Tenji Japanese Restaurant Buffet

I should’ve called or checked reviews. It’s been temporarily closed before and it was closed again today due to some readon on a note. The food was great. They had escargot, crab, oysters, abalone and awsome sushi. The had the usual other food. It was very expensive!
But it shut down.

So so so sad that the doors were locked and chained for non payment of rent… So so so sad that the doors were locked and chained for non payment of rent… So so so sad that the doors were locked and chained for non payment of rent… So so so sad that the doors were locked and chained for non payment of rent… So so so sad that the doors were locked and chained for non payment of rent… So so so sad that the doors were locked and chained for non payment of rent… So so so sad that the doors were locked and chained for non payment of rent… So so so sad that the doors were locked and chained for non payment of rent… So so so sad that the doors were locked and chained for non payment of rent…

I wish this place had stayed open. Everything including the service was always exceptional.

Damn shame the place suddenly closed down, we were about to go out tonight for dinner but the place suddenly went out of business, according to this site. Food was really great too, but I guess not everyone is into Sushi I guess. Now where are we gonna go to for our sashimi fix?
RIP Tenji

Oh Tenji. Why did you have to close. You were my secret obsession. The place I went to test the limits of my manhood, stomach capacity and overall humanity. The sushi you rolled, though buffet style, was unlike anything in the world. Every dish you offered was unique and well crafted. Being a bbq addict the bbq joint next door nay once did temptation alter my path when headed for your dark, tinted doors. For I knew upon exiting, the euphoria of a quality stuffing would send me into emotional cartwheels all the way through the parking lot. The smile you gave me rode parallel to the smiles your staff chucked my way. The shaggy roll, white tuna and octopus sashimi, the grilled squid and the mussels in red sauce… oh why Tenji, why? I cry to the heavens for your return. Until then, there will be no solace in my world.

The quality of the food was good for a buffet. Sushi rolls, Nigiri Sushi, fresh fruit, steamed dumplings, fried rice, salads, etc are all featured.
Overall the buffet is clean and a good choice. My only complaint is the price tag. I could easily have higher quality at another Sushi bar for happy hour.

Still great sushi and food for a buffet. But with their new price increase, it puts it out of budget for our family. $ 18.99 mon-​thur and $ 21.99 fri sat and sun. Kids 5 – 10 went up also. If the prices come back down to a more reasonable rate we will go back again.

Japanese?
Does this place qualify to be called Japanese? There’s nothing Japanese about the place except for its name, and the price they charge. Even the employees aren’t Japanese.
If you are coming here expecting authentic Japanese food, be prepared to be disappointed. I came here a couple weeks ago with very low expectations as I do with any Asian restaurant in the Austin area, and they did not deviate from what I expected of them.
I have nothing great or horribly bad to say about the food except this placed passed the buffet test which is I didn’t have the sh*ts or an upset stomach after eating here.
Food quality is on par with what you’d get at any low quality asian/​chinese buffet. Their rolls are barely passing, but other than that I have nothing else to say.
Would I eat here again, sure but not on my dime. Would I recommend this place? Absolutely not.

I’m not a fan of buffet restaurants (at all) but dined here recently for the first time. I was initially impressed by the cleanliness and freshness of the food (rice, chicken, and sushi were all much better than your typical buffet). The servers kept our drinks filled and cleared our plates pretty quickly.
There was a LOT of seafood options, but even though they looked good, I was a little afraid to try to them. Instead, I stuck with the coconut chicken, which was tasty.
The desert options were pretty meager-​grapes (not seedless, so I had to de-​seed them for my toddler), orange wedges, cheap cake, etc.
If the prices were on par with your usual buffet joint (say $ 12 a plate?), this would easily be a five-​star review. However, adult dinner plates will run you $ 21! I would gladly pay this amount for a nice dinner, but not for a Japanese buffet in a strip mall.
Lower your prices, Tenji, and you’ll be a hit.

Used to be a great buffet for the price (around $ 12), but they jumped up the price to $ 22. The value of the meal hasn’t gone up but around $ 2 worth.
The sushi is pretty good for buffet sushi, but for the price they are now charging you can go to a nice sushi place and order some really good rolls. The rest of the buffet is pretty standard buffet fare.
Honestly, the only thing that seemed to change with the increase in price is that they raised the food up and put it on white plates with lights directly over it to make it more pretty. The sushi rolls increased in variety a smidge. The number of buffet options remained the same.
I won’t be back unless they hit a reasonable price point again.

Watching people circle the buffet tables right after they get seated is like hungry vultures waiting for that deer to get hit by a car. People watching is a favorite pastime of mine. I absolutely love it, especially because I like to eat alone when I’m hangry. I’ve seen kids here throw fits like you wouldn’t believe! Because mom wanted to make them eat their fried shrimp before eating their jello. Give the hungry beast some jello so everyone else can sit in peace lady!
Tenji used to be my go to place when I was hangry because the food was always ready as soon as I walked thru the door. Before their re-​opening I lived for the chicken and broccoli. Unfortunately it is only now a thing of my past. Sad, for me!
When I first started coming here it was a few years ago and most things were more fresh than they were less than a few months ago. Things really started to fall off the map for me but I would still always return for the chicken and broccoli. The dessert has always sucked. BAD!
Since the remodel, prices have gone up almost $ 10 per person for dinner and weekends. That would only be worth it if you ate sushi rolls, nigiri, and sashimi all night. In reality, the sushi rolls aren’t that great, the sashimi can be ‘fishy’ tasting at times (not a good sign) and the sushi has waaaay too much rice, which is bland bland bland! No rice wine vinegar in it for sure! I get the concept (oh wait my favorite song just came one!!! JEALOUS by Nick Jonas)… Crap. Change the music guys! The ambience in this place is way too good for top 40 pop!
They have definitely revamped the place and it looks great! The funny smell that could sometimes overwhelm you upon entry is no longer.
Overall, for the price, the food not being much improved, and the lack of chicken and broccoli… I might not return. Maybe for lunch, which is only $ 11.99… But since the sushi still kinda sucks I’m not sure if that would even be worth it.
Some major positives in the remodel is that the cooks no longer wear backwards hats and ratty clothes to work. They have fancy hats and jackets. But that still sometimes can’t disguise a border rat.
Songs that have played between 8 and 9 tonight on a Friday night: I don’t eff with you by Big Sean
Turn down for what by lil Johnny Dj snake & lil Jon
Jealous by Nick Jonas
Black Widow by Iggy Azalea… This isn’t a sports bar. You get the jest right? Maybe if I was paying $ 8.99 I wouldn’t be complaining. Obviously I didn’t complain about much before… And I have 16 check ins here (don’t judge me… Those are only the times I remembered to check in) If there is anybody who knows this place, it’s me.
Too many things are just wrong for me. As I sit here finishing this review a breaker in the back keeps tripping and lights are being turned off in different places in the kitchen because of it. Ugh! Sooooo much more potential.

clean, yummy, many options!
If you are not very picky about food and would like bbq, fried rice/​noodles, sushi, fruit, tofu, steam dumplings, sour spicy soup, desert AND ICE CREAM all at one place, this is the place to go. It is really satisfying to try different things. Food is tasty too but you may feel very thirsty later.
Overall, a good place to go once in a while.

This buffet reopened January 16^th with some MAJOR improvements.
My husband and I have been coming here since it was the Crazy Mongolian BBQ and Moving Sushi Bar. The sushi has always been good, so we keep coming back for that. They added sashimi to the sushi line up, and I was impressed with the options. They had octopus, tuna, salmon, yellow tail, crab claw sashimi. Very good!
They also added a delicious stir fried udon noodle dish, as well as a spicy yakisoba/​udon soup that they make to order. Also added were tasty coconut shrimp, hibachi steak and veggies, and very yummy dumplings with red bean paste centers.
By far, the best thing on the buffet was the BBQ beef rib. It was flavorful, juicy, medium rare and DELICIOUS! My husband watched the cook to refill the beef ribs and mostly are those. Needless to say, they were one of the dishes being refilled most.
We even had green tea ice cream for dessert.
This is the first chinese buffet that we did not leave food on any of our plates.
Wonderful improvements, Tenji!

As of the remodel on 1÷17÷15 my rating is 2 stars. Prior to this date I would have given 4 stars. Why? The price.
Tenji’s is an excellent place if you are looking for a variety of sushi. It isn’t as high quality as some of their nearby competition, but it is all you can eat so it evens out. As of their remodel not only did the layout change, but the prices did as well. What was already an expensive buffet (15 a person) became even more obscene (22 a person!). So yes, the food is likely still good, I just can’t afford to find out anymore. Which is really too bad.
Tenji’s you lost a pretty frequent customer today.

We went, against our better judgement, to an asian buffet. The Unilocal reviews pushed me into thinking this place would be different. Maybe a good asian buffet does exist!
It doesn’t.
I went between 1 and 2 stars here. I think a few things heightened by bad experience though. We went later, around 7, and no one was in there and they never refilled any of the food. We didn’t get to taste a ton of stuff, and it’s a pretty small buffet to start with. Also, dessert options were so lame! Wah.
Almost every single thing I tasted was gross, except the sushi. The sushi was the only thing that almost bumped this to 2 stars, but I think HEB sushi is still better.
With so many awesome food options in Round Rock, just no. Just don’t waste your money. If you really need to go, try to go during a busier time.

Meh! It’s a buffet with sushi items but it’s no Tokyo One (DFW/​Houston). I think they are trying to fit the price point of the once popular Todai Japanese Buffet chain or the once local buffet chain (and at the present only one location) Buffet Palace. Unfortunately, you are paying 1.5x times the price of Buffet Palace for really mediocre buffet food and being able to eat as much sushi as you can eat — just doesn’t make the cut.
The hot food items are mostly salty or with a heavy soy taste. The MSG added ain’t helping bring any Unami to these dishes. Now I know this not the buffet at the Bellagio in Vegas — but you’d expect at least a few of the hot items to be hot and taste well. Especially when you are paying extra on the weekends.
Now, i’m sure allot of people looking to break the bank will fill up on the oysters, the snow crab, salt and pepper shrimp, and the sashimi. The oysters looked scary and not in a good way — maybe more ice to ensure they stay fresh for awhile longer. The snow crab looked way over cooked and watery. The Salt and Pepper shrimp was so so it was at least edible — it wasn’t that seasoned nor crunchy with a buttery meat. The sashimi was not that good… really bad freezer burn taste.
If your really in the mood for sushi — i suggest just going to sushi happy hour at most sushi restaurants in the Austin area. If you are in the mood for the hot dishes served at Chinese-​American style buffets then just go to one of the many in town and you’ll probably pay at least ½ the price.
Oh BTW the wine and the sake prices aren’t too bad. They aren’t marking this up by much.

When I have a hankering for sushi, my SO and I come here.
This place is wonderful.
We like to come here on the weekends…
You get what you pay for here. I love all of the different varieties of sushi!
The crab Rangoon is great, too!!!
The staff is always decent.
There is a pleasant environment. I only take off a star because the price seems to change and the service could be better.
I have a lot to learn about this place but have gone twice and have liked it both times.

I really like this place and cannot believe I haven’t found here! Even tho they said it’s a Japanese restaurant, they provide all sorts of food like American food (e.g. Fried chicken), Chinese food (e.g. Dumpling, sweet and sour chicken), and of course, different rolls and sushi.
I came here mainly for their roll. It’s great that you get to taste so many different rolls with decent quality in this price. You prob can only eat 1 – 2 roll (s) in a fancy restaurant with the same price.
Also, the roll itself is really tasty, so they don’t cut down the quality by the price you pay. Well done Tenji!
The only thing I don’t like about is their dessert. I think it just not that tasty so that’s why I’m giving it a 4.
However, overall, if you don’t want to spend a lot of money but have a sushi crave and wanna try different food without being broke, def recommend here. ;)
TIP: Ask them for green tea ice cream! It’s not bad.

I always try to go when a lot of people go so food will be more fresh. And also it wouldn’t be awkward with just two people eating. (That’s happened before, very awkward).
They need to teach the girls how to refill drinks… It’s so obvious that my drink has been gulped down and I know you see it when you clear my table… You have to wait for me to ask? Then after that, you still neglect my drink? Why?
They’re always so prompt to have you leave because they deliver the bill fast…
The food is okay, nothing special. I just eat the crab legs, sashimi, and sushi.

This was a hard call. God knows Im desperate to find a great Chinese/​Japanese buffet, but Im finally coming of age where Im not too sure thats really possible.
This place is 5 star to some folks, but the snob I have grown into, not so much.
Was it clean? VERY!
Was the service good? VERY!
Were there a lot of food choices? Actually, YES!
BUT. Its really $$. Im sure thats in part to the «Sushi» buffet, and the crab legs, and various fish on the buffet, BUT, for the price, its not somewhere Id go with finicky eaters. The kids buffet was close to $ 10, and thats with water.
Would I go back with just adults? Sure!
Is it on my must go to list? Not really.