Whether you’re looking to try Japanese cuisine for the first time, or you’re a sushi enthusiast, Matsuda Japanese Cuisine is the perfect spot for you. With three different locations in the Greater Toronto Area, Matsuda Japanese Cuisine offers an all-you-can-eat sushi experience that you’ll never forget.
If you’re new to sushi, Matsuda Japanese Cuisine is the perfect place to start. With an extensive menu of both traditional and fusion sushi, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. And with all-you-can-eat options available, you can try as many different kinds of sushi as you like.
We have to admit that AYCE sushi restaurants are not comparable to some of the top a la carte sushi places like JaBistro or Ki.
Nonetheless, if you are looking for a great all-you-can-eat sushi place in the GTA then Matsuda is a great option and definitely worth checking out!
Matsuda Japanese Cuisine All You Can Eat Sushi Review
My parents wanted to go to Matsuda for my mom’s birthday since they wanted more than just raw fish. Plus, they don’t really enjoy sushi or sashimi as much, hence they don’t really dine out at Japanese restaurants.
Despite that, they thought Matsuda would be a great place to celebrate her birthday since they offer teppanyaki on the menu.
We live nearby, so Rui and I have been to Matsuda many times in the past to celebrate our friends’ birthdays, so it wasn’t really a new restaurant for us. However, we haven’t been in a while so we were excited to go back and try their food again.
They allow you to make reservations, so be sure to do that because this restaurant can get pretty busy, especially on weekends.
We arrived there at 6:30 PM and it was already starting to get busy, so luckily, my dad made reservations 7 days in advance.
This Japanese cuisine has three different locations in the GTA:
Address: 1300 Don Mills Rd. Unit #2, North York, ON M3B 2W6
Address: 5651 Steeles Ave E #13A-13B, Scarborough, ON M1V 5P6
Address: 4810 Sheppard Ave E Unit 214-218, Scarborough, ON M1S 4N6
Matsuda Sushi Menu
You can take a look at their All-You-Can-Eat Dinner Menu.
We actually did not order any fried rice, udon, or ramen because we don’t think it’s worth eating those types of dishes at an AYCE sushi restaurant. If you really want good ramen, we recommend these best Japanese ramen noodles in the city.
We also recommend the best Izakaya restaurants in Toronto like Kinka Izayaka for udon, fried rice, and a variety of other delicious dishes.
Now, here are several items we ordered and tried from Matsuda’s AYCE dinner menu at Don Mills Rd.
1. Miso Soup
Of course, we had to get the obligatory miso soup to start our meal. It was the basic miso soup with seaweed, tofu, and green onion.
2. Maki
Including a few basic rolls like the yam and avocado rolls, we also ordered everything from the special roll list. That includes:
- Matsuda Maki – shrimp tempura cucumber roll, with red tuna, wasabi tobiko and spicy sauce
- Sunshine Maki – avocado, deep-fried fish roll with salmon on top and spicy sauce
- Philadelphia Maki – cream cheese, kani, cucumber roll top with smoke salmon and cheese
- Osaka Maki – salmon teriyaki roll with shredded dried pork on top
- Mango Roses Maki – tempura bit, kani, cucumber roll with avocado and mango dressing
- Black Dragon Maki – shrimp tempura, cucumber roll with eel on top
- Green Dragon Maki – shrimp tempura, cucumber roll with avocado on top
- White Dragon Maki – crispy kani roll with tai tataki teriyaki sauce and bonito flake
- Volcano Maki – deep fried assorted fish with kani, avocado, and teriyaki sauce
The great thing is they allow you to order by each piece, so you’re not forced to order a minimum of 6 rolls of the same version.
We ordered three to four pieces for each variation so we could all enjoy a variety!
They all tasted great, but a few of our favourites included the Black Dragon Maki, Mango Roses Maki, Philadelphia Maki, and Oska Maki. We liked them so much we ordered extra pieces of those!
Even if you don’t like fish, they also have some vegetarian options like the yam and avocado roll.
One thing we want to mention is that we feel the makis here taste better and are presented better than Kaka All You Can Eat Sushi Restaurant. So, if you ask us, we prefer the sushi at Matsuda over Kaka. However, what we like better at Kaka is the torched sushi. They make it better there!
3. Sashimi
You can’t come to an all you can eat sushi restaurant without ordering sashimi.
I enjoy sashimi from a la carte restaurants because they taste better, but when you’re in an AYCE environment, you can’t be so picky. Lol!
They offer salmon, red snapper, white tuna, saba, surf calm, tako (octopus), tataki (beef), shrimp, and many more!
Rui and I ordered a plate of tataki (beef) and many rounds of sake (salmon) sashimi. We even lost count of how much sashimi we ordered.
One of my favourites is sake and I can seriously keep eating them all day. I hope we didn’t overdose on mercury that day haha!
For an AYCE restaurant, the fish was still fresh and they melted in my mouth instantly with the wasabi. It’s pretty comparable to Kaka’s AYCE sashimi I’d say, but I still prefer Matsuda’s version more.
My parents, on the other hand, will never order sashimi when we go out for dinner because they are hesitant to eat raw fish. It looks slimy and that just doesn’t appeal to them.
4. Teriyaki Grilled Salmon
We didn’t order too many of the grilled salmon because we cook salmon at home quite often, so it didn’t feel like anything special. Nonetheless, it was still a good piece of salmon with the right amount of sweet teriyaki sauce on top. We highly recommend this dish if you don’t eat a lot of fish at home because we think you’ll love it.
5. Edamame Beans
The edamame beans were also pretty good! My dad says they were lightly salted and went really well with his beer.
My sister is a big fan of edamame beans, so we ordered over 5 rounds of them. Kaka’s edamame beans were a little soggier than Matsuda’s, so I would have to say I prefer Matsuda’s over Kaka.
6. Enoki Mushroom
The enoki mushroom wrapped with beef was super delicious and we all enjoyed this dish. It was so good, we ordered 15 more pieces for everyone to share. The enoki mushroom with beef was perfect with sauce, and we definitely like this one better than Kaka’s AYCE. In my Kaka Sushi review, I mentioned how I didn’t like how the mushroom was overcooked on the ends.
7. Grilled Mushroom
The grilled mushroom here was super juicy and cooked just right! We ordered 5 to 6 of these because they were so good. It was topped with bonito flakes giving it a smoky taste. Plus, mushrooms are a great source of B vitamins and antioxidants making them a healthier alternative compared to other fried and greasy foods.
8. Grilled Jumbo Shrimp
From the teppanyaki menu, the grilled shrimp was juicy and flavourful. It was better than expected, so we ordered more rounds of this too. Shrimp alone was a great addition to my meal without me feeling guilty about eating too much sushi filled with white rice.
They also offer the fried version, which we tried in the past, but we prefer the grilled. My gut tells me that most of you will like the fried and crispy style more. But if you’re a little more health conscious, then you’ll prefer grilled. Either way, you can try both if your new to this restaurant. They’re both good in their own ways.
9. Grilled Octopus
Matsuda’s grilled octopus was tender and not chewy, which is how I like it. Some restaurants overcook their octopus making it tough to chew, but that wasn’t the case here. We ordered around 4 pieces because we wanted to try a little bit of everything. My entire family enjoyed this too and they would definitely order it again!
10. Teriyaki Short Ribs
Another item from the teppanyaki all-you-can-eat menu, the short ribs were also tender and juicy. The teriyaki sauce was sweet and flavourful, making it a perfect match for the meat. We ordered 6 rounds of this dish because we just couldn’t get enough!
11. Teriyaki Steak
You can never get enough of teppanyaki dishes! The steak was also cooked perfectly and went so well with the sweet teriyaki sauce. It was juicy and tender, and we could definitely taste the quality of the meat. We ordered this dish quite a few times as well, and we were never disappointed.
12. Grilled Beef Skewers
The grilled beef skewers were also a big hit! This was my sister loves red meat and this was one of her favourite items on the menu. The meat was juicy and went really well with the salt and pepper. We ordered close to 10 pieces of this, and we were so full by the end of our meal.
13. Agedashi Fried Tofu
This is a deep-fried tofu dish that is often served in Japanese restaurants. The tofu was fried to perfection and was so soft and silky on the inside. We ordered 5 pieces to share, and it was the perfect snack in between everything else we ate.
14. Shrimp Tempura
Rui and my dad are big fans of shrimp tempura, so we ordered many of these. The tempura was crispy and not too oily, which is how they like it. I personally didn’t eat this because I don’t really like tempura dishes. I prefer the grilled jumbo shrimp over this any day!
15. Mixed Vegetable Tempura
Similar to the shrimp tempura, I didn’t eat any of this. I prefer steamed, baked, or stir-fried vegetables over deep-fried ones. However, my family loved it. They said the tempura was good and they would order it again. The vegetables were fresh and crispy, and they went well with the dipping sauce.
16. Green Tea Ice Cream
There were many desserts to choose from, and one of my top picks was the green tea ice cream. I’m a big fan of matcha and this was such a good way to end our meal. The ice cream was smooth and creamy, and the matcha flavour was strong. I would definitely order this again!
I do have to say that the Kaka green tea ice cream was smoother and creamier, making it more enjoyable to eat!
But obviously, nothing from an all-you-can-eat restaurant can beat Kitaya’s Hojicha ice cream (roasted green tea flavor). It’s so delicious!
17. Red Bean Ice Cream
We also tried the red bean ice cream , which was good, but not as amazing as the green tea ice cream. The red bean flavour was very subtle and not overly sweet. However, if you were to ask me, I’d prefer matcha over red bean any day.
18. Mango Yogurt Pudding
The mango yogurt pudding was another delightful dessert to order. By this time, we’re already getting sugar high with that all ice cream haha.
We’re at an AYCE sushi restaurant, so of course, we had to order desserts to save us the trip to another dessert place in town — we recommend checking out the best in our city! The mango pudding was light and refreshing, and not too sweet. It was another perfect way to end our meal.
18. Tiramisu
The tiramisu was also a good choice, and it’s one of my dad’s favourite desserts. There was a hint of coffee flavour, but it wasn’t overwhelming at all. The cream was light and fluffy, and the whole dessert was very enjoyable. I had to have one myself, too! This was one of my cheat days when I could indulge in all the sweets I wanted without feeling guilty!
19. Creme Brulee
It’s unfortunate that they didn’t serve creme brulee on this day because we had this dessert here in the past and we absolutely loved it! Matsuda restaurant only makes this available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, so if you want creme brulee, be sure to come only on those days! Their creme brulee is comparable to Kaka’s version!
Food: 4.1/5
If you’re new to sushi, then this is a great place to go because they have a wide variety of sushi and sashimi to choose from. Even if you’re not a fan of raw fish, there are still many other dishes to order. The tempura and teppanyaki dishes were both cooked well and tasted great. We also loved the grilled beef skewers and the desserts.
Service: 3.5/5
The service was good, but it could be better. Our waitress was polite and attentive, but she didn’t check on us as often as we would’ve liked. She also forgot to bring out some of the dishes we ordered, but she quickly rectified the situation when we reminded her. Lastly, we were waiting for our final round of skewers to come before ordering desserts, which took about 10 to 15 minutes wait-time. Overall, the service was good, but it wasn’t outstanding.
Ambiance: 4.3/5
The restaurant was very spacious and clean. It had a modern Japanese vibe with traditional elements incorporated into the design. This place is very well decorated and it’s perfect for large groups whether you’re having a party or a social gathering going on.
We loved the big tables, as well as the beautiful light lamps hanging from the ceiling. The overall ambiance was very relaxing, and it was a great place to enjoy a meal with family or friends.
Price: $$$
Matsuda is an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant, so you’re not getting the highest quality food like other top Japanese sushi restaurants, but you can order the entire menu and it would be costing you the same price.
I have to admit that I generally do prefer a la carte style because I enjoy quality over quantity. Given it was my mom’s birthday, and everyone else in my family loves trying different dishes without breaking the bank, we thought this would be a great place to go.
In terms of price, it is quite expensive per person. You can get higher quality food elsewhere when you order individually, but again, it’s the AYCE experience that’s different and the fact that you can go wild ordering whatever you want.
The price of dinner for each adult is $40 on the weekday or $43 on Friday and weekend.
Senior – $38 on weekday and $41 on Friday and weekend.
Kids under 7 – $12 on all days.
We came here on a Thursday, so the bill was $45.20 per person after tax but before tips. Including tips, each person came out to be $53.33, and that’s before any drinks, which isn’t exactly what you call “budget-friendly” if you’re out for a typical night out. By the way, if you pay cash, you get 10% off your bill.
However, this price is comparable to other best AYCE sushi restaurants like Kaka and Fushimi Sushi.
Matsuda Rating: 4.1/5
Overall, we give Matsuda all you can eat dinner menu a 4.1 out of 5 stars. The food is really good and you can’t really complain. Because Matsuda’s interior decor is quite beautiful and spacious, it’s the perfect place to go for large groups. The service could be better, but it’s still decent overall. You’re paying for the all-you-can-eat experience here, so the price is quite steep, but it’s on par with other AYCE sushi places. If you love sushi and sashimi, along with food from the grill, then you’ll definitely enjoy your time here. Just be sure to come with a hearty appetite so you can get your money’s worth!
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