The absolute best sushi place in Philadelphia! Have tried most of the spots in the Philadelphia and suburb area and To Kai no doubt beats all of those places! I have been coming here for years now and the staff and the food hasn't disappointed once! They truly have the friendliest staff and most importantly the most delicious and freshest sushi! The head chef, Jay, even came to my house to cater a party and prepare all the sushi and sashimi right in front of my guest! This is truly a top notch place! A must go if you haven't been!
(5)
Christina V.
I love to-kai. Like seriously love. I know its northeast Philly and its in a strip mall. Not even a good one. But love is love. I adore their sashimi rolls. They have no rice so they are a bit messy but they are so great. I was just here for a visit and got the Russian Sashimi Roll (Tuna wrapped spicy tuna, salmon & cucumber with tuna, salmon, eel on top) and the Russian Dream roll (Tuna, salmon, cucumber, & spicy sauce with tuna, salmon, and eel on top). Both rolls are 100% raw, no deep frying, no torching, just delicious fish. Perfection. Note: this place has a full bar but is also a BYOB- I rather enjoy having the option to bring or order. There is a $5.00 corking fee though so keep that in mind. I don't think I've ever had a bad roll here. Would love if they opened a location in center city....preferably in my living room.
(4)
Olena S.
Amazingly tasty sushi/hibachi place in North East. Everything else in our area is just not even close to their standards. You just have to read the menu (just like in every other restaurant) and order staff that you like, and have the idea what it's gonna be). Its a little oldy n weirdly designed place, but its always clean, and people, especially at hibachi tables, are very very friendly! Most of the times it's busy, so if its special occasion and more then 4 people, better to make a reservation at least couple days in advance to give them a shot and to discuss the menu. We always call 1 hour before we come in, so we will get a table right away, as we have hibachi, and there is not that much seating, especially if its rush hour or weekend. They sometimes advise to come in 20 min early or 20 min later. I lived around the corner and it works for me! It's north east philadelphia. Sometimes you might get a not comfy table, sometimes(rarely) you can get a little busy server and will wait couple extra minutes. Sometimes you can get a screaming drunk soviet people celebrating something next to you. But it is a small casual restaurant!! Check the menu, they have it online. It is very very reasonably priced. The items that are very cheep are not gonna be the best sushi you ever had - there are rolls for 4-9$. (the 10$ tokai roll is ok with me), for really good ones you will have to pay near 18-20$. Seasonally, they have specials and my favorite raw oysters are one of specials. I usually not post anything, and as I work in a restaurant I do not even go to the restaurants that much, but To-Kai for me is a great place to go, as I love raw fish and raw veggies, and my husband is crazy about hibachi. Its family friendly and children, teens will enjoy hibachi show, too:) So far I tried Tataki and its great, most of the special rolls page, and all of the Hibachi dinners and combinations available, as well like all the soups. Rice for hibachi are so delish that you just can not stop eating it! Soups and noodles are good too, even complimentary ones. Friends love their Japanese beer. We never had dessert so can not share:) But I feel I always have a good experience, every time I go.
(5)
Jane P.
I love this place. They always go above and beyond to make sure everything is good. Very attentive, entertaining and food is delicious. My kids love it here even though we've seen the hibachi show 20 times. A birthday dinner favorite!!
(5)
Daniel H.
This was a decent meal. I was more happy with the appeptizer and the cocktails than the actual meal. I have a zombie cocktail which was kinda sweet but tasty and had a kick, it was a mix of light and dark rums I believe. I think the choice of food makes me give the place 3/4 stars. I ordered a sashimi roll which is like a sushi roll without rice. It is not something I would order again. We did enjoy our appetizer which was a scallop roll.
(3)
Mike Z.
I have been coming here for years and its one of the top 3 sushi places in the northeast area. First of all the fish is very fresh and its good quality. The menu is split into 2 parts; regular and special.... You can have regular sushi for a very fair price.... For lunch they have a special : 3 rolls, soup and salad for $11.99 which is a great deal. The other part of the menu is very high end... Very good special rolls but premium priced. My favorite is the special spicy tuna roll mostly because it has fish, sea weed, and no rice. The menu is filled with pictures and all kinds of great selections. They also have a hibachi and a back room for large parties. They have a bar and allow BYOB for a cork fee. Great service too! I will keep coming back.
(5)
Jess J.
Always a good time... Good food, good show and good service! This is my go to Hibachi place. It never disappoints. On this particular visit with my girls we were accompanied with my mom and my sister who had never been to a Hibachi. We assured them they would enjoy themselves, and that they did. We went rather early and the 5 of us were seated right away. Parties of 5 or more can order from the Haibchi party menu for a reduce rate. The more people the less per entree. This include soup, salad, combination of meat or a single selection, fried rice, vegetables, two shrimp, and a drink. We opted for this option. I ordered the Steak (medium) and Salmon. Let the show begin. Our chef was extremely animated. He sang, did tricks, and gave me lots of Saki.. My kind of guy. He even had baby saki in a little bottle for the kids He cooked our meal to perfection. Regardless of what i order it's good, down to the rice.. their fried rice is so good, I love it! My steak was done medium, very tender, the kids done Medium-well and my mom's well done, he gave her a piece prior to taking it all off to make sure she was satisfied with it. The Salmon and Shrimp were fresh and delicious. Of course no one could finish their meals it's always an abundance of food regardless of how hungry you are. So we wrapped it up. This was the first visit that I tried their dessert. My mom and I split the fried banana... cause how could I pass up tempura banana.. it came with ice cream, my mom made the selection for the green tea. My sister and daughter split fried vanilla ice cream, and my other daughter had a regular scoop of ice cream. When the desserts came out, the presentation was more than I expected even the ice cream scoop was a sight to see. It was delicious also. All in all a great visit. Oh and the bathroom is nice, single stall and always clean. Also it is a BYOB, a cork fee applies. They also sell great drinks, I love the Blue Hawaii! The reason I couldn't give a 5 star rating, while it did not happen on this visit it has happened in the past, double check your bill.. while drinks are included sometimes it appears on your bill. All in all a great visit, mom and sister loved the experience!
(4)
Chris S.
The one reason I'm giving this 3 stars is that it's pricey. The food is very good and comes out fast but I don't recommend coming here if you are trying to watch your spending. You can buy alcohol there, but it is also a BYOB and would definitely recommend doing that to help keep the cost a little lower.
(3)
Ancy T.
Great service. I make large orders for work all the time and they are nice enough to label everything to make it a quick and easy distribution back at the office. I've tried a few different rolls and I've liked them all so far. I'm interested in trying the non sushi items on the menu as I've heard the teriyaki chicken and shrimp are both really good. Definitely not the best sushi I've ever had, but it does the job and satisfies the hunger so I'm down with it. The Shumai shrimp dumplings are also delicious as I haven't had them at any other Japanese restaurant I've been to so these were new to me and will definitely be ordered again. This place is becoming a once a week spot for me, and I'm not mad about it.
(3)
Jonathan R.
The sushi here is awesome!!! I suggest trying the California sushi box and the Avocado blossom!!!
(5)
Elena R.
Love it here! Never had a bad experience :) great martini & drink menu selections also!
(4)
Michael G.
This Sushi and Hibachi restaurant was recommended by the Hotel. Turned out to be fantastic. High end sushi, great selection, all of the "off the menu" choices you would expect to have at a good sushi place. They have 4 different types of Wasabi, and their soup is amazing. Definitely will return.
(5)
Felicia C.
This place has been redone inside and it looks great! The food is also very good. I love the Bento boxes because they let you have some of everything: a main entree (I love the beef negimaki), sushi, dumplings, tempura (a large serving with two shrimp, a broccoli, a sweet potato, two onion rings, and a taro) rice, vegetables, even an orange for dessert! It's also nice that To-Kai has a full bar with creative mixed drinks. My only complaint is that because of the very modern, Japanese sensibility in the decor, the restaurant is not warm or cozy like some other local Asian restaurants that I frequent (White Elephant, Colonial Quy Bau, Rasavat.)
(4)
steve e.
Can't improve on the sashimi bustleton & Russian rolls..10 piece and a real feast-just get ready for a $50'lunch . Why pay $20 to park in town?
(4)
Jaison K.
Been here a handful of times. It was very good when it first opened. Their quality has gone down since. It Is still the best sushi place in the Northeast. All their special rolls are delicious. Their service is excellent. They have the best lunch selection in the area and excellent to entertain clients.
(4)
Heidi L.
Note to hiring manager: It would be a good idea to hire a person that answers the phone who knows what your most popular sushi rolls and other dishes are. She should also never say that she has no idea about sushi because she doesn't like sushi. Not exactly good for sales and business.
(2)
Elliot P.
This place continues to improve. I've been here a bunch of times and it can be somewhat hit or miss. On the positive side, this restaurant fills the much needed void in the area of a nice restaurant food-wise, and is also nice decor-wise, and not too expensive either. When I first started visiting Philly, I was surprised at how many mediocre sushi places there are here, this being one of them. As time has progressed, my experiences here have been getting better and better. The tuna pizza is very good, as are most of the sushi and rolls. There's nothing here that's super special or unique, but the items that I have had here have been very good. It's BYOB which is really nice, but not too uncommon or special in this area as lots of other places are also BYOB. One of the nice things that is unique is that this place is BYOB and they also have a full bar. Usually it's just one or the other. The service is perfectly adequate, and the atmosphere is nice. There's a big parking lot so there's plenty of free parking, which is also, not uncommon for this area. There's a Rita's in the same strip mall, so it's nice to grab a water ice after eating here.
(3)
Aliza K.
The food and prices is great. The hostess or I heard she's the owner is vey rude and unacceptable. We had went to dinner one night we told her at least 11 people but what she got from what we said was it will be 11 people. Then when we arrive it was 13 people and she started to get in our faces about how we only said 11 and now 13. She started to yell and basically said no you said 11 now you have 13 and all this stuff which is dumb. I really tried my best to keep shut that night because the way she acted was very unprofessional.
(3)
Dalia S.
Very fun habachi location, the chefs are very animated and interactive. Great spot for birthdays especially if your looking to draw insane amounts of attention to the birthday guest. Food was also tasty.
(4)
Christina G.
This place has a great presentation with the food. Sushi menu is a bit different than many other sushi places: for dinner I didn't see many of your basic rolls but instead there is a large selection of designer rolls and sashimi rolls. The sashimi rolls are nice because there is a lot of fish and they are very filling but they also fall apart easily since it's mostly fish without the rice or seaweed. I had the scallop appetizer (the one with vinegar not advocado) and it was delicious- loved the sauce! I also had the I phone 4 s which was crab with scallop on top and I really enjoyed it. Although I liked my sashimi roll, I think I like regular spicy tuna or salmon rolls better. I tried the roll with banana and it was good and very sweet- almost tasted like dessert. The restaurant tries to be trendy and servers are nice from what I've seen. They serve alcohol or you can byob for a $2 per bottle cork fee. This is a solid place for NE sushi.
(4)
Mike R.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in the city. They are one of the few that offer a huge array of appetizers. Check out the lovers triangle and the ahi tuna pizza. the Toro tartar is awesome as well. I tell everyone I know who likes sushi to go there and enjoy
(5)
Kathy L.
It was okay. I had Kobe beef app. It's not that good for the price. The blue fin tuna sushi was good. I had two pieces of that. I also got the Russian dream roll. I actually didn't like that. However the sushi chef made me a roll on the house which I was though was nice but it had eel on top and I don't really like eel. I probably wouldn't go back to this spot. There are a bunch of other sushi places to try.
(3)
Lovely B.
Good atmosphere, and it's a very clean restaurant. The food is delicious, staff are very pleasant
(5)
M R.
I first went to To KAi a week ago , a friend recommended to go that the sushi was amazing there. I had 3 different signature rolls they were really fresh and tasty. I must say I was not disappointed at all. Food was great service was great so I decided to return back again yesterday to try out their Hibatchi Tables since I'm the only one that really likes sushi. Food was great I had the sea bass and shrimp combo and it was really good. Its a small place but the staff there are really friendly. I even made a reservation online and was sat immediately down when I walked in. It wasn't too crowded it really doesn't look like you would expect much from the outside, but it was a win for me. "I guess you really cant judge a book by its cover." It also has convenient parking and BYOB- they charge a $5.00 bottle charge. they also have a full bar menu to purchase there.
(5)
Peter M.
Went here last week and the food turned out great. I ordered the Chilean sea bass and it was really fresh. I enjoyed the Hibachi show a bit, but no matter how many times I go to a Hibachi... I still can't get used to the concept that someone is playing with my food. All in all it was a great place. I would recommend it, but if you're not into the food play concept there are regular dining tables away from the action.
(4)
Jeff P.
A hibachi style dining experience should be fun and filling and ToKai delivers with a bang! Food is delicious and the sushi is excellent if that is your thing. The Northeast Philly dining scene has gotten weak over the years but this place truly holds it's own.There are a few good hibachi places around but this one carries the best combination of atmosphere,showmanship and quality eating. Strongly recommend!
(4)
Amanda J.
Went last night with a group of 10. Service was excellent, food was great, and the hibachi chef was great! Highly recommend this place to everyone!
(5)
Kate W.
Good sushi, poor customer service. Ordered a delivery order that totaled more than $70 - it took over an hour and a half to get here, and when I called the restaurant for an update, I kept getting voicemail. I can handle an order being late, but no call or response to my calls is bad business. Won't order from here again.
(2)
Elaine M.
Being a Northeast Philly Hater, I never expect much when I go out to eat there but I think I may have found a secret gem with To-Kai. I'm not sure how long they have been in business, but I am kind of mad at myself for dining across the street at the Taste Queen so many times over the years when this could have been an option! Ignoring the elementary typos on the menu; a friend and I decided to split an appetizer and several rolls. We had the Love Triangle appetizer that was served in a slightly spicy sauce that also had a hint of mustard to it. The fish was fresh and the sauce accompanied it well. We split the Bikini Tuna, Russian Family Roll, Triple Sashimi Roll and the Crunchy Spicy Salmon Roll. All of them tasted very good but the larger ones were not constructed very well. They were falling apart as we tried to pick them up with our chop sticks to dip them in soy sauce. I also thought that the larger rolls should have been cut into 8 pieces instead of 5; that probably would have helped us hold them together long enough to pop them into our mouths. I never had a sashimi roll before (this eliminates the seaweed paper); perhaps that is part of the reason they were falling apart but I liked having that extra layer of fish! Overall, the fish was fresh, the rolls were unique and there was a lot to choose from! I will definitely be back for lunch since I work close by. One thing caught my eye as strange; in the center of the dining room hangs a Spencer's Gifts style disco ball from the ceiling. I believe this place turns into a frat-esque late night dance party. Get weird Bustleton!
(4)
Aika T.
Best Sushi place in northeast philly. Me and my friend are their customers since they open, and we love this place. Food is fresh and delicious. Try baked mussels and crispy spicy tuna roll!
(5)
Laviza S.
we enjoyed a great group dinner of 13 courses ... one of our friends arranged the dinner w the chef. we enjoyed each of the courses. everything was fresh and nice presentation. the decor is modern and pretty. overall would definitely recommend!
(5)
Nancy P.
My gf had been here before and enjoyed it so a couple of our friends got together and had dinner here. It's located in a strip mall plaza and seems out of place. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and a variety of sushi rolls. The tuna pizza was pretty good but was covered in a lot of sauce. I liked the kani salad and it had a good spicy kick to it. The fried calamari was not worth getting. The portion was very small. The avocado blossom was my favorite of the bunch. The sushi rolls were nothing spectacular. The only unique thing of To-Kai was the fresh wasabi. I'd never had that before so that was awesome. The service was very slow and the servers seemed indifferent and unhappy.
(2)
Alexander L.
I met up with a bunch of friends here to catch up since we hadn't met up in a while, and heard the appetizers were good. The back room seemed to be fairly nice decor. Many things on the menu are conceptually nice--and presentation for things like the shots are also appealing. What bothered me about this place is the execution of the food. The sauces and seasonings were imbalanced or just prepped in an unappetizing manner. On the plus side once you leave you can get some Rita's and a Pretzel. I don't plan on coming back here.
(2)
Michael G.
Family and I came here to try To-Kai because it was part of the UPromise Dining rewards Program. Although pricey, we were hapy to find a new place to make it a regular in our list of restaurants. The food for the family is below: Japanese Mojito: 5 Stars. Refreshing and not too stiff! I probably could have had many of these, but stuck with one. 3 piece Dumpling Soup: 2 Stars. Bland, dumplings I could find anywhere, did not finish. Mango Soft Shell Crab Salad: 5 Stars. The best food of the night. The description is Mango, Crab Meat, Seaweed Salad, Lettuce, Avocado Salad and Masago on the Bottom, Whole Soft Shell Crab on Top. This could have been a meal by itself. Extremely tasty and just the right amount of sizzling crab on top with an amazing sauce. Duck Rolls: 4 Stars. Wonderful with no grease taste - Deep Fried Roasted Duck and Taro Finished with Sweet Soy and Honey Wasabi Sauce. I expected duck meat pieces, but it was more of a hamburger meat texture. Still, very tasty! I Phone 4S Roll: 3 Stars. Felt like it was warmer-than-room temperature which was a bit off putting. Also, I had so much food that I probably did not enjoy it as much as I should have. Crunchy Spicy Crab with Seared Sea Scallop on top. Teriyaki Bento Box Salmon: 3 Stars. Comes with Salad, Soup, Rice, California Roll, Shrimp Tempura, Shumai, Fruit. Wife said there was too much tempura in the box with the vegetables, and did not finish it. However, the salmon was very tasty, and she did not like the California Roll. Fruit was 1/2 an orange. The tempura shrimp was really nice, though. Overall, it came to $96 for 2 adults and 1 kid including tip, so for lunch this was expensive! There are a lot of choices, so I'll be back to try others. They have a hibachi on the one side which I'd like to try, too. To-Kai also has 6 party tray specials from $34 to $80 for catering! Service for our empty restaurant was ok. Too long to take our orders; just right to get the food and drinks.
(4)
Michele R.
Always good Sushi sashimi and rolls good Staff wonderful Been going here for years Priced right I recommend highly
(4)
Elise D.
By far the best place in the northeast and not over price, great show, best hibachi I've even been to. The atmosphere is amazing and everyone is so welcoming. I alway try to go here any chance I get.
(5)
Kim H.
About a 30 min drive from my neighborhood and I will be making that trip again. This is one of my good friend's favorite sushi spot and I see why. Sushi was fresh. The rolls were delicious. Tried the pineapple shrimp fried rice, and it was all that. The baked mussels were just ok, honestly wouldn't order them again. They weren't bad just not great. Everything else was on point, exceeding the good threshold. My boyfriend has refused to try sushi before this outing but Tokai has made him a believer. Also great deals(price friendly), the "boat menu", for multiple sushi or sashimi eaters.
(4)
Victoria S.
I'm a 7 year customer, and this place is one of the best sushi places in Philadelphia. Long story short - fast service, friendly staff, tasty sushi, good price for quality.
(5)
Rina G.
Overpriced not the greatest sushi in northeast Philadelphia
(2)
Velisha A.
I love this resturant !... Usually do delivery 2-3x a week from here and I always order their whole fried red snapper which comes with sushi rice , meso soup, salad and a chili sauce that's delicious. They are a bit pricey. Oh yeah I also order from them the golden fried soft shell crab, chocolate cake with ice cream and mucho ice cream. I'm so happy that they deliver and I would recommend them to others.
(4)
Maria S.
This is by far my favorite sushi spot in the NE, maybe in all of Philly. The service is great, the ambiance is fantastic, and the food.... amazing! Whether you like raw or not, there is something here for everybody. I've never tried the hibachi in the restaurant (i've had it for take-out, and it's delicious too) but everyone always seems to be having fun in there. Let's not get distracted from the real center of attention. The Sushi!! Must Try: Crab House roll, Lexus Rolls, Crazy Sashimi, Crunchy Roll, Rainbow Roll and the sushi pizza. The food here is so fresh, I've never had a bad experience. The bento boxes and the cooked appetizers are really good but i'd rather not waste my appetite on those. Awesome sushi and sashimi are hard to come by. Request the baby fish if it's on the specials. Delectable! The outside of the restaurant really doesn't do the inside justice. Go in anyway, you won't be disappointed!
(5)
Lisa L.
Very cute place. Came here with my favorite co worker friends and had a great time ! Waitress was very attentive and recommended a great roll! Can't wait to go back and have entrees and drinks !
(5)
Yahlizbeth R.
Not recommended! This sushi is the worst I ever tasted. I ordered brown rice sushi and it was uncooked, really hard to eat. And the prices for sushi wasnt considerable.
(1)
Tiffany T.
3 stars: no more, no less. I went here with a friend yesterday for a catch up dinner. Service was friendly, nice and prompt. The ladies have a very very thick Chinese ( I think) accent and it's hard to understand, but they're very nice. I ordered the Tokai-roll as well as salmon roll. I didn't pay too much attention to what roll my friend got.. but one was Philadelphia, and the other was one of the signature rolls. Salmon roll - $4 for 6 pieces or 8 I believe. And Tokai roll was $11 or $13 for about 6 pieces ( the big kinds, like Korean kimbap). The salmon roll was fine. Lots of fish, pretty fresh, so very standard. The tokai roll was interesting. What I DID like about it is that it was huge, stuffed with salmon, tuna and yellowtail. So a LOT of raw fish in that one bite. It was nothing special, because anyone can chop up fresh fish and put it in a kimbap roll. But the fish was fresh, so I appreciated that. However, there was no special sauce or anything to separate it from the hundreds of other sushi institutions in philadelphia or any other place. As for value. Our bill came to about $50 some odd dollars for dinner, and for the quality and amount we got, I can't give it any more than 3 stars. I get just as full at Vic's in center city. I get probably twice as much food in Yuraku of Germantown MD. It was fine, but really, nothing special. Nothing I would go out of my way to go to, or plan to go to.. but I wouldn't say no if a friend suggested it. Although I might suggest another..
(3)
Michelle T.
I was genuinely surprised and not surprised with my experiences at To-Kai. The oyster shooters were by far the best shooters that I've had in a long time (surprised). There raw oyster was balanced with the right amount of alcohol. I was warned ahead of time that sushi rolls were not that impressive, but I ordered a special roll anyways. Let's just say I was not impressed (not surprised). A heavy reliance on sauces, and the seaweed used to wrap the roll was not crispy. When ordering sushi here, one should request for fresh wasabi (surprised). This isn't readily available everywhere, and it adds a different kind of heat to the sushi. In all honesty, if you're going to To-Kai you should just order everything from its Appetizers section and just disregard everything else, but even the Appetizer section can leave you wanting more. The tuna pizza was thoroughly enjoyed at my table, but personally, there was once again a heavy reliance on sauce for this app. The kani salad was really good - refreshing with a nice kick. The avocado blossom was the highlight for me. It packed some nice flavors while maintaining some textural components (everything was just mush). The baked mussels were so-so. The quality of the mussels played a big part on why I didn't like them. The mussels were just so small and then you add a bunch of stuff on top and bake it; the results are over-cooked, shriveled mussels with too much toppings.
(2)
Valentino G.
I love To-Kai it's one of my favorite sushi places, I like the fact that's its also BYOB, but there's also a few to use their glasses and a bottle fee. My favorite sushi is their signature roll the lobster dynamite and the 10 pc New York sashimi roll is to die for! The sushi combo rolls are very good, but your a limited to what you can change as far as the roll if you want to substitute it for something else. The combo is good because it comes with miso soup and the house salad; the ginger dressing is beyond amazing. If you are ever looking for an amazing appetizer the tuna titaki is by the the most delicious.I would definitely suggest their hibachi the atmosphere is amazing and the food is right there with it. I went to the hibachi for the first time and it was an amazing experience, I came here with my cousin and our girlfriends, there were tons of laughs. The cook was so good and funny he made I laugh and enjoy the experience; there was no way we couldn't tip him, he was great! I gave them 5 stars because I believe their prices are somewhat more expensive then most places, but the quality and quantity makes up for prices, it's definitely top notch and the provide the best quality service and care with their food and their customers.
(5)
Nam N.
I have dine here many times. Around this area, there are only 2 sushi restaurants that i would go and come back to; this place and Mt Fuji in southampton. I usually get the boat so there isn't much to say there beside the sashimi are fresh and services are great. I tries to stay away from delivered sushi, but when there's the sushi craving and you're too lazy to go; you'll the chance. I took that chance and liked it :) The sushi came as if i ordered when i am in the restaurant. All of the delivered sushi i ordered before from other places are not even close to what they serve you in the restaurant. Sashimi is thinner. Rolls have a lot more rice. gives you left over fish...Sometimes even missing pieces... good delivered sushi earned this place a 4stars on my book :)
(4)
Steve C.
This place is great. Don't believe the bad reviews. I go here at least 3 times a month.
(5)
Alla G.
over sauced, over spiced, inconsistent quality. This pretty much sums it up. Our office orders from here often, easy delivery, but quality of the food is not consistent. Tried a few times dining inside and was also underwhelmed.
(3)
Steve B.
The best sushi/sashimi in North-East Philadelphia, and probably one of the best in Philly. While prices more than doubled in resent year or two, sheer fact that place is always packed tells you all about level of quality. Hibachi is on bit lower level than sushi, but surely lots of fun if you are with kids.
(5)
I. S.
I have been getting take-out regularly from To-Kai for the past few years. This is my second review as I want to let everyone know about my past experiences with them in the past few years. -PROS: Food: The food at To-Kai is outstanding. It's always fresh and I have never had a bad experience. Here are some of my favorite items that I recommend to try: a) Tuna pizza - Delicious. It's avacado, tuna, and crab on top of a crispy tortilla and it just melts in your mouth, it is so good! So many different textures, i always get this. b) Agedashi Tofu - Very delicately fried tofu in a sweet soy dipping sauce. It is really good and doesn't taste greasy or anything. c) Dumpling Soup - very soft dumplings in a delicious broth, i wish they put more dumplings in it, thats how much i love this soup! d) Kani Salad - Delicious, it's crab, masago, cucumber and japanese mayo. It's also a little spicy as well. Very different than you're typical kani salads that ive tried before at other places. e) Bigeye Tuna - Very fresh and delicious. I always get the higher quality tuna when they have it available as it's more fatty and it taste really good. But it's also more expensive. f) KO-BE Beef - Delicious, however i don't think it's real kobe beef from japan, thats why they spell it KO-BE. However it is very thin sliced high quality beef that's in a delicious garlic sauce. I love it. g) Filet mignon in Thai Basil sauce - One of the best entrees on the menu. The beef is super high quality and they always cook it perfectly. It is a filet mignon in a thai basil sauce. It is really good and the sauce really brings out the dish. h) Crunchy roll - One of the best rolls to try on the menu - Shrimp tempura, cucumber and masago w masago and tempura flakes on top. It's very good and has a great texture. Ambiance: The place has great ambiance and decor. I very rarely eat here in person but if I did i wouldn't mind staying here a while as the place has a very modern and chic decor. Service: Can't comment on it since I only get take-out. CONS: -Prices are a big high compared to other sushi places in NE Philly. However I think the freshness and variety of the food makes up for the prices. Plus they offer a rewards program, you need to get your menu stamped each time you pay and if you spend $200 you get a free $20 gift certificate. Sure I wish that were higher, but it adds up! -When ordering take-out on a Friday or Sat. night between the hours of 6-8pm it gets extremely busy and picking up my order could take up to 45 mins. I would also not advise eating here during those hours as the place is packed and there are a lot of people waiting for a seat.
(5)
Paul C.
Impressed with To-Kai. First impressed with the service. These people are nice--from the hostess to the waiters. They genuinely seem to want to help you and they can make solid recommendations based on what you like. Second impressed with the ambiance. You walk in and immediately forget your in a strip mall. The decor is pretty immersive and the space is large enough that you feel in a different world--and you're still supporting a local establishment. Third impressed with the sake choices. Timothy was right that this place has great sakes. The iPhone 4S roll--yes a terrible name--is a winner.
(4)
Amy K.
Love this place. The best sushi in Northeast. My husband and I always get the boats. You get great variety for a great price. I also love the seafood soup and tuna pizza. I wish their pad tai was better, but overall great food.
(5)
Christian S.
For me leaving a bad review is very rare, in fact this is the only bad review i have ever left. To start i come from brooklyn and have lots of experience with sushi. So the first thing we ordered were appetizers: me and my gf ordered the hajiki salad and tuna pizza. The hajiki salad was horrible it had soggy lettuce and fish skin which made me gag in fact it was so bad we sent it back (ive never sent anything back in my life). The tuna pizza was decent but had barely any tuna and would of been better if they added avacado, but they are too cheap to do that. Next we ordered sushi which was warm, moist, mushy and fishy. I advise no one to waste there money here. This place is extremely expensive. You can get cheaper sushi in the city. Also not to mention even though i sent back the salad, they still charged me for it. If you ever catch yourself in this place i advise you get the hibachi its the only decent thing on the menu.
(1)
Michael F.
I am far from a sushi expert, but even I know there is better out there... even in NE Philly! Oh and their prices certainly won't draw you in. Yes, they have hibachi. Unfortunately, they don't exactly put on much of a show. What can I say, I was either spoiled by some great hibachi chefs or just have high minimum standards. Other than offering chilean sea bass, there isn't much I can hype up about their hibachi. On the bright side, service was above average. I was here for a congratulations party for a co-worker getting promoted. We probably had 12 people and they gave us a hibachi table (two grills) to ourselves. They offered suggestions, helped us pass around our apps, and allowed us to eat sushi in the hibachi section. They were attentive without being annoying. If their food matched the service, we'd be talking a 4 or 5-star review.
(2)
Annie S.
The best sushi in North East of Philadelphia. Sushimi Deluxe or sushimi rolls are the best choice there. The restaurant is quite a bit of expensive. I like to eat there but no more than once a week.
(4)
Bea C.
Pretty expensive for no reason when it comes to the sushi. They should def start to re-price and also elect a 50% off menu in order to stay competitive in the area. Better to go down to Verree and Red Lion for Wasabi if anything.
(2)
Oscar M.
It's my favorite Sushi restaurant, hands down! I go there at least once a week, and have become familiar with the service staff and chefs. Their delectable fresh sushi rolls and sashimi are exceptionally prepared dishes that show a high degree of finesse and attention to detail. I have also enjoyed their beef and seafood dishes. The friendly service and restaurant ambiance make this place a perfect spot for lunch or dinner. A good sign of a great Sushi place is the crowd that is willing to wait for a table. Usually, there are people at the entrance waiting for a table during the evenings I've eaten there. If the Sushi isn't really good and the service really poor, a place like this wouldn't have survived as it has. It looks to me that they're not going out of business anytime soon! As a return customer, I can say there hasn't been a day I've left disappointed at the service or food. This is my kind of place. I recommend it!
(5)
Michael M.
Our go-to hibachi place near Lower Moreland Township, fresh food and entertaining chefs, which is what hibachi is all about. Enjoy a Belly Roll, my favorite signature roll as an appetizer. The staff is friendly, and get there early as it will get busy.
(4)
Janice R.
This place is about 5 mins away from me. I went here for my birthday. The food is awesome and the staff is nice. Since we were celebrating my birthday I got a plate of ice cream that came with a flower candle. It lights up and had the birthday song, coolest candle I've ever seen. I come here often cause my three year old loves it. I also do occasional take out and they deliver !
(5)
Rancis R.
I never noticed this spot, thank God for yelp lol. They are very clean, bring you warm napkins to clean your hands before meal. I did not eat on the hibachi side, I had sushi and it was very good! No complaints.
(4)
Abby G.
Not a good experience
(1)
Lady B.
Considering that it's located in a strip mall in NE Philly, To-Kai exceeded my expectations. Specialty rolls are kind of expensive but for $15, you can get a sushi combo with 3 simple rolls, miso soup + salad. Service was great and pours were large!
(4)
Helen Z.
I decided to give this place a try despite the mixed reviews. I'm so glad I did! Who knew that good food actually exists in NE Philly?! We tried 3 rolls, the kani salad, and the chicken udon. Everything we had was delicious. The sushi was really fresh and the udon was super flavorful. The modern decor and dim lighting was also a nice surprise. The staff was friendly and attentive. I am definitely coming back!
(4)
Nina G.
Love this place !
(5)
Brian P.
TO-Kai is convenient to people who live close by making mediocre at best Chinese food. Their sushi is a waste of life. It's a joke. Try somewhere else for that. The delivery I got 2 weeks ago was late, soggy and disgusting. I don't like when people deliver chinese food in a styrofoam container. It makes everything sweat and turn soggy. This place is lame.
(2)
Tara W.
Can't say this place isn't to bad. tried a few of the signature and was pleased. the portion size is average. Did a pick up and the food was ready when I arrived.
(3)
Kayte J.
(3/5 Because they serve fresh wasabi root.) I will be the outlier and the write about my horrible experience because these do happen in restaurants that get good reviews. Here's the break down: First off, my server was taking care of private party in the back room and I suppose had picked up our table which was in the front dining room. Our table was right beside the servers station and even though we made the body language cues to every member of the staff (including standing up and signaling that we need help) we were repeatedly ignored! I have worked in the service industry too long to look past these things. Secondly, they ran out of Salmon, which was in 2 of our 4 dishes. How do you run out of the most common raw fish in a sushi bar on a thursday night?!! Instead of running the rood that didn't have salmon in it, it sat in the window of the sushi bar for 25 minutes (we were staring at it) and was warm upon arriving to our table. Our server took another 20 minutes to take our order again for replacement rolls and then forgot to bring us the real wasabi that we had to remind him of multiple times. Real Wasabi is the only reason to go to Tokai. It's not that terrible processed horseradish + green food coloring but rather a nose burning chopped wasabi root. So good! So fresh! Multi-dimensional taste. Thirdly, Our water glasses were perpetually empty and our dirty dishes were never prebussed from the table. The jalepeno yellowtail sashimi was the only aspect of the evening that I enjoyed but it was over priced for what it was. I suppose they have to pay for those billboards around downtown Philadelphia. Our server apologized at the end of the meal but it would have been better had he done so while we were waiting for food. We left an uncharacteristly terrible tip and didn't say goodbye. No regrets.
(3)
Alyssa C.
Nice staff, reasonable tasting food, bland seafood. The show you get is good, they have nice birthday set up as long as you tell them you are celebrating.
(3)
Donna M.
We took a girlfriend here for a birthday dinner last Saturday and were VERY pleased with the experience. My review would really be somewhere between a 4 and 5 stars my only complaints being that my salad was overdressed and the soup was nothing more than a clear broth with a few mushrooms dropped in for color. But the hibachi experience was SO much fun. Our chef was excellent and my steak was cooked perfectly. Overall service was excellent and they gave the birthday girl a very nice surprise and a picture as a keepsake. We dined early and there was no wait but by the time we left, there was a real crowd waiting to be seated. I live 5 minutes from a different hibachi spot but I'll be returning to this one the next time we plan a group dinner.
(4)
Josh J.
Food was fantastic! Go with a group and save some cash. $100.60 for 5 entrees, 4 fountain sodas, 2 beers, soup, salad, and ice cream. Are you kidding me? Whoever said this place was very expensive must be very poor. If To-Kai was sitting out in the suburbs, I'd easily expect to pay double what we paid last night. I don't do sushi, so I can't speak to that, but the Hibachi-style grill was amazing! When he spun the eggs around with the spatula, I could not believe my eyes. I recommend the steak and shrimp, but my friends all said the salmon was fantastic, as well. Also, the next table had a birthday celebration. Let me just say that they go above and beyond a few waitresses mumbling "happy, happy birthday from all of us to you." Looks like nothing special from the outside (it's in a strip mall/ shopping plaza) but inside it was very nice. Highly recommend - I will return soon!
(5)
Mama O.
Generous portions for a hibachi place. Yummy food! Great filet & shrimp. Good sushi. Large wine servings. Fun atmosphere especially for a group! Impressed for a little Hibachi place in a strip mall... I would recommend this place if you're looking for a dinner night out in the Northeast.
(4)
Rethna E.
Definitely a gem in the Northeast Philly eating scene! I love their presentation and have always had really great service here. Will definitely come back! Try their pineapple fried rice! Love their rolls too!
(4)
Igor L.
This update is long overdue, so here goes. To-Kia borrows heavily from what seems to be the contemporary highbrow Japanese restaurants motif that other local gems follow. Much like Morimoto's or POD, To-Kia fancies a serene aesthetic and avant-garde cuisine that stops just short from scaring off the locals. Not an easy angle to play, if you ask this Yelper. Yet, I must admit, the place comes of sharp, sleek, minimalist and though I hate to use this term "zen-like." And perhaps most importantly this place does all this without Steven Starr's bucks to throw around. Just view the shots I snapped while scampering about the place. The place is also stocked with polite little Asian woman working front of house, whose ages I can scantly guess. Each of which are quicker at their jobs and more mannerly then the prior. While back of house seems to be run by menfolk, cutting sushi and sushimi at the sushi bar and manning the grill in back. (Don't forget to tip them too.) As for the food, its presentation and freshness is striking. With rotating specials such as live scallop, Hamachi - Kama , and, I believe, even Blue Fin Tuna this place is second to none. While there sampled: Extra Spicy Sashimi Salad tuna, a mixture of salmon, yellow-tail,seaweed, spices and masago, Seared Strip Bass with foie gras sushi w/ Fuji Apple as well as large variety plate of Sushimi. All of which ranked high on my delic-o-meter and each marine morsel was so tender I wept secretly just a bit. My dining companions also let me taste their turf dishes. I was less impressed on this end of the menu, I felt both the Beef Bulgogi and Katsu were middle of the road on the whole primarily because the meat was a bit tough though flavorful. The yakitori, however, was pretty good. I have hope that the air-sucking end of the menu will improve since the restaurant seems to have purchased an neighboring lot to create a hibachi. But I am even satisfied with things as is.
(5)
Timothy M.
Sake Sake Sake Sake Two things in life that were made to go together are sake and sushi. This place has both. I have been to this place twice and i am a huge fan of the place. On both occasions i had the same waiter and as soon as i walked in the door which was about a month apart from the last time i was there, she recognized me right away and i got a nice seat right at the bar. Withing a minute of sitting down she already had the same bottle of sake i had last time ready for me. The atmosphere from the outside reminds me of a fast food Chinese restaurant but when you walk in it is completely different. Dim lighting and very nice oriental decor really make the place feel comfortable. Within the place they have a sushi bar and a hibachi grill if your in the mood for some fun. On to the sushi. It is fantastic. Really well seasoned rice and very fresh fish bring a smile to my face with each bite. You know its good sushi when you don't even have to use the soy sauce to season your roll. I have no yet tasted anything on their regular menu but from talking to a couple regulars as i was eating my sushi i was told that it is the best Japanese cuisine in the northeast. Good food in northeast Philadelphia is hard to come by so i am hoping i stumbled upon a jem. So all i can really recommend is the sushi but it is something i highly recommend.
(4)
Amy L.
I been looking for a fairly good sushi restaurant around my house for awhile so I was happy my friend introduced me to this place. The tuna pizza is a must try along with the baked mussels. The sushi rolls can be order in five or ten pieces and as always my friends and I went overboard. I recommend that you order five piece rolls at a time or you might end up like us having way too much food on the table. The restaurant decor is obviously IKEA but it was modern when you walk in. The service was fairly quick. I would definitely recommend this place for a quick sushi fix craving.
(3)
Hieu P.
I dunno, I skipped on the sushi and went straight to the hibachi portion of the restaurant. The servers were nice [this says a lot, I've come to expect utter shit when it comes to service at Asian restaurants], but the wait was LONG. I was going to catch a flick around the corner after dinner, and I remember looking at my watch constantly as the time drew near. On the verge of leaving after waiting 15-20 minutes, our hibachi cook finally arrived. And he made up for it in spades. The guy was super energetic and really having fun, and his whip skills with the spatula and knife was the best I'd ever seen up to this point. With a dozen or so hibachi places under my belt, it's a decent sample size to draw from in this comparison. Every bit of cucumber he threw at us was on point and right into our mouths, not a single on missed. Laugh at the exhibition, I enjoyed it thoroughly. We got the steak, shrimp, chicken, and filet, and save for the shrimp being a bit stringy and odd, the rest of the food was amazing. Ordered medium rare and it came beautifully seasoned and delicious, and the filet and chicken were on point as well. I'll appoint the rice as equally delicious in its place and worked perfectly in conjunction with the primary meal. What was most awesome about the whole meal? He squeezed a good 80% of the saki directly down my throat from his little bottle, about half of which came before getting any food. Yeah, it's a goddamn spectacle when they throw food at you and pour saki down your gizzard, but it's a great time and I was buzzing hard before even getting my meal.
(4)
Dmitry I.
Food and service were good, but the room is next to the kitchen and there were few dirty boxes or baskets right in the room near the kitchen door literally two steps from the table.
(4)
Lena C.
I ordered the Pad Thai with Shrimp to go. It was a decent and satisfying lunch. But for $10, I probably would only order this dish once in a while.
(3)
Jason J.
I love this place, friendly staff, the food is good, service was quick whenever I was here and the cooks are pretty funny....can be a bit pricy though.
(4)
Ben V.
Yeah, once again, for NE Philly its great sushi. For Florida or California, this place is no better than sushi from Pathmark, or dare I even say ACME? A fail unless you're stranded for good in this wasteland. Adieu and never again.
(2)
Josh M.
This place is nice and clean, and their fish is as fresh as it gets for the area. I absolutely love their fancy rolls. It's a little pricey compared to others, but the atmosphere is nice, the wait staff is great, the food presentation is flawless, and the cocktails from the bar are great. I'll be back for sure, probably on a monthly basis. :)
(4)
Sarah J.
I dont think i ever tried anything from here that i did not love! the sushi is amazing and so is their Hibachi !! My favorite rolls are Philadelphia roll, Lobster Dynamite, Sweet Potatoe Tempura, NY roll, Boston roll, Spicy tuna and California roll. I will be trying more varities in the future too. Most meals come with a salad and miso soup wich is by far my favorite soup! The atmosphere is nice and romantic, its BYOB as well so you cant beat that. Price wise it is more than some sushi resturants in the area but not by far. I think its worth every penny for fresh, good quality food especially sushi when some is raw. I cannot wait to go back !!
(5)
Yo J.
good sushi but poorly made. everything was falling off and I use chopsticks all my life and have been eating sushi for years.
(2)
Michael G.
Overpriced (for what and where it is), below average sushi. This place was "ok" for the first few months after they opened, but the quality has gone down dramatically since then. Not coming back.
(2)
Daniel T.
Consistent with quality of sushi. Has an awesome lunch special.
(5)
Anyi L.
There's nothing I hate about tokai except for their service. Everything is always fresh when I visit and the environment is calming. But their service may be one of the reasons I won't go back again. My boyfriend and I will often go to tokai due to the freshness of their fish. But after many incidents where the servers will purposely ignore us when we call for their attention. It literally took us 20 minutes to get the check on several occasions. I know they clearly see us waving our hand, especially when the sushi area is obviously not that big. I would give more stars if their service was better. By better I mean, hire all new servers.
(3)
Arseny R.
Overpriced and underfished. The place still has the feel of chinese restaurant.
(2)
Veronica M.
Best place in town for sushi!!!! Enough said! :-)
(5)
Ronald m R.
We had a wonderful experience. Decided to do the Hibachi. Service was excellent. Cook/entertainment was great. Food was delicious. I did the steak and shrimp. Wifie did the scallops and shrimp. Hibachi meals come with clear soup, salad, fried rice, vegetables, and delicious dipping sauces for the main course. I treated myself to a Saporo and hot tea. Started off with a octopus and cucumber sushi roll. Everything was really good. No complaints.
(4)
Lisa S.
Best sushi anywhere. Made me into a sushi snob. Better than places in bucks county and Philadelphia center city. Jay - owner and sushi chef is true artist.
(5)
Celic M.
When it first opened, I was here on several occasions and enjoyed it, so much so that I told my friends to go this place. The last time I went with my friend, I found a hair in my sushi roll and I told my waitress. We were seated in the booth where we can see the kitchen door directly straight from our seats. She looked at me and said there was no hair (without looking at the roll); I told her to look at it and she did and gave me an attitude, and took the roll to the kitchen - which would not have been odd, if it weren't for the fact that she came right back out with the same plate a minute later and came to our table. ONLY THING DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS PLATE WAS THAT THE HAIR WAS TAKEN OFF. I was astonished!! I told her that I would not eat it and that I would like to speak to the manager. The manager came and told me that I was wrong and that it was my hair and that they should not have to make it again. They did, but they DID NOT TAKE IT OFF THE BILL.
(1)
Chris N.
Everything is excellent. The Kobe appetizer is phenomenal, the kani salad is excellent, and the service goes beyond the extra mile.
(5)
B M.
The majority of my family lives out in Huntingdon Valley and the Northeast, so we frequent To-kai for a lot of birthdays. We love this place. I've been here approximately 7 or 8 times, and I have had great service and very decent sushi each time. I live in center city, and I can honestly say that this sushi is much better than MANY of the sushi places in the city. I'm a huge sushi fan and typically order all sushi, but the some of my family members love their entrees. The ambiance is nice, and the restaurant is spacious and very accommodating for larger groups. I would definitely recommend To-Kai.
(4)
Autumn B.
The sushi is very good... but it's really hard to find bad sushi. I sat in the hibachi part of the place. Loud noises! it was someone's birthday so there were strobe lights and dance music blasting.... anyway, the food is good, if you dont feel like going somewhere too nice for sushi.
(3)
Carla H.
Ive going to go ahead and be "that" person, but I am not a fan. my rolls were mushy and fell apart and my sushi rice was dry. Maybe it was just a bad day, but I will not be back. And it is verrrrrry expensive!
(2)
patrick k.
. I live in South Philly, but work in the Northeast and let me tell you this place has the Best Sushi in the whole city. They just recently opened a huge hibachi section as well. Haven't tried it but I'm sure it rules. If you live in the Northeast and you like Japanese food this will quickly become your favorite place to eat. And if you live anywhere else and you don't mind driving, this is a surprising gem in the most unlikely of spots.
(5)
Alex M.
I used to drop $50 a pop before they had all the steak house etc and turned their noses up. What did them in for me was one day when I walked in shorts and a sleeveless and they looked at me like I was homeless. They asked me can I help you? I come into a restaurant, what can you possibly help me with except that I want to sit down and eat? I made my order to a waitress, she didn't know what I was ordering, she made point it out on the menu, said some nonsense I didn't understand, and this went on for 30 seconds, at which point I got angry, ordered some basic whatever just to get my lunch in and left. While the suits and ties ordered $10 meals and smiled for 2 hours, I spent $100's in that place and left 20% tips..so now they get to love it..and remember what a good customer I was..but the thing is..they are too proud to even think on that level, so they can keep their nonsense to themselves, peace.
(1)
Lorraine G.
This place has the best sashimi and sashimi rolls! Everything is fresh, cut properly. Their fresh wasabi is unlike anything elsewhere-delicious! We come here from center city, because their sashimi is better than what we've had down here-prices are also better than we've had here. We either get the sashimi deluxe which is served on crushed ice or the sashimi rolls......don't listen to the negative reviewers. This place is great!
(5)
yan c.
i am Not sure what these people are talking about. We just been there for my daughter's birthday, and beside us, there's only 2 other party there, and they all done already when we sit down. the service is slow, and the price is fair, but the hibachi chef is not good at all. he kind of burn the egg, and make the fried rice taste bitter and salty. we have 6 people, so we order chicken, shrimp, lobster, Chilean sea bass, steak, and fillet magnon. The only thing that come out good is the steak and fillet. The lobster has no tasty, and undercook, and fish has no tasty, and chicken is little overcook. the shrimp is okay. As for show, h
(2)
demetrios s.
their lunch specials are great. 3 rolls for $11. the bento box is great too. the look the decor and seating are top notch. i am happy to have such a place in the northeast and not overpriced center city.
(5)
lisa l.
This place needs to be avoided..my friend and I went there Friday night for dinner to check out the place... Upon arriving we were seated in a dark dingy booth near the front entrance with old food under the booth not picked up ... The menus the servers gave us were greasy and unorganized... We were not happy as the place did not look clean... Even with all that as I read the good reviews we were going to try the food out... the whole time we were seated there was a SCREAMING infant in the isle next to ours... I asked the server what are the parents going to do to try to quiet their child.. He laughed and did not answer.. 5 minutes later after the non stop screaming I again asked the server is this the way we are going to eat out meals?? Why is there no one able to stop the baby from crying?? the server then said that they were almost done their food so maybe they will leave soon... at this point my friendt and I left and went to one of the other Japanese restaurants on Street Road in Bensalem.. this was a longer drive for us , but well worth the piece of mind .. This other place (shogun) was not the best food I ever ate, but the place was clean and not as noisy even with at least 50 more diners eating dinner near us...(no screaming infants) I will not return to To-Kai , as there are many other better restaurants to spend my time and money...
(1)
DaFree R.
We visited To Kai twice. The first time we were blown away. The second time it was merely alright. I think consistency is a sign of a great restaurant. These guys still have to work on it, but there's a promise. The rolls are innovative, but their names are annoying (BMW roll, Lexus roll). I kept wanting to ask where's the Audi and Mercedes rolls. I would give them another chance.
(3)
Christian S.
For me leaving a bad review is very rare, in fact this is the only bad review i have ever left. To start i come from brooklyn and have lots of experience with sushi. So the first thing we ordered were appetizers: me and my gf ordered the hajiki salad and tuna pizza. The hajiki salad was horrible it had soggy lettuce and fish skin which made me gag in fact it was so bad we sent it back (ive never sent anything back in my life). The tuna pizza was decent but had barely any tuna and would of been better if they added avacado, but they are too cheap to do that. Next we ordered sushi which was warm, moist, mushy and fishy. I advise no one to waste there money here. This place is extremely expensive. You can get cheaper sushi in the city. Also not to mention even though i sent back the salad, they still charged me for it. If you ever catch yourself in this place i advise you get the hibachi its the only decent thing on the menu.
(1)
Michael F.
I am far from a sushi expert, but even I know there is better out there... even in NE Philly! Oh and their prices certainly won't draw you in. Yes, they have hibachi. Unfortunately, they don't exactly put on much of a show. What can I say, I was either spoiled by some great hibachi chefs or just have high minimum standards. Other than offering chilean sea bass, there isn't much I can hype up about their hibachi. On the bright side, service was above average. I was here for a congratulations party for a co-worker getting promoted. We probably had 12 people and they gave us a hibachi table (two grills) to ourselves. They offered suggestions, helped us pass around our apps, and allowed us to eat sushi in the hibachi section. They were attentive without being annoying. If their food matched the service, we'd be talking a 4 or 5-star review.
(2)
Oscar M.
It's my favorite Sushi restaurant, hands down! I go there at least once a week, and have become familiar with the service staff and chefs. Their delectable fresh sushi rolls and sashimi are exceptionally prepared dishes that show a high degree of finesse and attention to detail. I have also enjoyed their beef and seafood dishes. The friendly service and restaurant ambiance make this place a perfect spot for lunch or dinner. A good sign of a great Sushi place is the crowd that is willing to wait for a table. Usually, there are people at the entrance waiting for a table during the evenings I've eaten there. If the Sushi isn't really good and the service really poor, a place like this wouldn't have survived as it has. It looks to me that they're not going out of business anytime soon! As a return customer, I can say there hasn't been a day I've left disappointed at the service or food. This is my kind of place. I recommend it!
(5)
Michael M.
Our go-to hibachi place near Lower Moreland Township, fresh food and entertaining chefs, which is what hibachi is all about. Enjoy a Belly Roll, my favorite signature roll as an appetizer. The staff is friendly, and get there early as it will get busy.
(4)
Janice R.
This place is about 5 mins away from me. I went here for my birthday. The food is awesome and the staff is nice. Since we were celebrating my birthday I got a plate of ice cream that came with a flower candle. It lights up and had the birthday song, coolest candle I've ever seen. I come here often cause my three year old loves it. I also do occasional take out and they deliver !
(5)
Slava B.
The absolute best sushi place in Philadelphia! Have tried most of the spots in the Philadelphia and suburb area and To Kai no doubt beats all of those places! I have been coming here for years now and the staff and the food hasn't disappointed once! They truly have the friendliest staff and most importantly the most delicious and freshest sushi! The head chef, Jay, even came to my house to cater a party and prepare all the sushi and sashimi right in front of my guest! This is truly a top notch place! A must go if you haven't been!
(5)
Lady B.
Considering that it's located in a strip mall in NE Philly, To-Kai exceeded my expectations. Specialty rolls are kind of expensive but for $15, you can get a sushi combo with 3 simple rolls, miso soup + salad. Service was great and pours were large!
(4)
Helen Z.
I decided to give this place a try despite the mixed reviews. I'm so glad I did! Who knew that good food actually exists in NE Philly?! We tried 3 rolls, the kani salad, and the chicken udon. Everything we had was delicious. The sushi was really fresh and the udon was super flavorful. The modern decor and dim lighting was also a nice surprise. The staff was friendly and attentive. I am definitely coming back!
(4)
Nina G.
Love this place !
(5)
Brian P.
TO-Kai is convenient to people who live close by making mediocre at best Chinese food. Their sushi is a waste of life. It's a joke. Try somewhere else for that. The delivery I got 2 weeks ago was late, soggy and disgusting. I don't like when people deliver chinese food in a styrofoam container. It makes everything sweat and turn soggy. This place is lame.
(2)
Annie S.
The best sushi in North East of Philadelphia. Sushimi Deluxe or sushimi rolls are the best choice there. The restaurant is quite a bit of expensive. I like to eat there but no more than once a week.
(4)
Bea C.
Pretty expensive for no reason when it comes to the sushi. They should def start to re-price and also elect a 50% off menu in order to stay competitive in the area. Better to go down to Verree and Red Lion for Wasabi if anything.
(2)
Tara W.
Can't say this place isn't to bad. tried a few of the signature and was pleased. the portion size is average. Did a pick up and the food was ready when I arrived.
(3)
Dmitry I.
Food and service were good, but the room is next to the kitchen and there were few dirty boxes or baskets right in the room near the kitchen door literally two steps from the table.
(4)
Lena C.
I ordered the Pad Thai with Shrimp to go. It was a decent and satisfying lunch. But for $10, I probably would only order this dish once in a while.
(3)
Jason J.
I love this place, friendly staff, the food is good, service was quick whenever I was here and the cooks are pretty funny....can be a bit pricy though.
(4)
Ben V.
Yeah, once again, for NE Philly its great sushi. For Florida or California, this place is no better than sushi from Pathmark, or dare I even say ACME? A fail unless you're stranded for good in this wasteland. Adieu and never again.
(2)
Kayte J.
(3/5 Because they serve fresh wasabi root.) I will be the outlier and the write about my horrible experience because these do happen in restaurants that get good reviews. Here's the break down: First off, my server was taking care of private party in the back room and I suppose had picked up our table which was in the front dining room. Our table was right beside the servers station and even though we made the body language cues to every member of the staff (including standing up and signaling that we need help) we were repeatedly ignored! I have worked in the service industry too long to look past these things. Secondly, they ran out of Salmon, which was in 2 of our 4 dishes. How do you run out of the most common raw fish in a sushi bar on a thursday night?!! Instead of running the rood that didn't have salmon in it, it sat in the window of the sushi bar for 25 minutes (we were staring at it) and was warm upon arriving to our table. Our server took another 20 minutes to take our order again for replacement rolls and then forgot to bring us the real wasabi that we had to remind him of multiple times. Real Wasabi is the only reason to go to Tokai. It's not that terrible processed horseradish + green food coloring but rather a nose burning chopped wasabi root. So good! So fresh! Multi-dimensional taste. Thirdly, Our water glasses were perpetually empty and our dirty dishes were never prebussed from the table. The jalepeno yellowtail sashimi was the only aspect of the evening that I enjoyed but it was over priced for what it was. I suppose they have to pay for those billboards around downtown Philadelphia. Our server apologized at the end of the meal but it would have been better had he done so while we were waiting for food. We left an uncharacteristly terrible tip and didn't say goodbye. No regrets.
(3)
Alyssa C.
Nice staff, reasonable tasting food, bland seafood. The show you get is good, they have nice birthday set up as long as you tell them you are celebrating.
(3)
Donna M.
We took a girlfriend here for a birthday dinner last Saturday and were VERY pleased with the experience. My review would really be somewhere between a 4 and 5 stars my only complaints being that my salad was overdressed and the soup was nothing more than a clear broth with a few mushrooms dropped in for color. But the hibachi experience was SO much fun. Our chef was excellent and my steak was cooked perfectly. Overall service was excellent and they gave the birthday girl a very nice surprise and a picture as a keepsake. We dined early and there was no wait but by the time we left, there was a real crowd waiting to be seated. I live 5 minutes from a different hibachi spot but I'll be returning to this one the next time we plan a group dinner.
(4)
Josh M.
This place is nice and clean, and their fish is as fresh as it gets for the area. I absolutely love their fancy rolls. It's a little pricey compared to others, but the atmosphere is nice, the wait staff is great, the food presentation is flawless, and the cocktails from the bar are great. I'll be back for sure, probably on a monthly basis. :)
(4)
Josh J.
Food was fantastic! Go with a group and save some cash. $100.60 for 5 entrees, 4 fountain sodas, 2 beers, soup, salad, and ice cream. Are you kidding me? Whoever said this place was very expensive must be very poor. If To-Kai was sitting out in the suburbs, I'd easily expect to pay double what we paid last night. I don't do sushi, so I can't speak to that, but the Hibachi-style grill was amazing! When he spun the eggs around with the spatula, I could not believe my eyes. I recommend the steak and shrimp, but my friends all said the salmon was fantastic, as well. Also, the next table had a birthday celebration. Let me just say that they go above and beyond a few waitresses mumbling "happy, happy birthday from all of us to you." Looks like nothing special from the outside (it's in a strip mall/ shopping plaza) but inside it was very nice. Highly recommend - I will return soon!
(5)
Mama O.
Generous portions for a hibachi place. Yummy food! Great filet & shrimp. Good sushi. Large wine servings. Fun atmosphere especially for a group! Impressed for a little Hibachi place in a strip mall... I would recommend this place if you're looking for a dinner night out in the Northeast.
(4)
Rethna E.
Definitely a gem in the Northeast Philly eating scene! I love their presentation and have always had really great service here. Will definitely come back! Try their pineapple fried rice! Love their rolls too!
(4)
Igor L.
This update is long overdue, so here goes. To-Kia borrows heavily from what seems to be the contemporary highbrow Japanese restaurants motif that other local gems follow. Much like Morimoto's or POD, To-Kia fancies a serene aesthetic and avant-garde cuisine that stops just short from scaring off the locals. Not an easy angle to play, if you ask this Yelper. Yet, I must admit, the place comes of sharp, sleek, minimalist and though I hate to use this term "zen-like." And perhaps most importantly this place does all this without Steven Starr's bucks to throw around. Just view the shots I snapped while scampering about the place. The place is also stocked with polite little Asian woman working front of house, whose ages I can scantly guess. Each of which are quicker at their jobs and more mannerly then the prior. While back of house seems to be run by menfolk, cutting sushi and sushimi at the sushi bar and manning the grill in back. (Don't forget to tip them too.) As for the food, its presentation and freshness is striking. With rotating specials such as live scallop, Hamachi - Kama , and, I believe, even Blue Fin Tuna this place is second to none. While there sampled: Extra Spicy Sashimi Salad tuna, a mixture of salmon, yellow-tail,seaweed, spices and masago, Seared Strip Bass with foie gras sushi w/ Fuji Apple as well as large variety plate of Sushimi. All of which ranked high on my delic-o-meter and each marine morsel was so tender I wept secretly just a bit. My dining companions also let me taste their turf dishes. I was less impressed on this end of the menu, I felt both the Beef Bulgogi and Katsu were middle of the road on the whole primarily because the meat was a bit tough though flavorful. The yakitori, however, was pretty good. I have hope that the air-sucking end of the menu will improve since the restaurant seems to have purchased an neighboring lot to create a hibachi. But I am even satisfied with things as is.
(5)
Timothy M.
Sake Sake Sake Sake Two things in life that were made to go together are sake and sushi. This place has both. I have been to this place twice and i am a huge fan of the place. On both occasions i had the same waiter and as soon as i walked in the door which was about a month apart from the last time i was there, she recognized me right away and i got a nice seat right at the bar. Withing a minute of sitting down she already had the same bottle of sake i had last time ready for me. The atmosphere from the outside reminds me of a fast food Chinese restaurant but when you walk in it is completely different. Dim lighting and very nice oriental decor really make the place feel comfortable. Within the place they have a sushi bar and a hibachi grill if your in the mood for some fun. On to the sushi. It is fantastic. Really well seasoned rice and very fresh fish bring a smile to my face with each bite. You know its good sushi when you don't even have to use the soy sauce to season your roll. I have no yet tasted anything on their regular menu but from talking to a couple regulars as i was eating my sushi i was told that it is the best Japanese cuisine in the northeast. Good food in northeast Philadelphia is hard to come by so i am hoping i stumbled upon a jem. So all i can really recommend is the sushi but it is something i highly recommend.
(4)
Amy L.
I been looking for a fairly good sushi restaurant around my house for awhile so I was happy my friend introduced me to this place. The tuna pizza is a must try along with the baked mussels. The sushi rolls can be order in five or ten pieces and as always my friends and I went overboard. I recommend that you order five piece rolls at a time or you might end up like us having way too much food on the table. The restaurant decor is obviously IKEA but it was modern when you walk in. The service was fairly quick. I would definitely recommend this place for a quick sushi fix craving.
(3)
Hieu P.
I dunno, I skipped on the sushi and went straight to the hibachi portion of the restaurant. The servers were nice [this says a lot, I've come to expect utter shit when it comes to service at Asian restaurants], but the wait was LONG. I was going to catch a flick around the corner after dinner, and I remember looking at my watch constantly as the time drew near. On the verge of leaving after waiting 15-20 minutes, our hibachi cook finally arrived. And he made up for it in spades. The guy was super energetic and really having fun, and his whip skills with the spatula and knife was the best I'd ever seen up to this point. With a dozen or so hibachi places under my belt, it's a decent sample size to draw from in this comparison. Every bit of cucumber he threw at us was on point and right into our mouths, not a single on missed. Laugh at the exhibition, I enjoyed it thoroughly. We got the steak, shrimp, chicken, and filet, and save for the shrimp being a bit stringy and odd, the rest of the food was amazing. Ordered medium rare and it came beautifully seasoned and delicious, and the filet and chicken were on point as well. I'll appoint the rice as equally delicious in its place and worked perfectly in conjunction with the primary meal. What was most awesome about the whole meal? He squeezed a good 80% of the saki directly down my throat from his little bottle, about half of which came before getting any food. Yeah, it's a goddamn spectacle when they throw food at you and pour saki down your gizzard, but it's a great time and I was buzzing hard before even getting my meal.
(4)
Sarah J.
I dont think i ever tried anything from here that i did not love! the sushi is amazing and so is their Hibachi !! My favorite rolls are Philadelphia roll, Lobster Dynamite, Sweet Potatoe Tempura, NY roll, Boston roll, Spicy tuna and California roll. I will be trying more varities in the future too. Most meals come with a salad and miso soup wich is by far my favorite soup! The atmosphere is nice and romantic, its BYOB as well so you cant beat that. Price wise it is more than some sushi resturants in the area but not by far. I think its worth every penny for fresh, good quality food especially sushi when some is raw. I cannot wait to go back !!
(5)
Yo J.
good sushi but poorly made. everything was falling off and I use chopsticks all my life and have been eating sushi for years.
(2)
Michael G.
Overpriced (for what and where it is), below average sushi. This place was "ok" for the first few months after they opened, but the quality has gone down dramatically since then. Not coming back.
(2)
Daniel T.
Consistent with quality of sushi. Has an awesome lunch special.
(5)
Anyi L.
There's nothing I hate about tokai except for their service. Everything is always fresh when I visit and the environment is calming. But their service may be one of the reasons I won't go back again. My boyfriend and I will often go to tokai due to the freshness of their fish. But after many incidents where the servers will purposely ignore us when we call for their attention. It literally took us 20 minutes to get the check on several occasions. I know they clearly see us waving our hand, especially when the sushi area is obviously not that big. I would give more stars if their service was better. By better I mean, hire all new servers.
(3)
Arseny R.
Overpriced and underfished. The place still has the feel of chinese restaurant.
(2)
Veronica M.
Best place in town for sushi!!!! Enough said! :-)
(5)
Ronald m R.
We had a wonderful experience. Decided to do the Hibachi. Service was excellent. Cook/entertainment was great. Food was delicious. I did the steak and shrimp. Wifie did the scallops and shrimp. Hibachi meals come with clear soup, salad, fried rice, vegetables, and delicious dipping sauces for the main course. I treated myself to a Saporo and hot tea. Started off with a octopus and cucumber sushi roll. Everything was really good. No complaints.
(4)
Lisa S.
Best sushi anywhere. Made me into a sushi snob. Better than places in bucks county and Philadelphia center city. Jay - owner and sushi chef is true artist.
(5)
Celic M.
When it first opened, I was here on several occasions and enjoyed it, so much so that I told my friends to go this place. The last time I went with my friend, I found a hair in my sushi roll and I told my waitress. We were seated in the booth where we can see the kitchen door directly straight from our seats. She looked at me and said there was no hair (without looking at the roll); I told her to look at it and she did and gave me an attitude, and took the roll to the kitchen - which would not have been odd, if it weren't for the fact that she came right back out with the same plate a minute later and came to our table. ONLY THING DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS PLATE WAS THAT THE HAIR WAS TAKEN OFF. I was astonished!! I told her that I would not eat it and that I would like to speak to the manager. The manager came and told me that I was wrong and that it was my hair and that they should not have to make it again. They did, but they DID NOT TAKE IT OFF THE BILL.
(1)
Chris N.
Everything is excellent. The Kobe appetizer is phenomenal, the kani salad is excellent, and the service goes beyond the extra mile.
(5)
B M.
The majority of my family lives out in Huntingdon Valley and the Northeast, so we frequent To-kai for a lot of birthdays. We love this place. I've been here approximately 7 or 8 times, and I have had great service and very decent sushi each time. I live in center city, and I can honestly say that this sushi is much better than MANY of the sushi places in the city. I'm a huge sushi fan and typically order all sushi, but the some of my family members love their entrees. The ambiance is nice, and the restaurant is spacious and very accommodating for larger groups. I would definitely recommend To-Kai.
(4)
Autumn B.
The sushi is very good... but it's really hard to find bad sushi. I sat in the hibachi part of the place. Loud noises! it was someone's birthday so there were strobe lights and dance music blasting.... anyway, the food is good, if you dont feel like going somewhere too nice for sushi.
(3)
Carla H.
Ive going to go ahead and be "that" person, but I am not a fan. my rolls were mushy and fell apart and my sushi rice was dry. Maybe it was just a bad day, but I will not be back. And it is verrrrrry expensive!
(2)
patrick k.
. I live in South Philly, but work in the Northeast and let me tell you this place has the Best Sushi in the whole city. They just recently opened a huge hibachi section as well. Haven't tried it but I'm sure it rules. If you live in the Northeast and you like Japanese food this will quickly become your favorite place to eat. And if you live anywhere else and you don't mind driving, this is a surprising gem in the most unlikely of spots.
(5)
Alex M.
I used to drop $50 a pop before they had all the steak house etc and turned their noses up. What did them in for me was one day when I walked in shorts and a sleeveless and they looked at me like I was homeless. They asked me can I help you? I come into a restaurant, what can you possibly help me with except that I want to sit down and eat? I made my order to a waitress, she didn't know what I was ordering, she made point it out on the menu, said some nonsense I didn't understand, and this went on for 30 seconds, at which point I got angry, ordered some basic whatever just to get my lunch in and left. While the suits and ties ordered $10 meals and smiled for 2 hours, I spent $100's in that place and left 20% tips..so now they get to love it..and remember what a good customer I was..but the thing is..they are too proud to even think on that level, so they can keep their nonsense to themselves, peace.
(1)
Lorraine G.
This place has the best sashimi and sashimi rolls! Everything is fresh, cut properly. Their fresh wasabi is unlike anything elsewhere-delicious! We come here from center city, because their sashimi is better than what we've had down here-prices are also better than we've had here. We either get the sashimi deluxe which is served on crushed ice or the sashimi rolls......don't listen to the negative reviewers. This place is great!
(5)
yan c.
i am Not sure what these people are talking about. We just been there for my daughter's birthday, and beside us, there's only 2 other party there, and they all done already when we sit down. the service is slow, and the price is fair, but the hibachi chef is not good at all. he kind of burn the egg, and make the fried rice taste bitter and salty. we have 6 people, so we order chicken, shrimp, lobster, Chilean sea bass, steak, and fillet magnon. The only thing that come out good is the steak and fillet. The lobster has no tasty, and undercook, and fish has no tasty, and chicken is little overcook. the shrimp is okay. As for show, h
(2)
demetrios s.
their lunch specials are great. 3 rolls for $11. the bento box is great too. the look the decor and seating are top notch. i am happy to have such a place in the northeast and not overpriced center city.
(5)
lisa l.
This place needs to be avoided..my friend and I went there Friday night for dinner to check out the place... Upon arriving we were seated in a dark dingy booth near the front entrance with old food under the booth not picked up ... The menus the servers gave us were greasy and unorganized... We were not happy as the place did not look clean... Even with all that as I read the good reviews we were going to try the food out... the whole time we were seated there was a SCREAMING infant in the isle next to ours... I asked the server what are the parents going to do to try to quiet their child.. He laughed and did not answer.. 5 minutes later after the non stop screaming I again asked the server is this the way we are going to eat out meals?? Why is there no one able to stop the baby from crying?? the server then said that they were almost done their food so maybe they will leave soon... at this point my friendt and I left and went to one of the other Japanese restaurants on Street Road in Bensalem.. this was a longer drive for us , but well worth the piece of mind .. This other place (shogun) was not the best food I ever ate, but the place was clean and not as noisy even with at least 50 more diners eating dinner near us...(no screaming infants) I will not return to To-Kai , as there are many other better restaurants to spend my time and money...
(1)
DaFree R.
We visited To Kai twice. The first time we were blown away. The second time it was merely alright. I think consistency is a sign of a great restaurant. These guys still have to work on it, but there's a promise. The rolls are innovative, but their names are annoying (BMW roll, Lexus roll). I kept wanting to ask where's the Audi and Mercedes rolls. I would give them another chance.
(3)
Christina V.
I love to-kai. Like seriously love. I know its northeast Philly and its in a strip mall. Not even a good one. But love is love. I adore their sashimi rolls. They have no rice so they are a bit messy but they are so great. I was just here for a visit and got the Russian Sashimi Roll (Tuna wrapped spicy tuna, salmon & cucumber with tuna, salmon, eel on top) and the Russian Dream roll (Tuna, salmon, cucumber, & spicy sauce with tuna, salmon, and eel on top). Both rolls are 100% raw, no deep frying, no torching, just delicious fish. Perfection. Note: this place has a full bar but is also a BYOB- I rather enjoy having the option to bring or order. There is a $5.00 corking fee though so keep that in mind. I don't think I've ever had a bad roll here. Would love if they opened a location in center city....preferably in my living room.
(4)
Olena S.
Amazingly tasty sushi/hibachi place in North East. Everything else in our area is just not even close to their standards. You just have to read the menu (just like in every other restaurant) and order staff that you like, and have the idea what it's gonna be). Its a little oldy n weirdly designed place, but its always clean, and people, especially at hibachi tables, are very very friendly! Most of the times it's busy, so if its special occasion and more then 4 people, better to make a reservation at least couple days in advance to give them a shot and to discuss the menu. We always call 1 hour before we come in, so we will get a table right away, as we have hibachi, and there is not that much seating, especially if its rush hour or weekend. They sometimes advise to come in 20 min early or 20 min later. I lived around the corner and it works for me! It's north east philadelphia. Sometimes you might get a not comfy table, sometimes(rarely) you can get a little busy server and will wait couple extra minutes. Sometimes you can get a screaming drunk soviet people celebrating something next to you. But it is a small casual restaurant!! Check the menu, they have it online. It is very very reasonably priced. The items that are very cheep are not gonna be the best sushi you ever had - there are rolls for 4-9$. (the 10$ tokai roll is ok with me), for really good ones you will have to pay near 18-20$. Seasonally, they have specials and my favorite raw oysters are one of specials. I usually not post anything, and as I work in a restaurant I do not even go to the restaurants that much, but To-Kai for me is a great place to go, as I love raw fish and raw veggies, and my husband is crazy about hibachi. Its family friendly and children, teens will enjoy hibachi show, too:) So far I tried Tataki and its great, most of the special rolls page, and all of the Hibachi dinners and combinations available, as well like all the soups. Rice for hibachi are so delish that you just can not stop eating it! Soups and noodles are good too, even complimentary ones. Friends love their Japanese beer. We never had dessert so can not share:) But I feel I always have a good experience, every time I go.
(5)
Jane P.
I love this place. They always go above and beyond to make sure everything is good. Very attentive, entertaining and food is delicious. My kids love it here even though we've seen the hibachi show 20 times. A birthday dinner favorite!!
(5)
Daniel H.
This was a decent meal. I was more happy with the appeptizer and the cocktails than the actual meal. I have a zombie cocktail which was kinda sweet but tasty and had a kick, it was a mix of light and dark rums I believe. I think the choice of food makes me give the place 3/4 stars. I ordered a sashimi roll which is like a sushi roll without rice. It is not something I would order again. We did enjoy our appetizer which was a scallop roll.
(3)
Mike Z.
I have been coming here for years and its one of the top 3 sushi places in the northeast area. First of all the fish is very fresh and its good quality. The menu is split into 2 parts; regular and special.... You can have regular sushi for a very fair price.... For lunch they have a special : 3 rolls, soup and salad for $11.99 which is a great deal. The other part of the menu is very high end... Very good special rolls but premium priced. My favorite is the special spicy tuna roll mostly because it has fish, sea weed, and no rice. The menu is filled with pictures and all kinds of great selections. They also have a hibachi and a back room for large parties. They have a bar and allow BYOB for a cork fee. Great service too! I will keep coming back.
(5)
Jess J.
Always a good time... Good food, good show and good service! This is my go to Hibachi place. It never disappoints. On this particular visit with my girls we were accompanied with my mom and my sister who had never been to a Hibachi. We assured them they would enjoy themselves, and that they did. We went rather early and the 5 of us were seated right away. Parties of 5 or more can order from the Haibchi party menu for a reduce rate. The more people the less per entree. This include soup, salad, combination of meat or a single selection, fried rice, vegetables, two shrimp, and a drink. We opted for this option. I ordered the Steak (medium) and Salmon. Let the show begin. Our chef was extremely animated. He sang, did tricks, and gave me lots of Saki.. My kind of guy. He even had baby saki in a little bottle for the kids He cooked our meal to perfection. Regardless of what i order it's good, down to the rice.. their fried rice is so good, I love it! My steak was done medium, very tender, the kids done Medium-well and my mom's well done, he gave her a piece prior to taking it all off to make sure she was satisfied with it. The Salmon and Shrimp were fresh and delicious. Of course no one could finish their meals it's always an abundance of food regardless of how hungry you are. So we wrapped it up. This was the first visit that I tried their dessert. My mom and I split the fried banana... cause how could I pass up tempura banana.. it came with ice cream, my mom made the selection for the green tea. My sister and daughter split fried vanilla ice cream, and my other daughter had a regular scoop of ice cream. When the desserts came out, the presentation was more than I expected even the ice cream scoop was a sight to see. It was delicious also. All in all a great visit. Oh and the bathroom is nice, single stall and always clean. Also it is a BYOB, a cork fee applies. They also sell great drinks, I love the Blue Hawaii! The reason I couldn't give a 5 star rating, while it did not happen on this visit it has happened in the past, double check your bill.. while drinks are included sometimes it appears on your bill. All in all a great visit, mom and sister loved the experience!
(4)
Ancy T.
Great service. I make large orders for work all the time and they are nice enough to label everything to make it a quick and easy distribution back at the office. I've tried a few different rolls and I've liked them all so far. I'm interested in trying the non sushi items on the menu as I've heard the teriyaki chicken and shrimp are both really good. Definitely not the best sushi I've ever had, but it does the job and satisfies the hunger so I'm down with it. The Shumai shrimp dumplings are also delicious as I haven't had them at any other Japanese restaurant I've been to so these were new to me and will definitely be ordered again. This place is becoming a once a week spot for me, and I'm not mad about it.
(3)
Jonathan R.
The sushi here is awesome!!! I suggest trying the California sushi box and the Avocado blossom!!!
(5)
Elena R.
Love it here! Never had a bad experience :) great martini & drink menu selections also!
(4)
Michael G.
This Sushi and Hibachi restaurant was recommended by the Hotel. Turned out to be fantastic. High end sushi, great selection, all of the "off the menu" choices you would expect to have at a good sushi place. They have 4 different types of Wasabi, and their soup is amazing. Definitely will return.
(5)
Felicia C.
This place has been redone inside and it looks great! The food is also very good. I love the Bento boxes because they let you have some of everything: a main entree (I love the beef negimaki), sushi, dumplings, tempura (a large serving with two shrimp, a broccoli, a sweet potato, two onion rings, and a taro) rice, vegetables, even an orange for dessert! It's also nice that To-Kai has a full bar with creative mixed drinks. My only complaint is that because of the very modern, Japanese sensibility in the decor, the restaurant is not warm or cozy like some other local Asian restaurants that I frequent (White Elephant, Colonial Quy Bau, Rasavat.)
(4)
steve e.
Can't improve on the sashimi bustleton & Russian rolls..10 piece and a real feast-just get ready for a $50'lunch . Why pay $20 to park in town?
(4)
Jaison K.
Been here a handful of times. It was very good when it first opened. Their quality has gone down since. It Is still the best sushi place in the Northeast. All their special rolls are delicious. Their service is excellent. They have the best lunch selection in the area and excellent to entertain clients.
(4)
Heidi L.
Note to hiring manager: It would be a good idea to hire a person that answers the phone who knows what your most popular sushi rolls and other dishes are. She should also never say that she has no idea about sushi because she doesn't like sushi. Not exactly good for sales and business.
(2)
Elliot P.
This place continues to improve. I've been here a bunch of times and it can be somewhat hit or miss. On the positive side, this restaurant fills the much needed void in the area of a nice restaurant food-wise, and is also nice decor-wise, and not too expensive either. When I first started visiting Philly, I was surprised at how many mediocre sushi places there are here, this being one of them. As time has progressed, my experiences here have been getting better and better. The tuna pizza is very good, as are most of the sushi and rolls. There's nothing here that's super special or unique, but the items that I have had here have been very good. It's BYOB which is really nice, but not too uncommon or special in this area as lots of other places are also BYOB. One of the nice things that is unique is that this place is BYOB and they also have a full bar. Usually it's just one or the other. The service is perfectly adequate, and the atmosphere is nice. There's a big parking lot so there's plenty of free parking, which is also, not uncommon for this area. There's a Rita's in the same strip mall, so it's nice to grab a water ice after eating here.
(3)
Aliza K.
The food and prices is great. The hostess or I heard she's the owner is vey rude and unacceptable. We had went to dinner one night we told her at least 11 people but what she got from what we said was it will be 11 people. Then when we arrive it was 13 people and she started to get in our faces about how we only said 11 and now 13. She started to yell and basically said no you said 11 now you have 13 and all this stuff which is dumb. I really tried my best to keep shut that night because the way she acted was very unprofessional.
(3)
Dalia S.
Very fun habachi location, the chefs are very animated and interactive. Great spot for birthdays especially if your looking to draw insane amounts of attention to the birthday guest. Food was also tasty.
(4)
Christina G.
This place has a great presentation with the food. Sushi menu is a bit different than many other sushi places: for dinner I didn't see many of your basic rolls but instead there is a large selection of designer rolls and sashimi rolls. The sashimi rolls are nice because there is a lot of fish and they are very filling but they also fall apart easily since it's mostly fish without the rice or seaweed. I had the scallop appetizer (the one with vinegar not advocado) and it was delicious- loved the sauce! I also had the I phone 4 s which was crab with scallop on top and I really enjoyed it. Although I liked my sashimi roll, I think I like regular spicy tuna or salmon rolls better. I tried the roll with banana and it was good and very sweet- almost tasted like dessert. The restaurant tries to be trendy and servers are nice from what I've seen. They serve alcohol or you can byob for a $2 per bottle cork fee. This is a solid place for NE sushi.
(4)
Mike R.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in the city. They are one of the few that offer a huge array of appetizers. Check out the lovers triangle and the ahi tuna pizza. the Toro tartar is awesome as well. I tell everyone I know who likes sushi to go there and enjoy
(5)
Chris S.
The one reason I'm giving this 3 stars is that it's pricey. The food is very good and comes out fast but I don't recommend coming here if you are trying to watch your spending. You can buy alcohol there, but it is also a BYOB and would definitely recommend doing that to help keep the cost a little lower.
(3)
Kathy L.
It was okay. I had Kobe beef app. It's not that good for the price. The blue fin tuna sushi was good. I had two pieces of that. I also got the Russian dream roll. I actually didn't like that. However the sushi chef made me a roll on the house which I was though was nice but it had eel on top and I don't really like eel. I probably wouldn't go back to this spot. There are a bunch of other sushi places to try.
(3)
Lovely B.
Good atmosphere, and it's a very clean restaurant. The food is delicious, staff are very pleasant
(5)
M R.
I first went to To KAi a week ago , a friend recommended to go that the sushi was amazing there. I had 3 different signature rolls they were really fresh and tasty. I must say I was not disappointed at all. Food was great service was great so I decided to return back again yesterday to try out their Hibatchi Tables since I'm the only one that really likes sushi. Food was great I had the sea bass and shrimp combo and it was really good. Its a small place but the staff there are really friendly. I even made a reservation online and was sat immediately down when I walked in. It wasn't too crowded it really doesn't look like you would expect much from the outside, but it was a win for me. "I guess you really cant judge a book by its cover." It also has convenient parking and BYOB- they charge a $5.00 bottle charge. they also have a full bar menu to purchase there.
(5)
Peter M.
Went here last week and the food turned out great. I ordered the Chilean sea bass and it was really fresh. I enjoyed the Hibachi show a bit, but no matter how many times I go to a Hibachi... I still can't get used to the concept that someone is playing with my food. All in all it was a great place. I would recommend it, but if you're not into the food play concept there are regular dining tables away from the action.
(4)
Jeff P.
A hibachi style dining experience should be fun and filling and ToKai delivers with a bang! Food is delicious and the sushi is excellent if that is your thing. The Northeast Philly dining scene has gotten weak over the years but this place truly holds it's own.There are a few good hibachi places around but this one carries the best combination of atmosphere,showmanship and quality eating. Strongly recommend!
(4)
Amanda J.
Went last night with a group of 10. Service was excellent, food was great, and the hibachi chef was great! Highly recommend this place to everyone!
(5)
Kate W.
Good sushi, poor customer service. Ordered a delivery order that totaled more than $70 - it took over an hour and a half to get here, and when I called the restaurant for an update, I kept getting voicemail. I can handle an order being late, but no call or response to my calls is bad business. Won't order from here again.
(2)
Elaine M.
Being a Northeast Philly Hater, I never expect much when I go out to eat there but I think I may have found a secret gem with To-Kai. I'm not sure how long they have been in business, but I am kind of mad at myself for dining across the street at the Taste Queen so many times over the years when this could have been an option! Ignoring the elementary typos on the menu; a friend and I decided to split an appetizer and several rolls. We had the Love Triangle appetizer that was served in a slightly spicy sauce that also had a hint of mustard to it. The fish was fresh and the sauce accompanied it well. We split the Bikini Tuna, Russian Family Roll, Triple Sashimi Roll and the Crunchy Spicy Salmon Roll. All of them tasted very good but the larger ones were not constructed very well. They were falling apart as we tried to pick them up with our chop sticks to dip them in soy sauce. I also thought that the larger rolls should have been cut into 8 pieces instead of 5; that probably would have helped us hold them together long enough to pop them into our mouths. I never had a sashimi roll before (this eliminates the seaweed paper); perhaps that is part of the reason they were falling apart but I liked having that extra layer of fish! Overall, the fish was fresh, the rolls were unique and there was a lot to choose from! I will definitely be back for lunch since I work close by. One thing caught my eye as strange; in the center of the dining room hangs a Spencer's Gifts style disco ball from the ceiling. I believe this place turns into a frat-esque late night dance party. Get weird Bustleton!
(4)
Aika T.
Best Sushi place in northeast philly. Me and my friend are their customers since they open, and we love this place. Food is fresh and delicious. Try baked mussels and crispy spicy tuna roll!
(5)
Laviza S.
we enjoyed a great group dinner of 13 courses ... one of our friends arranged the dinner w the chef. we enjoyed each of the courses. everything was fresh and nice presentation. the decor is modern and pretty. overall would definitely recommend!
(5)
Nancy P.
My gf had been here before and enjoyed it so a couple of our friends got together and had dinner here. It's located in a strip mall plaza and seems out of place. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and a variety of sushi rolls. The tuna pizza was pretty good but was covered in a lot of sauce. I liked the kani salad and it had a good spicy kick to it. The fried calamari was not worth getting. The portion was very small. The avocado blossom was my favorite of the bunch. The sushi rolls were nothing spectacular. The only unique thing of To-Kai was the fresh wasabi. I'd never had that before so that was awesome. The service was very slow and the servers seemed indifferent and unhappy.
(2)
Alexander L.
I met up with a bunch of friends here to catch up since we hadn't met up in a while, and heard the appetizers were good. The back room seemed to be fairly nice decor. Many things on the menu are conceptually nice--and presentation for things like the shots are also appealing. What bothered me about this place is the execution of the food. The sauces and seasonings were imbalanced or just prepped in an unappetizing manner. On the plus side once you leave you can get some Rita's and a Pretzel. I don't plan on coming back here.
(2)
Michael G.
Family and I came here to try To-Kai because it was part of the UPromise Dining rewards Program. Although pricey, we were hapy to find a new place to make it a regular in our list of restaurants. The food for the family is below: Japanese Mojito: 5 Stars. Refreshing and not too stiff! I probably could have had many of these, but stuck with one. 3 piece Dumpling Soup: 2 Stars. Bland, dumplings I could find anywhere, did not finish. Mango Soft Shell Crab Salad: 5 Stars. The best food of the night. The description is Mango, Crab Meat, Seaweed Salad, Lettuce, Avocado Salad and Masago on the Bottom, Whole Soft Shell Crab on Top. This could have been a meal by itself. Extremely tasty and just the right amount of sizzling crab on top with an amazing sauce. Duck Rolls: 4 Stars. Wonderful with no grease taste - Deep Fried Roasted Duck and Taro Finished with Sweet Soy and Honey Wasabi Sauce. I expected duck meat pieces, but it was more of a hamburger meat texture. Still, very tasty! I Phone 4S Roll: 3 Stars. Felt like it was warmer-than-room temperature which was a bit off putting. Also, I had so much food that I probably did not enjoy it as much as I should have. Crunchy Spicy Crab with Seared Sea Scallop on top. Teriyaki Bento Box Salmon: 3 Stars. Comes with Salad, Soup, Rice, California Roll, Shrimp Tempura, Shumai, Fruit. Wife said there was too much tempura in the box with the vegetables, and did not finish it. However, the salmon was very tasty, and she did not like the California Roll. Fruit was 1/2 an orange. The tempura shrimp was really nice, though. Overall, it came to $96 for 2 adults and 1 kid including tip, so for lunch this was expensive! There are a lot of choices, so I'll be back to try others. They have a hibachi on the one side which I'd like to try, too. To-Kai also has 6 party tray specials from $34 to $80 for catering! Service for our empty restaurant was ok. Too long to take our orders; just right to get the food and drinks.
(4)
Michele R.
Always good Sushi sashimi and rolls good Staff wonderful Been going here for years Priced right I recommend highly
(4)
Elise D.
By far the best place in the northeast and not over price, great show, best hibachi I've even been to. The atmosphere is amazing and everyone is so welcoming. I alway try to go here any chance I get.
(5)
Kim H.
About a 30 min drive from my neighborhood and I will be making that trip again. This is one of my good friend's favorite sushi spot and I see why. Sushi was fresh. The rolls were delicious. Tried the pineapple shrimp fried rice, and it was all that. The baked mussels were just ok, honestly wouldn't order them again. They weren't bad just not great. Everything else was on point, exceeding the good threshold. My boyfriend has refused to try sushi before this outing but Tokai has made him a believer. Also great deals(price friendly), the "boat menu", for multiple sushi or sashimi eaters.
(4)
Victoria S.
I'm a 7 year customer, and this place is one of the best sushi places in Philadelphia. Long story short - fast service, friendly staff, tasty sushi, good price for quality.
(5)
Rina G.
Overpriced not the greatest sushi in northeast Philadelphia
(2)
Velisha A.
I love this resturant !... Usually do delivery 2-3x a week from here and I always order their whole fried red snapper which comes with sushi rice , meso soup, salad and a chili sauce that's delicious. They are a bit pricey. Oh yeah I also order from them the golden fried soft shell crab, chocolate cake with ice cream and mucho ice cream. I'm so happy that they deliver and I would recommend them to others.
(4)
Maria S.
This is by far my favorite sushi spot in the NE, maybe in all of Philly. The service is great, the ambiance is fantastic, and the food.... amazing! Whether you like raw or not, there is something here for everybody. I've never tried the hibachi in the restaurant (i've had it for take-out, and it's delicious too) but everyone always seems to be having fun in there. Let's not get distracted from the real center of attention. The Sushi!! Must Try: Crab House roll, Lexus Rolls, Crazy Sashimi, Crunchy Roll, Rainbow Roll and the sushi pizza. The food here is so fresh, I've never had a bad experience. The bento boxes and the cooked appetizers are really good but i'd rather not waste my appetite on those. Awesome sushi and sashimi are hard to come by. Request the baby fish if it's on the specials. Delectable! The outside of the restaurant really doesn't do the inside justice. Go in anyway, you won't be disappointed!
(5)
Lisa L.
Very cute place. Came here with my favorite co worker friends and had a great time ! Waitress was very attentive and recommended a great roll! Can't wait to go back and have entrees and drinks !
(5)
Yahlizbeth R.
Not recommended! This sushi is the worst I ever tasted. I ordered brown rice sushi and it was uncooked, really hard to eat. And the prices for sushi wasnt considerable.
(1)
Tiffany T.
3 stars: no more, no less. I went here with a friend yesterday for a catch up dinner. Service was friendly, nice and prompt. The ladies have a very very thick Chinese ( I think) accent and it's hard to understand, but they're very nice. I ordered the Tokai-roll as well as salmon roll. I didn't pay too much attention to what roll my friend got.. but one was Philadelphia, and the other was one of the signature rolls. Salmon roll - $4 for 6 pieces or 8 I believe. And Tokai roll was $11 or $13 for about 6 pieces ( the big kinds, like Korean kimbap). The salmon roll was fine. Lots of fish, pretty fresh, so very standard. The tokai roll was interesting. What I DID like about it is that it was huge, stuffed with salmon, tuna and yellowtail. So a LOT of raw fish in that one bite. It was nothing special, because anyone can chop up fresh fish and put it in a kimbap roll. But the fish was fresh, so I appreciated that. However, there was no special sauce or anything to separate it from the hundreds of other sushi institutions in philadelphia or any other place. As for value. Our bill came to about $50 some odd dollars for dinner, and for the quality and amount we got, I can't give it any more than 3 stars. I get just as full at Vic's in center city. I get probably twice as much food in Yuraku of Germantown MD. It was fine, but really, nothing special. Nothing I would go out of my way to go to, or plan to go to.. but I wouldn't say no if a friend suggested it. Although I might suggest another..
(3)
Michelle T.
I was genuinely surprised and not surprised with my experiences at To-Kai. The oyster shooters were by far the best shooters that I've had in a long time (surprised). There raw oyster was balanced with the right amount of alcohol. I was warned ahead of time that sushi rolls were not that impressive, but I ordered a special roll anyways. Let's just say I was not impressed (not surprised). A heavy reliance on sauces, and the seaweed used to wrap the roll was not crispy. When ordering sushi here, one should request for fresh wasabi (surprised). This isn't readily available everywhere, and it adds a different kind of heat to the sushi. In all honesty, if you're going to To-Kai you should just order everything from its Appetizers section and just disregard everything else, but even the Appetizer section can leave you wanting more. The tuna pizza was thoroughly enjoyed at my table, but personally, there was once again a heavy reliance on sauce for this app. The kani salad was really good - refreshing with a nice kick. The avocado blossom was the highlight for me. It packed some nice flavors while maintaining some textural components (everything was just mush). The baked mussels were so-so. The quality of the mussels played a big part on why I didn't like them. The mussels were just so small and then you add a bunch of stuff on top and bake it; the results are over-cooked, shriveled mussels with too much toppings.
(2)
Rancis R.
I never noticed this spot, thank God for yelp lol. They are very clean, bring you warm napkins to clean your hands before meal. I did not eat on the hibachi side, I had sushi and it was very good! No complaints.
(4)
Abby G.
Not a good experience
(1)
Valentino G.
I love To-Kai it's one of my favorite sushi places, I like the fact that's its also BYOB, but there's also a few to use their glasses and a bottle fee. My favorite sushi is their signature roll the lobster dynamite and the 10 pc New York sashimi roll is to die for! The sushi combo rolls are very good, but your a limited to what you can change as far as the roll if you want to substitute it for something else. The combo is good because it comes with miso soup and the house salad; the ginger dressing is beyond amazing. If you are ever looking for an amazing appetizer the tuna titaki is by the the most delicious.I would definitely suggest their hibachi the atmosphere is amazing and the food is right there with it. I went to the hibachi for the first time and it was an amazing experience, I came here with my cousin and our girlfriends, there were tons of laughs. The cook was so good and funny he made I laugh and enjoy the experience; there was no way we couldn't tip him, he was great! I gave them 5 stars because I believe their prices are somewhat more expensive then most places, but the quality and quantity makes up for prices, it's definitely top notch and the provide the best quality service and care with their food and their customers.
(5)
Nam N.
I have dine here many times. Around this area, there are only 2 sushi restaurants that i would go and come back to; this place and Mt Fuji in southampton. I usually get the boat so there isn't much to say there beside the sashimi are fresh and services are great. I tries to stay away from delivered sushi, but when there's the sushi craving and you're too lazy to go; you'll the chance. I took that chance and liked it :) The sushi came as if i ordered when i am in the restaurant. All of the delivered sushi i ordered before from other places are not even close to what they serve you in the restaurant. Sashimi is thinner. Rolls have a lot more rice. gives you left over fish...Sometimes even missing pieces... good delivered sushi earned this place a 4stars on my book :)
(4)
Steve C.
This place is great. Don't believe the bad reviews. I go here at least 3 times a month.
(5)
Alla G.
over sauced, over spiced, inconsistent quality. This pretty much sums it up. Our office orders from here often, easy delivery, but quality of the food is not consistent. Tried a few times dining inside and was also underwhelmed.
(3)
Steve B.
The best sushi/sashimi in North-East Philadelphia, and probably one of the best in Philly. While prices more than doubled in resent year or two, sheer fact that place is always packed tells you all about level of quality. Hibachi is on bit lower level than sushi, but surely lots of fun if you are with kids.
(5)
I. S.
I have been getting take-out regularly from To-Kai for the past few years. This is my second review as I want to let everyone know about my past experiences with them in the past few years. -PROS: Food: The food at To-Kai is outstanding. It's always fresh and I have never had a bad experience. Here are some of my favorite items that I recommend to try: a) Tuna pizza - Delicious. It's avacado, tuna, and crab on top of a crispy tortilla and it just melts in your mouth, it is so good! So many different textures, i always get this. b) Agedashi Tofu - Very delicately fried tofu in a sweet soy dipping sauce. It is really good and doesn't taste greasy or anything. c) Dumpling Soup - very soft dumplings in a delicious broth, i wish they put more dumplings in it, thats how much i love this soup! d) Kani Salad - Delicious, it's crab, masago, cucumber and japanese mayo. It's also a little spicy as well. Very different than you're typical kani salads that ive tried before at other places. e) Bigeye Tuna - Very fresh and delicious. I always get the higher quality tuna when they have it available as it's more fatty and it taste really good. But it's also more expensive. f) KO-BE Beef - Delicious, however i don't think it's real kobe beef from japan, thats why they spell it KO-BE. However it is very thin sliced high quality beef that's in a delicious garlic sauce. I love it. g) Filet mignon in Thai Basil sauce - One of the best entrees on the menu. The beef is super high quality and they always cook it perfectly. It is a filet mignon in a thai basil sauce. It is really good and the sauce really brings out the dish. h) Crunchy roll - One of the best rolls to try on the menu - Shrimp tempura, cucumber and masago w masago and tempura flakes on top. It's very good and has a great texture. Ambiance: The place has great ambiance and decor. I very rarely eat here in person but if I did i wouldn't mind staying here a while as the place has a very modern and chic decor. Service: Can't comment on it since I only get take-out. CONS: -Prices are a big high compared to other sushi places in NE Philly. However I think the freshness and variety of the food makes up for the prices. Plus they offer a rewards program, you need to get your menu stamped each time you pay and if you spend $200 you get a free $20 gift certificate. Sure I wish that were higher, but it adds up! -When ordering take-out on a Friday or Sat. night between the hours of 6-8pm it gets extremely busy and picking up my order could take up to 45 mins. I would also not advise eating here during those hours as the place is packed and there are a lot of people waiting for a seat.
(5)
Paul C.
Impressed with To-Kai. First impressed with the service. These people are nice--from the hostess to the waiters. They genuinely seem to want to help you and they can make solid recommendations based on what you like. Second impressed with the ambiance. You walk in and immediately forget your in a strip mall. The decor is pretty immersive and the space is large enough that you feel in a different world--and you're still supporting a local establishment. Third impressed with the sake choices. Timothy was right that this place has great sakes. The iPhone 4S roll--yes a terrible name--is a winner.
(4)
Amy K.
Love this place. The best sushi in Northeast. My husband and I always get the boats. You get great variety for a great price. I also love the seafood soup and tuna pizza. I wish their pad tai was better, but overall great food.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Slava B.
The absolute best sushi place in Philadelphia! Have tried most of the spots in the Philadelphia and suburb area and To Kai no doubt beats all of those places! I have been coming here for years now and the staff and the food hasn't disappointed once! They truly have the friendliest staff and most importantly the most delicious and freshest sushi! The head chef, Jay, even came to my house to cater a party and prepare all the sushi and sashimi right in front of my guest! This is truly a top notch place! A must go if you haven't been!
(5)Christina V.
I love to-kai. Like seriously love. I know its northeast Philly and its in a strip mall. Not even a good one. But love is love. I adore their sashimi rolls. They have no rice so they are a bit messy but they are so great. I was just here for a visit and got the Russian Sashimi Roll (Tuna wrapped spicy tuna, salmon & cucumber with tuna, salmon, eel on top) and the Russian Dream roll (Tuna, salmon, cucumber, & spicy sauce with tuna, salmon, and eel on top). Both rolls are 100% raw, no deep frying, no torching, just delicious fish. Perfection. Note: this place has a full bar but is also a BYOB- I rather enjoy having the option to bring or order. There is a $5.00 corking fee though so keep that in mind. I don't think I've ever had a bad roll here. Would love if they opened a location in center city....preferably in my living room.
(4)Olena S.
Amazingly tasty sushi/hibachi place in North East. Everything else in our area is just not even close to their standards. You just have to read the menu (just like in every other restaurant) and order staff that you like, and have the idea what it's gonna be). Its a little oldy n weirdly designed place, but its always clean, and people, especially at hibachi tables, are very very friendly! Most of the times it's busy, so if its special occasion and more then 4 people, better to make a reservation at least couple days in advance to give them a shot and to discuss the menu. We always call 1 hour before we come in, so we will get a table right away, as we have hibachi, and there is not that much seating, especially if its rush hour or weekend. They sometimes advise to come in 20 min early or 20 min later. I lived around the corner and it works for me! It's north east philadelphia. Sometimes you might get a not comfy table, sometimes(rarely) you can get a little busy server and will wait couple extra minutes. Sometimes you can get a screaming drunk soviet people celebrating something next to you. But it is a small casual restaurant!! Check the menu, they have it online. It is very very reasonably priced. The items that are very cheep are not gonna be the best sushi you ever had - there are rolls for 4-9$. (the 10$ tokai roll is ok with me), for really good ones you will have to pay near 18-20$. Seasonally, they have specials and my favorite raw oysters are one of specials. I usually not post anything, and as I work in a restaurant I do not even go to the restaurants that much, but To-Kai for me is a great place to go, as I love raw fish and raw veggies, and my husband is crazy about hibachi. Its family friendly and children, teens will enjoy hibachi show, too:) So far I tried Tataki and its great, most of the special rolls page, and all of the Hibachi dinners and combinations available, as well like all the soups. Rice for hibachi are so delish that you just can not stop eating it! Soups and noodles are good too, even complimentary ones. Friends love their Japanese beer. We never had dessert so can not share:) But I feel I always have a good experience, every time I go.
(5)Jane P.
I love this place. They always go above and beyond to make sure everything is good. Very attentive, entertaining and food is delicious. My kids love it here even though we've seen the hibachi show 20 times. A birthday dinner favorite!!
(5)Daniel H.
This was a decent meal. I was more happy with the appeptizer and the cocktails than the actual meal. I have a zombie cocktail which was kinda sweet but tasty and had a kick, it was a mix of light and dark rums I believe. I think the choice of food makes me give the place 3/4 stars. I ordered a sashimi roll which is like a sushi roll without rice. It is not something I would order again. We did enjoy our appetizer which was a scallop roll.
(3)Mike Z.
I have been coming here for years and its one of the top 3 sushi places in the northeast area. First of all the fish is very fresh and its good quality. The menu is split into 2 parts; regular and special.... You can have regular sushi for a very fair price.... For lunch they have a special : 3 rolls, soup and salad for $11.99 which is a great deal. The other part of the menu is very high end... Very good special rolls but premium priced. My favorite is the special spicy tuna roll mostly because it has fish, sea weed, and no rice. The menu is filled with pictures and all kinds of great selections. They also have a hibachi and a back room for large parties. They have a bar and allow BYOB for a cork fee. Great service too! I will keep coming back.
(5)Jess J.
Always a good time... Good food, good show and good service! This is my go to Hibachi place. It never disappoints. On this particular visit with my girls we were accompanied with my mom and my sister who had never been to a Hibachi. We assured them they would enjoy themselves, and that they did. We went rather early and the 5 of us were seated right away. Parties of 5 or more can order from the Haibchi party menu for a reduce rate. The more people the less per entree. This include soup, salad, combination of meat or a single selection, fried rice, vegetables, two shrimp, and a drink. We opted for this option. I ordered the Steak (medium) and Salmon. Let the show begin. Our chef was extremely animated. He sang, did tricks, and gave me lots of Saki.. My kind of guy. He even had baby saki in a little bottle for the kids He cooked our meal to perfection. Regardless of what i order it's good, down to the rice.. their fried rice is so good, I love it! My steak was done medium, very tender, the kids done Medium-well and my mom's well done, he gave her a piece prior to taking it all off to make sure she was satisfied with it. The Salmon and Shrimp were fresh and delicious. Of course no one could finish their meals it's always an abundance of food regardless of how hungry you are. So we wrapped it up. This was the first visit that I tried their dessert. My mom and I split the fried banana... cause how could I pass up tempura banana.. it came with ice cream, my mom made the selection for the green tea. My sister and daughter split fried vanilla ice cream, and my other daughter had a regular scoop of ice cream. When the desserts came out, the presentation was more than I expected even the ice cream scoop was a sight to see. It was delicious also. All in all a great visit. Oh and the bathroom is nice, single stall and always clean. Also it is a BYOB, a cork fee applies. They also sell great drinks, I love the Blue Hawaii! The reason I couldn't give a 5 star rating, while it did not happen on this visit it has happened in the past, double check your bill.. while drinks are included sometimes it appears on your bill. All in all a great visit, mom and sister loved the experience!
(4)Chris S.
The one reason I'm giving this 3 stars is that it's pricey. The food is very good and comes out fast but I don't recommend coming here if you are trying to watch your spending. You can buy alcohol there, but it is also a BYOB and would definitely recommend doing that to help keep the cost a little lower.
(3)Ancy T.
Great service. I make large orders for work all the time and they are nice enough to label everything to make it a quick and easy distribution back at the office. I've tried a few different rolls and I've liked them all so far. I'm interested in trying the non sushi items on the menu as I've heard the teriyaki chicken and shrimp are both really good. Definitely not the best sushi I've ever had, but it does the job and satisfies the hunger so I'm down with it. The Shumai shrimp dumplings are also delicious as I haven't had them at any other Japanese restaurant I've been to so these were new to me and will definitely be ordered again. This place is becoming a once a week spot for me, and I'm not mad about it.
(3)Jonathan R.
The sushi here is awesome!!! I suggest trying the California sushi box and the Avocado blossom!!!
(5)Elena R.
Love it here! Never had a bad experience :) great martini & drink menu selections also!
(4)Michael G.
This Sushi and Hibachi restaurant was recommended by the Hotel. Turned out to be fantastic. High end sushi, great selection, all of the "off the menu" choices you would expect to have at a good sushi place. They have 4 different types of Wasabi, and their soup is amazing. Definitely will return.
(5)Felicia C.
This place has been redone inside and it looks great! The food is also very good. I love the Bento boxes because they let you have some of everything: a main entree (I love the beef negimaki), sushi, dumplings, tempura (a large serving with two shrimp, a broccoli, a sweet potato, two onion rings, and a taro) rice, vegetables, even an orange for dessert! It's also nice that To-Kai has a full bar with creative mixed drinks. My only complaint is that because of the very modern, Japanese sensibility in the decor, the restaurant is not warm or cozy like some other local Asian restaurants that I frequent (White Elephant, Colonial Quy Bau, Rasavat.)
(4)steve e.
Can't improve on the sashimi bustleton & Russian rolls..10 piece and a real feast-just get ready for a $50'lunch . Why pay $20 to park in town?
(4)Jaison K.
Been here a handful of times. It was very good when it first opened. Their quality has gone down since. It Is still the best sushi place in the Northeast. All their special rolls are delicious. Their service is excellent. They have the best lunch selection in the area and excellent to entertain clients.
(4)Heidi L.
Note to hiring manager: It would be a good idea to hire a person that answers the phone who knows what your most popular sushi rolls and other dishes are. She should also never say that she has no idea about sushi because she doesn't like sushi. Not exactly good for sales and business.
(2)Elliot P.
This place continues to improve. I've been here a bunch of times and it can be somewhat hit or miss. On the positive side, this restaurant fills the much needed void in the area of a nice restaurant food-wise, and is also nice decor-wise, and not too expensive either. When I first started visiting Philly, I was surprised at how many mediocre sushi places there are here, this being one of them. As time has progressed, my experiences here have been getting better and better. The tuna pizza is very good, as are most of the sushi and rolls. There's nothing here that's super special or unique, but the items that I have had here have been very good. It's BYOB which is really nice, but not too uncommon or special in this area as lots of other places are also BYOB. One of the nice things that is unique is that this place is BYOB and they also have a full bar. Usually it's just one or the other. The service is perfectly adequate, and the atmosphere is nice. There's a big parking lot so there's plenty of free parking, which is also, not uncommon for this area. There's a Rita's in the same strip mall, so it's nice to grab a water ice after eating here.
(3)Aliza K.
The food and prices is great. The hostess or I heard she's the owner is vey rude and unacceptable. We had went to dinner one night we told her at least 11 people but what she got from what we said was it will be 11 people. Then when we arrive it was 13 people and she started to get in our faces about how we only said 11 and now 13. She started to yell and basically said no you said 11 now you have 13 and all this stuff which is dumb. I really tried my best to keep shut that night because the way she acted was very unprofessional.
(3)Dalia S.
Very fun habachi location, the chefs are very animated and interactive. Great spot for birthdays especially if your looking to draw insane amounts of attention to the birthday guest. Food was also tasty.
(4)Christina G.
This place has a great presentation with the food. Sushi menu is a bit different than many other sushi places: for dinner I didn't see many of your basic rolls but instead there is a large selection of designer rolls and sashimi rolls. The sashimi rolls are nice because there is a lot of fish and they are very filling but they also fall apart easily since it's mostly fish without the rice or seaweed. I had the scallop appetizer (the one with vinegar not advocado) and it was delicious- loved the sauce! I also had the I phone 4 s which was crab with scallop on top and I really enjoyed it. Although I liked my sashimi roll, I think I like regular spicy tuna or salmon rolls better. I tried the roll with banana and it was good and very sweet- almost tasted like dessert. The restaurant tries to be trendy and servers are nice from what I've seen. They serve alcohol or you can byob for a $2 per bottle cork fee. This is a solid place for NE sushi.
(4)Mike R.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in the city. They are one of the few that offer a huge array of appetizers. Check out the lovers triangle and the ahi tuna pizza. the Toro tartar is awesome as well. I tell everyone I know who likes sushi to go there and enjoy
(5)Kathy L.
It was okay. I had Kobe beef app. It's not that good for the price. The blue fin tuna sushi was good. I had two pieces of that. I also got the Russian dream roll. I actually didn't like that. However the sushi chef made me a roll on the house which I was though was nice but it had eel on top and I don't really like eel. I probably wouldn't go back to this spot. There are a bunch of other sushi places to try.
(3)Lovely B.
Good atmosphere, and it's a very clean restaurant. The food is delicious, staff are very pleasant
(5)M R.
I first went to To KAi a week ago , a friend recommended to go that the sushi was amazing there. I had 3 different signature rolls they were really fresh and tasty. I must say I was not disappointed at all. Food was great service was great so I decided to return back again yesterday to try out their Hibatchi Tables since I'm the only one that really likes sushi. Food was great I had the sea bass and shrimp combo and it was really good. Its a small place but the staff there are really friendly. I even made a reservation online and was sat immediately down when I walked in. It wasn't too crowded it really doesn't look like you would expect much from the outside, but it was a win for me. "I guess you really cant judge a book by its cover." It also has convenient parking and BYOB- they charge a $5.00 bottle charge. they also have a full bar menu to purchase there.
(5)Peter M.
Went here last week and the food turned out great. I ordered the Chilean sea bass and it was really fresh. I enjoyed the Hibachi show a bit, but no matter how many times I go to a Hibachi... I still can't get used to the concept that someone is playing with my food. All in all it was a great place. I would recommend it, but if you're not into the food play concept there are regular dining tables away from the action.
(4)Jeff P.
A hibachi style dining experience should be fun and filling and ToKai delivers with a bang! Food is delicious and the sushi is excellent if that is your thing. The Northeast Philly dining scene has gotten weak over the years but this place truly holds it's own.There are a few good hibachi places around but this one carries the best combination of atmosphere,showmanship and quality eating. Strongly recommend!
(4)Amanda J.
Went last night with a group of 10. Service was excellent, food was great, and the hibachi chef was great! Highly recommend this place to everyone!
(5)Kate W.
Good sushi, poor customer service. Ordered a delivery order that totaled more than $70 - it took over an hour and a half to get here, and when I called the restaurant for an update, I kept getting voicemail. I can handle an order being late, but no call or response to my calls is bad business. Won't order from here again.
(2)Elaine M.
Being a Northeast Philly Hater, I never expect much when I go out to eat there but I think I may have found a secret gem with To-Kai. I'm not sure how long they have been in business, but I am kind of mad at myself for dining across the street at the Taste Queen so many times over the years when this could have been an option! Ignoring the elementary typos on the menu; a friend and I decided to split an appetizer and several rolls. We had the Love Triangle appetizer that was served in a slightly spicy sauce that also had a hint of mustard to it. The fish was fresh and the sauce accompanied it well. We split the Bikini Tuna, Russian Family Roll, Triple Sashimi Roll and the Crunchy Spicy Salmon Roll. All of them tasted very good but the larger ones were not constructed very well. They were falling apart as we tried to pick them up with our chop sticks to dip them in soy sauce. I also thought that the larger rolls should have been cut into 8 pieces instead of 5; that probably would have helped us hold them together long enough to pop them into our mouths. I never had a sashimi roll before (this eliminates the seaweed paper); perhaps that is part of the reason they were falling apart but I liked having that extra layer of fish! Overall, the fish was fresh, the rolls were unique and there was a lot to choose from! I will definitely be back for lunch since I work close by. One thing caught my eye as strange; in the center of the dining room hangs a Spencer's Gifts style disco ball from the ceiling. I believe this place turns into a frat-esque late night dance party. Get weird Bustleton!
(4)Aika T.
Best Sushi place in northeast philly. Me and my friend are their customers since they open, and we love this place. Food is fresh and delicious. Try baked mussels and crispy spicy tuna roll!
(5)Laviza S.
we enjoyed a great group dinner of 13 courses ... one of our friends arranged the dinner w the chef. we enjoyed each of the courses. everything was fresh and nice presentation. the decor is modern and pretty. overall would definitely recommend!
(5)Nancy P.
My gf had been here before and enjoyed it so a couple of our friends got together and had dinner here. It's located in a strip mall plaza and seems out of place. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and a variety of sushi rolls. The tuna pizza was pretty good but was covered in a lot of sauce. I liked the kani salad and it had a good spicy kick to it. The fried calamari was not worth getting. The portion was very small. The avocado blossom was my favorite of the bunch. The sushi rolls were nothing spectacular. The only unique thing of To-Kai was the fresh wasabi. I'd never had that before so that was awesome. The service was very slow and the servers seemed indifferent and unhappy.
(2)Alexander L.
I met up with a bunch of friends here to catch up since we hadn't met up in a while, and heard the appetizers were good. The back room seemed to be fairly nice decor. Many things on the menu are conceptually nice--and presentation for things like the shots are also appealing. What bothered me about this place is the execution of the food. The sauces and seasonings were imbalanced or just prepped in an unappetizing manner. On the plus side once you leave you can get some Rita's and a Pretzel. I don't plan on coming back here.
(2)Michael G.
Family and I came here to try To-Kai because it was part of the UPromise Dining rewards Program. Although pricey, we were hapy to find a new place to make it a regular in our list of restaurants. The food for the family is below: Japanese Mojito: 5 Stars. Refreshing and not too stiff! I probably could have had many of these, but stuck with one. 3 piece Dumpling Soup: 2 Stars. Bland, dumplings I could find anywhere, did not finish. Mango Soft Shell Crab Salad: 5 Stars. The best food of the night. The description is Mango, Crab Meat, Seaweed Salad, Lettuce, Avocado Salad and Masago on the Bottom, Whole Soft Shell Crab on Top. This could have been a meal by itself. Extremely tasty and just the right amount of sizzling crab on top with an amazing sauce. Duck Rolls: 4 Stars. Wonderful with no grease taste - Deep Fried Roasted Duck and Taro Finished with Sweet Soy and Honey Wasabi Sauce. I expected duck meat pieces, but it was more of a hamburger meat texture. Still, very tasty! I Phone 4S Roll: 3 Stars. Felt like it was warmer-than-room temperature which was a bit off putting. Also, I had so much food that I probably did not enjoy it as much as I should have. Crunchy Spicy Crab with Seared Sea Scallop on top. Teriyaki Bento Box Salmon: 3 Stars. Comes with Salad, Soup, Rice, California Roll, Shrimp Tempura, Shumai, Fruit. Wife said there was too much tempura in the box with the vegetables, and did not finish it. However, the salmon was very tasty, and she did not like the California Roll. Fruit was 1/2 an orange. The tempura shrimp was really nice, though. Overall, it came to $96 for 2 adults and 1 kid including tip, so for lunch this was expensive! There are a lot of choices, so I'll be back to try others. They have a hibachi on the one side which I'd like to try, too. To-Kai also has 6 party tray specials from $34 to $80 for catering! Service for our empty restaurant was ok. Too long to take our orders; just right to get the food and drinks.
(4)Michele R.
Always good Sushi sashimi and rolls good Staff wonderful Been going here for years Priced right I recommend highly
(4)Elise D.
By far the best place in the northeast and not over price, great show, best hibachi I've even been to. The atmosphere is amazing and everyone is so welcoming. I alway try to go here any chance I get.
(5)Kim H.
About a 30 min drive from my neighborhood and I will be making that trip again. This is one of my good friend's favorite sushi spot and I see why. Sushi was fresh. The rolls were delicious. Tried the pineapple shrimp fried rice, and it was all that. The baked mussels were just ok, honestly wouldn't order them again. They weren't bad just not great. Everything else was on point, exceeding the good threshold. My boyfriend has refused to try sushi before this outing but Tokai has made him a believer. Also great deals(price friendly), the "boat menu", for multiple sushi or sashimi eaters.
(4)Victoria S.
I'm a 7 year customer, and this place is one of the best sushi places in Philadelphia. Long story short - fast service, friendly staff, tasty sushi, good price for quality.
(5)Rina G.
Overpriced not the greatest sushi in northeast Philadelphia
(2)Velisha A.
I love this resturant !... Usually do delivery 2-3x a week from here and I always order their whole fried red snapper which comes with sushi rice , meso soup, salad and a chili sauce that's delicious. They are a bit pricey. Oh yeah I also order from them the golden fried soft shell crab, chocolate cake with ice cream and mucho ice cream. I'm so happy that they deliver and I would recommend them to others.
(4)Maria S.
This is by far my favorite sushi spot in the NE, maybe in all of Philly. The service is great, the ambiance is fantastic, and the food.... amazing! Whether you like raw or not, there is something here for everybody. I've never tried the hibachi in the restaurant (i've had it for take-out, and it's delicious too) but everyone always seems to be having fun in there. Let's not get distracted from the real center of attention. The Sushi!! Must Try: Crab House roll, Lexus Rolls, Crazy Sashimi, Crunchy Roll, Rainbow Roll and the sushi pizza. The food here is so fresh, I've never had a bad experience. The bento boxes and the cooked appetizers are really good but i'd rather not waste my appetite on those. Awesome sushi and sashimi are hard to come by. Request the baby fish if it's on the specials. Delectable! The outside of the restaurant really doesn't do the inside justice. Go in anyway, you won't be disappointed!
(5)Lisa L.
Very cute place. Came here with my favorite co worker friends and had a great time ! Waitress was very attentive and recommended a great roll! Can't wait to go back and have entrees and drinks !
(5)Yahlizbeth R.
Not recommended! This sushi is the worst I ever tasted. I ordered brown rice sushi and it was uncooked, really hard to eat. And the prices for sushi wasnt considerable.
(1)Tiffany T.
3 stars: no more, no less. I went here with a friend yesterday for a catch up dinner. Service was friendly, nice and prompt. The ladies have a very very thick Chinese ( I think) accent and it's hard to understand, but they're very nice. I ordered the Tokai-roll as well as salmon roll. I didn't pay too much attention to what roll my friend got.. but one was Philadelphia, and the other was one of the signature rolls. Salmon roll - $4 for 6 pieces or 8 I believe. And Tokai roll was $11 or $13 for about 6 pieces ( the big kinds, like Korean kimbap). The salmon roll was fine. Lots of fish, pretty fresh, so very standard. The tokai roll was interesting. What I DID like about it is that it was huge, stuffed with salmon, tuna and yellowtail. So a LOT of raw fish in that one bite. It was nothing special, because anyone can chop up fresh fish and put it in a kimbap roll. But the fish was fresh, so I appreciated that. However, there was no special sauce or anything to separate it from the hundreds of other sushi institutions in philadelphia or any other place. As for value. Our bill came to about $50 some odd dollars for dinner, and for the quality and amount we got, I can't give it any more than 3 stars. I get just as full at Vic's in center city. I get probably twice as much food in Yuraku of Germantown MD. It was fine, but really, nothing special. Nothing I would go out of my way to go to, or plan to go to.. but I wouldn't say no if a friend suggested it. Although I might suggest another..
(3)Michelle T.
I was genuinely surprised and not surprised with my experiences at To-Kai. The oyster shooters were by far the best shooters that I've had in a long time (surprised). There raw oyster was balanced with the right amount of alcohol. I was warned ahead of time that sushi rolls were not that impressive, but I ordered a special roll anyways. Let's just say I was not impressed (not surprised). A heavy reliance on sauces, and the seaweed used to wrap the roll was not crispy. When ordering sushi here, one should request for fresh wasabi (surprised). This isn't readily available everywhere, and it adds a different kind of heat to the sushi. In all honesty, if you're going to To-Kai you should just order everything from its Appetizers section and just disregard everything else, but even the Appetizer section can leave you wanting more. The tuna pizza was thoroughly enjoyed at my table, but personally, there was once again a heavy reliance on sauce for this app. The kani salad was really good - refreshing with a nice kick. The avocado blossom was the highlight for me. It packed some nice flavors while maintaining some textural components (everything was just mush). The baked mussels were so-so. The quality of the mussels played a big part on why I didn't like them. The mussels were just so small and then you add a bunch of stuff on top and bake it; the results are over-cooked, shriveled mussels with too much toppings.
(2)Valentino G.
I love To-Kai it's one of my favorite sushi places, I like the fact that's its also BYOB, but there's also a few to use their glasses and a bottle fee. My favorite sushi is their signature roll the lobster dynamite and the 10 pc New York sashimi roll is to die for! The sushi combo rolls are very good, but your a limited to what you can change as far as the roll if you want to substitute it for something else. The combo is good because it comes with miso soup and the house salad; the ginger dressing is beyond amazing. If you are ever looking for an amazing appetizer the tuna titaki is by the the most delicious.I would definitely suggest their hibachi the atmosphere is amazing and the food is right there with it. I went to the hibachi for the first time and it was an amazing experience, I came here with my cousin and our girlfriends, there were tons of laughs. The cook was so good and funny he made I laugh and enjoy the experience; there was no way we couldn't tip him, he was great! I gave them 5 stars because I believe their prices are somewhat more expensive then most places, but the quality and quantity makes up for prices, it's definitely top notch and the provide the best quality service and care with their food and their customers.
(5)Nam N.
I have dine here many times. Around this area, there are only 2 sushi restaurants that i would go and come back to; this place and Mt Fuji in southampton. I usually get the boat so there isn't much to say there beside the sashimi are fresh and services are great. I tries to stay away from delivered sushi, but when there's the sushi craving and you're too lazy to go; you'll the chance. I took that chance and liked it :) The sushi came as if i ordered when i am in the restaurant. All of the delivered sushi i ordered before from other places are not even close to what they serve you in the restaurant. Sashimi is thinner. Rolls have a lot more rice. gives you left over fish...Sometimes even missing pieces... good delivered sushi earned this place a 4stars on my book :)
(4)Steve C.
This place is great. Don't believe the bad reviews. I go here at least 3 times a month.
(5)Alla G.
over sauced, over spiced, inconsistent quality. This pretty much sums it up. Our office orders from here often, easy delivery, but quality of the food is not consistent. Tried a few times dining inside and was also underwhelmed.
(3)Steve B.
The best sushi/sashimi in North-East Philadelphia, and probably one of the best in Philly. While prices more than doubled in resent year or two, sheer fact that place is always packed tells you all about level of quality. Hibachi is on bit lower level than sushi, but surely lots of fun if you are with kids.
(5)I. S.
I have been getting take-out regularly from To-Kai for the past few years. This is my second review as I want to let everyone know about my past experiences with them in the past few years. -PROS: Food: The food at To-Kai is outstanding. It's always fresh and I have never had a bad experience. Here are some of my favorite items that I recommend to try: a) Tuna pizza - Delicious. It's avacado, tuna, and crab on top of a crispy tortilla and it just melts in your mouth, it is so good! So many different textures, i always get this. b) Agedashi Tofu - Very delicately fried tofu in a sweet soy dipping sauce. It is really good and doesn't taste greasy or anything. c) Dumpling Soup - very soft dumplings in a delicious broth, i wish they put more dumplings in it, thats how much i love this soup! d) Kani Salad - Delicious, it's crab, masago, cucumber and japanese mayo. It's also a little spicy as well. Very different than you're typical kani salads that ive tried before at other places. e) Bigeye Tuna - Very fresh and delicious. I always get the higher quality tuna when they have it available as it's more fatty and it taste really good. But it's also more expensive. f) KO-BE Beef - Delicious, however i don't think it's real kobe beef from japan, thats why they spell it KO-BE. However it is very thin sliced high quality beef that's in a delicious garlic sauce. I love it. g) Filet mignon in Thai Basil sauce - One of the best entrees on the menu. The beef is super high quality and they always cook it perfectly. It is a filet mignon in a thai basil sauce. It is really good and the sauce really brings out the dish. h) Crunchy roll - One of the best rolls to try on the menu - Shrimp tempura, cucumber and masago w masago and tempura flakes on top. It's very good and has a great texture. Ambiance: The place has great ambiance and decor. I very rarely eat here in person but if I did i wouldn't mind staying here a while as the place has a very modern and chic decor. Service: Can't comment on it since I only get take-out. CONS: -Prices are a big high compared to other sushi places in NE Philly. However I think the freshness and variety of the food makes up for the prices. Plus they offer a rewards program, you need to get your menu stamped each time you pay and if you spend $200 you get a free $20 gift certificate. Sure I wish that were higher, but it adds up! -When ordering take-out on a Friday or Sat. night between the hours of 6-8pm it gets extremely busy and picking up my order could take up to 45 mins. I would also not advise eating here during those hours as the place is packed and there are a lot of people waiting for a seat.
(5)Paul C.
Impressed with To-Kai. First impressed with the service. These people are nice--from the hostess to the waiters. They genuinely seem to want to help you and they can make solid recommendations based on what you like. Second impressed with the ambiance. You walk in and immediately forget your in a strip mall. The decor is pretty immersive and the space is large enough that you feel in a different world--and you're still supporting a local establishment. Third impressed with the sake choices. Timothy was right that this place has great sakes. The iPhone 4S roll--yes a terrible name--is a winner.
(4)Amy K.
Love this place. The best sushi in Northeast. My husband and I always get the boats. You get great variety for a great price. I also love the seafood soup and tuna pizza. I wish their pad tai was better, but overall great food.
(5)Christian S.
For me leaving a bad review is very rare, in fact this is the only bad review i have ever left. To start i come from brooklyn and have lots of experience with sushi. So the first thing we ordered were appetizers: me and my gf ordered the hajiki salad and tuna pizza. The hajiki salad was horrible it had soggy lettuce and fish skin which made me gag in fact it was so bad we sent it back (ive never sent anything back in my life). The tuna pizza was decent but had barely any tuna and would of been better if they added avacado, but they are too cheap to do that. Next we ordered sushi which was warm, moist, mushy and fishy. I advise no one to waste there money here. This place is extremely expensive. You can get cheaper sushi in the city. Also not to mention even though i sent back the salad, they still charged me for it. If you ever catch yourself in this place i advise you get the hibachi its the only decent thing on the menu.
(1)Michael F.
I am far from a sushi expert, but even I know there is better out there... even in NE Philly! Oh and their prices certainly won't draw you in. Yes, they have hibachi. Unfortunately, they don't exactly put on much of a show. What can I say, I was either spoiled by some great hibachi chefs or just have high minimum standards. Other than offering chilean sea bass, there isn't much I can hype up about their hibachi. On the bright side, service was above average. I was here for a congratulations party for a co-worker getting promoted. We probably had 12 people and they gave us a hibachi table (two grills) to ourselves. They offered suggestions, helped us pass around our apps, and allowed us to eat sushi in the hibachi section. They were attentive without being annoying. If their food matched the service, we'd be talking a 4 or 5-star review.
(2)Annie S.
The best sushi in North East of Philadelphia. Sushimi Deluxe or sushimi rolls are the best choice there. The restaurant is quite a bit of expensive. I like to eat there but no more than once a week.
(4)Bea C.
Pretty expensive for no reason when it comes to the sushi. They should def start to re-price and also elect a 50% off menu in order to stay competitive in the area. Better to go down to Verree and Red Lion for Wasabi if anything.
(2)Oscar M.
It's my favorite Sushi restaurant, hands down! I go there at least once a week, and have become familiar with the service staff and chefs. Their delectable fresh sushi rolls and sashimi are exceptionally prepared dishes that show a high degree of finesse and attention to detail. I have also enjoyed their beef and seafood dishes. The friendly service and restaurant ambiance make this place a perfect spot for lunch or dinner. A good sign of a great Sushi place is the crowd that is willing to wait for a table. Usually, there are people at the entrance waiting for a table during the evenings I've eaten there. If the Sushi isn't really good and the service really poor, a place like this wouldn't have survived as it has. It looks to me that they're not going out of business anytime soon! As a return customer, I can say there hasn't been a day I've left disappointed at the service or food. This is my kind of place. I recommend it!
(5)Michael M.
Our go-to hibachi place near Lower Moreland Township, fresh food and entertaining chefs, which is what hibachi is all about. Enjoy a Belly Roll, my favorite signature roll as an appetizer. The staff is friendly, and get there early as it will get busy.
(4)Janice R.
This place is about 5 mins away from me. I went here for my birthday. The food is awesome and the staff is nice. Since we were celebrating my birthday I got a plate of ice cream that came with a flower candle. It lights up and had the birthday song, coolest candle I've ever seen. I come here often cause my three year old loves it. I also do occasional take out and they deliver !
(5)Rancis R.
I never noticed this spot, thank God for yelp lol. They are very clean, bring you warm napkins to clean your hands before meal. I did not eat on the hibachi side, I had sushi and it was very good! No complaints.
(4)Abby G.
Not a good experience
(1)Lady B.
Considering that it's located in a strip mall in NE Philly, To-Kai exceeded my expectations. Specialty rolls are kind of expensive but for $15, you can get a sushi combo with 3 simple rolls, miso soup + salad. Service was great and pours were large!
(4)Helen Z.
I decided to give this place a try despite the mixed reviews. I'm so glad I did! Who knew that good food actually exists in NE Philly?! We tried 3 rolls, the kani salad, and the chicken udon. Everything we had was delicious. The sushi was really fresh and the udon was super flavorful. The modern decor and dim lighting was also a nice surprise. The staff was friendly and attentive. I am definitely coming back!
(4)Nina G.
Love this place !
(5)Brian P.
TO-Kai is convenient to people who live close by making mediocre at best Chinese food. Their sushi is a waste of life. It's a joke. Try somewhere else for that. The delivery I got 2 weeks ago was late, soggy and disgusting. I don't like when people deliver chinese food in a styrofoam container. It makes everything sweat and turn soggy. This place is lame.
(2)Tara W.
Can't say this place isn't to bad. tried a few of the signature and was pleased. the portion size is average. Did a pick up and the food was ready when I arrived.
(3)Kayte J.
(3/5 Because they serve fresh wasabi root.) I will be the outlier and the write about my horrible experience because these do happen in restaurants that get good reviews. Here's the break down: First off, my server was taking care of private party in the back room and I suppose had picked up our table which was in the front dining room. Our table was right beside the servers station and even though we made the body language cues to every member of the staff (including standing up and signaling that we need help) we were repeatedly ignored! I have worked in the service industry too long to look past these things. Secondly, they ran out of Salmon, which was in 2 of our 4 dishes. How do you run out of the most common raw fish in a sushi bar on a thursday night?!! Instead of running the rood that didn't have salmon in it, it sat in the window of the sushi bar for 25 minutes (we were staring at it) and was warm upon arriving to our table. Our server took another 20 minutes to take our order again for replacement rolls and then forgot to bring us the real wasabi that we had to remind him of multiple times. Real Wasabi is the only reason to go to Tokai. It's not that terrible processed horseradish + green food coloring but rather a nose burning chopped wasabi root. So good! So fresh! Multi-dimensional taste. Thirdly, Our water glasses were perpetually empty and our dirty dishes were never prebussed from the table. The jalepeno yellowtail sashimi was the only aspect of the evening that I enjoyed but it was over priced for what it was. I suppose they have to pay for those billboards around downtown Philadelphia. Our server apologized at the end of the meal but it would have been better had he done so while we were waiting for food. We left an uncharacteristly terrible tip and didn't say goodbye. No regrets.
(3)Alyssa C.
Nice staff, reasonable tasting food, bland seafood. The show you get is good, they have nice birthday set up as long as you tell them you are celebrating.
(3)Donna M.
We took a girlfriend here for a birthday dinner last Saturday and were VERY pleased with the experience. My review would really be somewhere between a 4 and 5 stars my only complaints being that my salad was overdressed and the soup was nothing more than a clear broth with a few mushrooms dropped in for color. But the hibachi experience was SO much fun. Our chef was excellent and my steak was cooked perfectly. Overall service was excellent and they gave the birthday girl a very nice surprise and a picture as a keepsake. We dined early and there was no wait but by the time we left, there was a real crowd waiting to be seated. I live 5 minutes from a different hibachi spot but I'll be returning to this one the next time we plan a group dinner.
(4)Josh J.
Food was fantastic! Go with a group and save some cash. $100.60 for 5 entrees, 4 fountain sodas, 2 beers, soup, salad, and ice cream. Are you kidding me? Whoever said this place was very expensive must be very poor. If To-Kai was sitting out in the suburbs, I'd easily expect to pay double what we paid last night. I don't do sushi, so I can't speak to that, but the Hibachi-style grill was amazing! When he spun the eggs around with the spatula, I could not believe my eyes. I recommend the steak and shrimp, but my friends all said the salmon was fantastic, as well. Also, the next table had a birthday celebration. Let me just say that they go above and beyond a few waitresses mumbling "happy, happy birthday from all of us to you." Looks like nothing special from the outside (it's in a strip mall/ shopping plaza) but inside it was very nice. Highly recommend - I will return soon!
(5)Mama O.
Generous portions for a hibachi place. Yummy food! Great filet & shrimp. Good sushi. Large wine servings. Fun atmosphere especially for a group! Impressed for a little Hibachi place in a strip mall... I would recommend this place if you're looking for a dinner night out in the Northeast.
(4)Rethna E.
Definitely a gem in the Northeast Philly eating scene! I love their presentation and have always had really great service here. Will definitely come back! Try their pineapple fried rice! Love their rolls too!
(4)Igor L.
This update is long overdue, so here goes. To-Kia borrows heavily from what seems to be the contemporary highbrow Japanese restaurants motif that other local gems follow. Much like Morimoto's or POD, To-Kia fancies a serene aesthetic and avant-garde cuisine that stops just short from scaring off the locals. Not an easy angle to play, if you ask this Yelper. Yet, I must admit, the place comes of sharp, sleek, minimalist and though I hate to use this term "zen-like." And perhaps most importantly this place does all this without Steven Starr's bucks to throw around. Just view the shots I snapped while scampering about the place. The place is also stocked with polite little Asian woman working front of house, whose ages I can scantly guess. Each of which are quicker at their jobs and more mannerly then the prior. While back of house seems to be run by menfolk, cutting sushi and sushimi at the sushi bar and manning the grill in back. (Don't forget to tip them too.) As for the food, its presentation and freshness is striking. With rotating specials such as live scallop, Hamachi - Kama , and, I believe, even Blue Fin Tuna this place is second to none. While there sampled: Extra Spicy Sashimi Salad tuna, a mixture of salmon, yellow-tail,seaweed, spices and masago, Seared Strip Bass with foie gras sushi w/ Fuji Apple as well as large variety plate of Sushimi. All of which ranked high on my delic-o-meter and each marine morsel was so tender I wept secretly just a bit. My dining companions also let me taste their turf dishes. I was less impressed on this end of the menu, I felt both the Beef Bulgogi and Katsu were middle of the road on the whole primarily because the meat was a bit tough though flavorful. The yakitori, however, was pretty good. I have hope that the air-sucking end of the menu will improve since the restaurant seems to have purchased an neighboring lot to create a hibachi. But I am even satisfied with things as is.
(5)Timothy M.
Sake Sake Sake Sake Two things in life that were made to go together are sake and sushi. This place has both. I have been to this place twice and i am a huge fan of the place. On both occasions i had the same waiter and as soon as i walked in the door which was about a month apart from the last time i was there, she recognized me right away and i got a nice seat right at the bar. Withing a minute of sitting down she already had the same bottle of sake i had last time ready for me. The atmosphere from the outside reminds me of a fast food Chinese restaurant but when you walk in it is completely different. Dim lighting and very nice oriental decor really make the place feel comfortable. Within the place they have a sushi bar and a hibachi grill if your in the mood for some fun. On to the sushi. It is fantastic. Really well seasoned rice and very fresh fish bring a smile to my face with each bite. You know its good sushi when you don't even have to use the soy sauce to season your roll. I have no yet tasted anything on their regular menu but from talking to a couple regulars as i was eating my sushi i was told that it is the best Japanese cuisine in the northeast. Good food in northeast Philadelphia is hard to come by so i am hoping i stumbled upon a jem. So all i can really recommend is the sushi but it is something i highly recommend.
(4)Amy L.
I been looking for a fairly good sushi restaurant around my house for awhile so I was happy my friend introduced me to this place. The tuna pizza is a must try along with the baked mussels. The sushi rolls can be order in five or ten pieces and as always my friends and I went overboard. I recommend that you order five piece rolls at a time or you might end up like us having way too much food on the table. The restaurant decor is obviously IKEA but it was modern when you walk in. The service was fairly quick. I would definitely recommend this place for a quick sushi fix craving.
(3)Hieu P.
I dunno, I skipped on the sushi and went straight to the hibachi portion of the restaurant. The servers were nice [this says a lot, I've come to expect utter shit when it comes to service at Asian restaurants], but the wait was LONG. I was going to catch a flick around the corner after dinner, and I remember looking at my watch constantly as the time drew near. On the verge of leaving after waiting 15-20 minutes, our hibachi cook finally arrived. And he made up for it in spades. The guy was super energetic and really having fun, and his whip skills with the spatula and knife was the best I'd ever seen up to this point. With a dozen or so hibachi places under my belt, it's a decent sample size to draw from in this comparison. Every bit of cucumber he threw at us was on point and right into our mouths, not a single on missed. Laugh at the exhibition, I enjoyed it thoroughly. We got the steak, shrimp, chicken, and filet, and save for the shrimp being a bit stringy and odd, the rest of the food was amazing. Ordered medium rare and it came beautifully seasoned and delicious, and the filet and chicken were on point as well. I'll appoint the rice as equally delicious in its place and worked perfectly in conjunction with the primary meal. What was most awesome about the whole meal? He squeezed a good 80% of the saki directly down my throat from his little bottle, about half of which came before getting any food. Yeah, it's a goddamn spectacle when they throw food at you and pour saki down your gizzard, but it's a great time and I was buzzing hard before even getting my meal.
(4)Dmitry I.
Food and service were good, but the room is next to the kitchen and there were few dirty boxes or baskets right in the room near the kitchen door literally two steps from the table.
(4)Lena C.
I ordered the Pad Thai with Shrimp to go. It was a decent and satisfying lunch. But for $10, I probably would only order this dish once in a while.
(3)Jason J.
I love this place, friendly staff, the food is good, service was quick whenever I was here and the cooks are pretty funny....can be a bit pricy though.
(4)Ben V.
Yeah, once again, for NE Philly its great sushi. For Florida or California, this place is no better than sushi from Pathmark, or dare I even say ACME? A fail unless you're stranded for good in this wasteland. Adieu and never again.
(2)Josh M.
This place is nice and clean, and their fish is as fresh as it gets for the area. I absolutely love their fancy rolls. It's a little pricey compared to others, but the atmosphere is nice, the wait staff is great, the food presentation is flawless, and the cocktails from the bar are great. I'll be back for sure, probably on a monthly basis. :)
(4)Sarah J.
I dont think i ever tried anything from here that i did not love! the sushi is amazing and so is their Hibachi !! My favorite rolls are Philadelphia roll, Lobster Dynamite, Sweet Potatoe Tempura, NY roll, Boston roll, Spicy tuna and California roll. I will be trying more varities in the future too. Most meals come with a salad and miso soup wich is by far my favorite soup! The atmosphere is nice and romantic, its BYOB as well so you cant beat that. Price wise it is more than some sushi resturants in the area but not by far. I think its worth every penny for fresh, good quality food especially sushi when some is raw. I cannot wait to go back !!
(5)Yo J.
good sushi but poorly made. everything was falling off and I use chopsticks all my life and have been eating sushi for years.
(2)Michael G.
Overpriced (for what and where it is), below average sushi. This place was "ok" for the first few months after they opened, but the quality has gone down dramatically since then. Not coming back.
(2)Daniel T.
Consistent with quality of sushi. Has an awesome lunch special.
(5)Anyi L.
There's nothing I hate about tokai except for their service. Everything is always fresh when I visit and the environment is calming. But their service may be one of the reasons I won't go back again. My boyfriend and I will often go to tokai due to the freshness of their fish. But after many incidents where the servers will purposely ignore us when we call for their attention. It literally took us 20 minutes to get the check on several occasions. I know they clearly see us waving our hand, especially when the sushi area is obviously not that big. I would give more stars if their service was better. By better I mean, hire all new servers.
(3)Arseny R.
Overpriced and underfished. The place still has the feel of chinese restaurant.
(2)Veronica M.
Best place in town for sushi!!!! Enough said! :-)
(5)Ronald m R.
We had a wonderful experience. Decided to do the Hibachi. Service was excellent. Cook/entertainment was great. Food was delicious. I did the steak and shrimp. Wifie did the scallops and shrimp. Hibachi meals come with clear soup, salad, fried rice, vegetables, and delicious dipping sauces for the main course. I treated myself to a Saporo and hot tea. Started off with a octopus and cucumber sushi roll. Everything was really good. No complaints.
(4)Lisa S.
Best sushi anywhere. Made me into a sushi snob. Better than places in bucks county and Philadelphia center city. Jay - owner and sushi chef is true artist.
(5)Celic M.
When it first opened, I was here on several occasions and enjoyed it, so much so that I told my friends to go this place. The last time I went with my friend, I found a hair in my sushi roll and I told my waitress. We were seated in the booth where we can see the kitchen door directly straight from our seats. She looked at me and said there was no hair (without looking at the roll); I told her to look at it and she did and gave me an attitude, and took the roll to the kitchen - which would not have been odd, if it weren't for the fact that she came right back out with the same plate a minute later and came to our table. ONLY THING DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS PLATE WAS THAT THE HAIR WAS TAKEN OFF. I was astonished!! I told her that I would not eat it and that I would like to speak to the manager. The manager came and told me that I was wrong and that it was my hair and that they should not have to make it again. They did, but they DID NOT TAKE IT OFF THE BILL.
(1)Chris N.
Everything is excellent. The Kobe appetizer is phenomenal, the kani salad is excellent, and the service goes beyond the extra mile.
(5)B M.
The majority of my family lives out in Huntingdon Valley and the Northeast, so we frequent To-kai for a lot of birthdays. We love this place. I've been here approximately 7 or 8 times, and I have had great service and very decent sushi each time. I live in center city, and I can honestly say that this sushi is much better than MANY of the sushi places in the city. I'm a huge sushi fan and typically order all sushi, but the some of my family members love their entrees. The ambiance is nice, and the restaurant is spacious and very accommodating for larger groups. I would definitely recommend To-Kai.
(4)Autumn B.
The sushi is very good... but it's really hard to find bad sushi. I sat in the hibachi part of the place. Loud noises! it was someone's birthday so there were strobe lights and dance music blasting.... anyway, the food is good, if you dont feel like going somewhere too nice for sushi.
(3)Carla H.
Ive going to go ahead and be "that" person, but I am not a fan. my rolls were mushy and fell apart and my sushi rice was dry. Maybe it was just a bad day, but I will not be back. And it is verrrrrry expensive!
(2)patrick k.
. I live in South Philly, but work in the Northeast and let me tell you this place has the Best Sushi in the whole city. They just recently opened a huge hibachi section as well. Haven't tried it but I'm sure it rules. If you live in the Northeast and you like Japanese food this will quickly become your favorite place to eat. And if you live anywhere else and you don't mind driving, this is a surprising gem in the most unlikely of spots.
(5)Alex M.
I used to drop $50 a pop before they had all the steak house etc and turned their noses up. What did them in for me was one day when I walked in shorts and a sleeveless and they looked at me like I was homeless. They asked me can I help you? I come into a restaurant, what can you possibly help me with except that I want to sit down and eat? I made my order to a waitress, she didn't know what I was ordering, she made point it out on the menu, said some nonsense I didn't understand, and this went on for 30 seconds, at which point I got angry, ordered some basic whatever just to get my lunch in and left. While the suits and ties ordered $10 meals and smiled for 2 hours, I spent $100's in that place and left 20% tips..so now they get to love it..and remember what a good customer I was..but the thing is..they are too proud to even think on that level, so they can keep their nonsense to themselves, peace.
(1)Lorraine G.
This place has the best sashimi and sashimi rolls! Everything is fresh, cut properly. Their fresh wasabi is unlike anything elsewhere-delicious! We come here from center city, because their sashimi is better than what we've had down here-prices are also better than we've had here. We either get the sashimi deluxe which is served on crushed ice or the sashimi rolls......don't listen to the negative reviewers. This place is great!
(5)yan c.
i am Not sure what these people are talking about. We just been there for my daughter's birthday, and beside us, there's only 2 other party there, and they all done already when we sit down. the service is slow, and the price is fair, but the hibachi chef is not good at all. he kind of burn the egg, and make the fried rice taste bitter and salty. we have 6 people, so we order chicken, shrimp, lobster, Chilean sea bass, steak, and fillet magnon. The only thing that come out good is the steak and fillet. The lobster has no tasty, and undercook, and fish has no tasty, and chicken is little overcook. the shrimp is okay. As for show, h
(2)demetrios s.
their lunch specials are great. 3 rolls for $11. the bento box is great too. the look the decor and seating are top notch. i am happy to have such a place in the northeast and not overpriced center city.
(5)lisa l.
This place needs to be avoided..my friend and I went there Friday night for dinner to check out the place... Upon arriving we were seated in a dark dingy booth near the front entrance with old food under the booth not picked up ... The menus the servers gave us were greasy and unorganized... We were not happy as the place did not look clean... Even with all that as I read the good reviews we were going to try the food out... the whole time we were seated there was a SCREAMING infant in the isle next to ours... I asked the server what are the parents going to do to try to quiet their child.. He laughed and did not answer.. 5 minutes later after the non stop screaming I again asked the server is this the way we are going to eat out meals?? Why is there no one able to stop the baby from crying?? the server then said that they were almost done their food so maybe they will leave soon... at this point my friendt and I left and went to one of the other Japanese restaurants on Street Road in Bensalem.. this was a longer drive for us , but well worth the piece of mind .. This other place (shogun) was not the best food I ever ate, but the place was clean and not as noisy even with at least 50 more diners eating dinner near us...(no screaming infants) I will not return to To-Kai , as there are many other better restaurants to spend my time and money...
(1)DaFree R.
We visited To Kai twice. The first time we were blown away. The second time it was merely alright. I think consistency is a sign of a great restaurant. These guys still have to work on it, but there's a promise. The rolls are innovative, but their names are annoying (BMW roll, Lexus roll). I kept wanting to ask where's the Audi and Mercedes rolls. I would give them another chance.
(3)Christian S.
For me leaving a bad review is very rare, in fact this is the only bad review i have ever left. To start i come from brooklyn and have lots of experience with sushi. So the first thing we ordered were appetizers: me and my gf ordered the hajiki salad and tuna pizza. The hajiki salad was horrible it had soggy lettuce and fish skin which made me gag in fact it was so bad we sent it back (ive never sent anything back in my life). The tuna pizza was decent but had barely any tuna and would of been better if they added avacado, but they are too cheap to do that. Next we ordered sushi which was warm, moist, mushy and fishy. I advise no one to waste there money here. This place is extremely expensive. You can get cheaper sushi in the city. Also not to mention even though i sent back the salad, they still charged me for it. If you ever catch yourself in this place i advise you get the hibachi its the only decent thing on the menu.
(1)Michael F.
I am far from a sushi expert, but even I know there is better out there... even in NE Philly! Oh and their prices certainly won't draw you in. Yes, they have hibachi. Unfortunately, they don't exactly put on much of a show. What can I say, I was either spoiled by some great hibachi chefs or just have high minimum standards. Other than offering chilean sea bass, there isn't much I can hype up about their hibachi. On the bright side, service was above average. I was here for a congratulations party for a co-worker getting promoted. We probably had 12 people and they gave us a hibachi table (two grills) to ourselves. They offered suggestions, helped us pass around our apps, and allowed us to eat sushi in the hibachi section. They were attentive without being annoying. If their food matched the service, we'd be talking a 4 or 5-star review.
(2)Oscar M.
It's my favorite Sushi restaurant, hands down! I go there at least once a week, and have become familiar with the service staff and chefs. Their delectable fresh sushi rolls and sashimi are exceptionally prepared dishes that show a high degree of finesse and attention to detail. I have also enjoyed their beef and seafood dishes. The friendly service and restaurant ambiance make this place a perfect spot for lunch or dinner. A good sign of a great Sushi place is the crowd that is willing to wait for a table. Usually, there are people at the entrance waiting for a table during the evenings I've eaten there. If the Sushi isn't really good and the service really poor, a place like this wouldn't have survived as it has. It looks to me that they're not going out of business anytime soon! As a return customer, I can say there hasn't been a day I've left disappointed at the service or food. This is my kind of place. I recommend it!
(5)Michael M.
Our go-to hibachi place near Lower Moreland Township, fresh food and entertaining chefs, which is what hibachi is all about. Enjoy a Belly Roll, my favorite signature roll as an appetizer. The staff is friendly, and get there early as it will get busy.
(4)Janice R.
This place is about 5 mins away from me. I went here for my birthday. The food is awesome and the staff is nice. Since we were celebrating my birthday I got a plate of ice cream that came with a flower candle. It lights up and had the birthday song, coolest candle I've ever seen. I come here often cause my three year old loves it. I also do occasional take out and they deliver !
(5)Slava B.
The absolute best sushi place in Philadelphia! Have tried most of the spots in the Philadelphia and suburb area and To Kai no doubt beats all of those places! I have been coming here for years now and the staff and the food hasn't disappointed once! They truly have the friendliest staff and most importantly the most delicious and freshest sushi! The head chef, Jay, even came to my house to cater a party and prepare all the sushi and sashimi right in front of my guest! This is truly a top notch place! A must go if you haven't been!
(5)Lady B.
Considering that it's located in a strip mall in NE Philly, To-Kai exceeded my expectations. Specialty rolls are kind of expensive but for $15, you can get a sushi combo with 3 simple rolls, miso soup + salad. Service was great and pours were large!
(4)Helen Z.
I decided to give this place a try despite the mixed reviews. I'm so glad I did! Who knew that good food actually exists in NE Philly?! We tried 3 rolls, the kani salad, and the chicken udon. Everything we had was delicious. The sushi was really fresh and the udon was super flavorful. The modern decor and dim lighting was also a nice surprise. The staff was friendly and attentive. I am definitely coming back!
(4)Nina G.
Love this place !
(5)Brian P.
TO-Kai is convenient to people who live close by making mediocre at best Chinese food. Their sushi is a waste of life. It's a joke. Try somewhere else for that. The delivery I got 2 weeks ago was late, soggy and disgusting. I don't like when people deliver chinese food in a styrofoam container. It makes everything sweat and turn soggy. This place is lame.
(2)Annie S.
The best sushi in North East of Philadelphia. Sushimi Deluxe or sushimi rolls are the best choice there. The restaurant is quite a bit of expensive. I like to eat there but no more than once a week.
(4)Bea C.
Pretty expensive for no reason when it comes to the sushi. They should def start to re-price and also elect a 50% off menu in order to stay competitive in the area. Better to go down to Verree and Red Lion for Wasabi if anything.
(2)Tara W.
Can't say this place isn't to bad. tried a few of the signature and was pleased. the portion size is average. Did a pick up and the food was ready when I arrived.
(3)Dmitry I.
Food and service were good, but the room is next to the kitchen and there were few dirty boxes or baskets right in the room near the kitchen door literally two steps from the table.
(4)Lena C.
I ordered the Pad Thai with Shrimp to go. It was a decent and satisfying lunch. But for $10, I probably would only order this dish once in a while.
(3)Jason J.
I love this place, friendly staff, the food is good, service was quick whenever I was here and the cooks are pretty funny....can be a bit pricy though.
(4)Ben V.
Yeah, once again, for NE Philly its great sushi. For Florida or California, this place is no better than sushi from Pathmark, or dare I even say ACME? A fail unless you're stranded for good in this wasteland. Adieu and never again.
(2)Kayte J.
(3/5 Because they serve fresh wasabi root.) I will be the outlier and the write about my horrible experience because these do happen in restaurants that get good reviews. Here's the break down: First off, my server was taking care of private party in the back room and I suppose had picked up our table which was in the front dining room. Our table was right beside the servers station and even though we made the body language cues to every member of the staff (including standing up and signaling that we need help) we were repeatedly ignored! I have worked in the service industry too long to look past these things. Secondly, they ran out of Salmon, which was in 2 of our 4 dishes. How do you run out of the most common raw fish in a sushi bar on a thursday night?!! Instead of running the rood that didn't have salmon in it, it sat in the window of the sushi bar for 25 minutes (we were staring at it) and was warm upon arriving to our table. Our server took another 20 minutes to take our order again for replacement rolls and then forgot to bring us the real wasabi that we had to remind him of multiple times. Real Wasabi is the only reason to go to Tokai. It's not that terrible processed horseradish + green food coloring but rather a nose burning chopped wasabi root. So good! So fresh! Multi-dimensional taste. Thirdly, Our water glasses were perpetually empty and our dirty dishes were never prebussed from the table. The jalepeno yellowtail sashimi was the only aspect of the evening that I enjoyed but it was over priced for what it was. I suppose they have to pay for those billboards around downtown Philadelphia. Our server apologized at the end of the meal but it would have been better had he done so while we were waiting for food. We left an uncharacteristly terrible tip and didn't say goodbye. No regrets.
(3)Alyssa C.
Nice staff, reasonable tasting food, bland seafood. The show you get is good, they have nice birthday set up as long as you tell them you are celebrating.
(3)Donna M.
We took a girlfriend here for a birthday dinner last Saturday and were VERY pleased with the experience. My review would really be somewhere between a 4 and 5 stars my only complaints being that my salad was overdressed and the soup was nothing more than a clear broth with a few mushrooms dropped in for color. But the hibachi experience was SO much fun. Our chef was excellent and my steak was cooked perfectly. Overall service was excellent and they gave the birthday girl a very nice surprise and a picture as a keepsake. We dined early and there was no wait but by the time we left, there was a real crowd waiting to be seated. I live 5 minutes from a different hibachi spot but I'll be returning to this one the next time we plan a group dinner.
(4)Josh M.
This place is nice and clean, and their fish is as fresh as it gets for the area. I absolutely love their fancy rolls. It's a little pricey compared to others, but the atmosphere is nice, the wait staff is great, the food presentation is flawless, and the cocktails from the bar are great. I'll be back for sure, probably on a monthly basis. :)
(4)Josh J.
Food was fantastic! Go with a group and save some cash. $100.60 for 5 entrees, 4 fountain sodas, 2 beers, soup, salad, and ice cream. Are you kidding me? Whoever said this place was very expensive must be very poor. If To-Kai was sitting out in the suburbs, I'd easily expect to pay double what we paid last night. I don't do sushi, so I can't speak to that, but the Hibachi-style grill was amazing! When he spun the eggs around with the spatula, I could not believe my eyes. I recommend the steak and shrimp, but my friends all said the salmon was fantastic, as well. Also, the next table had a birthday celebration. Let me just say that they go above and beyond a few waitresses mumbling "happy, happy birthday from all of us to you." Looks like nothing special from the outside (it's in a strip mall/ shopping plaza) but inside it was very nice. Highly recommend - I will return soon!
(5)Mama O.
Generous portions for a hibachi place. Yummy food! Great filet & shrimp. Good sushi. Large wine servings. Fun atmosphere especially for a group! Impressed for a little Hibachi place in a strip mall... I would recommend this place if you're looking for a dinner night out in the Northeast.
(4)Rethna E.
Definitely a gem in the Northeast Philly eating scene! I love their presentation and have always had really great service here. Will definitely come back! Try their pineapple fried rice! Love their rolls too!
(4)Igor L.
This update is long overdue, so here goes. To-Kia borrows heavily from what seems to be the contemporary highbrow Japanese restaurants motif that other local gems follow. Much like Morimoto's or POD, To-Kia fancies a serene aesthetic and avant-garde cuisine that stops just short from scaring off the locals. Not an easy angle to play, if you ask this Yelper. Yet, I must admit, the place comes of sharp, sleek, minimalist and though I hate to use this term "zen-like." And perhaps most importantly this place does all this without Steven Starr's bucks to throw around. Just view the shots I snapped while scampering about the place. The place is also stocked with polite little Asian woman working front of house, whose ages I can scantly guess. Each of which are quicker at their jobs and more mannerly then the prior. While back of house seems to be run by menfolk, cutting sushi and sushimi at the sushi bar and manning the grill in back. (Don't forget to tip them too.) As for the food, its presentation and freshness is striking. With rotating specials such as live scallop, Hamachi - Kama , and, I believe, even Blue Fin Tuna this place is second to none. While there sampled: Extra Spicy Sashimi Salad tuna, a mixture of salmon, yellow-tail,seaweed, spices and masago, Seared Strip Bass with foie gras sushi w/ Fuji Apple as well as large variety plate of Sushimi. All of which ranked high on my delic-o-meter and each marine morsel was so tender I wept secretly just a bit. My dining companions also let me taste their turf dishes. I was less impressed on this end of the menu, I felt both the Beef Bulgogi and Katsu were middle of the road on the whole primarily because the meat was a bit tough though flavorful. The yakitori, however, was pretty good. I have hope that the air-sucking end of the menu will improve since the restaurant seems to have purchased an neighboring lot to create a hibachi. But I am even satisfied with things as is.
(5)Timothy M.
Sake Sake Sake Sake Two things in life that were made to go together are sake and sushi. This place has both. I have been to this place twice and i am a huge fan of the place. On both occasions i had the same waiter and as soon as i walked in the door which was about a month apart from the last time i was there, she recognized me right away and i got a nice seat right at the bar. Withing a minute of sitting down she already had the same bottle of sake i had last time ready for me. The atmosphere from the outside reminds me of a fast food Chinese restaurant but when you walk in it is completely different. Dim lighting and very nice oriental decor really make the place feel comfortable. Within the place they have a sushi bar and a hibachi grill if your in the mood for some fun. On to the sushi. It is fantastic. Really well seasoned rice and very fresh fish bring a smile to my face with each bite. You know its good sushi when you don't even have to use the soy sauce to season your roll. I have no yet tasted anything on their regular menu but from talking to a couple regulars as i was eating my sushi i was told that it is the best Japanese cuisine in the northeast. Good food in northeast Philadelphia is hard to come by so i am hoping i stumbled upon a jem. So all i can really recommend is the sushi but it is something i highly recommend.
(4)Amy L.
I been looking for a fairly good sushi restaurant around my house for awhile so I was happy my friend introduced me to this place. The tuna pizza is a must try along with the baked mussels. The sushi rolls can be order in five or ten pieces and as always my friends and I went overboard. I recommend that you order five piece rolls at a time or you might end up like us having way too much food on the table. The restaurant decor is obviously IKEA but it was modern when you walk in. The service was fairly quick. I would definitely recommend this place for a quick sushi fix craving.
(3)Hieu P.
I dunno, I skipped on the sushi and went straight to the hibachi portion of the restaurant. The servers were nice [this says a lot, I've come to expect utter shit when it comes to service at Asian restaurants], but the wait was LONG. I was going to catch a flick around the corner after dinner, and I remember looking at my watch constantly as the time drew near. On the verge of leaving after waiting 15-20 minutes, our hibachi cook finally arrived. And he made up for it in spades. The guy was super energetic and really having fun, and his whip skills with the spatula and knife was the best I'd ever seen up to this point. With a dozen or so hibachi places under my belt, it's a decent sample size to draw from in this comparison. Every bit of cucumber he threw at us was on point and right into our mouths, not a single on missed. Laugh at the exhibition, I enjoyed it thoroughly. We got the steak, shrimp, chicken, and filet, and save for the shrimp being a bit stringy and odd, the rest of the food was amazing. Ordered medium rare and it came beautifully seasoned and delicious, and the filet and chicken were on point as well. I'll appoint the rice as equally delicious in its place and worked perfectly in conjunction with the primary meal. What was most awesome about the whole meal? He squeezed a good 80% of the saki directly down my throat from his little bottle, about half of which came before getting any food. Yeah, it's a goddamn spectacle when they throw food at you and pour saki down your gizzard, but it's a great time and I was buzzing hard before even getting my meal.
(4)Sarah J.
I dont think i ever tried anything from here that i did not love! the sushi is amazing and so is their Hibachi !! My favorite rolls are Philadelphia roll, Lobster Dynamite, Sweet Potatoe Tempura, NY roll, Boston roll, Spicy tuna and California roll. I will be trying more varities in the future too. Most meals come with a salad and miso soup wich is by far my favorite soup! The atmosphere is nice and romantic, its BYOB as well so you cant beat that. Price wise it is more than some sushi resturants in the area but not by far. I think its worth every penny for fresh, good quality food especially sushi when some is raw. I cannot wait to go back !!
(5)Yo J.
good sushi but poorly made. everything was falling off and I use chopsticks all my life and have been eating sushi for years.
(2)Michael G.
Overpriced (for what and where it is), below average sushi. This place was "ok" for the first few months after they opened, but the quality has gone down dramatically since then. Not coming back.
(2)Daniel T.
Consistent with quality of sushi. Has an awesome lunch special.
(5)Anyi L.
There's nothing I hate about tokai except for their service. Everything is always fresh when I visit and the environment is calming. But their service may be one of the reasons I won't go back again. My boyfriend and I will often go to tokai due to the freshness of their fish. But after many incidents where the servers will purposely ignore us when we call for their attention. It literally took us 20 minutes to get the check on several occasions. I know they clearly see us waving our hand, especially when the sushi area is obviously not that big. I would give more stars if their service was better. By better I mean, hire all new servers.
(3)Arseny R.
Overpriced and underfished. The place still has the feel of chinese restaurant.
(2)Veronica M.
Best place in town for sushi!!!! Enough said! :-)
(5)Ronald m R.
We had a wonderful experience. Decided to do the Hibachi. Service was excellent. Cook/entertainment was great. Food was delicious. I did the steak and shrimp. Wifie did the scallops and shrimp. Hibachi meals come with clear soup, salad, fried rice, vegetables, and delicious dipping sauces for the main course. I treated myself to a Saporo and hot tea. Started off with a octopus and cucumber sushi roll. Everything was really good. No complaints.
(4)Lisa S.
Best sushi anywhere. Made me into a sushi snob. Better than places in bucks county and Philadelphia center city. Jay - owner and sushi chef is true artist.
(5)Celic M.
When it first opened, I was here on several occasions and enjoyed it, so much so that I told my friends to go this place. The last time I went with my friend, I found a hair in my sushi roll and I told my waitress. We were seated in the booth where we can see the kitchen door directly straight from our seats. She looked at me and said there was no hair (without looking at the roll); I told her to look at it and she did and gave me an attitude, and took the roll to the kitchen - which would not have been odd, if it weren't for the fact that she came right back out with the same plate a minute later and came to our table. ONLY THING DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS PLATE WAS THAT THE HAIR WAS TAKEN OFF. I was astonished!! I told her that I would not eat it and that I would like to speak to the manager. The manager came and told me that I was wrong and that it was my hair and that they should not have to make it again. They did, but they DID NOT TAKE IT OFF THE BILL.
(1)Chris N.
Everything is excellent. The Kobe appetizer is phenomenal, the kani salad is excellent, and the service goes beyond the extra mile.
(5)B M.
The majority of my family lives out in Huntingdon Valley and the Northeast, so we frequent To-kai for a lot of birthdays. We love this place. I've been here approximately 7 or 8 times, and I have had great service and very decent sushi each time. I live in center city, and I can honestly say that this sushi is much better than MANY of the sushi places in the city. I'm a huge sushi fan and typically order all sushi, but the some of my family members love their entrees. The ambiance is nice, and the restaurant is spacious and very accommodating for larger groups. I would definitely recommend To-Kai.
(4)Autumn B.
The sushi is very good... but it's really hard to find bad sushi. I sat in the hibachi part of the place. Loud noises! it was someone's birthday so there were strobe lights and dance music blasting.... anyway, the food is good, if you dont feel like going somewhere too nice for sushi.
(3)Carla H.
Ive going to go ahead and be "that" person, but I am not a fan. my rolls were mushy and fell apart and my sushi rice was dry. Maybe it was just a bad day, but I will not be back. And it is verrrrrry expensive!
(2)patrick k.
. I live in South Philly, but work in the Northeast and let me tell you this place has the Best Sushi in the whole city. They just recently opened a huge hibachi section as well. Haven't tried it but I'm sure it rules. If you live in the Northeast and you like Japanese food this will quickly become your favorite place to eat. And if you live anywhere else and you don't mind driving, this is a surprising gem in the most unlikely of spots.
(5)Alex M.
I used to drop $50 a pop before they had all the steak house etc and turned their noses up. What did them in for me was one day when I walked in shorts and a sleeveless and they looked at me like I was homeless. They asked me can I help you? I come into a restaurant, what can you possibly help me with except that I want to sit down and eat? I made my order to a waitress, she didn't know what I was ordering, she made point it out on the menu, said some nonsense I didn't understand, and this went on for 30 seconds, at which point I got angry, ordered some basic whatever just to get my lunch in and left. While the suits and ties ordered $10 meals and smiled for 2 hours, I spent $100's in that place and left 20% tips..so now they get to love it..and remember what a good customer I was..but the thing is..they are too proud to even think on that level, so they can keep their nonsense to themselves, peace.
(1)Lorraine G.
This place has the best sashimi and sashimi rolls! Everything is fresh, cut properly. Their fresh wasabi is unlike anything elsewhere-delicious! We come here from center city, because their sashimi is better than what we've had down here-prices are also better than we've had here. We either get the sashimi deluxe which is served on crushed ice or the sashimi rolls......don't listen to the negative reviewers. This place is great!
(5)yan c.
i am Not sure what these people are talking about. We just been there for my daughter's birthday, and beside us, there's only 2 other party there, and they all done already when we sit down. the service is slow, and the price is fair, but the hibachi chef is not good at all. he kind of burn the egg, and make the fried rice taste bitter and salty. we have 6 people, so we order chicken, shrimp, lobster, Chilean sea bass, steak, and fillet magnon. The only thing that come out good is the steak and fillet. The lobster has no tasty, and undercook, and fish has no tasty, and chicken is little overcook. the shrimp is okay. As for show, h
(2)demetrios s.
their lunch specials are great. 3 rolls for $11. the bento box is great too. the look the decor and seating are top notch. i am happy to have such a place in the northeast and not overpriced center city.
(5)lisa l.
This place needs to be avoided..my friend and I went there Friday night for dinner to check out the place... Upon arriving we were seated in a dark dingy booth near the front entrance with old food under the booth not picked up ... The menus the servers gave us were greasy and unorganized... We were not happy as the place did not look clean... Even with all that as I read the good reviews we were going to try the food out... the whole time we were seated there was a SCREAMING infant in the isle next to ours... I asked the server what are the parents going to do to try to quiet their child.. He laughed and did not answer.. 5 minutes later after the non stop screaming I again asked the server is this the way we are going to eat out meals?? Why is there no one able to stop the baby from crying?? the server then said that they were almost done their food so maybe they will leave soon... at this point my friendt and I left and went to one of the other Japanese restaurants on Street Road in Bensalem.. this was a longer drive for us , but well worth the piece of mind .. This other place (shogun) was not the best food I ever ate, but the place was clean and not as noisy even with at least 50 more diners eating dinner near us...(no screaming infants) I will not return to To-Kai , as there are many other better restaurants to spend my time and money...
(1)DaFree R.
We visited To Kai twice. The first time we were blown away. The second time it was merely alright. I think consistency is a sign of a great restaurant. These guys still have to work on it, but there's a promise. The rolls are innovative, but their names are annoying (BMW roll, Lexus roll). I kept wanting to ask where's the Audi and Mercedes rolls. I would give them another chance.
(3)Christina V.
I love to-kai. Like seriously love. I know its northeast Philly and its in a strip mall. Not even a good one. But love is love. I adore their sashimi rolls. They have no rice so they are a bit messy but they are so great. I was just here for a visit and got the Russian Sashimi Roll (Tuna wrapped spicy tuna, salmon & cucumber with tuna, salmon, eel on top) and the Russian Dream roll (Tuna, salmon, cucumber, & spicy sauce with tuna, salmon, and eel on top). Both rolls are 100% raw, no deep frying, no torching, just delicious fish. Perfection. Note: this place has a full bar but is also a BYOB- I rather enjoy having the option to bring or order. There is a $5.00 corking fee though so keep that in mind. I don't think I've ever had a bad roll here. Would love if they opened a location in center city....preferably in my living room.
(4)Olena S.
Amazingly tasty sushi/hibachi place in North East. Everything else in our area is just not even close to their standards. You just have to read the menu (just like in every other restaurant) and order staff that you like, and have the idea what it's gonna be). Its a little oldy n weirdly designed place, but its always clean, and people, especially at hibachi tables, are very very friendly! Most of the times it's busy, so if its special occasion and more then 4 people, better to make a reservation at least couple days in advance to give them a shot and to discuss the menu. We always call 1 hour before we come in, so we will get a table right away, as we have hibachi, and there is not that much seating, especially if its rush hour or weekend. They sometimes advise to come in 20 min early or 20 min later. I lived around the corner and it works for me! It's north east philadelphia. Sometimes you might get a not comfy table, sometimes(rarely) you can get a little busy server and will wait couple extra minutes. Sometimes you can get a screaming drunk soviet people celebrating something next to you. But it is a small casual restaurant!! Check the menu, they have it online. It is very very reasonably priced. The items that are very cheep are not gonna be the best sushi you ever had - there are rolls for 4-9$. (the 10$ tokai roll is ok with me), for really good ones you will have to pay near 18-20$. Seasonally, they have specials and my favorite raw oysters are one of specials. I usually not post anything, and as I work in a restaurant I do not even go to the restaurants that much, but To-Kai for me is a great place to go, as I love raw fish and raw veggies, and my husband is crazy about hibachi. Its family friendly and children, teens will enjoy hibachi show, too:) So far I tried Tataki and its great, most of the special rolls page, and all of the Hibachi dinners and combinations available, as well like all the soups. Rice for hibachi are so delish that you just can not stop eating it! Soups and noodles are good too, even complimentary ones. Friends love their Japanese beer. We never had dessert so can not share:) But I feel I always have a good experience, every time I go.
(5)Jane P.
I love this place. They always go above and beyond to make sure everything is good. Very attentive, entertaining and food is delicious. My kids love it here even though we've seen the hibachi show 20 times. A birthday dinner favorite!!
(5)Daniel H.
This was a decent meal. I was more happy with the appeptizer and the cocktails than the actual meal. I have a zombie cocktail which was kinda sweet but tasty and had a kick, it was a mix of light and dark rums I believe. I think the choice of food makes me give the place 3/4 stars. I ordered a sashimi roll which is like a sushi roll without rice. It is not something I would order again. We did enjoy our appetizer which was a scallop roll.
(3)Mike Z.
I have been coming here for years and its one of the top 3 sushi places in the northeast area. First of all the fish is very fresh and its good quality. The menu is split into 2 parts; regular and special.... You can have regular sushi for a very fair price.... For lunch they have a special : 3 rolls, soup and salad for $11.99 which is a great deal. The other part of the menu is very high end... Very good special rolls but premium priced. My favorite is the special spicy tuna roll mostly because it has fish, sea weed, and no rice. The menu is filled with pictures and all kinds of great selections. They also have a hibachi and a back room for large parties. They have a bar and allow BYOB for a cork fee. Great service too! I will keep coming back.
(5)Jess J.
Always a good time... Good food, good show and good service! This is my go to Hibachi place. It never disappoints. On this particular visit with my girls we were accompanied with my mom and my sister who had never been to a Hibachi. We assured them they would enjoy themselves, and that they did. We went rather early and the 5 of us were seated right away. Parties of 5 or more can order from the Haibchi party menu for a reduce rate. The more people the less per entree. This include soup, salad, combination of meat or a single selection, fried rice, vegetables, two shrimp, and a drink. We opted for this option. I ordered the Steak (medium) and Salmon. Let the show begin. Our chef was extremely animated. He sang, did tricks, and gave me lots of Saki.. My kind of guy. He even had baby saki in a little bottle for the kids He cooked our meal to perfection. Regardless of what i order it's good, down to the rice.. their fried rice is so good, I love it! My steak was done medium, very tender, the kids done Medium-well and my mom's well done, he gave her a piece prior to taking it all off to make sure she was satisfied with it. The Salmon and Shrimp were fresh and delicious. Of course no one could finish their meals it's always an abundance of food regardless of how hungry you are. So we wrapped it up. This was the first visit that I tried their dessert. My mom and I split the fried banana... cause how could I pass up tempura banana.. it came with ice cream, my mom made the selection for the green tea. My sister and daughter split fried vanilla ice cream, and my other daughter had a regular scoop of ice cream. When the desserts came out, the presentation was more than I expected even the ice cream scoop was a sight to see. It was delicious also. All in all a great visit. Oh and the bathroom is nice, single stall and always clean. Also it is a BYOB, a cork fee applies. They also sell great drinks, I love the Blue Hawaii! The reason I couldn't give a 5 star rating, while it did not happen on this visit it has happened in the past, double check your bill.. while drinks are included sometimes it appears on your bill. All in all a great visit, mom and sister loved the experience!
(4)Ancy T.
Great service. I make large orders for work all the time and they are nice enough to label everything to make it a quick and easy distribution back at the office. I've tried a few different rolls and I've liked them all so far. I'm interested in trying the non sushi items on the menu as I've heard the teriyaki chicken and shrimp are both really good. Definitely not the best sushi I've ever had, but it does the job and satisfies the hunger so I'm down with it. The Shumai shrimp dumplings are also delicious as I haven't had them at any other Japanese restaurant I've been to so these were new to me and will definitely be ordered again. This place is becoming a once a week spot for me, and I'm not mad about it.
(3)Jonathan R.
The sushi here is awesome!!! I suggest trying the California sushi box and the Avocado blossom!!!
(5)Elena R.
Love it here! Never had a bad experience :) great martini & drink menu selections also!
(4)Michael G.
This Sushi and Hibachi restaurant was recommended by the Hotel. Turned out to be fantastic. High end sushi, great selection, all of the "off the menu" choices you would expect to have at a good sushi place. They have 4 different types of Wasabi, and their soup is amazing. Definitely will return.
(5)Felicia C.
This place has been redone inside and it looks great! The food is also very good. I love the Bento boxes because they let you have some of everything: a main entree (I love the beef negimaki), sushi, dumplings, tempura (a large serving with two shrimp, a broccoli, a sweet potato, two onion rings, and a taro) rice, vegetables, even an orange for dessert! It's also nice that To-Kai has a full bar with creative mixed drinks. My only complaint is that because of the very modern, Japanese sensibility in the decor, the restaurant is not warm or cozy like some other local Asian restaurants that I frequent (White Elephant, Colonial Quy Bau, Rasavat.)
(4)steve e.
Can't improve on the sashimi bustleton & Russian rolls..10 piece and a real feast-just get ready for a $50'lunch . Why pay $20 to park in town?
(4)Jaison K.
Been here a handful of times. It was very good when it first opened. Their quality has gone down since. It Is still the best sushi place in the Northeast. All their special rolls are delicious. Their service is excellent. They have the best lunch selection in the area and excellent to entertain clients.
(4)Heidi L.
Note to hiring manager: It would be a good idea to hire a person that answers the phone who knows what your most popular sushi rolls and other dishes are. She should also never say that she has no idea about sushi because she doesn't like sushi. Not exactly good for sales and business.
(2)Elliot P.
This place continues to improve. I've been here a bunch of times and it can be somewhat hit or miss. On the positive side, this restaurant fills the much needed void in the area of a nice restaurant food-wise, and is also nice decor-wise, and not too expensive either. When I first started visiting Philly, I was surprised at how many mediocre sushi places there are here, this being one of them. As time has progressed, my experiences here have been getting better and better. The tuna pizza is very good, as are most of the sushi and rolls. There's nothing here that's super special or unique, but the items that I have had here have been very good. It's BYOB which is really nice, but not too uncommon or special in this area as lots of other places are also BYOB. One of the nice things that is unique is that this place is BYOB and they also have a full bar. Usually it's just one or the other. The service is perfectly adequate, and the atmosphere is nice. There's a big parking lot so there's plenty of free parking, which is also, not uncommon for this area. There's a Rita's in the same strip mall, so it's nice to grab a water ice after eating here.
(3)Aliza K.
The food and prices is great. The hostess or I heard she's the owner is vey rude and unacceptable. We had went to dinner one night we told her at least 11 people but what she got from what we said was it will be 11 people. Then when we arrive it was 13 people and she started to get in our faces about how we only said 11 and now 13. She started to yell and basically said no you said 11 now you have 13 and all this stuff which is dumb. I really tried my best to keep shut that night because the way she acted was very unprofessional.
(3)Dalia S.
Very fun habachi location, the chefs are very animated and interactive. Great spot for birthdays especially if your looking to draw insane amounts of attention to the birthday guest. Food was also tasty.
(4)Christina G.
This place has a great presentation with the food. Sushi menu is a bit different than many other sushi places: for dinner I didn't see many of your basic rolls but instead there is a large selection of designer rolls and sashimi rolls. The sashimi rolls are nice because there is a lot of fish and they are very filling but they also fall apart easily since it's mostly fish without the rice or seaweed. I had the scallop appetizer (the one with vinegar not advocado) and it was delicious- loved the sauce! I also had the I phone 4 s which was crab with scallop on top and I really enjoyed it. Although I liked my sashimi roll, I think I like regular spicy tuna or salmon rolls better. I tried the roll with banana and it was good and very sweet- almost tasted like dessert. The restaurant tries to be trendy and servers are nice from what I've seen. They serve alcohol or you can byob for a $2 per bottle cork fee. This is a solid place for NE sushi.
(4)Mike R.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in the city. They are one of the few that offer a huge array of appetizers. Check out the lovers triangle and the ahi tuna pizza. the Toro tartar is awesome as well. I tell everyone I know who likes sushi to go there and enjoy
(5)Chris S.
The one reason I'm giving this 3 stars is that it's pricey. The food is very good and comes out fast but I don't recommend coming here if you are trying to watch your spending. You can buy alcohol there, but it is also a BYOB and would definitely recommend doing that to help keep the cost a little lower.
(3)Kathy L.
It was okay. I had Kobe beef app. It's not that good for the price. The blue fin tuna sushi was good. I had two pieces of that. I also got the Russian dream roll. I actually didn't like that. However the sushi chef made me a roll on the house which I was though was nice but it had eel on top and I don't really like eel. I probably wouldn't go back to this spot. There are a bunch of other sushi places to try.
(3)Lovely B.
Good atmosphere, and it's a very clean restaurant. The food is delicious, staff are very pleasant
(5)M R.
I first went to To KAi a week ago , a friend recommended to go that the sushi was amazing there. I had 3 different signature rolls they were really fresh and tasty. I must say I was not disappointed at all. Food was great service was great so I decided to return back again yesterday to try out their Hibatchi Tables since I'm the only one that really likes sushi. Food was great I had the sea bass and shrimp combo and it was really good. Its a small place but the staff there are really friendly. I even made a reservation online and was sat immediately down when I walked in. It wasn't too crowded it really doesn't look like you would expect much from the outside, but it was a win for me. "I guess you really cant judge a book by its cover." It also has convenient parking and BYOB- they charge a $5.00 bottle charge. they also have a full bar menu to purchase there.
(5)Peter M.
Went here last week and the food turned out great. I ordered the Chilean sea bass and it was really fresh. I enjoyed the Hibachi show a bit, but no matter how many times I go to a Hibachi... I still can't get used to the concept that someone is playing with my food. All in all it was a great place. I would recommend it, but if you're not into the food play concept there are regular dining tables away from the action.
(4)Jeff P.
A hibachi style dining experience should be fun and filling and ToKai delivers with a bang! Food is delicious and the sushi is excellent if that is your thing. The Northeast Philly dining scene has gotten weak over the years but this place truly holds it's own.There are a few good hibachi places around but this one carries the best combination of atmosphere,showmanship and quality eating. Strongly recommend!
(4)Amanda J.
Went last night with a group of 10. Service was excellent, food was great, and the hibachi chef was great! Highly recommend this place to everyone!
(5)Kate W.
Good sushi, poor customer service. Ordered a delivery order that totaled more than $70 - it took over an hour and a half to get here, and when I called the restaurant for an update, I kept getting voicemail. I can handle an order being late, but no call or response to my calls is bad business. Won't order from here again.
(2)Elaine M.
Being a Northeast Philly Hater, I never expect much when I go out to eat there but I think I may have found a secret gem with To-Kai. I'm not sure how long they have been in business, but I am kind of mad at myself for dining across the street at the Taste Queen so many times over the years when this could have been an option! Ignoring the elementary typos on the menu; a friend and I decided to split an appetizer and several rolls. We had the Love Triangle appetizer that was served in a slightly spicy sauce that also had a hint of mustard to it. The fish was fresh and the sauce accompanied it well. We split the Bikini Tuna, Russian Family Roll, Triple Sashimi Roll and the Crunchy Spicy Salmon Roll. All of them tasted very good but the larger ones were not constructed very well. They were falling apart as we tried to pick them up with our chop sticks to dip them in soy sauce. I also thought that the larger rolls should have been cut into 8 pieces instead of 5; that probably would have helped us hold them together long enough to pop them into our mouths. I never had a sashimi roll before (this eliminates the seaweed paper); perhaps that is part of the reason they were falling apart but I liked having that extra layer of fish! Overall, the fish was fresh, the rolls were unique and there was a lot to choose from! I will definitely be back for lunch since I work close by. One thing caught my eye as strange; in the center of the dining room hangs a Spencer's Gifts style disco ball from the ceiling. I believe this place turns into a frat-esque late night dance party. Get weird Bustleton!
(4)Aika T.
Best Sushi place in northeast philly. Me and my friend are their customers since they open, and we love this place. Food is fresh and delicious. Try baked mussels and crispy spicy tuna roll!
(5)Laviza S.
we enjoyed a great group dinner of 13 courses ... one of our friends arranged the dinner w the chef. we enjoyed each of the courses. everything was fresh and nice presentation. the decor is modern and pretty. overall would definitely recommend!
(5)Nancy P.
My gf had been here before and enjoyed it so a couple of our friends got together and had dinner here. It's located in a strip mall plaza and seems out of place. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and a variety of sushi rolls. The tuna pizza was pretty good but was covered in a lot of sauce. I liked the kani salad and it had a good spicy kick to it. The fried calamari was not worth getting. The portion was very small. The avocado blossom was my favorite of the bunch. The sushi rolls were nothing spectacular. The only unique thing of To-Kai was the fresh wasabi. I'd never had that before so that was awesome. The service was very slow and the servers seemed indifferent and unhappy.
(2)Alexander L.
I met up with a bunch of friends here to catch up since we hadn't met up in a while, and heard the appetizers were good. The back room seemed to be fairly nice decor. Many things on the menu are conceptually nice--and presentation for things like the shots are also appealing. What bothered me about this place is the execution of the food. The sauces and seasonings were imbalanced or just prepped in an unappetizing manner. On the plus side once you leave you can get some Rita's and a Pretzel. I don't plan on coming back here.
(2)Michael G.
Family and I came here to try To-Kai because it was part of the UPromise Dining rewards Program. Although pricey, we were hapy to find a new place to make it a regular in our list of restaurants. The food for the family is below: Japanese Mojito: 5 Stars. Refreshing and not too stiff! I probably could have had many of these, but stuck with one. 3 piece Dumpling Soup: 2 Stars. Bland, dumplings I could find anywhere, did not finish. Mango Soft Shell Crab Salad: 5 Stars. The best food of the night. The description is Mango, Crab Meat, Seaweed Salad, Lettuce, Avocado Salad and Masago on the Bottom, Whole Soft Shell Crab on Top. This could have been a meal by itself. Extremely tasty and just the right amount of sizzling crab on top with an amazing sauce. Duck Rolls: 4 Stars. Wonderful with no grease taste - Deep Fried Roasted Duck and Taro Finished with Sweet Soy and Honey Wasabi Sauce. I expected duck meat pieces, but it was more of a hamburger meat texture. Still, very tasty! I Phone 4S Roll: 3 Stars. Felt like it was warmer-than-room temperature which was a bit off putting. Also, I had so much food that I probably did not enjoy it as much as I should have. Crunchy Spicy Crab with Seared Sea Scallop on top. Teriyaki Bento Box Salmon: 3 Stars. Comes with Salad, Soup, Rice, California Roll, Shrimp Tempura, Shumai, Fruit. Wife said there was too much tempura in the box with the vegetables, and did not finish it. However, the salmon was very tasty, and she did not like the California Roll. Fruit was 1/2 an orange. The tempura shrimp was really nice, though. Overall, it came to $96 for 2 adults and 1 kid including tip, so for lunch this was expensive! There are a lot of choices, so I'll be back to try others. They have a hibachi on the one side which I'd like to try, too. To-Kai also has 6 party tray specials from $34 to $80 for catering! Service for our empty restaurant was ok. Too long to take our orders; just right to get the food and drinks.
(4)Michele R.
Always good Sushi sashimi and rolls good Staff wonderful Been going here for years Priced right I recommend highly
(4)Elise D.
By far the best place in the northeast and not over price, great show, best hibachi I've even been to. The atmosphere is amazing and everyone is so welcoming. I alway try to go here any chance I get.
(5)Kim H.
About a 30 min drive from my neighborhood and I will be making that trip again. This is one of my good friend's favorite sushi spot and I see why. Sushi was fresh. The rolls were delicious. Tried the pineapple shrimp fried rice, and it was all that. The baked mussels were just ok, honestly wouldn't order them again. They weren't bad just not great. Everything else was on point, exceeding the good threshold. My boyfriend has refused to try sushi before this outing but Tokai has made him a believer. Also great deals(price friendly), the "boat menu", for multiple sushi or sashimi eaters.
(4)Victoria S.
I'm a 7 year customer, and this place is one of the best sushi places in Philadelphia. Long story short - fast service, friendly staff, tasty sushi, good price for quality.
(5)Rina G.
Overpriced not the greatest sushi in northeast Philadelphia
(2)Velisha A.
I love this resturant !... Usually do delivery 2-3x a week from here and I always order their whole fried red snapper which comes with sushi rice , meso soup, salad and a chili sauce that's delicious. They are a bit pricey. Oh yeah I also order from them the golden fried soft shell crab, chocolate cake with ice cream and mucho ice cream. I'm so happy that they deliver and I would recommend them to others.
(4)Maria S.
This is by far my favorite sushi spot in the NE, maybe in all of Philly. The service is great, the ambiance is fantastic, and the food.... amazing! Whether you like raw or not, there is something here for everybody. I've never tried the hibachi in the restaurant (i've had it for take-out, and it's delicious too) but everyone always seems to be having fun in there. Let's not get distracted from the real center of attention. The Sushi!! Must Try: Crab House roll, Lexus Rolls, Crazy Sashimi, Crunchy Roll, Rainbow Roll and the sushi pizza. The food here is so fresh, I've never had a bad experience. The bento boxes and the cooked appetizers are really good but i'd rather not waste my appetite on those. Awesome sushi and sashimi are hard to come by. Request the baby fish if it's on the specials. Delectable! The outside of the restaurant really doesn't do the inside justice. Go in anyway, you won't be disappointed!
(5)Lisa L.
Very cute place. Came here with my favorite co worker friends and had a great time ! Waitress was very attentive and recommended a great roll! Can't wait to go back and have entrees and drinks !
(5)Yahlizbeth R.
Not recommended! This sushi is the worst I ever tasted. I ordered brown rice sushi and it was uncooked, really hard to eat. And the prices for sushi wasnt considerable.
(1)Tiffany T.
3 stars: no more, no less. I went here with a friend yesterday for a catch up dinner. Service was friendly, nice and prompt. The ladies have a very very thick Chinese ( I think) accent and it's hard to understand, but they're very nice. I ordered the Tokai-roll as well as salmon roll. I didn't pay too much attention to what roll my friend got.. but one was Philadelphia, and the other was one of the signature rolls. Salmon roll - $4 for 6 pieces or 8 I believe. And Tokai roll was $11 or $13 for about 6 pieces ( the big kinds, like Korean kimbap). The salmon roll was fine. Lots of fish, pretty fresh, so very standard. The tokai roll was interesting. What I DID like about it is that it was huge, stuffed with salmon, tuna and yellowtail. So a LOT of raw fish in that one bite. It was nothing special, because anyone can chop up fresh fish and put it in a kimbap roll. But the fish was fresh, so I appreciated that. However, there was no special sauce or anything to separate it from the hundreds of other sushi institutions in philadelphia or any other place. As for value. Our bill came to about $50 some odd dollars for dinner, and for the quality and amount we got, I can't give it any more than 3 stars. I get just as full at Vic's in center city. I get probably twice as much food in Yuraku of Germantown MD. It was fine, but really, nothing special. Nothing I would go out of my way to go to, or plan to go to.. but I wouldn't say no if a friend suggested it. Although I might suggest another..
(3)Michelle T.
I was genuinely surprised and not surprised with my experiences at To-Kai. The oyster shooters were by far the best shooters that I've had in a long time (surprised). There raw oyster was balanced with the right amount of alcohol. I was warned ahead of time that sushi rolls were not that impressive, but I ordered a special roll anyways. Let's just say I was not impressed (not surprised). A heavy reliance on sauces, and the seaweed used to wrap the roll was not crispy. When ordering sushi here, one should request for fresh wasabi (surprised). This isn't readily available everywhere, and it adds a different kind of heat to the sushi. In all honesty, if you're going to To-Kai you should just order everything from its Appetizers section and just disregard everything else, but even the Appetizer section can leave you wanting more. The tuna pizza was thoroughly enjoyed at my table, but personally, there was once again a heavy reliance on sauce for this app. The kani salad was really good - refreshing with a nice kick. The avocado blossom was the highlight for me. It packed some nice flavors while maintaining some textural components (everything was just mush). The baked mussels were so-so. The quality of the mussels played a big part on why I didn't like them. The mussels were just so small and then you add a bunch of stuff on top and bake it; the results are over-cooked, shriveled mussels with too much toppings.
(2)Rancis R.
I never noticed this spot, thank God for yelp lol. They are very clean, bring you warm napkins to clean your hands before meal. I did not eat on the hibachi side, I had sushi and it was very good! No complaints.
(4)Abby G.
Not a good experience
(1)Valentino G.
I love To-Kai it's one of my favorite sushi places, I like the fact that's its also BYOB, but there's also a few to use their glasses and a bottle fee. My favorite sushi is their signature roll the lobster dynamite and the 10 pc New York sashimi roll is to die for! The sushi combo rolls are very good, but your a limited to what you can change as far as the roll if you want to substitute it for something else. The combo is good because it comes with miso soup and the house salad; the ginger dressing is beyond amazing. If you are ever looking for an amazing appetizer the tuna titaki is by the the most delicious.I would definitely suggest their hibachi the atmosphere is amazing and the food is right there with it. I went to the hibachi for the first time and it was an amazing experience, I came here with my cousin and our girlfriends, there were tons of laughs. The cook was so good and funny he made I laugh and enjoy the experience; there was no way we couldn't tip him, he was great! I gave them 5 stars because I believe their prices are somewhat more expensive then most places, but the quality and quantity makes up for prices, it's definitely top notch and the provide the best quality service and care with their food and their customers.
(5)Nam N.
I have dine here many times. Around this area, there are only 2 sushi restaurants that i would go and come back to; this place and Mt Fuji in southampton. I usually get the boat so there isn't much to say there beside the sashimi are fresh and services are great. I tries to stay away from delivered sushi, but when there's the sushi craving and you're too lazy to go; you'll the chance. I took that chance and liked it :) The sushi came as if i ordered when i am in the restaurant. All of the delivered sushi i ordered before from other places are not even close to what they serve you in the restaurant. Sashimi is thinner. Rolls have a lot more rice. gives you left over fish...Sometimes even missing pieces... good delivered sushi earned this place a 4stars on my book :)
(4)Steve C.
This place is great. Don't believe the bad reviews. I go here at least 3 times a month.
(5)Alla G.
over sauced, over spiced, inconsistent quality. This pretty much sums it up. Our office orders from here often, easy delivery, but quality of the food is not consistent. Tried a few times dining inside and was also underwhelmed.
(3)Steve B.
The best sushi/sashimi in North-East Philadelphia, and probably one of the best in Philly. While prices more than doubled in resent year or two, sheer fact that place is always packed tells you all about level of quality. Hibachi is on bit lower level than sushi, but surely lots of fun if you are with kids.
(5)I. S.
I have been getting take-out regularly from To-Kai for the past few years. This is my second review as I want to let everyone know about my past experiences with them in the past few years. -PROS: Food: The food at To-Kai is outstanding. It's always fresh and I have never had a bad experience. Here are some of my favorite items that I recommend to try: a) Tuna pizza - Delicious. It's avacado, tuna, and crab on top of a crispy tortilla and it just melts in your mouth, it is so good! So many different textures, i always get this. b) Agedashi Tofu - Very delicately fried tofu in a sweet soy dipping sauce. It is really good and doesn't taste greasy or anything. c) Dumpling Soup - very soft dumplings in a delicious broth, i wish they put more dumplings in it, thats how much i love this soup! d) Kani Salad - Delicious, it's crab, masago, cucumber and japanese mayo. It's also a little spicy as well. Very different than you're typical kani salads that ive tried before at other places. e) Bigeye Tuna - Very fresh and delicious. I always get the higher quality tuna when they have it available as it's more fatty and it taste really good. But it's also more expensive. f) KO-BE Beef - Delicious, however i don't think it's real kobe beef from japan, thats why they spell it KO-BE. However it is very thin sliced high quality beef that's in a delicious garlic sauce. I love it. g) Filet mignon in Thai Basil sauce - One of the best entrees on the menu. The beef is super high quality and they always cook it perfectly. It is a filet mignon in a thai basil sauce. It is really good and the sauce really brings out the dish. h) Crunchy roll - One of the best rolls to try on the menu - Shrimp tempura, cucumber and masago w masago and tempura flakes on top. It's very good and has a great texture. Ambiance: The place has great ambiance and decor. I very rarely eat here in person but if I did i wouldn't mind staying here a while as the place has a very modern and chic decor. Service: Can't comment on it since I only get take-out. CONS: -Prices are a big high compared to other sushi places in NE Philly. However I think the freshness and variety of the food makes up for the prices. Plus they offer a rewards program, you need to get your menu stamped each time you pay and if you spend $200 you get a free $20 gift certificate. Sure I wish that were higher, but it adds up! -When ordering take-out on a Friday or Sat. night between the hours of 6-8pm it gets extremely busy and picking up my order could take up to 45 mins. I would also not advise eating here during those hours as the place is packed and there are a lot of people waiting for a seat.
(5)Paul C.
Impressed with To-Kai. First impressed with the service. These people are nice--from the hostess to the waiters. They genuinely seem to want to help you and they can make solid recommendations based on what you like. Second impressed with the ambiance. You walk in and immediately forget your in a strip mall. The decor is pretty immersive and the space is large enough that you feel in a different world--and you're still supporting a local establishment. Third impressed with the sake choices. Timothy was right that this place has great sakes. The iPhone 4S roll--yes a terrible name--is a winner.
(4)Amy K.
Love this place. The best sushi in Northeast. My husband and I always get the boats. You get great variety for a great price. I also love the seafood soup and tuna pizza. I wish their pad tai was better, but overall great food.
(5)