Tea Shop & Japanese Cuisine

I’M IMPRESSED! I don’t know what sleight of hand you used but you sure took my money. That was a great magic show. NOO you got me again, this ain’t no magic show, its just a terrible restaurant. I came here a long time ago but its only now that i had the chance to review it. Sorry for being so negative, no, that sorry wasn’t for the owners of the store. Its for the reviewers, sorry for being such a downer. Would I come back again? not in the near future, maybe in 10 years when the workers change, hopefully. Only then will I give it another shot because I believe in second chances. Other people had a great experience, I left with a bad story to tell. Eek! Methinks not is right.
Food: The worse Sashimi I have ever had. It tasted so plain like it was old. I left thinking i ate Styrofoam. The sushi hid the sashimi well, mainly because the fish had no flavor. Maybe it was a bad bunch of fish? I don’t know but I do know you shouldn’t serve that to customers.
Service: I’m so saaaaad. Why are they so mean to me? you have 1 and a half hour to eat and the food took forever to come! In that time span I only got to order 3 times because it was so slow. The waitress gave us a hard time and for the entire time we were eating we felt like they were trying to kick us out.
Environment: I’ll give this to them. The room looks nice but in the end it’s the people and the food that makes a great experience.

This place has affordable food and the sushi rolls are delicious here! My favorite is the tiger roll.
I’d recommend it.

Cheap and decent sushi. You can get a sushi roll and miso soup for under $ 10 and still have change left over. I came here about 3 times or so within the past few years. The prices have increased substantially over the years, but that’s happening everywhere so it’s understandable. The sushi is great, so it’s worth it.
Service is good, never had a problem with anyone here at all. They automatically include tip in the bill, so that works and saves me the hassle of trying to calculate it.
I’m deducting 2 stars because one time I came here there was a small fruit fly in my sushi. Did I eat it? You bet! (The sushi, not the fruit fly). I was here with friends, but apparently that wasn’t enough to bother any of us. Otherwise, the place seems clean enough. Last time I checked they got an A grade from the Health Department.
This place is easy to miss because it’s a small door leading down a basement. Once you’re there though, you’ll realize it’s a real gem. It’s clean and the ambiance is decent. Go there and try the Eel Avocado roll. You will not be disappointed!

Oh Tea Shop, your delectable assortment of goodies astound me and entice me to come here again!!!
I’ve been here several times and it has always been fabulous! Everything is always top-​notch from sushi to hot foods like their nabeyaki udon and tempura shrimp.
Although it’s hard to find, once you enter this hidden gem downstairs, you will see warm, Japanese style décor and several amiable waiters at your service.
Try out their onigiri, which are obvious indicators of how fresh their rice is. Oh, beware of their spicy tuna pizza though. I vowed that I would not order it again… but I seemed to have forgotten (due to terrible memory on my part!) Tuna’s fresh… it’s just that they OD on the spicy mayo. I can barely handle a teaspoon of that concoction but they drizzled that thing with it. It’s way too spicy for my taste buds.
For dessert, I recommend the tempura ice cream. Lovely, hot, and crispy on the outside and cold, creamy vanilla ice cream inside. Yum! We ate this so quickly that we ordered seconds… and thirds to go. :)
If you’d like to see my high quality photos, check out the links below:

I went here for lunch today with a friend and we both got the AYCE deal. Ended up being about $ 22 pp including tax and tip (they add 15% gratituity automatically) — a good price considering how much we ate haha.
Altogether we ordered:
[Sashimi]: 10 salmon, 6 squid, 6 red clam, 4 saba (mackerel)
[Rolls]: Ichiban roll (shrimp tempura with spicy tuna? on top), spicy salmon hand roll, dragon roll, spicy tuna roll, salmon skin roll
[App]: Wasabi cracker (cooked: scallop, scallions, mushroom, crab, & more on a seaweed covered cracker)
Pros:
— Cheapest sushi AYCE I know in queens and manhattan
— Most bang for buck sushi AYCE I know in queens and manhattan (most other places don’t offer sashimi — only sushi in which they add tons of poorly made sushi rice to)
— Decent quality (Red clam and squid were OK. Would rather get more salmon instead next time.)
— Big AYCE menu that isn’t only limited to sushi
— Quick service (They refilled our tea every time it was getting low and the food didn’t take long to arrive.)
— Finally I found a sushi AYCE in queens that isn’t somewhere miles away from a subway station. Also, it’s really close to the subway and buses and the LIRR! Extremely convenient.
Cons:
— Hard to find! Even with directions I had trouble since it’s such a small place — you really have to keep your eyes open for it.
— All the «spicy _​_​_​» rolls had tons of tempura flakes (AKA «crunchies») in them and could barely taste the fish. Do NOT get the spicy rolls unless you’re a big fan of rolls like «spicy crunchy tuna» for example. Since there was so much in the spicy rolls they filled us up pretty quickly. Next time I will only order non-​spicy rolls and sashimi.
— Bad sushi rice (Somewhat fell apart when picked up and barely had a flavor, but it was warm when it arrived so at least it didn’t feel unfresh!)
— Red clam and squid sashimi were lacking in flavor. I get that it’s an AYCE and I didn’t expect 5-​star cuisine but I’m sure they can do better than this…
TL;DR: I think this is one of the best sushi AYCEs in manhattan and queens, and from what I’ve read/​seen, better than the ones in Brooklyn quality-​wise as well. The service was good and the sushi was tasty. I look forward to eating here again. Also, good for groups!
You can see the pictures I took of my sushi here (didn’t include some rolls and wasabi crackers):

I stumbled upon this sushi spot one day by accident. I was with a friend and we were looking for a spot to eat. We tried to go into one place but it was closed. Then we noticed the small sign that said Tea Shop– every time I go back I always forget where it is. This is a place I can say I would have never discovered if it wasn’t by accident. The place is almost lost among the vast variety of shops around it; however I’m extremely happy that I was able to find this place.
Starting off let me talk about the restaurant itself. This place is awesome. The streets of main street are loud and is crowded with people; however once you get into this place you feel this zen feeling about it all. Once you enter you are greeted by a waiter who shows you to your table — a couple of TVs by your right. The restaurant has tables in the middle and along the walls are divided by these cool wooden walls. The restaurant is quiet beautiful.
After taking you to your seat the waiters take your order and within a few minutes they bring you either the Miso Soup or the salad, which has an amazing ginger sauce– absolutely love it, totally recommend the salad over the Miso Soup. The provide a free soda with it too. When I go here I usually only order the same thing: Three Sushi Rolls — Spicy Salmon, Spicy Tuna and Shrimp Tempura. I have also tried the chicken teriyaki though. I have to say I loved all the sushi rolls that i have tried. They all tasted amazing. Probably the best Sushi I have tasted in the area. The food tasted very fresh every time I have been there except one time when I ordered Spicy Tuna it was extremely cold as if the roll had come straight out of the refrigerator but the waiter quickly fixed that for me.
The waiters are very friendly, the lady who seems to always be there when I go always treated me very courteously and would always pass by our table to see if we needed anything. Love service like this. She even recommended food for me to try. Wish I knew her name.
Overall, this is a great sushi spot that you could go with your friends. I usually end up spending twenty dollars on my meal each time i go there and its enough food to satisfy my hunger.

Not too bad and good for a quick meal.
Came here with a group of 10 people and our food came out pretty fast. I had the Nabeyaki Udon and don’t have any complaints. Simple food, just what I wanted and needed.

I came here during lunch and ordered the Salmon Teriyaki lunch box and was very disappointed. Based on my negative experience, I will not return here again.
My California Roll was very unappetizing since the avocado had huge black spots all over. I looked at it in disgust and started to pick out the black spots. the manager noticed and asked me what was wrong. I told her the California Roll looked very unappetizing because of the huge black spots on the avocado.
she told me I can eat it and nothing was wrong. Seriously? I was disgusted and did not want to eat it. She finally agreed to make another roll but refused to make me a California Roll. I was given a cucumber roll as a replacement.
the shumai was also another disappointment. it tasted like it was bought from a supermarket then thrown into the microwave. the salmon teriyaki was okay but I was still hungry since it was a very small piece and everything else in the lunchbox was a huge disappointment.
I wasted my lunch hour and returned back to work hungry and annoyed. if the owner reads this review, please go buy some fresh avocados… or at least cut off the black spots before it gets rolled up. Is it worth losing customers?

I, Tina C, being of sound mind with great hunger pangs called upon my usual Bento Box A at $ 14.95 in accompanied with a friend who ordered Chicken Teriyaki D at $ 10.95. My Bento Box was plentiful without question which upon ordering my eyes are bigger than my stomach for leftovers remain. Three scoops of my all-​time favorite Green Tea ice cream at $ 2.95 shared for the ultimate meal completion, it totaled $ 36.03 which to our dismay gratuity was automatically included in the bill without choice. Ergo, the automated gratuity in the bill is a impediment for five stars.
Upon our arrival we were given a choice of buffet at $ 21.95 per person or dinner menu which we opt for the latter. Culturally, I always prefer Asian cuisine as it is who I am for Tea Shop & Japanese makes a worthy visit – not an illusion. Quality of food is fresh which energize the spirit with good company to salve my mind, body and soul.
Atmospheric conditions is refreshing with a warm and modern Japanese flair. This restaurant is also a teashop that sells ornate teapots with corresponding teacups and tea (either loose or bag) signifying all things Asian, specifically Japanese. Our table at a booth-​like hangs above photographic descriptions of various Sake which make me highly desire a bottle indeed. Facilities are clean equipped with one Dyson Airblade.

THE WORST TEMPURA EVER! I understand that tempura is deep fried whatever but there is a practicality to the food you «tempura-​fy» (I’m talking about cucumber tempura). The tempura was gross — literally felt like i was eating oil. The yam or sweet potato tempura was disgusting — i took one bite and said thats it no more tempura — no more food from here ever. It crossed the line! I literally wanted to throw up.
The udon was ok — it felt like they bought the precooked udons they sell at the supermarket and throw it in. I guess thats fine … except for the fact that they put the shreading from Takoyakis in the soup. There was probably about three bites of udon in the soup.
Sushi was decent but I’ve definitely had better the Spicy White Tuna Roll was pretty good.
I also had an Alaska roll which was the cheapest kind of alaska roll there is — cheap — not as in the price but the quality of the sushi — they gave a SLIVER A TINY LITTLE PIECE NOT EVEN ENOUGH TO CHEW IN THE ROLL! HELLO THE POINT OF THE ALASKA ROLL IS THE SALMON NOT THE EFF’N CUCUMBER! wtf?

WOW. I thought I was in Hong Kong for a second. Love this place for its décor and layout. It’s a buffet style place and you’ll certainly leave satisfied and extremely full. Seating was quick and service was fast. We tried the Shrimp tempura, Tofu tempura,
Rainbow roll, Dragon roll, Big smile roll, Volcano roll and Ichiban roll. I regret ordering the big smile because it was a bit funky and so hard for us to finish eating. The dessert is also unlimited so we had tons of green tea ice cream. I would probably only come back to this place for a special occasion but its another one of those places where you should definitely try once in your life.

I did not come in expecting anything too exceptional and was pleasantly surprised.
I had the underground ramen and the roast pork onigiri.
I thought the onigiri was good considering i’ve tried them at a few different ramen-​yas and most of the time i was left feeling meh. the onigiri looked great with a nice presentation… it looked like it fell straight out of an animé.
The underground ramen was very interesting. It is probably not authentic ramen as the broth doesn’t really taste like any of the major flavors ive had, salt, soy, miso, pork or chicken but it was alright. The pork was rich and a bit too fatty but i suppose compared to the other fake ramen you get in the area this was stepping it up a notch. My fav part of the dish was the hotdog cut up into octopus form. Octopus shaped hotdogs have been the envy of my life ever since this kid in 5^th grade came to school with a homemade bento containing these little gems. The noodles were clumped together and probably frozen, oh well.
I liked the atmosphere of the place. Its very quiet and the seating is not too tight like most flushing joints so you get a bit of privacy. I didn’t see any fruit flies but i would not doubt the possibility…
I wouldn’t go out of my way to stop here but I would go back if I were in the area.
FYI: No cell signal as its in the basement but they have free wifi; ask the waiter for the password.

This place is pretty awesome because you can order whatever you want. Well kind of I guess, as long as you don’t waste. Well at first I ordered 1 skewer of the quail eggs wrapped in bacon, 5 rolls, 8 pieces of sashimi. The girl kept doubting that I could eat it all. In fact she did that with a few of my friends who also ordered a seemingly ridiculous amount of food, but honestly it seemed pretty reasonable to me. Never the less, I ended up ordering more food after that. :)
Hightlights:
Sashimi is actually pretty good.
Quail egg wrapped in bacon just tasted like egg, wasn’t a fan.
Big Smile roll is kinda like a dessert.
Underground ramen is actually a char siu ramen with hot dog. The best part of it was the hot dog. The noodles were most likely the kind that are refrigerated.
Konnyaku is apparently a flavored jelly, similar to the kinds in the lychee snack cups.
Sake steamed chicken can probably get you drunk if you drink the liquid.
I think this place is a little pricey for what it is though, but being that it’s right on Main street in Flushing, there’s a pretty good reason.

A surprisingly upbeat atmosphere on a Friday night, the place was full of dating couples, friends and families, which counts because usually the energy in a sushi place is at zero.
I like that the place is essentially in a basement as you don’t have to deal with the opening and closing of doors and cold air. A pretty nicely decorated place with a cool floor that is illuminated from underneath. They have all you can eat but my husband and I were informed that everyone at the table HAS to order this option. Since I didn’t want all you can eat, the poor guy was forced to lose out on that. I get the policy, but still pretty stinky.
Oh, and they also have a policy that if you dont’ finish your all-​you-​can-​eat food, they can bill you for it. Just keep that in mind.
We ordered vegetable sushi rolls, then (sweet potato, cucumber, and avocado) and they were about par for such things, but the waitress was inattentive to specifications and never came around again. The green tea was terrible.
Yes, the tip is included in your bill but if you’re like me you typically leave more than 10% so you actually end up saving money that way. If you don’t usually leave 10% you’re a tight ass so you have no right to complain.
Overall an okay experience, not compelling.

AWFUL SUSHI! Go if you are looking for fake expired tasteless sushi.
I went for the sushi buffet, bad idea. I would pay for half of what I paid. I forced myself down some sushi just because I paid for them. Gross. trust me. bad service, bad food, no signal?! (basement)
The salmon was ‘bright red’ and tasted slimy and fishy, anything but salmon-​like… Squid was warm, saba was dry and cracky etc etc. I really question where the fish are form, my belly is screaming in agony! None of the sushi/​sashimi was fresh or worth a second bite.
The cooked dishes are not that bad, hence the 2 stars.

Tea Shop & Japanese Cuisine, hands down is one of the BEST restaurants I’ve been to in Queens. I’ve been to a few restaurants in Queens but this one really touched my heart! The same day I went to Big Wong (Reviewed on My Unilocal) my boyfriend & I later went to dinner with his friends and one of our best friends to Tea Shop & Japanese Cuisine. This dinner, the food quality, the ambiance of the restaurant really made my weekend to remember.
We did ‘All-​U-​Can-​Eat’ with everyone at the table and it was $ 21.95 for each person, but with tax & tip — it was about $ 25-​$ 30. I know it’s a little pricey, but man we devoured almost everything that night. As silly as this sounds, they had some rules & regulations if you do ‘All-​U-​Can-​Eat’ such as: Everyone has to do ‘All-​U-​Can-​Eat’ in order for you to share with someone else, If you leave a lot of your food left on the plate — you would be charged the total amount of that item or dish and a few others. I’ve been to Ichi-​Umi and small «All-​U-​Can-​Eat’ sushi dinners but, none of them have topped the one at Tea Shop & Japanese Cuisine. We ordered a heck lot of food such as: Underground Ramen, Fried Calamari, Kani Salad, Seaweed Salad, Gyoza, Edaname, Rock Shrimp, Sashimi, and a lot more. Here’s what I have to say about my favorites:
Fried Calamari: I try ‘Fried Calamari’ at almost any restaurant I go to whether it be Asian or Non-​Asian. The Fried Calamari at Tea Shop & Japanese Cuisine, was impeccable. The presentation and the taste, was just phenomenal! It was served with a sweet tomato sauce, which went really well altogether. It was so great that we ordered three dishes of it. I love Fried Calamari!
Gyoza: I tried a lot of Gyoza and there are some restaurants I feel don’t cook it or make it well enough. The Gyoza at Tea Shop & Japanese Cuisine was delicious especially when you take your first bite into it because you can feel that crunchy sensation. It was total yummers!
Underground Ramen: I’ve only tried «actual» Ramen noodles maybe once or twice in my life. I was curious to know what «Underground Ramen» was and I don’t know, sometimes I am opened to trying new things but sometimes I’m afraid. My boyfriend ended up ordering it and I got a little taste of it and man… that was a bowl of heaven right there. I wanted more, but my boyfriend devoured the rest of it.
Just a friendly suggestion, If your going to order something make sure the majority is in favor of it because if you see it and you don’t like it, it’s not fair nor healthy for someone else to finish it. This was something that kind of happened during our dinner. It’s really not fair to others.
I was so in love with this restaurant when my boyfriend and friends went. This is a perfect restaurant if you love Japanese Cuisine, because really, it’s just superb. I so want to come back here again.
It was worth the trip, the time, and the chance to try Tea Shop & Japanese Cuisine.

Today was my first time here. This place is pretty good for an «all you can eat» sushi restaurant. Not many choices to choose from but they tasted fresh. The good thing is that you can choose all your orders and they will bring them to you, not like those sushi buffet restaurants where you have to stand up and get them. I specially liked the volcano roll.
The place looks very clean and well organized. It gives you a Tokyo or Hong Kong feel. And it’s pretty comfortable and service is very good.

The only times that I really go here are on Tuesdays and Thursdays when all their rolls are HALF OFF! That includes special rolls as well!!! On other days, they have other special offers.
I personally don’t think all you can eat is the best thing on earth so I usually order 2 – 3 rolls which is enough for me.
I love their Tempura Roll and the Ichiban Roll is super delicious!
Most of their sushi is pretty good. It depends on what you like and how much you can eat! :)
They also have free wi-​fi. Just ask for their password and they’ll give it to you.
The waiters and waitresses there are also nice. I can seriously sit there for hours with my friends and they won’t say a thing to us.

I ordered from the all you can eat menu! It was a pretty good deal considering it only costs around $ 20 per person. The menu consists of cooked food and sushi. We ordered a lot of sashimi. The tuna was not one of my favorites here, but the squid, salmon and eel were good! Order the volcano roll! It’s a deep fried five piece special roll with tempura, cream cheese and spicy salmon. Do not get the mentai fries! It’s just regular fries with some white sauce and tobiko. I can’t say this is a place for excellent sushi, but for the price you pay, it’s a really good value.

I really like the interior design of the new restaurant and the sashimi and sushi were really fresh on a Saturday night. The drinks were okay though, and one of the waiters seems a bit spacy (said he would refill my tea, then forgot and started talking to a guy at the sushi bar o_​O).
But overall, very accommodating. I shared a Love Boat with some friends and the fish was surprisingly fresh. Really good special rolls too.