Nippon Tei

Nippon Tei was wonderful! I love sushi and have been trying restaurants around the city to find the best place to go. Well, so far it is Nippon Tei. Wow! I was amazed at the quality of the sushi. I always manage to order too much but I get the leftovers to go and eat the next day. I must say, the second day was as good as the first -- and that has never happened before! The Zen and Alaska rolls were fabulous! The white tuna was marvelous. They provide plenty of wasabi and fresh ginger, which is important if you ask me. The atmosphere was very pleasant and rather contemporary. The waiter was very quiet and helpful. He was attentive but didn't constantly bother us. My husband doesn't care for sushi so he had a lovely Teryiaki steak. I will go back to Nippon Tei. I have tried Wasabi Sushi Bar, Nobu's Japanese Restaurant, Tachibana's, and Bento's and Nippon Tei is by far the best. Outstanding! more

Our family of five has been dining at Nippon Tei for over six years now. The sushi has always be high quality and the atmosphere is nice.\r \r Unfortunately management has recently imposed a gratuity on the tab. Its about 18.5%. This was the first time we had ever encountered the mandatory gratuity for a party of five (not sure if the mandatory gratuity would apply for a party less than five). A tip is not a tip at Nippon Tei anymore.....is a surcharge.......\r \r Summary - The sushi is quite good - just be prepared to pay an extra 18.5% +/- regardless of the level of service. more

Nippon Tei is my favorite sushi place! Always get the freshest fish and the best service. I have been to just about every sushi joint in St Louis, and this one's got heart. Best price for value in the St Louis area. Period. There are a lot of other places I like, but I keep coming back to Nippon Tei. Whitney is the best sushi chef in St Louis. If you sit at the bar, you can see her skill first-hand. She not only uses traditional techniques but also knows how to make a customer feel at home. Rarely do you feel like you have a friend you can trust making your sushi, but she recognized me the second time I came and made me feel like I had found my home. I usually end up getting at least twice as much fish as I would at any other place in St Louis and at a better quality standard. An all-around incredible experience every time I go. Recommend this place to everyone I know (sushi-lover or not). Wish I had a Nippon Tei next door. I have been there about 100 times and have never been disappointed. THIS IS GOOD PEOPLE!!! Pros: Fresh Fish, Good People, Relaxed Atmosphere, Great Srevice Cons: NONE! more

The caviar on top was a surprising touch. The flavor of the roll was fantastic. The interior california roll is rolled with the rice on the outside so this makes the pieces a little difficult to manage. However, it was definitely worth the effort. Pros: Beautiful presentation, wonderful flavor, very reasonable $ Cons: Little difficult to eat more

My husband and I had heard that Nippon Tei was one of the best places to get sushi in the area. We went for lunch, the restaurant was not packed by any means. We had to flag someone down to take our sushi order after we had filled it in, then wait 40 minutes to get it! And there were 2 sushi chefs working. A couple came in about 10 minutes after us, ordered sushi and had it delivered and eaten by the time ours was brought to the table. We have never walked out of a restaurant but we came really close. The service was a bare minimum. No one even checked to see how we were doing. We had to beg for the bill. Never going back! Better service at a McDonalds! Pros: At least the water was free Cons: Service, wait time more

I have been a patron for many yrs. Let me start by saying, unless you are well versed in ethnic (esp Japanese cuisine) dining, and pls tell me you are from a cultural metro city (NY, LA, CHGO, etc), DO NOT WRITE REVIEWS ON SOMETHING OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE!!!!! I love STL but for a city that brags about toasted rav (a product found in the freezer section of ev grocers) leave the reviews for the pros. If you are going out to lunch.....tell the waiter you are pressed for time!!!!! WOW what a concept. Whitney (one of the best sushi chefs) and Brian (one of the best servers in the biz) are most efficient and attentive. I have spent a half hour if cramped for time. And I've spent 2 hours as well because they are experts in the field of quality & presentation. I have been eating sushi for at least 23 yrs. and in STL you can always go to Bentos....oops they closed...or Oshiana.....no variety or atmosphere.....or Drunken Fish....Known for their alcohol rather than food...or the once reknown Tachibana....well there is a fall for all business...or you can sit back, relax, and experience fine sushi dining in a town where olive garden, pasta house, and fast food reigns....#1 sushi is Nippon Tei. Pros: great svc, fresh sushi, vast variety, relaxed atmosph. Cons: people in a hurry should go to the mcd on every corner more

Awful experience at lunch today. They had plenty of cooks, waitstaff, busboys,... and were not very crowded,... but the service was extremely extremely slow - 2 hours for lunch.\r \r I watched plates of sushi/sashimi sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes before they were delivered to tables. Our order was one of those. By the time we got it, it had warmed almost to room temperature. \r \r We got there at 11:30,... there were only 2 other groups there before us. Our order was small and uncomplicated. We got the first part of our food (6 pieces of nigri sushi) about an hour later. We didn't get the rest of our food (2 rolls) until another half hour later. We finally paid and walked out nearly 2 hours after we arrived.\r \r We've had that lunch experience several times. I need to remember not to ever go there for lunch again (or dinner for that matter). Nobu's, Seki's, Wasabi are so much better, even without the service problems.\r \r Pros: None. Cons: Warm sushi. Slow service. Poor value. more

The fact you can't even get a table most Friday and Saturdays tells you how excellent the food and service is. It is Family owned and operated for over 8 years now. One of the 3 sisiters Whitney is the most incredible sushi chef I have ever seen any where in the country. Prices are very reasonable and the quality is the best. It is obvious that some of these reviews were written by competitors. Tachibana is the dirtiest sushi bar in St. Louis. Pros: Very Romantic atmosphere and Freshest Fish in town Cons: Weekends you need reservations more

We've been here 3 times and only once was it slightly less than perfect! Best sushi in town. Sometimes the service is a little slow...but it's worth it! Update...the past 2 times have been very dissapointing. Staying away for a while. Poorly rolled and mostly rice! more

We've been several times over the past year and it's always been excellent. I recommend calling ahead because it can get pretty crowded. (I have no idea when that other person went but they have been busy all but 1 out the 10 times I've been.) It's got great atmosphere. Terrific for a date or just a fun night out! Pros: Great atmosphere and food Cons: kind of busy and service can be a bit slow as a result. get a cocktail and you won't care! : ) more

None of my Asian friends who have lived in STL for years have heard about this restaurant, need I say more? Pros: Never crowded Cons: Broken wallet for not so good quality more

Great service, wonderful atmosphere, exceptionally unique sushi, highly recommended! Go there with family, friends or co-workers; Nippon Tei is perfect for all occasions! more

There aren't enough good things I can say about Nippon tei! First of all, I have been going there for over four years now and still crave it weekly! My sister brought me there over four years ago and I love it! I have continued to bring all my friends and tell EVERYONE I know about it! This is one of the ONLY restaurants we go to and CONSISTANTLY get amazing service! We go out to eat often and are constantly traveling and trying new sushi places and nowhere has even come CLOSE to the service and quality of this amazing place! They are always friendly and have pretty much have the same servers since I started to go four years ago (and they have called my by name for years now!) Nippon tei is my favorite restaurant EVER. I have been to sushi restaurants in California and North Carolina(Arizona, Colorado, Georgia...) and everywhere in between and Nippon tei has always remained my favorite...only a few have even come close! Anyone who has anything negative to say about this wonderful place definately doesn't know much about quality restaurants and I would challenge them to find a better sushi place! I mean the fish is so fresh there I have waited for it to come in from the airport! I have moved my boyfriend from the ""I can never eat raw fish"" mentality to LOVING it as well!!!! I could go on and on about this place, but instead I will stop here and walk out the door to go to our favorite place!!! :) Pros: Service, Sushi, Value, Quality/taste of food Cons: The don't have more locations and aren't open 24 hours a day!! ;) more

The fusion dishes are big. Every dish comes from a lot of oil, they're very greasy. I had stomaches every time I left this restaurant. In terms of the sushi, the fish doesn't stick the rice. The rice is very tough and sour. The fish meat is also too thin and small. The service is sometimes slow. If you aren't a frequent customer, they may ignore you completely. This restaurant is below average in the STL metro area, no wonder none of my friends heard about it... Pros: No need to wait, there are always empy tables. Cons: The restaurant is dark like your basementl You pay 3x the food is actually worth. more

Nice change of pace.. Great sushi. Also had miso soup, sweet and sour chicken, green tea ice cream..\r Great place to unwind and catch up with friends and enjoy a good meal. And it won't break the bank.\r more

This has been one of my favorites sushi restaurants for two years now. The food is ALWAYS phenomenal! The manager, Brian, is my absolute favorite. He could not be more pleasant every time I go and he is great with names--impressive! The quality and taste is excellent for the value. I think the pricing is very reasonable compared to other sushi restaurants in St. Louis. Not to mention, I have never had a fishy piece of sushi from here! I hightly recommend every one try Nippon Tei. It's fabulous! Enjoy! Pros: Fabulous Sushi. Try the baked mussels and white dragon roll! Cons: Service can be a little skimpy from time to time. more

The sushi is just OK. Other fusion plates are below average. They're either too sweet or taste weird... Honestly, the fish for the sushi is not too fresh. Price tags don't match the quality of the dishes... Waiters are too busy serving other tables... Pros: Decoration Cons: Bad strip mall location, $10 food on $20 price tag more

Though the warm sushi already seemed suspicious but I didn't think it'd turn out like that... I needed to take 2 sick days after my visit... Cons: Dark room, warm sushi that made me ill, heavy price tag, location more

I used to be a regular at Nippon Tei, visiting it about once or twice a week, but unfortunately we cut back on our restaurant budget so we only make it in about every two to three months. From the first time we went to Nippon Tei we were amazed at the friendly service, long before we could be considered regulars. Even now, if months have passed by, we are greated at the door with a smile asking why we haven't been in lately. We never have to wait long for our food, although I admit that we usually dined there on week nights. We only order the sushi and sashimi, although I am quite interested in their fusion dishes; my favorite is their spicy tuna hand roll! Highly recommended! I have been to other sushi restaurants in St. Louis, and this was the first one where the fish tasted fresh and flavorful. Too often I have eaten at places where everything on my plate tasted the same (bland and chewy). The atmosphere makes you forget that you are in a strip mall and is perfect for a date or a family dinner. \r I have been to a number of sushi restaurants in St. Louis and in Calfornia, and I would recommend Nippon Tei to anyone who likes sushi. \r I have to admit that I usually don't write reviews for local places, but a rather hateful review prompted me to offer my two cents about the place. I would have to agree with another review that maybe it is not the venue but the patron. Pros: Good sushi, relaxing atmosphere, friendly service more

I spent 15 years living in Japan before moving to the states. I can tell you that Nippon tei's a great looking restaurant with just so-so food...\r \r Speaking of sushi, the fish's not fresh, the rice didn't stick, and the rice's watery. The skin on the tempuras was so soft that it looked like the dish's been sitting on the counter for at least 10 minutes. The texture of the shrimps told me the shrimps were not fresh.\r \r It tried to make fusion food dishes but the result was below par... Shabu-shabu and sukiyaki were far from good, not to mention the heavy price tag. The yakisoba's big but I couldn't finish it all 'cause it didn't taste good, all I could taste in the dish was sesame oil. \r \r It took them 10 minutes to just get to my table and say hi, another 10 minutes to get me a cup of hot tea, another 20 minutes to get me the appetizers, and another 20 minutes for the main dishes. The orders took forever, the restaurant wasn't even close to half full that night. \r \r This place didn't even make an average grade in STL and I don't recommend this restaurant to fellow Nipponjin and any Asians. Pros: Romantic ambience Cons: Food that's worth only half of its price tag more