Osaka-Ya

Famous but questionable vibe. Pricing is steep and the interior is cluttered. I visited late, so only frozen items were left and parking was tight. I’m curious about the high ratings, so I’ll come back early to try the food and give my final verdict.

From the handwritten menu and deeply scratched counter glassware, you knew this store had been here for long time. My husband and I ordered four mochi, and we were eating them at a park close by. He just lightly mentioned how much his grandma liked mochi (she passed away years ago), I know he misses her. I miss my grandma too, but I know their spirits are always with us because they love us. Thanks for the mochi!

Im so sad to make this review! A place where I'm sure they pride on quality, I just had the worst mochi here ever. There quality has always been the best and I do expect the best considering I'm paying 3x the price! Everything was off! Tasted perhaps like they froze mochi which I'm sure they didn't. The rice was thin chrisp chewy. I think rice was way over steamed. Just so disappointed they moved forward to sell the batch. The red bean was a little watery not as creamy. There mochi is usually a very soft melt in your mouth rice dough. This was a thin crisp chew and not in a good way! I was so close to returning their mochi but we live a bit far and I wasn't sure if their new years eve operations closed early. If management sees this Im making this negative review in hopes that next time you will make the right decision and just throw out the bad batch! Its the right thing to do.

Really good food and loved the spam sushi. The one thing I didn't like is there is 4% charge if you use a card. So bring cash.

What a lovely shop! This is a hidden gem of traditional Japanese snacks. I love all the different options. Also everything is very reasonably priced. The only downside is that parking in the area can be a little difficult.

We love coming here! They have shaved ice in the summer and really delicious mochi year round. If you come early enough they also have pre prepared food. There are also some snacks and ingredients. Mecha mucho also serves out of the same window where you get the shaved ice

Love this place! Hole in the wall shaved ice spot, you definitely get your moneys worth! Large portions of shaved ice with yummy flavor options and you can add sweetened condensed milk. They also have a ton of other snack and food options including mochi ice cream and other pastries. This is just take away since there’s no seating, and it is cash only!

First time trying their place so I got a variety of mochi. They were fresh and had a nice texture. However every single mochi was way too sweet for me - the fillings and the mochi itself. I also picked up the seaweed lays, which were delicious. It would have given a 5-star rating if the mochi was less sweet.

Finally get to check this place off my list. My visit took place on a Friday afternoon and luckily, there was still a good selection. I almost went with one of each, but had to stop myself. Ended up with 6 pieces, while some had red bean inside, others were just mochi. Each bite consisted of soft and chewy (in a good way). The mochi-only pieces were really tasty, the fruit flavor reallly came through. Street parking only, shop located in a semi-residential area. Would happily stop by again when in Sacramento. Some local Japanese markets such as Nijiya also carries their mochi, but only on weekends. #27/2024

I got to try their onigiri from the roseville Uniglo event and it was amazing ! I had the Konbu and Ume onigiri which were both delicious! The ume picked plum had a little sour tartness that I enjoyed. The rice was perfectly tasty and flavorful. The konbu is more subtle and good as well if you are not used to the pickled plum. They make great snacks on the go. I can't wait to have more onigiri and try other things that have at their actual shop!

We went to check out their mochi and they did not disappoint! We got the jello flavored mochi bites and peanut butter with chocolate chips inside. All very good. There's a small store like on the side and my grandson was happy to find mochiko to take back to Arizona with him. The lady was very sweet and warned me that they charge 3 or 4 percent more if paying by card.

I'm a bit of a shaved ice snob and I don't really understand the hype around this place. I tried the Tiger's Blood which is a popular flavor and I wasn't a fan. They have condensed milk here that you can add to the shaved ice. The shaved ice is average, they do have a lot of flavors to choose from. There are better shaved ice places, imo. This is a stand, where you order from the window and then wait for your shaved ice. There is no seating. Tried it once and don't have the urge to come back. Street parking. I believe it's also cash only.

Osaka-Ya is a small shop. Street parking mostly. The store has been around for decades. It has been years since we had been here as we don't live in the area. Glad that we got the opportunity to visit again. Kiku: Mochi with a sweet smooth white bean paste and covered in sweet clear glaze (5/5). Sakura Mochi: Mochi mixed with diced cherry leaf surrounding a sweet smooth red bean paste (4/5). This one is a acquired taste. Strawberry Flavored Mochi: Their traditional mochi mixed with a variety of different flavors (4/5). The mochi here was larger than our local store. But didn't have the same texture or softness either. But still delicious. The service was friendly and polite.

This is the best mochi place in the USA! We make sure to get some mochi whenever we are in the area. We tried many different ones and our favorites are the chocolate lover's mochi and sakura! The price is not bad either! Also, if you are in the bay , you can sometimes find their mochi at Osaka Martketplace in Fremont!

Just a heads up that they are typically closed Nov-April :/ the store next door is open though!

This shop is a gem in Sacramento! The mochi is hand made and comes in a bunch of different flavors. I am obsessed with the Chocolate lovers mochi, I always grab a box when I stop in. They also offer bites like spam musubi, maki, inari, butter mochi and shelf stable seasonings and items. During the warm months they also serve snow cones from the walk up window. The snow cones are cash only, and in store you can use cash or card but they seem to prefer cash. They have also more recently started sharing the window and part of their location with, separate business, Mecha Mucho who makes sandwiches, cookies and has some fun snack and drink options. This location is in the middle of a neighborhood area and has street parking. The spots right in front are short term (15 minute) spots that can be perfect to run in and get out.

This local shaved ice spot is a must visit during the summer as it offers a bunch of flavors and good portions. I usually get the small and it is plenty for me. They only let you get one flavor so that isn't ideal. They offer floats, freezes, and shakes as well. These are all tasty so you will definitely find something for everyone. There is a store inside as well and their main item is that they have authentic Mochi. You can buy these individually and it is a great dessert that you do not come across often. The mochi's are available year round so stop by and give it a try.

Mini Japanese market. Came for the sando spot that they split with. Saw a bunch of homemade mochi. You can see them rolling and cutting them out sometimes inside. Outside is cash only shaved ice. Sizes are very generous. They also have Gunther's ice cream and can make the fruit freeze I think. Shaved ice was perfect in this current heat wave. Only downside is no mixing of flavors

Osaka-Ya is going to be a new sweet treat staple! I cannot believe I've missed this spot for so long. Mochi and shaved ice truly make an ELITE combo. I stopped by this spot during the Sac heat wave, so the line was having it's moment. It was definitely worth the wait. Upon arrival, I had to do a round around the block to find a parking spot. There are some spots in front, on the street, and also a very small lot next to the storefront. I ended up getting a spot directly across the street (free). The shaved ice is ordered at a walk-up window, so be ready to wait outside for your order. However, the mochi is ordered inside, and are ready-to-go in their display case. The staff was all friendly and approachable. They are pretty quick in getting you through the que as well. I ended up getting Tigers Blood syrup for my ice and condensed milk on top ($6.50 total). I waited around fifteen minutes total in line and for pickup. The ice was super fluffy and easy to eat. It wasn't too hard or too cold. The syrup was flavorful throughout the entire cup which I really appreciate. It wasn't just all condensed at the bottom. I also got the Sakura mochi. It was so good! You can tell it was fresh and it actually had some filling on the inside of it too. Super yummy and flavorful. I already can't wait to go back to try more of their flavors.

Made the trek out here after seeing this place all over IG. I guess I was expecting the snow cone to be softer like shave ice in Hawaii or Korean bingsoo. Instead the snow cone ice was rock hard and the tiger blood syrup overly sweet. The vanilla ice cream helped to tone down the overpowering syrup. They are cash only, which is lucky we had cash since I didn't know that ahead of time. The line was long with people ordering but also others trying to eat their snow cone in the shade since there isn't any seating area. Parking can be difficult as well. Overall the snow-cone was mid-if I was in the area, I might consider coming back if it was a hot day, but I wouldn't make an extra trip out here just for a snow cone.

Cute little Japanese market! It's got a variety of mochis, onigiris, and other quick eats. They have a small cooler with some Japanese frozen groceries - udon, noodles and onigiris and a small selection of dry groceries. Love local spots like this! They have a few tables to sit at. Bring cash otherwise credit cards have a 4% charge!

Best mochi I've ever had! I love grabbing lunch from Mecha Mucho (located inside Osaka-Ya during limited days/hours) and grabbing some delicious traditionally made mochi from Osaka-Ya. Such a treat to have this shop in our community!

It's a small shop but definitely a must try! The staff was really nice when we had questions about the different mochi. We got a small box of assorted mochi we choose from to take home. One of my surprising favorites was the rectangular shaped blueberry mochi. It was really good. The flavor was not overpowering and the texture was just wonderful. All the other mochis were good but to this day I still think about that blueberry mochi. They also had some mochi you can buy from their fridge section and you can just put it in your fridge at home. We also got Chocolate Lover's Mochi. These are packaged separately in a small plastic container and has about four pieces. Those are my sister's favorite. :) We also got mango flavor shaved ice. It was okay but I am glad I tried it. I did like the small mochi pieces in it.

This was a cute hidden shop tucked away in the streets of Sacramento. Arrived early in the morning and there was no line. I was pleasantly surprised by how much they sold in the store from Japanese pantry products to the assortment of Mochi and rice balls. I agree some Mochi's are a hit or miss but the ones I liked were very tasty. Pancake or dorayaki mochi's were on the drier side. Although I very much liked their Mochi covered in soybean powder and the strawberry Mochi piece. Definitely a fun place to buy nice confectionary gifts to give or snack on.

This is a review for the mochi and manju only. I got a bunch of mochi including mugwort, pink tsubu, white, kinako, sakura, green tea, and peanut butter. I also got a pink/white fukashi manju and sakura leaf-wrapped rice with red bean filling. The mochi are filled to the brim, but the mochi itself is not very smooth and many bites felt grainy compared to my go-to mochi place. These are decently priced for the size, not sure if I would come back based on the quality.

What's not to love about this place! We've been coming here from waaay back and it never disappoints. Best shave ice (think fine Hawaiian style!) in CA! And they have fantastic Japanese Manju desserts, snacks, and -new to me-sandos

Located in Downtown Sacramento, Osaka-Ya is an Asian market serving the local community. Full of common and not so common Asian spices and ingredients, you'll find many of your favorite Asian snacks like Furikaki and fish chips here. As well as fresh Mochi made daily in the kitchen in the back, as well as an in-house dessert and snack parlor "Mencha Mucho". That's open yearly starting in early Spring through late Fall.

Extremely popular Japanese outlet specializing in mochis made on premises, snow cones during the summer and a variety of retail snacks similar to those found at Oto's. A pop -up type counter Mecha Mucho (select Japan-based sandos) is tucked in on the left inside the store. Of all the sweets they offer here, my favorite item to buy is the chunky peanut butter mochi. They also offer smooth PB and chocolate Pbut if you're a chunky PB person, you will be in heaven eating this addictive snack. It has just the right amount of PB; price has gone up due to rising prices of ingredients. You get four Pattie's for I think $6 (no sign and didn't even bother to ask price). Stop by Osaka-ya Mon -Sat if you have a sweet tooth for Japanese goods!!

The place to go for traditional, seasonal, and delicious mochi. They also have onigiri if you're into that kind of thing. I got the frozen unagi and fresh salmon onigiri. The salmon had a lot of salmon in it! The frozen unagi I let defrost throughout the day and microwaved for 30 seconds then ate for dinner. Their peanut butter mochi is also delicious... it's become my pre-workout snack. The Sakura (cherry blossom) mochi was too sweet for my liking, but the texture was good. I didn't care much for the coffee, but apparently that's one of their best sellers. They also have some other Japanese snacks, but really it's all about the mochi.

On a hot afternoon, we decided to drive our frozen treats home to the air conditioning!! I happened to have just the right box for travel. BTW, plastic transport bag is .50! The snow cones don't seem to melt fast, so we could have done without the bag and saved that fifty cents. Delicious flavors, refreshing treat.

I was not impressed with this spot. The shaved ice was very dry and needed more syrup added. They have an option to add extra syrup for a fee, I just didn't think it would be so dry without it. The snow cone itself was also hard to eat as it was extremely hard and not soft. You also need to bring cash because they don't take card. There is also no where to sit, you have to stand and eat.

I love this place so much. I would recommend it to anyone who likes mochi or is looking for something to cool off in the summer time. HUGE snow cones (like piled high!). Ice cream is also ON POINT. Underrated. Go here.

Loved it! Friendly and efficient service, an amazing variety to choose from, and a simple ambience. Went here for my daughter's birthday, and loved most of the mochi we got. There were 2/25 that we were not feeling, but the others were eaten up in the first two days. Thank you, Osaka-Ya for your delicious mochi!!

Finally made it to Osaka-Ya and loved it!!I had an extra small strawberry shaved ice and it was such a nice treat on a hot Sacramento summer day! I love how you can order at an outside window of the building. Easy to order and fast service. There were a few chairs and tables outside if you want to sit down. For the shaved ice, they have a few different sizes and flavors. Inside is a store and they sell various Asian food products and have some hot food items you can order too.

A gem, family owned business that has been around for generations specializing in Japanese goods and freshly made mochi daily. In the summer, it seems like they also have shaved ice. When I went on a Saturday afternoon, it was very busy with a line out the door. The line moved quickly, and was able to get mochi that were all filled with generous amounts of red bean. The mochi was flavored mugwort (my fav), green tea, white bean and original for about 13$. Definitely will be back for a special treat!!!

This place is cool. I like the simplicity of the shaved ice. There wasn't too much of a line and it was moved fairly quickly.

Osaka-Ya is a small mini mart located in downtown sacramento where you can get some Japanese goodies - food items (frozen ramen, mochis, snacks, fruits, ongiri, etc.), cooking essentials (seasonings, wasabi, etc.), and fresh shaved ice. I tried the peanut butter mochi (my favorite item there), fruit flavored mochi, and the tigers blood shaved ice with condensed milk added. Friendly staff and the ambiance gives me vibes of being in a shop in japan (:

This place is basic. Ground up ice with syrup on top . I saw others with condensed milk and a teaspoon of beans. If you're looking for a nice summer experience to enjoy with family and friends, this is not the place. Restricts to one flavor and somehow the wait is still lengthy, 30 mins after ordering and we ordered shaved ice with tigers blood syrup. Only to be told there was no more syrup. Service is what you can expect from a convenience store lack of luster and energy from place and people.

Cute spot to get some delicious shaved ice. Hated that my kids didn't want any condensed milk on their ice creams (simpletons! Lol) We also tried the mochi, and my kids didn't enjoy it very much because they realized that the one they chose had red bean inside. Service had a family friendly feel to it. The quality was good and there was a window where they took our order outside . As hot as it was, it felt better outside than inside their shop since it was a little quaint inside. Really like this place and will come with my kids again

Only place that I know of that serves real Hawaiian shaved ice! They have many different flavors etc. Always an awesome treat! They are also the only place in town to get fresh manju and their fresh mochi desserts are outstanding.

a quaint market selling a variety of snacks, desserts, & asian household staples! i visited for the first time on saturday, a little after 1PM. there was already a line inside, but it moved by quickly. i got a variety of mochi (Sakura, Pink & White Fukashi, Coffee, Kiku, Green Tea, & Strawberry). they were all amazing - soft, pillowy mochi outside with a not-too-sweet filling. i also purchased a snowcone at the window outside - an extra small mango with condensed milk, about $6-7 (cash only & can only pick one flavor). tall, sweet, & strong! don't expect a soft, shaved ice texture - the ice hardens a bit and, of course, has a "harder," snowcone texture. though it's an hour away from me, i'll definitely make future visits for the mochi!

I love this little place and so does my japanese friend. Snow cones with condensed milk and homemade mochi are amazing and their sandwiches are too. My Japanese friend loves their sushi. I recommend this place fa sho. I also love their assortment of Japanese snacks and the different chip flavors from different countries

After begging my hubby to take me there for 3 years, he finally took me to the store located in downtown (he hates the drive to downtown). There is parking at the back of the store and parallel parking on the road side next to the bike lane. We went on a weekday morning post doctor's appointment. The store is neatly organized and and sells different things like Japanese rices, rice flavors pack, rice flavors sprinkles, curry cubes, rice crackers, sauces, canned fish, packed sushi, etc. They also have announcement at the door about floral arrangements and Japanese language classes. Love how they have those to keep the community engaged I bought some of the rice flavors as I don't see that in Asian store. Also got the last pack of rice crackers with peanuts. I was looking for those Japanese pasta sauces but unfortunately they don't carry any. We got a bunch of mochi and dorayaki (with and with out mochi sandwich in between). We love their classic mochi the most. Dorayaki is a bit on the dry side. If only they could also carry honey castella. The service is great. The lady behind the counter is very patience with my snack addiction/haul. Can't wait until hubby drive me back to downtown again! There is a Pokémon gym there so my hope is high

Cute local spot to grab something cold during the summertime! They have a large variety in flavors with very generous portions. We had the mango with strawberry mochi and condensed milk. If you are looking for Hawaiian shaved ice with the fine snow-like texture, this is not it. It had larger pieces of ice and was kind of clumpy as you kept eating. Keep in mind that there is limited street parking and the shaved ice stand ONLY accepts cash. There is no outdoor seating so we ate our snow cones on the sidewalk which got kind of sticky.

This family run, traditional mochi shop is a gem of Sacramento!! In the summer they also serve HUGE snowcones. Nowhere else can you find mochi as traditional & as delicious as Osaka Ya. Also, it's best to pay in cash at this family owned, small business of Sac!!

Hole in the wall Japanese mini market in Downtown Sac. The line at 12 noon for the shaved ice and ice cream was around 4-5 groups deep. We went inside for the combo maki. It was decently priced at $9.50. The butter Mochi was $6. I also got a strawberry Mochi which was $2.50. It was ground up strawberries and Lima beans. Everything tasted fresh and was delicious. Only thing is that there is literally no place to sit so it is a to-go joint or hang out and eat on the sidewalk. There is some shade there but not really enough to hang out and eat. Overall a decent haul for Downtown. I would come back if I was craving Japanese.

Showed up 15 mins before they were closing at 5 on a Sunday and the lines were long but they were able to take our order a few minutes after 5. Which was nice, but the wait was a little long. Wasn't too bad of a wait but when it's 100+ degrees out it was a little brutal. They seem to make the shaved ice one by one as that's how I saw them calling out the orders. They only accept cash. Flavor was there and tasty, but ice wasn't as shaved as compared to Hawaii's shaved ice of course. But I would recommend. 1 star off for the long wait. But it wasn't a biggie. Residential area parking only and no sitting area.

I AM IN LOVE! Best little gem in Sacramento for snow cones! It is so refreshing on those hot summers days! They are huge and very reasonably! They don't have a large selection of flavors but the watermelon was tasty! I wish I found this place a lot sooner but better late than never! It's a cute tiny spot where you order outside and while waiting you can explore the little market that is attached! 100% recommend.

I've had Osaka-Ya bookmarked for awhile now and a hot summer day was the perfect opportunity to try it out. My boyfriend, best friend, and I shared a small Kintoki. It is served with sweet red bean. You definitely get a lot, so don't be surprised when you can't finish it! Overall, we all thought it was pretty solid, but it does get sweeter as you get down so be ready for that. I'm not the biggest shaved ice person just because it's shaved ice, but this did bring me back to my childhood when my grandma would make shaved ice with red beans and condensed milk. They have a lot of other flavor options and treats for you to try. Note the shaved ice stand is cash only and the treats inside can be paid with card.

I feel like it's hard to rate from just having experienced their shaved ice because Osaka-Ya also has an indoor store where they sell other Japanese snacks, mochi, and goods! I feel like the shaved ice was good and refreshing for a hot day, but it was not anything particularly amazing. The wait was also over 40 minutes to get our order made! Additionally, we were in the sun most of the time as the line for ordering and receiving the food was outdoors. One really interesting thing I noticed though was that they had a wide variety of flavors and even Gunther's 50/50 freeze available for sale!

The service was good, it's a walk up window so it's not like much is needed. The ambiance is, different. It's an Asian convenience store that is sparsely stocked. They advertise musubis but only make them on specific days and that's not advertised which was disappointing upon arrival. It's also not advertised that they are cash only (so shout out to the person that posted a picture of that sign at their establishment.) The shave I've it's self is good. Strange that you can only get one flavor but ok I guess. Overall not the best experience but not the worst. Mid at best.

Definitely recommend this place specially because I want to support small business. Everything was delicious and we would go again. Bring cash.

I usually get my mochi from Fugetsu-do in LA (also a family owned mochi business), and when living in Sacramento I unfortunately do not have the luxury of being able to drive to LA or one of the Tokyo centrals for mochi, so Osaka-Ya sufficed. They're also a family owned business (support local!) with their own mochi that can be found at KP marketplace bakery section in Rancho Cordova. They have a lot of mochi, but my favorite is their plain ones. They're slightly sweeter and chewier than Fugetsu-do, but for neighborhood mochi, they can't be beat! :)

Price is great for the portion. One of the only places I could find Hawaiian style shaved ice. I got the tigers blood with condensed milk drizzled on top. That condensed milk is what gives it that Asian nostalgia. They also serve ice cream and I the portion im you get is way bigger than any traditional ice cream shop. When comparing amount for the same price. They do close a bit earlier and are cash only so make sure you come prepared.

Went here for the first time and the cashier was super friendly and helpful. She recommended a few treats to me, including the chocolate lovers mochi and a bready coffee ball with the white bean filling, and even though I didn't come in to get them, I liked them better than the thing I came in to get. Like the stereotypical asian compliment: not too sweet!! She also said if you want to try the onigiri, you should come early Thursday-Sunday because they're only made then and first come, first serve. Going to try to come back when I come back to downtown sac because the chocolate mochi was too good.

Wow, the shaved ice with ice cream and red beans was amazing!! I can't wait to go again and have another one.

If you are looking for a traditional Japanese sweet you have come to the right place. They have mochi of all types made fresh daily. This is a small family run business that works hard to keep their clients happy. I highly recommend you try a new mochi every visit. The strawberry is delicious.