Restaurants
If you know where to look, there are still all-you-can-eat sushi deals around Greater Boston.
Nijiya Sushi in Medford is one of the few all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants in Greater Boston. Kayana Szymczak for the Boston Globe
Who says sushi has to be expensive? Bostonians know where to go for a good sushi deal, and it’s at the metro area’s few standing all-you-can-eat sushi buffets.
Despite rising costs, Boston hasn’t yet fallen prey to the $100 AYCE sushi that has impacted other food scenes, like Portland, Oregon and San Francisco.
Instead, Greater Boston has a handful of long-time AYCE greats. And if you thought the pandemic would have given these buffets no chance of business survival, think again.
People want a deal, something Nijiya manager Henderson Li knows firsthand running the all-you-can-eat, made-to-order sushi restaurant in Medford. He said keeping prices reasonable is the most critical piece of their business.
“That’s our whole strategy to stay in business,” Li said in an e-mail to Boston.com.
Readers like Jess G. in Somerville even shared it as her top recommendation. “Service is fast, the food is delicious, and the best part is you can eat as much as you want for an amazing price! Sushi is too expensive anywhere, but especially in Boston, so this hidden gem in Medford center was a great find,” she said.
Ready to fill your plate with bottomless sushi? Here are the places to go around Greater Boston.
This trendy, clubby restaurant doesn’t serve the cheapest AYCE on the list, and it isn’t offered daily. But this Big Night Entertainment spot could shape up a Monday or Tuesday date night. Their Monday evening AYCE starts at 5 p.m. and gives diners the choice between 10 rolls (think specialty rolls, like a salmon mango with fried shallots or the Empire house maki with spicy tuna, herb cream cheese, sriracha sweet soy, and wasabi tobiko). On Tuesday, feast on half-portions of classic rolls, along with half-order entrees and hot appetizers.
Price: $49/person Monday and $59/person Tuesday
1 Marina Park Drive, Seaport
Rainbow Roll at Fat Baby in South Boston. (Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)Fat Baby
Only on Mondays does Southie’s Fat Baby roll out this maki deal, and there are some rules to follow. Diners must get two rolls for their first order, two for their second order, then they get one roll at a time until they’ve had enough maki. You can’t share, or take to-go, and your sushi choices are limited to about six rolls and a rotating specialty roll.
Price: $32/person Mondays
118 Dorchester St., South Boston
Maki Maki
This Woburn spot is a classic all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. The sushi is made-to-order, and their lunch and dinner menu includes a long list of sashimi, specialty rolls, maki, and both hot and cold appetizers.
Price: $22.99/person Monday-Friday lunch; $24.99/person Saturday-Sunday lunch; $34.99/person Monday-Thursday dinner; $36.99/person Friday-Sunday dinner; check website for children prices.
40 Cummings Park Drive, Woburn
Nijiya Sushi
For 11 years, Medford’s AYCE spot has been feeding flocks of hungry diners who have a couple of hours to spare on bottomless sushi. There’s no time limit, and you can even pack up your leftovers that are charged as the regular menu price of the to-go food. There’s also a regular menu, but where’s the fun in that?
Price: $22.99/person Monday-Thursday lunch; $24.99/person Friday-Sunday lunch; $30.99/person Monday-Thursday dinner; $32.99/person Friday-Sunday dinner
9 High St., Medford
Yamato I and II
It’s Boston proper’s only daily AYCE sushi, and given its proximity to college campuses, manager Yao Chen said it’s a hot spot for college students looking to fill up on a budget. Its menus include not only sushi and sashimi, but appetizers like miso soup, gyoza, salads, and non-sushi entrees.
Price: $25.99/person Monday-Friday lunch; $27.99/person Saturday-Sunday lunch; $34.99/person Sunday-Thursday dinner; $36.99/person Friday-Saturday dinner
117 Chiswick Road, Brighton; 545 Boylston St., Back Bay
Katelyn UmholtzFood and Restaurant Reporter
Katelyn Umholtz covers food and restaurants for Boston.com. Katelyn is also the author of The Dish, a weekly food newsletter.
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