Todai Sushi

different name, same location

Une bonne adresse où aller si vous êtes à la recherché d’un sushi bon marché et authentique à New York.
Il faut compter 16 $ pour le déjeuner, avec sushis et le dessert.
C’est un très bon restaurant japonais qui n’est pas américanisé.

Todai is now known as now Ichi Umi.

Glad this place closed. I wanted to come here when it was still Minado, but never got around to it. After going to the Todai in Illinois years ago and enjoying it, I thought for sure that my dear New York would have far better options for sushi gluttony!
Well, not here. Compared to the Todai in Illinois, this one was really lacking in selection and the prepared hot dishes were just okay. Much of the food that was supposed to be steaming hot was lukewarm, and just wasn’t fresh. I guess that’s what I get for going on a weekday for lunch when there aren’t enough other customers to justify their replenishing the food supplies? But wait, I shouldn’t be punished for when I arrive to eat!
Above all, there was just something very awkward about the whole dining experience. The legion of waitstaff just hovered dumbly since the place was mostly empty. For something like $ 18/​person for a lunch buffet, *before* tax and tip, I am leaving the realm of Unimpressed and into Cheated.
According to the website, they are opening a Todai sometime soon in Flushing, Queens. …Worth trying? Maybe not.
And I just want to say: $ 30 for dinner is ridiculous –on par with dinner at a higher-​end restaurant and even some prix fixe specials at very fancy places. Even if you are clever and avoid filling up on noodles and rice at Todai, the thought of paying that much for sushi of their quality is silly. Unless you have friends who have compromised taste buds and also, incidentally, are elephants.

Whatever name they go by, Todai /​IchiUmi rock it. Bang in the middle of Manhattan, where one would expect plentiful tourist traps serving overpriced offal, Ichi Umi do not fall for the temptation.
A mile of food with quick service (albeit on one occasion with quite an attitude). I don’t give then the full five because I think their weekend dinner prices are a bit inflated.
I’ve eaten there at least five times over my stays in NYC, and according to my gut their food is always fresh and plentiful. So Todai-​ize yourselves and be prepared for a sushi-​gasm.

By the bus loads, asian tourists pour in to get their moneys worth of seafood and all you can eat. There’s no doubt you get your moneys worth. The awesome (but very dangerous) part of the all you can eat format, is for every piece of sushi, extra crab leg or extra dessert, it makes you trip that much more worth it. But maybe you can see the dangerous aspect as well… Nonetheless, the sushi was fresh, the braised short ribs were melt in your mouth delicious and the endless supply of dessert chocolate would satisfy any chocoholics tastebuds.
Sushi is presented assembly line style, variety of sushi and sashimi, all kinds of seafood, all appeared to be fresh. The atmosphere is nice, high ceilings, good lighting and a full staff on standby to refill your cup of tea.
All in all, an above average sushi bar, great value, and best with good company. The name has changed but the restaurant still serves up the same quality and selection they always have.
P. S. extra value added for those who enjoy eating oysters and king crab legs which normally run pretty expensive if ordered alone in a restaurant.

The name change (to «IchiUmi») sounds fresher, and the ingredients were also, but whoever invented Asian buffet was out of their mind. As I sip my green tea, I try to recuperate from too much peristalsis brought on by shrimp, eel, Chilean sea bass, short ribs, squid, chocolate, pineapple, crab, scallops, sea urchin… all of which were good but were all probably not meant to be in one’s stomach at one time. I did enjoy my time and did get full, but it all felt to have gone by too fast. Excellent service, but my tea at home is fresher than their aromatic stuff (Ito En, come on). At least you can get as much sushi as you want, but when you’re full like I was, you need a second stomach.

I had a visitor, and I happily led him to this restaurant.
He said this place looks kinda fancy, and yes it was a bit since it was weekday dinner time.
For me it was also the first time having dinner there.
There were more new food than lunch time. Yummy~ :)
but I couldn’t find my favorite fried tofu dish!!! :(
Anyway, it was pretty much satisfied dinner with my guest!

Holy sushi. I was innocently unaware of the existence of this restaurant until a friend hosted a brunch party there one afternoon. It was like walking through a set of doors straight into Sushi land. The sushi was surprisingly excellent (for being at a self-​serve station), the salads were fresh, and the desserts left no room in my stomach — trust me, I TRIED to eat one more. (Plan = failed).
The all-​you-​can-​eat menu pretty much covered all palettes and I am absolutely certain that I went up a pant-​size in one visit.
20 bucks/​person for lunch wasn’t a terrible deal for the amount I ate.
Recommendation: Go hungry.

this place is a hit or miss.
it’s better for lunch when it’s not that crowded.

First of all, I was disappointed at the false hope Todai had given me about the lobster. The Alaskan crab legs, which I thought would be my consolation prizes, were cold and not good. When the real crabmeat is starting to taste like the fake crabmeat put in the california rolls, start to worry and back away slowly.
Everything offered, the chicken teriyaki, pork belly, sushi, fried rice, seafood, looked great, but the only choices I really liked were the beef teriyaki, the kalbi and the rice. The crab cakes were of a dreadful, needle-​like consistency. The chicken was dry. The pork belly inedible. The sushi only so-​so. I could go on…
The thing that really bothered me was the 35% surcharge if you waste food. Whether you are in fact wasting food is up to them. I realize some people just have no buffet ettiquette and throw food away willy-​nilly, but 35% is too much, and there really shouldn’t be a surcharge at all. It’s a buffet, for God’s sake. And Todai should either eliminate the surcharge, or make their wares actually taste as good as they look. If the food were as good as it looked, I wouldn’t have left almost half my plate. So any waste would be their fault.
2.5 stars

It’s disappointing that, for the price they charge, you don’t get lobster; heck, the Alaskan crab legs aren’t even hot…; minus one star. As to why this place earned four of my stars, read on.
This place is HUGE, and it gets filled with people like you and me; people who enjoy sampling different kinds of food. That they also enjoy gorging on large quantities of food?, pure coincidence.
When I’m outside, I’m happy, cheery, and everything nice, yada, yada, yada — snore. Once I set foot into the dining area, the rabid beast in me switches into kill mode. There’s something about AYCE buffets that converts me into competition mode. I’m there. Great food surrounds me. I’m let loose to eat as much as I can. This is my dream come true.
Like with most buffet places, I found my favorites (Tender Kalbi Beef Ribs, Velvety-​smooth Chilean Sea Bass, Teriyaki Chicken & Broccoli, Seasoned Breaded Shrimp, Alaskan Crab Legs, Red Bean Mochi, Red Bean Ice Cream, etc.), some not so favorites (King Fish, Crab Cakes, etc.) Overall, the variety is plentiful, I was never bored with the selection, and I’m wanting for my return to Todai.
That’s four stars; and, that’s why it’s one of the best buffet’s I’ve tried.

I usually kick and scream when people mutter the word «buffet» to me… but this is one buffet I would happily go to any day!!! I love their soft shell crab, grilled crawfish, and chilean sea bass. My parents taught me from a young age to gorge yourself on the high priced items first at any buffet (typically snow crab legs) … and I totally got my $ 32 worth of perfectly spiced seafood. Forget the sushi — I went straight for the hot food and everything was yummy. Esp the crawfish — I am a big fan.
Made a reservation for 7 family members for our early «thanksgiving dinner» and we all had a wonderful time. Though we were a little full, we mostly ate seafood — which is a bit more forgiving than (gulp) typical americanized asian buffets.

I found this place when it used to be Minado. It looks exactly the same, except for the giant yellow character figure in the front when u walk in. Its a buffet, yes, they have a large selection of hot and cold food. A bit on the pricy side, but you do get full, depending on if you wear your stretchy pants or not.
They’re pretty stingy on their sushi, I think the management must have told the chefs there to go slow and put out a few pieces, being people are extremely wasteful! they love to stack up their plates with expensive sushi and then eat 3 pieces and throw out the rest. So there’s this annoying line there, usually a dumb lady trying to steal all the tuna or salmon so no one else can get any. Your best bet is to take a few pieces, they limit you to two i think, just take a few, try a couple of different things, do you really need 8 pieces of tuna right now? Their raw bar is non existent during their busy hours as everyone is just grabbing everything.
Its very loud in there, people are rushing around. The staff is trying to pick up your empty plates and clean up while people are trying to stuff themselves. I feel bad for the ice cream lady as she has to stand there and scoop out your ice cream. apparently we can’t do it ourselves, some health inspection code thing.
its a bit on the pricy side, but you will get full, and yes you can gorge yourself on sushi. The food is good, but the crowds are annoying. Be prepared to deal with some greedy fat ugly nasty people. You may loose your elbow while trying to get past them.

There is something totally unnatural to me about stuffing yourself with an unnecessary amount of food at any given occasion just to get your money’s worth.
But if I HAD to eat at a buffet I guess this place would do.
They cater to huge crowds and are probably high on the totem pole in terms of catering to the truly gluttonous.
However, they do have quite a selection and the food is decent.
This location in particular however, is lacking in terms of quantity and selection in comparison with its VA and Chicago counterparts.
I liked their udon noodles and love the lady that makes them for you. She takes the time to top them off with just the right amount of seafood and fishcake.
They also have some good hot and cold dishes and their sushi was reasonably «fresh». Well as fresh as mass quantity and light-​bulb refrigeration allows.
I’m very eh about this place but wouldn’t stop anyone from trying it out.

This place is alright… sushi buffet can’t be all that bad, but it’s not all that great either. Anytime you have raw fish sitting under a lamp with a ton of people (and their bacteria) around, I get a little worried. They have a range of sushi and rolls (raw and cooked) with different kinds of vegetables and cooked meats. It’s Japanese food smörgåsbord! The desserts aren’t all that great, but they are a good way to clean the palate.
The staff is friendly so that helps with the experience, but be prepared to also experience tourists… also look where you’re going… for some reason, when there’s an all-​you-​can-​eat buffet, people lose their humanity and it becomes a feeding frenzy!!!

California Todai’s are pathetic compared to the one in NY. The selection was not only greater but also better. Highlights included fried soft shell crab, freshly shucked oysters and clams, steak like you’d get at Benihana, Toro (fatty tuna) sashimi and Chilean Sea Bass which in itself was worth the trip.
Like other Todai’s the sushi is very carb-​heavy with crap you wouldn’t typically want in sushi so be smart and avoid these buffet landmines out to get your appetite. Very happy with the quality at the hot food section. They don’t give a shit about your birthday in NY so don’t be expecting a bday meal on the house.

I don’t generally brag about going to all-​you-​can-​eat buffets. Frankly, I just don’t believe that there should be any recognition or applause for the unrestrained gorging and consumption of generally disgusting and mediocre food.
All-​you-​can-​eat buffets sum up all that is wrong with America today. Except that Todai… KICKS ASS. Sushi is good Mmmmkay? All-​you-​can-​eat Sushi is even better Mmmhmm!?! Sprinkle other hot meaty filled tables… and I’m down to get the friction on.
Truth be told, I never review these places because buffets embarrass me except that I was inspired by my frugal-​friend Dfens Dan
and his tale of triumph over beef and navigation of race relations.
I’ve been here a few times with this this curly topped vegetarian I know, who consistently puts $ 75-​$ 100 worth of sushi away in record time all for the low price of $ 15 at Lunch and $ 25 for dinner.
I don’t get quite that much bang for my buck, but before going to an All-​you-​can-​eat buffet, rituals must be observed:
1. It starts with a cleansing fast, starting no less than 6 hours before the appointed hour of clandestiny with Todai, hai.
2. You must enter the Portal of Portly Pleasure on an empty stomach.
3. There are a few things to avoid: Soup, Alaskan Crab Legs (unless you come prepared-​they offer few tools for proper annihilation), and most of the desserts (Chill, there’s a Pinkberry a few doors down).
Take your time, unless you get there near closing. But, that would be a dumb amateur move. So, remember to check the times before hand. Most importantly, take a photo with the Todai guy on your way out. He won’t yell if you touch his naughty bits… so Dan tells me.

I tried Todai Sushi for an affordable $ 26 dinner the other night. Upon entering the restaurant, I was shocked at the massive size of the salad bar and dining room. However, the quality of the food was severely lacking. There is a wide range of hot dishes, including terriyaki, tempura, etc.; sushi rolls and sashimi; yakitori; salads; fruits; and desserts. The sushi tasted like something you would find in a supermarket, but I still found it better than the hot entrees, which also tasted more like Japanese fast food. The fruit was not very fresh, but the dessert pastries, like Green Tea Cake layered with Red Bean cream, were tasty.
Todai is decent by buffet standards and definitely gives you a bang for your buck, but it is not amazing by any means.

It’s worse than Minado. Fish wasn’t the freshest. Price was even higher! I miss Minado! We ended up paying $ 40 each for ourselves and the birthday boy. They are definitely underpaying their slaves, er, I mean, workers.

I must confess to not having chosen this place for our lunch meeting — and in fact, I probably would not have chosen it, if the choice was mine. Now that it’s out there, I probably wouldn’t choose it, if I had the choice in the future. Dare I say it, but I’m not really that much of a seafood person, and I’m really not a huge fan of sushi.
With that out of the way, if you are a fan of sushi, I have this feeling that you may like the Todai buffet okay, but I also suspect that a massive all-​you-​can-​eat buffet probably isn’t the best sushi in the world. Call me crazy, but there it is.
Keeping that in mind: The place is nice. I understand it’s at least the third incarnation of some form of buffet-​like restaurant, but it’s the first I’ve visited. It’s a decent-​sized buffet, and one of the people I went with called it the «largest in the city». Perhaps it is, and for sheer length, it’s decent.
But here in Charlotte, we simply cut the table up into smaller segments stack them in several lines, and send people along both sides. You get more items (on both sides of the table), and you get better traffic flow, rather than people going from both ends and crashing in the middle.
Let’s move on. The food itself seemed okay to me, but it was 60% sushi, which I don’t really do. And it seemed to be mass-​produced. I’m glad I had the chance at it, as I won’t likely visit a sushi bar, simply because I don’t really eat sushi, and this at least gave me the chance to eat some. But it’s probably not going to convince too many people to start doing so.
The service is good, if a bit slow. But they did fit our group of 12 or so people at a busy lunch with little effort, and that’s saying something.