Kyoto Sushi III — Restaurant in Cedar Grove

I've largely been tepid on Kyoto Sushi over the years; I had a sit-down dinner there maybe six or seven years ago that was hit or miss (Kyoto Roll was really, really good, but the Godzilla Roll had a few fishy bites, which is the kiss of death for me, sushi-wise), and I avoided it for a while. That's also partly due to discovering Kenko Sushi in Lincoln Park, which is the best sushi I've ever had and puts pretty much everything else to shame.

Since COVID, I've started ordering lunch here from time to time for pickup. It's a quick drive and with a little firsthand knowledge of the parking lot layouts nearby, you can easily avoid the drama on Route 23 if needed. In terms of service, you're obviously not dealing with waitstaff when picking up, but I haven't had to hang out awkwardly in the restaurant for ages waiting for my pre-ordered food to arrive - that aspect of the experience had been consistently solid, and the girl behind the register is always pleasant.

Over the past few months, I've been ordering sweet potato ($5) and salmon & avocado ($6.95) rolls. Both have been decent for the most part, especially the salmon/avocado. Once, the sweet potato wasn't cooked enough, and another time there was an overly crunchy layer that was tough to chew through, but 90% of the time it's been fine. I also tried the sushi pizza appetizer with spicy tuna ($8.95) a few weeks ago - a wee bit messy but very tasty.

My opinion of Kyoto overall hasn't changed too much from my first experience, but I've adjusted my expectations as well. At the risk of beating a dead horse, if you're really famished and want to go balls to the wall with special rolls, I'd head up 23 to Kenko, but the regular rolls do the job here - there's no shame in ordering from a place that is a solid double versus a...

I was looking for a sushi place that was open for labor day so I decided to give this place a try. I wanted to try a few of their specialty rolls and a few pieces of sushi so I got the Incredible Roll, the Spicy Lobster Roll, tuna sushi and salmon sushi.

The tuna and salmon sushi were generous portions but a little pricey. Each one came with 2 pieces and cost $6.50. The fish tasted good but wasn’t anything special. It did satisfy that sushi itch though which was great!

As for the specialty rolls I really liked the incredible roll! The shrimp tempura was delicious and it was a good size portion. The spicy lobster roll was just ok. Lobster is usually hit or miss for me and this time it wasn’t my favorite. Next time I’ll definitely end up trying a different roll.

All in all it was a good experience and I’ll definitely come back again if I’m in the area. The staff was friendly in the short interaction I had with them so hopefully I’ll be able to dine...

Great little sushi spot right in the middle of Cedar Grove on Pompton Ave./Rt.23. The restaurant can be a bit tight when crowded but Helen (the owner) and her employees are always very sweet and accommodating. I love just about all the special rolls, everything is always fresh and on the money. On occasion when not in the mood for sushi, I have had other options such as the chicken and beef teriyaki which is outstanding. My favorite salad is the spicy yuzu salad, the combination of tuna, mango and a spicy yuzu dressing really is flavorful and has a nice kick to it. If you are in the mood for a desert, try the deep fried Oreos in a tempura batter (the batter is so light, the whole thing basically melts in your mouth.) Kyoto is a BYOB and there is a liquor store right next door in the Foodtown plaza. Kyoto is also a great place for take-out and they also...