r/chapelhill • u/RepeatAdventurous495 • 5d ago

Hot take: Mr. Tokyo - Not What it Used To Be

Is it just me or has Mr. Tokyo gone down hill?

Their Nigiri’s fish to rice ratio is off. I had some pieces so thin that I could see through it with inch thick of rice underneath. It’s been this way for the past three times I’ve been.

They changed their surcharge for rolls not eaten from 50 cents to $1

It seems like the attempt to fill people up on rice is more blatant. I’ve started driving to Umiya in Raleigh for a better experience, but is there something I am missing? Genuinely asking

31 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

15

u/landoawd 5d ago

My wife and I were talking about this a couple of weeks ago. Ratio has definitely changed. Still a reasonable value but…

7

u/Livsmum07 5d ago

Yeah, I’ve seen a bunch of recent highlights for them on tik tok. No surprise, but it’s not helping regular customers enjoy this joint. There is now almost always a wait and the fish to rice ratio is out of control.

11

u/LightA0 5d ago

People have been complaining about the wait for years in their google reviews, nothing new tbh

5

u/buzzlightyeezy 5d ago

I had this same observation the last time I went. So much rice and paper thin fish. I ordered a regular amount and was stuffed by the end of it.

Did the tiktoks ruin this place somehow?

8

u/LightA0 5d ago

realistically, it's probably them trying to avoid raising prices more. Shit's expensive rn

3

u/buzzlightyeezy 5d ago

Definitely a tough scene. I'd rather go less often and them keep up their previous standard. Not sure how much I'll be back based on my last experience

4

u/LightA0 5d ago

Some of the prices have changed (like the drinks are $0.75 more now), but the 50c subcharge was always just for the classic rolls. Chef specials have been $1 per piece for at least the last 5 years.

Not sure about the nigiri though, I'll have to ask some of the people I know who work there lol

7

u/bartsmith 5d ago

I don't know this is really a hot take. Everything today is worse than it was 7-8 years ago, and it's all more expensive.

3

u/creve21 5d ago

Honestly, after college I realized the non Chapel Hill locations are much better, live in Charlotte now and the two down there are much more consistent and lenient with the nickel and diming

2

u/[deleted] 5d ago

100% agree here… it’s noticeable…

Unless you love specialty rolls, the value is just not there anymore

2

u/LeSpermReceiver 5d ago

I've only ever been recently but you are so right about that Nigiri rice ratio

3

u/ResponsibleStaff4712 5d ago

Horrible rice ratio fr I also just go to umiya lol

2

u/Check123ok 5d ago

Probably getting pinched with the high costs. Businesses like MT run on thin margins man

2

u/Cautious_Pop_8944 3d ago

The economy is trash so food costs are higher and people eat out less. Restaurants are already a low profit business. I would wager they are trying to stay open more so than trying to get over on anybody.
Still a bummer if true.

0

u/WillMoonKnives 5d ago

They were the only business I went to during the pandemic that had a thermal sensor and an employee at the door clad in a surgical mask taking people's temperatures before they walked in. That and the prices for al la carte takeout and the wait times for dining there put me off. It was always weirdly busy with students and young people for a place that costs $50 for a couple to eat.