Tokyo Sushi Omakase Restaurant — Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale

Two stars only because the food was average - otherwise this was a wholly unpleasant experience. The hot green tea had undertones of chlorine, and the “FREE REFILLS” advertised in the menu were never even offered. The Diet Coke I ordered was COMPLETELY flat, and the adjacent table’s request for a can instead of a glass of fountain soda only served as further confirmation - I suspect they neglected to change their CO2 tank. Miso soup was okay, shumai was average - although I had to ask for the ponzu sauce separately and it was brought to us in a plastic to-go container with a dipping dish so we could pour it ourselves. Same thing happened with soy sauce for our sushi order, minus the dipping dish.

Service was where Tokyo Sushi completely failed. When we walked in our server stared at us for a few seconds until I said, “Two please,” and she answered with, “Sit wherever you want.” She took our order and that was when the fun really started. We ordered their 9-piece salmon sushi deal, and three rolls. We got four rolls and no salmon sushi, because she thought salmon sushi was actually a salmon roll (not conjecture, she said that herself). I said I wanted sushi, which is slices of fish on top of rice (the fact that I had to explain to a waitress at a sushi restaurant what sushi is raises a big red flag). She then brought out a plate of salmon sashimi and said that that’s what I ordered, and walked away. Our menus were left on the table and she kept putting our food on top of them, and not a single dirty dish was removed throughout the course of our meal.

As we observed literally every other party in the restaurant sending back food and shaking their heads in disbelief it became apparent that this experience wasn’t just a fluke, and reassured us that we weren’t being unreasonably nitpicky. If I had ordered takeout from there I probably would have enjoyed it, but the dine-in experience ensured that this place will not be anywhere on our list of places to go, much less near the top. If I was craving sushi and everything else in all of south Florida was closed I might order takeout, but the Everglades would have to freeze solid and the sun rise in the west for me to even consider going there for dine-in service again.

UPDATE: After reading the restaurant’s response to my review, I feel compelled to clarify a couple of points: Thank you for complimenting my “experience working in such establishments” - I actually have none, but it’s nice anyway. With regard to her “needing my story” - I didn’t give her a story. She brought a salmon roll instead of salmon sushi. I told her I ordered salmon sushi, and she brought me salmon sashimi and told me that’s what I ordered. I told her no, I ordered sushi, which is sliced fish over rice, and she repeated that that was what I ordered and walked away shaking her head. It’s not a matter of a story - she actually had no idea what sushi is, and that’s concerning. While I appreciate the efforts you put in to correct the issues I experienced dining at your establishment, I am still of the opinion that there are multiple other, far better options available for sushi in the Fort Lauderdale area. Perhaps if you went to an all-you-can-eat model I’d consider it, but even then I’d hesitate.

In any case, I’m glad my review...

Sorry but Tokyo Sushi used to be a great local restaurant. I've been going there for 20 years. I've gone there 3 times in the past month and I've been disappointed all three times. And not just because they changed the salad. I used to order two because it was so simple and good. Now it's just ok.

That aside, the rest of the items I usually order are basically the same. But the real issue is service. The staff that had been there forever is now gone. I think the restaurant must have been sold to someone who doesn't understand the importance of service and a great wait staff. The wait staff is the face of your business. If your wait staff is incompetent you'll lose business faster than you can pour a cup of green tea. I feel bad for the new owner and any of the employees they might have retained. Because at this rate Tokyo Sushi will be out of business very soon.

I hope the new owner realizes soon that: They need experienced servers that know the menu and are attentive to their customers. The place needs to get cleaned back up. Double check orders. Twice in the past 3 times I've been there my order was messed up. Stock the items that are on your menu. Give your customers napkins. Time you're orders. My appetizers came out after my entree and all the side sauces and condiments were missing. Don't ask your customers what they had after they ate and while they're waiting to pay. Have "all" of your staff wear masks during this pandemic. Don't charge more than what the price is on your menu. My charges on my check were more than what the menu stated. Fix your credit card machine.

Good luck! I hope you read this and fix these issues! Starting with your wait staff.

I'll give Tokyo Sushi one more try after writing this terrible review in hopes that you will listen to all your regular customers who are very disappointed. I wondered why it looked so empty the past few months. I thought they closed down due to covid or something. But now I know why. The customer service has vanished.

Fingers crossed they get this restaurant cleaned and back up to the expectations that were so deservedly earned...

We were genuinely excited to try this restaurant, especially given our love for Japanese cuisine and experiences dining both locally and abroad, including in Japan. The interior is beautiful—elegant decor and thoughtfully chosen dishware really set the stage for what we hoped would be a great meal.

Unfortunately, the food itself didn’t live up to expectations. We ordered miso soup, shrimp ramen, edamame, a ginger salad, chicken yakitori, and the chef specialty roll.”

The ramen arrived in what was by far the smallest portion we’ve ever seen—surprising, especially given the price. The "chef specialty roll" was particularly disappointing. It had an overwhelmingly fishy taste that suggested it wasn’t fresh, and we couldn’t finish it. I even had my husband try a piece to be sure I wasn’t overreacting, and he had the same reaction. We ultimately asked the server to take it away, which they kindly did.

The chicken yakitori had decent flavor but was extremely salty—enough to distract from the overall dish.

We truly wanted to love this place, and we hope this feedback is taken in the spirit intended—as constructive, from diners who value quality and have a deep appreciation for Japanese cuisine. The atmosphere is lovely, and with some adjustments to food quality and consistency, this could be a...