Teriyaki Madness — Restaurant in Wake Forest

I visited Teriyaki Madness in Wake Forest on their opening day and returned recently for a pickup order, but my second visit was a significant letdown compared to the first.

Opening Day Experience: On opening day, I waited about 1 hour and 20 minutes for my food, which was understandable for a new restaurant. I ordered a large bowl with white rice, chicken teriyaki, orange chicken, veggies, and extra teriyaki sauce, paired with a drink. My husband got a large bowl with steak teriyaki, chicken teriyaki, and no veggies. The chicken teriyaki and orange chicken were 100% fresh, juicy, and bursting with flavor, complemented by an exceptional teriyaki sauce — the best I’ve found since moving to North Carolina from Southern California. The steak teriyaki, however, was thin, dry, and overcooked, which was disappointing.

Second Visit (Pickup Order): For my second visit, I placed a pickup order expecting it to be ready at 6:45 PM per the app, but was told at the restaurant it wouldn’t be ready until 6:59 PM, which was frustrating due to the app’s inaccuracy. We also ordered chicken potstickers to try something new. Initially, the food I received was fresh out of the kitchen, but as soon as I pulled into my driveway (10-15 minutes away), I got a call from the restaurant saying they’d given me the wrong order because “the ticket names were the same,” despite the tickets I was shown having different names (Melissa vs Shaina… not sure how those are the same name). I drove back to exchange the order, and the staff assured me the replacement food was fresh and hot. However, by the time I returned home after another 10-15 minute drive, the food was cold, and the chicken teriyaki and orange chicken were burnt, overcooked, and fatty — nothing like the delicious, fresh meal from opening day. The potstickers were okay but not enough to redeem the experience and the gyoza sauce smelled and tasted like chemical cleaner. The order mix-up, combined with the false assurance of freshness and the resulting cold, subpar food, was a major disappointment. To top it off, there was no sincere apology or gesture to make up for the inconvenience of driving back and forth. My husband and I were severely disappointed with the food quality and service this time.

Overall: Teriyaki Madness showed promise on opening day with delicious, fresh chicken teriyaki and orange chicken, and their teriyaki sauce remains a highlight in the area. However, the steak teriyaki was lackluster, and the second visit was a major miss. The order mix-up forced an extra 20-30 minutes of driving, causing the food to arrive cold, burnt, overcooked, and fatty, despite assurances it was fresh. I’m hesitant to return unless I hear they’ve improved their consistency and customer service, as the experience last night was a far cry from the opening day...

Aptly named, this place was truly madness. We ordered at 8:24 for pickup at 8:45, when we arrived and our food wasn’t ready - we understood- it’s a new place and we can certainly give them some grace. When I asked how long it would be, I was told that they had a big order of fried rice come in and that it would be 5-10 more minutes. Around 9:15 I started losing patience. Around 9:30 we were the only customers remaining (they technically closed at 9), and i was told that our food would be up right away and we would also be refunded. I wasn’t happy but I appreciated the gesture. We finally got our food at 9:45- and it was ok. Based on the quality of the food alone, I probably would’ve given them another chance. But- it’s fast casual food it just can’t take this long. It’s completely unreasonable.

I’ve never written a negative review for a restaurant before, as I know it is a difficult industry. I was told my order would be refunded, and it has now been a week— it’s pretty clear this refund wasn’t even processed. I think that it’s only fair that I share my experience. Hopefully they improve their processes. I won’t...

I was so hungry, and happen to see this place as I finished shopping, so decided to try it. Cashier was friendly. I ordered a regular teriyaki chicken breast bowl. It took 30 mins to get it. I wish the cashier or the other lady organizing orders, or the manager had let me know. I could gone back to my car and listened to a podcast or read, or something. Time is a precious commodity! My food was pretty good, although I was pretty hungry too. I will give it another try! There was also a family of 5 or 6 sitting when I arrived, and were still waiting for their food when I finally got mine. Hope they received at least one meal for free!!! I tried to advocate for the family but they said they were waiting for one of the specific orders to finish up. That family had a lot more patience than I did. It seemed like mass chaos in the kitchen, and way too many people trying to cook. That may have been a contributor. There were about 8-9 people in the tiny kitchen. Whoa!! First impression was not a good one, but they are new and it's my first time, so maybe I will try a call in...