Unbelievably fast sushi chef!! Placed specialty roll orders and every one of them was out in under 10 min! And delicious.
(5)
Emilee L.
I really enjoyed this restaurant for their sushi and today, for my birthday, I went to have the hibachi with my family. The food was great, but our hibachi cook was an arrogant idiot. I am in a young girl in a wheelchair and my cook looks at me says, "Boy, must suck to be in a wheelchair on your birthday". I am more than offended. I was and still am irate. Because of this arrogant comment, I am not going back.
(1)
Tony N.
Love the place. Especially when they squirt Saki in your mouth at the table. I wish they gave away Birthday Dinners like Benihanas does. We would go there a lot more often!
(5)
Benjamin Y.
Very friendly environment. The Hibachi shows are entertaining. Manager is cool. My favorite dishes here are the lamb chops, fried rice with a side of yummy sauce, and their lobster.
(4)
Ron M.
We went on a Saturday night. We were seated next to a batchlorette party. They were so noisey that we could not hear our waitress and she could not hear us. After trying to talk to each other, with no sucess, we got up and left because of the noise. Two other couples from our table and another couple form another table followed us out. Other couples were looking around and also thinking of escape. I'm sure that they made money of the batchlorette party but lost at least 4 couples that wanted to spend money. To bad that they do not have a private room for groups like that one.
(1)
Amma M.
If I could give no stars I would. This place needs to close. One of the chefs saw I was cleaning something I had spilled on my shirt and offered to "lick it off my shirt" and even when I said excuse me, he continued to repeat himself. Who in their right mind says something like this to any woman in any circumstance!? I am baffled to see such places that permit this. One other chef asked my brother to "calm" down when my brother just wanted to let him know he wanted white rice not fried rice.
(1)
Amber S.
I would skip this Osaka location and go to one of the better ones. The ambience was seriously lacking in the side room where we sat - it looked like we were in somebody's basement or a VFW or something, and they had half-heartedly decorated with some random asian decor from the dollar store. Lighting was weird. We had a 7:30 reservation for a birthday party and waited 1 hour to be sat and another 45 minutes to get our chef. The staff seemed very confused about the reservation even though it was called in and confirmed multiple times. Service just to get waters to our table was painfully slow on a Monday night. Another party was sat, got their chef, and was eating before we even got our waters. The food was OK but the chef took forever cooking it because he was spending more time making dirty jokes and squirting sake into everyone's mouths than cooking. I would recommend going to Benihana's instead.
(2)
Mercedes T.
Not as bad as a lot of comments say! I read these Yelp comments before going to Osaka in Maplewood and was worried how my experience would turn out. Not sure if these comments are from REALLY snooty people who expect 5-star food/service everywhere, if it was just a rare occurrence, or if they went to a different Osaka (there is more than one - we went to Maplewood's Osaka.) PS- if you think it's going to be busy, this restaurant did say they take reservations... I'm thinking it's typically less busy on the Sushi-Side considering the Hibachi Side is like a dinner and a show... We went on a Saturday night for dinner and it was far from being 'packed'. We were seated immediately. There were definitely more people in the Hibachi side but it was also a lot noisier over there, although it sounded like a lot of fun. It all depends on what you like. We were there for Sushi so we were seated in the 'dining/sushi' area. The atmosphere was pleasant. This Maplewood Osaka seems very beautiful and open on the interior (was worried because the outside is sketchy). Although I was a little disappointed with the pop music playing (would have liked more authentic music - but this isn't the end of the world). The waitresses were Caucasian which was surprising and pleasant, considering they could speak perfect English - it made communication a lot easier than expected, especially since we had questions. But the chefs behind the Sushi Bar definitely looked Japanese - which was GREAT to see. For 2 of us we ordered an appetizer and 2 rolls and 1 dessert (could have skipped dessert) which was a perfect amount of food for us. The waitress said for 2 people, 2-3 rolls was good, but you can always order more if it doesn't seem like it will be enough. The rolls were DELICIOUS I thought. Of course, this was my first time trying food like this, but I really really enjoyed it and it looked very pretty. We had to take a picture!! I only gave it a 4 because I really have nothing to compare it to...so I am unsure how it would rank with similar restaurants. And also, the prices seemed a little steeper than I would've liked to see... but it really isn't TOO high. I think maybe for the presentation and stuff, the price is probably OK...
(4)
Thomas M.
It was enjoyable. Although they did make a few mistakes, i.e initially geytting orders wrong, they more than made up it. They went out of their way for our kids and our kids had a blast! We got a ton of food, including those mistaken orders (which we did get for free). They had a kids version of the saki pour where they squeeze it in folks mouths. We were a bit apprehensive at first but after I tried it first to be safe that it wasn't Saki, (confirmed it was apple juice) we let the kids join the fun.
(4)
Emily O.
I, too, have been waiting for a sushi venue to arrive on the east side. I guess I should try lunch because I have heard the all you can eat special is a great deal. Spendy for just okay sushi. Two of their rolls are pretty good, but I always end up spending around $35/ person. Customer service is always great @ the sushi bar & when you sit here, the samples are plentiful :) Aside from the price, their saketini is great. A plum vodka-sake mixture garnished with cucumber makes this drink a must have. Just a side note: There is a disco ball in the teppanyaki area & it is extremely loud & distracting.
(3)
peter y.
I've been waiting for a good (or any) sushi place on the East Side for sometime now, and Osaka delivers, for the most part. They have a lunch all-you-can-eat sushi buffet for an extremely reasonable price, and they also serve many other warm foods besides just sushi. They had steamed crayfish, battered and fried frog legs, and some more of the basic traditional Asian buffet foods like fried rice, sweet and sour soup, and beef/chicken and broccoli stir fry. I do have to say that their food quality is only slightly above average. Yes, you can find better tasting sushi and sashimi, better spare ribs, or better fried wings, but this place's price, service, selection and convenience are 2nd to none.
(4)
Tony R.
Osaka where have you been? I have been looking for a Japanese style grill for quite sometime in the St.Paul area, and thanks to YELP I found one !!! It took me awhile to decide on going here since all of the photo's on Yelp for this restaurant showed Sushi only and most of the reviews talked so highly of this. Finally I came across a review that mentioned the Hibachi, still unsure if this was going to be what I was looking for, I took chance and stopped in for dinner. What wonderful surprise when we walked in and were immediately greeted kindly by two hostesses and the manager. They brought us back to the large Hibachi area I think they had at least 8 cooking stations that hold 10 people per station. Once seated we asked about the wine selection and decided on a bottle of wine. The manager was so kind he actually came over with a sample of the wine before bringing us a bottle to be sure it was exactly what we wanted. Proceeding to a very nice little menu for a Hibachi grill we were able to order Filet Mignon & Chicken as our main dish, with Fried rice, noodles, soup & salad for sides. The excitement of the night was our wonderful Chef Tim, who put on a great show full of comedy and skill. Tim kept everyone at the table involved with his flashy cooking style (Flames and Cutlery Tricks) and constant jokes, also a little extra Sake guzzling for us all as Tim had a pour for us all and would use is signature line "More SAKE make more happy". The wait staff was also excellent and would have your dishes and plates cleared before you knew it making room for the next entree that Tim was cooking up. Osaka is a throwback to how a dining experience should be, with every single employee from the busboy to the manager clearly wanting each and every customer to have a great experience and feel like Kings & Queens for the night. This will be my new regular dinning hotspot.
(5)
Kim L.
Needed a quick yet nice meal before hitting a show at The Myth. Took a chance and WOW ! Great quality for the price. We went the sushi route. Two of us split 3 rolls and each had a cocktail for $60. The rolls were enormous and beautifully executed. Highly recommend their Maplewood roll. Great service-waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. This location has experienced sushi chefs. Great value and super convenient.
(4)
Chris M.
I'm not sure if it's the location, the strip mall facade, the fact that I pretend I have some indie cred, or the fact I can't necessarily think of anything either great nor bad to say about Osaka, but in the end it has landed me at a middle-of-the-road perspective of this joint. Appearances here are a bit deceiving, as inside the strip mall facade Osaka has a fairly sizable sushi bar, a number of teppanyaki tables and a decently sized bar area; the space is much more sizable and inviting than it looks from the outside. I have only sat in the two bar areas, but their full menu is available regardless of where you choose to sit. The cuisine has been a bit of a mixed bag. I've had some surprisingly enjoyable dishes here (pineapple lobster being tops on that list), but I have never been too excited with their sushi. Service also seems to be in the same vain, sometimes good, sometimes so-so.
(3)
Michelle H.
Love, love, love the Maplewood Osaka. They tend to be busy, so make a reservation. The cooks are experienced and fun, but the stand out is the food. I've never had better quality hibachi food. The scallops are huge, the fillet is tender and delicious, the fried rice is the best, and the Sushi is top notch. They also make a fabulous cospmopolitan. It's more fun if you go with at least 4-6 people, since otherwise you sit with strangers. Also, be prepared to wait a few minutes after you sit down. They have a certain number of cooks and they time it so you sit and look at the menu while they finish up their last table, so if you are starving and impatient, you may not be happy. Our favorites are Tim and Jimmy, but we've never had a bad meal here.
(5)
Kenny L.
If you are looking for the lunch buffet it is no longer available Monday-Thursday! This use to be one of my favorite lunch spots because of the lunch buffet. Went there on a Thursday and the parking lot was completely empty. Thought it was a little weird until I came up to the door to be greeted by the new lunch menu. The buffet is now only available Fri-Sun. Went in and the hostess showed us the lunch menu, your normal offerings of some rolls combo, nigiri combo and they also offered happy hour prices on everything (~30% off). Most items were $10 or more but it just didn't seem worth it at all. We walked out and drove to Akita instead. Guess I didn't try the food so I can't comment if it's any good.
(2)
Thuy N.
The fish here smell fishy and fresh fish is not suppose to be like that. Hope I don't get sick eating here.
(1)
Ryan H.
If there were a zero star option that would be more fitting. We've been sitting at a table in the bar for 10 minutes now without anyone approaching us. Massive fail. Don't come to this excuse for a restaurant.
(1)
Saif K.
I love it!!!! I have been here twice in a row for my birthday. That alone should tell one how great this place is. My chef, Tries was nothing short of phenomenal. The food is bloody great!! The manager, David also does a great job to make sure things run smoothly. Get a groupon or coupon to make the most of your experience, this place has a lot of good deals going on most of the time. I love teppanyaki grills and Osaka definitely hits the spot!!!!
(5)
Charlene R.
Went here for dinner. We sat at an Hibachi table. It was fun. Food was really good and the chef was entertaining. Had the filet, lobster, scallop and shrimp combo for two. Yum. Second visit was for sushi, at the sushi bar. Delicious. They had a wide variety and I only like to eat the vegetarian sushi. The hubby loved the variety as well.
(4)
Rachael F.
Had my first experience with Hibachi here. It was excellent! We ordered the Steak, Shrimp and Lobster for two. It was so much food and really yummy! The Sake-Tini was also really good. The chef was entertaining and funny, and we got lots of shots of sake squirted into our mouths! I'll definitely be coming back again.
(4)
Helen T.
I have only been here for lunch buffet so far and I love it. The atmosphere is nice and the ambiance is great. The staff treats you very well too. I would totally recommend this place for a good place to hang out.
(4)
Joshua W.
Went here for the lunch buffet to Maple-hood...really surprised this place is open since most of the other businesses around it look dilapidated or about to close. Came for the buffet, not as much selection as previous Osakas I've been to, but this location was smaller in size also. Overall it was an OK experience.
(3)
Karyn P.
I love the sushi here. I have never had a bad meal here and the service is always good. But the rolls are to die for.
(4)
Jennell E.
We went here to celebrate my brother's birthday. I was a little apprehensive due to the location and the outside appearance, but was pleasantly surprised when I got inside. Also, in past experiences at hibachi places, I go in knowing you pay for the experience and the "show" and not necessarily the food. I have to say all the food they brought out and prepared was excellent. Had the Filet Mignon but tried a bite of scallop, shrimp and chicken. All the accompaniments were equally tasty! Our server and chef were wonderful, very accommodating and entertaining. They comped a roll we ordered because it wasn't brought out quick enough. Very pleased with the whole experience, I do recommend finding a coupon (on their website or in the mailers) because it can be expensive.
(5)
Christine L.
With the lack of great, non-overpriced sushi joints in the Twin Cities, the most bang for your buck is here. They offer nigiri during their lunch buffet at a reasonable price.
(4)
Meg T.
They recently changed their buffet hours. It's only Friday - Sunday's, 11 am - 3:30 pm.
(4)
Fres T.
decent sushi. decent lunch buffet. decent night time hangout. nothing spectacular.
(3)
Marco C.
Well I have been to a lot of places with similar Japanese style to this one, however this one was a very worth wild endeavor. The atmosphere was not only good, but the good was as well. The service was wonderful and the menu was very affordable. The chef did lots of tricks as well as had a humors side. The only reason I cannot give this a 5 star is because the noise level was ridiculous, the night I came there were many people, like college kids having birthdays, they were at different tables but very loud. And also the way they celebrate birthdays leaves alot yup desire, your during there and then you see a strobe light come on, your like what the heck, big distraction, and for a japanese hibachi style restaurant I didn't find that to be to my liking. But spoke to the manager who was very accommodating, and he said the time we came in could be a little of the younger crowd, and digested times that might be better. Didn't get a chance to try the sushi bar, however my date tried the sushi and seemed to love it, but said it was very pricey, we didn't want to wait till 9 pm for happy hour so, there you have it, I'm Marco and I approve this message ;)
(4)
Deb S.
I come for lunch for the all you can eat sushi. I don't even look at the other food on the buffet, the sushi is so good. They have an amazing variety to try, and I didn't find one I didn't like. I wish more of Osakas had this sushi buffet, I have to drive a long ways from my house to get to this one but it's worth it.
(5)
Nathan B.
Our girls are pretty good eaters but one thing they have never clung onto was Asian food. We took them to Osaka and we got them to eat rice for the first time. They tried pretty much everything on their plate and ate really well. Our girls are pretty young but the chef and server reached out to them throughout the night. As for myself and the adult in the party we ate very well too. I went to the Roseville and had a great time for New Year Eve. This location was just as good. Loved everything on my plate. Server was very accommodating.
(5)
Y. L. V.
We were pleased to see this place open at 11 am on a Sunday. As for our dining experience, the food was good. My husband really enjoyed his sushi. However, I didn't get what I ordered. I ordered three different vegetarian rolls from the menu. One was the vegetable roll, one was sweet potato, and one was some kind of Japanese squash roll. When the waitress brought out the food, she brought me two sweet potato rolls, and a vegetable roll that with completely different vegetables than described on the menu. She attempted to explain to me that in Japanese the word for squash and sweet potato is the same, so that's why the chefs made me two sweet potato rolls, even though they are listed as two different rolls on the menu. I was hoping for some variety, not a dozen pieces of sweet potato rolls, even though they were good. When I pointed out to her that the vegetable roll on the menu was supposed to have cream cheese and asparagus and avocado, and none of those were in the one she brought, she took care of it and had the chefs make me a new one. Overall the food was good, but I think there were some language difficulties with our waitress, as well as the chefs. The food is good, but beware that you may not get what you order. When we got the bill, though, she had charged me for the three different vegetarian rolls, at different prices, even though she only brought out two different kinds.
(3)
Becca H.
If I could give this place negative stars, I would, The servers are terrible, and they refuse to honor valid groupons. To top it all of, my girlfriend and I got sick after eating there. Seriously, this place is easily the worst restaurant in the twin cities.
(1)
Valerie H.
It was my first time to a hibachi for my uncle's birthday. I didn't know what to expect but the two chefs we had (we filled up two tables) were not only hilarious and attended to us well, they did very impressive tricks and gave us multiple saki shots. The owner was very nice as well and even came out to talk to my aunt and uncle! I love this place! Can't wait to return! :)
(5)
Joseph C.
Great food- the fried rice is fantastic. The staff was very friendly and quite entertaining. Definitely a must go.
(4)
Stefanie D.
Full disclosure: we didn't stay to eat, so I can't attest to the quality of the food. We were misled as to the length of our wait time and were placated with "free" drinks (I'll get to that later). Party of 7 (for a birthday) had a reservation at 7:00pm. All members of the party were on time but we all waited in the bar until 8:00pm, when our table was "ready" (Strike 1). We were seated and offered a complimentary round of drinks to apologize for our wait - awesome! But not really... The "manager" came over to apologize for the wait and 10 minutes later our drink orders were taken. During the wait for our drinks, we also requested that some water. Water was served approximately 15-20 minutes later, with the drinks following shortly thereafter (Strike 2). A complimentary order of dumplings and edamame were also brought during our wait, which was a nice thought, but we had already been waiting 1.5 hours after our reservation time Soup and salads were also served during the continued wait, which helped, but is expected service when it's detailed on the menu as part of your dinner. 9:00pm rolls around and we decide that we're going to leave because we still don't have a chef at our table.It's understandable that a Saturday night will be busy, but it appeared that the restaurant was short chefs and rather than be honest with us, they decided a round of drinks and some apps would suffice. A member of our party requested to speak to the manager again only to find out that he wasn't actually there and the "manager" that had apologized for our wait previously was not really who they claimed to be (Strike 3). Upon our notice that we were preparing to leave, our waiter let us know that our food was "coming out next." We assertively let him know that a 2 hour wait with a reservation is ridiculous and we were prepared to leave. Our waiter, who was only relaying information he was told, I'm sure, let us know that if we were leaving we'd have to pay for our drinks. Yes, the complimentary drinks they offered due to the long wait... When we questioned why we would have to pay for drinks that we were told were free, we were told that if we didn't pay for them that the police would be contacted. Okay, crazies, I'll pay for my $7 drink just to get out of there (Strike x Infinity). Approximately 9:20, we leave the building and head to another local restaurant to finish our night. Bottom line: If you're short staffed on a busy Saturday night, just be honest. Tell us there is an extended wait time before and after being seated so we can decide if we're willing to stick around. Duping us into staying and then threatening to call the police when we've had enough is not the best customer service. I'm sure we were there on an off night, but it was a less than satisfactory situation handled terribly and I will not be back anytime soon.
(1)
Paul L.
Just wow. This is a very good sushi restraunt. The chef is a master and the owner is one skilled service man. Ok I ordered standard fare. Miso soup, ginger salad, and a Chirashi entree, with Sapporo beer. The fish was amazing, fresh scallop, and clam so tender. I ordered six more pieces of scallop. Remember this is a sushi place, so order sushi the right way, ask the chef what is best today, they know. Maki are good and the chef can get creative, but at the end of the day it is all about amazing fish.
(5)
Inti M.
The food was not great but OK for the price, I guess. Good for quick last-minute takeout plans (too dirty to dine in). Jessie our server was great. There are two hibachi cooks that were outright JERKS, however. Cook #1 saw that my sister had spilled some sauce on her blouse and said to her, "I can lick it off, if you want." We didn't believe what we were hearing but he repeated himself. Are you kidding me?!? Since we were halfway through our meal we didn't want to leave just yet. Then Cook #2 yelled at me "Calm down" after I politely told him I hadn't ordered fried rice, but steamed rice instead. I told him he was the one who had to calm down, to which he yelled, "You are the rudest customer I've ever seen." Whoa! What?! Will never come back again.
(1)
Carlos P.
First time here, visiting from San Diego. Sushi lover and have been to my share of very busy sushi spot, corporate and mom and pop shops. Food: ordered miso soup and a rainbow roll. Miso soup lacked flavor, almost like they used a low sodium broth. Rainbow roll was actually decent. Overall 3/5 Service: sloooooow. The sushi side was dead, we were the second full table in a room with 10 tables. Miso soup came out first in a reasonable time. The rest of the food for a party of 5 took almost 50 minutes. The worst part is that nobody came to update us on the status. 1/5. Overall I would not recommend this place if it takes this long with it being so dead. Sushi is just ok. Miso is blah, I've had better soup from a can.
(2)
Tony B.
Well im really bummed they took away the buffet. I guess it was too good to last. Now its back to 40 dollar lunches if you want to get a fair share of sushi.
(3)
Emily O.
I, too, have been waiting for a sushi venue to arrive on the east side. I guess I should try lunch because I have heard the all you can eat special is a great deal. Spendy for just okay sushi. Two of their rolls are pretty good, but I always end up spending around $35/ person. Customer service is always great @ the sushi bar & when you sit here, the samples are plentiful :) Aside from the price, their saketini is great. A plum vodka-sake mixture garnished with cucumber makes this drink a must have. Just a side note: There is a disco ball in the teppanyaki area & it is extremely loud & distracting.
(3)
peter y.
I've been waiting for a good (or any) sushi place on the East Side for sometime now, and Osaka delivers, for the most part. They have a lunch all-you-can-eat sushi buffet for an extremely reasonable price, and they also serve many other warm foods besides just sushi. They had steamed crayfish, battered and fried frog legs, and some more of the basic traditional Asian buffet foods like fried rice, sweet and sour soup, and beef/chicken and broccoli stir fry. I do have to say that their food quality is only slightly above average. Yes, you can find better tasting sushi and sashimi, better spare ribs, or better fried wings, but this place's price, service, selection and convenience are 2nd to none.
(4)
Tony B.
Well im really bummed they took away the buffet. I guess it was too good to last. Now its back to 40 dollar lunches if you want to get a fair share of sushi.
(3)
Helen T.
I have only been here for lunch buffet so far and I love it. The atmosphere is nice and the ambiance is great. The staff treats you very well too. I would totally recommend this place for a good place to hang out.
(4)
Joshua W.
Went here for the lunch buffet to Maple-hood...really surprised this place is open since most of the other businesses around it look dilapidated or about to close. Came for the buffet, not as much selection as previous Osakas I've been to, but this location was smaller in size also. Overall it was an OK experience.
(3)
Karyn P.
I love the sushi here. I have never had a bad meal here and the service is always good. But the rolls are to die for.
(4)
Jennell E.
We went here to celebrate my brother's birthday. I was a little apprehensive due to the location and the outside appearance, but was pleasantly surprised when I got inside. Also, in past experiences at hibachi places, I go in knowing you pay for the experience and the "show" and not necessarily the food. I have to say all the food they brought out and prepared was excellent. Had the Filet Mignon but tried a bite of scallop, shrimp and chicken. All the accompaniments were equally tasty! Our server and chef were wonderful, very accommodating and entertaining. They comped a roll we ordered because it wasn't brought out quick enough. Very pleased with the whole experience, I do recommend finding a coupon (on their website or in the mailers) because it can be expensive.
(5)
Tony N.
Love the place. Especially when they squirt Saki in your mouth at the table. I wish they gave away Birthday Dinners like Benihanas does. We would go there a lot more often!
(5)
Benjamin Y.
Very friendly environment. The Hibachi shows are entertaining. Manager is cool. My favorite dishes here are the lamb chops, fried rice with a side of yummy sauce, and their lobster.
(4)
Ron M.
We went on a Saturday night. We were seated next to a batchlorette party. They were so noisey that we could not hear our waitress and she could not hear us. After trying to talk to each other, with no sucess, we got up and left because of the noise. Two other couples from our table and another couple form another table followed us out. Other couples were looking around and also thinking of escape. I'm sure that they made money of the batchlorette party but lost at least 4 couples that wanted to spend money. To bad that they do not have a private room for groups like that one.
(1)
Ken T.
Unbelievably fast sushi chef!! Placed specialty roll orders and every one of them was out in under 10 min! And delicious.
(5)
Inti M.
The food was not great but OK for the price, I guess. Good for quick last-minute takeout plans (too dirty to dine in). Jessie our server was great. There are two hibachi cooks that were outright JERKS, however. Cook #1 saw that my sister had spilled some sauce on her blouse and said to her, "I can lick it off, if you want." We didn't believe what we were hearing but he repeated himself. Are you kidding me?!? Since we were halfway through our meal we didn't want to leave just yet. Then Cook #2 yelled at me "Calm down" after I politely told him I hadn't ordered fried rice, but steamed rice instead. I told him he was the one who had to calm down, to which he yelled, "You are the rudest customer I've ever seen." Whoa! What?! Will never come back again.
(1)
Carlos P.
First time here, visiting from San Diego. Sushi lover and have been to my share of very busy sushi spot, corporate and mom and pop shops. Food: ordered miso soup and a rainbow roll. Miso soup lacked flavor, almost like they used a low sodium broth. Rainbow roll was actually decent. Overall 3/5 Service: sloooooow. The sushi side was dead, we were the second full table in a room with 10 tables. Miso soup came out first in a reasonable time. The rest of the food for a party of 5 took almost 50 minutes. The worst part is that nobody came to update us on the status. 1/5. Overall I would not recommend this place if it takes this long with it being so dead. Sushi is just ok. Miso is blah, I've had better soup from a can.
(2)
Emilee L.
I really enjoyed this restaurant for their sushi and today, for my birthday, I went to have the hibachi with my family. The food was great, but our hibachi cook was an arrogant idiot. I am in a young girl in a wheelchair and my cook looks at me says, "Boy, must suck to be in a wheelchair on your birthday". I am more than offended. I was and still am irate. Because of this arrogant comment, I am not going back.
(1)
Mercedes T.
Not as bad as a lot of comments say! I read these Yelp comments before going to Osaka in Maplewood and was worried how my experience would turn out. Not sure if these comments are from REALLY snooty people who expect 5-star food/service everywhere, if it was just a rare occurrence, or if they went to a different Osaka (there is more than one - we went to Maplewood's Osaka.) PS- if you think it's going to be busy, this restaurant did say they take reservations... I'm thinking it's typically less busy on the Sushi-Side considering the Hibachi Side is like a dinner and a show... We went on a Saturday night for dinner and it was far from being 'packed'. We were seated immediately. There were definitely more people in the Hibachi side but it was also a lot noisier over there, although it sounded like a lot of fun. It all depends on what you like. We were there for Sushi so we were seated in the 'dining/sushi' area. The atmosphere was pleasant. This Maplewood Osaka seems very beautiful and open on the interior (was worried because the outside is sketchy). Although I was a little disappointed with the pop music playing (would have liked more authentic music - but this isn't the end of the world). The waitresses were Caucasian which was surprising and pleasant, considering they could speak perfect English - it made communication a lot easier than expected, especially since we had questions. But the chefs behind the Sushi Bar definitely looked Japanese - which was GREAT to see. For 2 of us we ordered an appetizer and 2 rolls and 1 dessert (could have skipped dessert) which was a perfect amount of food for us. The waitress said for 2 people, 2-3 rolls was good, but you can always order more if it doesn't seem like it will be enough. The rolls were DELICIOUS I thought. Of course, this was my first time trying food like this, but I really really enjoyed it and it looked very pretty. We had to take a picture!! I only gave it a 4 because I really have nothing to compare it to...so I am unsure how it would rank with similar restaurants. And also, the prices seemed a little steeper than I would've liked to see... but it really isn't TOO high. I think maybe for the presentation and stuff, the price is probably OK...
(4)
Amma M.
If I could give no stars I would. This place needs to close. One of the chefs saw I was cleaning something I had spilled on my shirt and offered to "lick it off my shirt" and even when I said excuse me, he continued to repeat himself. Who in their right mind says something like this to any woman in any circumstance!? I am baffled to see such places that permit this. One other chef asked my brother to "calm" down when my brother just wanted to let him know he wanted white rice not fried rice.
(1)
Charlene R.
Went here for dinner. We sat at an Hibachi table. It was fun. Food was really good and the chef was entertaining. Had the filet, lobster, scallop and shrimp combo for two. Yum. Second visit was for sushi, at the sushi bar. Delicious. They had a wide variety and I only like to eat the vegetarian sushi. The hubby loved the variety as well.
(4)
Rachael F.
Had my first experience with Hibachi here. It was excellent! We ordered the Steak, Shrimp and Lobster for two. It was so much food and really yummy! The Sake-Tini was also really good. The chef was entertaining and funny, and we got lots of shots of sake squirted into our mouths! I'll definitely be coming back again.
(4)
Stefanie D.
Full disclosure: we didn't stay to eat, so I can't attest to the quality of the food. We were misled as to the length of our wait time and were placated with "free" drinks (I'll get to that later). Party of 7 (for a birthday) had a reservation at 7:00pm. All members of the party were on time but we all waited in the bar until 8:00pm, when our table was "ready" (Strike 1). We were seated and offered a complimentary round of drinks to apologize for our wait - awesome! But not really... The "manager" came over to apologize for the wait and 10 minutes later our drink orders were taken. During the wait for our drinks, we also requested that some water. Water was served approximately 15-20 minutes later, with the drinks following shortly thereafter (Strike 2). A complimentary order of dumplings and edamame were also brought during our wait, which was a nice thought, but we had already been waiting 1.5 hours after our reservation time Soup and salads were also served during the continued wait, which helped, but is expected service when it's detailed on the menu as part of your dinner. 9:00pm rolls around and we decide that we're going to leave because we still don't have a chef at our table.It's understandable that a Saturday night will be busy, but it appeared that the restaurant was short chefs and rather than be honest with us, they decided a round of drinks and some apps would suffice. A member of our party requested to speak to the manager again only to find out that he wasn't actually there and the "manager" that had apologized for our wait previously was not really who they claimed to be (Strike 3). Upon our notice that we were preparing to leave, our waiter let us know that our food was "coming out next." We assertively let him know that a 2 hour wait with a reservation is ridiculous and we were prepared to leave. Our waiter, who was only relaying information he was told, I'm sure, let us know that if we were leaving we'd have to pay for our drinks. Yes, the complimentary drinks they offered due to the long wait... When we questioned why we would have to pay for drinks that we were told were free, we were told that if we didn't pay for them that the police would be contacted. Okay, crazies, I'll pay for my $7 drink just to get out of there (Strike x Infinity). Approximately 9:20, we leave the building and head to another local restaurant to finish our night. Bottom line: If you're short staffed on a busy Saturday night, just be honest. Tell us there is an extended wait time before and after being seated so we can decide if we're willing to stick around. Duping us into staying and then threatening to call the police when we've had enough is not the best customer service. I'm sure we were there on an off night, but it was a less than satisfactory situation handled terribly and I will not be back anytime soon.
(1)
Paul L.
Just wow. This is a very good sushi restraunt. The chef is a master and the owner is one skilled service man. Ok I ordered standard fare. Miso soup, ginger salad, and a Chirashi entree, with Sapporo beer. The fish was amazing, fresh scallop, and clam so tender. I ordered six more pieces of scallop. Remember this is a sushi place, so order sushi the right way, ask the chef what is best today, they know. Maki are good and the chef can get creative, but at the end of the day it is all about amazing fish.
(5)
Amber S.
I would skip this Osaka location and go to one of the better ones. The ambience was seriously lacking in the side room where we sat - it looked like we were in somebody's basement or a VFW or something, and they had half-heartedly decorated with some random asian decor from the dollar store. Lighting was weird. We had a 7:30 reservation for a birthday party and waited 1 hour to be sat and another 45 minutes to get our chef. The staff seemed very confused about the reservation even though it was called in and confirmed multiple times. Service just to get waters to our table was painfully slow on a Monday night. Another party was sat, got their chef, and was eating before we even got our waters. The food was OK but the chef took forever cooking it because he was spending more time making dirty jokes and squirting sake into everyone's mouths than cooking. I would recommend going to Benihana's instead.
(2)
Tony R.
Osaka where have you been? I have been looking for a Japanese style grill for quite sometime in the St.Paul area, and thanks to YELP I found one !!! It took me awhile to decide on going here since all of the photo's on Yelp for this restaurant showed Sushi only and most of the reviews talked so highly of this. Finally I came across a review that mentioned the Hibachi, still unsure if this was going to be what I was looking for, I took chance and stopped in for dinner. What wonderful surprise when we walked in and were immediately greeted kindly by two hostesses and the manager. They brought us back to the large Hibachi area I think they had at least 8 cooking stations that hold 10 people per station. Once seated we asked about the wine selection and decided on a bottle of wine. The manager was so kind he actually came over with a sample of the wine before bringing us a bottle to be sure it was exactly what we wanted. Proceeding to a very nice little menu for a Hibachi grill we were able to order Filet Mignon & Chicken as our main dish, with Fried rice, noodles, soup & salad for sides. The excitement of the night was our wonderful Chef Tim, who put on a great show full of comedy and skill. Tim kept everyone at the table involved with his flashy cooking style (Flames and Cutlery Tricks) and constant jokes, also a little extra Sake guzzling for us all as Tim had a pour for us all and would use is signature line "More SAKE make more happy". The wait staff was also excellent and would have your dishes and plates cleared before you knew it making room for the next entree that Tim was cooking up. Osaka is a throwback to how a dining experience should be, with every single employee from the busboy to the manager clearly wanting each and every customer to have a great experience and feel like Kings & Queens for the night. This will be my new regular dinning hotspot.
(5)
Kim L.
Needed a quick yet nice meal before hitting a show at The Myth. Took a chance and WOW ! Great quality for the price. We went the sushi route. Two of us split 3 rolls and each had a cocktail for $60. The rolls were enormous and beautifully executed. Highly recommend their Maplewood roll. Great service-waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. This location has experienced sushi chefs. Great value and super convenient.
(4)
Chris M.
I'm not sure if it's the location, the strip mall facade, the fact that I pretend I have some indie cred, or the fact I can't necessarily think of anything either great nor bad to say about Osaka, but in the end it has landed me at a middle-of-the-road perspective of this joint. Appearances here are a bit deceiving, as inside the strip mall facade Osaka has a fairly sizable sushi bar, a number of teppanyaki tables and a decently sized bar area; the space is much more sizable and inviting than it looks from the outside. I have only sat in the two bar areas, but their full menu is available regardless of where you choose to sit. The cuisine has been a bit of a mixed bag. I've had some surprisingly enjoyable dishes here (pineapple lobster being tops on that list), but I have never been too excited with their sushi. Service also seems to be in the same vain, sometimes good, sometimes so-so.
(3)
Michelle H.
Love, love, love the Maplewood Osaka. They tend to be busy, so make a reservation. The cooks are experienced and fun, but the stand out is the food. I've never had better quality hibachi food. The scallops are huge, the fillet is tender and delicious, the fried rice is the best, and the Sushi is top notch. They also make a fabulous cospmopolitan. It's more fun if you go with at least 4-6 people, since otherwise you sit with strangers. Also, be prepared to wait a few minutes after you sit down. They have a certain number of cooks and they time it so you sit and look at the menu while they finish up their last table, so if you are starving and impatient, you may not be happy. Our favorites are Tim and Jimmy, but we've never had a bad meal here.
(5)
Kenny L.
If you are looking for the lunch buffet it is no longer available Monday-Thursday! This use to be one of my favorite lunch spots because of the lunch buffet. Went there on a Thursday and the parking lot was completely empty. Thought it was a little weird until I came up to the door to be greeted by the new lunch menu. The buffet is now only available Fri-Sun. Went in and the hostess showed us the lunch menu, your normal offerings of some rolls combo, nigiri combo and they also offered happy hour prices on everything (~30% off). Most items were $10 or more but it just didn't seem worth it at all. We walked out and drove to Akita instead. Guess I didn't try the food so I can't comment if it's any good.
(2)
Thuy N.
The fish here smell fishy and fresh fish is not suppose to be like that. Hope I don't get sick eating here.
(1)
Ryan H.
If there were a zero star option that would be more fitting. We've been sitting at a table in the bar for 10 minutes now without anyone approaching us. Massive fail. Don't come to this excuse for a restaurant.
(1)
Saif K.
I love it!!!! I have been here twice in a row for my birthday. That alone should tell one how great this place is. My chef, Tries was nothing short of phenomenal. The food is bloody great!! The manager, David also does a great job to make sure things run smoothly. Get a groupon or coupon to make the most of your experience, this place has a lot of good deals going on most of the time. I love teppanyaki grills and Osaka definitely hits the spot!!!!
(5)
Thomas M.
It was enjoyable. Although they did make a few mistakes, i.e initially geytting orders wrong, they more than made up it. They went out of their way for our kids and our kids had a blast! We got a ton of food, including those mistaken orders (which we did get for free). They had a kids version of the saki pour where they squeeze it in folks mouths. We were a bit apprehensive at first but after I tried it first to be safe that it wasn't Saki, (confirmed it was apple juice) we let the kids join the fun.
(4)
Marco C.
Well I have been to a lot of places with similar Japanese style to this one, however this one was a very worth wild endeavor. The atmosphere was not only good, but the good was as well. The service was wonderful and the menu was very affordable. The chef did lots of tricks as well as had a humors side. The only reason I cannot give this a 5 star is because the noise level was ridiculous, the night I came there were many people, like college kids having birthdays, they were at different tables but very loud. And also the way they celebrate birthdays leaves alot yup desire, your during there and then you see a strobe light come on, your like what the heck, big distraction, and for a japanese hibachi style restaurant I didn't find that to be to my liking. But spoke to the manager who was very accommodating, and he said the time we came in could be a little of the younger crowd, and digested times that might be better. Didn't get a chance to try the sushi bar, however my date tried the sushi and seemed to love it, but said it was very pricey, we didn't want to wait till 9 pm for happy hour so, there you have it, I'm Marco and I approve this message ;)
(4)
Deb S.
I come for lunch for the all you can eat sushi. I don't even look at the other food on the buffet, the sushi is so good. They have an amazing variety to try, and I didn't find one I didn't like. I wish more of Osakas had this sushi buffet, I have to drive a long ways from my house to get to this one but it's worth it.
(5)
Nathan B.
Our girls are pretty good eaters but one thing they have never clung onto was Asian food. We took them to Osaka and we got them to eat rice for the first time. They tried pretty much everything on their plate and ate really well. Our girls are pretty young but the chef and server reached out to them throughout the night. As for myself and the adult in the party we ate very well too. I went to the Roseville and had a great time for New Year Eve. This location was just as good. Loved everything on my plate. Server was very accommodating.
(5)
Christine L.
With the lack of great, non-overpriced sushi joints in the Twin Cities, the most bang for your buck is here. They offer nigiri during their lunch buffet at a reasonable price.
(4)
Y. L. V.
We were pleased to see this place open at 11 am on a Sunday. As for our dining experience, the food was good. My husband really enjoyed his sushi. However, I didn't get what I ordered. I ordered three different vegetarian rolls from the menu. One was the vegetable roll, one was sweet potato, and one was some kind of Japanese squash roll. When the waitress brought out the food, she brought me two sweet potato rolls, and a vegetable roll that with completely different vegetables than described on the menu. She attempted to explain to me that in Japanese the word for squash and sweet potato is the same, so that's why the chefs made me two sweet potato rolls, even though they are listed as two different rolls on the menu. I was hoping for some variety, not a dozen pieces of sweet potato rolls, even though they were good. When I pointed out to her that the vegetable roll on the menu was supposed to have cream cheese and asparagus and avocado, and none of those were in the one she brought, she took care of it and had the chefs make me a new one. Overall the food was good, but I think there were some language difficulties with our waitress, as well as the chefs. The food is good, but beware that you may not get what you order. When we got the bill, though, she had charged me for the three different vegetarian rolls, at different prices, even though she only brought out two different kinds.
(3)
Becca H.
If I could give this place negative stars, I would, The servers are terrible, and they refuse to honor valid groupons. To top it all of, my girlfriend and I got sick after eating there. Seriously, this place is easily the worst restaurant in the twin cities.
(1)
Valerie H.
It was my first time to a hibachi for my uncle's birthday. I didn't know what to expect but the two chefs we had (we filled up two tables) were not only hilarious and attended to us well, they did very impressive tricks and gave us multiple saki shots. The owner was very nice as well and even came out to talk to my aunt and uncle! I love this place! Can't wait to return! :)
(5)
Joseph C.
Great food- the fried rice is fantastic. The staff was very friendly and quite entertaining. Definitely a must go.
(4)
Meg T.
They recently changed their buffet hours. It's only Friday - Sunday's, 11 am - 3:30 pm.
(4)
Fres T.
decent sushi. decent lunch buffet. decent night time hangout. nothing spectacular.
(3)
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
Address :1900 County Rd D E,Ste 140
Maplewood, MN, 55109
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Ken T.
Unbelievably fast sushi chef!! Placed specialty roll orders and every one of them was out in under 10 min! And delicious.
(5)Emilee L.
I really enjoyed this restaurant for their sushi and today, for my birthday, I went to have the hibachi with my family. The food was great, but our hibachi cook was an arrogant idiot. I am in a young girl in a wheelchair and my cook looks at me says, "Boy, must suck to be in a wheelchair on your birthday". I am more than offended. I was and still am irate. Because of this arrogant comment, I am not going back.
(1)Tony N.
Love the place. Especially when they squirt Saki in your mouth at the table. I wish they gave away Birthday Dinners like Benihanas does. We would go there a lot more often!
(5)Benjamin Y.
Very friendly environment. The Hibachi shows are entertaining. Manager is cool. My favorite dishes here are the lamb chops, fried rice with a side of yummy sauce, and their lobster.
(4)Ron M.
We went on a Saturday night. We were seated next to a batchlorette party. They were so noisey that we could not hear our waitress and she could not hear us. After trying to talk to each other, with no sucess, we got up and left because of the noise. Two other couples from our table and another couple form another table followed us out. Other couples were looking around and also thinking of escape. I'm sure that they made money of the batchlorette party but lost at least 4 couples that wanted to spend money. To bad that they do not have a private room for groups like that one.
(1)Amma M.
If I could give no stars I would. This place needs to close. One of the chefs saw I was cleaning something I had spilled on my shirt and offered to "lick it off my shirt" and even when I said excuse me, he continued to repeat himself. Who in their right mind says something like this to any woman in any circumstance!? I am baffled to see such places that permit this. One other chef asked my brother to "calm" down when my brother just wanted to let him know he wanted white rice not fried rice.
(1)Amber S.
I would skip this Osaka location and go to one of the better ones. The ambience was seriously lacking in the side room where we sat - it looked like we were in somebody's basement or a VFW or something, and they had half-heartedly decorated with some random asian decor from the dollar store. Lighting was weird. We had a 7:30 reservation for a birthday party and waited 1 hour to be sat and another 45 minutes to get our chef. The staff seemed very confused about the reservation even though it was called in and confirmed multiple times. Service just to get waters to our table was painfully slow on a Monday night. Another party was sat, got their chef, and was eating before we even got our waters. The food was OK but the chef took forever cooking it because he was spending more time making dirty jokes and squirting sake into everyone's mouths than cooking. I would recommend going to Benihana's instead.
(2)Mercedes T.
Not as bad as a lot of comments say! I read these Yelp comments before going to Osaka in Maplewood and was worried how my experience would turn out. Not sure if these comments are from REALLY snooty people who expect 5-star food/service everywhere, if it was just a rare occurrence, or if they went to a different Osaka (there is more than one - we went to Maplewood's Osaka.) PS- if you think it's going to be busy, this restaurant did say they take reservations... I'm thinking it's typically less busy on the Sushi-Side considering the Hibachi Side is like a dinner and a show... We went on a Saturday night for dinner and it was far from being 'packed'. We were seated immediately. There were definitely more people in the Hibachi side but it was also a lot noisier over there, although it sounded like a lot of fun. It all depends on what you like. We were there for Sushi so we were seated in the 'dining/sushi' area. The atmosphere was pleasant. This Maplewood Osaka seems very beautiful and open on the interior (was worried because the outside is sketchy). Although I was a little disappointed with the pop music playing (would have liked more authentic music - but this isn't the end of the world). The waitresses were Caucasian which was surprising and pleasant, considering they could speak perfect English - it made communication a lot easier than expected, especially since we had questions. But the chefs behind the Sushi Bar definitely looked Japanese - which was GREAT to see. For 2 of us we ordered an appetizer and 2 rolls and 1 dessert (could have skipped dessert) which was a perfect amount of food for us. The waitress said for 2 people, 2-3 rolls was good, but you can always order more if it doesn't seem like it will be enough. The rolls were DELICIOUS I thought. Of course, this was my first time trying food like this, but I really really enjoyed it and it looked very pretty. We had to take a picture!! I only gave it a 4 because I really have nothing to compare it to...so I am unsure how it would rank with similar restaurants. And also, the prices seemed a little steeper than I would've liked to see... but it really isn't TOO high. I think maybe for the presentation and stuff, the price is probably OK...
(4)Thomas M.
It was enjoyable. Although they did make a few mistakes, i.e initially geytting orders wrong, they more than made up it. They went out of their way for our kids and our kids had a blast! We got a ton of food, including those mistaken orders (which we did get for free). They had a kids version of the saki pour where they squeeze it in folks mouths. We were a bit apprehensive at first but after I tried it first to be safe that it wasn't Saki, (confirmed it was apple juice) we let the kids join the fun.
(4)Emily O.
I, too, have been waiting for a sushi venue to arrive on the east side. I guess I should try lunch because I have heard the all you can eat special is a great deal. Spendy for just okay sushi. Two of their rolls are pretty good, but I always end up spending around $35/ person. Customer service is always great @ the sushi bar & when you sit here, the samples are plentiful :) Aside from the price, their saketini is great. A plum vodka-sake mixture garnished with cucumber makes this drink a must have. Just a side note: There is a disco ball in the teppanyaki area & it is extremely loud & distracting.
(3)peter y.
I've been waiting for a good (or any) sushi place on the East Side for sometime now, and Osaka delivers, for the most part. They have a lunch all-you-can-eat sushi buffet for an extremely reasonable price, and they also serve many other warm foods besides just sushi. They had steamed crayfish, battered and fried frog legs, and some more of the basic traditional Asian buffet foods like fried rice, sweet and sour soup, and beef/chicken and broccoli stir fry. I do have to say that their food quality is only slightly above average. Yes, you can find better tasting sushi and sashimi, better spare ribs, or better fried wings, but this place's price, service, selection and convenience are 2nd to none.
(4)Tony R.
Osaka where have you been? I have been looking for a Japanese style grill for quite sometime in the St.Paul area, and thanks to YELP I found one !!! It took me awhile to decide on going here since all of the photo's on Yelp for this restaurant showed Sushi only and most of the reviews talked so highly of this. Finally I came across a review that mentioned the Hibachi, still unsure if this was going to be what I was looking for, I took chance and stopped in for dinner. What wonderful surprise when we walked in and were immediately greeted kindly by two hostesses and the manager. They brought us back to the large Hibachi area I think they had at least 8 cooking stations that hold 10 people per station. Once seated we asked about the wine selection and decided on a bottle of wine. The manager was so kind he actually came over with a sample of the wine before bringing us a bottle to be sure it was exactly what we wanted. Proceeding to a very nice little menu for a Hibachi grill we were able to order Filet Mignon & Chicken as our main dish, with Fried rice, noodles, soup & salad for sides. The excitement of the night was our wonderful Chef Tim, who put on a great show full of comedy and skill. Tim kept everyone at the table involved with his flashy cooking style (Flames and Cutlery Tricks) and constant jokes, also a little extra Sake guzzling for us all as Tim had a pour for us all and would use is signature line "More SAKE make more happy". The wait staff was also excellent and would have your dishes and plates cleared before you knew it making room for the next entree that Tim was cooking up. Osaka is a throwback to how a dining experience should be, with every single employee from the busboy to the manager clearly wanting each and every customer to have a great experience and feel like Kings & Queens for the night. This will be my new regular dinning hotspot.
(5)Kim L.
Needed a quick yet nice meal before hitting a show at The Myth. Took a chance and WOW ! Great quality for the price. We went the sushi route. Two of us split 3 rolls and each had a cocktail for $60. The rolls were enormous and beautifully executed. Highly recommend their Maplewood roll. Great service-waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. This location has experienced sushi chefs. Great value and super convenient.
(4)Chris M.
I'm not sure if it's the location, the strip mall facade, the fact that I pretend I have some indie cred, or the fact I can't necessarily think of anything either great nor bad to say about Osaka, but in the end it has landed me at a middle-of-the-road perspective of this joint. Appearances here are a bit deceiving, as inside the strip mall facade Osaka has a fairly sizable sushi bar, a number of teppanyaki tables and a decently sized bar area; the space is much more sizable and inviting than it looks from the outside. I have only sat in the two bar areas, but their full menu is available regardless of where you choose to sit. The cuisine has been a bit of a mixed bag. I've had some surprisingly enjoyable dishes here (pineapple lobster being tops on that list), but I have never been too excited with their sushi. Service also seems to be in the same vain, sometimes good, sometimes so-so.
(3)Michelle H.
Love, love, love the Maplewood Osaka. They tend to be busy, so make a reservation. The cooks are experienced and fun, but the stand out is the food. I've never had better quality hibachi food. The scallops are huge, the fillet is tender and delicious, the fried rice is the best, and the Sushi is top notch. They also make a fabulous cospmopolitan. It's more fun if you go with at least 4-6 people, since otherwise you sit with strangers. Also, be prepared to wait a few minutes after you sit down. They have a certain number of cooks and they time it so you sit and look at the menu while they finish up their last table, so if you are starving and impatient, you may not be happy. Our favorites are Tim and Jimmy, but we've never had a bad meal here.
(5)Kenny L.
If you are looking for the lunch buffet it is no longer available Monday-Thursday! This use to be one of my favorite lunch spots because of the lunch buffet. Went there on a Thursday and the parking lot was completely empty. Thought it was a little weird until I came up to the door to be greeted by the new lunch menu. The buffet is now only available Fri-Sun. Went in and the hostess showed us the lunch menu, your normal offerings of some rolls combo, nigiri combo and they also offered happy hour prices on everything (~30% off). Most items were $10 or more but it just didn't seem worth it at all. We walked out and drove to Akita instead. Guess I didn't try the food so I can't comment if it's any good.
(2)Thuy N.
The fish here smell fishy and fresh fish is not suppose to be like that. Hope I don't get sick eating here.
(1)Ryan H.
If there were a zero star option that would be more fitting. We've been sitting at a table in the bar for 10 minutes now without anyone approaching us. Massive fail. Don't come to this excuse for a restaurant.
(1)Saif K.
I love it!!!! I have been here twice in a row for my birthday. That alone should tell one how great this place is. My chef, Tries was nothing short of phenomenal. The food is bloody great!! The manager, David also does a great job to make sure things run smoothly. Get a groupon or coupon to make the most of your experience, this place has a lot of good deals going on most of the time. I love teppanyaki grills and Osaka definitely hits the spot!!!!
(5)Charlene R.
Went here for dinner. We sat at an Hibachi table. It was fun. Food was really good and the chef was entertaining. Had the filet, lobster, scallop and shrimp combo for two. Yum. Second visit was for sushi, at the sushi bar. Delicious. They had a wide variety and I only like to eat the vegetarian sushi. The hubby loved the variety as well.
(4)Rachael F.
Had my first experience with Hibachi here. It was excellent! We ordered the Steak, Shrimp and Lobster for two. It was so much food and really yummy! The Sake-Tini was also really good. The chef was entertaining and funny, and we got lots of shots of sake squirted into our mouths! I'll definitely be coming back again.
(4)Helen T.
I have only been here for lunch buffet so far and I love it. The atmosphere is nice and the ambiance is great. The staff treats you very well too. I would totally recommend this place for a good place to hang out.
(4)Joshua W.
Went here for the lunch buffet to Maple-hood...really surprised this place is open since most of the other businesses around it look dilapidated or about to close. Came for the buffet, not as much selection as previous Osakas I've been to, but this location was smaller in size also. Overall it was an OK experience.
(3)Karyn P.
I love the sushi here. I have never had a bad meal here and the service is always good. But the rolls are to die for.
(4)Jennell E.
We went here to celebrate my brother's birthday. I was a little apprehensive due to the location and the outside appearance, but was pleasantly surprised when I got inside. Also, in past experiences at hibachi places, I go in knowing you pay for the experience and the "show" and not necessarily the food. I have to say all the food they brought out and prepared was excellent. Had the Filet Mignon but tried a bite of scallop, shrimp and chicken. All the accompaniments were equally tasty! Our server and chef were wonderful, very accommodating and entertaining. They comped a roll we ordered because it wasn't brought out quick enough. Very pleased with the whole experience, I do recommend finding a coupon (on their website or in the mailers) because it can be expensive.
(5)Christine L.
With the lack of great, non-overpriced sushi joints in the Twin Cities, the most bang for your buck is here. They offer nigiri during their lunch buffet at a reasonable price.
(4)Meg T.
They recently changed their buffet hours. It's only Friday - Sunday's, 11 am - 3:30 pm.
(4)Fres T.
decent sushi. decent lunch buffet. decent night time hangout. nothing spectacular.
(3)Marco C.
Well I have been to a lot of places with similar Japanese style to this one, however this one was a very worth wild endeavor. The atmosphere was not only good, but the good was as well. The service was wonderful and the menu was very affordable. The chef did lots of tricks as well as had a humors side. The only reason I cannot give this a 5 star is because the noise level was ridiculous, the night I came there were many people, like college kids having birthdays, they were at different tables but very loud. And also the way they celebrate birthdays leaves alot yup desire, your during there and then you see a strobe light come on, your like what the heck, big distraction, and for a japanese hibachi style restaurant I didn't find that to be to my liking. But spoke to the manager who was very accommodating, and he said the time we came in could be a little of the younger crowd, and digested times that might be better. Didn't get a chance to try the sushi bar, however my date tried the sushi and seemed to love it, but said it was very pricey, we didn't want to wait till 9 pm for happy hour so, there you have it, I'm Marco and I approve this message ;)
(4)Deb S.
I come for lunch for the all you can eat sushi. I don't even look at the other food on the buffet, the sushi is so good. They have an amazing variety to try, and I didn't find one I didn't like. I wish more of Osakas had this sushi buffet, I have to drive a long ways from my house to get to this one but it's worth it.
(5)Nathan B.
Our girls are pretty good eaters but one thing they have never clung onto was Asian food. We took them to Osaka and we got them to eat rice for the first time. They tried pretty much everything on their plate and ate really well. Our girls are pretty young but the chef and server reached out to them throughout the night. As for myself and the adult in the party we ate very well too. I went to the Roseville and had a great time for New Year Eve. This location was just as good. Loved everything on my plate. Server was very accommodating.
(5)Y. L. V.
We were pleased to see this place open at 11 am on a Sunday. As for our dining experience, the food was good. My husband really enjoyed his sushi. However, I didn't get what I ordered. I ordered three different vegetarian rolls from the menu. One was the vegetable roll, one was sweet potato, and one was some kind of Japanese squash roll. When the waitress brought out the food, she brought me two sweet potato rolls, and a vegetable roll that with completely different vegetables than described on the menu. She attempted to explain to me that in Japanese the word for squash and sweet potato is the same, so that's why the chefs made me two sweet potato rolls, even though they are listed as two different rolls on the menu. I was hoping for some variety, not a dozen pieces of sweet potato rolls, even though they were good. When I pointed out to her that the vegetable roll on the menu was supposed to have cream cheese and asparagus and avocado, and none of those were in the one she brought, she took care of it and had the chefs make me a new one. Overall the food was good, but I think there were some language difficulties with our waitress, as well as the chefs. The food is good, but beware that you may not get what you order. When we got the bill, though, she had charged me for the three different vegetarian rolls, at different prices, even though she only brought out two different kinds.
(3)Becca H.
If I could give this place negative stars, I would, The servers are terrible, and they refuse to honor valid groupons. To top it all of, my girlfriend and I got sick after eating there. Seriously, this place is easily the worst restaurant in the twin cities.
(1)Valerie H.
It was my first time to a hibachi for my uncle's birthday. I didn't know what to expect but the two chefs we had (we filled up two tables) were not only hilarious and attended to us well, they did very impressive tricks and gave us multiple saki shots. The owner was very nice as well and even came out to talk to my aunt and uncle! I love this place! Can't wait to return! :)
(5)Joseph C.
Great food- the fried rice is fantastic. The staff was very friendly and quite entertaining. Definitely a must go.
(4)Stefanie D.
Full disclosure: we didn't stay to eat, so I can't attest to the quality of the food. We were misled as to the length of our wait time and were placated with "free" drinks (I'll get to that later). Party of 7 (for a birthday) had a reservation at 7:00pm. All members of the party were on time but we all waited in the bar until 8:00pm, when our table was "ready" (Strike 1). We were seated and offered a complimentary round of drinks to apologize for our wait - awesome! But not really... The "manager" came over to apologize for the wait and 10 minutes later our drink orders were taken. During the wait for our drinks, we also requested that some water. Water was served approximately 15-20 minutes later, with the drinks following shortly thereafter (Strike 2). A complimentary order of dumplings and edamame were also brought during our wait, which was a nice thought, but we had already been waiting 1.5 hours after our reservation time Soup and salads were also served during the continued wait, which helped, but is expected service when it's detailed on the menu as part of your dinner. 9:00pm rolls around and we decide that we're going to leave because we still don't have a chef at our table.It's understandable that a Saturday night will be busy, but it appeared that the restaurant was short chefs and rather than be honest with us, they decided a round of drinks and some apps would suffice. A member of our party requested to speak to the manager again only to find out that he wasn't actually there and the "manager" that had apologized for our wait previously was not really who they claimed to be (Strike 3). Upon our notice that we were preparing to leave, our waiter let us know that our food was "coming out next." We assertively let him know that a 2 hour wait with a reservation is ridiculous and we were prepared to leave. Our waiter, who was only relaying information he was told, I'm sure, let us know that if we were leaving we'd have to pay for our drinks. Yes, the complimentary drinks they offered due to the long wait... When we questioned why we would have to pay for drinks that we were told were free, we were told that if we didn't pay for them that the police would be contacted. Okay, crazies, I'll pay for my $7 drink just to get out of there (Strike x Infinity). Approximately 9:20, we leave the building and head to another local restaurant to finish our night. Bottom line: If you're short staffed on a busy Saturday night, just be honest. Tell us there is an extended wait time before and after being seated so we can decide if we're willing to stick around. Duping us into staying and then threatening to call the police when we've had enough is not the best customer service. I'm sure we were there on an off night, but it was a less than satisfactory situation handled terribly and I will not be back anytime soon.
(1)Paul L.
Just wow. This is a very good sushi restraunt. The chef is a master and the owner is one skilled service man. Ok I ordered standard fare. Miso soup, ginger salad, and a Chirashi entree, with Sapporo beer. The fish was amazing, fresh scallop, and clam so tender. I ordered six more pieces of scallop. Remember this is a sushi place, so order sushi the right way, ask the chef what is best today, they know. Maki are good and the chef can get creative, but at the end of the day it is all about amazing fish.
(5)Inti M.
The food was not great but OK for the price, I guess. Good for quick last-minute takeout plans (too dirty to dine in). Jessie our server was great. There are two hibachi cooks that were outright JERKS, however. Cook #1 saw that my sister had spilled some sauce on her blouse and said to her, "I can lick it off, if you want." We didn't believe what we were hearing but he repeated himself. Are you kidding me?!? Since we were halfway through our meal we didn't want to leave just yet. Then Cook #2 yelled at me "Calm down" after I politely told him I hadn't ordered fried rice, but steamed rice instead. I told him he was the one who had to calm down, to which he yelled, "You are the rudest customer I've ever seen." Whoa! What?! Will never come back again.
(1)Carlos P.
First time here, visiting from San Diego. Sushi lover and have been to my share of very busy sushi spot, corporate and mom and pop shops. Food: ordered miso soup and a rainbow roll. Miso soup lacked flavor, almost like they used a low sodium broth. Rainbow roll was actually decent. Overall 3/5 Service: sloooooow. The sushi side was dead, we were the second full table in a room with 10 tables. Miso soup came out first in a reasonable time. The rest of the food for a party of 5 took almost 50 minutes. The worst part is that nobody came to update us on the status. 1/5. Overall I would not recommend this place if it takes this long with it being so dead. Sushi is just ok. Miso is blah, I've had better soup from a can.
(2)Tony B.
Well im really bummed they took away the buffet. I guess it was too good to last. Now its back to 40 dollar lunches if you want to get a fair share of sushi.
(3)Emily O.
I, too, have been waiting for a sushi venue to arrive on the east side. I guess I should try lunch because I have heard the all you can eat special is a great deal. Spendy for just okay sushi. Two of their rolls are pretty good, but I always end up spending around $35/ person. Customer service is always great @ the sushi bar & when you sit here, the samples are plentiful :) Aside from the price, their saketini is great. A plum vodka-sake mixture garnished with cucumber makes this drink a must have. Just a side note: There is a disco ball in the teppanyaki area & it is extremely loud & distracting.
(3)peter y.
I've been waiting for a good (or any) sushi place on the East Side for sometime now, and Osaka delivers, for the most part. They have a lunch all-you-can-eat sushi buffet for an extremely reasonable price, and they also serve many other warm foods besides just sushi. They had steamed crayfish, battered and fried frog legs, and some more of the basic traditional Asian buffet foods like fried rice, sweet and sour soup, and beef/chicken and broccoli stir fry. I do have to say that their food quality is only slightly above average. Yes, you can find better tasting sushi and sashimi, better spare ribs, or better fried wings, but this place's price, service, selection and convenience are 2nd to none.
(4)Tony B.
Well im really bummed they took away the buffet. I guess it was too good to last. Now its back to 40 dollar lunches if you want to get a fair share of sushi.
(3)Helen T.
I have only been here for lunch buffet so far and I love it. The atmosphere is nice and the ambiance is great. The staff treats you very well too. I would totally recommend this place for a good place to hang out.
(4)Joshua W.
Went here for the lunch buffet to Maple-hood...really surprised this place is open since most of the other businesses around it look dilapidated or about to close. Came for the buffet, not as much selection as previous Osakas I've been to, but this location was smaller in size also. Overall it was an OK experience.
(3)Karyn P.
I love the sushi here. I have never had a bad meal here and the service is always good. But the rolls are to die for.
(4)Jennell E.
We went here to celebrate my brother's birthday. I was a little apprehensive due to the location and the outside appearance, but was pleasantly surprised when I got inside. Also, in past experiences at hibachi places, I go in knowing you pay for the experience and the "show" and not necessarily the food. I have to say all the food they brought out and prepared was excellent. Had the Filet Mignon but tried a bite of scallop, shrimp and chicken. All the accompaniments were equally tasty! Our server and chef were wonderful, very accommodating and entertaining. They comped a roll we ordered because it wasn't brought out quick enough. Very pleased with the whole experience, I do recommend finding a coupon (on their website or in the mailers) because it can be expensive.
(5)Tony N.
Love the place. Especially when they squirt Saki in your mouth at the table. I wish they gave away Birthday Dinners like Benihanas does. We would go there a lot more often!
(5)Benjamin Y.
Very friendly environment. The Hibachi shows are entertaining. Manager is cool. My favorite dishes here are the lamb chops, fried rice with a side of yummy sauce, and their lobster.
(4)Ron M.
We went on a Saturday night. We were seated next to a batchlorette party. They were so noisey that we could not hear our waitress and she could not hear us. After trying to talk to each other, with no sucess, we got up and left because of the noise. Two other couples from our table and another couple form another table followed us out. Other couples were looking around and also thinking of escape. I'm sure that they made money of the batchlorette party but lost at least 4 couples that wanted to spend money. To bad that they do not have a private room for groups like that one.
(1)Ken T.
Unbelievably fast sushi chef!! Placed specialty roll orders and every one of them was out in under 10 min! And delicious.
(5)Inti M.
The food was not great but OK for the price, I guess. Good for quick last-minute takeout plans (too dirty to dine in). Jessie our server was great. There are two hibachi cooks that were outright JERKS, however. Cook #1 saw that my sister had spilled some sauce on her blouse and said to her, "I can lick it off, if you want." We didn't believe what we were hearing but he repeated himself. Are you kidding me?!? Since we were halfway through our meal we didn't want to leave just yet. Then Cook #2 yelled at me "Calm down" after I politely told him I hadn't ordered fried rice, but steamed rice instead. I told him he was the one who had to calm down, to which he yelled, "You are the rudest customer I've ever seen." Whoa! What?! Will never come back again.
(1)Carlos P.
First time here, visiting from San Diego. Sushi lover and have been to my share of very busy sushi spot, corporate and mom and pop shops. Food: ordered miso soup and a rainbow roll. Miso soup lacked flavor, almost like they used a low sodium broth. Rainbow roll was actually decent. Overall 3/5 Service: sloooooow. The sushi side was dead, we were the second full table in a room with 10 tables. Miso soup came out first in a reasonable time. The rest of the food for a party of 5 took almost 50 minutes. The worst part is that nobody came to update us on the status. 1/5. Overall I would not recommend this place if it takes this long with it being so dead. Sushi is just ok. Miso is blah, I've had better soup from a can.
(2)Emilee L.
I really enjoyed this restaurant for their sushi and today, for my birthday, I went to have the hibachi with my family. The food was great, but our hibachi cook was an arrogant idiot. I am in a young girl in a wheelchair and my cook looks at me says, "Boy, must suck to be in a wheelchair on your birthday". I am more than offended. I was and still am irate. Because of this arrogant comment, I am not going back.
(1)Mercedes T.
Not as bad as a lot of comments say! I read these Yelp comments before going to Osaka in Maplewood and was worried how my experience would turn out. Not sure if these comments are from REALLY snooty people who expect 5-star food/service everywhere, if it was just a rare occurrence, or if they went to a different Osaka (there is more than one - we went to Maplewood's Osaka.) PS- if you think it's going to be busy, this restaurant did say they take reservations... I'm thinking it's typically less busy on the Sushi-Side considering the Hibachi Side is like a dinner and a show... We went on a Saturday night for dinner and it was far from being 'packed'. We were seated immediately. There were definitely more people in the Hibachi side but it was also a lot noisier over there, although it sounded like a lot of fun. It all depends on what you like. We were there for Sushi so we were seated in the 'dining/sushi' area. The atmosphere was pleasant. This Maplewood Osaka seems very beautiful and open on the interior (was worried because the outside is sketchy). Although I was a little disappointed with the pop music playing (would have liked more authentic music - but this isn't the end of the world). The waitresses were Caucasian which was surprising and pleasant, considering they could speak perfect English - it made communication a lot easier than expected, especially since we had questions. But the chefs behind the Sushi Bar definitely looked Japanese - which was GREAT to see. For 2 of us we ordered an appetizer and 2 rolls and 1 dessert (could have skipped dessert) which was a perfect amount of food for us. The waitress said for 2 people, 2-3 rolls was good, but you can always order more if it doesn't seem like it will be enough. The rolls were DELICIOUS I thought. Of course, this was my first time trying food like this, but I really really enjoyed it and it looked very pretty. We had to take a picture!! I only gave it a 4 because I really have nothing to compare it to...so I am unsure how it would rank with similar restaurants. And also, the prices seemed a little steeper than I would've liked to see... but it really isn't TOO high. I think maybe for the presentation and stuff, the price is probably OK...
(4)Amma M.
If I could give no stars I would. This place needs to close. One of the chefs saw I was cleaning something I had spilled on my shirt and offered to "lick it off my shirt" and even when I said excuse me, he continued to repeat himself. Who in their right mind says something like this to any woman in any circumstance!? I am baffled to see such places that permit this. One other chef asked my brother to "calm" down when my brother just wanted to let him know he wanted white rice not fried rice.
(1)Charlene R.
Went here for dinner. We sat at an Hibachi table. It was fun. Food was really good and the chef was entertaining. Had the filet, lobster, scallop and shrimp combo for two. Yum. Second visit was for sushi, at the sushi bar. Delicious. They had a wide variety and I only like to eat the vegetarian sushi. The hubby loved the variety as well.
(4)Rachael F.
Had my first experience with Hibachi here. It was excellent! We ordered the Steak, Shrimp and Lobster for two. It was so much food and really yummy! The Sake-Tini was also really good. The chef was entertaining and funny, and we got lots of shots of sake squirted into our mouths! I'll definitely be coming back again.
(4)Stefanie D.
Full disclosure: we didn't stay to eat, so I can't attest to the quality of the food. We were misled as to the length of our wait time and were placated with "free" drinks (I'll get to that later). Party of 7 (for a birthday) had a reservation at 7:00pm. All members of the party were on time but we all waited in the bar until 8:00pm, when our table was "ready" (Strike 1). We were seated and offered a complimentary round of drinks to apologize for our wait - awesome! But not really... The "manager" came over to apologize for the wait and 10 minutes later our drink orders were taken. During the wait for our drinks, we also requested that some water. Water was served approximately 15-20 minutes later, with the drinks following shortly thereafter (Strike 2). A complimentary order of dumplings and edamame were also brought during our wait, which was a nice thought, but we had already been waiting 1.5 hours after our reservation time Soup and salads were also served during the continued wait, which helped, but is expected service when it's detailed on the menu as part of your dinner. 9:00pm rolls around and we decide that we're going to leave because we still don't have a chef at our table.It's understandable that a Saturday night will be busy, but it appeared that the restaurant was short chefs and rather than be honest with us, they decided a round of drinks and some apps would suffice. A member of our party requested to speak to the manager again only to find out that he wasn't actually there and the "manager" that had apologized for our wait previously was not really who they claimed to be (Strike 3). Upon our notice that we were preparing to leave, our waiter let us know that our food was "coming out next." We assertively let him know that a 2 hour wait with a reservation is ridiculous and we were prepared to leave. Our waiter, who was only relaying information he was told, I'm sure, let us know that if we were leaving we'd have to pay for our drinks. Yes, the complimentary drinks they offered due to the long wait... When we questioned why we would have to pay for drinks that we were told were free, we were told that if we didn't pay for them that the police would be contacted. Okay, crazies, I'll pay for my $7 drink just to get out of there (Strike x Infinity). Approximately 9:20, we leave the building and head to another local restaurant to finish our night. Bottom line: If you're short staffed on a busy Saturday night, just be honest. Tell us there is an extended wait time before and after being seated so we can decide if we're willing to stick around. Duping us into staying and then threatening to call the police when we've had enough is not the best customer service. I'm sure we were there on an off night, but it was a less than satisfactory situation handled terribly and I will not be back anytime soon.
(1)Paul L.
Just wow. This is a very good sushi restraunt. The chef is a master and the owner is one skilled service man. Ok I ordered standard fare. Miso soup, ginger salad, and a Chirashi entree, with Sapporo beer. The fish was amazing, fresh scallop, and clam so tender. I ordered six more pieces of scallop. Remember this is a sushi place, so order sushi the right way, ask the chef what is best today, they know. Maki are good and the chef can get creative, but at the end of the day it is all about amazing fish.
(5)Amber S.
I would skip this Osaka location and go to one of the better ones. The ambience was seriously lacking in the side room where we sat - it looked like we were in somebody's basement or a VFW or something, and they had half-heartedly decorated with some random asian decor from the dollar store. Lighting was weird. We had a 7:30 reservation for a birthday party and waited 1 hour to be sat and another 45 minutes to get our chef. The staff seemed very confused about the reservation even though it was called in and confirmed multiple times. Service just to get waters to our table was painfully slow on a Monday night. Another party was sat, got their chef, and was eating before we even got our waters. The food was OK but the chef took forever cooking it because he was spending more time making dirty jokes and squirting sake into everyone's mouths than cooking. I would recommend going to Benihana's instead.
(2)Tony R.
Osaka where have you been? I have been looking for a Japanese style grill for quite sometime in the St.Paul area, and thanks to YELP I found one !!! It took me awhile to decide on going here since all of the photo's on Yelp for this restaurant showed Sushi only and most of the reviews talked so highly of this. Finally I came across a review that mentioned the Hibachi, still unsure if this was going to be what I was looking for, I took chance and stopped in for dinner. What wonderful surprise when we walked in and were immediately greeted kindly by two hostesses and the manager. They brought us back to the large Hibachi area I think they had at least 8 cooking stations that hold 10 people per station. Once seated we asked about the wine selection and decided on a bottle of wine. The manager was so kind he actually came over with a sample of the wine before bringing us a bottle to be sure it was exactly what we wanted. Proceeding to a very nice little menu for a Hibachi grill we were able to order Filet Mignon & Chicken as our main dish, with Fried rice, noodles, soup & salad for sides. The excitement of the night was our wonderful Chef Tim, who put on a great show full of comedy and skill. Tim kept everyone at the table involved with his flashy cooking style (Flames and Cutlery Tricks) and constant jokes, also a little extra Sake guzzling for us all as Tim had a pour for us all and would use is signature line "More SAKE make more happy". The wait staff was also excellent and would have your dishes and plates cleared before you knew it making room for the next entree that Tim was cooking up. Osaka is a throwback to how a dining experience should be, with every single employee from the busboy to the manager clearly wanting each and every customer to have a great experience and feel like Kings & Queens for the night. This will be my new regular dinning hotspot.
(5)Kim L.
Needed a quick yet nice meal before hitting a show at The Myth. Took a chance and WOW ! Great quality for the price. We went the sushi route. Two of us split 3 rolls and each had a cocktail for $60. The rolls were enormous and beautifully executed. Highly recommend their Maplewood roll. Great service-waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. This location has experienced sushi chefs. Great value and super convenient.
(4)Chris M.
I'm not sure if it's the location, the strip mall facade, the fact that I pretend I have some indie cred, or the fact I can't necessarily think of anything either great nor bad to say about Osaka, but in the end it has landed me at a middle-of-the-road perspective of this joint. Appearances here are a bit deceiving, as inside the strip mall facade Osaka has a fairly sizable sushi bar, a number of teppanyaki tables and a decently sized bar area; the space is much more sizable and inviting than it looks from the outside. I have only sat in the two bar areas, but their full menu is available regardless of where you choose to sit. The cuisine has been a bit of a mixed bag. I've had some surprisingly enjoyable dishes here (pineapple lobster being tops on that list), but I have never been too excited with their sushi. Service also seems to be in the same vain, sometimes good, sometimes so-so.
(3)Michelle H.
Love, love, love the Maplewood Osaka. They tend to be busy, so make a reservation. The cooks are experienced and fun, but the stand out is the food. I've never had better quality hibachi food. The scallops are huge, the fillet is tender and delicious, the fried rice is the best, and the Sushi is top notch. They also make a fabulous cospmopolitan. It's more fun if you go with at least 4-6 people, since otherwise you sit with strangers. Also, be prepared to wait a few minutes after you sit down. They have a certain number of cooks and they time it so you sit and look at the menu while they finish up their last table, so if you are starving and impatient, you may not be happy. Our favorites are Tim and Jimmy, but we've never had a bad meal here.
(5)Kenny L.
If you are looking for the lunch buffet it is no longer available Monday-Thursday! This use to be one of my favorite lunch spots because of the lunch buffet. Went there on a Thursday and the parking lot was completely empty. Thought it was a little weird until I came up to the door to be greeted by the new lunch menu. The buffet is now only available Fri-Sun. Went in and the hostess showed us the lunch menu, your normal offerings of some rolls combo, nigiri combo and they also offered happy hour prices on everything (~30% off). Most items were $10 or more but it just didn't seem worth it at all. We walked out and drove to Akita instead. Guess I didn't try the food so I can't comment if it's any good.
(2)Thuy N.
The fish here smell fishy and fresh fish is not suppose to be like that. Hope I don't get sick eating here.
(1)Ryan H.
If there were a zero star option that would be more fitting. We've been sitting at a table in the bar for 10 minutes now without anyone approaching us. Massive fail. Don't come to this excuse for a restaurant.
(1)Saif K.
I love it!!!! I have been here twice in a row for my birthday. That alone should tell one how great this place is. My chef, Tries was nothing short of phenomenal. The food is bloody great!! The manager, David also does a great job to make sure things run smoothly. Get a groupon or coupon to make the most of your experience, this place has a lot of good deals going on most of the time. I love teppanyaki grills and Osaka definitely hits the spot!!!!
(5)Thomas M.
It was enjoyable. Although they did make a few mistakes, i.e initially geytting orders wrong, they more than made up it. They went out of their way for our kids and our kids had a blast! We got a ton of food, including those mistaken orders (which we did get for free). They had a kids version of the saki pour where they squeeze it in folks mouths. We were a bit apprehensive at first but after I tried it first to be safe that it wasn't Saki, (confirmed it was apple juice) we let the kids join the fun.
(4)Marco C.
Well I have been to a lot of places with similar Japanese style to this one, however this one was a very worth wild endeavor. The atmosphere was not only good, but the good was as well. The service was wonderful and the menu was very affordable. The chef did lots of tricks as well as had a humors side. The only reason I cannot give this a 5 star is because the noise level was ridiculous, the night I came there were many people, like college kids having birthdays, they were at different tables but very loud. And also the way they celebrate birthdays leaves alot yup desire, your during there and then you see a strobe light come on, your like what the heck, big distraction, and for a japanese hibachi style restaurant I didn't find that to be to my liking. But spoke to the manager who was very accommodating, and he said the time we came in could be a little of the younger crowd, and digested times that might be better. Didn't get a chance to try the sushi bar, however my date tried the sushi and seemed to love it, but said it was very pricey, we didn't want to wait till 9 pm for happy hour so, there you have it, I'm Marco and I approve this message ;)
(4)Deb S.
I come for lunch for the all you can eat sushi. I don't even look at the other food on the buffet, the sushi is so good. They have an amazing variety to try, and I didn't find one I didn't like. I wish more of Osakas had this sushi buffet, I have to drive a long ways from my house to get to this one but it's worth it.
(5)Nathan B.
Our girls are pretty good eaters but one thing they have never clung onto was Asian food. We took them to Osaka and we got them to eat rice for the first time. They tried pretty much everything on their plate and ate really well. Our girls are pretty young but the chef and server reached out to them throughout the night. As for myself and the adult in the party we ate very well too. I went to the Roseville and had a great time for New Year Eve. This location was just as good. Loved everything on my plate. Server was very accommodating.
(5)Christine L.
With the lack of great, non-overpriced sushi joints in the Twin Cities, the most bang for your buck is here. They offer nigiri during their lunch buffet at a reasonable price.
(4)Y. L. V.
We were pleased to see this place open at 11 am on a Sunday. As for our dining experience, the food was good. My husband really enjoyed his sushi. However, I didn't get what I ordered. I ordered three different vegetarian rolls from the menu. One was the vegetable roll, one was sweet potato, and one was some kind of Japanese squash roll. When the waitress brought out the food, she brought me two sweet potato rolls, and a vegetable roll that with completely different vegetables than described on the menu. She attempted to explain to me that in Japanese the word for squash and sweet potato is the same, so that's why the chefs made me two sweet potato rolls, even though they are listed as two different rolls on the menu. I was hoping for some variety, not a dozen pieces of sweet potato rolls, even though they were good. When I pointed out to her that the vegetable roll on the menu was supposed to have cream cheese and asparagus and avocado, and none of those were in the one she brought, she took care of it and had the chefs make me a new one. Overall the food was good, but I think there were some language difficulties with our waitress, as well as the chefs. The food is good, but beware that you may not get what you order. When we got the bill, though, she had charged me for the three different vegetarian rolls, at different prices, even though she only brought out two different kinds.
(3)Becca H.
If I could give this place negative stars, I would, The servers are terrible, and they refuse to honor valid groupons. To top it all of, my girlfriend and I got sick after eating there. Seriously, this place is easily the worst restaurant in the twin cities.
(1)Valerie H.
It was my first time to a hibachi for my uncle's birthday. I didn't know what to expect but the two chefs we had (we filled up two tables) were not only hilarious and attended to us well, they did very impressive tricks and gave us multiple saki shots. The owner was very nice as well and even came out to talk to my aunt and uncle! I love this place! Can't wait to return! :)
(5)Joseph C.
Great food- the fried rice is fantastic. The staff was very friendly and quite entertaining. Definitely a must go.
(4)Meg T.
They recently changed their buffet hours. It's only Friday - Sunday's, 11 am - 3:30 pm.
(4)Fres T.
decent sushi. decent lunch buffet. decent night time hangout. nothing spectacular.
(3)