Taian

An unpretentious 3 Michelin-starred restaurant, Taian is the kind of place where you truly appreciate honest-to-goodness food, cooked in the best possible way. It’s not about flash or theatrics—it’s about letting top-quality ingredients and expert technique quietly speak for themselves. Located just a pleasant 20-minute walk from my hotel, Taian immediately made an impression with its calm, inviting atmosphere. What truly elevated the experience was the warm hospitality of Chef Hitoshi Takahata and his gracious wife. Their presence made the space feel less like a fine-dining establishment and more like a welcoming home. Every course was beautifully plated, a subtle work of art that never felt overdone. But what really mattered was the taste—refined, seasonal, and deeply satisfying. One dish that left a lasting mark was the pan-fried scallop with Japanese rice crackers. It looked simple and unassuming, but the texture and flavor were unforgettable—a perfect example of how Taian delivers understated excellence. For my main, I stepped out of my usual comfort zone. I tend to favor beef or pork, but the grilled fish I ordered was a revelation. It was hands down one of the best grilled fish dishes I’ve ever had—expertly cooked, flavorful, and so well-balanced it made me reconsider my usual choices going forward. Taian is the kind of restaurant that earns its stars not just through technique, but through heart. The food is elegant yet grounded, the service personal yet unobtrusive. If you’re in Osaka and want to experience a Michelin-starred meal that feels sincere and soulfully crafted, Taian is an absolute must.

We had a great experience. Dishes were refreshing and fresh. This restaurant deserves all the stars it can get. We got a bottle of sake to accompany our dishes but there is also a sake/wine pairing available. You can choose your main course and there are many options to choose from. We selected the eel and ribs. The staff explains the dishes every time and they are really kind, ensuring your comfort. This was the best dinner I had in Japan.

We had an excellent dinner, kaiseki style. Pretty much all dishes included in a set menu were excellent, with emphasis on original taste of used ingredients. Wine and sake pairing very good as well, especially second sake and both wine selections (relevant for 2 plus 2 pairing from the menu). Champagne by glass also worth going for in case there is something special to celebrate. Atmosphere was warm and cozy, service was also efficient and friendly. There are some condiments to buy (presented at the cashier) for takeaway.

Came here for dinner. Mostly foreigners like me sitting at the counter. Chef does not like people conversing with another and would have the shush finger quite often. Chef needs to read the atmosphere of the patrons who All were socializing and not look so grumpy and wanting to shush everyone. This definitely does not deserve 3 Michelin stars. I've been to a few Japanese Michelin restaurants and really this is more like a 1. Food is good and the eel dish was superb. Otherwise the remaining dishes were ok. Nothing out of this world. I expected there to be at least otoro in the sashimi mix but only chutoro.. on par with about izakayas sashimi mix... Noticed other people didn't finish the dessert either.I even went to family Mart afterwards. Id early rather go to kikunoi roan for lunch then come here for dinner again. Lost my trust in Michelin. This is just simply nicely made food at a high price in a sterile preferred environment.

This was a truly exceptional experience. The short rib was superbly cooked and the beef was insanely well done. It was even better with the miso + salt mixture they suggested we use. The menu was well balanced and you don’t feel sluggish like you normally would feel after a tasting menu. The chef clearly perfected his craft and was focused on executing a perfect meal for his guests, but he still came out to walk us out the door and thanked us. Would highly recommend Taian.

Service was so slow and the whole time the chef ignored us. There was no rapport with any of the guests, and we have no idea when the next dish was coming out. Spent two hours sitting around for 8 dishes. I don’t know how this place got one Michelin star, let alone 3. Appetizers: bland. Soup: good meatball, nothing to write home about. Fish dish: fugu and some vegetable balls were ok, but the yellowtail reeks. Meat dish: spareribs in red wine sauce was good. Wife got beef, which they charged 3500 extra for Wagyu. Taro with rice powder coating: bland Soup: crab on top of egg custard, wife says it’s like the steamed egg custard with snow crab at Sushiro. Rice dish with fugu egg - salty and unappetizing. Dessert: great because I was glad the horrible dinner service was over and we can get out of there. Seriously, save your money. You can get so much better food and service at the stalls along Dotonbori street. We’ve ate at four Michelin star/guide restaurants so far on our trip and this is the first place the Michelin guide had let us down. The service was awful, they sat us down with guests from other time slots and food came out disorderly for different guests. There was no cohesion, and it felt like we were third rate customers watching other people eat courses ahead of us. Every other place there were set time slots and guests were all served the same thing at the same time. Nothing about the decor/interior was special enough for three Michelin stars. People just ate in silence, and waited awkwardly in silence for the next dish, which usually takes 10-15 minutes to come out the kitchen. Oh yeah and when we left, the chef didn’t personally come out to see us off. We saw him greet another elderly couple out before us, but when we got up to leave he just went back inside. Rude.

I reserved Taian due to its proximity to where I was staying in Osaka and its Michelin 3-star status. When reserving this restaurant I was little apprehensive due to mixed reviews I had read. After my experience I feel I may know why people had mixed feelings about their Michelin 3-star status. Based on my experience visiting other Michelin star restaurants, I feel they focus on innovation and pushing new culinary limits. People travel to these restaurants to experience something they cannot easily experience anywhere else. l felt that Taian, respectfully, focused on mastering the handling of their high quality ingredients rather than experimenting with new ideas. Without doubt, a lot of love, care, and skills went into preparing each dish. If what we are used to when it comes to Michelin star restaurants is like "this dish represents the ocean and world peace" (for instance of course) Tain is like "this is perfectly prepared sashimi. This is perfectly grilled eel." While I respect their values, I do personally believe that Michelin 3-star restaurants should challenge new boundaries. They should provide new experience that we have never had anywhere else. Especially in Japan where there are so many culinary masters, I did feel I could probably experience somrthing similar somewhere else in Japan that is not Taian. Furthermore, everyone at the restaurant was kind and attentive, but it did take quite a long time for each dish to be prepared. The gaps between some dishes were sometimes painfully long. The server/receptionist was kind, but she was very busy. She was almost running across the room continuously to attend to everything and everyone, which was somewhat distracting. I also recommend they have a form of menu/list of food that are being served, which will make the experience more comprehensive and enjoyable. Nevertheless, it was still an amazing experience and I really enjoyed their food and service. I would still recommend the restaurant especially if you are near the area.

Truly wonderful experience. Very chill vibe, which was a welcome reprieve from the uptight ambience of many Michelin-starred places (let alone one with 3 stars). Kitchen and front of house (many of whom are family) were so nice. Food was immaculate, with lovely, subtle flavors—perfect epitome of kaiseki. The C wine pairing (3 sake + 2 wine; no champagne, didn’t seem necessary) was perfect, and the spare rib was the best I’d ever had (we’d been recommended the rib, otherwise would’ve gone for eel or one of the fish). Easily accommodated my gluten allergy, and I ate nearly everything that my husband (blessed with a normal stomach) had. At the end, the chef met us at the door to say goodbye. Cannot recommend Taian enough—but, if you’re looking for big, flashy flavors and a more Western conception of fine dining (i.e. Nicholas Hoult in the Menu), maybe look elsewhere.

My husband and I decided to have our last dinner in Japan at Tai An and it did not disappoint. Chef Takahata serves traditional kaiseki meals with a modern twist that will leave your palates both satisfied and wanting more at the same time. He is able to tame the most pungent of seafood with mild Japanese flavors to bring guests a true taste of realistic Japanese cuisine; which is a testament to the chef's unique understanding of flavors, technique, and execution. Service is run between one waiter and one waitress whom is the wife of the chef. It's does not at all feel intrusive and they make sure you're comfortable throughout your entire experience. The husband and wife duo make the meal feel so homey. The decor is traditional Japanese and there is calligraphy and art work displayed throughout the restaurant from the chefs father and daughter. It truly feels like you're dining in their home. Very unique experience. Of note, my husband whom usually detests Michelin rated restaurants absolutely loved the food so that's a plus. Well deserving of its 3 Michelin star rating. Please take the time to eat at Tai An if you are in Osaka.

Outstanding food. Impeccable service. Warm and inviting atmosphere. Left me desiring more. The chef was very kind as well.

Set near a big shopping district and with a strip-mall-restaurant feel to it, I'm pretty confused about how this place got its 3 Michelin stars. I'll break it down: Service was okay, but truly average compared to any Japanese restaurant that tries to charge more than $20 a head for dinner. English skills were marginal, chefs rotely and wordlessly go about their tasks, servers merely drop food off and don't have much to say even when I asked questions. The food was, at times, inspired, but mostly took advantage of local ingredients that are considered delicacies (and hence expensive) but not particularly tasty. Some examples include a condensed seaweed appetizer served cold that felt stringy and slimy to my (admittedly, not well-developed) Western palate. Dishes like blowfish, which are impressive to locals but lost on Western tastes, abound. More details here: ow.ly/N8ou3009of9 The interior decor was simple and well-laid-out, but the atmosphere of the place was overly casual and didn't line up with the 3-star experience I was expecting. People chat loudly, stare at their phones. Unshaven chefs look in the distance as they wait for their turn to help prepare a dish. The overall spirit of the place felt disheveled and confused. I enjoyed my meal, but wouldn't return.

I'm prefacing this review by saying that I have only dined at one other Michelin star restaurant...Le Bernardin. So I am basing my review on that. I was holding this restaurant to a lot higher standard with more expectations. Also, I love to eat, but am not sure I have the most sophisticated palate. With that said, we really wanted to try a special restaurant while in Japan. For those of you who have visited Japan before, you will know that it is pretty hard to make a reservation. Restaurants there are not known to be friendly to foreign visitors. They aren't big and don't have lots of seats. And most don't speak english. So the main ways you can go about making dining reservations is via hotel concierge or third party concierge. My friend booked via TableAll. We just wanted to try a Michelin star restaurant and found Osaka to be easier. We were initially ecstatic to have gotten a reservation at Taian (a 3 star). HOwever, after doing some research, I wasn't sure what to expect. Meal price, including Tableall fee was around $200 per person. Most other 3 star restaurants were going for a lot more. This should have been the first sign. We got reservation for Thursday night at 8pm. Ambiance/Location: We took a cab and he dropped us right in front of the restaurant. There is not English sign for it out front, so I went based off of pics I saw of it. The restaurant had only 1 table (set up for our party of 4) and bar seating (maybe 10-12 seats). Aesthetically it was very simple and decorated in typical Japanese fashion. Restroom was very clean. Service: Excellent throughout. The main server spoke decent English. Everything was explained properly. For the most part, the service was great, just not sure if it is 3 michelin star worthy. For example, water was not served until requested (not sure if this is a Japanese thing or not). Meals were not brought out together (they would serve us 1-2 at a time and then go back to the kitchen for the other plates). The timing of the food was pretty good. NOt too slow, not too fast. Cool aspect was that sake glasses were all different and we got to pick our own glass. YOu are allowed to take pics of the food, just not of anything else. Server was very friendly. Chef and server walked us out (pretty neat). For anything other restaurant, I would have thought that service was fantastic, just not sure if it is 3 star standard. Food: My expectation of it was to be blown away...and I was not. Food overall was great, but once again, I wasn't floored by it all. IT was a typical Kiseki menu. The previous reviews hit most of the dishes right on the head. All were unique with good flavor. There were a couple of weird items that my colleagues didn't like. I tried everything and really had no bad things to say about it. I appreciate trying the new items. They had these small fried fishes that you ate like fries...pretty good. There was a soup (egg drop with seafood) that was pretty good. Very clean flavors. I loved the sushi/sashimi. The fish was sea bream i believe. IT was a tad difficult to understand the explanation of the server. I loved the fact that you could choose your entree. I just did't like the fact that there was an upcharge for the beef (wagyu?) and fish dish. We tried the beef (cooked perfectly and was pretty damn good), short ribs (also cooked nicely), and sea bream. The fish was flaky and well seasoned. The biggest disappointment to me was the rice. I was expecting big and bold flavor (from either beef marrow or something), yet it was bland. Dessert was a fruit jelly of some sort and that was good as well. The sake selection was ok, and was priced fair. We didnt try anything else. Overall it was a great dining experience, just not sure if the 3 stars are justified. I would not need to return, and would recommend trying another restaurant if you can get reservations.