David P.
Yelp
Nut allergy friendly - I've been here many times, had many of the appetizers, ramen, and rolls, and never had an issue with nuts.
I hate leaving a bad review for a place after going there for years, but in its current state Mikoto has changed so much that I have to raise the issues. In its current state, maybe a 2/5 but it has a strong foundation that I hope will lead to change.
I've been going to Mikoto since 2019 for lunch, as you can see by my receipts. I've seen the price change from $15.99 for lunch to $17.99 in 2021 to $19.99 in 2022. I wasn't actively leaving reviews at that time, but you'd see my score change from a 5/5 to progressively decrease over time.
Entering Mikoto, you see a bar and a host stand prominently at the front of the establishment. Walking past the host stand, you enter the main seating area, which is comprised of several island-style tables and several booths. It is possible that you will share the island with other individuals or small groups.
The AYCE papers are present in boxes at the table. Some of them feel as if they haven't been reprinted since 2019. They are flimsy, or even soggy at times.
Service at Mikoto really varies. On some occasions, I've been approached very quickly and had my order taken quickly. In other occasions, it took over 10 minutes for a waitress to approach my table, even trying to flag someone down.
The AYCE lunch is NOT fast, especially if you're ordering sushi. Mikoto advertises made-to-order sushi, and will take a while to get you food. An AYCE meal with 4-5 rolls here between two people took over 1.5 hours between appetizers and rolls. When I came here with family, ramen with sushi rolls took nearly two hours. Yet, the fish does not taste fresh anymore. The appetizers vary from overcooked to stale tasting, but used to be a great start to the meal (maybe I caught them on an off-day; the edamame was still good). The water has a strange, musky, heavy taste. They may forget parts of your order seemingly at random - at one occasion, all of our appetizers got lost somehow.
The first time I went to Mikoto, I was indeed charged for leftover food. Honestly, I think this is a great policy for buffets to prevent food waste. They were very reasonable about it, as seen in my 2019 receipt. That $3 charge was for about half a roll.
However, what really turned me off Mikoto was during my last visit, when cockroaches scuttled onto the table. You can see a small one land on my napkin. Our waiters casually mentioned that they were spraying the place down and just moved us to another table. I haven't been back since then.
One day, I might return to Mikoto to satisfy a craving for cheap sushi that comes up once in a while. Except, it's really getting more expensive. I'll keep an eye out to see if reviews improve.