Hockey Sushi — Restaurant in Peterborough

My family and I have been visiting Hockey Sushi for years and normally it is what I consider decent AYCE Sushi for market value.

However when we attended the week of Oct 13, 2023 we ALL (including my 7 year old neice) left EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED.

The worst service you've ever seen. The young, tall and lanky Asian girl was spectacularly unhelpful.

I literally caught her catching a glimpse of the empty food dishes falling off the table and NEVER (even when asked kindly) attempted to remove the clutter.

Only when another Server came over to help did we feel like they gave a damn.

-The Unagi was the worst I've ever personally had and the Tobiko Rolls were stuffed with so much rice even the seaweed wrap couldn't contain it.

-Even the rice seemed anemic. There was no flavour or body to the rice at all.

-I bet my life the Sake was watered down

-The pieces of Salmon and Tuna Sushi had the smallest pieces of fish I've ever had and even the rice was lackluster, pressed so firmly and tasteless.

-It was so kind (not) to add extra Tobiko pieces we didn't order when they were so disappointing to begin with

-The Salmon Skin Handrolls were good (size appropriate, crunchy, tasty, well built)

-The Beef Terriyaki was LEATHER.

I don't normally complain but at an average of $45/person (including tip left for the 2nd server) we all expected better. For comparison @$50/person you can eat the best Sushi in Toronto (obviously next to real fancy places well north of $+++100/person).

I don't mind spending money if I get something in return, yesterday however we did not.

I must've been there with my family over half dozen times and my family who lives fairly close by, have visited dozens of times. Yesterday was so disappointing we're not likely returning. I certainly won't be.

Thank you to the shorter server with the wonderful smile but unfortunately everything else simply was terrible.

Food: 1/5 Service: (first server: 1/5; second server 5/5) Will not...

When it comes to all you can eat sushi, a safe bet is typically just what the doctor ordered. That's exactly what you get here: a safe bet. It won't be the best sushi you'll ever have but, if you know what to order (hint: stick to the classics and avoid abominations), you can indulge in an enjoyable meal that can cater to a crowd with varying tastes. The value is great, provided you show up with an appetite (otherwise, you're better off going elsewhere for your sushi fix).

As with all similar restaurants, the service is optimized for efficiency, meaning that your order may show up in a nonsensical sequence. And some things might not even show up, of course. But this is all part of the all you can eat experience.

If you're new to this and need some tips ordering:

1. 80% rule: 80% to 90% of what you order should be something you know you like that is fairly consistent across restaurants. The remaining 10% to 20% should be items you either haven't tried or ones that are hit or miss, depending on the restaurant. Keep note of how you enjoy these speculative orders and then incorporate your favorites into the main 80% next time you go.
2. plan for a few rounds of ordering: order a bit less than you think you can eat with each round and order a few rounds as opposed to one big order
3. avoid weird abominations: banana maki may sound innovative, but it would disappoint serious sushi goers... also, keep an eye out for rolls with a bunch of mayo and consider avoiding them: lately, I've found that a lot of restaurants put these on the menu and they can be a bit much
4. know the fillers on the menu and order the appropriate amount
5. keep an eye out for the portion size. Some are by piece, others per roll (4,6, or 8 pieces), etc.
6. show up with an appetite and...

Firsr off, the servers were very friendly, so my issues arent with them, its with the food itself. Everything is reheated from frozen. I ordered most of the chicken dishes and they were all tasteless and dry due to being reheated, it was especially noticeable in the General Tao.

The desserts were a mixed bag, the deep fried milk was fried in the same oil as the meats which gave it the taste and consistency of old chicken. I actually thought they brought me a piece of deep fried chicken at first, and the gag I made after biting it was a sound i didnt know my body was capable of making. The chocolate mousse was actually pretty good, albeit obviously from a box. So was the green tea ice cream.

The sushi was the worst I've ever had in my life. I'm usually skeptical about central ontario seafood, especially at an all-you-can-eat place, but this was next level bad.

The tuna Maki was abhorrent and was hard to stomach, let alone swallow. But it was the deep fried scallop which did me in. The food poisoning I got from that scallop will haunt my memories till the day I die. Needless to say, since I value my life and my pallette, I won't be going back to hockey sushi. Try Tora or Tokyo instead, but not this place.

The price of this delightfully life threatening experience? $80 for two people. Run, and...