Niki's Tokyo Inn

Very unassuming place. Serving authentic Japanese fare. It’s good to see family businesses thrive. I had the yakitori and sashimi small portion. All was good except one fish item. The cucumber salad was a nice touch though. I could’ve probably just had a whole yakitori meal instead of just the appetizer portion. Service was really good.

This is my favorite restaurant ever. The food is so traditional and so good I love it so much. Whoever cooks that food needs a big raise cause it is so amazing. By far 10/10 I go every month or so and the service is amazing. My favorite dish is the ramen.

Ordered Beef Yakisoba, Eel Handroll and a Large Sashimi Mix plus a large beer for $53.04 Didn’t have to wait for a table and the server took our order after about 10 minutes after seating. The food took about 30-40 minutes to come out which was a little longer than I expected. Good: Service and staff were friendly. Atmosphere is quiet and cozy. Scallop, snapper and chutoro sashimi were decent. Firm, not fishy and tasted fresh. Yakisoba was a large portion and very flavorful. Bad: The tuna and salmon sashimi were very mushy and fishy which made me not want to finish the rest of the octopus or mackerel cuts. The sushi rice in the handroll was EXTREMELY vinegar-y and it was so overwhelming the rest of the roll could not be enjoyed. My take from this single experience is that I would stick to the kitchen items in the future, if I do visit again.

Delicious food in a very unassuming location (had to triple check my maps directions. Entering in the back door facing the parking lot was like entering an izakaya in a small town in Japan. We started with the vegetable tempura which I have declared the best of that dish in San Antonio. Then we had two mains, I tried the Suki yaki (beef with tofu and noodles) and my daughter has the curry rice. Both were excellent and we left with plenty of leftovers. Also, can't beat their prices!! Absolutely would come back here.

Went for my sister’s birthday, with a reservation of 9 people. We were seated on the traditional style tables with the pillows on the floor. This place has history, and they still know how to take care of their guests. The old man, gave us a freebie from his garden, and a little kale salad for my niece. The prices are set very well. We all had a good time, however sitting on the floor does get tiresome after a couple of hours haha. Everyone found something they ended up liking, the portions are great. Highly recommend trying the chicken sticks, so good. The edamame was super soft and very delicious. I ordered the Sashimi dinner, and was very pleased with the portions on the cuts, and everything that came with it. Are so much, I didn’t get a chance to try dessert but will definitely be back for more.

First timers. Dinner on Friday. Made reservation by phone. No welcome upon arrival by hostess or server. Seated at the Japanese floor table which is a cute area albeit dated and in need of a facelift, consistent lighting, and deep cleaning. Service was very slow. Vegetable tempura was soggy but made with fresh ingredients. Sashimi was okay with variations in freshness. Value for the cost was good as the portions were very big.

This restaurant was quite good. The atmosphere was super authentic with options to sit at the bar, at a table, or on the floor. I chose the floor option because it's how I eat at home anyways and it was chill. The food was very good, though there was a mild taste of plastic or chlorine, but then san Antonio's water is notoriously bad tasting so that's probably the reason. I had the unagi don and it was sooo yummy. I always love good eel. Then I also had chawanmushi. I wasn't a fan but that's my taste. There was nothing wrong with the dish. All in all a very authentic atmosphere and pretty good food. Service was slow but I also came immediately at opening so I imagine they were just starting the kitchen.

I love this place! It’s very peaceful, the vibes are good for solo dining, and oh my gosh the portions are HUGE!!! I got the Tokyo inn dinner, I was not expecting sooooo much food!! Miso soup, side dishes, rice, sashimi, tempura and grilled fish….for $28?!? Amazing!! I’m really happy I tried this place, I will be back religiously! My only issue was my small appetite!

LOVE THIS RESTAURANT, the staff is so kind and friendly and the foood is to dieeeee for. I can't tell you how much I love it here

Ask for the Hari Mari Secret Menu Pro Tip: You must ask for it like this : yo yo yoko and yell "Sour Trout " three times out loud while sitting at the sushi bar to get a free meal. You must surprise the staff with this request to work TRUST ME Emphasize Sowerrrrrrrr for a bonus dish !!! The trout is amazing Complex japanese aromas beautiful historical setting Did you know Nikis Tokyo Inn was the first Japanese Restaurant in town? Everything is hand made or had a hand in it

This is a cool spot! Limited parking right outside of the restaurant. It is an unassuming building, but once you walk inside, it's like you are transported to Japan! I thought the fish was fresh and tasty! It was a good entree choice to get to try a variety of different seafood! I also tried some vegetable tempura. I love the pumpkin squash one. There is complimentary green tea. You can sit on the tatami floor, bar seating, or normal chairs. Make a reservation ahead of time.

Super unassuming place with delicious sushi! We almost went right past it. I love that there is eastern and western seating. Very old-school atmosphere and a unique experience for someone who has never had eastern dining experience (sitting on the floor). Service is great, food is great. Prices are good!

Family owned since 1970. Wow!! Hole in the wall and a neighborhood gem in San Antonio. Really love the family vibe here. I overheard the nice gentleman sharing stories that dates back in the 70s and the famous people that have passed through here. What a great history. Their sashimi and sushi were excellent. Hamachi was amazing. They offer full service Japanese cuisine which also includes the Japanese style, Seiza (sit on the floor) with private rooms. Excellent customer service ran by the family. There is plenty of parking. Entrance is at the back. Open Tuesday - Saturday for dinner only from 5:30PM to 10:00PM. Closed Sunday and Monday. I highly recommend. We will return. Cheers!

What does an old run down building that looks completely abandoned? A Japanese small market that is hard to find and a Mexican bakery have in common? All of them are on the same block next to each other and one of them is actually amazing! My wife and I were on the search for Japanese pickles and she suggested Tokyo Mart. Well, it was hard to find!!!! I did find the Mexican bakery that I wanted to check out, but I was distracted by an old dilapidated building that looked abandoned. I immediately assumed that old building was the Tokyo mart and that it was closed. OH WELL! But I just happened to walk around the building and there it was.... Tokyo mart. A nice little Japanese store. What does that have to do with Niki Tokyo Inn? Well, we were missing rice and Japanese food so we looked up Yelp and there it was.... Niki Tokyo Inn. Yes! Food looked good, but you know how that can be? I looked it up on the map and was completely confused! You know where this is going... It was somehow sandwiched between the Mexican Bakery and Tokyo Mart. NO WAY???? I was just there walking around. It can't be that dilapidated old closed down building????? YES IT IS! What????? I mean, you go inside and the floor is crooked, the bathroom looks old school. I immediately went for the string hanging from the lightbulb. Ahhh no, they have a switch, but the string wouldn't be out of place. Inside, it looked like someone's living room - a crooked living room. I wondered if the building could survive an earthquake! Everyone inside was HAPPY. The workers were happy, the patrons happy, well, great! Everyone's happy! I saw a big rice pot and was instantly happy! We took a look at the menu and I was instantly taken back to 1980 prices. How about entire dinners for $20? They had most everything you want. Tsukemono, Sushi, hand rolls, Sapporo Black, sake etc...etc... I got the ribeye teriyaki dinner and my wife got tempura. They give you pickles to start they were delicious. We also got a weird fried wonky ton wrapper to dip in mustard shoyu. That was a little strange. The dinners and sushi were great! Everything was on point and not overly sweet. It really recalled the early days of Hilo and fine Japanese restaurants. I heard they've been open since 1970. There was a memorial about Niki - who started the place. The entire meal threw me back to the good days when you could get an entire dinner, drinks and good food for a reasonable price! YES! If they can do it, maybe Hawaii can???? Or maybe "no can"? In any case, a fantastic hole in the wall place with delicious food!

Niki's Tokyo Inn was a great experience for dinner. It's a Japanese restaurant that opens at 5:30pm. Their specialty is sushi and they have been established since 1970. It's beautifully decorated and dim lit for dinner, upon entering you are greeted. I was asked if I had a reservation and I said no but the lovely lady still accommodated us. We were grateful for that kindness. The lady host asked us if we wanted tables or to sit on the floor, we chose to sit on cushions on the floor. In the back there are tables low to the ground and you can sit on the cushions. This was our first time there, we felt really welcomed. The service is phenomenal, I believe I may have been speaking with the owner but I wasn't sure. I didn't want him to get the suspicion I was making a review. My sister and I both had Kai Miso which was really good. We ordered the Tokyo Inn Dinner which came with Vegetable Tempura. There was a variety of different sushi (shashimi) that tasted straight from the harbors of Japan. I could just imagine it since we never been to Japan. We were delighted with the experience of trying something authentic to Japanese food. It's a really nice place to dine for a date. Oh and by the way, right next door is Tokyo Mart grocery which sells all Japanese imported items. It's really neat. I loved the cold strawberry milk. Take your friends! Take your family! Take Your Beloved, you will be pleasantly surprised. P.S. When you choose to sit on the floor you are instructed to remove shoes before entering. Socks is a good idea :)

Really authentic and cozy sushi place in the center of town! This place is calm, relaxing, and reminds me of a little quaint home. The lighting is dim, and it's a great place for a romantic dinner. The sashimi was incredibly fresh, and the presentation was lovely. also ordered green tea and house white wine, which were great. Our waitress was super sweet!! Will be back to try more items off of their menu

Wonderful, authentic Japanese sushi experience! We tried the sashimi platter, which came with many different sushi cuts, miso soup, cabbage, and tempura. Service and food were phenomenal.

Niki's Tokyo Inn will subvert all your expectations. It's located in an old, rundown looking building that I truthfully thought was closed when we arrived, but the full parking lot and small sign let me know we had the right place. Once you step inside, you're greeted by friendly staff, a sushi bar, warm lighting, and Japanese tatami mats. The ambiance is great; the restaurant is calming and relaxing. This would be a great place to chat as you dine. The restaurant has been family owned in San Antonio for more than 50 years, which just adds to an already fun and hidden gem of a restaurant. We were provided warm towels as we were seated, which immediately reminded me of the dining experience in Japan itself. We ordered hot tea, the sushi mix, and some uni sushi. The sushi was tasty, with a focus on more traditional flavors rather than some more over the top modern rolls.

Amazing restaurant! Great sushi! Wonderful ambiance! I highly recommend Niki's Tokyo Inn.

Stopped by Niki's Tokyo Inn with my fiancé, a friend of mine had recommended it to me sometime ago. It's in a very unassuming building, you blink you miss it type of place. There was plenty of parking. The inside is small, a little stuffy but cozy. We didn't have a reservation and were sat in one of the rooms where you have to take your shoes off. The server was average, he wasn't terribly rude but he wasn't friendly either - he kind of left our table alone for 15 minutes and I kept having to flag him to put in the orders for us. The food had pros and cons. Pros: delicious pickles, miso/egg drop soups, and great grilled fish. Cons: the agedashi tofu was not fried well and bland. The yakiniku was okay flavor wise but had a lot of stringy sinewy pieces. I would have preferred a different preparation - I was expecting something with more substance than cooked beef and a small side of kimchi. Overall it wasn't too bad; next time I will try something different on the menu; I hope the service and the food presentation improves. I really want to like this place and give it a chance to grow on me :)

We were recommended to this spot by someone who we trusted, and that's important, cause we may not have walked in if not. This location is not big on curb appeal, but you walk in and feel transported to Japan. We sat in the traditional Japanese table area (shoes off, sitting on mats) and received a true Japanese service experience. I got the Tokyo dinner and my fiance got the sashimi dinner. Both were absolutely exceptional and a ridiculous value at under $60 for both. This is a MUST visit.

Food was great. Service was great. The establishment could use some improvements on the outside but other than that, I will definitely come back.

This place is a local gem if you haven't been here what are you waiting for!? There restaurant can transport you to Japan with their traditional sitting room. Their menu consist of sushi and other items. Their ginger salad is a must try along with their assortment of sashimi. Service here is friendly and attentive but don't hover.

Oh man this place never misses, I absolutely love coming back here such a quiet ambiance but the food quality is so good. The service continues to be good as well

Just finished eating here. It honestly is the best sushi I've ever had in this city and possibly in my life. Found out it's been family owned for a long time and I enjoy spending my money on local businesses so the entire experience was worth it.

We showed up for dinner and were told (very rudely) that we needed a reservation. Apparently you have to call to make a reservation. We didn't know that because it doesn't say anything about it on their facebook page.

When to this place for dinner arrived at 6:00pm wait food for 2hours. Poor service. No fresh salmon at a sushi restaurant.

San Antonio hidden gem.. go and visit this place it's wild! You would never imagine the great experience

How can egg drop soup be so good?? But it IS. Love this hidden gem, and especially the small cucumber salad that comes with the meals.

Came for dinner and was seated at the floor tables. The food here is so good and the sushi slices are so thick! It was pretty busy when I arrived so service was a little slow Ordered nigiri a la carte with giant clam, scallop, mackerel, smoked salmon, and eel. Also got the uni maki, yokan, adegashi tofu, and assorted sashimi.

Really good value and variety for the money. We sat at a traditional table on cushions, which made the experience special. This place has an ambiance like going back in time to the early 80's- loved that. Our multi-course meal had everything from tempura to nigiri to whole fish, with some great seaweed salad and pickled accompaniments.

You need reservations! We didn't know that until we walked in. But, we'll plan better for next time because it looks like a cool little place.

First of all, how dare they? How dare they be so personable? How dare they be so delicious? How dare they keep taking care of me? And how dare they keep making me travel over 200 miles to keep seeing them? The audacity is real and man oh man, this place is worth my time, money, and hunger every single time i go see them. From what I recall, this place has been owned and ran by the same people/family since the 80's. It looks sketchy outside and for sure it seems like people have lived in this building for years.... But it definitely builds character and history to their background. They've added parts to their once house to make it a restaurant where you, I, and other commoners can enjoy their amazing food. The menu is big, not complicated, and definitely drool worthy. They've got a bunch of combos. A bunch of things you've had from some other fancy places, yet I keep continuing to frequent this place. But let's get on to the review and why I keep coming here. I often find myself wondering why I keep coming here though. But it's because their texas sized rolls and nigiri will satiate your hunger. I tend to get their Tokyo inn special which involves sashimi, tempura, and some type of grilled fish. Every time I come in, I try and sit at the sushi bar and if you can? Do it. Call and make that damn reservation so you can experience an enhanced atmosphere. I have yet to stray from my normal order because," if it ain't broke? Don't fix it!" The Sashimi will consist of tuna, salmon, hamachi, octopus, surf clam, and roe. Each piece has been hand sliced by mother. So it's filled with love. It's filled with years and years worth of experience. And its definitely going to fill your stomach. The tempura has shrimp, asparagus, broccoli, and other veggies. The traditional sauces will be served and you will be asking for more if you're not full of food by now. Each piece has a crunch and bite to it which adds to your experience. The grilled fish is what i always expect to eat. I get the collar and the umami is always there. I can't ever get enough with how simple yet complex the taste of each morsel. If you haven't stopped by here yet. You're doing yourself a problem. Come by. Come sit and enjoy some Japanese food done by actual people. If you didn't know for a tidbit. Japanese food is the number one cuisine which is NOT ran/own by its own people. So come by. Take a seat for a minute. And get yourself a handie. I mean hand roll.

Food and drinks are always good. I like the atmosphere and small family owned feeling of this place. Almost like a home away from home.

The best sushi I have had in the world. Customer since early 90s and the quality has never lessened. It is an absolute pleasure to dine at Niki's

This place is a hidden gem. It is genuinely authentic. Perfect for me, not so much for my husband. The sushi isn't your typical sushi, it's truly Japanese style. Raw! So you'll have to be willing to try it. We were able to visit Tokyo before the world turned upside down and yes, it's definitely Tokyo vibes. You have the option of sitting at a table or Japanese style. So cool! We had our baby so we opted for the regular table. Heads up, it's a small location so call ahead for reservations. All of our service encounters were great. Our waitress gave us good recommendations and I had sushi. I just can't recall the name. It's a bit dark inside so my pictures weren't worth posting. Overall, we got a little bit of everything. We had edamame, so good. Udon noodles, which is so rare to find! We were so excited! We also had an egg roll and chicken skewer. Our 13 month old enjoyed all of it, well except the sushi. Lol! We even had a red bean dessert and wow! It was so delicious! They even brought little plates so our baby could eat. It's always the small details. We definitely enjoyed our experience here. So call ahead, dine Japanese style, and indulge!

LOVE this place!! The ambiance was very peaceful despite being on the side road; we chose to sit at the traditional Japanese table, and I enjoyed being lower to the table and closer to my food. The food portions were very filling, we ordered the 10 course dinner for 2 and everything was delicious. I don't normally try new foods, but I enjoyed everything I ate. My favorite was the beef sukiyaki or the tempura of various vegetables, shrimp, and fish! Our server was extremely kind and answered all the questions we had. Will definitely come back!

Service is always good when dining in. To go service staff isn't as friendly. Food however is top notch! The fish is always fresh! The place doesn't look like much on the outside but the food being prepared inside is phenomenal.

This a hole in the wall place that has the best food ever. I have never had anything bad and what I hear they grow There own veggies . I feel like we always get spoiled at this restaurant and look forward to coming here when in town .

We booked a reservation and we're seated on the floor, traditional style in the back. We had incredible warm sake, tempura, several of the different sushi and Sapporo beer. We both ordered the dinner portions and it was plenty to eat. The absolute best part of the meal was the grilled fish. This place is legit and has an old school traditional ambiance that you should definitely try.

Love this spot for a wonderful ambiance and unique experience. Staff is very friendly and the food is delicious. 100% will be coming back and recommending this place to friends and family.

Living in San Antonio, finding authentic Japanese food is a challenge. This place was recommended by a friend and the experience was amazing. Will be returning soon.

There are only a handful of sushi places in the US that come close to the atmosphere one finds in a cozy, family-run sushi-ya you might find in Japan, but Niki's Tokyo Inn fits the bill. What's even better is that they've been doing sushi the right way for the last 40 years (maybe longer) and they are doing it in an unassuming neighborhood in San Antonio, Texas. Don't let the exterior (or the interior, for that matter) fool you: it looks run down, but the food and service rival anything you'd find in Seattle, New York, Chicago or even LA. The two female sushi-ya-san know their craft and have always taken care of guests with an unassuming flair. And don't just take my word for it: next time the PGA Tour rolls into town, every Japanese golfer, their entourages and Japanese media team can be found at Niki's because it truly is the closest thing to home they'll find in San Antonio.

Really delicious l, authentic Japanese food, highly recommend! It's very unassuming from the outside, but the food was great, and it was a fun experience doing the Japanese style floor seating. Well priced and unique options for sushi and food.

Niki's is the perfect place for real Japanese food. From their curry, to their tempura, to their rice and noodles, and to their sushi, everything is exactly how it would be while eating at a real family restaurant in Japan itself. The service is phenomenal. Call ahead for ã reservation and you'll get seated right on time, and their traditional seating is usually open for those spontaneous visits. Speaking of traditional, it will feel like you're eating at someone's home. The atmosphere is incredibly homey and inviting. The only downside to this place is that nearly all their drinks aren't as cold as you'd hope them to be. Sodas and beer come out pretty warm, and will melt your ice in a heartbeat, killing a lot of the flavor thats supposed to go with the savory food they serve. Otherwise, I couldn't recommend this place enough.

Expensive and with poor cleaning. It was a jewel years ago and they never spend any amount of money on getting this place updated.

Delicious and so fresh! Came out tonight with a group and its definitely a hidden gem, but it was great service and great food. They offer traditional seating and ask you to remove your shoes so be prepared for that

We brought our daughter here for her 21st Birthday and it was incredible. The food was above and beyond our expectations. We got the family dinner, a custom asst of sushi, and egg roll. Everything was very fresh and cooked perfectly. The atmosphere was wonderful it felt like we were visiting someone's cozy home. It had a nostalgic warm cozy feeling that is calling me back. I can't wait to return.

A true gem of a place. The food here I authentic as you can get. Every single thing we have tried is amazing. Even the fried rice is its own thing. Yes when you drive up to this place, do not judge the book by it's cover. Once our walk in, you are immediately taken away to almost another world in a sense. There is the traditional floor seating and also table seating. Because of Covid, please it is definitely recommended to call for reservations. Like many establishments, staffing is an issue, so please be patient with them. I promise it is worth waiting for. From the sushi to its appetizers, I can taste the effort in making it taste good. I truly recommend this place to anyone who is interested in good, Japanese cuisine.

Came tonight to celebrate with hubby. We got there early but quickly became full house. Food is good and tempura was light and tasty. Order comes as one large piece instead of 2 little pieces. Also ordered one spicy scallop handroll. It's been so long since I've had sushi and it was great. We ended up taking the shrimp tempura and fish home. It was a lot of food. If you want to sit at sushi bar you need to make reservations as seating is limited due to social distancing.

Horrible service! The hostess was rude did not even look at us to greet us, just kept her head down while trying to talk to us. We ended up leaving. The area is sketchy as well.

Been coming here for almost 40 years. This place is still awesome. Y beef and Japanese dinner paired well for a surf n turf feast 5 course feast and flavor extravaganza.

The food was really good. The tempura was nice and crunchy. The large sushi were perfect appetizers, best curry and yakisoba I've had in town. Didn't think of making reservations, they get really busy, so it will be good to make one especially of you want western tables (regular seats). They do have the special rooms where you sit on the floor for an extra $10. We opted for that and were able to sit pretty quickly.

BEST PLACE EVER!!!! Staff is so sweet, food is INSANE I'm obsessed! I will be coming back here FREQUENTLY! Gah it was such a cool and sweet experience, the atmosphere is so chill and just so comfortable to be in!! It got a little hot inside I think from just the weather but literally couldn't care less because food, staff kindness everything was worth

the staff is so sweet! traditional japanese restaurant. you only take off your shoes if you get a private room. I wasn't too crazy about the food. the kimchi was a little disappointing but i believe it was home made and i never had it that way! the eel and rice was delicious! my boyfriend had the chicken, he liked it alot he just wish it automatically came with rice! this restaurant owns a grocery store that's behind it! Again this place is so sweet, definitely worth trying once !

I have paid 400 bucks at Soto on Uchi in Houston and Austin and Nikkis is hands down simply better. Authentic, friendly and approachable. It's family based and what you get is real, unpretentious and delicious. It is a texan institution.

Food: 4.5/5 Service: 4.5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 This place is super cool. While driving up to it I felt as if there was no way my GPS took me to the correct spot because it was literally just a concrete shack with minimal signage. However, once I opened the door I immediately knew this place was legit. They offer two types of seating: traditional Japanese and regular tables/booths. We opted for traditional because why not. We ordered a platter of sushi/nigiri and also beef yakiniku. The yakiniki wasn't the kind you cook yourself but it was prepared very well. Very tasty. The fish was also very good minus the salmon. It was smoked salmon and more like lox. Maybe that's a Texas thing but it was strange to have it at a Japanese restaurant in a sushi platter. Otherwise the experience was very good. I will definitely be returning :)