Umi is a new seafood buffet featuring sushi and hot pot… and they are opening in Deptford NJ on September 20th!
The location is the Locust Grove Plaza at the corner of Clements Bridge Road and Almonesson Rd… catty-corner from the Deptford Mall (Macy’s).
Umi is taking over the prime center unit of the Locust Grove strip mall.. which was previously home to Tokyo Seafood Buffet which closed around the pandemic time. The unit had be closed for a few years.
Almost a year ago 42Freeway wrote about new plans for the space, which at the time we thought was going to be called Flaming Grill Buffet. Soon after our article, a banner was hanging on the space showing that they were going to be called Umi Seafood Buffet.
With so many “all-you-can-eat” buffets closing during the pandemic, folks on social media have been very excited for this Deptford restaurant and getting concerned about what appeared to be a long delay in them reopening.
Most probably thought they were just going to dust off the prior restaurant’s interior and reopen.
The reality is the entire former restaurant was completely stripped down… the unit was down to the bare concrete and walls when I visited the location last October. When the space opens as Umi next week everything will be brand new!
Umi recently opened the location in Egg Harbor Township NJ and while I have not been there it’s clear from their social media posts that first and foremost they are an seafood food buffet.. but with many delicious twists in the mix.
They also have added a large sushi selection.. And it seems the latest edition is hot pot.
Hot pot is an Asian food preparation technique where you’re presented with a bowl of hot broth which typically sits on a hot plate that has been integrated into the table. Diners pick their variety of proteins and vegetables that they’d like to eat, and you get to cook your dish right there at your own table
While Deptford is not open yet they have been sharing photos of food from other locations at the Deptford Facebook page.
Some of the items featured are pork chops, crabs, sushi, steak, duck and even whole lobsters!
By pure chance yesterday I stopped at the Deptford location and saw that the construction paper was off the windows… and I put my phone up to the glass to snap some interior photos, which I was going to publish today anyway.
Around noon today though the official Facebook page for Umi Deptford announced the opening date. Perfect timing!
Considering the circumstances, my photos actually came out pretty good and give some fair representation of the restaurant.
It seems seating will be positioned in the front with several rows of buffet serving tables in the back.
UMI Seafood Buffet – Growing Restaurant Brand
Umi is a growing chain of seafood buffet restaurants With six currently open in the northeast region(according to their Facebook page), and another eight locations listed as coming soon
Deptford would actually be the second location for Umi as they recently opened a location in Egg Harbor Township.
I was actually planning on getting down to Egg Harbor in the next few days to try it out and share it with readers… But if the Deptford location opens in less than a week I’ll likely just wait for that.
Dover Delaware is the next closest location.
I’ll have more on the new UMI Deptford soon… and will definitively make it there to try it out and share with readers.
Links and Location
Umi Sushi & Seafood Buffet
1692 Clements Bridge Rd
Deptford NJ 08096