Okayama Sushi #1

We ordered two bento boxes and the food was okay. The Tonkatsu needed to be more moist, salad was good, miso soup was too sweet, sashimi was good, and galbi was okay. They have lunch hour everyday until 4pm, and the bentos come at a discounted price. In terms of service, I think they could check on the customers more often after serving the food. Also I wish they were friendlier and it would be nice to hear some recommendations. Lastly, the restaurant has free parking available in the back lot, in case you dont want to pay for street parking.

I recently visited and was pleasantly surprised by the playful twist on Japanese cuisine. From the moment we walked in, the quirky decor caught my attention, with comic and superhero-themed decorations adding a unique charm to the atmosphere. We started off with a few appetizers: The shrimp tempura was perfectly crispy and light, served with a classic dipping sauce. The fried Calamari was thick-cut, golden brown, and satisfying unexpectedly good for a sushi spot! Next up was one of their creative sushi specialties. We tried crunch toll with crunchy tempura flakes. It had an intense umami flavor and a rich texture definitely something for fans of bold, fusion-style rolls. They also have an extensive roll menu with a big variety for everyone. Service was friendly and quick, and we were especially touched when the chef surprised us with a free salmon roll as a kind gesture. It was fresh, buttery, and absolutely delicious thank you, Chef!

One of my favorite sushi places in town! We had to wait to be seated. However, food is delicious and we were served within 10 minutes! 🤯

Fantastic staff. Extremely kind and helpful. I had a lovely time. The waitrer was kind in giving me honest recommendations on food. I asked for the Uni Don and he suggested other options. He was right, lol. There’s a reason an “Uni don” isn’t a big thing in other places. It’s not as tasty as it sounds. Maybe I’ll take the waiters advice next time! The atmosphere was lovely though. It’s the perfect place to take your friends. I’ll definitely come back and try their other food.

If you're not a fan of traditional Japanese cuisine and lean towards Americanized or Korean/Chinese-influenced Japanese dishes, Okayama might not be your top choice. However, if you're seeking a more authentic Japanese experience, this restaurant delivers. Upon entering, we were immediately greeted with a warm smile. The attentive and polite service, along with the aroma reminiscent of a Japanese home kitchen, set the tone. Okayama stands out with thick sushi slices, a departure from neighboring establishments. The classic Japanese home-style cooking impressed us, and the portions and prices were reasonable. Although slightly off the main street, free parking at the back and side street adds convenience. For a reasonably priced fish-centric dinner for three in San Jose, Okayama is worth trying. Our diverse selection, including Philadelphia, Golden California, Summer Smoothies (Mango), Shrimp Tempura R, Dynamite Roll, Dragon Roll, Crunch Roll, Tempura Mix Appetizer, and Iced Tea, was both delicious and a good value.

It is legitimately one of the best sushi restaurants in town. The fish is very fresh, the service is great and the selection is amazing. It also helps that they have a whole star wars specialty roll selection that is full of amazing combinations of food to create the different rolls. I got the Luke Skywalker (see photo), and it was delicious. Located in Japan town in San Jose, there are plenty of options of this nature close by, but they are easily better than their competition. Check them out. You will not be disappointed.

It’s a cozy restaurant with amazing food. The taste was pretty much authentic, and they do have their own specialty. Dishes such as Lobster Special Rolls are not what you could find in just any sushi restaurant. The staff were patient and quick with their service. The restaurant itself was decorated cozily, and they had an amazing collection of figurines to greet customers :)

We came in for dinner on Monday night around 5 pm and were seated right away, which was nice—but it took a while before anyone came to take our order. The host who sat us left, and we had to ask someone in the back to help us out. The initial person who took our order seemed unfamiliar with the menu (couldn’t tell us which sushi had the most unagi). We finally had someone come to our table to verify, our order was correct. She was friendly and did apologize for the delay. She even gave us a free order of dumplings, which was a thoughtful gesture. We ordered two bento boxes: - Fried scallops + galbi: scallops were tiny, but the short ribs were solid. - Tempura + grilled saba: saba was perfectly cooked, but the tempura veggies (especially the carrot and sweet potato) were sliced too thick and didn’t fry through properly. I also got a sushi roll that didn’t even have unagi, even though that’s what I asked for. I didn’t bother sending it back—it would’ve taken too long to fix, so I just ate it. To top it off, the miso soup and salad came after the bento boxes were served. Service was super slow—only the solo person working the floor. Other tables were waiting to order or pay, and it felt like the whole place was understaffed. I asked the server if she was getting help, and she just smiled and kept going. Food had some highlights, but the overall experience was pretty uneven. Might give it another shot if they improve staffing and training.

Service was great & the sushi was delicious! I've been here a few times & they never disappoint. Feels like you're in a little sushi spot in Japan! Love it here

We came in for dinner on Monday night around 5 pm and were seated right away, which was nice--but it took a while before anyone came to take our order. The host who sat us left, and we had to ask someone in the back to help us out. The initial person who took our order seemed unfamiliar with the menu (couldn't tell us which sushi had the most unagi). We finally had someone come to our table to verify, our order was correct. She was friendly and did apologize for the delay. She even gave us a free order of dumplings, which was a thoughtful gesture. We ordered two bento boxes: - Fried scallops + galbi: scallops were tiny, but the short ribs were solid. - Tempura + grilled saba: saba was perfectly cooked, but the tempura veggies (especially the carrot and sweet potato) were sliced too thick and didn't fry through properly. I also got a sushi roll that didn't even have unagi, even though that's what I asked for. I didn't bother sending it back--it would've taken too long to fix, so I just ate it. To top it off, the miso soup and salad came after the bento boxes were served. Service was super slow--only the solo person working the floor. Other tables were waiting to order or pay, and it felt like the whole place was understaffed. I asked the server if she was getting help, and she just smiled and kept going. Food had some highlights, but the overall experience was pretty uneven. Might give it another shot if they improve staffing and training.

Fish consistency varies. Got the nigiri plate and some fish were smooth and buttery, other pieces were tough and chewy. Not the highest quality of fish We also got the bento box (chicken teriyaki, tonkatsu and agedashi tofu). The meats were overcooked. I was not very impressed but good prices and open later than other places in the neighborhood if you need a Japanese food fix

I'm a bit 50/50 on this restaurant. I've eaten at so many sushi restaurants so my standards are a bit high. What was good: *The tea was so gooooood. It was green tea but it had a smoky aftertaste. I had to ask what it was because it was so good. *My roll was good as was the miso soup What I didn't love: *I have had sunomono salad at various sushi places and it has *always* been about the same; cucumber soaked in vinegar over a bed of shredded daikon or similar. I know sunomono can come in different ways but it's usually *mentioned* like wakame sunomono. Here, it was literally listed as just "sunomono" with no descriptions or subtext. So I ordered it thinking it would be what I normally get and instead it was a huge bowl of cucumber but also a bed of wakame, a huge chunk of octopus, and several shrimp. I am *deathly* allergic to shrimp and I have never been to a restaurant that didn't disclose that there was shrimp in something. This is absolutely not okay so I am docking multiple stars since that could literally kill someone. If you read this Okayama, do better. Next July it will be the law so you better get on it. *I ordered the green tea cheesecake... out. I ordered the strawberry mochi ice cream... out. Finally ordered the vanilla but the fact that the waitress had to come back twice to tell me they were out.. uhg. *it was my friends birthday and i tried to see if they could bring him something with a candle and they said they don't do that. What??? I have never been anywhere that didn't have a birthday candle on something. Overall, this place is not worth coming to when so many other places exist that don't have these issues. Really unfortunate and I feel bad for my friend too since it was his birthday .

Atmosphere is nice, and one of the only places around open all day. But even the table next to us commented that the miso soup was very bitter. The rice served with my sukiyaki was I think pre plated from earlier in the day it had a crust on it. The beef for my Sukiyaki was also very tough. And the broth was watery and not flavorful. And the carrots were old and bitter. Not sure we will be back. The food was mediocre at best.

We loved this restaurant I remember the first time my best friend and I went here, he literally forgot where he was and that he was at a restaurant the food was so good, he loved the food so much that when I asked what he thought about the food he looked up like he had been transported to another world and said what? And then I just let him enjoy his food. The service is very good as well, they are friendly and very attentive. The ambiance is calm, quiet, and cool. Also the temperature is pretty cool in the restaurant during summer so if your feeling too hot and want a place to cool off and get some great refreshing food this place is for you.

Thursday noon: Grabbed their lunch special which is 2 items for ~$17 prior to tax and tip. I got the salmon and yellowtail nigiri, and it came with a side of lettuce and rice. Very simple and balanced meal. I only wish they also had a miso soup with the order too. I was surprised that they were half full around 1pm, so service may be a little slower. Great happy hour prices all day for $5 pints.

Friday Late Night & it was not busy at all, parking in the back or on the street, they are attentive when you walk in & get seated. They take your order right away, food does not take that long to come out, so IF your craving sushi & it's after hours, this is the place to come, because they are open Late Late. For the sushi was alright & pricing is OK, we got a few dishes, to try & I think, again they were just alright, I would be back just to try some more food that's on the menu & maybe at that time, it'll change my taste buds & the way I feel about the dishes.

Can you send me another order. It was spoiled like sitting in the car too long. 11//04/25. The teriyaki ribs went bad the salmon too. The chicken teriyaki was bad. I don't know why. The food is good before what happened.please replace my order for bernadine Perez

This used to be a go to place for our family back in the day... no longer. We ordered takeout through DoorDash and got a Hawaiian Roll and two three item bentos. I thought the Hawaiian Roll was fine, maybe 2.5 stars. The portion is small but tastes nothing surprising. The bentos, however, received major complaints from my parents. The meat was dry and tough. Tonkatsu was sad and breading was falling off, calamari tempura felt reheated and so tough it barely bites off, chicken teriyaki was pale and had practically no sauce, the rice too was a tiny little clump - big downgrade from what it used to be. Don't know what it's like to eat in the restaurant but takeout was a let down. Sad to lose a place we used to regularly visit but the quality was truly disappointing.

Quickly seated, we started off with the tempura appetizer. It included an assortment of different vegetables (broccoli, squash, mushrooms, etc.) as well as two shrimp tempura pieces. The batter was crispy and soft, making it easy to eat without hurting the roof of your mouth. I thought we were starting off good with the vegetables, however the shrimp was over battered and barely packed with shrimp, I honestly felt like I was tasting 90% batter and 10% shrimp. Not bad, but don't think I'd order this appetizer again. We then ordered the Hawaiian roll and Triple X roll. The Hawaiian roll was a regular California roll with sashimi on top drizzled with unagi. The unagi was thin and very sweet but not enough for it to overpower the taste of the roll which I really enjoyed. Squeezing the lemon on top was the cherry on top and gave it that zesty taste that was needed. The pieces were a bit small but reasonable for the price. Next we had the Triple X roll, another California roll topped with tuna, jalapeños, masago, and a spicy sauce. This roll was a bit bland even with the extra ingredients added onto it but it was a perfect balance with how sweet the Hawaiian roll was. With two rolls and the vegetable tempura, I was still left a bit hungry so I also decided to order the Gyoza. The Gyoza was seared nicely, making the bite crispy and the inside was a bit juicy as well. It definitely fulfilled my appetite but again, was a bit mediocre at best since I've had better Gyoza. The inside was very homey, small, and clean. The bathroom was a little dirty however, there were writings all over the mirror and no toilet seatings. Overall, Okayama sushi was OKAY. I don't think this would be a go to spot for me as there are way better sushi places to dine in. If they increased the quality of the food, I would've loved to give this place a higher score.

Came here for lunch and ordered the two item bento box with tonkatsu and teriyaki salmon. The tonkatsu came out crispy which is how I prefer most of my fried foods. The teriyaki salmon was plentiful for a bento box and was moist, I just wish it had more sauce. The servers was very friendly and accommodating! 4.2/5 I don't really dole out 5 stars but this play does a solid job with service and overall food quality.

The uni don at this spot is actually abysmal quality, especially for $27. So bitter, not creamy at all, and low in quantity. I don't know if it was due to the sea urchin not being fresh, but my coworkers and I decided to stop eating it due to fear of food poisoning/getting sick. Fortunately we did not, but it was such a massive waste of money that we were disappointed.

Came here for dinner with a party of 6 and everyone was disappointed. We ordered miso soup, sashimi platter, some sushi rolls, hamachi Kama, and the baked mussels. The miso soup was very watery, I couldn't taste any miso in it. We asked if they has miso paste or seasoning we could add in but they just offered soy sauce. Everything else we got was slightly below average and overpriced. One thing we noticed with the side of rice and sushi rolls was that they use a mix of sushi and jasmine rice, maybe to cut costs? Not sure but it wasn't great. The one positive thing I'd add is that they add a lot of green onions to their rolls which I enjoyed.

WTF?!! I come here with my family and they are playing half naked female DJ's shaking their breasts on the screen where I'm sitting with my child?! I've always came here and it's been a family restaurant up until now. NEVER AGAIN. I'm so mad right now, taking my food and leaving. Not going to even rate the food because I am so angry that they would be displaying crap like this.

Food - This place truly has the best tempura in town. The batter is light, crisp, and remarkably non-greasy--exactly what great tempura should be....however... Ambience - We used to come here every month, but the last two times we walked out because of the overpowering smell of cleaning solution in the restaurant. The owner should really take note: please switch to unscented cleaning products. The current strong chemical odor is frankly nauseating and, in my opinion (IMHO = in my humble opinion), shows a lack of consideration for your customers.

This ain't it, Fam!! This is not the spot if you have expectations of any kind... My family and I came here because the neighboring sushi joint we wanted to go to had such a long long wait. I stood around in the blustery cold awaiting on the 15 minute time frame to pass and once it did, I continued to hold on a bit longer. Unfortunately, my kid was growing HANGRY so we decided to find a different option. In comes Okayama Japanese. Once we arrived, a small crowd followed suit. Obviously the long lines at other sushi establishments were packed and being that we are in the middle of Lent, everyone and they mama seemed to want this type of cuisine. Our party immediately signed in and we were left standing around. Not a single person acknowledged any of the patrons, not a brief smile provided, not a single peep... the employees were obviously busy but the bare minimum wasn't even provided. There was quite a bit of standing idle and no shortage of patrons mumbling about the lack of service. Our party of 4 were eventually seated with menus and we were left sitting around. Flagging employees was tough- I'm not sure if the restaurant was just super loud or if we were blatantly being ignored due to the staff being over it all. After multiple attempts, we finally got through. I immediately placed our order for: *Tempura App [shrimp & vegetables] *Edamame *Philadelphia Roll *California Roll *Dragon Roll *Lion King Roll *Qui-Gon Roll *Crunch Roll *Deep Fried Oysters [5pc] *Miso Soup x2 *Side Order of Tobiko Food: Miso soup came out first and that basically set the tone for the entire meal. The soup was very mediocre- flavoring was very light, possibly due to watering it down to stretch the broth??? The rolls were very poorly rolled and fell apart upon being picked up, they all tasted the same, and the crunchy tempura bits that topped the crunch roll didn't taste fresh. The side order of tobiko never came out and we had to order again through a different staff member. To simplify, the entire meal itself wasn't good. 1 star. Not only was the food not good but even with all of our large purchases, our meal lightweight eventually started feeling a bit rushed. At that point there wasn't even any long lines of consumers.. so nothing really justified that. Meh!! Not worth the calories, the wait, or any of the grief.

A fun place to visit San Jose's own Japantown. I enjoyed the food, simple ambiance and quick service. Japantown is one of my favorite little satellite neighborhoods in San Jose. It's small, but always worth a visit. This little restaurant has been around for years and remains a local favorite. The decor inside is simple and the tables are full of regulars. Don't be afraid to ask for a recommendation from the server. Expand your horizons here.

After attending church in Japantown, a friend of mine was intent on eating Japanese food. On Sundays, Okayama is one of the few choices available. While undergoing remodeling, Okayama sells a mini bento for $10 in front of the restaurant with a few tables and chairs outside or you can dine in by entering through the back. We chose the latter. For our lunches, here's what we had: saba + gyoza bento saba + fried scallop bento chicken + maki sushi + teriyaki ribs bento Everyone enjoyed their lunch and there was plenty of food. Eating saba and rice is a comfort food for my dining companion and myself and I highly recommend ordering it if you're into saba. Although service was very competent, there were no smiles to be had.

This Okayama Sushi is Located on Sixth Street in Japan Town Downtown San Jose Area. We have been dining at this restaurant many times now and always enjoyed eating here every Visit!! Sushi always Super Fresh and Delicious!!! Love the Variety of Options that includes some of my favorite Hand Rolls, Specialties, Many Entrees, Sashimi, Lunch Bento, Seafood Entrees, Classic Rolls, Udon, Stir fried Noodles, Soups, Salad, and my Usual Favorite Charazi Bowl Combo. Nice indoor and outdoor seatings. Great Services, Plenty of Sushi Selections, and love the Warm Friendly Atmospheres!

Loved the Pink Lady roll and a roll with mango on it. Service was okay but the bathroom was not clean at all which is a huge turnoff for eating here.

A small Japanese restaurant in San Jose Japantown. Came with a large group of 7 and it took a long time for us to get seated since there weren't many large tables. I got the three item bento with chicken teriyaki, salmon teriyaki, fried scallops. I thought there was a good amount of meat given for each entree and enjoyed all of them, but was not a huge fan of the miso soup and salad. The miso soup did not have much miso flavor and the salad was a little gingery for my taste. Also tried the dragon roll and got an R2D2 roll on the house, and thought both rolls were very solid! Service was a bit slow, but they seemed a little understaffed at the time.

I got their Poke bowl to go and sadly it was disappointing. I'm giving them 2 stars because they had fast service when I ordered to go and the staff were polite. I have not tried their other dishes as well so I'm only judging this place based on this poke bowl. The flavors tasted like plain sriracha mayo and teriyaki sauce. There was lots of sauce as well. I've tried aloha fresh which I frequent and santo market which is my favorite and decided to give this place a chance and unfortunately it was a disappointment.

It is legitimately one of the best sushi restaurants in town. The fish is very fresh, the service is great and the selection is amazing. It also helps that they have a whole star wars specialty roll selection that is full of amazing combinations of food to create the different rolls. I got the Luke Skywalker (see photo), and it was delicious. Located in Japan town in San Jose, there are plenty of options of this nature close by, but they are easily better than their competition. Check them out. You will not be disappointed.

ughhh i love this place. i've been coming here for forever and they always are so good. this time that i went they gave me a little something extra for being a regular and i just love them.

Had been wanting to try this neighborhood spots for a while. Glad I finally did. Service was 10/10 and roll was pretty good 8/10 (Queen of Shiba roll). Will have to comeback and try many more .

Ordered the Chirashi Donburi. It came with typical miso soup and salad. Maybe because I was part of a large private party, I thought it was odd to serve the soup in a paper bowl. It didn't bother me. What impressed me was the Chirashi bowl. This was the largest bowl I have seen. From the photo I took, there was a least a dozen pieces of fish on top of a bed of sushi rice. I liked the variety. Everything was fresh. I couldn't finish it all.

Sadly, this is the first time I wasn't able to finish sushi. We came in at 8:30 pm, service was prompt and nice and udon was pretty good so I'm giving it a 2 star. I got the nigiri sashimi combo and the first thing I noticed was the dry piece of wasabi on my plate. I tried cutting it in half hoping the inside was better but, nope it looked like they had plates of wasabi left out and they took a few of the it and mashed it together. Salmon sashimi was slimy, the tuna was dry, every piece of nigiri was either slimy or dry. The rice was seasoned sweet and mushy, reminiscent of gas station sushi rice. Overall I was pretty disappointed and couldn't finish the dish in case I got food poisoning.

Great food with a reasonable and delicious special lunch menu. The presentation was fantastic, showing great attention to detail. Everything we tried was fresh and flavorful, making it a delightful dining experience. The unagi donburi (eel) was especially nice--tender, flavorful, and beautifully presented. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking to enjoy quality sushi and Japanese cuisine.

Cramped and hot upon walking in. Water served in plastic cups. Food was absolutely tasteless. Soup broth tasted like murky water, beef was so tough you couldn't swallow it. Fish was served warm. Starter salads just came with mayo as the dressing. Everything was cooked poorly and overall tasted bad. No clue why this place has any decent reviews.

The food is okay not the best but okay But the service over there is the worse I ever see And pretty expensive I'm not going to come back ever

I wish I could give this place zero stars. I went in on Saturday afternoon and immediately noticed how dark and spooky the vibe was not in a good way. Before the waiter even had a chance to take our order, a huge roach ran right across my feet. That was enough for me. I left immediately. Cleanliness should be the bare minimum for any restaurant, and this was absolutely unacceptable.

Roll Hearted Okayama is one of San José's Japatown OG sushi spots, as they've been serving to quality Japanese eats since 1967. The Good: *Private free parking lot (Japantown street parking costs $2/hr in case you're not aware) *The building it's housed in is really cool and has some definite historic vibes to it. *Fish quality was good, and the sashimi was sliced nice and thick. The Meh: *Rolls are very sloppily put together and hard to pick-up without falling apart. *Service was OK for the most part; not great, but not terrible. *Menu is HUGE! While some may think this is a good thing, I personally think they're trying to do too much as they serve everything one could want and imagine from a Japanese restaurant, including ramen. For such a small kitchen, you'd think they'd pare it down to help expedite things. *Interior is much, much smaller than it looks from the outside. The interior seats maybe ten tables and is very cramped. Definitely not for the 'Rona© squeamish. The Ugly: *Miso soup was awful. No salt, no flavor, and just tasted like dirty dishwater. :-X TLDR: While everyone enjoyed their food for the most part, I'm not sure we're in a hurry to come back any time soon.

Great customer service! The waitresses were very nice and attentive. The Bento box was delicious! I would recommend ordering bento box here than other items on the menu. The tempuras were huge and crispy! I ordered the sushi and sashimi combo and sharks roll.... it wasn't too impressive, I would just recommend getting their bento box instead!

Update Our last time here was questionable so we thought to give it one more try, big mistake. The only good was tea, salad, miso soup. Teriyaki chicken was so old, overcooked and dry, could have passed for jerky. Tempura was horrible, dark with dirty oil and way overcooked or a recook. I've come here since I was a kid, they've gone through a few different owners, this one is the worst. BOH should be embarrassed to send food out of this quality. Never again Okayama unless you do a complete turnaround.

Came here for lunch with my friends today after the Nikkei Matsuri event in Japan town. I ordered the lunch serving of the bento box with two items, the chicken teriyaki and California roll. I thought the food was ok. Mind you I did order a basic meal so I didn't get a full experience with their other rolls. My California roll fell apart as I was eating it, never had this happened before at other places. The white rice wasn't seasoned enough, and needs a dash more salt. I rarely add salt to anything so that says a lot. Our miso soup came out late, I actually thought it wasn't included. It wasn't very good. The chicken was ok too, needed more flavor and a bit more sauce. Not sure I'd return...but I also don't want to discourage any business here.

Nice and lovely restaurant. First they have free parking right next to the restaurant which is really convenient for me. The vibe really chill here with music and video of cooking on tivi. Food is excellent I got salmon donburi and is come with miso soup and salad, miso is hot and sweet and really good presentation of bowl over rice with fresh salmon on top. Salmon is really fresh with thick slices is also come with tamago and sushi rice on the bottom Really good combination. Service is nice and friendly. Will come back to check out other dish and roll.

We just ordered 3 rolls from here. All the hamachi and tuna on our rolls have gone bad. It stinks, it's slimy. Of all my yearsssss of eating sushi/sashimi, I have NEVER had a place serve rotten fish. This is ridiculous. DO NOT GO HERE.

2 item lunch bento are delicious and reasonably priced. Service was helpful, friendly and warm. We loved watching fun Kpop videos on 3 tv screens while having lunch.

IMHO Today's visit earned Okayama, an extra star back from my last visits. They now have new updated menus with increased higher prices. With our current times, this is understandable. Happily, the food was good, and portions were plentiful. My party of three each ordered the 3-item lunch bento boxes with varied entree choices; tempura, gyoza, galbi, chicken teriyaki, chicken katsu, and beef teriyaki. Before our bento boxes arrived, we all received bowls of miso soup, which was my only disappointment, again... From past visits here, the soup was flavorless and lacking umami and temperature heat. These were served lukewarm and not hot. I like my soups to arrive hot, not "tongue-burning" hot, but simply hot. The salad was good, but the dressing was watery, and I needed to ask for more, which was gladly provided. Service was very friendly and available. I will be back.

Service was decent but the sushi was not up to par. Fish is of the lowest grade possible.

The food was delicious and was served promptly. The service was great considering there was only 1 server for the entire place. The ambiance was chill they were playing great music as well.

Their Page sent the order to a different location I called for help and they said they couldn't help me until after lunch. So they charged my card, refused to refund, I didn't get the food and when I called for help no one answered and once they picked up they mumbled something on the phone and left me hanging.

For a Japanese restaurant in the heart of Japantown that claims to have been around since 1967, I honestly expected so much more from Okayama. The meal kicked off with probably the worst Miso soup I've ever been served, and the side salad was barely an improvement. I went with the Beef Teppanyaki, supposedly a house specialty, and received some of the thinnest, most overcooked beef you can imagine. Even the two dipping sauces that it was served with couldn't save it as neither tasted particularly good or even seemed to pair with the existing flavor of the meat and vegetables. I went with a large party that ordered a wide variety of dishes and unfortunately my experience was not unique as everybody left relatively disappointed. The few positives that I did notice: the portions of sashimi were quite generous and surprisingly the tempura was very well-prepared, avoiding the issue of being excessively battered and overly oily that seems to befall the dish at so many Japanese restaurants in the US. Okayama Japanese was definitely a once and done restaurant for us. With so many other options in Japantown, I'm honestly surprised they've managed to stay open for so long given the quality of food they are currently serving.

Ever since they switched owners, quality and customer service have significantly dropped. Decided to grab lunch here with my parents today. First thing I noticed was how expensive the menu was; special rolls were averaging $17-$20 and standard sashimi items were at least $25 for rather small portions. Sure, let's take inflation into account, whatever--but I can't ignore the lack of presentation. Because of how expensive all the sashimi items were, I steered clear and decided to order the Hawaiian Roll--it's one of my go-to's when eating out here. My parents got an Unagi Roll and a 3-item bento box. Both the Hawaiian and Unagi rolls were poorly and sloppily rolled--the shape made it look like someone had sat on it before serving it to us. The rice had already fallen off before we picked up any pieces to eat. To make matters worse, they were severely understaffed. The restaurant was nearing full capacity, but there was only one lady responsible for taking orders, retrieving bills, AND delivering food. Took 10 minutes from the time we got seated for her to take our order despite us politely informing her we were ready multiple times. This is not her fault; the owner should be staffing with peak hours in mind. I'm disappointed and sad because this place used to be one of my favorite sushi spots--but I can't and won't be returning. Prices are absurdly high for standard portions and poor presentation--and customer service just isn't there. Kazoo and Sushi Maru are other Japanese restaurants within 2-3 mins of walking distance and both have cheaper menu items that are more presentable.

5 years ago this place was dynamite. Quality fish, quality service. This was a dinner reservation. For lunch, it's horrible. Restaurant was so freaking slow. I Sat at the bar and didn't get a bartenders attention for 6 minutes. I ordered 3 nigiri Blue fin, salmon belly, a5. A White man walks in 15 minutes after I ordered. His California roll shows up before my nigiri did. I eyed the bartender and he went and fetched my order. 22 minutes from order to customer at lunch. I wanted more nigiri but wasn't about to sit around for 45 minutes for lunch. Average fish quality now too. Measured for money, not cut to perfection. Avoid at lunch.

What happened!!?? Actually I rate it less than 1star! This had been one of our 'go-to' restaurants for over 30 years, although we hadn't been to it in recent years. We were extremely disappointed with both the service and the food. My wife became ill almost immediately. She's currently dosed up on antacids. The teriyaki chicken was dry, but the calamari tempura was virtually rancid. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn't tempura. It looked like something frozen purchased from Costco and overly deep-fried in old cooking oil. Never had a refill of water or tea, even though there were plenty of waitresses with the restaurant only about a quarter filled. They basically clustered at one of the back tables talking and laughing, lastly, beware of the old plastic bento boxes. The paint is flaking off into the food. We do not plan on eating here again. 'Kazoo' around the corner is a much nicer restaurant. Too bad.

lazy, lazy they forgot to place ANY teriyaki sauce on teriyaki chicken. stunning. terrible Korean BBQ beef cuts. shame on you.

My favorite sushi spot when I'm in downtown SJ. Very reasonable prices, food was quickly prepared and the quality was great. Highly recommend Okayama.