The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar

Food’s great, prices are reasonable. One of my favorite restaurants in raleigh.

I have to say that this place was packed! There was no way I was going to wait for over an hour. I assumed by this restaurant being most reviewed that this place was mind blowing and worth a try.
It is located in a busy business area, more like a small town center filled with many trendy restaurants. People even working out in the park district area. So parking was a bit inconvenient because everybody was out to have dinner along the same time as me.
The restaurant was stunning in many ways. I was at awe with the cool wall displays, wall art and huge display of an aquarium filled with beautiful tropical fish. The colors of red painted on the wall with a modern touch in every corner.
On the outside patio there was a lot of live entertainment going on a bit noisy and a vast majority of people waiting outside to get seated. They were waiting by the door and even upon arrival the place was packed.
I knew that it wasn’t going to happen with such a long wait time and I just order to go since I had appointment to be at within the hour.
I decided to try the ultimate bento box which contained blackened tuna roll with lump crab, avocado, jalapeño, with a mini burger with bacon bbq, cucumber salad, edamame and sweet potato fries. I was intrigued because it had a little bit of everything. Who would’ve though a burger to be included in a bento box. It was very untraditional but I knew It was worth a try.
They said it would be ready in 20 min so I waited. I was please with their pick up area with funny strange displays and an image of a cow carrying a fish.
I got my order to go and was pleased with how fast, efficient and friendly the workers were. They made sure I had everything complete in my bag as I took off with my meal.
My ultimate bento box was huge! It was definitely triple the size of a typical bento box that you would get a traditional Japanese restaurant. But of course this place was definitely outside the box with the food concert and I was surprised that although I had everything to go… My food was cooked spot on. My fries was still crisp, edamame was perfect, the beef on my mini burger was moist and most especially they nailed the blackened tuna roll. I felt as if I was having a taste of Maryland with the blue crab and mixture of southern creole with my blackened tuna.
I was pleased I got to sample this place out. Only wish that I could’ve enjoyed the atmosphere.
It would be best to be super early, the fish tank was a hit and a highlight of the restaurant, the bar and the atmosphere was eclectic yet modern.
It was a little too noisy for my taste, but could be a hit or miss. Although it was a weekday and crowded I bet the weekends are packed with customers here. So maybe something to avoid? Definitely worth a try though.
The concept of Japanese sushi mixed with burgers and french fries is extremely different but the food was well worth it. You get to taste a bit of everything for those who like Asian and a burger «cowboy» fix.

Be prepared for a long wait, it is a really popular spot. The bar staff will hook you up with drinks & appetizers. We actually were able to take ours outside & sit while waiting on our table.
The food was really good. The Parmesan Garlic fries on the appetizer menu are very tasty. The food portions are generous and the staff very friendly.
The fish tank is very cool and the posters around the walls are cute. Really the only draw back is the inside was pretty loud, especially when they were doing birthday celebrations.
It is about 45 minutes for us to drive over, but that won’t deter us from returning.

Wild Wild wild menu at this place. Burgers, sushi or «burgushi» — a crazy fusion of both. Great vegetarian options on the burgers and a few for the sushi. I will be back many more times to try different menu options. The malted milkshakes are delicious too — I had the Choco espresso Carmel one!

Damn! I got a burger with egg and jalapeño bacon wrapped with lettuce. I have no idea what the burger was called because I arrived late to dinner with a couple of work colleagues and asked for the same dish one of them was enjoying. Well I wasn’t disappointed! This burger was one for the record books. Calamari was good as well. Check this place out

Cool trendy spot!
Sushi is good and the sauces they pair the different rolls with are spot on.
Great place for a first date or to meet someone at the bar.
If you’re celebrating a birthday make sure to ask for he GONG! :)

Amazing food and staff!!! They have great sushi options and desserts! You will not be disappointed! A must try!

Probably one of the last people in Raleigh to try this restaurant, it was pretty good not great but very good. Noisy atmosphere super friendly and knowledge wait staff. Extensive menu somewhat daunting but that’s just me. My burger was pretty much perfect, the Moscow Mules not so much.

TRUTH BE TOLD!!! Cowfish is in a great location. The atmosphere is awesome, the food presentation is mouth watering, BUT (yes, there’s always a but)…the food we had was bland and severely over-​rated (at this point). Would we try it again, yes but with no high expectations. Sorry folks but that the truth. JUST KEEPING IT 100!

This was one spot I wanted to hit up before I moved out of town, so tonight I met a friend here. As others have said, no reservations leads to lengthy waits, so we got here about 6:15 and were seated about 7:20 (which is when we’d planned to eat, so for us it worked out.) We both ordered the same thing, the specialty bento box with the featured mini burger and tempura roll. For only $ 16, it’s quite a bit of food! The burger was juicy and well cooked, and the roll was good as well. (As others have pointed out, they’re more known for «Americanized» sushi, so just go expecting that. But it’s great sushi anyways!) The sweet potato fries and edamame were delicious, and the cucumber salad was good too, though I wasn’t quite expecting the chili kick that some bites had. I’d still get it again though. Our drinks were always kept full and the server was very helpful and friendly. If I weren’t moving away, I’d find an excuse to come back soon! (And I just might anyway!)
Oh. And as a graphic designer I loved all the posters around– different takes on pop culture adapted to Cowfish (Wicked, Minecraft, Powerpuff Girls and others)

I don’t mind Americanized sushi, but at least make it good. I would not recommend the burgushi plates — my husband decided to try something new, so he ordered a burgushi plate — it was really disappointing. There were bits of hamburger in the roll and it wasn’t very good. I got the fried crab sandwich and I ended up wishing I didn’t change my order from the Korean sandwich to this one. The sandwich had a fishy and strong frozen smell to it. My sister didn’t want her bacon so I ended up putting her bacon on my sandwich to mask the taste. I would not recommend this sandwich. On a positive note, the burgers were great. The burgers were big and juicy and the fries and sweet potato fries were on point. I would just stick to the American stuff on the menu. Our waiter was great too — he was accommodating to our big party. It’s one of those places I would go to if a friend really wanted to try it, but I don’t think I would go on my own.

Burgers and sushi combos is a gimmick. But this gimmick totally works and is executed exceptionally well by the staff here.
Cowfish’ success can mean long wait-​times at peak times. Sorry, no reservations to get into this beautifully decorated with whimsical posters.
The ingredients are all primo. Sushi is nuveau-​sushi — so expect giant sized rolls with non-​traditional ingredients in unusual combinations. The rolls are quite expensive — partly because of the size. The rolls have always been great. Fresh and delicious.
Their burgers are very well executed.
But the headliner dish is their bento box — a bit of sushi with a small burger. Add two sides — usually sweet potato fries, a pickled cucumber salad, and steamed edemame. Frankly, I find their cucumber salad a bit over-​marinated, so I usually choose something else. But their sweet potato fries are awesome. It is the perfect dish for men and women who want something healthy, but don’t have a vendetta against flavor.
I love coming here again and again. This is one of my favorite places in the Triangle.

Nothing can be better than a menu full of burgers and sushi options, and that’s all you’ll find at Cowfish. The food is phenomenal and the ambiance is nice. Located in north hills, it’s one of the top restaurants to try. If you haven’t been yet, you’re missing out.
Start out with the calamari. This is a must order. It’s different than any other fried calamari appetizer I’ve tried before, and different in a very good way. Instead of the typical red sauce that’s served with calamari, it’s served on top of a sweet and sour Thai sauce that is amazing and SO tasty. Trust me you’ll want an extra side of the sauce so you can drizzle even more of it on the calamari or use it as a dipping sauce for your meal.
My to go to order is the cowfish bento box. This gives you a little taste of everything which I like. It comes with a cute tiny bite size cheeseburger and four pieces of a spicy tuna roll. Sides also consist of a ton of edamame, sweet potato fries (which are delicious) and a cucumber salad that’s very good as well (it does have a bit of a spicy kick to it and is very flavorful). The burgers also look very good if you’re in the mood for that. Portion sizes are huge so you’ll have some left over to enjoy later on!

I can only give 3 stars based on the sushi. I had the spicy crunchy crab roll w/​o masago and added cream cheese. The wait was almost 2 hours… We were sat outdoors and I instantly said no it’s not warm enough… so we were able to move closer to the wall, still outdoors. I could not understand why the heat lamps were not on, but fans going full speed. Anyway, the sushi was good, nice size rolls. A lower sodium soy sauce on the tables would be great. The concept is good. my understanding is that the burgers are ok, but nothing outstanding according the other members in my party. If I decide to return, it would not be on the weekend.

What can I say about this place? It was just fabulous. My boyfriend and I were visiting Raleigh and found it on Unilocal so we figured we would give it a try. Honestly, a bit skeptical at first as to if they were going to lack on the burgers or sushi or both (sometimes places who try and cram too much fall short) but we were so wrong, everything was delicious and we are overly critical food snobs.
We started off with the tuna nachos. Great big piece of tuna, cooked perfectly and seasoned similar to steak (surprisingly nice and tasty): definitely recommend these but filling
I then got a bento box with Mark’s sushi and a vegetarian patty: I’m not complaining but SO MUCH FOOD! Came with edamame, sweet potato fried, Cucumber salad. I didn’t expect much from the vegetarian patty because even most burger places aren’t successful to making them — but this place nailed it! Great flavor, moist without falling apart, hint of spices with each bite and cute presentation.
My boyfriend got the Taste Explosion (or something like that) and I had never seen him eat «sushi» so fast. Delicious layer of flavor with pesto, tomatoes, rice, beer, spicy mayo, etc. Rice and seaweed with beef? They apparently go hand-​in-​hand!
Overall, a bit pricey but you’re getting the portion sizes and quality of food to match. Atmosphere was fun and unique and the wall art was hilarious.
One warning — go around 4 or 5 to beat the rush. We got there as a late lunch and sat right away and while we were leaving around 530 – 6 there was a LONG wait. I know 4 or 5 is an early dinner but with the amount of food you get, you will most likely be full the remainder of the night!

We frequent the Cowfish. I can’t say enough good things about this restaurant.
The servers are incredible and knowledgable of their menu and what Cowfish has to offer. We usually try something new every time we go! I love their Crab Rangoon Dip! Amazing!
Today, we had the cheeseburgushi and truffle fries as an appetizer and boy oh boy, we weren’t disappointed! It was amazing. The creativity this place has never ceases to amaze me. I also had the bento box with the speciality mini burger of the week and tempura shrimp. I’m not crazy about the cucumbers, but no worries, cow fish will always sub out and take special requests. Another reason why I love this place. Yum, Yum, Yum!
Go! Right now! You will not be disappointed!!!

Sweet potato fries here are on point! Crunchy and crispy, yum!
My husband and I weren’t too excited about the Parmesan truffle fries though, not as crispy as the sweet potato fries.
We got the veggie burger with mushrooms/​Swiss and added on some pickles. The burger was quite good, albeit hard to eat. The fried pickles on the side were interesting! (Our first time having them).
The mushroom sushi was also really good and very filling.
The whole place is very child friendly. Worth a visit if you’re in the area.

I’m a fan of their Bento Box, since it combines both burger and sushi elements into one dish. You get a slider burger with some sushi, sweet potato fries, edamame, and pickled cucumbers.
I love the sweet potato fries. They aren’t overly sweet, and they are consistently crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, all the while maintaining its integrity when you bite into it. It’s the way fries should be made, and I wish more restaurants knew how to do it well.
I’ve tried a few of their sushi options, and I’ve been impressed by the flavor combinations as well as the freshness of the fish.
Their burgers that I have tried also have great flavor and are typically cooked pretty well. They have a lot of interesting burger options, too — there is definitely more I need to try.
The pricing is reasonable, too. The service is friendly and quick, and the restaurant is clean and appropriately decorated. I’m a fan of the big aquarium and the pop-​art posters.
Cowfish is definitely worth a try if you’re in this area!

I’ll admit it: I was skeptical. A place that can do both sushi and burgers well? Sushi in North Carolina? The Cowfish can deliver!
I got the tuna nachos to start. What a flavor explosion; there are so many things at play already, but I’d add some chopped jalapenos on top!
For my main course I got the bento box with the Boss roll. Perfect sampling of everything! If I hadn’t gotten an appetizer I would have liked the option to get the edamame first, but that’s probably just me.
Despite my preferred potential modifications above, I give the food 4.5÷5.
But what really pushes this spot from great to exceptional is the service! The staff are friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable. If I’m ever in NC, I’ll be back!

Wow! I NEVER thought I would enjoy a burger in sushi form! If you are in town, YOU MUST TRY THIS EXPERIENCE!
This just goes to show you, it’s awesome to get a little out of your comfort zone. We had the «Burgoshi» which was ground beef rolled in rice and a thin potato and lightly fried… It was BEYOND delicious!
Also had some type of philly sushi panini. Awesome, but recommend the actual burger rolls more.
Our server was fantastic and patiently explained the extensive burger, sushi, and Burgoshi menu.
Décor was a funky, modern, Japanese feel, complete with a sushi saltwater fish tank.