Tokyo Garden

Over due review have been frequenting this establishment since I was first introduced by my cousin Niki, I want to say 7years plus ago, I can’t even remember when she started bringing me here but it used to be our weekly lunch. Thinking about it, I was still in high school. So plausible math would be 10 – 12 years. CRAZY SAUCE.
Anywho being that I was a teen working part time hours she would always treat but when I got the chance she would always just choose ice cream, something that I could afford. Lol anywho enough reminiscing!
Tried most of everything on the menu. sukiyaki, udon, noodle, sushi, teriyaki chicken, steak.
And I always resort back to the steak/​chicken combo with tempura veggies: (sweet potato, carrot, onion, broccoli, salad, miso soup, and hot tea.
Owned and operated by the same as those that prepare, cook, and serve the food. Super sweet, loving, and friendly.
Steak deliciously cooked, well marinated, just perfect. Chicken cooked well also. The salad sauce, so addicting like there’s crack added to it! I know it’s just vinaigrette but so yummy! The miso soup is creamy, tastes great and not overly salty.
Will always continue to come here with my love bug and husband when we have open time.

OK, this place is really cool, however there are a few snags. The bathroom is really scary. Some booths are torn up. We went on a Sunday to watch the jazz and eat dinner. The service was slow, but she was all by herself literally running to take care of everyone. We had a great time and I’m positive we will be back!

I walked in on a Sunday evening around 5:30 PM. We were the very first customers for the night. I love this because I like intimate and quiet settings when I go out to eat. This may not be the norm and I probably wouldn’t have minded a crowd of people at this location because the set up of booths still allows quiet conversation. The menu is very authentic. They also have a sushi menu that isn’t overwhelming with options. We ordered 3 sushi rolls and a side of teriyaki chicken. The best and freshest sushi rolls I have had in Fresno and the best teriyaki chicken. *mouth waters.
We had a good conversation with the server. Although he wasn’t perky and eager. I loved the service and the environment of this location. I will definitely visit again soon.

The service is a little slow, maybe because every time I visit it’s busy, but the food is very good. The dinners are served traditional multi-​course Japanese style. On Sunday evenings they have live Jazz music, which is pretty cool. The owners are very nice and welcoming.

Short review:
Go for the teppanyaki
Long review:
The sushi here is average: pretty, seems fresh, but not as flavorful as I prefer. They could garnish it better with sesame seeds, masago, green onion, or less bland sauces drizzled over them. 3 stars for the sushi.
The dinners were pretty good, sauces were flavorful and aside from the small piece of chicken bone that snuck on our plate, everything felt balanced and like it belonged. Their miso is possibly made from a mix, but a higher-​end mix. It just didn’t seem like it was from scratch, so it was missing the refreshing light subtle flavors that I expect and was slightly too concentrated and too salty. 4 stars for the sit down dinners.
The teppanyaki is great. The rice is so amazing and all the chefs have seemed pretty skilled. They do a great job at what they do and although they require each adult to order an entrée, they do not have the same requirement for children, so you can easily have two kids split an entrée. 5 stars for the teppanyaki.
This is based on several trips for teppanyaki and giving the dinners and the sushi second chances. The dinners were better the second time around, but the sushi failed to impress.

Waited 45 minutes for our food until I went and asked how much longer it would be. The waitress said shortly, and grabbed our tray of sushi which was sitting in the kitchen. All of our sushi rolls fell apart. Love supporting downtown businesses but this was pretty bad, I’ll think twice before coming back

Holy crap this place is a dive and not in a good way! Food was disgusting and their motif looked like it came from a rummage sale. Ummm at least dust that crap so it doesn’t get in the food! Some businesses just need to close their doors and call it a day for good!!!

Best japanese place. Sushi is fantastic. Steaks are perfect. Dont be fooled by the interior. You’ll not find a better place in town.

Teriyaki beef here was excellent, and a steal that included tempura, salad and rice for under $ 12.
It’s not the typical type of beef served under thick teriyaki sauce, instead it is marinated and grilled with it so it just adds a light, and nice sauce served with it. The beef was cooked perfectly and was nice and tender.
Everything else was so-​so.
Salad was just drenched in sauce, as if the cook just poured half a cup of it onto a small bowl of salad. It was almost like a soup.
Tempura veggies and shrimp were OK. The dipping sauce could have been better but oh well.
I think the only authentic part of my lunch was the serving size of their water, since this is pretty much considered the average or large size in Japan. I know we’re in a fucking drought but still– it’s triple digits outside goddamnit!
Also, the lady who served me seemed kind of offended that I asked for a spoon of all things. Not my fault I don’t like wasting 10 mins just to pick up small ass pieces of rice off the plate!

Wow. I really really really LOVE this place! You step inside and the way the restaurant is designed really just sets it apart from many other Japanese places in town.
After being greeted promptly we sat down and got in some drink orders, I really want to go into their bar next time because from where I was sitting, there was the coolest little Godzilla ornament I have ever seen!
I ordered their beef sukiyaki and chicken kashiyaki dinner entrée. It also came with one choice of four or five options of a side and I picked chicken teriyaki.
After ordering, the gal came by with my cucumber salad and miso soup. Yummy! The soup was hot and fresh, as was the cucumber salad with it’s sweet dressing. Not long after I finished both items, I got my bowl of rice and the entrees! Everything was fresh and hot and super delicious!
The Sukiyaki Beef had an amazing mixture of sweetness and savoriness, the spinach was delicious and I couldn’t help but continue to sip the juice. The teriyaki chicken also was really good, the chicken was cooked well and you could still taste the chicken’s seasonings aside from the teriyaki sauce. The kashiyaki chicken was pretty good too, the little skewers had just the right amount of meat and bell peppers and onions to make it taste so good.
Their portions are good enough for two people by the way. So getting an entrée and just an extra side of rice and miso soup should be good enough for two. The dinner ends with a choice of ice cream, and of course, I went for the green tea.
All in all, I would definitely make a comeback here. The environment is great and the food is authentic and delicious. I almost forgot to mention the traditional instrumental Japanese music that makes the place feel so real. It’s definitely a gem in Fresno.

The worst Japanese restaurant I’ve ever been to. I ordered a salad and salmon sushi roll and they were both warm. Absolutely terrible.

I went to the restaurant a few weeks ago during the week for dinner. I had gone to a few rockabilly concerts about 10 years ago and remember that it was a neat little place. Coming back to eat after all these years and being sober really made me sad for this once great place.
I love the fact that Tokyo Gardens has history and had been in business so many years. The neon sign and outside of the building is beautiful. I love seeing old signs still in use.
Upon entering I was not impressed. A lot of the chairs were ripped and mismatched. The antique items in the front display had layers of dust and grime on them. The floors were cement and had old glue staining and made the restaurant look trashy. It is not expensive for cement flooring paint and dont understand why anyone would leave floors looking unfinished and unsightly. They have neat booths and the bar area is pretty cool. The thing is this place is so dirty. I am talking layers of dust and grime. The inflatable godzilla was almost brown with so much dust. When we were sitting at the table I noticed a beautiful white vintage lantern hanging from the ceiling that had the restaurant name on it. It was also covered in dust. The restaurant is just neglected. It needs to be painted and cleaned.
We were seated in a booth by a very nice woman. She was friendly and it was obvious she works hard. The food came and drink came in a timely manner. The next issue I had was with the plates and serving plates. The sushi was ordered and arrived on a huge old wooden block. The block was worn and chipped so badly. I could just imagine the bacteria that was living on that thing. The plastic spoons for the soup had the paint chipped off so badly that you could not even tell what kind of design it once had. The tempura was served on a basket type plate but was held together with twist ties from the supermarket produce section. I am a thrifty person but they could get new serving plates at the dollar store that are actually porcelain or glass instead of plastic. The sushi was surprisingly good but with all the other sanitary and health concerns it made me hesitant to eat. I tried the vegetable tempura last and it was horrid. The oil tasted rancid and the veggies were still raw in the center of the zucchini. It was one of the worst tempura I had in my life. I did try the green tea ice cream and it was delightful.
Unfortunately I ended up not eating most of it out of fear. Its probably a good thing because I ended up with food poisoning and was stuck in the bathroom all night
My advice to the owners of the restaurant. Watch episodes of Bar Rescue and Kitchen Nightmares to see what is acceptable in a food service industry. Please hire someone to restore the building. I feel that they should keep the vintage vibe and keep most of the original décor. Just because something is old or vintage does not mean it should be filthy. It needs to be restored back to its former glory and fine tune the menu. Please by all means invest in some new dishes. You have a diamond in the rough and could really be one of the best Japanese restaurants in town with some effort.

Seriously the best Japanese restaurant in Fresno. Must try the sukiyaki, its so delicious I feel like was in Japan again. Their set lunch sukiyaki, comes with a delicious side salad, tempura and rice, all for the incredible $ 12.95.
Their food is the most authentic I have ever tasted in Fresno and presented very authentically too in Japanese style. The server, this lovely Japanese lady is as close you can get to the Japanese warm treatment. Finally the atmosphere of the restaurant itself feels like a Tokyo Garden, with lanterns streaming over your head, little Japanese décor in booths you sit, and walls in very traditional artifacts.
My only tip is avoid busy nights, as it may appear slow, but seriously their service is great and fast, and quality of food is top notch. I am voting this the best Japanese restaurant in Fresno.

A great find in Fresno. Authentic Japanese dishes dishes, and great to hear folks speaking Japanese. I was Here once before on a business trip, and made it a point to return. Great atmosphere, clean, and good food. I will be back again.

If you’re the type who is more impressed with plush surroundings and fancy décor, then this isn’t the place for you. But if you appreciate excellent, authentic Japanese food with friendly service and a classic retro feel, then you will love it! Its a family-​run business and it’s reflected in the quality of the food. Sushi, Sashimi, Tempura… it’s all delicious. For special occasions you can request seating in the Tatami Room, which was imported directly from Japan (however no small children). The husband/​owner prepares all the meals and the wife serves as your waitress, so have a little patience if its a busy night.
I live in San Diego but spent much of the past three years traveling to Fresno and I always looked forward to dinner at Tokyo Garden. If you’re tired of the «commercial» restaurants and like finding those little «gem» restaurants off the beaten path then I highly recommend this place!
** Oh and be sure to go into the bar and check out the cage holding GODZILLA!

This place is busy and that is because they are short staff. If you want service you have to speak up. If you are ok with that then try this place out. Good food at a fair price. We went on jazz night so the environment was very lively.

Yeah, tonight was a catastrophe here.
The food we had was pretty good. The waitress was nice, but I think she was taking on more of a task than she could handle.
We waited probably an hour for our food (including appetizers), had to get our own drinks, ask for refills, and generally bus our own tables. I am only giving two stars because the food was decent, and we were a crowd of 12.
If this place could hire more people I might consider going back. Until then, no way.

This place is a blast to the past and I love it. I never knew Tokyo Garden was downtown until this past year. Now this is a Japanese restaurant; not all that show you get at a Teppanyaki place. The menu is simple and the food is awesome. If you want great food and don’t mind that the place is a little on the old school side then come to Tokyo Garden. The owner and his wife are super nice. There is a bar where you can enjoy sushi and a drink.
If you are a beer drinker like me, than you will appreciate that the Asahi is ICE COLD!!! This alone made me fall in love with Tokyo Garden. The great food is a bonus.
They have a stage for live music and this is the perfect place to relax, have some sushi and cold beer and enjoy the music.

This is real Japanese food carefully prepared by one of the owner/​chefs. The menu is limited but varied, and offers excellent vegetarian choices. Tokyo Garden is not a Shaw Ave hot spot and doesn’t want to be.
They have a back room for large groups with a traditional Japanese chabudai tables. These are low tables at which you appear to be seated on woven mats. However, there is a depressed area under the tables so you don’t have to sit on your legs. I have taken large groups there twice (graduation and a wedding rehearsal) and been very pleased.
Tokyo Garden has been owned and operated by brothers Toshi and Tommy for at least 35 years. Go for dinner on Sunday and you can enjoy the weekly jazz by some of Fresno’s best. There is a full bar separated from the dining area and lots of parking. Have a good time.

Love, love, love this place. If you wanna kick it old school like the dresden in LA except japanese style come here!
The food is wonderful and the owners are awesome!
I stop by like everyday to bullshit with Tommy and drink myself stupid. Truly a Fresno must if you’re in town!