On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Sushi Bars, Seafood, Buffets [Edit]
Neighborhood: DowntownMon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Loading...
I used to love the Redmond location. It was huge, it was festive, it was of relatively good quality. I was extremely surprised that the Downtown location stayed open considering how awful it is.
The atmosphere is much more dreary, like a Walmart and it feels very shoddy. The sushi was of a pretty dismal quality, unlike what I experienced at several visits to the Redmond location. The hot food selection was much more limited and not executed quite so well.
Even the lovely dessert selections (which probably come frozen and standardized) lacked the delicious impact I had come to expect.
What I still love is their green tea and udon broth.
I'm a huge fan of Japanese food, so I hate this place.
The sushi tastes like it comes straight from Safeway. The fried rice is soggy. None of the hot food has any spark, and everything tastes exactly the same: impossibly bland. The miso soup tastes like water and the fish is chewy.
The servers are always chipper and friendly, but unfortunately that doesn't add to the quality of the food. Avoid this place like the plague that it is.
Too bad they closed the place in Redmond.
This place is a dump.
Portland is no better.
Used to like it here, but severly dropped off in recent years
Todai is right across the street from my office, and the offer of all you can eat sushi has been tempting me for a long time. I've heard stories, so I went for the lunch buffet fully not expecting much, but even then I was disappointed. The hot foods were not really recognizable and I've had better sushi at Fred Meyer. I don't know what else there is to say, other than the entire meal was a big disappointment, even the desserts, some of which were inedible.
The surprising thing was that there were crowds of people enthusiastically going back for seconds and thirds. My heart goes out to you second helping people, for you know not good sushi.
Don't waste your time.
I went in and experienced Todai for the first time just the other day, and I must say, I was pretty impressed. I was alittle hesitant about the price at first, but I think it was totally worth it. Sushi was good and loved their lobster. They brought it out just cooked. Nice and warm. I really like lobster, and the idea of it being all you can it was great. But more than food, the service there was great. nice friendly servers who are always ready to serve.
I definetely wish to go back again. I think i plan on going on my birthday. FREE MEAL!
i'm not sure y pple pan todai--maybe they're not buffet peeps. my husband & i take our 3 little ones to todai & we have a grand time! kids are charged by height; they can make noise & explore, there's plenty of different foods to try; they always eat well bc they want to have dessert! i love, love sushi & find the sushi to be a solid b+, those that say it's worse than safeway are nuts, it's not nishino, but it's good. there's a variety, where else can u have sushi with kimchee & creme brulee! if you're parents & want a fun nite out--try todai, sit back, order a tall sapporo, watch your kids make a mess & enjoy! we like combining our todai trip with a kid movie at pacific place...
I'm not that big of a sushi eater, but the sushi here didn't seem all that spectacular for the $15.95 lunch buffet price. While there's a wide variety of sushi to try, there wasn't anything that stood out. The seafood was decent but not worth the cost of the buffet alone. Service was good, but that might have to do with the place being almost completely empty. The birthday special (free buffet with three other paying adults) isn't that bad of a deal though.
3 words: NOT WORTH IT.
The food isn't even decent, but sure, there's a lot of it. Hot food is bland (yes the seafood, ALL of it). Sushi is poorly made and cut. My parents have a sushi place so it looks like crap to me but it doesn't take a genius to see the poor cuts on the sashimi. Maybe if you close your eyes and eat then the presentation won't matter as much, but even then, the food is pretty lackluster. Why stuff yourself with less than mediocre food when you can go to a REAL japanese place and get a few tasty things without worrying about gaining 10lbs? The only reason why I'm not giving it 1 star is because I didn't get food poisoning.
I had been to Todai on the east coast and was excited that it was here in Seattle. For a buffet, it's kind of expensive, but you are getting a lot choices. There's a crepe bar, a ramen soup bar, "sushi" bar, crab leg station, hot foods, cold foods, etc. That said, nothing is all that great. It's middle of the road with the "sushi" not really being sushi, but just defrosted, stringy fish, cold crab legs, and hot food that's generally sitting out all day. I would've rated it three star, the "A-ok" rating, because it serves its purpose as a novelty restaurant with good service and clean, nicely decorated atmosphere, but it was so disappointing to the east coast Todai that I took a star off. Definitely not a date restaurant but rather a very nice family restaurant
Todai is a decent, albeit pricey buffet to stop by if you are not exactly sure what you are in the mood for. Conveniently located at Pacific Place in downtown, it offers a wide selection of asian foods that are bound to meet the needs of a good sized group.
The sushi is mediocre and mass-made. That being said, it is a buffet for crying out loud...you aren't exactly going to be finding a ton of specialty options or things that will take awhile or cost a lot to make. If you are really craving sushi, are really hungry, and don't want to spend much: this is a safe bet.
The hot food items are ok and mass-produced (like everything else here) and are decent. You won't be thrilled by the food, but at the same time you won't be incredibly disappointed (I lied, you might be just a little).
Service is good and the wait staff are very attentive. It's one saving grace in my book.
Good for groups, but not necessarily for a quick date or anything like that.
Like a moth to a flame I am drawn to them...buffets. I can't help it!! Perhaps its a genetic flaw but I always seem to find myself parked at one of these places turning a meal into an eating sporting event of epic proportions. And heck, all you can eat sushi, even if its so-so sushi, makes it even more attractive. I tend to stick to the seafood/sushi options as I figure that is where most of my somewhat pricey bill is paying for. Typically I shamelessly load my plate with as much tuna poke as I can. The hot food line usually featuring dried out tempura and somewhat comical cuts of various meats. Spending too much time in the the hot line in my opinion is a tactical error. For food quality probably 2.5 stars but since they allow me to really pack it in, they get the extr 0.5 stars.
Read their website. They say they are an "International Seafood & Sushi Buffet." There isn't anyplace in their advertising do they claim to be "a sushi bar." If you go in thinking small neighborhood joint, you're probably not going to be thrilled.
The best thing is that their lunch price certainly is right. At this time it's $20. all you can eat, and dinner I understand is a bit more, but what exactly I do not know. For me one good thing is that I know that I am able to easily scarf down a LOT MORE than $20. of food in a regular sushi restaurant, plus bar tab.
To their credit Todai is clean, light, with a pleasant and efficient wait staff. The buffet platters are always clean and constantly being replaced, and from what I can see, it looks to be very clean. But again, remember that Todai is NOT a sushi bar by any stretch of the imagination, but when you are requiring a quick sushi fix, this place will take care of that need.
In my humble opinion Todai is a great price, but it is a large "buffet style restaurant," not a small, cozy little neighborhood sushi bar.
Try it for lunch, it's only $20. for god's sake. Go. Enjoy yourself.
We went to this place in June. It is typical buffet food prepared in mass quantities but in general, it was good. Then we returned in September for lunch (after 1:30 p.m. or so) and noticed that the food did not appear to as good as the previous time. The place was virtually empty. The tempura was chewy Vs crispy and the shrimp was undercooked. The sushi that I tried was good but not spectacular. We were politely told that they would be closing at 3:00 p.m. to change over to their dinner menu. Needless to say, we felt rushed. I also noticed how dirty the carpeted area was as if it had not been cleaned since the opening day. The wood floor had black stains all over. It is very unfitting for its location and price and as a food establishment. IMHO, it's better to go to a Japanese restaurant for the quality Vs the quantity.
With all of the quality fish in Seattle, why would anyone want to eat here at Todai? Sushi on its own can get pricey but with additional components of Japanese food, pricey can become flat out expensive. A fixed price can be had here at Todai in buffet fashion nonetheless, but the experience is no different from any of the seafood specialty buffets in Las Vegas or on seafood night at Hometown Buffet.
The food is not quality but rather in quantity. Sashimi fish cuts go quick and typical nigiri pieces dominate the platters across the cafeteria like line. The sushi chefs behind the counter do honor special rolls, but they won't do anything fancier than a handroll or even a spider roll. Speaking Spanish over Japanese may be an advantage here, as none of the staff was able to understand the Japanese spoken from one of my out of town guests from Japan. And no, it was not my idea to bring him to Todai. It was all his doing (and his credit card).
Speaking of prices, the per person head cost is creeping closer to $30 by the day. The nice thing is they won't charge for unfinished portions to patrons and are willing to provide actual wait staff service despite it being a buffet. AYCE sushi is novel idea, but it's simply not well executed in this Seattle version of Todai.
I used to really love Todai, but now that my stomach doesn't quite pack in the food as well as it used to (but I'd still put you all to shame), and the fact that the free birthday dinner requires 3+ paying guests. I just don't frequent Todai too often anymore, other than...someones birthday.
Service at Todai can be really hit or miss, it really depends when you show up. But I will say do not show up shortly before closing, because you will get evil looks from the people in the back anytime you take something good from the buffet. Why? because that's going to be their lunch/dinner in about 10-15 minutes. I can hear their thoughts now "that &$(*#( fat Chinese guy took all the tempura shrimp!!!".
Pricing at Todai is a bit unreasonable IMO. It's around $25 for lunch, and close to $30 for dinner. And although you have plenty of options at slightly above mediocre quality. It's just hard to justify paying that much for what you get unless you're in slob mode. You're almost better off taking your group to a legit Japanese restaurant, and spending $25-30 each ordering a family-style dinner. You still get all the variety, and much better quality.
Last and definitely not least, the food. Buffets in general tend to lack quality for variety. Todai gladly is slightly a bit better, but not by much. I've never eaten the sushi, udon, tempura, desserts and have said "oh God Damn this is delicious!!!", but I've never really said "THIS IS TERRIBLE!!!" either...and well, they definitely do have variety: Teppan, Sushi, Sashimi (just toss all the rice off your sushi), Tempura, Teriyaki, Udon, Ramen, Yakisoba, Crepes, and tons of dessert.
I'm not craving Todai anytime soon, but if someone's going for their birthday...I won't say no.
~G
$26.
$26 is the price of a single buffet on a weeknight. I believe the price was ~$28 for weekend dinners.
The food was not bad for a buffet. The sushi was alright, and the desserts were pretty good.
If the price per buffet were $18, I'd give Todai around a 3.5. I'd actually be enticed to go every once in awhile. At $20, I'd say it was an OK deal. I would not seek out this establishment, but wouldn't mind going if someone else suggested it. At $26-28 (pre- tax and tip), it's just absolutely ridiculous.
This is my *favorite* Todai!
First, it's on the top floor of Pacific Place, so you can immediately work off all that fish shopping for outdoor gear, or home decor, or sexy aprons and French maid outfits. The restaurant itself reminds me of a ski chalet, with the wooden rafters and huge windows. The view of the Old Navy next door is beautiful, especially when it's snowing outside.
And as for the food, I can always find something I like. It's especially good during weekend dinners, when they have seaweed salad, Korean stuff, fresh spring rolls, and prime rib. Finally, they have plates of sashimi - no more looking cheap by getting nigiri and leaving little mounds of rice on your plate!
Which is not to say lunch is bad...first the action: the chopsticks were perfectly aged so that when I tried to cut my sushi, they both snapped, spectacularly, simultaneously, perfectly in half, flipping through the air and almost poking out the eyes of multiple people around us.
And despite lacking all the aforementioned food items during lunch, they still satisfied with the BEST tater tots I've ever had. I mean they were PERFECTLY crispy!
Call me optimistic, but I'm definitely going back.
17.95$ for weekend lunch, which is 2 bucks more expensive than during the week.
We got at the location around 1pm, It was not too busy, service was attentive.
I've had better sushi, but it was decent sushi. There is a large amount of sushi, so you had a good selection of different items.
The hot bar was also pretty fun. The yakisoba noodles were tasty, the chicken teriyaki even more so. They had Odang (Fish cake) in a broth, I love fish cake!
But the highlight was this thing called Seafood Dynamite. Not sure what is in it, and I didn't really care. It was GOOD.
Decent place to try once or twice.
A total of $37.24 for two for Lunch buffet. I was expecting more out of this place because I really like the Todai in Virginia. However, something about this one in Seattle is kind of off. Each item here really is hit or miss. Also, I was so thirsty because of all the MSG they put in the foods, but our waiter seemed to have forgotten our drinks. We couldn't locate him, and I spent the first half of the meal in dehydration. My boyfriend had to go up and remind them after I complained for the fourth time. The waiter was really friendly when he finally showed up though, and he tried to be more attentive after that.
Although I don't frequent Todai because they are a little expensive for a buffet.. it's still a pretty great place.
I've never actually been during dinner hours because the price spikes (and I imagine the food is the same..) but if you're starving and you have some time to kill in Pacific Place - I think this is the best restaurant in that mall.
I know a lot of people are afraid of seafood and sushi but this place is great for all eaters, even kids! The buffet is massive and you can pick from fresh fruit, yogurt, jell-o, to fresh sushi, crab legs, terikayki dishes, potstickers, made-to-order crepes, mini desserts, and more! It's really a great spot for anyone that's hungry enough to eat $15 worth of food.
In fact - if you go on your birthday it's FREE! So it's the best time to go with a friend. You split the bill and it's finally a lot more affordable. Better yet - if your friend is nice, they pay for their meal and you get a free meal!
I'll admit- we took the bait. We fell into the trap. Every time we are in Pacific Place we say we should eat at Todai because it looks interesting. My husband claimed someone told him it was good. So when we bought tickets to take our son to see Tales of Despereaux, we decided an early dinner at Todai would be fun.
What an absolute overpriced crap-house. As soon as you walk in you feel like you are in a cafeteria in Anywhere, USA- not a Sushi house. It reminded me of a glutinous food frenzy, All-You-Can-Eat Buffet that my in-laws like to go to in Florida.
My husband went up first and got a small plate of Chicken Teriyaki for our son and a giant plate of fish for himself. I went up and found myself staring at what looked like rubber display food. And I get that there is a cultural difference, but someone should share with the chef that Mayonnaise Tuna Roll sounds gross.
I picked a few things and yup, I was right, it tasted just like it looked. Rubbery and fishy. If you want to know what it tasted like, go to Safeway to the prepared food section. Ask to buy a California Roll right before they throw it away because it has expired. Take it home and leave it in the fridge for about a week so it is really cold but void of flavor. Then just smell it- don't even bother to eat it- just smell it and that is what the food tastes like at Todai.
Here is the real burn- I never looked at the prices because there is not a printed menu. I asked my husband if he knew what the menu prices were and he said, "I don't know. Like $14 per person?" Oh OK. I didn't really eat, but whatever.
So the bill comes and it was $80!! Yes, that is right- $29 each for us and $13 for our 3 year old son! We had dinner for 3, 1 hot tea and a soda water. My son ate what would probably fit into the palm of my hand. Since it was 'serve yourself' we left $5 for the guy who refilled our water. Therefore bringing our bill to $85!!
$85 for absolute garbage!! How does this place stay in business?
Save your money or go to a real sushi place where you would pay half for food that is ten times better.
For 20 bucks, all you can eat sushi?! HELL YEAH! The Idea behind Todai? GENIUS. The execution? Not so much.
I don't mean to be a whiny son of a bitch right now, but their Sushi is just not that great. Its not even the type of sushi you can just gorge on either until you can't eat any more. Its too gross.
SO being who I am, I ended up visiting the desert and fruit side of the buffet more than the actually Sushi Side. They have cake bites, cream puffs, cookies, fruit cocktail, jell-o, and that is what I am talking about. Just when I tell myself to hate Buffets, I can't because I am always reminded when I eat the Dessert part of the buffet. Damn you cookies and treats!
Anyways, I do give them props for having Crepes. You can choose flavors like Banana, blueberry, peach, pineapple, etc. and they have chocolate choices too.
The only time I am coming back is if one of my friends demand to eat here for free on their birthday.
The variety of this place is incredible. You can eat everything from your healthy and somewhat fresh sushi rolls to your fatty American cooked food.
I am not a huge fan of the sushi here overall, though. It does have a lot of authentic Japanese-type rolls, but they are not very fresh.
The price is a bit much considering they have all you can eat restaurants in Vancouver, BC for under $15 at about 5 different locations on Robson Street alone (not to mention they are as fresh as can you can get).
Todai has free sushi on your birthday, though!! You're guaranteed to not go hungry for 1/365th of your life.
Ew.
Sushi's meh.
Everything else is ew.
And seriously, paying $20 for ew food, well....
Granted, I was expecting this from a buffet food. Damn my husband and his love of buffets. BUT YAY for him on saying "Ok, I think I'll never come back again".
The silver lining on my clouds...
There are FAR better sushi/asian restaurants in the Seattle area to get stuck with this expensive one step above mall food place.
This is the only Todai I have been to, but I have definitely had better sushi. It is great as a buffet style Asian food joint, but the quality has gone down since it opened.
The Rolls are made too fast and don come out as tasty as they should.
They do have Crepes at times....
Overall? Alright if your hungry and in pacific place mall.
Whoa.... it's taken this long for me to come here? Crazy, and yet not.
Definitely you get the most bang for your buck if you go the sushi and and crab legs route. When I was walking around, contemplating where to go first to load up my Plate #1, I had Grace Adler from Will & Grace stuck in my head reciting her views on Buffet Etiquette.
"Always go to the back of the line first! They always put the cheap stuff that fills you up in the front - fruit, rolls, salads - idiots! Wait for the crab legs and the prime rib!"
I think that some of the hot dishes would have been more appetizing had we not shown up towards closing time. Oh, and what's up with undercooking edamame? Let alone that there wasn't any salt on it. :o(
In the end, I felt like I was busting out of my pants after going through 2 plates and half of my desert load. Can't complain about that!
It's an Asian all-you-can eat buffet. It's a little pricey but I think one should be weary of a cheap buffet.
I wouldn't go here for a fine meal. But I would go here for a large family get-together. It's loud and open. My family can spread themselves out and get comfortable. We can get seconds like we're at a family pot luck. It's a good time.
Their sushi is substandard... so I just lower my standards and stuff my face.
This place has really gone down the hill since its Pacific Place opening. The staff is incoherent at best, unresponsively passive at worst. Not only do you need to spend 50 bucks on what was once a "free birthday meal when you bring a paying guest", but the food quality has finally evened out to a mediocre level. The sushi, tempera, and desserts are damn good if you have a sense of discernment, but the crab legs really were not worth the extra ten bucks me and the birthday girl spent to do dinner (specifically for said crab) in lieu of lunch. The chocolate fountain is yummy but the marshmallow option is tacky. But this is a sushi buffet, not a damned five star restaurant.
The deal breaker was that the ignoramus who I gave my Visa to ran off and went AWOL to the extent that after 20 minutes I had to get up and tell the girl at the front about it. She told a middle aged, dead serious Japanese dude who seemed stoic. He went off and after a few minutes, a different bus buy who had cleared off my plates asked me what my name was and what kind of card it was. He also asked me what the guy that I gave my card to looked like. This was not kosher.
"BUH? What the hell do you mean, what does he look like? He's your guy, you work with him! You need to find my card before I start to get pissed! I have been here a half hour waiting for my shit, and I don't have the damn time for this."
He bumbled off and about two minutes later returned with a girl who handed me my card, politely telling me she was sorry.
I snatched it up and walked straight out.
Never!
And what the hell? 60 bucks for two for a mediocre meal? BUH! I would rather go to a casino buffet! Or Blue C, for that matter.
Wow.
# 1 - vastly overpriced for what it is
# 2 - poor quality of fish (esp. considering #1)
# 3 - poor selection (esp. considering # 1)
# 4 - vastly overpriced for what it is
I didn't hate everything on my plate and I would have probably been more satisfied with eating it knowing I had paid a fair value for it ($5?), but overall, this was an experience that is not worth repeating.
My least favorite "All you can eat" buffet, especially considering how much you have to pay to eat there.
The customer service is not that great, and as far as food choices? Not too much of a variety, and the dishes are not that tasty or great either.
I hate this place!!!!! You're officially on my SH*T list. Quality of food has gone down the drain. Lazy servers, who is more interested in getting rid of you.
I went to this Todai location over the last weekend. Lots of people have compared it to Redmond, but I didn't notice a drastic difference that would make me rate it more or less. Here are some differences I noted:
* The tempura batter has more seasoning to give it flavor.
* They have giant slab o' beef here (for those of you who decide to go to a sushi place because you *didn't* want fish. I hate beef if you can't tell).
* More sashimi options than Redmond, and they seem somewhat fresher.
* Fewer maki options than Redmond, generally they only have the popular ones.
* No dim sum bites. :(
It gets a bit expensive if you order sake. Next time, i'm sticking with green tea.
I let my fork float like a butterfly but my stomach stings like a bee. A very big fat one.
I've been striking fear in the hearts of buffets since 1976. Yes I do understand why Todai isn't the place to go for gourmet authentic sushi.The all you can stuff in your face buffet runs $25-27 for dinner which some people may think is steep. But for the heavy weight division yelpers who are the threshold of transitioning from boxers to sumo wrestlers this IS a bargain.
To help you heavy weight wannabe I'm going to school the rookies on how to eat at Todai. First off eating here is a bargain if you consider that one plate of piled high sashimi at another restaurant can easily run $50. Secondly, there's a nice system of lines there so please don't cut in front of the 5 other people waiting. Third, please put the tongs back where you found them.
Let me do a play by play demonstration on why the Butterbean http://www.jklawyer.ne... of yelp endorses Todai like Don King http://www.theage.com.... endorses big hair.
Round One:
I grab a plate and throw a straight punch for the sushi and sashimi. I limit the sushi taking because rice is just a filler. Instead I nearly fill my my plate with sashimi. The sushi here is okay but not great. The sashimi is pretty good and I rarely have gotten bad pieces at all. They aren't the Hawaii Todai legendary fresh fish but they are going to have to do. I stuff that all down and wash it down with a diet coke.
Round Two:
Go back for seconds with the sushi/sashimi because it's doesn't fill me up as much as the hot food. Another large plate and another diet coke down and another round in the champion's corner.
Round Three:
Hit the crabs and shrimp section. The crabs here are a bit better than some of the other Todai chains who sometimes don't offer it. There's some cut sections that will help the rookie crab cracker. On the other hand the shrimp is offered as cocktails.. with only three in a plastic cup. At other Todai's I can pile them like I was digging for gold. The shrimps are a large size and good too.
Round Four:
By this time my punches are hurting the buffet owner in the wallet but all this cold food is getting to me. Time to start my jaw jabbing at the hot food section. They have some decent food but remember to block out the rice, noodles and other crappy fillers the buffet offers. Go for the good stuff. Sometimes they have prime rib but you have to ask them to cut it for you. The tempura shrimp is awesome and so is the coconut shrimp. Ohmygod! The waiters head is spinning because she can't believe I just downed my forth plate of food and washed it down with another diet coke.
Round Five:
I ain't going to lie, by this time I'm hurting big time. But like Rocky Balboa said.. "if you stop the fight now I'll kill you". Time to get a breather by heading off the fruit section. Strawberries and honeydew are so good! Dodge the nasty fruit cocktail which is just crappy watermelon juice with watermelon bits. I got my breather... time for more!
Round Six:
By this time if I run my hand down my chest I can feel the budge in my stomach. It's so full that if the buffet owner punches me in the gut I'll explode and the fight will be over. So I walk carefully to the crepe line. They have someone who can make banana, strawberry, mandarin orange crepes with nutella. These aren't gourmet crepes, they are thin and wobbly like the crappy ones I make at home. Order wisely because one false move and I'm going down faster than Apollo Creed http://www.dawgsonline... versus that big Russian Drago guy http://www.joesportsfa... .
Round Seven:
This is the final round. It's time to unleash the beast. I go all in throwing a flurry of strikes at the dessert table. Green tea cheesecake goes down.. Mocha cheesecake down, fruit tart down, creme brulee down. The desserts aren't great but they do the job. It's almost over but there's the final blow. Go to the crepe table and look at the marshmallow, strawberries and bananas. Grab a stick of them and put them into the chocolate fountain. No other Todai I been to has offered this.
BLAM! POW! GULP! BEELCH! IT'S A KNOCKOUT! I've eaten well over $100 worth of food. I'm the cheapskate champion! YO ADRIAN... I DID IT!
For you lightweights you can stop by and get lunch to go. You can a roll, 3 pieces of sushi and drink for less than $10. Lunch buffets are $14-16. You can make reservations for groups of six or more.
Oh by the way.. there's a reason why Mickey http://www.filmreferen... explained that the Todai's experience of downing a huge amount of fish is to "eat lightning and crap thunder" But that's a story for another day.
The very nature of this restaurant screams, "Kill me!!" Mediocre sushi, gobs and gobs of half-palatable hot food and subpar desserts. Yet I continue to go there with pleasure, excitement and feigned disgust. The seating is plenty, enough room to navigate with multiple plates piled high. And if luck is on your side, a table with a view can complete the ambiance of.. something.
I love cruising the galleys of steaming pans of "Asian" food and perusing the mayo-laden sushi offerings but what I enjoy the most is the punishment after stuffing myself like a Thanksgiving turkey. Those tiny but delictible morsels of slightly frozen cheesecake, creme brulee and quasi-fondue chocolate fountain bananas completes the experience. The food maybe Japanese but the concept is all American gluttony.
I can't think of a better place to engorge in raw fish. Come hungry, wear elastic-waisted pants and leave like the Michelin Man.
This is not the best sushi you're going to find in Seattle. Duh. That doesn't mean it's not an awesome value and a great place to indulge. You can't have it both ways. It's not like you're going to walk into an all-you-can-eat restaurant like Sizzler's (are they even around anymore?) and get a steak that blows Ruth's Chris out of the water. Get real, people!
That being said, the sushi here is pretty good. I'd say it's on par with grocery store sushi. Don't take my word. I'm not an expert, and I'm certainly not Oriental. But c'mon. Sushi is rice and raw fish. As long as the fish is fresh (which it is) you can't screw it up too much. The stuff's just going to get drowned in wasabi and soy sauce, anyway.
On to the food--fairly good sushi selection. All the stuff you'd expect: tamago (I'm a fan), California roll, nigiri of all types, and sashimi for the purists. They do hand rolls, but I've never requested one. In the same area is a nice selection of fresh fruit and crab legs on ice.
The hot plate area could use a little improvement. They have pork fried rice, mussels, popcorn shrimp, cod, crab legs, and the like. None of it's bad, but it just doesn't blow the mindhole. If you're into soup they have Udon and Ramen, but you don't really want to fill up on that.
And on to dessert. Oh yeah, this is when it gets legen...wait for it....dary. They have a crepe station where they'll make you fresh crepes. They have lots of miniature cakes and pies, all of which are delicious. They even have a chocolate fondue set up.
So, if you're too good for buffet then you're too good for Todai. For the rest of us, though, eat up! And don't forget to hit up Todai for your birthday for a free meal.
My neighbor who was born in Ukraine and have lived in Seattle for 40 something years love to go Todai.(Downtown Seattle) He loves Sushi. He was the one who took me there for lunch. Although it is more fusion than Japanese, I enjoyed the food and environment. Our waitress was very nice. My neighbor told me he skips his breakfast and dinner to eat lunch at Todai. Other review may not mention about other food which Todai offer. You can have Japanese noodles(warm noodle will be served at the counter), Vegetable tempura, Chinese style cooked vegetables, salad, and desert. Especially I love petite deserts. I can have many kinds includes cream puffs.
http://fumikob-foodtal...
I like big eats and thats what you get at a Sushi Buffet. I've gone here for weekend lunch and weekday dinner and although the dinner had more options I'm not entirely sure its worth the extra price
The sushi is decent, better than what you'd get at a grocery store and comparable to a kaiten sushi restaurant. The hot entrees are ok too. The staff clears used plates fast and is always able to provide drink refills. The cooks are constantly churning out sushi and restocking the other dishes. The crepe station is an interesting touch as is the chocolate fountain. The standard deserts leave something to be desired.
So far I always eat too much when I go.
The popularity of Todai baffles me. A simple law of buffet places is that the good stuff disappears quickly and the rest just sits around, lying in wait for some unsuspecting newbie. Just because you pay beaucoup bucks at Todai doesn't mean that they've found some magical way to turn the ones-passed-over into prom queens.
I also did some mental math. Dinner for 2 at Todai costs roughly the same as:
- Dinner for 4 at Thai Ginger next door (sans alcohol, comparing apples to apples) or
- Dinner for 3 at Tamarind Tree or
- Dinner for 2 at I Love Sushi or
- Dinner for 2 at Wasabi Bistro or
- Almost dinner for 2 at Wild Ginger.
Of course with these others, you won't go home stuffed to the gills. But neither will you have ingested something little nose-picking Timmy just groped with his bare hands.
2 Stars - If I'm goin', it's coz someone else is payin'!
While the chocolate fountain, crepes and some of the sushi and the crab was passable, overall Todai is overpriced mediocrity. Many of the sushi rolls tasted old and were poorly assembled, leading to spilling tuna and wasabi down the front of my dress (I am usually quite dexterous with the chopsticks, mind you). I'm not interested in anything breaded and fried , starchy desserts or fatty prime rib, which would seem to cover 75% of the offerings. One might ask why in the hell I was here anyway-- to answer that question, I was in Redmond with a friend and there was nothing else open that we knew of. The diet coke was flat, noise from chubby children created an unpleasant cacaphony when combined with poor acoustics, and the smell of fried food permeated the dining room. The crepes and chocolate fountain, and a few sushi rolls, were good but this did not justify the hefty price tag. This is the type of unapologetic gluttony that some people seem to enjoy (a la Claim Jumper) but for me, if I'm spending this much, I want some atmospere, decent service, and most of all, good food. If, like me, your approach to food places quality over quantity, don't bother eating here.
Happy Hour - $3 and Up…
Seattle, WA
Happy Hour Prices from…
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: Northgate
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Pioneer Square
Category: Delis
Neighborhood: University District
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Fremont
Category: Indian
It has been determined that I am especially…
These are where I try to go often when I eat out.…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Let's be honest, I live for the stuff. Plus,…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
