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Toyoda Sushi
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
12543 Lake City Way NE(between 125th St & N 31st Ave)
Seattle, WA 98125
Neighbourhood: Lake City
(206) 367-7972
- Hours:
Wed-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 8:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
113 reviews for Toyoda Sushi
Review Highlights
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"Get the sashimi assortment, it melts like butter." In 26 reviews -
"I love Toyoda's spicy tuna roll and their miso soup." In 5 reviews -
"The fish is always very fresh and never fails to please." In 5 reviews
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113 reviews in English
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Review from Ozzie L.
Seattle, WA
4/28/2012
If your looking for a trendy, hip and stylish place to be seen this is not the place for you. I was in search for the best sushi in Seattle and I believe I have found it! I came here to check out the fish quality and sushi technique and traveling to Japan twice a year this is as authentic as you can get. Large pieces and the only way the fish could be any fresher is if it were still alive.
Dont come here if your looking for a deep fried las vegas roll or a Seattle roll. These are great college and drunken night rolls. If you have a complex palate and are looking for quality then Toyoda sushi is the place. Its one of those hole in the wall places that you would pass on by if you didnt know it was there.
A+++++ -
Review from Bizzie B.
Everett, WA
4/11/2012
Great food.
Great service.
Show up early though if you're joining the dinner crowd, it's about a half hour wait otherwise (because the sushi is so damn good).
I highly recommend this establishment if you LOVE sushi! -
Review from Danielle K.
Seattle, WA
3/18/2012
FACILITY: The establishment is quite small and a bit cramped with only about 15 tables and some seating at the sushi bar. The decor is typical for a small low-end Japanese restaurant. The lighting and temperature were comfortable but there was a strong odor of vinegary sushi rice. The tables had soy sauce on them and wooden chopsticks.
HOST: There is no host stand and when entering the sushi chef yells greetings in Japanese. A girl approached us after a moment and pointed to a table in the corner. She did not escort us, but did drop off menus a minute later.
SERVER: The girl who dropped off our menus came by to ask for our drink orders. No ID was requested even though there were people under 30 in our party. We ordered a beer and she did not ask what size we wanted, she just brought a big one. When she saw our reaction to the size she said "Oh, did you want a small one". We said it was fine. We ordered Lemonade and Sprite andwere told they did not have either; Lemonade they do not carry and their sprite was out. She dropped off Miso soups and some cold noodle salad with a mayo dressing. She did not ask if we had been there before or mention that the items were free. She also did not tell us what kind of salad it was. Not 2 minutes after we sat down an older woman with an angry look on her face came by to ask for our order. We told her we were not ready and without even a word she turned and walked away. When she returned we placed our order with her and I asked if I could order the Veggie Tempura with only sweet potato and she said yes. The food came out with lightening speed and the portions were very large. It also appeared that when food was incorrect it was given for free to another table. We were given a free salmon roll for no apparent reason. The Veggie Tempura was not brought out as ordered and it was sent back. Later in the evening we flagged down another girl to confirm that a tempura roll that that been ordered was going to be a Prawn Tempura roll. The Veggie Tempura was brought out again but this time with Prawns as well. We told her this was incorrect and that the prawns were supposed to be in the roll. Later on another Veggie Tempura was brought out and was not sweet potato only as ordered, and it was sent back again and finally cancelled. No refills were offered on any of the beverages; including the beer. No check backs were done on the meal and no apologies were made for the mistakes. Empty plates were never cleared unless I told the older woman to clear some while she was dropping off food. The check was dropped off and was not legible except for the total, which was wrong. We told her and she redid it. She also offered to pack up some leftover sushi which was wrapped in tin foil even though I observed them to have to go boxes.
FOOD/BEVERAGE: The Miso soup was very hot and tasty. The noodle salad was a disgusting mayo mess. The Calamari was average although it could have been crispier. The Albacore Tataki was fresh and tasty although the pieces were unevenly cut and the presentation was a messy pile. The sauce was also kind of weak and boring. The Gomae was different than I was used to but it was good, more sesame flavor than peanut buttery like normal. The Beef Teriyaki was served medium rare even though it was ordered well done and it was over 50% inedible fat. The Ebi Nigiri had a lot of wasabi on it and was very overpowering. The rice was also falling apart. We ordered Spicy Tuna roll, Philadelphia roll and California roll. All were tasty, averagely rolled and came with 6 large pieces.
MANAGEMENT: No one appearing to be management was on duty. Our table was not visited by a manager/owner despite all of the issues we had.
OVERALL: Even though this place is close to my house and is highly reviewed it is really nothing special and highly overpriced. There are no fancy rolls with eel sauce or tempura flakes if that is your thing and a Gomae for $7 is crazy. The Beef Teriyaki was almost $20 and came with a bowl of rice and undressed cabbage- hardly worth half of that! I don't know if other reviewers have not been to good sushi places or if there are not a lot in the Seattle area (which is hard to believe). Between the high price, horrible service and average food (don't get me wrong the sushi isn't bad, it just isn't great enough to warrant the high price) we will not be returning. -
Review from octo w.
Seattle, WA
3/6/2012
The service here is pretty good. Toyoda san and his wife are very friendly.
The food was a par in my opinion but the price is a little bit too high in my opinion.
All in all, the best japanese restaurant in lake city area. -
Review from Zachary Sam Z.
Seattle, WA
12/19/2011
We came here Saturday night for dinner because we were in the neighborhood. I hadn't been here before, but I'm a fan! This is a nice, traditional style Japanese restaurant with friendly people, fast service, and good quality food.
I love that they bring miso soup and the crab noodle salad to the table right away. The only other place in the area that I've found that does this is I Love Sushi - and I think it's such a nice practice. Personally, I always enjoy a miso soup when I have sashimi, so bringing it on the house? That's awesome.
They also gave us a complimentary order of Agedashi Tofu, which was very delicious! It came out piping hot and was very crispy. One of the best that I've had - though I don't normally order this dish, so I'm not comparing it very broadly.
I ordered the small / half sashimi plate. Trust me - the half is enough. I ended up only being able to eat half of it. Thankfully someone else in the party could finish it, claiming he had "a separate stomach for sashimi." The quality of the fish they serve here definitely makes it worth a splurge, if the other option is that the fish goes to waste. Had I not been completely stuffed, I would have finished it off for sure!
I also got to try the chicken teriyaki, and found it to be very well prepared. The combos in general seemed to be a lot of food - so next time, when I'm craving hot food, I will definitely try one of those!
The prices are a little steep, but given how much food you get, I think it's worth it. Definitely worth stopping by when you're in the area!Listed in: Sam's Spectacular Sushi Search
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Review from D O.
Seattle, WA
1/29/2012
Note: I am playing catch-up on my reviews. I am a die-hard regular for Toyoda, so this brief review reflects my experiences over the last 4 years, not one particular visit.
Tips: Worth the drive from downtown. Incredible value for what you get. Sit at the bar; wait if you have to. Show up early. Trust in Jimmy and Na-chan to surprise you. Ask what's good. Service can be a little 'relaxed' at times; wait until you have a free evening. They tend to be closed on certain days or on certain weeks: call ahead if unsure. They occasionally have 'off' nights; avoid if this will ruin your day. Come three times in a month: they will know your name and treat you very, very well. -
Review from Julie P.
Seattle, WA
12/28/2011 3 photos
I love eating here! It's worth the wait to be seated at the sushi bar to watch the sushi-master do his magic. The service is excellent, atmosphere is lively, and they have such fresh fish all of the time. They have high quality fish, great custom rolls if you want it, and everything tastes just so good. They also have this great giant tempura ice cream to be shared either by two or 4people if you have the room to eat dessert.
I come here all the way from Lower Queen Anne, granted theres lots of other great sushi places in Seattle, there's just something special about Toyoda. Maybe I shouldn't tell everyone about it =P -
Review from KS R.
Mill Creek, WA
3/7/2012
Service is good and staff does very well in getting a table for patrons as quickly as possible. The staff didn't quite get our meals at the same time or even close. I got mine first, then my wife got hers nearly 7 minutes later! Perhaps it's just a fluke. Other than that, the food really is good.
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Review from Danielp S.
Renton, WA
12/14/2011
It's a long way to Toyoda for me, and it's not close to anything else I'd go to. I go now and then anyway.
Huge slabs of melt-in-your-mouth sashimi on excellent sushi rice. Mmm. Or, without the rice, just as sashimi. Toyoda is right toward the top of my short list for raw fish. You're going to pay a lot more for anything better, and the fish is just not going to get much better anyway, regardless of how much you pay.
The menu is extensive. There's a lot more than sushi. I haven't really tried much of it; what I've had was decent Japanese fare but not remarkable, of the sort you'd find in an out-of-the-way restaurant in Japan that doesn't specialize.
But they do specialize in sushi. Just... yum!
Be prepared to wait sometimes; Toyoda's excellence is known. It often fills up mid-evening. Atmosphere is homey. Nothing fancy. Nothing offensive. It can get a little loud in summer when the front windows are open to the street. Don't go if you're in a hurry; you might not get your order taken immediately or your bill taken care of quickly.
Toyoda: Thanks for all the fish. But this is no good-bye. -
Review from Cora L.
10/13/2011
I love this place, the rolls with raw fish are fantastic.
The fried yellowtail is even better. Suki yaki is good too!
The fish is fresh, the utensils are clean, and the staff is friendly. What more can you ask for at a Japanese restaurant? Yeah, it's loud inside because it's packed and maybe they ARE understaffed - but hey, restuarants aren't popular for no reason right? -
Review from Bradley C.
Burlington, WA
4/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
If you like authentic Sushi and a classic atmosphere - you'll love Toyoda. In my little sushi book, this is peered only by the FEDEX hub for fresh fish from all points of the compass - Denver!
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Review from Kyle G.
Oakland, CA
8/24/2011
I was here with a friend based on recommendations from a few of his friends. The atmosphere was a little a little rough. I mean the place was clean but it was very loud. No sound buffers were used in the making of this restaurant. lol It was really hard to have a conversation. I had to struggle to hear what he was saying and I don't have hearing issues...lol
We sat down and we were greeted quickly by most likely the owner. She was very nice and took our order without any problems. Soon after that they placed Meso soup and some sort of mayo infused salad. Even though the salad scared me I still took one bite to say I tried it..... yep! It's Mayo!
Here's where is all went right. The sushi was brought out and I was happy with the beautiful presentation. It all looked great and both my friend and I were hungry. We ate it all but two bites. Everything was fantastic. I was happy and it made my belly happy. I would go back here in a heart beat. -
Review from Angela K.
12/20/2011
This is a decent place for sushi/sashimi in Seattle, though the quality of fish is a hit or miss and general quality/service seems to have gone down over the past year. The fish is still fresh but their white fish frequently have the frozen-and-thawing crunchy texture to them. I like the complimentary noodle salad and miso soup.
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Review from John C.
Seattle, WA
12/18/2010 13 Check-ins Here
Do you like sashimi?" asks the sushi chef when I sat down. "Yes" I respond. "here" and he gives me a heaping plate on the house. The hosts here are so kind, this kind of above and beyond service is typical when coming here. The fish is fresh and the rolls are well crafted and this no non-sense establishment. Tonight I was even offered sake on the house!
A little too pricy to go more often, but I love this place and love how close it is to where I live.Listed in: Tour De Lake City
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Review from jon M.
King, WA
4/17/2011
Best Sushi in Seattle Hands down.
This place is what a sushi joint should be. No non-sense. Top-quality fish, skilled sushi chefs and super cool staff.
Mr. Toyota is a the bomb. Just give him an idea as to what you like and he'll take care of you. The cuts are done right and the fish is ohh so clean and fresh. No fancy food-network stuff stuff just SERIOUS sushi. Local for over 20 years so you know they are doing something right and well regarded but local chefs.
Make sure to ask them what is especially good and you will not go wrong. This isn't $1 sushi land sushi but once you try it you might have a hard time ever going back to conveyor belt sushi again.
Nights are actually less busy then lunch so try coming a little later and they'll really take care of you. -
Review from Poulina K.
Kirkland, WA
Updated - 1/21/2011
Update: I would love to do 3.5 stars! Since this restaurant is so close to my boyfriends place I gave them a few more chances.
On my last two recent visits for take-out service was great. I noticed the owner is there all the time now, a lot of repeat patrons and the neighborhood seems to really like it.
I usually order a sushi combo and request a Negi Hama Roll and at least a few pieces of Saba. The amount of food you get as very generous, although I think the sushi pieces are a bit too big, you get a large slice of fish and a pretty big piece of rice...after a few bites it becomes too filling. If you are into the fish more opt for a plate of sashimi here instead.
A very solid local establishment.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/17/2010
Yelpers failed me a little on this one :-(
Tried this place twice now and both times was… Read more »
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Review from Jeff F.
Seattle, WA
4/17/2011
Small "Family Owned & Operated" looking joint, with just OK food and service.
Sushi & Japanese Food = OK
* TONS of raving reviews on yelp, so I visited several times...
* However, the overall experience was just OK.
* The nigiri was simple and timid.
* The rolls were a bit on the small side, but the prices were mid range.
* The sashimi sets are very good: decent sized cuts and fresh quality.
The Service & Setting = Understaffed & Cramped
* It's fairly cramped (especially the entry/waiting area).
* The service was not good when it got busy: understaffed and struggled to keep up.
* "Oh, I'm sooo sorry" said a hustling waitress (10x times) when she spilt food on a customer.
* "*Clash! *Bang!" as another hurried waitress smacks down table condiments while clearing a table.
*** When it was both busy and near empty, the customer service didn't have the "warmth" of a small "Ma & Pa" shop.
Local Competition
* Toyoda is a fair Japanese restaurant, but there is no "wow factor" like at Maneki (old school) or Japonessa (new school).
There are better options around. -
Review from Bobo J.
Tacoma, WA
10/11/2011
The service is friendly. But the food is mediocre. They serve free starters of miso soup, which is not vegetarian, and a scary looking mayonaise-fake crab-noodle salad. Suffice it to say, I didn't partake in either the soup or salad. Vegetarian sushi, house sake, and green tea were tasty, while plastic dishes and veggie tempura made with frozen broccoli were not. I won't be going back unless someone makes me.
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Review from Kasia W.
Albany, NY
3/28/2011
There's really not much to say except for FRESH fish, DELICIOUS food, PERFECT tea, and FRIENDLY service. Is it obvious that I love this place?
I've never left there feeling hungry or feeling like I've paid too much for the food or service.
It is a small restaurant so you have to pick a good time to go, otherwise you may be waiting for quite a while. -
Review from Rena B.
Seattle, WA
3/16/2011
I love this restaurant! My family and I have been coming here for years, and I always ALWAYS love the food! Mmmmm fattiest tuna sashimi.... Spider rolls.... My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
The only reason for only 4 stars is that I would caution anyone going here that there aren't too many tables and sometimes the wait can be really long, so going here for an early dinner is my recommendation, and occasionally the wait staff seems a little irritated, but the food once you get it makes all of that fade away.
If you can sit at the sushi bar, do it! Sometimes the owner and head chef is there, and sometimes he will seriously hook you up with some delicious freebies! Sometimes he will try to speak Spanish to you... He's hilarious and it's really fun to watch the sushi chefs work.
I always leave with my pants a little stretched, and a smile on my face...
Actually I think I will go there tonight... -
Review from Aries G.
Seattle, WA
3/25/2011
We had dinner at Toyoda Sushi in Lake CIty the other night. We had the teriyaki beef - which was good and chicken katsu - also good, but left me wishing it was smothered in curry!
Toyoda Sushi is a small restaurant and sushi bar. Sushi is a bit pricey but good. I wanted to try their Chirashi don - not on the menu - but it was about $40. Roughly twice what most sushi places would charge. I think I may go back and try it to see what makes it so special that they would charge twice as much and why it isn't on their menu!
Service was "okay". The sushi chef was friendly enough but our waitress was a bit too no-nonsense for me. She wasn't rude, but she certainly wasn't going out of her way to be nice. No eye contact - would walk by to drop stuff off without saying a word and walk away. Probably just a personality issue, but definitely noticeable enough to comment on. Would we go back again? Most likely. Would it be our first choice? Most likely not.
http://ieatsit.tumblr.... -
Review from Kyle B.
Seattle, WA
10/22/2011
My girlfriend and I went there and were blown away. She hates sushi but ended up eating more than I did! The chef have us saki and sashimi on the house and was most entertaining. Fresh fish, large portions, decently priced, great ambiance... I am now a regular.
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Review from Nina H.
6/25/2010
What is up with these prices? Udon for $13.95 or something outrageous? Not worth it... and the other dinners were at least $15. I was seriously shocked by the prices of the set meals.
The sushi was pretty good though I'll have to say. My roommate and I ordered a caterpillar roll which was a good size along with a salmon and tuna roll. It was quite filling but I was just so surprised at how expensive the other items were.
Everyone gets miso soup and a bowl of mayo-udon and crab meat. I really liked the crab meat but the udon was pretty odd and the soup was somewhat tasteless.
The restaurant was really busy and supposedly, is always crackin' during the dinner time. But I'm confused because I thought it was very mediocre, service is friendly but kind of slow. There are flies flying around which was really nasty... I probably won't be coming back.Listed in: O-sushi doko desuka?, Overrated...
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Review from Me H.
Seattle, WA
1/10/2007
I must have gone on an off night, three different times. I had heard lots of great things about Toyoda and was excited to try it so I decided to give it a try, three times and each time I was more under whelmed than the last.
The place had a smell to it that was a little off, made me wonder if they were covering up some bad fish. The tuna didn't taste right and the cuts very irregular, the rolls were all falling apart and not what I ordered, yes on all three visits. The place is awful and not worth the 30+ minute wait you'll have only to sit at a sticky table and eat bad sushi that's over priced.Listed in: B-B-B-B-Bad To The Bone..., Sushi, Sushi, Sushi!!
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Review from Todd L.
Seattle, WA
10/17/2007
Toyoda why don't you call me any more. Remember when we used to see each other every few weeks and you'd sweep me off my feet? We'd indulge in incredibly fresh fish made with care and attention to detail. You would make my tummy sing and send me home happy and full and yearning for more of you.
But the magic is gone Toyoda. You don't want me any more...at least that's what you keep telling me when I come in. Your fish is no where near as fresh. You don't take as much care or pride in presentation and you act like you've found someone else. I don't get the attention and appreciation you used to give me. I guess you've gotten too cool for school and found it easier to rest on your laurels. It saddens me but I guess we're breaking up. I can't afford the mental or fiscal anguish you cause me now. I hope you go back to your old ways soon so we can see each other again. Until then, I'm posting on CL for a new sushi partner. -
Review from Sophia M.
Mountain View, CA
6/20/2009 1 photo
Toyoda is not about décor, ambience, and not even about American style sushi rolls and tempura-shcmempuras. Toyoda is about raw fish. Really-really good quality fish.
Imagine your grandma, or someone else's grandma who really loves cooking and is on a mission to feed everyone. You know her hearty meals prepared with love and care? Well, now imagine that grandma cooking sushi for you. That's exactly kind of love and quality you get in your fish in Toyoda. I love-love-love their tuna tataki. If my grandma cooked tataki that's exactly how she would have made it. A perfect bowl of tataki, without mayonnaise as they like to put abundantly in those fancy sushi places. And not those tiny, slim, transparent pieces of tuna, but good generous chunks. When I crave tataki, I crave Toyoda tataki.
To those who are confused by miso soup and crab salad appearing on your table, which you never ordered - these are treats from Toyoda because they love you that much. (I think I'm addicted to their crab salad.) -
Review from Inna B.
I've been to Toyoda Sushi a good number of times, and I love it. I usually go with either my boyfriend (we had our first date there and go back at least on anniversaries) and sometimes 1-2 other people. I definitely recommend sitting at the bar (especially if getting sushi). It's fun to watch the chefs make the sushi and ordering straight from them. The last time there were 3 of us and the sushi chef accomodated by making 3 pieces of each nigiri over (instead of the usual 2).
The creamy noodle/crab/apple (?) salad is always delicious, and so is the squid salad. Mmmmmm.
The sushi... well... we've previously referred to it as something along the lines of "amazing taste explosions in my mouth."Listed in: Nigiri, sashimi, chirashi,…, Seattle Favorites
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Review from w d.
Crystal Lake, IL
11/8/2010 4 photos
Ok...place is cramped, sometimes have to wait for a spot to open up (sit at bar to meet Toyoda san), and yes, I too have seen a fly or two in here.
So 5 stars? Why? You want nigiri or sashimi? Mouth meltingly fresh flavorful sushi served by a chef who feeds you with the passion of an artist. This becomes more and more evident as you return. His personality puts his restaurant head and shoulders above any other I have been to. I became a regular here (dinner twice a month), and found myself never having to order anything...he knew what we liked, and prepared us our favorites always, and never failed to show us something new...he cares both about the food he serves you, and about you his customer.
I encourage you to make yourself known...to return time and again to this little sushi shop...it will become as friendly a home as you've ever had.
one caveat...I was a regular when I lived in Seattle...about 6 years ago... -
Review from Amanda K.
Mercer Island, WA
8/18/2010
There are few amazingly good sushi joints here in Seattle, which I find surprising because we're located in the area where seafood is plentiful and fresh as can be.
I had never been here before, and was excited to try out a new Japanese restaurant. The rest of my family had come here for a meal before coming here with me. They all seemed to thoroughly enjoy it, so that was a good sign.
While we were here, I felt like we were in Japan. The atmosphere is so Japanese, bustling, and busy. The people here are very kind, and I like the feel of the restaurant. The place was pretty crowded when we entered, so we had to wait a little before we could be seated.
After scanning over the menu, I had seen all my favorites. Rolls, nigiri, hand rolls, Japanese snacks, they had it all!
We were ready to order after a while, and decided on: sashimi platter, spicy salmon roll and spicy tuna roll.
The food did not take long to come, thankfully because I was starving! The sashimi platter was one of the biggest platters of sashimi I had never seen in my entire life. Other than this, probably a sushi boat is larger. The spicy tuna and salmon rolls was generous too, usually it's teeny tiny!
I started with a spicy salmon roll. This isn't the type of spicy salmon roll where there is spicy mayo squirted on top. This is authentic chopped up fish, mixed with chili sauce, then rolled into rice and seaweed. The roll was incredibly fresh, and had a kick from the chili sauce. Yum!
Moving onto the spicy tuna roll, also prepared the same way. The spicy tuna was KILLER. I had never tasted a better spicy tuna roll in my entire life.
The sashimi platter was too overwhelming, but I took a piece of fish, dipped it into my wasabi and soy sauce dish, swirled it around a bit, then plopped it into my mouth. Boy, was it good! Thickly cut, right from the sea, I was in pure heaven.
We made quite a dent in our sashimi platter, and finished all the rolls. There were a couple measly piece of sashimi left, but we were stuffed to the brim. There was no way we could finish the rest.
Satisfied, but oh so full, I definitely want to come back!Listed in: THE BEST OF THE BEST, Feeling Asian?
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Review from Michelle B.
Seattle, WA
10/21/2006
This place was very underwhelming, especially after driving all the way up to Lake City to try it out. I really felt like there was nothing good, nor nothing bad about it.
The service was mediocre, the surroundings were absolutely fine, and the sushi was not the best I've ever had, but not the worst either.
I will admit that I am not a sushi snob, so maybe I am missing something here, but my friend who tends to down a lot of raw fish was only so-so on the whole experience as well.
I'm sure if I lived up North I would be stoked that Toyoda Sushi was so close by, but it's nothing to leave Seattle for - save your gas money. -
Review from Connie C.
10/22/2009
This is our go-to restaurant. We frequent it more than any other restaurant in Seattle. It looks a little ghetto on the outside (located directly on Lake City), and it's hard to tell if they're open, but once you go inside, it's a different story.
Sit at the bar. Don't get a table. The slices of sashimi are thick. You can ask the sushi chef to make $x of sushi, and he'll throw together a meal for you. Sometimes halfway through a meal, he'll just reach over and drop more sushi on my plate.
The rolls are much smaller than you'd normally get at other places, but the quality is higher. Try the tempura ice cream at least once - sooo delicious (and a huge serving too).
Note that they are now closed Monday and Tuesday, and they're only open for dinner. Ample parking is available on Lake City during dinner time. -
Review from Jen G.
Seattle, WA
3/1/2007
If there was ever a place that could squash my insatiable sushi run, it would be Toyoda.
Not that their sushi was bad, but like I Love Sushi before, their maki and nigiri were completely uninspired. Perhaps because I'm still a sushi novice, I don't *know* authentic sushi. But call me crazy, I like a little ingenuity in my rolls. What we got were dinky, loosely packed rolls with absolutely no flavor or presentation. I think my former chef/food scientist husband put it best when he described the rolls as having "rice bald spots."
The edamame was good. And they serve miso and some kind of unidentifiable seafood salad at the beginning, so at least we left feeling full. But sadly, I think my desire to eat sushi all the time is slowly fading away.
Must go back to Sam's (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) to revive this fire before it's completely cooled!Listed in: Coming around to the sushi…
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Review from David M.
Seattle, WA
12/8/2007
Three stars and falling.
My wife and I enjoyed a few great dates at the Toyoda bar early in our relationship, but the last few times we've visited it just hasn't been the same - there's always something that bugs us.
This last time we were early so as to beat the rush, but found (maybe due to the lack of body heat?) the place was freezing. There was actually a space heater next to our table.
Our nigiri and maki were good as usual (although my albacore was cold enough to arouse suspicion of having been frozen), and we always appreciate the extra cuts that Toyoda-san puts on the boards. My wife has fallen in love with sauteed geoduck at Shiro's and Kisaku and decided to order the Toyoda version - bad move. It looked as though the nuggets of big clam had been skewered and then thrown in the deep fryer.
Service at this place is controlled chaos at best. When you get the b-team (how do you get the b-team on a Friday night?) it can be downright lackluster. I used to not mind paying more for Toyoda sushi than for Sam's, but now I think we may be staying in Ballard (or splurging at Kisaku) more often. -
Review from Serena H.
Seattle, WA
10/15/2009
On an unexpected Wednesday, we went into Toyoda Sushi. We sat at the Sushi Bar wching Chef Toyoda joyfully making his sashimi and chit-chatting with his customer. Absolutely a fan, and will definitely come back.
It was a slow night for Chef Toyoda, which means great things for me! Just sit at the sushi bar and watch the man go about his sushi, the way he talks to his customer. It's just sooooo joyful!! Life's supposed to be like that - simple and having a good time. That's how I feel about Toyoda Sushi. Nothing complex; nothing crazy, just good food. O, and did I mention that he just kept giving me nibbles of sashimi while I was chatting with him? i felt like an old acquaintance right away!
I had sashimi and a chicken nebiyaki udon that I could not finish. The ikura and amoebi were simply the best I've ever had. I've never had Salmon Roe where the roe sits out sweet juice in my mouth. Never had sweet shrimp that was sooo plump and sweet. Trust me, it's worth the $. Nebiyaki udon soup base was fantastic; and the little-charred-grilled-chicken was somehow really good and i can't tell what's in the marinade!
Life is supposed to be simple, unpretentious, and good. If you want that laid back day, where you can drink and chat with your chef, this is the place. Don't come here if you want anything fancier.
O and did I mention that Chef Toyoda insisted for us to have sake because sashimi must be accompanied by good sake...smiles on my face... -
Review from J H.
San Francisco, CA
10/24/2006
I'm with Michelle on this one - what's all the fuss about?
We came in just before close on a Wednesday, but there were no tables and we ended up having to sit at the bar. I did enjoy the free noodles, however not everyone is going to like mayo and fake crab. Sushi was so-so, service was so-so. If I'm recalling we order gyoza and it didn't come until after the sushi.
Really, I'd suggest heading downtown to Nijo or north to Zen in Mill Creek. Toyoda wasn't exactly the cleanest either. -
Review from mel r.
Emeryville, CA
10/28/2008
The place has lots of positive ratings on other networks, a few years running now...and I just don't get it. It's not bad, per say, but its not the best I've had either.
The Tuna Sashimi was like butter and melted in my mouth; the chef even gave us extra cuts on the house. However, my rolls were standard and the seaweed was a bit hard to chew. The service was pretty quick considering it was a busy Friday night.
My biggest gripe was the amount of those fucking annoying gnats that seem to come out this time of year...or when you let food rot. As soon as our food was placed down, we were swarmed; it was all we could do to rush through our food and get the bill, to get outta there posthaste. Trying to catch bugs, Ala Daniel-san is fun on the side, but not when you're trying to defend your food.Listed in: I like to eat raw fish
-
Review from Kandi B.
Seattle, WA
10/2/2006
Mmmmmmmmm.
Yummmmmmm.
Two words for you: fatty tuna.
On our last visit a very sweet, 81-year old Japanese woman shared some of her secret cooking tips, as well as her saki! Toyoda is a very friendly sushi bar with knock-your-socks off sushi. -
Review from Fumiko Y.
Seattle, WA
12/16/2009
Listen! It was like a horror movie. Or The Twilight Zone...
We were seated at a center table on a quiet Thursday night and then we saw...
FLIES!!! Circling above our table! A dozen of them!!!!!! GASP!!! Didn't anyone see them? I looked around and everyone seemed to be minding their own business, eating, chatting, drinking...I glanced over to the waitress... business as usual.
Instantly, my boyfriend and I whispered and confirmed that we both wanted to leave.
So we left without saying a word. In a hurry. We will not be coming back. -
Review from Jolene N.
Bellevue, WA
3/20/2006
Great sushi. The staff is very friendly. Does the owner ever take a day off? I see him behind the bar every time I visit, with an inviting smile and always chatting with the customers at the sushi bar as his hands do their sushi making magic.
My only complaint is the consistent wait for a table or even the sushi bar. Be nice if the owner would consider leasing the space next door or moving to a larger locale. He certainly has the reputation where his customers would follow him nearly anywhere. -
Review from Leo L.
Seattle, WA
11/29/2007
I have lived almost next door to Toyoda for four years now, and I have been there multiple times, the last time was last week. My feeling is that it is slowly losing its appeal.
I am a food snob, and will add more to Yelp later. Even worse for them is that I am a sushi snob, having lived in Japan for two years and been treated to some of the most amazing sushis in Japan (thanks to clients taking me to "Japanese-only" restaurants while I pretend to be Japanese).
In the past few years, I have been a constant patron at Toyoda, Shiro's, Maneki and Hiroshi's (mostly for Izakaya), and I have constantly ranked them as the top sushi places in Seattle. But Toyoda is slipping, quickly. The fish used to be expertly cut by a real Japanese sushi chef (I believe is the owner), and the freshness was unrivaled in the Seattle area (except by Shiro's and Maneki). Last time I checked, the owner now only works on Friday and Saturday.
The goods first. The sashimi dinner is great value. For $31, the amount of raw fish and seafood you get is pretty astounding. Fantastic value for money. The sushis are reasonably well made, and the hot dishes still very well prepared now.
Unfortunately, last time we went, the sashimi was cut mostly wrongly and turned a bit slimy, which only affects the presentation and some texture, but not the taste, it's still fresh and tasty. There was some scales and small bones in the mackeral (Japanese: sama). The maguro (tuna) was so obviously frozen before and it was still icy in the middle. And if I did not see it wrongly, the unagi was pre-made in a package, instead of prepared on site (I could be wrong on this one).
I would recommend this place very highly in the past, and even took multiple dates to this place to secure my "good taste" reputation. But given the most recent experience, I would have to lower the star level to only three. It is still acceptable in terms of service and general preparation, but for the amount of money (last bill was about $35 a head), I expected a bit more and left underwhelmed. For quite a lot less, just across the street is a new smaller Korean run sushi place (Sumo Sushi) that could easily have 85-90% of what Toyoda offers.
