend! So tasty. Friendly and speedy service

Michael Johnson

Absolutely love this place. Small menu but every thing is an amazing bite. I've been here about 4 times and also had delivery 4 times. Each time the quality has been outstanding no matter in-store or at home. My favorites include the crispy shrimp, gyoza, and without question the spicy tuna crispy rice. I could eat these from here daily and still be excited as the first time.

Casey Peak

Great food and fun atmosphere.

Adam Capets

Just.. wow! Every dish I had was incredibly flavorful and fresh. The small plate style menu was perfect for variety. Seared salmon and yellowtail were perfect in every way. More unique than your typical sushi restaurant. Stop here if you're ever in NE

Seth Stratton

Really this place is a hidden gem. The food is amazing and the service is soooo fun! Seriously go and fill your belly

John Breen

Host was great. We ordered one of everything :) All the salmon dishes were perfectly done. The shrimp dish was also really good. The pot stickers.. were just ok, probably the least favorite out of everything we tried. All really great flavors. Excellent beer selection. We will definitely be back!

Linda Sullivan

Great food that switches up daily. Great dumplings. Love the trays you are served from. Everything is so fresh and tasty. Our party of four loved everything we had. Wagu burger, dumplings, egg dish, shrimp. Modern feel to the restaurant, waitress was knowledgeable about the dishes and helped with selections. Service was quick and prices are pretty good. We will definitely be back.

sociallyevaded .

One of my favorite places. Consistently amazing food and the staff are very friendly and helpful. Every time I go in there is something new and delicious on the menu. 10/10 would recommend!

Ophélie Echelard

Contrary to its name indicates, it’s not as fast as street food. Go there if you have time. The food however is amazing and I love that we can order multiple little bites to eat. Food is delicious, staff is friendly. If you order multiple items, your meal will end up quite pricey but it’s worth it in my opinion.

Mickey Cotter

We come to PinKU every time we're in the Twin Cities and are never disappointed. A perfect place for lunch or a quick snack - grab about two menu items per person and share everything! The menu changes, but we love the gyoza.

Dan Stenoien

I always wanted to try this place.i finally got the chance today and it was so good. The Salmon Cake and Gyōza were great!

Casey Sanders

The staff was very helpful and I was very impressed with the salmon dishes! The gyoza and spicy tuna dishes were okay, although I am not that familiar with what authentic Japanese food tastes like. Considering how good everything else was, I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt!

Mia Donley

The food was really tasty, definitely order the crispy shrimp! The portions are small, so go for at least 3 items if you’re very hungry. I’m sometimes wary of “hip” restaurants having unfriendly staff but this wasn’t the case! The staff was extremely helpful and friendly!

Andrew Zabel

Tasty for the most part, but a bit overpriced. Also coming from SF Bay area, this does not mesure up at all to the hole-in-the wall Japanese places I would go to often. Hence 3 stars

Molly Hallberg

The food is incredibly good. I've had the spicy tuna crispy rice, seared salmon hand roll, and the gyoza. Everything was perfect with amazing flavors both times I've had PinKU.

Brent Timm

Really impressed! Can't wait to try the rest of the menu. Shrimp and salmon sooo good

Angela Pearson

The food here is WONDERFUL! My companion and I were a bit taken aback by the fact that you order at a counter and sit and wait for food to be delivered to you... But... We got over that quickly upon taking our first bites. I think we ordered almost one of each item between the two of us and everything was simply amazing. Great presentation, great flavors, and great service, even though it started with 'counter service'. The gentleman that was working the front counter offered to start us a tab when we wanted to order another drink, which was super kind of him. One of the special menu items was okonomiyaki and it was so good we had to place an order for another! The crispy rice options are to die for! Will go back, and often!

mike shaw

I love this place! After living in Japan for a year I was missing the food and the culture. PinKU has it BIG TIME!

Moi Self

So, so, so good!!! I love this place! Absolutely everything I've had is amazing, but you must try their gyoza and champagne cocktail!

Kevin Walters

Spent part of a Sat afternoon, gorging in tuna, pot stickers, salmon and crispy rice. Service was great! Thx for the great food. Will be back.

Robert Chickey

This is amazing authentic Japanese street food.

Scott Swartzendruber

First time there. Absolutely loved everything!

Gary Daigle

Lots to like about this place. Started with the great parking. Simple menu and the food was excellent.

Eric Paavola

Had my birthday dinner here, it was great!

J Bradish

Eh, it was ok. The ordering process was a bit weird because for some reason when recommending items the cashier came out from behind the counter and showed us a bunch of pictures on his phone rather than any pictures the owner thought we needed to see being posted or on a menu. We were worried when we saw them take rice directly out of the steamer when preparing our food, and sure enough all of the rice we were served was quite warm. Not something I'm used to in a raw sushi roll. The Tuna Poke, rather than being small well cut pieces of tuna, looked like it had been shredded with a fork and was covered in so many sesame seeds the flavor of the fish was lost. The Gyoza on the other hand was excellent, and the service was fast and friendly. Overall it wasn't a bad experience, but there are just too many other good sushi restaurants in town for me to come back here.

Nathaniel Chew

Wonderful lunch in a charming space! The menu is inviting, exciting, and was really well explained by my server. I had the crispy shrimp on rice and the gyozas, both solid regular items worth ordering. There was also a chicken karaage special, which honestly was the best thing there—such juicy, well-marinated, and crisp bites of chicken. Definitely get it if it's available! Three of those dishes came up to just over $20 for me, and I had some leftovers to bring home.

Melody Ikonomovski

Amazing food. My absolute favorite are the seared salmon cakes. The flavor of the seared salmon is incredible. Plus their rice is to die for. I don't know how that make it but it is so delicious you will not be able to stop eating it. It definitely adds up for us since we are usually getting about 4 items per person plus an appetizer but not unreasonable. Be prepared to wait a little while for your food as it takes them time to freshly seat and prepare each item. Nothing is mass produced!

Michelle Dobbratz

Casual, modern, counter service with a comfortable but packed ambience. Service was excellent but spread too thin. Still, he paid attention to details such as water level, when we were done eating, etc. All four dishes I split with my partner were fantastic. The sashimi would not have been enough to fill us up on its own but the special was some kind of savory pancakes, which was a very generous portion and very complex yet approachable (probably too big for one person). I can't remember ever having better gyoza. The house drink is very tasty.

Nicholas Jester

It's a little pricey for the amount of food.

Phatcat09

I have never been so impressed by a restraunt on my first time. Genuinely, this has been an unexpected delight to my evening. The impeccably clean orderly atmosphere, and the decorum of their staff demonstrates a true commitment to excellence that shines through in their food. When was the last time you had your sushi roll brought back voluntarily by a restraunt because the chef was displeased with how it was rolled? A true commitment to excellence if I've ever seen any. I'll be happy to return here frequently.

Linda Norland

Delicious food, great service, cool vibe and not hard to find! We were excited to try this place out and not disappointed! We loved everything-- the crispy salmon was particularly nice. Got the house specialty drink which was also delicious.

Imen B.

Great food! Will definitely be back!

Alex Steele

The dining experience at PinKU is worth every moment. Talented and friendly staff crafting delicious japanese street food.

sarah baube

Love this place- perfect for a relatively quick and always delicious meal.

Catie C

DELICIOUS! I had a flavorgasm. The tuna poke is melt in your mouth delicious. I was surprised by the radish noodles and crunchy shrimp. My only wish is that the portions were a little larger. You need to order 2-3 items to get a whole meal. Spendy, but worth it!!

Nader Banilohi

Wow Incredible Chill Japanese Street Food! The entire vibe was amazing, the staff was very friendly knowing its our first time. A must try for Japanese food lovers. I would recommend the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice, Gyozas, Seared Salmon Rice Cake, and the Chefs Special

Gina Montgomery-Morrison

Food was fairly decent. Seared salmon rice was outstanding!

Tammy Smith

John is incredible, and the food is so good! We tried a large variety of dishes and can not explain how flavorful all the dishes were! Next time we come to Minnesota from Texas we will be back here!

Kyle Sarr-Dietershagen

The food was good and the service was quick but it was over priced.

Caleb Trantham

Great quality food, definitely heavier than average sushi but still very good.

Kimberly Eridon

Food was great! Metal chopsticks seemed more decorative than functional.

Nicholas Lokshin

Amazing place! Try everything.

Christopher MacLeod

I love their small plates! Good light meal

Becca Robbins

Yum. This place has amazing food and terrific service. You cannot leave without having the crispy shrimp, so crunchy and delicious. I don't know what they do with their rice, but it is the perfect mix of flavors. The staff is so kind and helpful. The menu can feel confusing at first, but the staff is so quick to help and very friendly. Tonight, I was especially impressed when I called to order takeout during a rush, and said I would call back a little later. Within five minutes, staff had called me back. I have never had a restaurant do that, and so appreciated the service.

Duncan Shannon

Get the crispy shrimp. Might be my last meal. How is the rice so delicious?!

Joel Weixel

The shrimp. The crispy rice. The handsome X. So many flavors and quality is excellent.

Tanya Morrison

The service and food are bar none! My favorite place to meet with friends or for business. The ***Crispy Shrimp*** ROCKS!!

Clint Weathers

Every time I've been, the food and service have been exceptional. The flavors are all light and fresh and the textures all work together. Bonus points for great music and the disco ball.

Darian Plumb

Best shrimp I’ve ever had. Perfect rice. Great cocktails.

Ned ZTown

Food taste and quality – Very good. Staff – helpful and friendly. Portion size (appetizer or dinner) – small and sample size portion. One person may need to order 3-4 dishes to satisfy the hunger.

Dexter R

Delicious. Thanks for getting us in at the last minute. Will be back next time we are in downtown Minneapolis.

Gordon Scholl

Food was okay. Portions vs price absolutely suck. It is expensive to leave feeling full.

Joanna Tyler

good food, service felt a little slow but was expected because it was busy. I was confused by what the server said when I asked about veg options although they did accommodate that with off menu items I just didn't know what I was going to get

Forrest Rhoads

First Time Here: Excellent rice, salmon and gyoza

hansoo

I love this place and the food. I don't really ever write blanket statements like this as most restaurants excel at one or two dishes and so I like to point those out. But Pinku is a gem. The only criticism I have is they need a $30 bucket-o-shrimp. Yes, it's a bit crude, but seriously you need to have a bucket of shrimp.

Yong Jae Park

Disclaimer *I’m ASIAN. 1. OVERLY PRICED. It should be more like ⅓ the price they charge now for the food they serve. 2. GOOD SERVICE disguised in SLY marketing strategy. 1 start is even too much for the food. Quality customer service you get for the tip their credit card machine asks you up front, I’ll give you that. This place is no~~~ where close to japanese food, not even any asian food. Tried 4 dishes. All disappointing. Please Dont call this place a 日本料理店。

Spacemonkiee 1

Super nice, the host walked us thru the menu and even recommend something that wasn't on it. Small plate kind of place, good choice if you want to get a bite before going out for a drink.

Vonnetta Byington

Sushi and chicken curry

Israel Anderson

Seriously dope Japanese street food. Ordered multiple different things. Everything blew me away.

Walter Bishop

Food is delicious and authentic! Great deli items to take home. The only issue is the limited dining room space.

Matthew Lysne

This place is SO good! Food is delicious and service is friendly and helpful.

Acton Brunch

Accommodating and friendly staff. Small but well prepared selection. More upscale than actual Japanese street fair, but delicious and creatively done.

Nic Skrade

Unique and delicious foods! Always a pleasure

Grant Owen

Absolutely awesome restaurant. The server was the nicest I think I’ve ever encountered. Food was phenomenal, and price was affordable. 10/10