Like sushi? Love sushi? Well, sushi connoisseurs, you’ll be excited to know that nearby Kobe’s Sushi Buffet provides a high-quality bar for the sushi-lover on a budget.
Kobe’s Sushi Buffet is located in Modesto at 1700 McHenry Avenue behind McHenry Village shopping center, and is open only for a lunch and dinner buffet.
The lunch buffet is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $13.55, and the dinner buffet is open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for $16.95. Kobe’s Sushi Buffet is open seven days a week.
The restaurant serves different kinds of sushi, all available at one buffet price.
It’s about a 30 minute drive from California State University, Stanislaus, and one I saw well worth taking for an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet.
Upon entering Kobe Sushi Buffet, the atmosphere is comforting; there are a couple chairs in case there is a wait and a tranquil water fountain for proper ambiance.
Entering into the main open area of the restaurant, I was immediately in awe of what I saw.
Kobe’s has an extravagant bar with little bamboo boats being pushed by a built-in water current. The boats move in a cycle, drifting by customers that are seated around the bar.
Once seated, I was asked what I wanted to drink and was welcomed to begin picking sushi rolls from the boats as desired. I didn’t have to be told twice, and commenced with my feast.
Mostly the sushi was average, using the common imitation crab. Still, I found a few selections that I enjoyed: the eel and cucumber roll, the dragon roll and the shrimp tempura.
A nice benefit from Kobe’s, though, is that you don’t have to place an order and wait for it. Each boat has two rolls of the same kind, but rolls reappear on new boats so you can grab your favorites again.
If you really like a certain sushi roll, you can also ask the chef to make you a plate of several identical rolls – all still included in the buffet price.
Kobe’s also has a non-sushi buffet at the far end of the restaurant, opposite to the entrance and behind the bar. It has some typical Asian-American buffet selections.
While I see what the restaurant aims to do by trying to please all customers, I came to Kobe’s Sushi Buffet strictly for the sushi buffet.
Overall, Kobe’s Sushi Buffet was a pleasurable dining experience. I enjoyed sitting and being entertained by the boats moving around the bar.
Still, I wasn’t completely satisfied with the flavor, and rate Kobe’s Sushi Buffet a 7 out of 10 based on its sushi selection, environment and overall satisfaction.
Feel free to contact The Signal at csusignal.com/contact with the subject head “Attn: Anthony Valencia” to offer more sushi recommendations.