Talia Gray, Senior Staff Writer  

In this edition of Talia’s Tastes, we will discuss Mr. Tokyo: Japanese Restaurant. Mr. Tokyo is a small chain of Japanese restaurants located throughout North Carolina. In addition to the Greensboro location, they’re also located in Pineville, Matthews, Prosperity Village (Charlotte area), Chapel Hill, and Monroe. I recently visited the Greensboro location for the first time for a friend’s birthday, and I immediately knew I wanted to share the experience with you all.  

Initially entering Mr. Tokyo, I was struck by how large the space was. I visited the restaurant on a Saturday, and it was quite busy. Every table looked full, and there were still people waiting to be seated, which let me know that this eatery was quite popular amongst those in the know. Upon being seated, I noticed that they were playing relaxed R&B and pop music in what seemed like a well-curated playlist. The setting felt quite casual, but the food I saw being served looked opulent.  

The main attraction of Mr. Tokyo is its unlimited sushi and hibachi. Each patron receives a paper and small pencil to select their menu items. Alongside their wide selection of sushi rolls, there are also soups/salads, appetizers, “kitchen entrees,” nigiri, and desserts (desserts have an additional fee that is separate from the “unlimited” menu). Diners are instructed to mark or check the items they want from the menu, and once they are ready for another round of food, they may request another menu. Now, if you are there with multiple people, I would recommend coordinating your meal choices with your group and using one menu for your party’s order at a time. Doing so helps everyone have a bit more variety and leaves room for some safety-net choices.  

To start our dining experience, my friends and I ordered crab rangoons and shrimp fried rice. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly our food was served given how busy the restaurant was, but it seemed quick service was the norm, as each course took no longer than 10 minutes to be served to us (even when we requested adjustments; customers can request one adjustment per roll). The crab rangoons we received were perfectly crafted golden-brown triangles. The outer wonton wrapper was crispy with a pleasantly creamy texture on the inside. The shrimp fried rice was not quite what I expected as it did not look like the shrimp fried rice I am accustomed to. However, where it differed in appearance, it made up for in flavor. The dish was overall well-seasoned and cooked to near perfection. That being said, I would not recommend mixing all-you-can-eat hibachi with all-you-can-eat sushi. In my experience, the shrimp rice made me feel a bit too full, and I couldn’t try as much sushi as I would have liked 🙁. Perhaps decide whether you want to primarily eat the various rice dishes or sushi rolls before you place your first order.  

In spite of my rookie mistake, my group ordered six different types of sushi, which were collectively delicious. For the sake of my editors, I will only discuss 3 in this review. My personal favorite roll was the “Juicy Crab Roll,” which contained “tempura shrimp, cucumber, with crabmeat and crunch on top,” as well as “yummy sauce” and “eel sauce” drizzled on each roll. The contrast between the tenderness of the crabmeat and crispy flakes on top made for a vibrant first bite. The crunch sensation continued while chewing the shrimp tempura, alongside a beautiful contrast between the yummy sauce and the eel sauce. The Juicy Crab Roll was my “fun” sushi choice, and I was not disappointed.  

On the other hand, my “safe” choice in sushi roll was just as satisfying, as we ordered a simple tuna roll for the table to share. The tuna roll was just a classic rice roll with raw tuna and a seaweed wrap. This simplistic roll was a pleasant contrast to some of the more complex rolls we ordered. The tuna was satisfyingly fresh, which made each roll an easy choice. Truthfully, this is the type of sushi roll I could eat all night (had I not filled up on shrimp fried rice, I probably would have).  

Now, if simple sushi is not up your alley, there is a similar roll that I would also recommend: the Black Peppered Tuna Roll. This roll contains “spicy salmon, crunch, avocado with black peppered tuna on top”. To me, this roll was reminiscent of the tuna roll but substantially spicier. Any or all of these sushi rolls would be a great choice for first-time patrons of the restaurant, and there is plenty of room for further exploration, as Mr. Tokyo offers 40+ sushi roll options.  

I would recommend Mr. Tokyo for any and all sushi or hibachi fans, especially those who have a friend or two tag along with them. It is a fun and cost-efficient experience that I’m sure everyone would enjoy.