Taisho Japanese Restaurant

The food was delicious and the atmosphere was amazing. The servers were very polite. I really did like how it looked on the inside they had very nice taste in music. Everything was fairly priced. Edit: This has easily become my favorite place to get food. I highly recommend the Tonkatsu or the Curry Udon. We have become regulars.

I go here every week. The food is affordable, fresh, filling and so good! Highly recommend the Sake Don.

All good. This is probably the only good ramen I can find in the area. Will come back again.

+4

We love taisho! The Sheridan Drive location is our favorite. Wonderful service and the sushi, rice bowls & tempura ice cream are the best.

Great food lovely service, unfortunately they were having water issue. I am excited to return again though.

The service was outstanding. Super friendly everybody. Delicious food. Extra fancy menus. Wish I was eating there now.

Me and my girlfriend loved the food. And the Servers were very friendly! I am definitely coming back!

Had a great experience dining at Taisho. Had ordered few starters like the golden spider, gyoza that were great. Tanuki sake is highly recommended. Portion sizes are apt. Atmosphere was good it happened to be a bills game that night. Lastly service was quick and hospitable.

The slices of fish in our orders have been getting thinner. We order take-out frequently and typically get salmon and yellowtail sashimi. Sashimi quality is always great, ikura was fishy. Before pictures from April vs. now. Edit: Added one star for courteous response from the restaurant. Hope to see improvements in consistency in the future. Edit 2 9/11/25: Back to thick slabs of sashimi, notice how it takes up two trays for five orders of sashimi. Amazing.

I went at 5:30 so atmosphere might be different based on times, but everything was chill, the waiter was attentive and the food was excellent. Not a place to come if in a hurry though they make everything fresh and that does take some time worth it if wanting a relaxing meal.

I only visited buffalo for a few short months but within that time I've had the pleasure of experiencing the best foodie environments I could have ever . Taisho is located in a wonderful area and quite easily accessible. The atmosphere is clean pleasantly lit and populated with only the kindest of people. I was greeted immediately and sat in a booth. I ordered just water to drink But to start a simple ginger dressing salad and the baby octopus app. Each was brought quickly with grand attention to plating detail. For my mid the best eel roll as they call it and the flying fish roll alla carte. The ingredients were fresh and once again the presentation amazing . Plenty of flavor and exceeded my expectations. To be quite honest I thought of buying one more plate to finish but couldn't finish one more bite. Overall I would definitely give Taisho bistro a 10/10 and if I ever come back to buffalo I will most definitely visit this wonderful Japanese escape.

I've actually been here 2 nights in a row but I forgot to take pics the first night. But both nights the food has been GREAT. I got a different variety of things and not 1 thing was bad at all. The staff was really nice and very helpful in explaining the menu to me. The wait wasn't long at all. The packing of the food was good as well.

We had a quick bite here before the show at North Park Theatre across the street. We let the server know we had limited time and she was very efficient. The sushi and soups were awesome. We will definitely be back for a longer meal.

Taisho Bistro is an absolute 10/10 for Japanese cuisine lovers! The food is not only incredible but from the politeness of the staff, to the beautifully decorated atmosphere, Taisho is one of the best most authentic places in Buffalo!! I always get the teriyaki bento box because you get alittle of everything and with the traditional Japanese beer you cant go wrong, but if you like sushi/sashimi too this is definitely the place to go!! Thanks Taisho!❤

Spring Mcgarr

I went at 5:30 so atmosphere might be different based on times, but everything was chill, the waiter was attentive and the food was excellent. Not a place to come if in a hurry though they make everything fresh and that does take some time worth it if wanting a relaxing meal.

Luo Ying Lin

The slices of fish in our orders have been getting thinner. We order take-out frequently and typically get salmon and yellowtail sashimi. Sashimi quality is always great, ikura was fishy. Before pictures from April vs. now. Edit: Added one star for courteous response from the restaurant. Hope to see improvements in consistency in the future. Edit 2 9/11/25: Back to thick slabs of sashimi, notice how it takes up two trays for five orders of sashimi. Amazing.

Justin Coultman

I've actually been here 2 nights in a row but I forgot to take pics the first night. But both nights the food has been GREAT. I got a different variety of things and not 1 thing was bad at all. The staff was really nice and very helpful in explaining the menu to me. The wait wasn't long at all. The packing of the food was good as well.

J koerner

I only visited buffalo for a few short months but within that time I've had the pleasure of experiencing the best foodie environments I could have ever . Taisho is located in a wonderful area and quite easily accessible. The atmosphere is clean pleasantly lit and populated with only the kindest of people. I was greeted immediately and sat in a booth. I ordered just water to drink But to start a simple ginger dressing salad and the baby octopus app. Each was brought quickly with grand attention to plating detail. For my mid the best eel roll as they call it and the flying fish roll alla carte. The ingredients were fresh and once again the presentation amazing . Plenty of flavor and exceeded my expectations. To be quite honest I thought of buying one more plate to finish but couldn't finish one more bite. Overall I would definitely give Taisho bistro a 10/10 and if I ever come back to buffalo I will most definitely visit this wonderful Japanese escape.

Terry O'Shei

We had a quick bite here before the show at North Park Theatre across the street. We let the server know we had limited time and she was very efficient. The sushi and soups were awesome. We will definitely be back for a longer meal.

月丹

All good. This is probably the only good ramen I can find in the area. Will come back again.

Robin Wujek

Taisho Bistro is an absolute 10/10 for Japanese cuisine lovers! The food is not only incredible but from the politeness of the staff, to the beautifully decorated atmosphere, Taisho is one of the best most authentic places in Buffalo!! I always get the teriyaki bento box because you get alittle of everything and with the traditional Japanese beer you cant go wrong, but if you like sushi/sashimi too this is definitely the place to go!! Thanks Taisho!❤

Nicole Sanetick

I go here every week. The food is affordable, fresh, filling and so good! Highly recommend the Sake Don.

Had some of the best sushi of my life here. I was really impressed by the freshness and quality of the fish. I went on a Saturday afternoon. The staff was super nice and attentive.

This place is AMAZING like OMG! It may seem like I’m exaggerating but I’ll be bluffing ok! My baby sister brought me here for my birthday today! 02/04/2026 and the service was IMMACULATE. The server Zil has wonderful energy, very attentive!🙌🏾 Then the manager Mini held so much hospitality with food and presence 🥰 and the OWNER was beautiful! His cheesecake he presented for my birthday was amazing 🤌🏾 I enjoyed every single minute of my FIRST experience here.. 10/10 recommendation! OH and the food? 100/10 ✅

We went there really late, near their closing time, but they prepared our food and treated us so nicely. They also gave us 2 free cokes! The food was delicious. We got 3 sushi rolls with seaweed salads. All very good.

This is my FAVORITE SPOT!!! Listen to me, PLEASE!! When I tell you the SERVICE IS AMAZINGLY AMAZING! Every single staff member greets me like I am family! You feel the love and genuine energy when you walk through the door!! Zen, Mini, Zil, and the entire Taisho personnel are simply beautiful people!! And I adore every single one of them! I come here with my family, and my boy and wife are absolutely in love with this place, just like me!! My son and I come here after school just to eat sushi and do math homework and enjoy every second! The conversation is OUTSTANDING!!! VIBES ARE THE BEST!!! Will forever come to Taisho and see my people!!!! Much love. 🤞🏽🤞🏽✨✨✨🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽

Food, staff, atmosphere were all amazing! Their Katsu Curry is so delicious! Can’t go wrong with any appetizer! The staff were all very friendly and helpful! 10/10

I've never written a review before, but I felt it may be necessary for Taisho. This Izakaya really is amazing! The food is crafted with love and the drinks are always delicious. I visit this restaurant monthly. Honestly, there is normally something wrong, whether it is getting the drinks, or the food itself, but it is genuinely so human I find it impossible to be angry. These beautiful people are so filled with remorse and regret when service is short of perfection it just makes me love them so much. They are 100% down to have a good time and drink 1 shot or two with you every time I have gone. I recommend this place, solely based on my experience of a genuinely laid back, stress free time. Taisho really embodies Izakaya, a relaxed place to drink and eat good food to decompress after work. If any of you guys working read this, KANPAI until next time! ❤️

Timothy Russ

Food, staff, atmosphere were all amazing! Their Katsu Curry is so delicious! Can’t go wrong with any appetizer! The staff were all very friendly and helpful! 10/10

Tina Tehrani

We went there really late, near their closing time, but they prepared our food and treated us so nicely. They also gave us 2 free cokes! The food was delicious. We got 3 sushi rolls with seaweed salads. All very good.

Karla Joy Vandenbergh

We love taisho! The Sheridan Drive location is our favorite. Wonderful service and the sushi, rice bowls & tempura ice cream are the best.

Gavin Ingrao

Had some of the best sushi of my life here. I was really impressed by the freshness and quality of the fish. I went on a Saturday afternoon. The staff was super nice and attentive.

zac marinaccio

I've never written a review before, but I felt it may be necessary for Taisho. This Izakaya really is amazing! The food is crafted with love and the drinks are always delicious. I visit this restaurant monthly. Honestly, there is normally something wrong, whether it is getting the drinks, or the food itself, but it is genuinely so human I find it impossible to be angry. These beautiful people are so filled with remorse and regret when service is short of perfection it just makes me love them so much. They are 100% down to have a good time and drink 1 shot or two with you every time I have gone. I recommend this place, solely based on my experience of a genuinely laid back, stress free time. Taisho really embodies Izakaya, a relaxed place to drink and eat good food to decompress after work. If any of you guys working read this, KANPAI until next time! ❤️

When busy expect a 15 20 min wait on food. The prices are amazing. The Bar is Fully Stocked. Sushi cut and assembled as ordered.

+1

Everything was very fresh and the food was very good. Service was a little slow and we were only one of two tables. To enter the restaurant, an employee had to remove a piece of blue painters tape that blocked you from entering. All in all, a strange way to enter a restaurant...even in the covid Era. Overall, the food was good though.

We enjoyed the sushi. We enjoyed the fish the most as it was a good portion and very fresh. The atmosphere and service were good. All good.

Food is amazing, but some sauce is just not provided with the dish. They say different styles there. Photo on menu looks completely different with the dish. Time for a updated menu.

+6

Nice place. Service was excellent. Food was pretty good I guess. Not totally impressed. The people I was with loved their food and mine. Me on the other hand eh not so much.

+1

Really good food, decent prices. Nice atmosphere with courteous, fast service. We will totally be back 🙂 Presentation was also good... sorry I forgot to take pics before digging in ..

I remember going on a date to this place so I had a nice time. I enjoyed the food, atmosphere and service. I took a pic of the food because it looked delicious and I knew I wanted to write a review on it.

Very good. Rolls were great, had the Kimki roll, was spicy and crunchy, reminded me of a buffalo chicken fingers sub, wow! Edamame was perfect, seaweed salad was great, and the spring rolls were out of this world! Also the menu has pictures of every item! Sapporo 22 ounce cans are one of the best most premium Japanese beers to try, go now!

+6

I'm updating my review due to the fast response of the manager. I've had good experiences up until this last delivery. I'm going to chalk it up to a Doordash issue... Katsu Don has, in the past, been in a single container and was: rice, egg, and one cutlet with sauce on the side. Today I got two cutlets and a wee bit of rice. It was dry as heck but the cutlet was cooked well. No more Doordash for a while I think. Try the okonomiyaki if you dine in.

Pork belly steammed bun was great. Skilled shrimps were excellent. Sushi is good but tonight wasn't that good because the rice was a bit hard. The place was so busy and packed when we got there. I love their variety of food, haven't explored all of them thou. If you love 🍣 and ramen and grilled stuff, this place is a good one!

Phuong Le (Kate)

Pork belly steammed bun was great. Skilled shrimps were excellent. Sushi is good but tonight wasn't that good because the rice was a bit hard. The place was so busy and packed when we got there. I love their variety of food, haven't explored all of them thou. If you love 🍣 and ramen and grilled stuff, this place is a good one!

Honky Tonk Guy

Very good. Rolls were great, had the Kimki roll, was spicy and crunchy, reminded me of a buffalo chicken fingers sub, wow! Edamame was perfect, seaweed salad was great, and the spring rolls were out of this world! Also the menu has pictures of every item! Sapporo 22 ounce cans are one of the best most premium Japanese beers to try, go now!

Visited on a Sunday afternoon for lunch. Service was very friendly but a bit slow. We ordered the Sushi for 2 which was good, but some of the pieces of fish on the Ngiri were longer and thicker than I’m used to and was difficult to eat. However everything was fresh.

Tyler Smith

I'm updating my review due to the fast response of the manager. I've had good experiences up until this last delivery. I'm going to chalk it up to a Doordash issue... Katsu Don has, in the past, been in a single container and was: rice, egg, and one cutlet with sauce on the side. Today I got two cutlets and a wee bit of rice. It was dry as heck but the cutlet was cooked well. No more Doordash for a while I think. Try the okonomiyaki if you dine in.

I ordered the sushi dinner and it came with a worm :/. The age tofu and the curry katsu were good though. The other pieces were fine but when you’re 4 pieces into eating and see that, you can’t help but wonder if you’ve eaten a worm without realizing it. I’m not sure I’d come back here any time soon.

I’ve eaten here a few times and it’s usually ok but tonight I was extremely disappointed. I got pork fried rice, steak and a pork bun. The pork bun was delicious but the other two items were a disappointment to say the least. The steak was a super thin and small portion. They ask you what temperature you want it but when it’s that small of a portion it’s virtually impossible to get a medium rare, and it was definitely over cooked. The pork fried rice had large pieces of pork in it, but the majority of the pieces were at least 50% fat, a couple were entirely fat.

Place was filthy. Carpet not vacuumed. Very slow service and the soup wasn't brought until after the entrees.

Nice atmosphere and friendly staff, but the food was a miss. The sushi rice was overcooked. The dumpling appetizer was good, but the sauce was hardly filled. This made it difficult to dip . The Japanese chicken was chewy and served with mayo which was not a good combo. Our fried roll was good until we got something crunchy in it. Assumed to be unpeeled shrimp tail. Really just a turn off especially for the price. We did get carry out, but regardless I don't think we will order again.

S Burns

Nice atmosphere and friendly staff, but the food was a miss. The sushi rice was overcooked. The dumpling appetizer was good, but the sauce was hardly filled. This made it difficult to dip . The Japanese chicken was chewy and served with mayo which was not a good combo. Our fried roll was good until we got something crunchy in it. Assumed to be unpeeled shrimp tail. Really just a turn off especially for the price. We did get carry out, but regardless I don't think we will order again.

Waited 25 minutes for takeout, then drove 20 minutes home, only to find that my curry pork cutlet rice came without the curry. Apparently, the curry is optional. The owner kindly offered to refund the curry sauce — not to my card, of course, but as store credit for next time. Because after this experience, naturally the first thing I want to do is come back. It’s impressive how the solution manages to save the restaurant money while costing the customer time, gas, and dinner. Brilliant business model.

Michael Borrello

Updated Review (10/11/25): We decided to give Taisho a second chance, but unfortunately, they failed again. The service was terrible — food came out before drinks, appetizers arrived during our main courses, and we had to ask for one guest’s main dish after everyone else was nearly finished. Whatever happened to the Sheridan Taisho in the last year is truly a shame. P.S. Please clean the tables — they shouldn’t feel sticky. We’ve eaten here many times over the past few years and it was always one of my go-to spots. Unfortunately, over our last few visits things have really gone downhill. It looks like the entire staff has changed, and with that, the food quality has dropped. On my most recent visit, service was unusually slow, which had never been an issue before. I ordered the teriyaki salmon ramen the salmon was dry, the noodles had no flavor, and the chicken curry was watered down. We left extremely disappointed. It makes me wonder if the restaurant changed ownership, because it no longer feels like the same place we loved. Sadly, it’s no longer our go-to spot.

I literally called in my food to order and I go to pick up my food. And they talking about the system didnt print out the ticket so I have to wait another 20 min for my food. Do you know how upset I was because I worked all day and it was my first time trying this place and I wanted ramen...I didnt want to wait another 20 min...I was hungry right then and there. Upset

How this once great restaurant has now fallen. I’ll start with the good, the atmosphere has remained unchanged and the restaurant itself maintains a fairly high standard for cleanliness which I appreciate. The food has remained in the just fine to good category which is great. Now the bad, be prepared to wait, everything now comes with an almost guaranteed 30-60 minute wait. Need time to order? We will see you in an hour. Want to grab some take out? 45 minute minimum good look if it’s busy. Want a table? We will seat you in a half. Ready to pay? Be ready to wait. I can understand a new crew comes with growing pains but there has been few restaurants I have up and left and I never thought I would add the original Taisho to that list. My advice to all who stumble here after a few minutes of scrolling while waiting is Hertel Taisho is up the street and can probably take you immediately. Do better.

I have been coming here for years now, it apparently has new owners. All of the original staff is gone. That said, the quality of food and service has disappeared. I have given the new crew multiple chances on making it right, but they have failed miserably. We waited 15 minutes for anyone to acknowledge that we were standing there waiting for a table. The last time I came, the appetizers came after the meal, and one of the dishes came after we got the bill. This time appetizers came along with one of the meals, my dish came 10 minutes later after I asked where it was. I ordered a glass of wine with the meal, I had to ask again for it when my meal came. They never checked back in on us, our server who has the buzz cut hair kept screaming across the restaurant, like he was in his living room. It’s not the first time he has done that, it’s extremely unprofessional. I also heard him laugh and tell the other servers that he gave a table the wrong food. They clearly have no idea what they are doing, or know how to run a restaurant. The original staff was amazing, I will be going to the hertel location from now on, I know some of the original staff works there. I saw way back in the comments, that they came up with excuses about the chef, it’s been many months since then. Nothing has changed.

Got delivery… smh! Worst food I’ve had in a LONG while. I got katsu curry; it was soup with no vegetable in sight (though the katsu was large) wasabi shumi that literally had hard chunks of grizzle riddled throughout every dumpling. The Japanese style spring roll that only had noodle in it and was floppy but that’s because it was delivered so not their fault. And fried pork gyoza that must have been in the pan for all of 13 seconds, no crust no char no crisp. All n all a damn disappointing meal.

Michael McDonough

I have been coming here for years now, it apparently has new owners. All of the original staff is gone. That said, the quality of food and service has disappeared. I have given the new crew multiple chances on making it right, but they have failed miserably. We waited 15 minutes for anyone to acknowledge that we were standing there waiting for a table. The last time I came, the appetizers came after the meal, and one of the dishes came after we got the bill. This time appetizers came along with one of the meals, my dish came 10 minutes later after I asked where it was. I ordered a glass of wine with the meal, I had to ask again for it when my meal came. They never checked back in on us, our server who has the buzz cut hair kept screaming across the restaurant, like he was in his living room. It’s not the first time he has done that, it’s extremely unprofessional. I also heard him laugh and tell the other servers that he gave a table the wrong food. They clearly have no idea what they are doing, or know how to run a restaurant. The original staff was amazing, I will be going to the hertel location from now on, I know some of the original staff works there. I saw way back in the comments, that they came up with excuses about the chef, it’s been many months since then. Nothing has changed.

Vince Seidel

How this once great restaurant has now fallen. I’ll start with the good, the atmosphere has remained unchanged and the restaurant itself maintains a fairly high standard for cleanliness which I appreciate. The food has remained in the just fine to good category which is great. Now the bad, be prepared to wait, everything now comes with an almost guaranteed 30-60 minute wait. Need time to order? We will see you in an hour. Want to grab some take out? 45 minute minimum good look if it’s busy. Want a table? We will seat you in a half. Ready to pay? Be ready to wait. I can understand a new crew comes with growing pains but there has been few restaurants I have up and left and I never thought I would add the original Taisho to that list. My advice to all who stumble here after a few minutes of scrolling while waiting is Hertel Taisho is up the street and can probably take you immediately. Do better.