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February 2023 by Courtney S.
I had not been to Nippon Tei since August 2019, so I was excited to go there for an early Valentine's Day dinner. I made a reservation for 2 at 7pm on a Thursday night. We arrived with a family of 4 ahead of us. We waited behind them for our turn at the hostess stand. The area in front of the hostess stand is not much space so a couple comes in and jumps ahead of us and the waiting family which I found extremely rude and tells the hostess she has a 7pm reservation. Immediately, I asked the family in front of us if they had been helped, and they replied yes and that the hostess was finding them a table. I'm a bit upset at this point because that couple was rude to jump in front of everyone and equally I was upset at the hostess because he chose to acknowledge them and did not check to see if the family or me and my boyfriend were taken care of as we have been there the longest. I made it very clear to him that we were there before that couple. He apologized and sat us down. Our waiter was lovely. Our food was equally lovely. It sucks that this place will be closing in March to make way for the new concept Sado, which will be in South City, but I hope the waiting area is better organized and handled at the new restaurant.
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February 2023 by Nicole I.
Best sushi and sashimi in St. Louis! You have to try this spot before they close at the end of the month. Hamachi Crudo was one of the best dishes I've had in this city. The Tuna tartare was great too! I'll be coming back before the end of the month!
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February 2023 by Renee I.
First time for me to experience this place. We went with another couple who have dined there frequently so it was good to have the recommendations. We ordered several dishes and it would be hard to pick a favorite. I enjoyed the crudo, gyoza, yellowtail and Alaskan roll. The presentation is always fun to see. The dynamite roll was not my favorite but only because I don't like spicy. Wasabi is good but not pepper. We also got sake and the variety we ordered was served cold. To me sake is just okay but it is fun to drink out of the little cups! You hear about a shortage of wait staff but not at this place. They had a lot of people working on Friday evening.
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December 2022 by Whitney S.
Chef Nick Bognar is just WOW and Nippon Tei, his family's original restaurant that is celebrating its 21 year anniversary this year, is no exception! Each bite and sip is a flavor explosion that makes this a MUST before they transition to Sado in 2023! Reservations are a must!MY FAVS: Nigiri, Chili Garlic Noodles, Tuna Tartare, Hamachi Crudo
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November 2022 by Orlando P.
Me and the wife came here for date night and I really enjoyed myself lol the wife didn't. The fresh fish my wife not I had before but I took a chance and ate it and it was good to me m. She didn't like the texture so she ordered some cooked sushi rolls. The drinks were so amazing, I really liked those! It was a great experience and the service was phenomenal!
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August 2022 by Madhura J.
I love this place so much ! I love the fresh fish they have and the sushi is delicious and very very flavorful. You can literally taste every separate component of the nigiri. The hamachi crudo in the yuzu jalapeño broth topped with roe was so amazing, I finished the broth with my soup spoon . The fluffy Japanese cheese cake is always a winner. Reservations highly recommended!
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August 2022 by Stacey T.
Always blown away by the food and service at Nippon Tei. We called ahead and were able to walk in on Thursday night at about six. Our server Andrew was a sake somellier! I've known a few before, but never a sake somellier! He helped us pick two delicious sakes and gave us a brief lesson on their flavor profiles. It was a busy night and like most restaurants, they were short-staffed. That being said, I never felt forgotten or unattended. It seems that the staff all understand the concept of teamwork.I have to have Seaweed salad at any given opportunity, so I started there. My husband started with the shishito peppers, and I tried a few, respected their quality, but it just wasn't for me. He ate the entire plate and absolutely loved it. We also had the gyoza, which was incredible and had a beautiful crispy lace topping that melted into the sauce. For entrees I ordered the chili garlic noodles with braised short rib, black garlic, and togarashi gremolata. Holy wow... The noodles were the star of the show and the leftovers were even better the next day. Husband had the nigiri omakase, a chefs tasting with five nigiri pieces, and he claimed each was better than the last. He also had the Hamachi collar- his personal favorite. Not pictured is the red dragon maki, but trust, it was gorgeous and my favorite roll of all time. Dessert had to be packed up to go; we were too full to even try more than a bite. 10/10 best experience in dining out this year.
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August 2022 by Caitlin E.
This was the first time I've been back since high school, and it looks like Nippon Tei got a nice upgrade! We ordered miso soup, the brussel sprouts appetizer, and two rolls: avocado and vegetable. The miso soup was just ok, but the brussel sprouts? SO good. I would have come JUST for the brussel sprouts. The maki however, was a bit of a let down. The avocado roll was just okay, and when I tell you it was overpriced- it was straight up thievery. The vegetable rolls had apple in them, and I just wasn't a fan; I applaud the uniquity but I couldn't even finish it.Lastly, while the service was great, I feel like they checked on us way too much. Every time my partner and I were in the middle of a conversation, the server(s) would come over and interrupt. In general I liked the food we got, but I can't say I'll be back anytime soon mostly due to prices. They also don't open 'til 5pm which is a bummer. I'd really like to try the next door Ramen Tei at some point though.
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May 2022 by Lizzy L.
We called ahead and made a group reservation here. If you're looking for ramen from the next-door restaurant Ramen Tei (their sister restaurant), you cannot order from that menu at Nippon Tei unfortunately. I heard they're closing this location and moving to a new one soon. We tried the gyoza and crab rangoon (came as 6 rolls surprisingly, and lots of crab/cream cheese inside) appetizers. The gyoza arrived with crispy bubbly edges that looked very cool. The chili garlic noodles were my favorite dish of the night. The noodles had slow-cooked short rib that was so so tender and melted in my mouth. My daughter liked the tempura shrimp sushi with avocado sauce on the side. My friends ordered the hamachi collar which was actually a big portion of fish and looked yummy. They do have high-chairs and the waiters were so friendly with my kids even when one of them was drinking the soy sauce and creating a tornado with their hanging curtain decorations...
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November 2021 by Christiane D.
Nippon Tei is a fantastic experience and I would highly recommend to anyone. Service is impeccable from entering the building to leaving. Our server Kyan was attentive and knowledgeable, had great suggestions and recommendations. Crab Rangoon was spot on - delicious, crispy and paired with a unique honey like dipping sauce. Chili Garlic Noodles with Braised Short Rib were nothing short of spectacular with a great balance of spice & flavor. The black garlic was phenomenal and the short rib just melted in your mouth. Nigiri options were top notch - the salmon belly quality was amazing and the A5 Waygu popped with flavor. Lastly, our rolls were beautifully presented, the fish used was absolute perfection and I cannot wait until we can return to try other things on the menu.
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May 2021 by Michael Morgan
The best sushi / ramen in St. Louis. It is a little bit of a drive away from the city but worth it 1000%. The tonkotsu ramen is so delicious. Every bite brings a new flavor.
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May 2021 by Doug Couch
The hot buns are excellent
