Godai Sushi & Bistro

We have been fans of Chef Goro for many years. However this new place is just not clicking. Service slow (waiter did admit he forgot to turn in our order) but we had to wait for water refills, drinks etc. all night. The room is VERY loud. Concrete floor and large open ceiling. The mussels dynamite was a failure, we had soft crab that was greasy. The rolls were decent but not for the $ 15 – 16 each price. At this new location on 1604 this should have been a more upscale experience in addition to the cost. I hope they are able to figure this out before they go out of business.

I have to a great job by Goro and crew. A lot of different menu choices. For something totally unexpected, pommes frites made of sweet potato. Very good.
Had some really nice sushi (hamachi, yellowtail, salmon) and several rolls. Nice french green beans on the side.
The atmosphere is definitely more upscale than the West Avenue location with very attentive hostess and wait staff. The only thing I miss is the complimentary miso soup and salad that you get at Godai.

What a breath of fresh air! Last night’s dinner was excellent and was only topped by the company I was sharing it with, my bride of over 23 years. The seared Ahi Tuna appetizer was cooked just right, and the tuna was fresh and tasty… just the right amount of spice. We shared the Spinach salad and the 7-​spice encrusted nuts on the salad were awesome with the dressing being just light enough to taste the spinach and feta cheese. We moved to an entrée of the spicy tuna roll and the18 piece sashimi dish… the roll was a very nice portion and the sashimi was excellent with pieces of bluefin and yellowfin tuna, surf crab, mackerel and salmon. We finished the meal with the ginger crème brûlée… that is a MUST .
The service was very thoughtful, instantly available without being hovering. We have found out date night place to eat in San Antonio. Can’t wait to return to enjoy the bistro selections on the menu.

Best atmosphere, decent sushi.
So, as we decided to have sushi, I remember seeing a new Godai location at 1604 and military, why not give it a try! As per my visit to the West Ave location experience, I was expecting a laid back and casual experience, on a nicer side of town. Upon parking, I noticed the napkins neatly set in the wine glasses through the window, and that is when I knew this was going to be a bit different.
Upon seeing my party of three approaching the enterance, a staff member opened the door for us and greeted us welcomingly! As we walked up to the hostess, I noticed the very modern art-​deco around the restaurant. Light colored walls, simple, creative lighting, and classy accents all around. It was an unexpected trait, as compared to the original location! Maybe I shouldnt have worn shorts and a tee.hah. As we were seated, many things started happening – water glasses were poured, napkins were laid in laps, appitizer plates were brought, and our most helpful waitress was tellings us of specials not present on the traditional menu.
The menu is quite limited, though it is quite varied in its offerings, however small they may be. Our waitress was very knowledgable about the menu and the idea of the restaurants. We learnt that it is more of a Japanese-​French fusion, and that is when i noticed the «Bistro» at the end of the restaurants name. We later saw where the «french» part came in, but ill get to that in a second.
I ended up having the Widowmaker plate. It was awesome! With serrano pepper skin, tuna, mango, topped with a shrimp and spicy mayo, it really did a number on my taste buds! Not too spicy, but I must say, I couldnt taste the raw flavor of the fish as much as the surrounding compliments. The Mayo could have been a tad bit lighter tasting. Still not bad though!
For dessert – the Tiramasu! It was delectable. And, I must say they stay true to the «Bistro» tag in their name! It was light, soft, and presented with a blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, and a mint leaf. More than satisfied.
All in all, I enjoyed my experience. I will not hesitate it is on a pricey side. but you’re really paying for the environment almost as much as the fusion-​fare. San Antonio needed a place like this.
I was a happy camper, all round!

Not an authentic Japanese restaurant. If you want real sushi you’re better off going somewhere else. Don’t know if the other branch is better. Won’t be coming back here. Very disappointed. Trying too hard to be a fine dining place.

The sushi here was amazing! So why you ask only three stars?! When I first walked in I wasn’t too impressed. There is a very limited selection on the menu and the prices are a bit up there. Not to mention we requested unfiltered saki and was told they only ordered three bottles. So at this point Godai was making me regret my choice but this is where my hesitance ended. Once we got our rolls they were prepared perfectly! I got a spider roll to play it safe but also got the A&M roll (could be a better name). This roll was freakin awesome!!! I would also recommend the heart attack roll. It’s tempura fried adding a nice texture which is something I judge sushi on. Overall, I would recommend this place. Like I said earlier it was a tad pricey but sushi tends to get that way. One of the best places in town!

I had a great meal tonight!
Our party of 10 trickled in throughout the evening. And even though we weren’t all there at once, the servers, hostesses, assistant manager and chef all made a point to greet our table and weigh in on the nagging question, «What’s good here?»
I found particular delight in the warm crab dip appetizer. Perhaps too much delight — I think I ate half of it on my own, leaving the rest of my table to scour for what I wasn’t able to stuff in my face! But, oh it was yummy! A very creamy and decadent dish stuffed with lumps of real crab into which you plunge a crunchy toast. Basically, everything our fellow diner, Paige W’s, new personal trainer warned her about. I think the food your trainer warns you about tends to taste best, don’t you?
My drinks were great. I had a gin and tonic that was perfectly balanced between «the good stuff» and the stuff that makes it drinkable. And the bartender gave me two lime wedges without me asking! I also ordered a Japanese beer that was yummy. I intended to order the 12 ounce, but the waiter delivered the 22 ounce bottle, so I poured myself a glass and passed the bottle on to another guest at the table.
And my entrée was the Longhorn roll. (Hook ‘em!) Presentation was delightful to this burnt orange girl. Chunks of crab laid across several rolls of sushi in my favorite shape — Bevo. There is also an Aggie roll, so don’t get too up in arms, football fans…
I also sampled a piece of the heart attack sushi roll and the the dragon roll. All delightful in their own ways.
This restaurant doesn’t officially open until next Wednesday, but I’m already impressed! They’re undergoing their «soft open» now, so feel free to stop in for a great meal! I will be back. Props to Louise A for getting us all together to try this spot out before the rest of San Antonio does!

As I approached the restaurant, a smiling hostess rushed forth to open the door for me. I was definitely not at the West Ave Godai location ~ lol. This is the prettier Godai that is more in line with the 21^st century. The service for the rest of the evening was consistently first rate.
Godai is a fusion sushi haven. The mango on my Mango Dragon roll was pretty perfect. The eel in it was okay. The salmon nigiri was decent, but I’m not sure why there was so little rice in the nigiri. My mojito was pretty good, and the water glass was never empty. My favorites were the mojito and the mango from the roll.
I’m not sure why Godai is so hyped up. Perhaps many enjoy creative concoctions, whereas my palate prefers the taste of fish. However, I am interested in returning for the hot menu items. The Kyoto Brick chicken appeared to be pretty decent. I hear the desserts are generously portioned, so I will surely return for those as well.
The dining room was pretty loud by the way. To be fair, it was a busy Friday evening and there’s a popular club upstairs, so the crowds are going to be more upbeat.