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River Japanese Cuisine

2.9 (405 reviews)
ModerateJapanese, Sushi Bars
Closed • 11:30 am - 11:30 pm

Order River Japanese Cuisine Takeout or Delivery

River Japanese Cuisine Photos

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RIVER JAPANESE CUISINE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - River Japanese Cuisine

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Jason W.

This is one of the few places still open later in the night, and it was great for a late night meal. It is definitely hard to locate as the only sign is a board on the ground next to the entrance what has stairs going downwards. Vibes were great inside. It was nicely decorated with music playing and anime on the tv up front. We opted for the standard menu instead of AYCE. The food was definitely a larger portion than what is given for AYCE. We enjoyed each dish. The katsu rice dish was definitely worth its price with it's huge portion size and 2 large cutlets. Rolls were also huge and had a good fish to rice ratio. The bill came with an 18% service charge included.

I have been eating at River for many years and went here over a dozen times. It was a great AYCE spot. Keyword was. Most recently, the experience declined dramatically. The restaurant was understaffed. On Mother's Day there were 2 waitresses for an entire floor that was half full. The dirty dishes and garbage accumalated at my table to a point that I never experienced before at a restaraunt. Presumably the kitchen was understaffed too because.... Some of the items, such as the relatively expensive mussels, that I ordered took 1.5 hours to come out. The expensive squid skewers were conveniently out of stock. I saw my table neighbor wait 30 mins for food. He looked unhappy. I saw a delivery guy waiting in the lobby for over 20 mins. He looked angry. Although we ordered non-stop, there was a good 15-20mins between orders where we had no food on the table. This is unacceptable at an AYCE that forces you to order instead of having a buffet. The sashimi and sushi also fell in quality and is sub-par compared to local AYCE peers such as Sushi Village in Bayside, The Buffet at College Point, or Akino, a block away, which I highly recommend. To add insult to injury, for my table of 2 -the bill came with a thinly veiled mandatory gratuity in the form of a service fee of 18%. Does the restaurant know the service is sub-par and so it puts a required tip without disclosing this beforehand? Goodbye River, forever.

Dinner Salmon Teriyaki Box
Noshin A.

Awful service, unbelievably rude. They automatically charge 18% tip so they don't worry about having nasty attitudes. Food also made me feel sick. Avoid, avoid, avoid! I had to ask for the lunch menu, they wanted to hide it and charge dinner prices.... So shameful, please improve or leave the restaurant business to those that care.

Alvin Z.

Came for the ayce on a weekend night and it was roughly 50$ per person after tax and tip. Honestly, the quality wasn't really good and the rolls were just okay. The wasabi was weirdly blue and savory and nothing was good besides maybe the crazy dragon roll which was okay. The service was pretty bad but there wasn't even that many people. Overall, did not have a great experience.

Jacklynn K.

I went with my cousin tonight for AYCE sushi. We have both been here several times and enjoy the food. The interior is cute and cozy, nothing special really. I think the quality of the sushi is very good and I like the variety of the items on the AYCE menu. We ordered a variety of rolls and sashimi that were all delicious. I really like their special rolls like the pink girl roll or the rock and roll. The sashimi was really good and super fresh as well. I will say the service at times leaves a lot to be desired, but overall not too bad. I think the price is fair, the bill came out to $96 for AYCE for the two of us, including the automatic gratuity. I recommend this spot if you're in the area!

Dish after you walk downstairs
Miguel T.

Came to queens for lunch with friends PARKING - like the city pretty nonexistent. LOL. Parked in the mall parking lot a few blocks from Main Street ENTRANCE - kind of tricky to find. Sort of a door on Main Street then walk down the stairs HOSTESS - very nice greeting but it really helps to have someone who speaks Chinese MENU - very high tech menu with a plethora of Japanese options. Took a bit to get it (I'm too old school), but it was kind of fun. The choices and options are wildly cool. SERVICE - the main waitress was a little hard but the bus waitress was nice - but quite. Our Chinese guide was a big help in translation. SUSHI - we sampled a bunch of stuff and all really good. Also tried the sashimi and that was great. PRICE - overall on the above average range. Beers are like $4. Sushi Sashimi for two like $58 Rating a solid 4

Vince W.

It's been quite a few years since I've been to this downtown Flushing location. I'm a regular at their Springfield Blvd location and sometimes even go to the Westbury, Long Island to go counter. Arrived at exactly 5:15 pm and wait by the front counter. Sushi chef sees me, makes eye contact but does not acknowledge or even gestures to any of the staff. I continue to stand there humming to myself bom bom bom doo doo dah lol. Finally, after another few minutes, I decided to call the restaurant from my phone and the ring could be heard throughout the restaurant as it was pretty empty. Finally, an employee comes to the front and picks up the phone. I said I'm here while looking looking at him. Don't worry, I'm still respectful. I get seated and have to wait another 5 to 7 minutes before anyone even checks on me. After ordering, the food is comparable to their other locations but I would say very slightly better. The decor here is definitely better as it got that darker tone with the dark wood look and lanterns. Feels more authentic. They even got giant DragonBall figures here. Kinda cool.

This is my favorite place to eat some suchi to be honest I have been there like 7 or 10 times and I always love the place and the food the staff is friendly.

Bad service terrible. Makes me sick to my stomach. I waited for a whole hour and 30 minutes just for fried Oreos and ice cream. That's absurd no matter what don't go here to ease sushi. You can have your toddler roll some sushi for you in the service and fish quality will be so much better. every sushi piece had shrimp as a filling so if you're coming here, you're just eating fried shrimp. I did not come here to eat all you can eat fried shrimp I asked the lady where my ice cream at. She gave me the nastiest look . The noodles were hard too.

Ice cream
Sunny C.

*bring cash for a 10% discount* Food was good, but service was not the best. It came out to $40 for the weekend lunch AYCE including tip. An automatic 18% service charge is included in the final bill, which may explain why the service was not great. We had some questions about what was being brought to the table and every time we said thank you, the staff never said "you're welcome". The sashimi was good, but the rolls had more rice than the last time I was here. Fried oysters, baked cheese mussels, and mushroom bacon wraps are new menu items. The kitchen specials come with 2 pieces per order, so be aware of that when you order! I enjoyed the cheese wontons, udon in soup, baked cheese mussels, and fried Oreos. We didn't love the fried oysters because they had a lot of breading.

Potstickers
Celena C.

Decent place for AYCE sushi. I don't go to AYCE sushi that often, but I found the quality and options here to be not bad. I think this is a great place to go to if you like sushi rolls and are craving a lot of sushi. The only other AYCE sushi place I've been to is Akino, and I thought this place was much better in terms of sushi quality, ambiance, and the fact that they actually use reusable tableware (Akino produces so much plastic waste, and for that alone I support River more). I wouldn't recommend the hot dishes here like the teriyaki meats, fried rice/noodles, etc. The teriyaki chicken and salmon were bland and drenched in teriyaki sauce (the meat felt so separate from the sauce, like the meat wasn't cooked with any seasoning). The fried rice also was bland. Akino might be better for hot foods, but I like the sushi and variety of special rolls here a lot more. For the sushi rolls, the rice-to-filling ratio was great -- there wasn't a ton of rice, and the rice was cooked well. The food overall seemed fresh. The service wasn't bad. The waiters did their job. They just didn't say the names of the special rolls we ordered when they got here, and they lost track of 2-3 of the things we ordered. They also didn't seem too familiar with the menu items and how they were prepared. We ordered 5 special rolls, and they came with only 4. There was some confusion on which ones we already had because one of the rolls that came didn't seem to match the description of any of the rolls we had ordered. If they ran out of / replaced some ingredients, the chefs didn't communicate that with them before the waiters came with our food. I saw a lot of reviews complaining about the bad service, but the 2 waiters when we visited were nice and attentive, maybe because we came at an odd hour (2pm on a weekend) and they weren't too busy (the restaurant was only 30-40% full). The restaurant is located underground, but the ambiance wasn't bad. The seating area was clean, and the tables were nicely spaced out. Overall, I had a good dining experience here. Would definitely return if I was hungry and craving sushi!

Paul T.

Very good service. Food was fresh. Atmosphere is great. Good music and even though the place had a lot of customers the tables are spread apart enough that you can talk to your party without screaming at each other. Will come back. Good AYCE.

Hugo R.

I don't come back here anymore!! They automatic add 18 percent on the check when they only run the food to your table !! Adding 18 percent is not good at all

yummy food.

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River Japanese Cuisine Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - River Japanese Cuisine

Is there indoor dining?

Yes, there is indoor dining (As of mid August 2021)

Is it reservation only?

No

How much is the all you can eat price on weekdays?

Weekday LUNCH - $25.95 Weekday DINNER- $27.95… 

Is the price for ayce sushi different for lunch or is it same throughout the day?

Can't remember the exact prices, but ayce is definitely cheaper for lunch.

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Iki Modern Japanese Cuisine

Iki Modern Japanese Cuisine

3.9(345 reviews)
0.1 mi•Downtown Flushing, Flushing
•$$$

I went here trying to look for good lunch deals, and given that it was near my workplace, I decided…read moreto go check it out. The actual space is pretty nice and gives a family restaurant in a good way. It was a little awkward with the waitresses, who seemed to be on the quieter side, but nonetheless, they were kind. I got the abalone in the ponzu sauce ($8) and the wagyu beef sukiyaki lunch set ($21). The abalone was actually really good, and as my first time trying something like that, it was well worth it. The wagyu set was also pretty filling and very much worth the price. It came with a salad, an egg soufflé, sliced lotus root, pickled ginger, and rice. The actual sukiyaki was light and slightly sweet, but refreshing. I love that they packed it with vegetables in the sukiyaki. They even give you a complimentary ice cream at the end of your meal. The only thing that docked a point for me was that one other table, and I was the only one present at the restaurant, and there were two waitresses, and I believe another man was working, not too sure what his role was. All three of them would continuously check up on the other table, whereas I would have to flag them down if I needed anything. I noticed them making small conversation with the other table, but they would not really speak to me. It felt a little weird, given that we were the only two tables and somehow they had three people check up on them, and I had zero. The servers were still nice when I flagged them down, but it was just a little strange to be given that treatment. I'm hoping it was just an off day, as I do want to go back and try the other items. The menu was extensive, so I'm really interested in seeing what the other items are like.

Love love love Iki for lunch! It's a peaceful beautiful restaurant in what can be a pretty hectic…read moredowntown area. I find the aesthetic and ambiance to be soothing. Most importantly is their food especially the chirashi/sushi bento boxes which comes with salad, egg custard, miso soup and small pickled sides. It's pretty filling. I always manage to finish everything but my mom who eats like a bird always has extra to bring home. Service is pretty good at restaurant.

Photos
Iki Modern Japanese Cuisine - Restaurant

Restaurant

Iki Modern Japanese Cuisine - Tuna sashimi to start

Tuna sashimi to start

Iki Modern Japanese Cuisine - Toro Taku Maki

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Toro Taku Maki

Nikushou Sakai

Nikushou Sakai

3.4(53 reviews)
0.2 mi•Downtown Flushing, Flushing

Going here as a non Asian who's unable to read the menus original text makes it really difficult to…read moreunderstand what your ordering. The menu should be revised so customers who can't read Japanese know exactly what they're ordering. For the 180 dollars I spent this was an extremely disappointing experience. A majority of the food received did not look like the photos on the menu. The meat was low quality and seemed cheap. The portions were tiny and you have to keep ordering multiple of the same things. Unlike Korean bbq or Chinese bbq when you're ordering the portions given are just sample size. 3 to 4 small cut portions of meat. The chicken wings served look nothing like the photos and are honestly really bad. When checking out my bill had an extra drink on it that I never ordered and it took 15 mins to be corrected. It felt like they thought I was lying and needed to review video or something because I had 3 other waiters come talk to me while I waited for a resolution. The best part of the experience was the marshmallows we got at the end and the free fruit provided but I wouldn't recommend this spot to anyone nor would I want to come back in the future If these are the standards the restaurant goes by

Location: Inside Tangram mall Flushing NYC…read more Ambiance: Plenty of seating options. Spacious and clean. Bathroom also very clean. Service: Very attentive and helpful. Food: It was decent. I live that there many meat options. I was confused where to start. Tasted great. Cut was enough and the beef marbling also 8/10 for me. Veggies, seafoods, beef, pork, udon. I was a bit full when I went there. But over all. 8/10. All tasted great depending on how you cook it. There was house vanilla ice cream that we got to try also.

Photos
Nikushou Sakai
Nikushou Sakai - Huge fountain soda drink

Huge fountain soda drink

Nikushou Sakai

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Genki Sushi 元氣壽司 - Menu

Genki Sushi 元氣壽司

4.0(2 reviews)
0.2 mi•Downtown Flushing, Flushing

Overall: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars…read more Genki Sushi 元氣壽司 is a relatively new food stall in New York Food Court that primarily serves sushi rolls and a minor selection of sashimi. One may mix and match sushi rolls from the food stall's refrigerated display case at $13.99 per pound, or order the same sushi rolls made fresh for $15 per roll. The ingredients of each roll in the display case is labeled in English and Chinese. We visited a few times and have had the Manhattan roll and a small assortment of other rolls by the pound. The sushi pieces are well-constructed -- attractive, of a good size and tightly packed; however food-coloring seems to be used in at least one of the rolls. I prefer getting take-out to dining in at New York Food Court; the food court has a strong odor that reminds me of a workplace restroom. Mobile phone signal can be a little spotty inside New York Food Court; plan ahead accordingly. Cash only.

I recently came across Genki Sushi, tucked in the back left corner of the New York Food court. They…read morehave a "pick your own" and pay by weight $14.99/lb option for sushi, along with a standard menu a roll combos. They have an array of sushi options in the front where you take a box and tongs, and make your own selections! The pieces are pretty big, around 2-3 bites, and well-constructed. Unfortunately, by 6:30pm there wasn't much of a selection left, so I got 4 pieces for $7.20. The sushi was temperature controlled and placed in a case to prevent flies from getting in. Tasted pretty good.

Photos
Genki Sushi 元氣壽司 - Menu

Menu

Genki Sushi 元氣壽司 - Storefront

Storefront

Genki Sushi 元氣壽司 - Manhattan Roll 曼哈頓卷: $15. Cooked tuna on top colored with a food dye. Take-out.

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Manhattan Roll 曼哈頓卷: $15. Cooked tuna on top colored with a food dye. Take-out.

Akino

Akino

4.3(110 reviews)
0.1 mi•Downtown Flushing, Flushing

So update !!! Only coming here from now on. Lunch on the weekdays is cheap, $31. Their sushi is not…read moreoverstuffed with rice like majority of the other sushi buffet places. Another thing is that if you don't want crunch for any of your orders, just let the waitress know ahead of time and she will make sure the rest of your meals are crunch-less. I came last weekend for dinner and now I'm here for lunch. Last weekend , for this month's special we had one abalone for every person. It was so so good! Lunch is cheaper than eating across the street at Kura. We love akino so much !

This place is getting worse and worse. The quality of the fish has really gone downhill, and the…read morecustomer service was even more disappointing. I ordered a tuna avocado roll, and instead of getting whole pieces of tuna, the tuna was chopped up. I asked one of the servers about it, and he told me they were end pieces left over from sashimi cuts. When I asked why I wasn't given whole pieces of tuna, his response was basically that the fish was edible and, if I didn't want to eat the roll, then don't eat it. Then he just walked away. He never offered to replace the roll or asked if I wanted something else. As I was leaving, I spoke to the manager because there had been a small dog next to me sitting on a pillow on a chair and at the table. I mentioned that I didn't believe dogs were allowed inside restaurants unless they were service animals and that this clearly appeared to be a pet. Her response was, "All dogs are service dogs," and that it wasn't a big deal. That attitude bothered me more than anything else. When both the server and the manager dismiss a customer's concerns instead of trying to address them, it makes you question the overall standards of the restaurant. Poor food quality, poor customer service, and management that seems completely unconcerned about legitimate complaints. I used to enjoy coming here, but after this experience, I don't have much confidence in returning.

Photos
Akino - Inside view

Inside view

Akino - Kani Salad (~$6)

Kani Salad (~$6)

Akino - Thai Iced Tea (~$5)

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Thai Iced Tea (~$5)

River Japanese Cuisine - japanese - Updated October 2026

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