A new restaurant franchise, Teriyaki Madness, came to Eau Claire Jan. 20. With its laid back atmosphere and delicious food, this Asian grill with Seattle-style teriyaki is definitely making its mark on Eau Claire.

The restaurant was originally founded in Seattle by Rod Arreola, Alan Arreola, and Erica Garma in 2003, and now has almost 150 locations across the United States. 

Teriyaki Madness was recently recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as a Franchise 500 company for its “Fresh, Fulfilling, and Fits your Life” concept. According to Restaurant Business, in 2021, Teriyaki Madness was the No. 1 fastest growing big restaurant chain.

When I walked into Teriyaki Madness, I immediately loved the calming atmosphere. All of the customers were taken care of in a timely manner with the food brought out quickly.

I ordered the classic chicken teriyaki bowl with white rice. When my food was brought out, I passed it around the table for my friends to try. Everything in the bowl was good, but the vegetables were a big hit. 

I could tell how fresh all of the ingredients were just by the taste. According to Ruby Standifer, manager, Teriyaki Madness prides itself on fresh ingredients.

Favorite dishes greatly vary from customer to customer. Standifer said her favorite dish is the spicy chicken with fried rice, whereas Tristan Watson, customer, said he tried out the chicken katsu bowl his first time dining in.

Joshua Xiong, customer, said that his food was awesome, particularly the tender meat and large portions. 

Another location known for its teriyaki bowls is UW-Eau Claire’s Davies Student center. The teriyaki bowls at Sushi Do are popular among UW-Eau Claire students, but how does this new restaurant compare to the Eau Claire classic?

Unlike Sushi Do, Teriyaki Madness has no signature sauce, however, Teriyaki Madness’  rice, meat and vegetables were just slightly better than Sushi Do’s.

Another difference between the two is the abundance of options at Teriyaki Madness. 

From basic chicken teriyaki, to orange chicken and spicy tofu, the restaurant provides a world of variety. There are also multiple options for the base layer including white rice, stir-fried veggies, noodles and more.

Unlike Sushi Do in Davies, Teriyaki Madness does not have sushi, but it does offer a variety of sides including crab rangoons and edamame. The restaurant also offers sauces to choose from on each table.

Nancy Vang, customer, said, “I think it’s really good, I mean, the portion is huge and I like how they have the Sriracha right there.”

Every customer I spoke to on my visit said they would recommend Teriyaki Madness, and I would have to agree. After my visit to Teriyaki Madness, I can assure that the company lives up to its motto of “Spreading the Madness.” 

Price can be reached at [email protected].