Tokyo Marina

Tried Tokyo Marina for the 2nd time the other night, when it was so hot and getting very late at night. We wanted to try Katsu but did not want to get back in the car... Anyway, I must say I'm happy with Tokyo Marina again.
We got a small mixed sashimi, which was 12 slices, including salmon, both kinds of tuna, and something else that I'm unsure of. We also got 4 pieces of salmon sushi, one spicy tuna hand roll, and one maki of avacado/cuke/tuna/roe. It was 32 bucks! It's good enough that I could've eaten more (of course ) but we had already brought it home which prevented us from doing that.
Tokyo Marina is in Andersonville on Clark, # 5058.

messycook wrote:Tried Tokyo Marina for the 2nd time the other night, when it was so hot and getting very late at night. We wanted to try Katsu but did not want to get back in the car... Anyway, I must say I'm happy with Tokyo Marina again.
We got a small mixed sashimi, which was 12 slices, including salmon, both kinds of tuna, and something else that I'm unsure of. We also got 4 pieces of salmon sushi, one spicy tuna hand roll, and one maki of avacado/cuke/tuna/roe. It was 32 bucks! It's good enough that I could've eaten more (of course ) but we had already brought it home which prevented us from doing that.
Tokyo Marina is in Andersonville on Clark, # 5058.

On my one visit to Tokyo Marina when I lived in the neighborhood, I found it quite dirty. Enough so that I had some sanitation concerns and never went back (and for me, that's saying something). Have they cleaned it up?

>>Have they cleaned it up?

Hmmm...How long ago were you there? I have only been inside once, to order and take my food out, and while I was waiting around, it seemed fine. The other day, fiance ran in and grabbed the food so I can't say.
FWIW, I *feel* fine after eating, 2 days later.....

On my one visit to Tokyo Marina when I lived in the neighborhood, I found it quite dirty. Enough so that I had some sanitation concerns and never went back (and for me, that's saying something).

I had a similar experience. The place seemed pretty dirty to me, and I felt like I was sitting in a cafeteria. If the food was outstanding, I wouldn't care about the ambiance, but it felt so institutional to me.

The food was ok, and a good value, but I have never again made it a destination.

Anyone been to Hama Matsu up the street?

I tried Hama Matsu the other day, and i found the ambiance noticeably better than Tokyo Marina, and the food slightly better. (i stuck with sushi and had no Korean--for that I have the "Korean Restaurant" on lawrence.)
I think the quality of the fish is the same at both places, and for value Tokyo Marina is better, but Hama Matsu has more interesting rolls and such.
I have never found Tokyo Marina to be dirty in any way, and I have probably been there at least 25 times.

messycook wrote:>>Have they cleaned it up?

Hmmm...How long ago were you there? I have only been inside once, to order and take my food out, and while I was waiting around, it seemed fine. The other day, fiance ran in and grabbed the food so I can't say.
FWIW, I *feel* fine after eating, 2 days later.....

Admittedly it was at least two years ago, but after my one experience, every time I went by I looked in the window and the place just looked "unkempt", so I never went back. There were too many other choices out there so I had no need to persue it further.

I didn't find Tokyo Marina dirty; I've been there a few times but don't think I'll be going out of my way especially to go there. For me, it falls below the value vs price curve. Not that it's expensive, I just don't think it's worth it. A cheap sushi place should have a wider variety available, otherwise I could just go to Dirk's or Issacson & Stein and buy my own cuts and make my own sashimi. For this, Dirk's is especially friendly to carry $1 wasabi powder plastic containers, and takes the skin off the salmon for you. For a good make-your-own spicy tuna, I like my friend Cheryl Smith's recipe:

2 cups sushi grade tuna, diced small
3 T curry oil (1/2 cup curry powder heated w/ 2 cups canola oil until oil is bubbling, whisk, cool, strain)
1-2 T chili sauce
6 scallions, chopped, white parts only
2 T cilantro, chopped
salt, pepper to taste
mix in a bowl over ice, add more curry oil, salt, pepper to taste

Went to Tokyo marina for lunch today. Not half bad for lunch. The sushi chefs couldnt have been friendlier. The rolls wernt bad, I had a mexican maki, a spicy tuna hand roll (surprisingly not drenched in mayo), and a dragon maki.

Pleasantly surprised all in all.

J