Tenya - Japanese Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Brisbane City

This review is based on their 90 minutes buffet. Dined in on a friday evening and the place was about 10% filled. Their service quality and standards are within expectation for this situation. A card stand with a QR code was place on the table. You scan it with your phone and that starts the buffet countdown. The food was ordered via the webpage. You can place multiple orders during the allotted time. The food started to arrive in about 10-15 minutes after submitting our first order and was served at a steady pace. They consolidated similar items onto a dish and introduced each item after they were placed on the table. The empty plates were cleared promptly. A staff approached us after our 2nd order arrived to remind us about the food wastage penalties. At the last 10 minutes we were gently reminded to place in our last orders. Compliments to David and Yume for their warm service and hospitality. Appreciate the little cake gift as it was my partner's birthday which we had to remind them of which was communicated during the time of the booking.

Here are the Hits and Misses during our dining experience.

Hits 1.Sashimi was great when it arrived at the first round. Could taste its freshness and flavours but at the 2nd round the fish was cold and it tasted bland. Best to order sashimi at the first round. We tried all 3 types of fish. Yasai tempura was cooked to perfection. The batter was light and the veggies were cooked through. The veggie selection were red capsicum + sweet potato + pumpkin + eggplant + zucchini + shitake mushroom. A must try! Miso eggplant is another must try. It was marinated with a thin layer of miso. It was soft and creamy when eaten. It was so so good! Beef tataki was perfectly cooked and accompanied with thinly sliced onions.

Misses Geso karaage was way overcooked as the crumb was dark and squid was tough and chewy when eaten. Soft shell crab was big and fleshy but lack sweetness in the flesh. Salmon Usuzukuri was overcooked and it was dry when eaten Deep fried scallops were surimi scallops and not actual scallops!!! That was not mentioned on the menu. Aburi scallops roll was a 6 piece sushi roll with veggie within the roll. The scallops were bland and too much mayo to compensate the taste. Did not enjoy this dish. Takoyaki with bonito flakes gave me a big flavour fatigue after eating. It was deep fried thus crispy exterior but mushy inside. Mushroom skewers (Shitake) had a strong flavoured sauce that taste like Cheong Fun (Rice roll) sauce. Took the excess sauce and applied it to the oyster mushroom skewer that didn't have sauce. That balanced the mushrooms out.

Suggestions:

1. Sashimi section is missing Tuna which I am sure could be easily procured.
2. The karaage (crumbed deep fried) items should be separated into another section. Tempura is deep fried in light batter and not crumbed. It was quite confusing because the heading on the menu says Tempura but when the food arrived it was crumbed.

Over all it was a very enjoyable meal with a great view which we took in after 90 mins. The dishes were plated beautifully. Have a plan on what to order for the first 2 rounds to get as much time to experience the food. We enjoyed the vegetable dishes the most. Would definitely recommend if you pick the right items. Please read the rules and conditions for penalties on food wastage at the back of the printed buffet menu.

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We had a thoroughly disappointing experience with this restaurant. And I'll make this clear, we will NEVER return and I will not suggest any of my friends nor acquaintances to come.

To begin with, the services were beyond terrible, I was in shock when I had encountered these dreadful services, especially it's in the CBD. When my family and myself got settled down at a table, we had no menus. It doesn't take a genius to realise that customers need menus to order! After several prompts they finally got us menus. Keep in my mind when we were there, there were only three or four customers, they cannot run out of menus! When we started ordering, this bloke who served us seemed careless, he had a blunt tone and his attitude made us vitally uncomfortable. In the end, he didn't even repeat what we had ordered, as a former waitress myself, we have always trained to repeat the orders that the customers have said. But this bloke didn't and it may foreshadow some problems and concerns...

The waiting period was long, when four or five dishes were served, we realised that we didn't have food coming for the next 20 minutes, we asked the waitress to check if our other foods are coming, she disappeared for a bit and came back telling us that all the foods have been served. That absolutely dismayed me because we at least have five more orders and those weren't even written on our order! I don't understand how could they make such mistakes because while I booked in, they informed us that there was a minimum charge for sitting in the balcony so we definitely ordered more.

We gave up and then went to the counter and pay. If this was any other day I would have just let it go, but the day when I went to this restaurant was on my birthday, and it was my 21st birthday. I've never had my birthday on a Saturday, it's either during the week or me having an exam on that day or having assignment deadlines because my birthday is within my mid-semester period. I was so happy that I found out none of these were on my birthday and the river fireworks were hosted also. Hence, I decided to speak to the manager, when the manager came, I was brought up short by seeing who he was - he was the guy who served us. I told him straight off that I did not have a pleasant dinner and the services were bad, on his defence he said that they were busy. NO! Sir! That's not an excuse! If the river fireworks increased your workload, it is your responsibility to put more staff, it is not a sudden event, you should plan ahead, us customers are there to enjoy, not to put up with your attitudes! And besides, that night was not even fully booked, there were plenty of empty tables inside. I've been to restaurants that were fully packed and had excellent services! So please, pull yourself together. If a manager acts like this, no wonder the general service is disgusting.

One thing I'll also mention is that the staff are not well trained at all. There's this lady who overcharged us by $450, but it was refunded so I'm not going to go harsh on this.

Although the food was lovely, I did enjoy the food, but the service has persuaded me that I'll never go back, ever again. Seriously, if you go to any restaurants, you would not encounter anything like this, you would have higher expectations considering this is a restaurant located in the Brisbane City!

I truly hope that no one else will have the same experience as I had, it was very sad...

Every so often, a restaurant surfaces on social media that everyone seems to be talking about. More often than not, the hype exceeds reality. But Tenya is the rare exception, it doesn’t just live up to its reputation, it surpasses it.

From the moment we arrived, the experience was smooth and convenient. There’s an underground car park directly beneath the restaurant, simply step into the elevator and within seconds you’re upstairs, greeted by the buzz of anticipation and the sight of an impressively long line. Yet what could have been a wait turned into a display of organisation, within minutes we were seated and ready to enjoy the night.

We were placed outdoors under the gentle glow of gas heaters, overlooking the shimmering water with the ferris wheel in the distance, a truly enchanting backdrop for what turned out to be an unforgettable evening.

The buffet itself is nothing short of spectacular. Two dedicated seafood stations showcased an irresistible spread, plump king prawns, sweet Moreton Bay bugs, and freshly shucked oysters accompanied by wedges of lemon and condiments. Diners set up their tables with three or four plates at a time, sampling a wide variety of cuisines from fresh seafood to hot dishes and crisp salads.

Every dish was a triumph. Perfectly cooked barramundi, flavourful hot selections, and a variety of sides that complemented the seafood beautifully. The dessert selection was equally impressive, with something to satisfy every palate. Among the highlights, the homemade mandarin and mint ice cream stood out as a personal favourite, the citrus brightness paired with the refreshing herbal notes was exquisite and memorable. It was the perfect finale to an indulgent evening.

What truly impressed me was how clean and balanced the food felt. Despite indulging in a feast that would rival any buffet in Brisbane or the Gold Coast, I walked away not weighed down or uncomfortable, but completely satisfied. That is the hallmark of quality ingredients, careful preparation, and culinary respect.

If you’re considering where to go for your next night out, make Tenya the destination. With convenient parking, spectacular views, seamless organisation, and some of the finest seafood and desserts I’ve tasted in years, it’s the kind of restaurant you’ll want to return to...