Very very good sushi. Excellent atmosphere. Warm, welcoming and attentive staff. What a find, tucked away in back corner of a strip-mall. How lucky was I to discover Sushi Tei and a bonus during their discounted Happy Hour. I wish this spot were my local sushi place! read more

Sushi Tei - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

My daughter lives in Albany & this is one of her favorite sushi places here. First time for me & another person (who lived in Japan for years). We had 2 bento boxes- they were good but it was a little disappointing that they arrived after the other 2 people had finished their sushi. We tried crab puffs (aka Rangoon) & gyoza - both were good flavor. We shared a pizza roll & butterfly roll - both were really great! In fact, the pizza roll was one of the best sushi rolls I have ever had. It was like poke in a triangle and I LOVE poke. The place is really nice, cozy & authentic. The staff is polite but we had to wait so long for half of our party - so 5 stars for food & place but lost point on service but can't give 4.5 on yelp so I gave 5. read more

Cute sushi spot. I had the 2 roll special. It comes with a lot of food. It hit the spot and very affordable if you go for the regular rolls. Everything came our quickly and the service was solid. read more

Sushi Tei - 2 roll bento box - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

This is my favorite sushi place, I love getting the rolls box and matcha panna cotta. Waitresses are good kind the service is good I recommend read more

Great food. Great service. Really nice atmosphere. They even let us bring our dogs inside. read more

Sushi Tei - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

Absolutely delicious sushi. This is a super cute and cozy restaurant; it looks like anyplace you would find in Japan. They even have a traditional Japanese style room in the back. Perfectly cozy for winter months, solid service, and delicious food. They let my guest and stay for three hours as we were getting caught up. Highly recommend for a wonderful lunch or cozy dinner. read more

Sushi Tei - Any Three Rolls - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

Would give a 2.5 stars but rounding up to a 3 Today the sushi rolls were tasty and fresh tasting. Good Shumai- I love their sauce and yellow horseradish sauce in the corner. I always like their volcano salad but today it had barely any seaweed on the bottom and seemed to skimp on the fish being mainly crab which is unfortunate because this is the first time I tried the tuna dumplings- they are beautiful but were also mainly crab and painfully dry. It definitely needs a sauce or something to even hold the crab together. I was disappointed with this and won't order that again, I thought the thinly sliced tuna is lovely. Another thing is my first bite of the eel avocado roll I bit into a hard piece of avocado, likely part of the pit. **after several more pieces of this roll the hard avocado or pit is in each piece - :( Also if I had a quarter of a teaspoon of wasabi I'd say that's even an exaggeration. Sushi tei is hit or miss and that's unfortunate. Could use a consistently good sushi place in the area. read more

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Used to be really good 5 or so years ago but has consistently gone down hill with the quality of the fish, as well as the roll size.

Waitress was really nice, fish was fresh and tasty, steak was a little closer to well done than the medium I asked for, will go for med rare next time. could use a little more seasoning but really good dipped in soy sauce. Thanks for the nice birthday dinner experience! Drinks were great too read more

Sushi Tei - Hibachi Steak (D) - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

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Save your money, too expensive, rude employees and slow service. Too many choices in Albany to ever eat here again.

Looking through my camera roll it's amazing how much I love Sushi Tei. Such creativity, so much color, such amazing flavor. We're always treated like family regardless of which day or what time we show up. There's easy parking in the plaza. It's our default restaurant for quote "should we go out for a meal?". During Covid this was the restaurant we picked to support because if only one restaurant survived in Albany, this was the one we wanted. It's amazing how they have doubled in size, built the tatami room, and decorated the interior. I was happy to see that they were fully booked for dinner as they have been over the decades. Their take out queue was quite deep as well. It's nice to know that others recognize the gem that this is. read more

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It was a bit busy during my visit so it took a minute for all the food to be brought out, but the wait was worth it! It was so delicious and all of it was very filling! The decor is also so cool and authentic! the music choice made everything totally immersive! The staff was also super friendly and nice! read more

Sushi Tei - Pork curry! - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

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So I should update my review. Since my last review, the owner reached out and helped get things squared away with the double charge so I do appreciate it. It did take quite some time to get it fixed but I am just glad it is done. Again, the food isn't bad, service isn't bad, place is clean. Prices for the dishes were reasonable. I just had a bad experience at the payment stage. read more

Sushi Tei - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

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Located in a small strip of stores. There is enough parking. Everything we had was so good. The vegetable gyoza, the dinner box that comes with fruit, appetizer (spring roll) seaweed salad ( so good) miso soup and 2 rolls from a list to choose from and the tei roll. Everything was so good. I'll definitely be back once I'm in town again. read more

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The food was absolutely delicious when it arrived. This is a great takeout option. Our party of seven had a reservation and the restaurant was not busy. We all ordered drinks. Three of the seven arrived after 30 minutes, and the remaining four after an hour. We were told by our waitress that the drinks were "being rushed" when inquiring. When the food arrived, we were missing items. The was no adjustment to the bill for the late drinks and we had to ask to have the missing items removed. read more

INCREDIBLE ON SO MANY LEVELS! Came to NY to celebrate my nephews (2) graduations. We were feeling a need for Sushi and boy did they deliver!! Quaint restaurant tucked in the back, Great vibe, good music, Just an overall great feeling! Now the food, DELICIOUS! FRESH! FLAVOR INSANE! From apps to dessert, it went above and beyond expectations! Staff incredible and very attentive to your needs! HIGHY RECOMMEND!! read more

Sushi Tei - FEEDING TWO HUNGRY BOYS - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

Server was nice, food was great especially the Seafood Nebuyaki Udon we enjoyed. Recommend. read more

I should start with that previous to tonight's experience we have rave reviews of Sushi Tei, dined there regularly, and always had the utmost quality of service. Tonight however my partner and I experienced one of the worst dining experiences we can recall, which we can only describe as unhinged. We came in to a mostly empty restaurant, and were sat immediately. Our server was someone I've seen before but hadn't waited on us before. She took our order (one of us ordered katsu, the other ordered four rolls - we also ordered a miso soup and an appetizer) rather quickly, and came back to ask for clarification on the katsu. Our appetizer and soup came quickly, and after a few minutes the katsu followed. We waited to attempt to eat together, and then I ate my meal assuming my partner's sushi order would follow shortly. The restaurant began to clear out, and the sushi waiters and other staff took to their phones and talking amongst theirselves. After finishing my meal we asked where the sushi was, and the staff member gave us a blank look before circling around to ask us what sushi we ordered. A few minutes later, the chefs jumped to action in front of us again and our server gave us a 5-7 minute estimate of the order while handing us the check, showing all the sushi marked as takeout. When we received the food, we expressed our displeasure that my partner didn't even get to eat his meal at the restaurant, the staffer completely balked and acted like we had ordered the sushi after the rest of our meal. When we pushed back and asked to speak to the manager, the staffer came back and stated that they'd compt'ed the sushi, and we paid the adjusted check and left. As we went to drive away, we saw a member of staff run to our car, followed by another staffer who asked us what happened. We went back and forth explaining the situation several times, and the staff told us that because we didn't pay for the sushi we needed to give the food back and that our server couldn't pay for this and would be fired if we didn't give the sushi back. We kept asking for clarification as to how we needed to return food we ordered, but didn't receive before we left and then were told was being removed from our check and the staff just kept repeating that they needed us to return the food. So, we gave them back the sushi and the leftover katsu we'd paid for, and when offered to give us just the katsu we declined - saying we never plan to come back and if they want the food back, they can have everything. We're incredibly disappointed that after having nothing but great experiences here we had this inexcusably horrible one. If it weren't for the staff chasing us out of the restaurant to recover their colleague's "error" when they tried to make our horrible experience right, we may have considered coming back after taking a break. We'll be looking for another sushi restaurant for all our future outings going forward, and letting those we know and have recommended this restaurant to our disillusioning experience. read more

The sushi rolls and ambience were amazing! We went way out of the way to try this restaurant on a trip and were very pleased. Excellent quality, relaxing and enjoyable read more

I've been to this restaurant several times over the past five years and it remains consistently good. They have also done an excellent job of keeping their prices very reasonable, despite the cost pressures over the years. I only order sushi or the sushi dinner box and both are always prepared well and with quality ingredients. And, they often include fruit with the dinner boxes or they will serve you fruit (orange slices or pineapple cubes) after your meal, which is a nice touch. The atmosphere is pleasant, and the staff are always very attentive. Sushi Tei is my go-to sushi bar for both lunch and dinner. read more

Downgrading my rating of Sushi Tei due to an apparent decline in quality. Our recent delivery order included several sushi rolls that had bad quality avocado - black spots. This is not something that would pass muster here in the past. read more

Sushi Tei - Black spots in the avocado. Quality is slipping. - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

Very disappointed to discover the hidden fees when I got home with our takeout recently. Beware! If you order takeout with the big "Free delivery" come on, even if you are ordering to pick-up, you will be paying from a separate menu with higher prices. We looked up our order and found about a 10% difference in prices. Between the two menus, with no indication that FREE means more expensive. read more

Five stars from the sushi to the service! You pick your ambiance in either the dining room, bar or sushi bar. read more

Sushi Tei - Tonkotsu Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

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I was very pleasantly surprised by Sushi Tei. It is an unassuming location in the back of a shopping strip from the outside, but the atmosphere is fantastic the moment you walk in. They have done a really great job with the decor. A coworker of mine chose to have a large lunch here as her going away, and the staff were really, really nice even though we definitely had a lot going on with separate checks in such a large group. I felt that they handled us all politely and even gladly took some photos for us so they went above and beyond. I will certainly go back for the lunch bento box. It is very affordable for the amount of food in the box. There a ton of options to customize your box to your liking. I went for gyoza, hibachi noodles, an eel roll, and tonkatsu. It was all great - and the tonkatsu was some of the best I've had in the Albany area. While the bento box is perfect for lunch, I would absolutely come to Sushi Tei for dinner as well, as there is a plethora of other appetizing options for their dinner menu. read more

Sushi Tei - Tonkatsu bento box - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

5 star for sure. Phenomenal service by Chris I believe. Very clean and nice atmosphere and the food is delicious, but what put them over the top was the service from Chris, he said he worked there for 2 years, very nice and friendly. read more

Sushi Tei - Pizza roll - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

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The food was delicious and the service was very friendly and accommodating. We went during a quiet afternoon lull and it was very relaxing, nice ambiance. Would go again :) read more

Sushi Tei - 1. Chicken Katsu Curry - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

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Chris, our server was amazing. The food was equally and the freshness was on point. We started with the pork gyoza and the volcano salad. A very good sign of things to come. Our rolls (James Bond, Bumble Bee, and Volcano) were all superb. A must try when you are in Albany.....you're welcome! read more

Sushi Tei - Inside dining area - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

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The ramen is delicious! A hidden gem on Western Ave. A great spot for date night. They have a a variety of wines and cocktails as well. read more

Sushi Tei - Tonkotsu Ramen - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

I am no sushi expert, but I can tell you what tastes good. A group of 6 of us indulged into their $1 Sushi July Special and ordered most of the nigiri they were offering. Slow service from start to finish - I think they were very understaffed for the evening. Slow drinks, slow to bring food, a long wait for the check. We had a couple of drinks and some cold house sake. Sake is just a perfect pairing for sushi indulging. The fish here was delicious, much better than I have had at other places, but as I said, my experience is limited. A lot of times I have gone out and focused on rolls, but I now love nigiri and sashimi a lot more. The favorites were: Mackerel, Eel, Smoked Salmon & Fresh Salmon. The mackerel was just delicious with bold flavor. yum. Some people really enjoyed the egg nigiri as well. We also had a couple rolls, my favorite being the spicy yellow tail roll, since it had chunks of fresh fish instead of it being shredded. Others in my group raved about the kitchen selections as well, from a previous visit of theirs, so it must be good. I want to come back to try it out. I think no matter what you get here, you'll be happy! Just don't come in a rush. read more

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I was grateful that this restaurant was open late on a Sunday! Overall, prompt service, fresh fish, good preparation. The presentation was nice too. I felt a little guilty keeping them open later than they might have liked, but they were friendly about it! I'll return the next time I'm in the area. read more

Sushi Tei - Oshinko roll, yellowtail roll, salmon, white tuna, salmon roe and squid nigiri, yellowtail sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

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Absolutely fantastic food. Not a single bad dish. Extensive menu. Attentive service. Relaxed atmosphere. Best Japanese restaurant in the entire area! read more

Sushi was excellent. We had a sesame allergy in the group and they were great about ensuring no cross contamination. Good service and fair drink prices. The Captain will be back. read more

First time customer here and will be coming back more often because how amazing everything was. I loved how they decorated inside. Its a perfect place to go for a dinner, and they have a great dinner bundle meal available as well! I absolutely loved the service in this place, they were very friendly and helpful. I tried different sushi and they were all really good! We had a drink special hour where 5$ for every cocktails. Their lychee martini was very good and for the price, it's definitely worth it! read more

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How have I never even heard of Sushi Tei? Thanks to Yelp, now i have. I was in the area earlier this week and was excited to try this "new" spot. Turns out it's only new to me....they've been there for 11 years! Our server was fabulously delightful. She was super helpful and just pleasant to deal with. The atmosphere was very nice - there's a well stocked bar, lots of booths, tables and an area towards the back that is special - no shoes allowed. But there are slippers if you happen to have a good sized group to sit in that space. There were a few specials on the menu - one of which was the jumbo shrimp shumai. These were steamed pods of deliciousness served with a fabulous dipping sauce. Great start. We shared the "love boat" that had a combination of sushi, sashimi and sushi rolls. Everything was fresh, tasty and perfectly sized. Bravo! My first piece was the mackerel and that's often my litmus test of a new sushi spot. 'Twas great. I try to stay away from desserts during the week, but I saw the Taiyaki dessert option and just had to try it. I'm a red bean freak and this did not disappoint. We ordered the red bean filled pastry with a side of green tea ice cream and it was delicious. The actual pastry was a bit greasy for my taste, but the dessert was presented beautifully. I would definitely head back to Sushi Tei for another meal in the future. read more

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We've been coming here for years and I'm glad to say the quality is as high as ever! Delicious Japanese food and of course great sushi. We came for my son's 18th birthday and let me tell you it's a great place to celebrate! From the Miso Soup to the noodle and meat dishes there is plenty for the non-sushi lover. My mom's Chicken Katsu dinner came with rice, salad, a crab roll and dessert. I tried one of my niece's delicate shrimp shumai and it was rich with flavor. All of our rolls were generous and most importantly fresh tasting. I had Sushi Regular and the fish was good in flavor and texture. Very nice Poke bowls too. My son got the full birthday treatment with singing and Japanese drums and a complementary dessert with candles. He got a small gift of a finger ring for the back of his phone too. The waitress was absolutely excellent too. With a calm and helpful demeanor she enhanced our experience. The owners were there and friendly as well. We'll be back. read more

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The food was amazing and tasted truly authentic my personal favorite is the sweet potato roll. The service was nice helpful and recommended delicious menu items . And for ambiance the vibe was amazing and a great place to be. Definite 10/10 read more

Sushi Tei - Table with Shirley Tempale - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

I've driven past this mall twice a day for the past 4 years and never knew Sushi Tei existed. I'm so glad I was browsing specifically for sushi and found this gem. The website brings you to the Mealeo app. So I ordered edamame, shrimp shumai and the 3-roll combo (Eel and Avocado, Shrimp Tempura and Spicy Crab). Just inside the restaurant doors, they have a setup to ensure a safe handoff of food. I prepaid on the app so it was a quick stop. The order was ready in about 10 minutes rather than the estimated 20-minutes. The rolls were presented as you expect, packed full and comes with sauces. My only complaint would be that the dumplings could have been cooked a tad longer. I wanted to see some darker pigment like some of the photos here on Yelp. Otherwise, a perfect meal. I learned two things today. One, I don't like edamame. Two, I have a new favorite sushi spot. read more

Sushi Tei - R21. Shrimp Tempura Cooked Roll and R20. Eel and Avocado Cooked Roll with 10. Edamame in the back - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

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One of the best restaurants for sushi in this area! Not only is the quality great, but they also slice their fish perfectly, so it melts in your mouth. The exterior is unassuming and inside decor/ambience isn't anything to write home about but it's clean has a great layout. I would consider this place very affordable, especially for the quality that you're getting! Definitely go! read more

Sushi Tei - assorted à la cart sushi: Tobiko, uni, ikura, yellowtail, salmon, shrimp, octopus, tamago, squid and a scallop hand roll. - Japanese Near Me - Albany, New York

My guess is that it has been over eleven years since I've been to Sushi Tei. My goodness how it has changed. Not only has it doubled in size, but the service is at least 200% better. We were not far from Guilderland when my wife and I started tossing up possible places to have an early dinner (4:30ish). We both have not had any sushi in months and I decided it was time to return to Sushi Tei. My Japanese friends always had it at the top of their list and our previous visits always resulted in delicious sushi, even if the service was very slow and lacking in personality. Upon our entrance on this night, we were not only impressed with the increase in size and attractive décor, we were also promptly greeted by a friendly and inviting hostess with an outgoing personality. Any personality would have been a significant improvement from our previous visits. Our server was similarly welcoming and informative. From about a half-dozen beers on tap we ordered a Fat Tire Amber Ale ($5) and a Druther's IPA ($7). They were served in pilsner glasses at just the right temperature. A sushi roll special for the night that was posted on a lighted board had caught our attention as soon as we sat down - Bumble Bee roll with lobster, spicy crab, jalapeño and avocado, then topped with mango and a drizzled sauce. At $15.95 it came sliced into ten good sized pieces. We obviously included it in our order and it was delicious. A wonderful blend of flavors and textures, the jalapeño could be tasted without overpowering the other ingredients. The colors even reminded us of a bumble bee. Another roll we tried was the Jalapeño Roll ($12.50). This one also was ten pieces large with spicy tuna, avocado, jalapeño, crunch, and wrapped in soy bean paper. The jalapeño flavor was actually a little less than in the Bumble Bee roll. But it still was very good. We rounded out our sushi enjoyment with nigiri pieces of Salmon ($2.50 ea.), White Tuna ($2.50 ea.), Tako/octopus ($1.95 ea.), and Ika/squid ($1.95 ea.). Unfortunately, they did not have any Uni this evening. It was good to see that they placed a little dab of wasabi between the fish and the rice when making the nigiri. The rice was also flavorful and had the proper amount of stickiness. While my wife said she was too full for dessert, I had to check to see if they had either green tea or red bean ice cream. They had both. And to our delight, either of the ice creams could alternately be ordered as Mochi. We both had been interested in trying Mochi. So I ordered the Green Tea Mochi ($3.95). I really like the glutinous texture of the wrapper on the ice cream ball and with a sprinkle of jimmies there is a neat amalgamation of textures. Complimentary green tea was also offered after we finished our beer and sushi and it had a nice strong flavor. We certainly will not be waiting so long to once again return. read more

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Waste of money! We went here and the food was below average. Never went again. Also, found the prices on the higher side. Not recommended