Okinawa Japanese Cuisine

This was the first sushi restaurant I went to over a decade ago and I keep coming back for a reason! The nigiri is incredible, especially the salmon, with large portions of fish. I also enjoy the hako and sandwich rolls which are unique and delicious addition to the menu that sets Okinawa apart. The servers are always very friendly and attentive and there is never a wait. This place is a staple on East Colfax and I hope it stays for many more years to come.

Such a great find! We had an assortment of sushi, the red snapper, and the chicken katsu which we devoured before I could remember to take a picture LOL. Everything was delicious. The portion sizes for entrees was quite generous and we'll definitely be back again.

My mother in law has been raving about this place for a while and we finally went! Wonderful staff that were quick to greet us when we arrived. Clean space with beautiful tables and art. Parking is street only and a bit funky with the construction but worth walking to. The lunch special was not disappointing at all. Hot saki was delicious too!

They’re always super nice when I come in the food is amazing and it’s very relaxing inside. The food is very fresh and they have really good prices!

Such a fun date night spot. Unique rolls and such friendly staff. Great hot sake - worth thinking about all day 😝 🍣🍣.

Great portion loved the variety of the lunch box. Only issue was that some of the lettuce and veg was wet which watered down the salad dressing and teriyaki sauce.

I have been going to this place very frequently lately. The staff only adds to the comfort. What I have had recently and truly enjoyed has been the: seaweed salad and everything else on the “daily special” menu. The tuna and salmon sashimi is delectable as well. A couple nights ago was my favorite sushi roll I’ve had in quite some time…

Amazing service, atmosphere and the sushi was definitely the star! I had the Coco roll and edamame as a starter along with some great sake! Coming from the springs, next time I stop in Denver, I'm not gonna be able to resist and crave this food again! Definitely will be coming back.

Great portion loved the variety of the lunch box. Only issue was that some of the lettuce and veg was wet which watered down the salad dressing and teriyaki sauce.

My mother in law has been raving about this place for a while and we finally went! Wonderful staff that were quick to greet us when we arrived. Clean space with beautiful tables and art. Parking is street only and a bit funky with the construction but worth walking to. The lunch special was not disappointing at all. Hot saki was delicious too!

Came with a group of friends for a "Friendmas" celebration and I was blown away! From the exceptional service to the unique array of sushi rolls, this spot was a hit for all of us. They have a huge selection of rolls and most of us all got different ones to try. Some of us even got other items like nigiri, salmon teriyaki, edamame and more. I thought the nigiri was great! But also all the rolls we ordered were tasty. We did some sake bombs to celebrate being together and they went down smooth! Also very fairly priced! However, I must say what put this experience over the top was the service. Our server was attentive, friendly, and hilarious. He kept cracking jokes and our table kept saying we didn't know we were coming to dinner and a show! This is a conveniently located spot on Colfax next to bars, the Zoo, and other attractions. So a perfect place start a night out for date night or a friends get together. I will absolutely come back here, especially for dinner with friends. Such a fun and tasty experience that I can't wait to share with others!

We came here for my husband's birthday dinner as we stayed at Castle Marne a few blocks away. The place is cozy and is right on Colfax so you can hear the sirens and hustle/bustle. I found that charming because we live in the burbs. We ordered a variety of sushi rolls, rainbow roll, soft shell crab to name a few, all which tasted fresh and delicious. I prefer a spot near us slightly more but this was really good. My son had the fried rice which he said was 5 stars! I would definitely visit again and felt the service, the ambiance and food were great.

Treated myself to a nice lunch. Ordered a tempura sampler and 6 pieces of really good nigiri. The fatty tuna (toro) was like butter. Chill vibes and friendly staff.

My go to for a lunch meeting, fantastic linch deals. Maki gets the job done for the price, udon is also good. Can't beat for the value, and I always enjoy bantering with the staff.

Delicious and fresh. Sit at the bar for most fun. Fatty salmon is unreal. Sake compliments nicely

Hot sake was JUST what I needed after my partner and I went on a freezing date to the Blossoms of Light festival. The snow was beautiful but cold this particular evening. That made street parking pretty easy (one block down) when it would have been quite crowded on Colfax. We were seated immediately for dinner since there weren't many other people around. I was craving chirashi, when normally I'd have gotten a few sushi rolls. The hot sake and miso were a good way to warm my body before the entrée. The chirashi came "deconstructed" vs. the typical bowl format, which I thought was clever. Sashimi was fresh and filling, which is lowkey my concern because of price. Overall would come back here again!

Went here with my best friend for a ladies date. The sushi was super fresh with both unique/creative rolls (for the adventurous) and simple rolls that were equally delicious! Service was great, the staff were very attentive and warm checking in just the right amount. There's parking behind the restaurant too which is a nice bonus. Great little place off right off of Colfax and across the road from the Carla Madison community rec center for a quick bite or catchup meal with a friend.

I used to frequent Okinawa when I first moved to Denver several years ago. After that, I moved on to other locations, largely I recall due to price. After a delivery order failure via Grubhub the other weekend (place I ordered from was actually closed), I decided I would give Okinawa another try. I like that they're open during lunch hours, given that's when I often want sushi. The first order I got was a dinner set which was good, not terribly memorable, but did the job. A few weeks later, I figured I would pick up lunch. I didn't get a confirm my order was ready (shrug), but set out to pick it up when I figured it had been enough time. I got the sushi/sashimi lunch set for $21. While the fish itself tasted fine, the overall quality was lacking. The California roll was absolutely tiny. It felt like they were trying to save rice, of all things, since it was so small and the nori was barely covered. The sashimi and nigiri pieces were on the smaller size too, though not as egregious. The salad, I discovered too late, had about a 1/3 cup of water hanging out at the bottom of the container. Gross. While I'm sympathetic to such situations, given other comparably priced options, I'll probably go elsewhere in the future.

This place had some interesting items on the menu (like sushi sandwiches and sushi tacos), but I opted for a couple rolls and some nigiri. I got the shrek roll and titanic roll and both were decent. In general, I don't often order rolls because they take away from the pure flavor of the sushi, but these were quite filling, which is what I needed. There just wasn't anything particularly unique about this sushi spot. Maybe I should've tried some of their interesting menu items, but really their menu is overall way too expansive. I would recommend them really focus on a few areas instead of offering every single sushi combination and Japanese appetizer known to man.

Summary: Solid sushi spot that will satisfy seafood cravings, but not the best in town. Ordered takeout twice so far and quality is consistent. Go-to spot since it's walking proximity from home. Food: Sushi rice is chewy. Sticky rice stays together when you pick up the sushi. Seafood tastes fresh (sushi + mussels). Anything fried is always good, particularly the tempura stuff and sweet potato roll. Spring rolls are average and I didn't like the sauce (personally prefer a more vinegary taste than the sweet one they have). Service: Quick. Picked 7-10 items each time we ordered. Delivery takes an hour. Pickup ready in less than 30 min. Covid-19: It looks like they offer indoor dining. One couple was seated when I picked up takeout. The order waiting area is limited in terms of social distancing for more than 2 people. Best to order ahead online so you don't have to wait inside.

This location was my favorite sushi place in Denver from the late 80's. I stopped going there after the original owner let it go. A few weeks ago, we came here for lunch for the first time in years. What a wonderful surprise! My mother is Japanese and extremely critical of "Japanese" restaurants. This was a wonderful find and experience for both of us! They say first impressions are lasting ones. The staff at Okinawa Sushi did not disappoint. They greeted us like royalty, and treated mom with utmost respect. They went out of their way to ensure her comfort and for the best seating. She's 92 years old. The restaurant is very clean. White table cloths. Really nice atmosphere. Our appetizers were delicious. A tasty mouth watering appetizer is the stuffed jalapeño. I have never had anything like it...fresh cream cheese and sushi in a jalapeño pepper? Wow!!! It is now my platinum standard for stuffed jalapeños. Best I've ever had! We both enjoyed sashimi which was sliced to perfection! The fish was very fresh. Portion size was excellent! Although we live 60 miles from here, we will go out of our way and return for another exquisite meal. Just FABULOUS! Next time, I'll take pictures to post. Can we keep this place a secret? :-)

Ok - most definitely found my new sushi spot. I'm so glad I took a chance on this spot! It was a bit tough to find and the parking lot is TINY, but thankfully I ordered online for pickup and waited across the street as my partner went in to get the food. Total was $71.35 after tax before tip for 5 rolls + 1 order of sashimi. Fish was generous and plentiful! Our favorites ranked: 1. Sandwich 2. Titanic 3. Spicy salmon 4. Spicy tuna 5. Spicy girl The sashimi was a thick cut and absolutely fresh and delicious. Couldn't say better things about this place and 100% will be coming back!

Enjoyed my two rolls and glass of wine, the service was very friendly and quick. I am looking forward to coming back! Parking available in the back

Nestled next to a jimmy johns, okinawa is one of the best choices for sushi on all of Colfax. Every time I've been, the staff have been friendly and the food has been quality. I now regularly order their bento boxes for lunch. Check this one out!

We went in on a Tuesday evening and they were slow so easy to get a table. The place is pretty small. We were greeted right when we walked in. Our server brought over waters and he must have been paying attention to us reviewing the menu because it did take us awhile to decide. We finally set the menus down and he was right over to take our order. They give you a piece of paper with pencil to fill in your orders like many sushi places do but we didn't since it was just two of us. The server still used it anyway so good to know to just fill it out next time. We ordered shumai to start and then ordered the Okinawa roll and the sandwich. Shumai was basic like all shumai. The sushi was delicious. It was packed with ingredients and quite filling which is good since each roll was $14 or more. I really enjoyed the food. The service was okay. He did check on us and cleared our plates quickly but he was not welcoming/friendly at all. My only other gripe would be the lack of basic rolls on the menu or sashimi by the single/doubles so you can mix and match different types of sushi rather than getting a big roll.

We were visiting Denver from Sacramento and wanted sushi, and we decided to try this place out. Everything was really good, all the fish just melts in your mouth. I would definitely recommend this place

Loved the Dragon Rolls, California Rolls, and Golden Dragon Rolls! Awesome apps, attentive and friendly service, and a quick preparation. I'll definitely be back - what a wonderful experience!

We went in for a weekday dinner and were very impressed! The service was awesome (wish I remembered the guys name) and boy was the fish fresh.

Delicious!! Great quality fish, everything had the best texture especially the salmon sashimi. We also had a few different rolls which were tasty including the shrek and fried sweet potato. Service was fast and friendly & overall we had a great time. Excited to have a solid sushi spot in Denver we can start frequenting

The food quality has gone downhill. Room temperature sushi makes me feel ill. There's also a tall guy there who makes inappropriate jokes and makes my wife uncomfortable

I will never do business with this place again. We had eaten from this place a few times without issue. Tonight, before placing an online order for delivery, we called the restaurant and asked them how we could request some rice and avocado on the side (since it's not an item on the menu). We even offered to pay extra. They told us to put a note on the order, which we did. Of course, when the food arrived there was no side of rice w avocado. So I called back - that's when things got surreal. First, the person who answered the phone had the gall to tell me we had not entered the note (we had - I even checked the order again, just to be 100% certain). Then he denied having instructed us to put a note in the first place (he had)! I couldn't believe he had the nerve to first blame his customer for their mistake, and then bald-faced LIE to me! Look, I get that mistakes get made. Stuff gets forgotten and/or overlooked especially if it deviates from the norm. But DON'T EVER try to F*CKING GASLIGHT your customers!! I highly recommend avoiding this place at all costs.

We got the house sushi between two- pretty good- I'd recommend their specialty rolls if you want something more exciting or filling. The service was sweet and quick. We went during dinner time on a Tuesday- not too busy at all.

Okinawa! It's staffed with friendly wait staff. Reasonably priced drinks, fresh fish, awesome specials. Definitely big plus.

Solid food and great service. They didn't even make it awkward while I waited almost an hour for my friend to show up because she went to the wrong location.

great service, great food!! clean, nice. our new go-to neighborhood sushi spot. good variety of menu options.

I love this pace! Go Alan! Best sushi in Denver! Always a great experience, I love the people, food and atmosphere.

Really disappointed as I ordered thru Grub Hub and the portions didn't look at all like the pictures here or in their Instagram account. Please see the 2 attachments and judge for yourself.

"Some of the best sushi in town." Okinawa is such a good place to come and have great sushi and it's very enjoyable. The decor was good, with nice murals and classy Japanese vibe. Service was really good, the man was helpful with the menu. We ordered two huge plates filled with all kinds of sushi and they were all incredible. The price was a little much for me at $324 but it definitely was worth it. The seafood soups were also delicious. Overall I'll definitely come back once I'm here in town again. Thank you, Okinawa...

Just had the sushi boat for two delivered by uber eats. Everything that came in the order was fresh and delicious. My favorite pieces were the white tuna sushi, salmon sushi, and rainbow roll. Had them all with a spicy mayo and eel sauce combo (you should try it out)! Definitely will be having this again soon!

I ordered a Sushi combo and another roll around 2:30 pm on Friday. Everything was excellent - and I consider myself a little picky with sushi. The order and pickup went extremely smooth and I was completely satisfied with the nigiri and sushi rolls I ordered as well (wish I took a pic!) 10/10 will absolutely return, can't wait!

What has happened to this place? We went here on a Saturday night and the place was empty except for one table of 3 people. The place was so filthy dirty and tables were disgusting. The one server who has been there forever who was very over the top friendly and laughing (bordering on somewhat inappropriate) when we were last time. This time, same server was completely catatonic. He stared away from us with each communication we tried to have with him (ordering drinks, asking for table,etc). No smile, no communication (not even a head nod) and acted like it was a horrendous chore to steat us, give us menus and drinks. He half wiped off the table, missing the areas that were right in front of us where we'd put our food and only wiped off the areas where no one was sitting. The rag was gross as well. I used my cloth napkin dipped in water to clean the area and had to ask for another napkin which was met with an eye roll. We discussed how (weirdly) friendly this server was last time and decided he must have been intoxicated (based on his comments and actions of last time). The experience was SO bad that after getting drinks we decided to leave. If it's this empty on a Saturday night in Denver, the fish is likely not fresh either. Besides that, who wants to pay for a service who isn't only rude but also doesn't want you there? Obviously, the rest of Denver has gotten the message, we were just late to the party. We left and went to another local sushi restaurant and had a complete opposite experience and enjoyed excellent service and sushi. I'll never come here again.

Came here to celebrate my friends one year anniversary; they love this place and it's terrific. They especially like coming for happy hour...it's 2 for 1 on sake, beer and sushi!! Crazy good deal....goes from 4pm-6pm on weekdays (not sure about weekends). We ordered a ton of sushi - mostly simple stuff: alaska rolls, avocado rolls, peanut avocado rolls, mango salmon roll, yellowtail sushi, salmon sushi, ikura sushi and a salmon skin roll. We over-ordered. We took home leftovers. Oh - and we drank 4 large bottles of sake. Oops...make that 5....(there were 4 of us....). A good time was had by all! Sake will do that. And...the fish was super fresh....everything was great. Awesome service....very friendly. Really clean...I understand why my friends frequent this place so often. I would too.

Everyone who works here is so adorable and friendly. I really enjoyed being here with such a fun staff all smiling and laughing. The food was also wonderful! Thanks for being so awesome guys!

Great location, sushi is good for a good price. Naturo rolls are yummy and less calories. They also have very basic rolls great for sushi newbies or kids.

I hate when I go somewhere and have a pleasant experience but something feels off about the place. You guessed it, thats how I feel about Okinawa. Loved the atmosphere, variety of rolls and entrees for the non sushi lovers out there (AKA communists in my book) and good service. I got the Spicy Girl and it rocked my world! It lived up to the name and was absolutely flavorful, all while clearing up my nostrils. I would have ordered two more rolls if I had on looser pants and wanted to drop some major bills that night. All of the sushi was fantastic, full of flavor and fresh. Their prices for sushi were a little higher than I would normally pay but the quality of their sushi is definitely worth the few extra dollars. And being a FL girl, I'm not willing to take risks on raw fish when I'm landlocked. But still, something was off and I've been sitting here for 10 minutes writing this review and I still can't figure out what it is that separates it from a four star rating and a five. Guess I will have to go back to see if said thing is still off there, no issues with that since I can always get down with awesome sushi like Okinawa offers!

Not better than the previous Sushi restaurant at the same place (forgot its name) but just as packed. Interestingly, it's got a very Japanese sounding name but most of the staff is Chinese. Yet something as simple as Chicken Fried Rice was so bland. But Okinawa does carry a couple of surprises, such as the Tuna dumpling appetizer. I'd never had something quite like that before, wish they make a full size entrée out of it, the flavor combo makes your taste buds dance! As far as sushi rolls go, the surprise was Special of the Day: Coconut Roll. I thought for sure the Kobe Beef Roll would be better but I guess they must not have used "real" kobe beef! Service was fast-er like in a Chinese restaurant. This Asian waitress was quite funny, in the attempt to clean up quickly, she'd order us around like "can you hand me that plate, these chopsticks, those cups?!" lol.

4 SOLID STARS! Saturday June 11th 2011, went here for Happy Hour Sushi with 6 other frens. Time : 4.00pm onwards. Apparently, they "forgot" that I made the reservation for our party. Well note to self, next time whenever calling a restaurant or establishment, please "REMEMBER" the name of the receiver who takes your call. When I arrived, thankfully, this establishment was not as busy and the waitstaff swiftly managed to prepare the tables for the 7 of us. There are several other patrons dining in while we were here. Good deals to have when you order from their Happy Hour menu and you can mix your order with the main menu if that is what you desired. The service was prompt, attentive and welcoming. If I could recall correctly, there are like 2 waitstaffs attending to our table. Now the FOOD, in conclusion, my other frens liked what they order. The sushi looks good, and they did good in terms of presentation for how they plate the sushi for our party. Here was what I ordered for that afternoon. * Calamari * Grilled Squid Salad * LIVE Scallops that was one of the Special of the Day * Amaebi * Spicy Lobster * King Crab * Uni * Unagi * Hotategai I like both the Calamari and the Grilled Squid Salad. Though until now, I am still trying to figure out the "special sauce" that they provide that comes with the Calamari. For the LIVE Scallops, its so fresh, no fishy smell at all and just melt in my mouth. I "melt down" when I ate the King Crab. So buttery and delish. The rest of my sushi order, was good. All in all good experience eating here and I do not mind returning when needed. I request specifically, that separate checks for our party before ordering. This establishment allow separate checks for our group. 2 thumbs up in my books! Do take note, you are welcome to park behind the building, first come first serve, and there are ample of parking along the streets. It also depends on the time you are there.

Came very highly recommended to me. I also highly recommend. Love the staff, atmosphere and most importantly the food

Gave 2 small, half filled containers of soy sauce for 6 rolls. Specifically asked for more soy sauce, did not receive. When I called to ask why I didn't receive what I ordered, I was laughed at and "politely" told to F off, and hung up on. Rolls were average at best, customer service terrible.

Food was delicious, service was a bummer. My mother is not a sushi fan but she agreed to come with me to this restaurant due to my obsession with sushi! See other sushi reviews for further details ;). We arrived and ordered out food. The waitress completely ruined our meal. Apparently it was the owner. She gave my mother soup when she asked for salad. Then they gave her an assortment of sushi instead of he tempura box she wanted. The waitress argued with my mother when she informed them of her mistake. I turned to the waitress/owner and informed her she was not to argue with my mom. The owner ignored me and walked away. They did fix the order. Other then the service, the food was delicious!!!

Walked in and the rude guy though I was uber Excuse me but how about you ask how may I help you. I feel insulted not coming back.

If i could rate 1 star I would. I've been to this restaurant twice and both times the male server was incredibly rude to us (POC). The first time I brushed it off as maybe he was having a bad day, but the second time i truly stopped and looked around at how he treated the other customers. He completely polite and laughing with them but basically would throw my togo bag at me with no manners! To my lack of surprise all other customers were WHITE and we are POC. This server is racist and ignorant. They will not be getting any money from me.

Decent sushi, decent hot food. Service was great. Servers were kind and helpful. Atmosphere was comfortable but nothing special. It was a nice dining experience. We would would come back and we recommend.

Prob my new sushi go to spot in the neighborhood. The sushi was fresh and the miso soup warmed my soul. An additional plus was that my BF doesn't love sushi but they also had a great chicken teriyaki dish so everyone's belly was happy

Came back here for a friend's birthday. Still fabulous service, free dessert for the birthday girl, and quick order and serve turn around time. Did I mention already how much I love their lowcarb rolls? i can seriously eat 2 of them and each bite is still so flavorful and fresh!

Short story short. Please go. Sushi is on par , if not better, than most places in Denver. Also, the volcano roll is one of my favorites. They have a happy hour, and it's especially worth it when it comes to alcohol. Sushi, not that much cheaper--just discounted a dollar or two. Sushi is decent, my water never went empty, and I'll always come again. Sushi is one of my major food groups.

I have enjoyed Okinawa in the past but did not receive a food order to be delivered and was charged for it entirely. There has been no attempt to communicate with me or refund me