It is March and line ups are still here at Tsujiri. This affected my rating dramatically since time is important to customers.
Here are my 3 words to describe Tsujiri:
1. Authenticity
2. Variety
3. Delays
All staff and ingredients are purported to be Japenese. Confirmed that the dialogue between staff was Japanese. Decor inside was bright and had floor seating as well as raised seats which suggests authenticity.
Variety was abundant. Take a look at my photos to see concoctions of all sorts. Sundaes, shaved ice, lattes, cold drinks, cream puffs, macarons, you name it. It's all made with their high quality matcha so try them all (if you have the money).
Delays were evident as lineups are needed for ordering AND for receiving your order. Expect to wait outside and dress for that and then wait some more when you get inside. I think this is the hype behaving so later on in the summer, I suspect lines will subside. But I could be wrong, and it could get longer because of the weather, when everyone will want ice cream and cold snacks.
We ordered the matcha shaved ice which included soft serve matcha ice cream, shaved ice with matcha syrup drizzled over, and a few rice cakes. The price is absurd at around $9 after tax but the size does compensate slightly for it. That's almost the price of two bubble teas. Still, the authenticity of the flavors and rice cakes absolved any disgruntled feelings in pricing.
The place lives up to its hype but it's definitely not going to be a regular check in for students or those looking to save money. I'll swing by to bring out of town visitors or friends who have never tried it. Besides those specific times, I don't see myself coming back any time soon. Too expensive and too time consuming for me.
Check out my pictures and see for yourself!