AO Izakaya

We visited AO Izakaya a little while ago now. And I found it disappointing. The first thing that hits you is the intense stink of deep fryer as you walk in. The second thing to note is that I am not sure if anyone at this establishment has actually been to an Izakaya. They are not formal, they are relaxed eateries often focused on drinks and light plates. Our server although young and not seemingly very experienced was really nice and was attentive. The food left a lot to be desired though. The entrees were a poor imitation of Japanese food. Some were fairly good. But not for the cost. The main courses were actually good. These were the more western style dishes. The worst thing we were served though was the dessert. It was named a matcha and strawberry millefeuille. It was badly cut pieces of pastry with under sweetened matcha cream and some halved strawberries, some of which were bruised. I would not recommend this place. It had some hype but I’m guessing it was paid for.

Beautiful dish decoration Tasty and fresh Beef filet is perfectly tender and cooked as rare. Dessert is average The portion is a bit too small

Lovely Japanese food. The sashimi were very fresh. We loved the chirashi. The tempura batter is too thick, would be nice if it’s thinner and crispier.

Ao Izakaya – Overrated & Overpriced 🇯🇵💸 Service was alright and portions fine, but flavors were underwhelming and far from authentic. Even the Japanese green tea was overpriced. More flash than substance — definitely not worth the bill in a city full of better Japanese dining.

We waited 20 minutes to be seated even with a reservation, the entrance was crowded and there were clearly not enough staff for the restaurant as the chiefs were shouting to get the orders served. We asked 3 times for the wifi code and only got it after 40 minutes by the only kind waiter. The bento does not come with rice and comes in two parts. I recommend the salmon bento rather than the beef as it was undercooked even for “saignant” and chewy. Tempura were cripsy but undercooked so you tasted the flour. I did not enjoy the maki as the seaweed was hard and chewy. The only enjoyable thing was the Creme Brulee Thé Vert as it was very cripsy and sweet.

Very good experience overall. Chose the tasting menu 5 steps. It was overall very good, prepared with great care and according to food restrictions. The tasting menu is a little bit pricy compared to other options in Paris though. The service was great and the waiters paid a great attention to us. The plates were very tasty and satisfying. Just the sashimi dish was lacking inventivity. Besides that, very satisfying!

Had the 5 course tasting menu which turned out to be quite a bit of food. The sushi was particularly excellent. They happily accommodated my capsaicin allergym

Japanese cuisine with a French touch. We enjoyed an excellent dinner at AO Izakaya. We went omakasa style, trusting the chef‘s menu and the experience was rewarding blending Europe and Asia in a coherent symphony that unfolds playfully in 7 dishes. The wine pairing is highly recommended. Beyond the tasting experience, service was extremely friendly, kind and fast. We loved the cultural diversity of the people in the kitchen and service and that the chef was always present. If we have to find an opportunity for improvement, I would say that the ground floor is a bit noisy and the quality of the sound for the background music could be better. Highly recommended.

We were looking for a restaurant that could accommodate 6 people and food sensitivities at the last minute. We had no idea they were award-winning until after we ordered - what a delightful surprise! Tip: Sit upstairs, where it's cozier, and book through La Fourchette for discounts (which we did not do). Food: Excellent!! I shared a California roll (which they make with fresh salmon and avocado, not imitation crab), seared tuna roll (incredible!), chef's sashimi 12 piece selection (good), yuzu sorbet (tasty), and fruit salad (okay and beautifully presented). Did I mention how incredible that seared tuna roll was? Unfortunately many of the sauces on the other dishes had gluten. Our friends ravished the 7 course tasting menu. Service: For such a pricey place, we were expecting much more by way of service. While I loved that not everyone had to order the tasting menu, I didn't like that our a la carte dishes were not timed to arrive with the others, and that our server didn't explain how he was planning to serve the food. We had to ask our server to tell used what kind of sashimi we had (though he clearly described each dish of the multi-course meal). Or wine glasses stayed empty for extended periods of time. Ambiance: Nice and intimate. We had a group of 5 in corner seating upstairs. It was a great set up ford us. The main floor has some seating in much brighter lighting (by the kitchen). I did have to go down 2 narrow flights of stairs for the bathroom, so FYI to those with knee problems. I'd be lying if I didn't say that finding out this has an award-winning chef didn't make me like this place more, but no question I would love to go back!

After spending a few days in France while on vacation, I figured I needed a change of pace and get some Japanese food. Ao Izakaya was one of the few restaurants nearby with a last minute reservation on a Sunday night. While I was glad they were able to seat me, the meal did not hit the spot. They do not have an English menu (which is 100% fine), so I just took the easy option and ordered their 5 course prix fixe menu. First off: why did it take talking to 3 different servers, and 2 full courses later to receive a simple glass of water? While most of the courses tasted pretty good, that amuse bouche was a joke. Package seaweed salad, frozen/microwaved takoyaki, and slightly fishy raw salmon on the side. The remainder of the courses were very much just French cuisine, played off as "Japanese" by adding "teriyaki", "miso", and "forbidden rice". Don't get me wrong - they still taste good, but not really at all Japanese. The dessert was beautifully plated, but the hojicha flavor used to make it more Asian was completely overpowered by the chocolate and raspberry. Food here is good, but not Japanese. The ambiance is nice, but the service is frustrating. Maybe locals like this, but I wouldn't recommend this for any tourist in the area.

Absolute bonkers that this place is 3 1/2 stars in yelp. We ordered the 6 course meal. Everything was delicious. The only complain I would have is that the service is a bit slow but all the dishes were so good.

Here you will find a lot outdoor seating and plenty of room inside as well. Interestingly on the main floor you can watch the chefs at work. The atmosphere is modern and inviting. The service was outstanding. Our waiter was attentive, spoke English, and was extremely pleasant. He was five stars. Now, for the real reason we went - the food. This restaurant commands top dollar for their food, so I review accordingly, meaning top dollar means top notch experience. I don't think we started off top notch. We had the Mille-Mellow de ceviche to begin. The plate looked great but the flavor was off, really there was no flavor. A small amount of sriracha sauce added a dab of flavor, that coupled with a few jalapeños and one or two onion slices (19€). Other than that it was a bowl of finely chopped tuna, salmon, and white fish. Yes the fish was fresh, but the dish itself missed the mark for what I expect from a ceviche. Next we had a Uramaki Shake Yaki, and things started to get better. The presentation was sloppy but the roll was fantastic. The concentration of fish on the roll was very generous (for 23€ it should be), and the flavorful was profound. The uramaki California roll was next. This was not the California roll I know. I tend to find that California rolls are a mixture of crab, maybe cucumber and avocado but this one was made with salmon and avocado (13€ bargain). I enjoyed it for what it was. Again, the roll was crafted with a generous amount of fish and filling and not overwhelmingly made out of rice. The presentation was pedestrian at best. Finally we had the "selection du chef" sushi. This was 30€ and had 3 pieces of tuna, salmon, and hamachi - along with one langostino (shrimp). The fish was outstanding, fresh, and of the highest quality. However for the selection (nothing extraordinary) it was probably 10€ overpriced. We also had gyoza that were priced at 12€. I had better gyoza for 6€ earlier in the day. Also, the wine pours were a bit stingy. We did not try dessert because everything was 9€ and higher, which is at par with the rest of the pricing. So, this is good sushi, I am sure prepared by a master, but the experience does not command the price. This is NOT a good value in my opinion. They need to raise the standard in order to command this price point. I just expected more.

Found from trip advisor w coupon. Arrived early on rainy sat , with lots of others. Limited menu and choices Service got better, edamame was ok, as was salmon starter, and then had sashimi scallops, maguro. All of which were decent but nothing exceptional

Very nice Japanese food mixed with some French typical products such as foie Gras. Execution is of high level and service is kind. A bit hot in the upper room as there was no air conditioning.

Amazing sushi. Honestly the food was great, staff were nice too. Ask to be seated upstairs, it is cozier !! :)

Introduced by a lady in Prada shop. Decent Japanese foods, although expensive for lunch but quality & fresh foods. Service is also good. Would come again if in Paris again.

So bad, terrible service. Worst Asian restaurant in paris. Over priced and pretentious!