We went on a Friday night with our boys and ordered edamame, gyoza, age tofu, crab tempura, and sushi. Sushi - California roll, sweet heart roll (tempura sweet potato roll with crab), Heartbeat roll (shrimp tempura, crabstick, avocado, asparagus, and hot sauce with tuna and crunchy flakes), and Generator roll (shrimp tempura, crab tempura, asparagus tempura, avocado and masago topped with white fish and seracha sauce). Â Overall, the taste was good with some creative rolls.
As a plus, you can take the rolls next door to Mac's so you can drink beer with your sushi!
I love this place. Â I normally get the Miso soup, but being July, it is too hot for it. Â So I decided to try this "Squid salad". Â OMG. Â It is amazing. Â It is a new favorite.
I also get the Rainbow roll (I substitute cream cheese for the cucumber) and it's always great.
The only reason I am not giving this place 5 stars is because the lack of adequate heating/AC. Â There are four tables and if you eat there in the winter, it is freezing. Â And if you eat there in the summer, it's too hot. Â I just get it to go and eat it at home for dinner.
The sushi was thoroughly disappointing. Â We had a few rolls and a variety of nigiri. Â The yellowtail roll was bland. The salmon nigiri was devoid of flavor, and the mackerel had an off flavor that I still can't identify. Â I'd actually rate it a 0.5 - it gets .5 stars only because I didn't get sick.
Review Source:We ordered take out from here last night. Â We ordered 4 rolls for $30 bucks--not bad. Â Unfortunately, the rules were really tiny. Â The boy and I finished our meal and were still very hungry. Â The sushi itself was delicious. Â I was pleasantly surprised. Â I couldn't, however, bring myself to pay $30 for an appetizer amount of sushi. I'd go back for a good lunch special or something.
Review Source:I absolutely love this place! It's my sushi home. I'm willing to travel for it. The service is always great. They are always friendly. Â The sushi is also yummy. I am vegan so I can only speak about the veggie rolls and the sweet potato tempura roll.
The restaurant is pretty small. If you don't like intimate spaces, I would suggest you order carry-out. Otherwise, it's a very nice place for catching up with a friend or a date.
This place is great! Â The food is delicious, quick and inexpensive.
I would recommend ordering carryout because the restaurant is small and the service is just so-so. Â I also was freeeeezing to death in there. Â I was so cold I had to leave my coat on for most of the meal. Â I ordered hot tea and it took an awful long time to get to me.
They had so many unique kinds of rolls that it made it super difficult to choose. Â I ended up choosing a couple of the spicier rolls, which I enjoyed. Â I did end up having to scrape some of the spicy mayo concoction off the top because it overpowered the rest of the roll.
I absolutely would recommend giving this place a try. Â It's definitely better than some of the competing "half-price" places around town. Â The rolls don't need to be half price here, because the most expensive thing on the menu is $11.95.
If you like sushi and you aren't independently wealthy, this is probably your best choice!
Surprisingly good! I am always very picky about where I get my sushi, and I would normally steer clear of a tiny storefront with 3 or 4 tables, but I happened to be starving and craving sushi, and this was my closest option. Boy am I glad I tried it! The sushi was great (maybe not the absolute best in the city, but darn good, especially for the price), and the service, while not the most efficient and professional, is very friendly. Great selection of specialty rolls, too. Great sushi, friendly service, cozy atmosphere- a win!
Review Source:I have eaten a lot of sushi and Maki is my favorite. Granted I am vegan so I can only attest to the veggie rolls but the sweet potato tempura roll makes my tummy all kinds of happy inside.
The service is also amazing. I have never been in there when they weren't really really nice and super helpful.
Ummm.... I think I may go get some now.
As a regular of Maki Express, I tend to stick to my usual order of the 'Deep Fried Terminator' roll (salmon/cream cheese roll fried in tempura with eel sauce) and the 'New York' roll (spicy tuna roll with lots of avo and spicy mayo on top) and these rolls are probably the best I've had in the cincy area. Even when I've branched out from these go-to rolls I have not been disappointed, as their white fish sashimi was fresh and tasty and their 'Spicy Crunchy' roll was great too. The owners are really friendly and although the place is small, you can take your food over to Mac's next door and hang out in one of their booths.
Review Source:Love this place! Â Quick, inexpensive, delicious sushi! Â I so wish this place had been around when I lived in Clifton. Â We dined in on a Saturday late-afternoon - I'd anticipate it gets a little crowded in the evening, but it was almost empty when we were there.
We had 4 (or 5???) rolls and one pop, for $33 including tip. Â Amazing!
Keep in mind they are (SO SADLY) closed on Sundays. Â I'm always craving cheap and quick sushi on Sunday afternoons, and this place is always closed. Â :-)
I've had sushi in many cities in several countries and Maki Express is among the best I've ever had. Â This family-run place is small -- just 4 tables with seating for 12 -- but the food is expertly prepared and always fresh. Â Service is extremely casual (it's the opposite of fancy), but efficient and friendly. Go there for the amazing food and be surprised by how inexpensive it is (when it comes to sushi, I've paid far more for far less). Â Try the asparagus tempura roll...it really is a little slice of heaven.
Update #1: I'm not sure why people are complaining about Maki's prices. Everywhere else in Cincinnati that has decent sushi is $1-$3 more expensive per roll minimum, so Maki is pretty cheap (especially during lunch specials).
Let me start by saying that I LOOOVE SUSHI! I work with it, I eat a lot of it, and I know how to tell its quality. From that standpoint, I am stating here, in no uncertain way, that Maki Express is terrible. There are no exceptions or conditions by which it is not terrible. This isn't up for discussion. Don't come here.
I feel I might be too frustrated to write a proper review, so I'm just going to share my experience, and let the reader judge.
I don't know why, but I was REALLY craving sushi after work today. So, I just looked up the closest place and ordered. That's where the trouble started.
I went to their site to look up the menu for a carry-out order, and a smooth jazz song started playing. I actually liked that song... until I realized  there was no way to stop it from playing, and that it played on every single page. I would have turned it down, but my favorite song was playing on Pandora and I sorta wanted to hear my song AND order sushi, which I think is a very reasonable request.
I ended up ordering something I didn't actually want because the song was getting to me. I got a a Spicy Tuna Roll, a Philly Roll, and a Sweet-Potato Tempura Roll. Those are three you can't really mess up. I walked in and found that there is a $15 minimum to pay with a card. My order came out to $14.75, and I had to go to an ATM. I didn't mind the ATM fee because I was still excited to have that sushi, so no big loss there.
Things went south when I started eating though. I opened the bag and there was a little less than a half-dollop of soy sauce for all three of my rolls. I opened the box, and there were 18 pieces of the saddest looking sushi staring back at me. They didn't even use fresh tuna ground for the spicy tuna. The sweet potato looked old, and the Philly Roll was mediocre. All I could think was "I paid $15 for that?" when I was done.
In summary: overpriced, terrible quality. Save yourself the trouble and don't waste your money here.
Is sushi not just the tastiest thing you can order?
Recently I had the chance to check out Maki Express and it did not disappoint.
I was wholly surprised by the variety of the different types of rolls and especially the ingredients the chefs used.
I ended up getting some sort of spicy roll, (the name escapes me,) and it came out rolled in a cucumber wrap, I believe.
My friend had a spicy tuna roll wrapped in rice, both were excellent. We also had a seared tuna appetizer that was delish.
The service was prompt and friendly. Overall, there was nothing to really complain about.
......
And then came the check. WOWZA. I was shocked. Dinner for two with an appetizer came out to almost $50 with tip. I'm still not sure if the clerk rang it up right.
I do plan on going to Maki again, but I'll probably try to hit them up during half-price sushi time.
This place is tiny, but we were lucky enough to snag a table the other day. I would definitely recommend doing take out, since the restaurant has more of a lunch counter vibe. But, dang, the sushi is good. Their menu is extensive, offering a wide range of prices and flavors. The fish tasted very fresh. Overall:yum. This is probably the best sushi you're going to get in this area, so go try it.
Review Source:I enjoy Maki quite much. The inside of the restaurant is small.. the whole place can probably only seat 10 people. If visiting with a group.. with some luck you may be able to sit at two tables across from each other.
The fish is fresh and is delicious, sushi is good. They have a bunch of traditional sushi, and some more 'american' spins, featuring fried such and such and cream cheese, i.e. the terminator roll. Tempura batter here is tops.
What I particularly enjoyed was their tendon meal, which is a traditional japanese dish with tempura battered shrimp over rice w/ an over easy egg. Simply delish. They have 'katsudon' too, which is fried pork-cutlet with the same thing. My friend had this there and said it was quite good, also. You don't really see these dishes served much and they are filling and awesome. I think these options are good eats for a man who would otherwise need 584093895043 rolls to be full.
The pricing is pretty typical. It is $4 for simple rolls and goes up to $10 for more complex/delish ones. The don meals i mentioned are 8-9 dollars.
Worth eating!
Ok so I've had my fair share of sushi around the country. While this is my very first review, I made an account specifically to comment on this place. I had the Sakura roll, fantastic. I've never had a roll like that and so well put together. I also had sweet potato tempura roll only because I absolutely love sweet potato. Again fantastic. Seaweed salad, like any other place. However the price, the service and the Sakura roll - new favorite place anytime I come back to the Cincinnati.
Review Source:Hurray for these guys. Seriously, great sushi and great folks.
Little embarrassing moment-
I ate $15 worth of sushi over the course of an hour while studying solo. Then I discovered that I left my wallet in my other bag, back at the house...I WAS MORTIFIED.
I had to tell the waiter that I could not pay, promised I would come back. I gave him all my books as the only "insurance" I had. He just looked at me like the lunatic I am, but was very understanding/ tolerant.
Needless to say, I came back immediately and tipped as well as I could.
I've gone back a few times since then, and that waiter always gets a good laugh in.
Maki is hands-down the best sushi option in Clifton. It's pretty much the only sushi option in Clifton, I guess. The food is good, the rolls are are solid, and it's BYOB.
The only knock against Maki I can think of is that you have to be in the right mood to dine in there. It's very small, only about six tables or so, and you're pretty much sitting in the kitchen. Carry-out customers come and go. It's not exactly high on my list of places to go for a relaxing dinner, but when quick, cheap sushi is on the menu, I go to Maki.
Try one of their more unorthodox rolls, like the Italian one with basil. Sounds weird, but it was really tasty. And the Bonsai Tree roll I tried last time was delightful - tangy pickled veggies, crunchy cucumber.
If you're not dining out, Maki is a great carry-out option too. Whether you're staying for your meal or picking it up, the staff have always been polite and fairly quick. A word of warning, though, they want you to buy at least $15 worth of food if you're planning on using a credit card. It's really easy to eat there for under $15, so bring some cash.
To simplify: Maki makes good sushi at a good price. Go there, eat sushi, be happy. And you won't go broke.
Girlfriend and I ventured here after finding the closet sushi place to us on yelp, and now I think we have a new favorite place to go!
We went in early on a Saturday and there was a table or two open (seating for only 10-14 people total) Got a salad with ginger dressing that was fantastic as well as 3 rolls; Salmon, Alaska and the New York all of which were phenomenal. Total with tip was about 30 bucks which for sushi for two with an app is really good if you ask me. Its not cheap sushi my any stretch of the imagination. The only thing cheap about it is the price.
If you are in the area, check out this tiny "hole the wall" sushi place. Its well worth it.
This is hands down my favorite sushi in CIncinnati (and Northern KY). The fish is always fresh and the presentation of the sushi is top notch. This is a family owned business in an unassuming little shop, but they do a great job. This is definitely one of those places that only a local could recommend. Â I can't give them five stars because I think they could eventually improve the decor and add a liquor license; but until then you can bring your own or go across the street and buy saki at the Red Pepper to take out.
Review Source:When I strolled into Maki not too long ago I didn't expect much. Â I like to think I'm rather well versed in sushi (at least in Cincinnati standards) and at first glance I wrote Maki off. Â
I was pleasantly surprised with the sushi. Â It wasn't spectacular, but for a hole in the wall place on campus it surpassed my expectations. Â I started with a well made squid salad and then a myriad of different rolls (unfortunately none of which i can remember) which were all surprisingly good, especially the simple sweet potato roll.
I do have to reiterate what the other reviewers have said, it is very small. Â Do yourself a favor and get take out.
Don't overlook Maki. If you're looking for quick, cheapish sushi on campus you can't beat it.
Of all of the sushi places in Cincinnati Maki Express is my favorite! Unfortunately as the other reviewers have noted, its TINY! So it's really a takeout only place. Maki is run by a family, who all seem to have different roles in the business. Their sushi is so fresh and made right in front of you. They have TONS of different kind of rolls. Unlike other sushi venues in Cincinnati I have never had anything that was "so-so" from them. The Terminator Roll is my favorite and if you are of the "eww raw fish - sushi is scary" genre they have some wonderful tempura cooked rolls as well as veggie rolls (the sweetpotato- sweetheart roll) is delish!
Just because it is on-campus doesn't mean that Maki is cheap. I generally plan on spending $20-$30.00 when I go, but that said, the concept of cheap sushi scares me a little anyways!
If dine in is what you are looking for head somewhere else, but Maki is arguably the best take out sushi in the city!
This place is about the size of a shoebox. A very small shoebox for a size 5 pair of flats. But as soon as I begin eating all I can think about is how good the salmon skin roll tastes. And how sexy the sexy roll is. Suddenly I realize that there are original watercolors on the wall (based on photos in the menu! brilliant!) and that the guy making the sushi is right behind me. And the bubble tea shop is right next door. Whoa! This is the best shoebox ever.
Review Source:Sushi is a scary thing for many people. "Raw fish?!?!? No thank you!" is a response I've gotten from friends and acquaintances before. For those that get over their fears, it's a well documented fact that sushi is probably the best thing in the world. It's also known among sushi lovers that the search for the best sushi in an area is long and rigorous and sometimes never-ending.
Maki Express is one of the best places I've had sushi in Cincinnati at this point. Tucked away on W. McMillan, Maki Express has won several awards from local weekly magazines for offering the best sushi in town even though its humble set up of four tables wouldn't lead one to believe so. A full menu of different sushi options can leave one a little bewildered at first glance, but the staff there is helpful if you have questions. Still, if you're a first-time sushi eater, here's a sample menu to help you have a good experience.
Appetizer:
Edamame - Edamame are heated soy beans with salt sprinkled over them, a great start to any meal.
GInger salad - A fairly traditional salad with a delicious ginger dressing over it. Great if you want something a little more familiar.
Sushi:
Spicy Tuna Tempura - These rolls are a great place to start because they have a spicy mayonnaise and are deep-fried so you don't have to start off raw.
Tamago Nagiri - This is an egg sushi that is just egg laid over sushi rice, tied on with a piece of seaweed. Again, no raw fish to ease you in.
Tuna Roll - The tuna roll is probably the easiest place to start with raw fish. It's not too fishy, yet you can discover that eating raw fish won't, in fact, kill you.
Just a few suggestions to get started on a very large menu, but once you get started you'll find yourself wondering how that eel roll tastes, and whether squid is as chewy as everyone says. You won't find a better place to go for a first experience.
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