Koto Japanese Steakhouse
792 Shelburne Rd, South Burlington, VT, 05403
Koto Japanese Steakhouse Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in South Burlington for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in South Burlington for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in South Burlington for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
792 Shelburne Rd
South Burlington, VT, 05403 - Phone (802) 660-8976
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
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 : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Jolene H.
I love Hibachi restaurants and Koto was so butteringly satisfying. We chose this restaurant because of the high yelp ratings. Definitely not disappointing. I felt a little cramped at the table, though...which makes this a star less than perfect. As for the foodstuffs - loved the salmon and the shrimp. The fried rice was great as well. Overall, the food was packed with butter - but that's what I was craving and that's what I got. The veggies served were also good and I enjoyed the salad dressing and onion soup before the meal. Koto's menu is not limited to hibachi - they also have sushi and non-hibachi entrees. Everything sounded great. Service was good and the chef at our table was entertaining and nice. I found the price to be very fair for this kind of meal. I recommend!
(4)DaYeen M.
I was in Vermont for a business trip and there aren't a lot of asian options when it comes to food. This one is close to my hotel and I have been craving rice so me and my coworkers decided to give it a try. Service is alright. Sometimes when it gets busy your server gets distracted and can't keep up. Food is ok. And they charge $4 for edamame. Why?? I guess, I'm just used to getting them for free in Cali.
(3)Lindsay C.
In a nutshell, this place is awesome. I've never had a bad meal here. I mean it's not like, a five star gourmet meal, but it is a solid good meal on every occasion. Just be advised, there is usually a wait on weekends starting at 6 pm. If you go, you really need to sit at a hibachi table and get the whole experience. Yes, you will find pieces of vegetables thrown at your head but you also get saki squirted in your mouth (nice). My favorite food at Koto is actually their ginger dressing, which I purchase by the pint for $5. Best sushi I've had up here so far. PS-Check the local VT newspapers and circulars for frequent Koto coupons.
(4)J F.
First: there are no Japanese Steakhouses in Japan. Second: Burlington recently lost its "good" Japanese restaurant, and Koto survived--proving something disappointing. To the review. The restaurant is clean, though when we arrived the bartender couldn't be bothered to clear finished drinks, so we stood around as our party assembled. We were seated at one of the hibachi tables, and were able to chat with the people immediately beside us, but conversation with the folks at the other side was out of the question. It's just loud there. Our drink orders were taken by a nice college student, who only got a couple of things wrong (one drink, one sushi). The "chef" arrived and began the show. All the signature moves were competently executed. The folks who ate from that part of the menu were satisfied. My ton-katsu was absurdly overdone, and the aforementioned sushi order was only half incorrect. The eight year old in the party loves this place, having attended a very successful birthday party here a couple of months ago. We don't go to Koto, and won't again unless for another elementary school birthday party or large group event.
(2)Tommy G.
I've been a fan for years! My family and I always go here on special occasion, but lately its been nice to just grab a few drinks. A lot of the menu items can be accommodated for those looking for Gluten Free! Waitress was attentive and very friendly to any questions. They even make their own GF soy sauce. Besides that, every dish is unbeatable by any other Japanese restaurant I've had the occasion of dining at. The "Brittany Spears" or "Christina Aguilera" were my favorite non-alcoholic drinks as a kid. Try the fried Ice cream!
(5)Moses G.
I came here after a wedding. I been to a number of Hibachi places around the United states. This one was some what of a Disappointment to me. The place had a nice feel for it, waitresses were all cute, and ladies at the bar for happy hour made me think this was a good place. Food: I was highly disappointed. The Sauces should ring signature but the Seafood sauce tasted like a mix of honey mustard with ranch deep. The seafood wasn't cooked comepletely to me. I requested my steak be medium rare it was cooked to medium. Rice was sloppy and to much soy sauce. They did let us sit there for a while and talk amongest our group for a while. Food wise not so impressed.
(2)Elaine L.
This was my first hibachi experience so I was really really looking forward to it. Sad, because even though the hibachi grill was delicious and the food was so good. Our chef made everything so soy saucey! Everything we had was just permeating with soy sauce from every possible orifice!! Not good...also not good to have THAT much MSG in our system sadly. The experience was good and it was fun to have a partner to go with but I have to say that the food killed it for me. :(
(3)Shino W.
A real treat to visit, Koto's is a yearly event for me. I usually go with my friends to celebrate one of their birthdays, and always do the hibachi experience. You are seated around a large grill with 9(?) other people (they'll combine parties, they always try to fill the grill), and a trained chef comes out and makes everyone's orders at once two feet in front of you. This is more than a meal, this is a dining experience and entertainment all at once. The chef will engage everyone in the process, so that you're applauding and chatting with people you didn't know 10 minutes ago when you sat down. Certainly not a cheap experience (after tip and drink expect to pay a minimum of $40 a pop), but well worth the show. Even if it's only for special events, you gotta try this at least once in a while. EDIT: Be sure to make a reservation for the hibachi, they usually schedule at least a week or two in advace, if not longer.
(5)Wyatt T.
Sushi always tastes rancid to me. I have been to the hibachi tables before and I would say stick there and order cooked land dwelling animals. The fish is not fresh tasting and is probably mislabeled on the menu like about 80% of cheap sushi places in the US. Avoid this place at all costs if you are looking for fresh sushi, not a bad place for generic Chinese food though.
(2)Ryan H.
I wasnt sure how the sushi would be in northern VT, but Koto did not disappoint and was surprisingly delicious. It was below 0 outside (brrrr!!!), so I started with some miso soup which was typical of most miso Ive had. Next, the pork gyoza which was excellent and extra plump. Finally I went with the Twister roll which was large and seemed fresh, though they skimped a bit on the tobiko. Washed it all down with Sapporo, which was ice cold on draft and out of the 22oz can. The wait to get in for our group was about 40 minutes, partially due to the holiday weekend. The place was packed and the wait for the habachi tables was even longer. Thankfully the bar was there to quench our thirst and kill some time. All in all it was better than I expected. I would suggest NOT sitting by the windows as it was freezing over there even with a nearby space heater. I also dont like plastic chop sticks as its nearly impossible to pick up anything without it sliding off. Next time I think we will try the habachi tables, if for nothing else to help keep warm on a bitter cold night!
(4)Jude V.
Went @ 5 for an early dinner. The best time to go before the rush even on a Tues. Attentive wait staff, meals came right out. The sushi was very good. Seafood Tempura done just right, light, flavorful, not greasy. An hour later w/ full bellies the place was packed. I've done the Hibachi tables before but for the price you get a better serving size ordering off the menu in a booth imo. BONUS ~ Also discovered tonight the back parking lot exits out onto Swift Street (behind the flower shop) avoiding the Charlie Foxtrot of Shelburne Road.
(4)George B.
Great service, good food. We didn't do the hibachi style. We had seafood udon and Teri steak and salmon combo - both very good. Also had calamari app and tried a garlic tuna on wonton app
(4)Jeffrey W.
Good overall atmosphere and quality food. We originally made reservations for the general dining room but were able to get a last minute seat at one of the hibachi tables. The show makes the meal and I highly recommend it as a place for an out-of-the-ordinary meal.
(4)Buck C.
My wife and I tried the Hibachi dishes upon recommendation from our waiter. As others have said, the seafood was dry and the fried rice inedibly salty. Mixed vegetables were just onions and something that resembled zucchini. Always seems to be packed with customers so we thought we'd give it a try. My wife disliked the food even more than I did. We probably will not repeat.
(2)pauline l.
I've done the Hibachi here twice but not the sushi. Okay, let's be real, it's in Burlington, VT -- the Town So White It Doesn't Even Have an Asian Supermarket -- so you're never really expecting the most "authentic" experience or food. What I judge restaurants here for are whether or not it's tasty and seems well-executed within the environment it's in. This place hits the spot! The ingredients are fresh enough to be tasty when cooked and both times they have servers that are friendly enough and put on a decent show. I definitely dig both the fried rice and noodle accompaniments to the hibachi meals and the meat and fish are pretty decent quality. I just have to try to pretend I don't see those giant sticks of butter on the hibachi. It's super Americanized, but that's okay by me. It's Burlington, they have to tweak tastes to stay in business. The important thing is: the food is good.
(4)Wing M.
Have been here twice and was impressed neither of those times. We got seated at the habachi table once despite not actually wanting it and it was kind of annoying since it was hard to converse when we were sitting in a row and we had to talk over the stereotypical Asian man going VOLCANO while setting onions on fire. Their food was uninspiring. It was acceptable Japanese food, but that was about it...
(2)Kelly G.
I love hibachi and I have places in my heart for many a hibachi restaurant-- but this one tops the list. The ambiance is fabulous and intimate, the hibachi is manned by skilled chefs. They also have the most food thrown and most open flame of any place I've been to. Koto also throws a great corporate party. I've worked for two companies that have had their holiday parties there and they've been by and large the best. It's funny to watch the quiet secretary get schnockered on saki and giggle at your boss who is trying to catch food in his mouth. It's a real bonding experience.
(5)Kevin H.
I heard so many good things about this place, and never really expected more than an average Japanese steakhouse experience. The parking lot was packed, the bar was packed, 35 minute wait ... all things pointed to a great dinner out. Our 35 minute wait was spent at the too-small bar. Fortunately, the bartender was (1) very pretty and (2) friendly & accommodating. Great martini and small talk, despite the fact that it was (according to the bartender) "parents weekend" at UVM and things were going to get very busy, very fast. One bartender for a restaurant of 150 or so patrons and no barback. She should get a raise. Thank you - you were the highlight of the evening. We were seated and ignored for 15 minutes. Two glasses of water placed without a glance by some sort of floor manager, followed by a waitress who was new, high, or confused. The sushi was okay - nothing spectacular. My veggie teriyaki should have been called "Zucchini and Onions, A Celebration." What should have been a veggie medley was presented as a shallow bowl of bland zucchini and onions, exactly 2 mushrooms, and one slice of red pepper. If I had wanted such an uninspired dish I would have cooked for myself at home. Oh, dessert ... The fried ice cream was a pethy mush of ice cream and some asshole's leftover birthday cake served with a dollop of indifference by our overstressed and incompetent waitress. "I'm so sorry - we are very busy" was offered on no less than 3 occasions during our dinner. Thanks. Enjoy the 10% tip. In short, Koto is a run-of-the-mill, stripmall-style Japanese steakhouse. Hibachi performers with volcano onion theatrics and the rest. Save your money and eat at A Single Pebble instead. More money, better value.
(2)Angela M.
This is a chain restaurant but the only place to get sushi in Plattsburgh. That being said it is usually crowded when you go here, you have the option to sit at the bar, the regular dining room area or the hibachi table. It is always worth it to sit at the hibachi table if you are with a group, they do put on a good show. The ambiance of the place is very nice overall. The food is totally overpriced but since it is the only place to get sushi in Plattsburgh they can pretty much charge what they want. The hibachi is pretty good I will give them that, and you get a large amount of food. The soup is a broth which is meh but the salad and their creamy ginger dressing is very good. The hibachi selections are standard fare, I do like the salmon and fried rice. Sushi is alright, the miso soup I do like better than the broth that comes with the hibachi. The drink selections arent to bad and they have some creative drinks on the menu. I would recommend this as one of the nicer places to go eat while in Plattsburgh, I think the Koto that is in Burlington might be a little better though.
(3)Jess H.
The sign of a good sushi place is one that does vegetarian sushi well. This means that their basic ingredients (seaweed, rice, and sesame) are high quality, and they do a great job with rolling. Koto did not disappoint. Their green gyoza was also delicious and expertly flavored. Definitely worth a visit.
(4)Jessica W.
I've gone to Koto for close to 8 years. It's been touch and go, the food is okay to great (the Lucky Tree is amazing) and the service can be lacking some days. Today was one of such days. My fiancé and I decided to treat ourselves after a very long week. We got to Koto at about 5 and was seated right off (we opted for the regular seating instead of the hibachi). That's where the good times end. In short, our waiter was the rudest server I have ever had in my entire life. Our whole meal we felt looked down upon, like we weren't worth this guy's time. Simple questions were answered like he was talking to first graders. My fiancé doesn't try new things very often, he's a very "meat and potatoes" kinda guy. This was the first time he's gone to a Japanese restaurant. This experience was ruined. It got to the point were we both just wanted to leave. After waiting several minutes for the bill, I ended up going and talking to the hostess and let her knew what was going on. She immediately knew which server I was talking about (which should tell you a lot) and said she would talk to her manager. By the time I got back to our table, the waiter still hadn't brought the bill. As soon as he did, we paid and left. This is the first time I have ever stiffed a server. As we were leaving, I mentioned again to the hostess what horrible service we had received, this time in front of her manager. The manager was still unaware of the situation, but the hostess had simply said " it's Taylor again" . We just walked out, meal ruined by an over condiscending waiter. No amends were made by Koto. In talking with friends, this isn't the first time others have had issue with this waiter. They had the same problem until they whipped out thier wallet and then the waiter's attitude did a complete 180 . Until Koto does a rehaul of their staff, we won't be returning. There's no sense in paying 60 dollars for a meal that is going to be ruined by a server with a chip on their shoulder.
(2)Paul V.
Great fresh food and a fun experience. It's a little on the pricey side but you never walk away hungry. Anyone that gives 4 long paragraph reviews just likes to hear themselves talk. Everyone's tastes are different. Sum the place up in a few words please. It's yelp. You don't work for a magazine.
(4)Christian Y.
I can tell this place has the potential to be great and I like hibachi but I noticed some inconsistency on how it was cooked. My scallops went on first and came off last and they where cooked beyond done. I asked for myt steak rare knowing at the way the guy was cooking I would be getting Medium (which I wanted and what I got). The chef didnt use oil at first which I know led to the really dry-overcooked chicken. All in all it was an ok experience with good friends and really good Magic Hat beer but it really wasnt anything special.
(3)Arthur M.
Loved the vegetarian sushi, tempura and seaweed salad. Fun drink list, trending towards tiki drinks. The koi pond was cool, as were the tables by the grill. The service was unbelievably good.
(5)Steve M.
Great for groups and an evening out with friends but you better not mind the taste of salmon and inconsistent portions. There is nothing I hate more than the taste or smell of salmon. I don't want to smell it. I don't want to ever eat it. I certainly don't want to taste it on my steak or shrimp but it never fails! Someone always orders it when I eat here and the "chefs" never take any care to keep it away from everything else and they don't clean or use different knives or spatulas so you always end up tasting the lousy salmon on whatever you ordered. It drives me nuts and makes me lobby against going to Koto. I've also noticed that the portions everyone gets is pretty inconsistent. The further away you sit from the "chef" the less you get. It's pretty funny to watch those at the corners always get less of everything, a lot less, because I guess the chef doesn't want to drop anything off of his spatula while reaching to get it on their plates. So never sit on the corner!
(2)Erika M.
Their sushi fish has always tasted fresh, foods flavorful, and restaurant clean. The Hibatchi chefs are talented and often great showmen.
(4)PJ S.
This place is pretty amazing. First discovered it when I was skiing in the greens and their was a hibachi restaurant close to the mountain. I hadn't been to a Japanese Steakhouse in a few years so was instantly reminded of many a fun time at Benihana. I checked the reviews for this place on Yelp and realized it was probably not going to be great (1-2 stars!) so decided to search around and found this place. We've been back 4-5 times since! It definitely gets a crowd on the weekends, but they do take reservations...highly recommend calling ahead for the hibachi reservations. The food has always been excellent, although I can't fully comment on the non-hibachi portion of the restaurant...they make excellent sushi though and have Switchback on tap. The best Japanese Steak house I have ever been to! Love this place and can;t wait to go back again soon!
(5)Sybil C.
We are regulars at Koto's & LOVE it!! There's many ways to size up a family meal: share a Bento box & habachi meal & there's a great meal for 3 (or 4 w/ kids). Food always good & fresh! Service always good. We saved room for the chocolate mousse cake... OMG, no more to say. (except for the kotopolitans are tasty too!)
(5)Ann S.
The place is not very clean last time I was there. The food is good enough for an average traveler who needs a quick biteThere is plenty of room for improvement.
(3)Kristi P.
I always have a great time here. Food is good the chef is always funny. It's just an all around good time. Even the sushi is pretty good! I think this place is meant for groups. I usually have a better time when there is a table full of friends.
(4)Andrew R.
Can't vouch for authenticity but the food is delicious and the hibachi is very entertaining
(4)Lauren V.
I love this place. The hibachi chefs are truly some of the most talented I have witnessed. Food is tossed frequently here, one chef actually got a piece of shrimp in my friend's shirt after he suggested the hibachi chef aim for my chest. Gotta love that. The food and drinks are always delicious. Despite being a popular place with a lot of college kids, the place is not really raucous and I actually really liked the atmosphere. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't salivating right now just thinking about Koto. Who's up for a three hour drive to VT?
(5)Kathy N.
We went to Koto's a couple of years ago and have not been back since. This might not mean anything to anybody else but it did to me. They serve a drink there called the Pearl Harbor and is meant to look like Pearl Harbor with ships sinking. Sorry, but I found that to be offensive, discourteous and inappropriate and do not want to deal with them.
(1)Kate T.
Koto is fabulous! An old partner and I were in Burlington on vacation, and as lovers of sushi, we just had to stop in and give Koto a try. We were floored. Speaking of floors... they have koi fish swimming through a river beneath the floor and through small indoor ponds throughout the restaurant. Even if the food at turned out to be bad, I was already impressed. But the food was great. So great, in fact, that we went two nights in a row while in town! The first night we sat in the section of the restaurant that mimics traditional japanese seating around the floor of the table. Except, instead you were seated on chairs with no legs, so you could easily lean back on the backrest as you sat on the floor. Pretty comfortable. And the second night we opted to sit at the sushi bar. Both times, the service, atmosphere, and food were excellent. If I am ever back in this area, I'd definitely stop in! I wish there were places like this near to where I live.
(5)Matt L.
tableside chefs make up for slow service, odd ambience and needless expense...almost.
(2)Emily V.
Sushi could have been better. I did like the atmosphere although our server subtracted from that. She didnt seem to know what she was talking about. I went with a party of 8 and they fit us in well. Its good for groups. Its a good place if you like ok sushi. But if you want to find great sushi I'd go else where.
(3)Brian C.
Great place for lunch. We always go here with about 10 people. The last page has the lunch specials which include soup, salad, meat, california rolls, tempura, and dessert. Pretty good value, nice place, server was very nice and can accommodate large parties.
(4)michelle l.
The first time I went to Koto I was smitten. Now that I have eaten there 4 times I have decided that this restaurant really isn't that good. The menu hasn't changed in a few years, the Hibachi tables were dirty, our plates were dirty, and it took us 90-minutes to get our entrees. Can't say I will go back, or recommend this restaurant to friends.
(2)Ali H.
Good sushi. and pretty restaurant. Theres rivers of fish under the floor! cool place for japanese food in Burlington.
(4)Ali K.
Thanks to KOTO (at this location) and my GF I now have a love affair with Sushi after years of absolutely hating it. My pure hate of Sushi came from two child hood experiences were I was subjected to Sushi from SuperMarkets that were absolutely putrid. I always wondered how the hell my male friends were able to get dates with girls by bringing them out to get sushi or when all my friends would go out in a major group to get sushi I would wonder what was the appeal. KOTO and the GF clearly showed me what I was missing. We made reservations about 45 minutes before and were able to get in on a Hibachi table no problem. Going into dinner I was thinking I'll just get a regular hibachi dinner with rice, steak, and chicken and leave it at that. My GF kept telling me, "I'm going to get you to try Sushi again and please give it a chance just look at the menu." I decided OK maybe she's right I need to really look at the menu and try a different Sushi Roll and hopefully it's really good. Immediately the House Sushi Rolls caught my eye, yes they are usually more expensive but at this point I had to try good Sushi otherwise I would forever be opposed to it. I decided on the Vermont Roll which contained Spicy salmon inside with salmon and salmon roe on top. IT WAS SO UNBELIEVABLE I COULD HAVE CRIED WITH TEARS OF HAPPINESS. I literally scarfed down the next 5 rolls and really thought about ordering a second helping of 6 but I had to much Free Sake from the Chef. Loved the show that the chef put on cooking the hibachi, flipping food into our mouths from across the table, the fire show, the free sake shots etc. The Hibachi Combination Dinner is very very good and filling, I highly recommend it. Either go with a big group, a few friends, or your significant other and do the Hibachi Dinner plus Sushi you are guaranteed a good time. I mean as a restaurant steakhouse I'm sure it's good, but Hibachi is just to much fun to pass up. p.s.- only downfall is locating this place and then turning into it. Crazy busy and dangerous intersection to turn into and it's right off the highway. KOTO sign not big and distinctive enough
(5)Bee C.
Last minute opentable reservation on graduation morning. The sushi rolls were really good. Everyone ordered hibachi, which is always fun. The food was pretty salty-even for hibachi, but everyone was happy and the service was lovely. They even were accommodating with our desserts that we brought it.
(4)Dana S.
First let me say, we love the food. The service is not always the best. The last time we were there a fellow patron had tried to pay his bill for 30 minutes. He was very upset and I don't blame him....Anyway, the reason I can only give three stars is the fact that they charge for refills on sodas! A "nice" restaurant should NEVER charge for refills. We have been to this restaurant three times since moving here. In the past we thought the waiters/waitresses were just horrific at offering refills, little did we know they were probably embarrassed to say they charge for them! Our last waiter was kind enough to let us know they charge for refills (poor guy felt bad, but we appreciate his honesty). My husband had downed his Coke with the thought he would ask for a refill when the food came, because we may not have the opportunity to get a refill based on past experience! Ha! Now we know why! I am not sure if we will rush to go back to Koto's. I really hate the idea of nickel and diming a customer. The more I think about it, we probably will order water the next time or slip a Soda refill in my purse! LOL
(3)Christopher M.
Good sushi, especially considering the location (Vermont isn't coastal). The hibachi is surprisingly good especially if you have a few kids in the group. Very kid entertaining. However, if your main interest is sushi head downtown to Asiana House. Best sushi in VT.
(4)C M.
Okay this isn't authentic Japanesse, very Americanized but hey it's fun. Go with a group and sit at the hibachi table. Relax and be entertained by your dinner.
(4)Michael V.
The three big things I believe one should consider when reviewing a restaurant are atmosphere, food, and service. I'll address these three criteria in this review. At Koto when you first enter, you find the concierge's podium and next to it a little artificial stream, with goldfish, that weaves around the restaurant. Against the back wall (left of the entrance) is a bar and to its left is a hall that leads to two Hibachi rooms for private parties, the restrooms, and the kitchen. Booths run around the perimeter of the restaurant with a break along the wall opposite the entrance. At this break in booths there are low tables where clientele can sit, traditional Japanese style, shoeless, on pillows on the floor. In the center of the restaurant there are a few partially closed in areas containing Hibachi tables. Opposite the back wall where the bar is, a large windowed area extends out from the front of the restaurant and has both tables and booths in it, what are know as the "regular" seats, like those surrounding the perimeter of the restaurant. The restaurant is well lit with softer lighting in the windowed area at the front. Many delicious, foreign aromas fill the lungs of those not all that familiar with Asian cuisine, allowing one to almost taste the succulent delicacies, as they wait for their food. There is the faint sound of soft music playing in the background, but it is completely consumed by the people around the Hibachi tables, as they cheer every time the Japanese chef sets the Hibachi ablaze. Finally the unfamiliar fumble with the chopsticks set out on the tables. The atmosphere is one of good humor as one can see both casually and formally dressed people throughout the restaurant. At Koto the meal consists of several courses. First there is an appetizer if you choose to order one (the Alaskan King Crab is a must!), followed by soup and salad, the soup being broth, but still quite good, and the salad being unusually tasty for a salad. Next is the entre, an example of which is the chicken and shrimp Hibachi combo that comes with stir-fried peppers and your choice of rice or Lo Mien. Finally is desert, which isn't anything different from most restaurants, including items such as cake, ice cream, and cheesecake. Lastly, while you wait for your bill you get some Ginseng tea compliments of the house. A meal at Koto for one person will set you back about $20 to $30. I've only been to Koto once and it was on Valentine's Day of 2003. While I was there the service was mediocre at best. It took fifteen minutes just for my girlfriend and I to get our drink order and after, we still had to wait for our meal order to be taken. The server was rather inattentive to our needs as customers, so I prayed it was just the one, and all to often I had to flag him down if we needed something like more water. Also, the heat wasn't working when we went and it has been speculated by friends that the reason the heat went out on Valentine's Day, was because it's a tactic of the restaurant to get clientele to finish sooner (on holidays) so more people can dine there. Thus Koto makes more profits. Despite the poor service when I went and the lack of heat which I believed to be merely coincidence, the combination of fine food and superb atmosphere made for an excellent and immersive dining experience. Also, I expect that if and when I return to Koto the service will be great. After all I've been wanting to go back ever since I first ate there.
(5)Brian H.
Koto has lasted as one of the very few Japanese hibachi restaurants in the area. I recall eating there way back when they started several years ago. The food and the way it is served has not changed much over those many years. So I give a lot of respect to Koto for superb consistency and food quality. There has only been the rare occasion where the shrimp may have been a bit overcooked or some other minor issue. But overall, I always expect good food when I dine there. The highlight of the place is the hibachi at table dinner service (the show of Japanese grilling!). They do offer standard sit down waitservice food with a good menu of options for that. They also have a pretty good sushi bar and sushi menu to order from. I do worry they try to do too much here as the hibachi is where they really shine. I have noted a small amount of complacency with regard to service and "showmanship". The chefs lately don't feel as inclined to show off as it seemed they used to. Either that or I'm used to the script of how they do things that it seems very mechanical and not as "wow!". The waitstaff also seems a bit lacking in passion and step-to. I don't know why that is as the place just bleeds energy and good vibes about good food. You'd think everyone would be smiling and energetic! Best meals I've had have been the scallops and noodles. Shrimp is occasionally fantastic and the specialty cocktails are a favorite (try the Pomegranate Champagne!). Dessert menu is sparse (but I hardly ever have room for it). I recommend the green tea fried ice cream.
(4)Philip T.
While the sushi here is always very good, I have found the servers at times to be a bit tired and understaffed. Not exactly the most bubbly staff.
(4)Emmanuel T.
Haven't been here in years. Same as before. Very popular place, so please make a reservation. The show at the hibachi tables is always an adventure. My favorite combo is Hibachi Chicken with fried rice. Sometimes I add a size of yummy noodles.
(4)Jess C.
Coming from the Bay Area in California I was skeptical about how Vermont would stand up to the sushi on the west coast. My husband and I stopped here for lunch yesterday prior to it being officially open. They seated us at 11:15am and we were the first in. The service was polite. We did order our entire meal in one query, but was specific on the order it came in: apps first, soup, salad, sushi. Unfortunately, despite my request the waiter brought it out of order which did annoy me. I also had to wait a long time to get refills on my drink. The ginger salad dressing was the best I've ever had and the food was wonderful in presentation and taste. I will definitely return!
(4)Rachel C.
The greatest restaurant ever. Don't even question if you should eat here. Just do it and don't look back. No regrets!
(5)John D.
BACK AGAIN We stopped in here for lunch on Memorial Day and my wife had the Tempura Udon and I had the Shrimp Tempura Bento Box. Both were quite nice, though the tempura was rather greasy. This place has consistently provided an above average dining experience for us. Service - 5 STARS Food - 4 STARS Location - 4 STARS Ambiance/Decor - 4 STARS Value - 4 STARS
(4)Forrest M.
Pleasantly surprised with their lunch. Had the lunch box with teriyaki salmon and it was great. Service was a little slow but I didn't mind the extra time out of the office. The hibachi dinner has never disappointed in the past.
(4)Randy S.
The sushi bar is consistently reliable, stocked with fresh sushi and real sushi chefs, the prices are very reasonable, its a great place to come without a reservation. As for the service, it has never been very good, im not sure why, they forget to bring you water, they are slow to check on you or bring the bill, perhaps they don't train their staff very well im not sure. I give the sushi bar a 5 star for affordability, I give the staff 2 stars for service and I give the Hibachi restaurant 3 stars for uncomfortable over crowded tight seating arrangement. Try the Sushi bar, break free from the tacky Hibachi tables, the flying shrimp and the bad jokes.
(3)Joseph S.
First 5 star given I was really impressed by the hibachi also my first time for that. Guy was a pro and really funny great experience. It is expensive but I am willing to go again and try the filet hibachi dinner with rice. Chef made fried rice right in front of us and now I am awe shocked at his performance not the best at aiming but his skills were beyond impressive. I salute this restaurant thank you for restoring my faith in cooking. For now best place I have ever eaten prices are about $18-$30 per person but worth every penny.
(5)Olivia L.
We waited for nearly an hour and still did not get the food!!!! We are really hungry and this is one of the worst experience I have ever had in a resterant.
(1)Alice P.
Keep in mind this review is only about the hibachi. I went for a birthday celebration and got the lobster hibachi. It was burned and the juiciness of the lobster tail was completely gone. I never went back and I never will. The meat was way too tough and it was more fun to watch than to eat. I might go back for sushi but I seriously doubt it. In my opinion, this is a overhyped place that's not authentic at all. Of course, I'm Asian and have high expectations. I would just say don't expect anything great and don't expect it to be authentic. There are much better Japanese restaurants in the area.
(2)Michael J.
My experience is $100+ for two is average. Hana is just as good and reasonably priced.
(3)Bob C.
Clean and classy place with great ambience layout for solo, friends, family dining and even parties. Excellent seaweed salad, fantastically fresh and well prepared Green Monster sushi roll.
(4)Trish W.
Over-priced, mediocre sushi. Dinner for two came to $65 before tip, and was worth maybe $25. We shared the spring rolls to start with, and when I bit into it for the first time, it was partly frozen. Not solid, but really cold and crystal-like. The other half was warm, so it seems that the spring rolls come frozen, and are not even fried on-site, but rather microwaved. I have had better ones from the frozen section of a grocery store that I baked in my oven. The agedashi tofu was very plain, but was prepared okay. The rice for the sushi rolls kind of tasted old and brittle, not soft like it is supposed to. Between two of us we got five rolls - four basic ones and one "fire and ice" roll. The best thing we got was an avocado roll (how do you mess that up?) and even it wasn't great. The service didn't make up for it either. Not once was my water glass refilled - I nearly drained it after about five minutes, and the place was freezing and many other guests not seated by the hibachi had their coats on. It just feels like a lame attempt to bring some kind of food that isn't a locally raised beef burger and organic fires to Vermont. Don't bother. Hana is infinitely better.
(1)Anela D.
The food is so spectacular and fresh! Too bad the hibachi bar feels very hot and tight when at capacity. Love sitting in the front window area. Staff is always more than accommodating. Love the fresh sushi selection.
(3)Anna M.
It's about as good as it's going to get when it comes to sushi in VT. Their rolls aren't crazy LA or NYC expensive, but pretty good nonetheless. Can't say about the hibachi grill, because I think overall hibachi is a ripoff, but the rolls and sushi are good. And if you're there for lunch, Bento boxes are the way to go. Disclaimer, their tempura includes sweet potato tempura, which I am not a fan of, but other than that it's pretty solid.
(4)Melissa L.
We have been here two times recently. Food is very good but both times, the service was pretty bad. Even though we had reservations, it took longer than I would have expected to be seated. Today, we went for hibachi and two tables seated long after us were served first. We have small children and the waiting was long. The hibachi chefs were amazing and very sweet with the kids. The food was delicious. Just realize that the service will be so-so
(3)Shohreh E.
The food as usual was excellent, we had two of the Box Lunch something we never do...we are sushi fans. Good plentiful food, lousy wait person...never brought a glass for the beer, usually a chilled glass comes with the beer. Never checked on us...luckily the water lady is a wonderful person she did what the waitperson should have done.
(4)May T.
My fiance and I ventured to Koto for dinner on a friday night after receiving a couple of giftcards to this establishment. I made reservations for 7pm and we arrived a little bit earlier but we were seated immediately anyway. Their menu offers a wide selection of sushis and udon and of course, hibachi. We didn't aim for the hibachi but we probably will give it a try next time as it smelled incredibly delicious when we walked by the tables. Our waiter came over a couple minutes after we were seated, he gave us menus and took our drink orders and that was the last we saw of him for at least a good 10-15 minutes. We decided pretty quickly on our appetizer and entrees and had our menus closed. Unfortunately, our waiter walked into our section several times but did not acknowledge or approach us to commence our dinner order of 1 Perfect Match roll, a seafood udon and a seafood yakiudon. Koto had an interesting array of drinks and my fiance and I decided to share a "Tokyo Tea" which as it's description stated was a twist to the Long Island Iced Tea. The drink took especially long to arrive, as well as the lemons I ordered with my water but overall, it was good and strong. The food order came out pretty timely and the portions were very generous. The seafood yakiudon and the udon soup were both flavorful and full of seafood. The sushi wasn't anything out of the ordinary but wasn't bad by any means. Overall, we were very satisfied with our food and our only concern was regarding the service but particularly, our waiter. We saw and heard other waiters/waitresses presenting their guests with the food and drink specials of the day, etc while ours didn't even let us know his name. On top of that, after our food arrived, our waiter was nowhere to be found when we needed extras such as sriracha or having our water refilled. The kicker was after we finished our meal, the waiter was readily available to present us with our check and even more readily available to pick up the check with the payment in tow. I found that to be interesting and quite honestly, terribly classless. The food here is fantastic but the service is clearly hit or miss. Regardless, I'll definitely drop back for a round 2 just to check out the hibachi!
(3)Chris C.
Drove 6 hrs from Jersey and decided to stop here for din w my daddy n my homies. Love this place.
(5)D B.
This was not great- which is funny b/c the Koto's in Plattsburgh NY is. The sushi was good, but the hibachi dishes were over cooked. Scallops were terrible. So rubbery. Steak was also a bit overdone. Go somewhere else.
(2)Jared B.
I'll start off by saying that I am not a huge fan of Japanese food, and only went here because others in my party wanted to. That being said, my vegetable tempura was especially delicious, and my chicken teriyaki was fine. It seems like the hibachi chef should keep the raw meats (steak, chicken, shrimp) separate from each other, and use a different knife to cut each protein. One in my party likes steak RARE, and I was mildly grossed out when the chef used the same knife to cut still raw chicken and super-rare steak. The little salad was yummy...
(2)Yannick L.
The food was delicious, as per usual. However, this time we had to wait for 30 minutes until we were seated. This was way too long of a wait especially since we had reserved a table. To be fair, it was a busy Saturday evening but a 30 minute wait is just too long.
(4)Diane L.
Please Note - this review is about their Hibachi. I struggled about this place because I love Hibachi, so that alone gets places a star from me .. let me start with what i love about this place: - clearly very well decorated from a small pond of fish along the side of the entrance going into the hibachi area, to a very clean bathroom - a place like this in New York would have significantly higher menu prices The Hibachi: - the hibachi food was very salty, too much sauce was being poured onto all the dishes which made me drink a ton of water - the show? The show was below average and this was probably a product of the guy who did ours. I looked at other tables and they didn't make as many mistakes as he did, or suddenly throw food into people's mouths without telling them first - who wants a stained shirt? The waiter was fantastic though and was constantly coming over to check in and see how we were doing. Portions were great and i took it home as well.. but in comparison to other places I have been to - the show just wasn't all that.
(3)Abby B.
I ordered a shrimp tempura roll and a smoked salmon roll and was not impressed with either. I think people go here for the hibachi and ambiance but are not honest with themselves about the quality of the food. I've had better sushi everywhere else. Two of the tempura rolls were literally too big to eat in one piece. The wrap was way too chewy. The smoked salmon might as well have been raw - and I don't eat raw fish. Overall cool place to visit, but don't expect good sushi.
(2)