Surplus of all you can eat sushi establishments.

I remember as recent as 5 years ago, AYCE sushi was a unique concept in the Chicagoland area. I used to frequent Sushi Para in the burbs and the one in LP, and House of Sushi and noodles, another popular AYCE sushi establishment. Fast forward to now, where there are almost TOO many sushi restaurants in general in the city, the sushi landscape seems saturated. Along with this fierce competition for your sushi dollars are various AYCE sushi places, many of the newer ones thai/sushi establishments with rock bottom pricing (around 20 dollars!) In Chicago alone, there are over 10 AYCE sushi restaurants, or those that offer AYCE on certain days. They vary in offerings (some offer apps and others just rolls, no nigiri) but are similar in concept. I was wondering if anyone else out there is an ayce sushi enthusiast as I haven't tried them all and would appreciate any suggestions of any ayce sushi restaurants that are a clear cut above. For me, the answer is simple, Ai sushi on sundays for a 31 dollar ayce which has an extensive 2 sided menu that includes main entrees as well as apps and nigir, etc. Their quality is unmatched compared to the other ayce for 10 dollars more.

Hi,

What is your list of favored places (and day of week its offered) for all you can eat sushi?

Regards,

FoodSnob77 wrote:I remember as recent as 5 years ago, AYCE sushi was a unique concept in the Chicagoland area.

Dating myself here, but back in the day, we used to go to some place called Nohada or Nohana on Broadway just south of Belmont for AYCE - we used to call it "all you can shi." I'm thinking this was in the area of 20 years ago? (nothing to add of any value - just thinking about how old I've gotten)

seebee wrote:

FoodSnob77 wrote:I remember as recent as 5 years ago, AYCE sushi was a unique concept in the Chicagoland area.

Dating myself here, but back in the day, we used to go to some place called Nohada or Nohana on Broadway just south of Belmont for AYCE - we used to call it "all you can shi." I'm thinking this was in the area of 20 years ago? (nothing to add of any value - just thinking about how old I've gotten)

It was Nohana and it was back in the day, IIRC the AYCE started in 1984 or 1985 and lasted a while. I think they were related to Shiroi Hana on Clarke.

Any of these all you can eat places have unlimited sashimi too?

Drove by the strip mall on Ashland (b/w Wellington and Belmont) yesterday and saw that Fuji Sushi Buffet has opened--came home tonight to find a handy dandy coupon in my mailbox. From the looks of it, they have everything from sushi/sashimi (50 different kinds), seafood (crab legs, shrimp, oysters scallops and more!!), teriyaki, hibachi, salad and dessert bar, other japanese hot dishes, etc. The flyer claims they are the only MSG-free buffet in town.

All for the low, low price of $19.95 (M-R) or $21.95 (F-Su), less for kids and seniors. Being the proud owner of a coupon for $4 off + free beverage for every adult in my party, I may have to round up a few intrepid tasters and see what they're cooking up (or not) over there. From a quick google search, they do not appear to be affiliated with any other restaurants bearing that name in the area.

Fuji Sushi Buffet
http://www.fujisushibuffet.com
3026 N. Ashland
773-327-7000

boudreaulicious wrote:Drove by the strip mall on Ashland (b/w Wellington and Belmont) yesterday and saw that Fuji Sushi Buffet has opened--came home tonight to find a handy dandy coupon in my mailbox. From the looks of it, they have everything from sushi/sashimi (50 different kinds), seafood (crab legs, shrimp, oysters scallops and more!!), teriyaki, hibachi, salad and dessert bar, other japanese hot dishes, etc. The flyer claims they are the only MSG-free buffet in town.

All for the low, low price of $19.95 (M-R) or $21.95 (F-Su), less for kids and seniors. Being the proud owner of a coupon for $4 off + free beverage for every adult in my party, I may have to round up a few intrepid tasters and see what they're cooking up (or not) over there. From a quick google search, they do not appear to be affiliated with any other restaurants bearing that name in the area.

Fuji Sushi Buffet
http://www.fujisushibuffet.com
3026 N. Ashland
773-327-7000

I look forward to your review. I knew of this opening because the post office next door is the one I use. At first I suspected that it's the same outfit that used to operate in the same space as Jumbo Buffet (or something like that), but maybe it's not. I wasn't a fan of Jumbo Buffet (nothing awful, but everything looked considerably better than it tasted) so I will be happy to hear that Fuji Sushi Buffet is a cut above that.

I can't say for sure either but I believe there are multiple Jumbos around town and, from what I can tell (from their fairly snazzy website), no other Fujis...I will say I was never brave enough to attempt Jumbo

Wildfish in Arlington Heights has an all you can eat buffet/limited menu that includes appetizers and desserts. This is held on the last Wednesday of each month. Their specialty rolls are served buffet style. You can order sushi and maki rolls off a special menu. I've been a few times and have enjoyed the experience each time. I'm not a big fan of "specialty rolls", but a guilty pleasure of mine is their crispy spicy tuna roll. Their spicy tuna usually has a good amount of heat.

From their website:

"Buffet Night: Last Wednesday of every month: December 28th , 2011

Please join us at a dinner on the last Wednesday of every month for a Buffet.

Dinner includes: All you can eat buffet.
(over 40 different kinds of sushi and maki rolls with appetizer and dessert)

Adults $32.00 / Kid $16 (under 9)"

WildFish Sushi
60 S Arlington Heights Rd
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
(847) 870-8260

My go to AYCE Sushi is at The Sea Ranch in Evanston on Dempster - for a little over $20 you can order off of a well rounded sushi menu - the fish is fresh and delicious -

I am fond of Yummy Gourmet in Arlington Heights, on Rand behind Target off of Thomas.

$17.95 gets AYCE non-buffet from a long list of rolls, a short list of nigiri, plus soups, salads, appetizers. They also have an a la carte Chinese menu from previous mgt.

Hi,

Recently I went with friends to Crazy II Buffet in Elk Grove Village, who learned about it from a Japanese businessman. They compared it to Todai, which they thought wasn't as good and more expensive.

We went during weekday dinner (Mon-Thurs $15.99 from 4 pm to 10 pm). There were snow crab legs, mussels, sushi, rolls and sashimi. Their literature suggests scallops, sashimi, roast beef and spare ribs are for weekends only. We saw them all on a Thursday night. A friend went on a Friday afternoon, they had sushi, but no sashimi and crab legs (and likely no roast beef and BBQ ribs).

They also have cooked to order Japanese style Hibachi grill and BBQ grill. Their focus is Japanese, Chinese and multicultural (their term, not mine) cuisine.

Here is the rub for me: I like going to the food court at Mitsuwa. I especially like the ramen soup stand. What I usually order costs around $16 and I like it. While I respect and like a good deal as much anyone else, at least one friend no longer wants to go favoring this buffet.

Crazy II Buffet
944 Elk Grove Town Center (Biesterfield Road and Arlington Heights Road)
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
847/690-9988
(Prices vary depending on time of day and weekends)

Regards,

kenji wrote:Any of these all you can eat places have unlimited sashimi too?

You can always eat the fish and leave the rice behind.

I know it's not the same as sashimi

Steve, I have been in ayce sushi restaurants where the menu or a sign (I forget which) indicated that leaving uneaten sushi rice on the plate would incur a hefty surcharge. Obviously trying to discourage picking off the high dollar fish, I can understand the rationale but I've never seen it enforced. I'm trying to remember which ones but I'm pretty sure I saw it at the Sushi Noodles and Rice place on Belmont at Lincoln as well as at several other sushi places.

I've been to Crazy Buffet II twice for lunch and enjoyed it. It's certainly cheaper than Todai (Woodfield Mall). I don't recall seeing a hibachi (teppanyaki) set up. They have a choose your own ingredient stir fry. It's more or less mongolian BBQ. Todai scores on more Japanese hot foods and more traditional sushi offerings. Their desserts are generally more upscale. They have mini creme brulee and mini cream puffs. Though Crazy Buffet has green tea ice cream. One yelp posting commented on the sushi offerings at Crazy Buffet being a bit tilted toward cream cheese as an ingredient. I think that's a fair criticism. The service was very good. They charge for beverages but they did keep them filled.

Another recent entry is Royal Buffet in Hoffman Estates (strip mall at SW corner of Roselle and Golf) http://www.royalbuffetil.com/index.html They do have a room fitted out for teppanyaki but it was unused during my lunch visit. It's substantially larger than Crazy Buffet with a wider assortment of food. IIRC the sushi ran towards maki (and this is a surprise?). One bay was given over to more "authentic" Chinese food with buns, beef intestine, chicken paws etc. Speaking of chicken paws I was listening to this podcast today which discusses some of the economics of chicken production among other things. The food related item is up first.
http://www.freakonomics.com/2011/12/05/weird-recycling-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/

I think there was a short thread a while back on Nagoya in Naperville.

http://www.nagoyausa.com/Location.aspx

Domo 77 in Wheaton has an all you can eat sushi menu. This place has been around for ages and when a friend suggested we go, I was not excited about it. However it turned out the opposite...it was really good. It is not a buffet. It is made to order plates of sushi --really the sky is the limit. I could not believe how many plates my friend ate it must of been eight or ten. There are also appetizers that are on the menu and salads too such as seaweed salad. The poki salad was delicious. It does have the policy of charging you for left over pieces.

Interesting that no one has mentioned Todai in Schaumburg.

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=30

weinstein5 wrote:My go to AYCE Sushi is at The Sea Ranch in Evanston on Dempster - for a little over $20 you can order off of a well rounded sushi menu - the fish is fresh and delicious -

I haven't been here in a while but is a pretty good option for AYCE non-buffet sushi.

I would say from 2007 to 2010 we visited Todai/Schaumburg easily once a month, usually at Sunday noon upon opening when we figured it hadn't been picked over too badly yet. Prices were reasonable then, around $15.95, and believe me, we got our money's worth, which is why one patronizes a place like Todai. Overall quality was pretty good, the scope of Japanese food is great, and for first-timers it's a great place to begin.

Maybe my infrequent visits to Katsu & regular trips to Renga-Tei have ruined Todai for me. Todai isn't BAD, it's just...Americanized sushi, where the average diner doesn't know or care that sushi done really well just SHINES. And the fact that Todai raised prices at least once in the last year or two doesn't help either. I just don't make it a destination any more.

Todai appeared to be CLOSED for any future reader of this thread (as I come to find out today). I remember seeing the window all taped up a few months ago while walking by and not giving it a second thought...

An AYCE sushi place has opened in Vernon Hills, too, where the Starbucks used to be next to what used to be the Dominicks on 60 ( ). I haven't been yet. I saw an ad for one up in Highwood too.

One thing I don't get is why so many AYCE sushi places (though I think Todai is an exception; don't know, haven't been yet) don't serve alcohol and aren't byob. What is it about that business model I don't understand? I can see that not every place can get (or wants) a liquor license, but why not want to be byob as an alternative, when beer or sake with sushi seems to be traditional?

Katie wrote:An AYCE sushi place has opened in Vernon Hills

Krazy Sushi has been open for well over a year.

Katie wrote: What is it about that business model I don't understand?

Perhaps that the more people eat, the less money they make. Parties BYOing would, on the whole, linger and graze more than those who don't.

milz50 wrote:

Katie wrote:An AYCE sushi place has opened in Vernon Hills

Krazy Sushi has been open for well over a year.

Katie wrote: What is it about that business model I don't understand?

Perhaps that the more people eat, the less money they make. Parties BYOing would, on the whole, linger and graze more than those who don't.

You're probably right about Krazy Sushi, milz50, but it was papered over with a "coming soon!" notice for such a long time that I got bored with checking on when it was actually going to open. I only recently noticed that it was finally open. BTW, have you been there? If so, what did you think?

I get the point that allowing byob might lead to people staying longer, but then why not pursue a liquor license and make some good money off alcohol? It's hard for me to see how an acye sushi place can make a profit otherwise.

They give you very little fish and a lot of rice. You fill up on the rice. They aren't cheap, either, just cheaper than eating all you could possibly eat at a non-AYCE place would be.

Katie wrote:BTW, have you been there? If so, what did you think?

Nope. I find ayce sushi places disgusting - and I eat McDonalds a few times a month.

I've been to Krazy several times, and thought about posting piks and such for quite a while, but I've been kinda keeping it to myself. The first few times I went, which I think was within a few weeks of their opening, I would have said to anyone that this has to be the best All You Can Shi place in Chicagoland, EASILY. I've been there 7 or 8 times in all, and only once did I go and it was pretty blah. They have gotten skimpier (sometimes) with the fish, but the quality was only in the "what you'd expect from an all you can shi joint" that one time. When they first opened, they were serving some glorious slabs of really decent fish. I've only been there for lunch, and, along with my officemates, I'd agree that Wednesday is the best day to go. Lunch price is like 20 bux out the door-tip included. I've even had GREAT saba there. Honestly, I really like this place...for LUNCH only...on Wednesdays. I should be hitting it up on this Wednesday as a matter of fact. If I make it there, I'll take some piks. This place seriously blew my mind when it first opened. I had been used to pretty lackluster all you can shi places. Matter of fact, the guy who told me about this place took me there for lunch the first time, and I insisted that I pay his bill because it was so good. Might not seem out of the ordinary, only cuz you really don't how cheap I am. I haven't been in a few months, itchin to get back there. My past experiences of this place are for LUNCH, on WEDNESDAYS, it's been pretty flippin decent, indeed.

Krazy was a better deal when they first opened and before they bumped the price a bit, but were still pretty good last time I went there about six months ago.
Sadly they stopped doing Saturday lunch at a lunch price point, and eventually at least as of six months ago, stopped weekend lunches all together.
As that is my usual eating out time around the homestead.