Toledo’s Tokyo Steakhouse and Sushi Brings a Taste of Japan to Local Families

Tokyo Steakhouse and Sushi

337 W. Alexis Rd. #2 (near Target & Kroger)
419-720-1100 | info@tokyotoledo.com
tokyotoledo.com
Monday & Wednesday-Friday: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4-9:30 p.m.
Saturday: 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
Sunday: 12-9 p.m.

The Short Course:

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Giant, colorful, anime-style statues greet guests entering Tokyo Steakhouse and Sushi,  providing a fun and playful vibe for the restaurant that specializes in sushi, hibachi and other Japanese cuisine. Framed posters of anime movies cover one wall, toy action figures line the shelves behind the register and movies, in the popular animation style which originated in Japan, play on TVs. The decor,  a nod to the growing popularity of anime in the U.S., reflects the interests of owners Aika and Alex Lin.

The restaurant opened its doors on Alexis Rd, between Telegraph and Bennett Roads,  two years ago and business has steadily grown through word of mouth. Aika handles the dining room while Alex works the kitchen and sushi bar, creating edible works of art that combine elements of both Japanese and American cultures.

“Good food, good price”

Alex was about 17 years old when he began working in hotel kitchens in his home country of Taiwan. After moving to the United States he spent 23 years learning his craft from sushi chefs in New York and Virginia.  Alex attributes the arrival of their first child as the spark to open a restaurant for his family. The Lins moved to Toledo, at the invitation of a friend, to pursue that dream. The hours are long in the restaurant industry, but the couple has a nursery set up in a back room of the restaurant so their one-year-old son can come to work with them.

Keeping prices affordable is important to the owners, a consideration that supported the  choice of the location for their restaurant in a less trendy part of town. “Everybody can eat my food and not spend too much money,” explains Alex. 

Hibachi, noodles and more

Sushi lovers will find all their favorites on the expansive menu, along with a variety of noodle dishes, fried rice and hibachi and wok creations. A kids’ menu features slightly smaller portions of chicken, steak or shrimp hibachi meals and pickier eaters will be relieved by standbys  like chicken nuggets or cheese sticks with fries.

The restaurant has a lunch menu with many affordable and appealing combinations, available on weekdays from 11:30am-2:30pm.

As my family stopped in for lunch on a Saturday, we ordered from the regular dinner menu. My husband was excited about the house lo mein ($12.50) ( which featured steak, chicken and shrimp) and I enjoyed the broccoli chicken ($11.50), a classic wok stir fry. Our 10-year-old chose chicken lo mein ($10.50) and had enough left over that he happily finished it for dinner later that night. Our oldest, who is 12, ordered the regular size steak hibachi ($18.99) and our youngest, an 8 year old, ordered the kids’ steak hibachi ($9.99)  The meals were accompanied by salad topped with fresh ginger dressing and Japanese “clear soup,” a rich, homemade beef broth with thinly shaved mushroom slices.

Tokyo Steakhouse and Sushi does the hibachi cooking in the kitchen,  not at tables in the dining room for patrons to watch the chef cook, but both kids enjoyed their hibachi meals. Each came with fried rice and a generous portion of grilled steak and vegetables. 

The restaurant provides “chopstick helpers” to assist kids in learning to use the wooden eating utensils. Aika was kind enough to show them how to hold the chopsticks and they had fun practicing on their meals. 

Artful sushi

All the food at Tokyo Steakhouse and Sushi is beautifully presented, especially the sushi that comes on platters resembling works of art. Full disclosure: my family is new to sushi and without the owners’ encouragement, we might not have dared to go beyond sampling the mild cucumber and avocado rolls ($3.50 each for four).

Our first foray into sushi was the Money Bag, a deep-fried wonton filled with spicy salmon, crabmeat and cream cheese. The “bags” come nestled on a bed of guacamole dolloped with sweet chili sauce, with a jalapeño ring sliced thin on top of each to resemble the “money.” That was our favorite from the sushi bar.

Some of us also tried takoyaki, a Japanese street food that resembles fried balls of dough filled with octopus meat. Octopus has an unusual taste and texture which got a mixed reaction at our table. 

We all admired the beauty of the seasonal green Christmas tree rolls and the red and pink rolls made especially for Valentine’s Day, and everyone at our table discovered at least one type of sushi they liked.

Bottom Line

We ordered an entree for each family member, but could easily have shared some orders since we went home with enough leftovers for another meal. If you want to introduce your children — or yourself — to sushi and other Japanese specialties, you can’t beat the fun, relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff and reasonable prices at Tokyo Steakhouse and Sushi.