Japanese Oriental Restaurant
2283 N High St, Columbus, OH, 43201
Japanese Oriental Restaurant Menu
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Address :
2283 N High St
Columbus, OH, 43201 - Phone (614) 299-6544
- Website https://www.japaneseoriental.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Stephen P.
Amazing place! Awesome interior, incredible sushi, and very friendly staff. Nice for an afternoon of sushi, or ripping some sake bombs on a weekend night. They have a small sushi bar where you can watch the sushi chef roll the sushi, which is very cool. Easily a 5/5.
(5)Yanfei L.
Well it is ridiculous to charge the short rib for $25. Compared with other Korean restaurant, I don't think this is "market price". And I'm not a fan of sushi so no reason to come back.
(1)Meredith R.
I went to this restaurant 3 times last year, and while the sushi itself is great, I was very underwhelmed by the impatient and rude wait staff. I wouldn't recommend going there if you have a party larger than 4, and be extremely careful where you park your car. Only some of the spots in the lot behind the restaurant actually belong to the business, and the rest are private parking only. People who accidentally park in the wrong spot will be towed VERY quickly.
(3)Allison B.
This place looks like a campus dive on the outside, so I walked past it for five years before I was unwillingly dragged there for a work dinner. Surprisingly good! The inside is cozy, even if the outside looks like it hasn't been updated in forty years. Even though the name says Japanese, the focus of the menu is Korean, and its these dishes that I recommend. Tasty noodles. Sushi is decent but nowhere near Akai Hana.
(4)Rawlins R.
So many memories at Japanese Oriental. Japanese Oriental use to be our spot back in the old days. You want good affordable sushi, then this is the place for you. Japanese Oriental has an extensive Japanese and Korean menu serving sushi as well as traditional Asian entree dishes.. Customer parking is available in the back. Before they had the clearly labeled spots we were actually towed here once. But if you pay attention to the signs you shouldn't have any problem. They now have an outdoor area in the front and this is where we sat during our most recent visit. I got the Jam Bong noodles which is my favorite not only because it is great but also because it is hard to find. A loaded spicy bowl of noodles and seafood. Yum! Top your meal off with a refreshing Japanese beer, have some mochi ice cream for dessert, and you will be leaving happy with your sucker that comes with your bill.
(5)Michelle S.
There's just something about s house being turned into a restaurant I really like. It seems unique and I guess it's because by looking at it you wouldn't have thought to come in at all. It's a small place but I really like the atmosphere. Food is really good too. I can't help but compare it to other places like Akai Hana and Silla. All I can say is that the sushi I had is good, just about every sushi is good but not amazing, Akai Hana has better sushi. This would fix your sushi craving though. What I think this place has other places beat in is portion and entrees. I heard many good things about the dolsot bibimbap and decided to try that, it was probably the best bibimbap I've had in Columbus. It came with miso soup which was over salted. My boyfriend got the jambong seafood spicy noodle soup which was also good and big in portions full of meat unlike other places that skimp out leaving you hungry.
(4)S S.
I've been coming to Japanese Oriental for years. I generally order some combination of the same thing: potstickers, calamari BBQ, udon noodles, bi bim bap, spicy salmon sushi, spicy tuna sushi, veggie sushi and miso soup. Service is fast, prices aren't bad. The space makes of the smaller restaurant dimensions, including a bar and sushi making station. There's a quiet dignity to Japanese Oriental my only beef is the name, which feels like it's from a bygone slightly more racist era. Still, family owned and going strong, my go-to ever since the closure of Bento Go-Go.
(5)Wayne W.
I live an eight hour drive from Columbus and only manage to get here every three months. On Tuesday it was my third time dining at Japanese Oriental. I splurged on the deluxe sushi with one unagi (eel) to try it. I was not prepared for the beautiful presentation of the food arranged on a miniature wooden bridge. The unagi, sushi, the "rose" of ginger and quality of wasabi was as good as I ever got in Japan from my military tour. The service was great and prices reasonable. The atmosphere, when weather allows, for outside dining is a plus. I look forward to my Columbus visits and will always make a point to eat at Japanese Oriental. Highly recommended. WWW
(5)Donna O.
Japanese Oriental Restaurant is one of those absolutely wonderful restaurants which have been around for an age, with good reason. Nestled halfway between campus and Clintonville along High, the neon sign beckons you up the circular staircase and into JO. There is a hallway separating two small dining areas; there is a sushi bar in the back, with a couple of large round tables to accommodate bigger groups. Various photos of off-menu specials dot the walls, along with sushi charts and Sapporo posters. JO is the place to bring your Asian-loving, but non-sushi-eating friends. Or when you're feeling good about ordering Korean or Japanese in a dual-cuisine restaurant. They have noodles of all kinds, Korean and Japanese specialties, and middle-of-the-road Asian dishes. JO does two things that put it on my "best of the city" - sushi and dol sot bibimbop. Some of the best, freshest, and well-made sushi around, with creative rolls and reasonable prices. Their bibimbop is the best in the city, for real. That hot pot crisps up the rice and it is spicy enough that you don't need the extra sauce. That good. This last trip, we wrangled our friend Renee to test out the bibimbop while the spouse and I branched out on the menu. I ordered a salmon roll and spicy pork kalbi, Renee the dol sot and the spouse a chicken katsu (chicken coated in panko and deep-fried, with barbecue sauce, Japanese-style). JO does ban chan with Korean orders so we enjoyed several small bites before our meals came out. The salmon roll was an 8-piece plate of sushi heaven, while my kalbi was super-spicy and flavorful. The katsu needed a little more sauce, but the chicken itself was nicely done. And, finally, Renee really enjoyed her bibimbop - no sauce and nothing extra necessary. All goodness and no fluff at Japanese Oriental.
(5)Gus W.
I really love everything about this place from the food to the location to the cozy decor and setup inside an old house on North campus. You literally walk into a home and have dining areas on either side of you and a sushi bar in the back. Very cool. We started off with the fried dumplings and the spicy green mussels. The dumplings were tasty, but the sauce was the best part of that dish. They actually forgot about our mussels and burned them apparently, so we didn't end up eating those until midway through our entree. They were decent, but I wasn't really blown away. For the main course, I went with the Bi Bim Bap, and the girlfriend got Smokehouse roll, and we both split a spicy tuna roll. The bi bim bap was very tasty. I'm not sure if it was out of this world, but I would definitely get it again. I really enjoyed the sushi though, and the Smokehoue Roll was great. Our service was decent, and they were fairly quick in bringing things out to us, but I can't say it was super friendly. Our server just sort of had a blank stare on his face the entire time we had any interaction. Japanese Oriental has a fairly large menu, and it's a great place for a date, so I highly recommend it. There's quite a few Korean items on the menu as well, and it looks like they have specials all the time. We'll definitely be back!
(4)Bianca L.
I love this place so so much. First off, their barley tea - I've never had anything like it. I've tried replicating it at home, but it's never as good as it is here. I could drink it day and night. I swear I've never had a dish here it hasn't paired well with. They have terrific variety and do not sacrifice any quality for it. I love one of their lunch bentos in particular, it includes tamagoyaki and spicy mussels. If you try a singular item here, please do yourself a favor and make it the spicy mussels. Mmmm. Also, lots of their dishes come with complimentary soup or sides. I have been here many times and tried many foods, and I've yet to be disappointed. My one lament is that they don't always refill my tea as often as I would like. The service is still great though! I tried a new dish once and wasn't really sure how to eat it, and one of the waitresses took notice and was kind enough to come over and show me. (Holy cow, you wouldn't believe what a difference it made. Please, if you aren't sure how to eat a dish, don't hesitate to ask!) I grew up on the coast and I'm a bit spoiled when it comes to seafood. It's not the best sushi place ever, but it's damn good, and the prices are more than reasonable given the quality. It's my go-to sushi/Japanese place.
(5)Angie M.
I absolutely love this place. From there wonderful staff to there magnificent food. You must start off with the miso soup and the fried tofu. The spicey bulgogi beef is so good. There sushi is a must have it so well put together and just some of the best sushi in columbus.
(5)Morgan M.
I really thought I had reviewed Japanese oriental before, because we go there frequently, but unfortunately it took a bad experience to prompt me! I'm still giving four stars because we've had many good experiences there, they have a great selection of Korean and Japanese food as well as sushi. I love the udon, the hot pots, and the sushi! We have had good dining in experiences a! BUT we ordered the chefs special to go for a movie night with a friend--$50 worth of sushi-- and they took almost an hour longer than they said on the phone, leaving my husband waiting at the bar while other diners were seated, ordered, served, and left while he was still waiting. It's fine if sushi takes a while (although this was a bit extreme, we've never had to wait that long before when dining in) but if someone is picking it up, give them an accurate estimate! So we will probably be back---it's cheaper, closer and almost as good as akai Hana--but it might be a while.
(4)Ryan M.
Japanese Oriental is one of my favorite places to eat in the entire world. First, the pan fried dumplings are the best I've had anywhere. I've had pan fried dumplings from great places in China, Korea, and all over the USA and no pan fried dumplings have ever compared to the ones at Japanese Oriental. Maybe it's the dipping sauce that makes them so great. Second, there Dolsot Bibimbop is outstanding. Seriously delicious, I can not recommend it more. Cover it in the provided hot sauce, mix it in, and enjoy. I love this dish and try to have it as much as possible. Third, the lobster sushi. Amazing.
(5)ryan m.
This place gets one star because the food was alright. So let me describe my experience here. First we walk in around 930 but called ahead to be sure that their kitchen was open and it is until 1040. When we got there we noticed that there were quite a few tables with dirty dishes on them on the patio so we assumed it was busy inside. However when we got inside we saw the same thing but there were only two other costumers in the restaurant. This was odd. The next odd thing was that the hostess or waitress sat us next to a dirty table as far as possible from the sushi bar out of sight of the main floor. She then didn't come back for 10 minutes. Next we noticed the menus were dirty and hadn't been cleaned. Looking around closer this was the case for the walls and floors and most of the restaurant. We should have left at this point but decided to stick around. We then had waiter number two come up and repeat the intro and ask us if we were ready to order and we weren't because we had a few questions. Ten minutes later no one had come back but finally I grab a waiters attention. This is waiter number three. He sends what turns out to be waiter number four to us who takes our order. 35 minutes later the food comes out. No one came to our table between that time to check on us. We eventually asked what the deal was with the wait and they said we were busy and our food was last in. Except we could see the entire restaurant and there was no one else there besides us when we put our order in. Overall a terrible experience and I wouldn't go back or support this place. There's a lot of great food in Columbus and most sushi places are top notch service. This has to be the worst one.
(1)H.J K.
Great food and service.. Tofu Spicy Strew was good tasty and also their sushi items were fresh and great too.
(4)Carmen P.
I really like going to this restaurant. The food is very tasty and fresh. They have a really good variety of Japanese, Korean and Chinese? Type of food. They also govr you a good amount for the price! I like the added tables/ chairs outside for when the wheatear is nice. The only thing I would change is that the staff/ employees interact more with the customers, they are always rushing and don't say much. Maybe a smile too :) they have meter parking on hight street and a few spots in the back of the building.
(4)Alexa A.
I used to drive past Japanese Oriental frequently, but the name (and location) kept me from ever going in, until a friend took me recently. I'm happy to report that my assumptions had been making an @ss out of me and an umption. This place is delicious. I have not made it through much of the menu yet -- I haven't tried any of their sushi -- but then again their menu is surprisingly extensive. Some of their Korean standbys are great and honestly pretty authentic. I also tried the kimchi stew, and it is amazing. I've never had anything like it! If you're into kimchi, you have to try it. Spicy, sour, and delicious.
(4)Adrienne C.
This is mostly a KOREAN restaurant. It's owned by korean people and a good portion of their menu is korean food, so i'm not sure why they decided to go with "Japanese Oriental Restaurant." Yes, they serve sushi and udon and tempura here, but if that's what you're looking for you should probably go to a real Japanese place (I recommend Tensuke Express!) Maybe it's just me, but I like it when ethnic restaurants have chef's whose ethnicity matches the food they're making. I figure they have more pride and motivation to properly execute their own countrymen's food. Japanese Oriental Restaurant's Korean food is much like the rest of the Korean food in Columbus - overpriced for what it is and the soups do not taste very authentic. The Yoo Kae Jang (spicy beef soup) doesn't seem fresh, and it's mostly just oily soup base when it should have more vegetables and beef in it. If you go though, order the bibimbap (rice, beef, veggies all mixed together in a bowl, or you can get the "dol sot" style which is the same thing but served in a heated stone bowl) - it's very difficult to screw up so it's a safe bet pretty much anywhere. tip: they have a private parking lot behind the restaurant - make sure you read the signs posted so you're not in a tow away spot
(2)Samantha H.
I had some Pad Thai here and it was just fine. It didn't make me want to come back though. For one thing they give two sprigs of cilantro on top. This may be nit-picky but if I'm not cooking then I don't want to have to pick my own cilantro leaves off. And I am a cilantro fiend so I wish there was a lot more. The bf had two basic sushi rolls that were very good. We had edamame that was good but a kind of small portion. The service was excellent. Always refilling my water and checking on us.
(3)Richard P.
When we first moved to Columbus, we used to go to the rather anachronistically-named Japanese Oriental Restaurant a lot. Partly because we lived around the corner, mostly because the Korean food was pretty decent. We don't go there as much anymore, mostly because there is now no shortage of better Korean restaurants (e.g. Diaspora, San Su). However, most ethnic restaurants in Columbus will have a couple dishes that you won't find elsewhere. At Japanese Oriental Restaurant, that's the bacon kimchee bibimbap and the chicken jhim. Despite the name, the bacon kimchee bibimbap is pork belly, not bacon, but that doesn't make it any less good. The chicken jhim comes in spicy and sweet versions; the sweet version is a great dish in the winter, a stew of carrots, bone-in chicken, red date, and chestnuts in a sweet soy-based broth. And yeah, Wesley Snipes ate here when he was in town.
(3)Rose F.
Literally the best sushi I've ever had in Columbus. Reasonably priced, and the staff is very helpful. I've never tried anything other than sushi, but I've only heard good things.
(5)Caro---- E.
The best sushi in town. The menu also has an extensive array of Korean food. Had the Jam Bong last night, every part of it was cooked to perfection. Large portion of spicy broth, lots of seafood, noodles al dente. Friends ordered a boatload (literally!) of sushi and nigiri. Fresh, clean and proper. Casual atmosphere, friendly staff.
(5)Mark K.
I've always had great food and service here. This time, went with my brother and my friend. We ordered several appetizers: seaweed salad, fried oysters, barbecue calamari, and negimaki (asparagus and green onion rolled in steak.) All were good; the calamari came with an excellent sriracha-based hot sauce. We got a boat of sushi: spicy tuna, unagi, dragon roll (I think,) sweet potato, and pickled radish. All fresh, all beautiful. Our entrees were unaju (eel over rice,) Kimchee and pork belly dol sot bi bim bap, and chap chai (rice noodles with beef and veggies.) All were great, and amazingly we finished everything. The menu is heavy on Korean cuisine and sushi; there's plenty of Japanese, Chinese, and Thai too. The place is in a house near campus, and yes, parking is cramped. Part of the back lot is for another restaurant, but there are plenty of signs. Might not want to drive your Hummer, though- backing out in a Civic was tight.
(4)Luke T.
I'm really surprised JOR doesn't have a higher average rating than 3 1/2. I've always had immaculate and attentive service here, and it's one of the more authentic experiences I've had in Columbus. Very unique selections that you don't find at a lot of restaurants around town...and they serve your meal with a bunch of traditional appetizers, including kimchi, some seaweed salad, and other interesting things the names of which I don't know or can't recall. This was a favorite of an ex, so we went quite regularly. As much care is given to the takeout as the dine-in, which is a bonus, and the interior is relaxed, smaller, and cozy. If there were such a thing as a dive restaurant, this would qualify too, which I think makes it a winner. It's not filthy or scummy or anything, but it has a very old feel about it. Maybe most people are rating it on the sushi. They have a small sushi bar, and definitely offer sushi, but this is NOT a sushi restaurant. It is not the freshest, most inventive, or tastiest sushi to be had, for sure, so do yourself a favor and try something new for a change. I've never gotten anything but crazy bowls of stew, soup, noodles and the like, filled with combinations of scallops, octopus, squid, clam, and weird asian vegetables, with varying levels of heat intensity, and I've never been disappointed. Addendum: I also have to make a comment about others' statements regarding parking, which certainly reflect in their rating of the restaurant...Like most anywhere that isn't a chain on campus, Japanese Oriental does NOT own this property, they are not responsible for the parking situation. The property owner, like anywhere else around campus, contracts with a towing company to tow people off the lot and these towing companies are RELENTLESS about towing your vehicle. JOR is not responsible or liable for anything having to do with the parking. In fact, that anyone would even consider parking off-street at a location such as this is a bit baffling to me. In over a decade in Columbus, I don't think I've once expected to park in an off-street space visiting anywhere other than the Blue Danube along High. Pure craziness. Parking comments, although helpful to people who might read your review, should not reflect your rating of the establishment itself. If you want to review the parking, you need to review Eventide, Inc out of Georgia, or whatever towing company Eventide, Inc uses.
(4)Tommy W.
I was craving kimchi jigae and saw this small restaurant as I was strolling down high street. Despite being marketer as primarily a Japanese place with sushi, the Korean food is some of the tastiest I've had outside of South Korea, Atlanta and SoCal.
(5)Chanelle S.
My fave place to eat in the city. Comfy atmosphere. Pretty affordable. If you're a college student, the sushi is a good deal. If you're a yuppie like me, the other stuff on the menu is accessible, too. Order the Bi Bim Bop. It's a Korean dish that you can get either hot or cold. It has cold Korean veggies, hot rice, meat and a fried egg (if you get the meat version), and they give you a big bottle of what tastes like Sriracha to douse it all in. It's seriously delicious. Also, if you're a meat eater like I used to be, their egg rolls ARE THE BEST EGG ROLLS I'VE EVER EATEN. I wish they would make a veggie version so I could experience them again. And their duck sauce they serve with them? I would jump off a cliff for it. On weekends, it might take a while to be seated. It's worth it. They accept credit, but I think there's a $5 or $10 minimum.
(5)Shane L.
Best Sushi in Columbus! This place is quite an enigma; while the name says Japanese Oriental Restaurant, it's a Korean place at heart. That being said, most people seem to eat sushi there, and I've never been disappointed in my seven visits for sushi there. The sushi is fresh, the texture is right, and nothing ever tastes fishy. The prices are moderate, the variety is good, and the presentation is always quite nice too. There seems to be quite a lot of other stuff (especially Korean dishes), but I stick with sushi, miso, and edamame. The service can be quite inconsistent, and it can get bad (bad as in slow and forgetful; it's not rude, and they have always brought out the right food). If you're in no hurry and really enjoy good sushi, it shouldn't stop you. The atmosphere is what I expect from a small down to earth sushi place, but that isn't anything fancy .
(5)Christopher T.
I came here for a little Labor Day dinner and I can't say my experience was disappointing. For a very modest tab, a friend and I were able to enjoy some well-rounded (and well-appetized) Asian cuisine. We decided on three rolls (New York Maki, Shrimp Tempura, and Una-Q) and a chicken curry dinner, which to my surprise came with a few plates of small Korean appetizers in the tradition of kimchi. I thought the maki and Una-Q rolls were unspectacular, but I found myself looking forward to the shrimp tempura roll my friend had suggested for us. I am a big fan of kimchi, so the appetizers were a pleasant surprise. The chicken curry plate itself was delicious, but being a sushi aficionado I more or less looked at it as a filler between rolls. I wouldn't suggest the place for a sushi outing, but if you are looking to eat like a half-Korean half-Japanese king for cheap... give Japanese Oriental a shot. The place didn't blow me away, but the only negative comment I can offer for JOR is the dungeon-like walk to the bathroom.
(3)Tory A.
I really liked the look and feel of the Japanese Oriental Restaurant, as well as its matter-of-fact un-p.c. name. Plus the two youngish Asian waiters were cute (and they were probably high school students too! Ack, I need to stop being such an accidental creeper. I blame Taylor Lautner. He's too hot to be a seventeen year old). Anyway, I quite liked my miso soup and the caterpillar roll I ordered was definitely on par with what I usually get in LA. I will come here more often, especially because it is an easy walk from where I will soon be living.
(4)Johaun C.
definitely NOT "the best sushi in columbus." for that, you need to go to Old Henderson and Reed. that said, for campus area convenience, you could do much worse than coming here for your Korean-Japanese fix. i basically come here for Korean whenever i'm on-campus and consider any sushi that i order to be sides. as with most Korean joints, try to come here with that Korean buddy you've always been meaning to call up but never have--it'll speed up the service quite nicely. unfair, i know, but one of life's unavoidable truths. highly recommend the stuffed tofu appetizer--crispy on the outside, light and soft on the inside, drizzled with a fantastic sauce, stuffed with some sort of minced zucchini and carrot filling, comes out piping hot.
(3)F Z.
I've been on the lookout for a good Japanese eatery in town ever since Akai Hana's (still referred to as Restaurant Japan by many) prices went uphill and portion sizes downhill; it looks like I've found the spot. Yes, I'm a bit regretful of the fact that I went to OSU and never stepped foot inside Japanese Oriental Restaurant. Aside from the bentos and teriyaki dishes, JOR is actually a Korean restaurant in disguise. I overlooked the restaurant's lack of creativity with its name upon seeing the regular bento that was placed in front of me; it bore slight semblance to AH's that I used to order all the time. The only difference being the bulgogi, as opposed to the teriyaki salmon, chicken, or tempura options made available at AH. For $2 more, you can get the Tempura Bento which is basically the Regular Bento + Tempura appetizer. Sushi rolls were good, but they definitely didn't rock my socks off. As previously mentioned by fellow Yelpers, JOR provides an intimate yet inviting environment that seems to be missing in most other family-owned Korean restaurants. Attentive staff although a bit aloof at times. Prices are a tad lower than one would expect at other Korean places, like Silla. Parking is a pain in the derriere unless you 1) live on/close to campus or 2) snag a spot right in front of JOR. Overall, a satisfying gustatory experience and I can see myself venturing back for their Dolsot Bibimbap, my litmus test for Korean restaurants.
(4)So S.
Decent udon and sushi for Ohio. Nice friendly staff and extensive menu to fill your asian cravings.
(3)Brian W.
Judging only from a takeout order, which in my experience can make the best sushi sub par, this was excellent! Best sushi meal I have had for some time. Beat sushi ting and haiku in takeout for sure.
(5)Micah T.
When I first pulled up I wasn't expecting much from this place. I was further put off by our waiter's lack of English skills. The place had a nice feel, so I decided to continue. The menu had a nice layout and was easy to follow. The pricing wasn't bad either. I was pleased with the miso soup and my dishes (Pad Thai and Spicy Salmon Rolls). The service was prompt though that might be because I was the only one there. Overall I enjoyed the experience and would recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes Japanese cuisine.
(4)Merry S.
I would say that food in this restaurant isn't bad. However This is a DISHONEST restaurant!I have been to this restaurant three times, and they made mistakes on the checks twice!! The first time they added tips themselves without notifying me or on the check, and I found out the price wasn't right.The second time when we ordered lunch special, the waitress just put the original price on. I didn't realize that the price was way too high until she returned our card and asked to sign. There was $17 differences. I mean if this happened once, it could be a coincidence. But it happened twice our of three visitings. And how come a waitress don't know what dishes are on the lunch special menu (I am pretty sure the waitress worked here for long time)? I won't go their anymore! So disappointed by their dishonesty! If you really like their food and still keep going, make sure you check your bill before you pay!!
(1)Marsadie M.
Delicious cuisine here and an unpretentious sushi experience. I love Japanese Oriental. Regarding sushi, it's always of quality, whether you order it sashimi-style or smothered between rice and Americanized drizzles. I never knew seafood pancakes existed until I had them at Japanese Oriental, and now, I'd come just for those. The restaurant is housed in a renovated, Old North-style house, so it's cozy by default. It's one of those places that you come to when you really want to feast on Japanese food, as my photos indicate. Really, I've never been disappointed with the experience. The waiters will even provide you with silverware if you suck at chopsticks. They're truly unpretentious. But don't doubt their expertise... Once, after being served a sushi dish, the chef breezed by and repositioned my dish the "proper" way before I'd even touched it. Clearly, he takes his craft seriously. Dining is best for small parties, but a group of about 15 of us made reservations once and they cleared out one side of the restaurant. It was cramped, but we appreciated it. One last tip: There are a few dedicated parking spaces out back. so don't get towed by parking in a wrong space!
(4)Lindsey F.
i discovered this gem of a restaurant last weekend -- courtesy of a friend i was visiting. the atmosphere was very cozy, and the staff was very attentive and friendly! my first impression of their menu was the diversity in food choices -- the majority being korean food. not only was the food super tasty and served in large portions, but they had it out to us very quickly! i was in mood to try something new, so i went with the vegetable 'bi bim bap', but i look forward to sampling from their sushi menu when i visit next :) we got there relatively early on a saturday night, but i can see where parking and table room would become an issue later on in the evening. all in all, i'd definitely go back!
(4)Charles C.
The fact that it's called japanese oriental... kind of ridiculous. I've had better food too.
(3)Jane T.
This is my favorite sushi restaurant in columbus! I have only ever eaten the sushi here so I cannot speak for the entrees. There is a pretty large selection of specialty rolls (the american version of sushi with all the sauces and tempura flakes) as well as traditional rolls and sashimi. I've tried almost all of the rolls but I usually order the ajushi roll, and L.A roll, those are my favorites! I also order the spring rolls almost everytime too, delicious! Street parking is available out front and there are spaces behind as well. Sushi and menu items are very affordable my bill is usually around $40 for two ppl including alcohol. This place is a gem and I highly recommend it!
(5)Collin M.
We go here for the Korean food - Khal bee jimh, dol sot bi bim bap, bulgogi, etc. It's the best in town that I've had. The zap chae (glass noodles), tekka don, and katsu don are also excellent choices on the non-Korean side. The service can be hit or miss, but it's never been bad enough to take away from the food. Cold Kirin's and sake make up for that as well. Parking is a nightmare - careful which spot you're at in the back, or you will get towed (like I did last night). The inside is nothing to write home about, but it lends it an authentic 'hole-in-the-wall' atmosphere. Overall, very authentic and tasty.
(4)Toni K.
Japanese Oriental made me really sad last night. My husband and I get carry out from there every couple of weeks but we made the mistake of dining in. We went on a Saturday night so we expected it to be busy. What was not acceptable was when we sat down, no one came to help us. Finally, after everyone around us was getting served I flagged someone down to ask where our server was. He said "Oh yeah, sorry," and took our order. After that, he literally never came back to our table. Now as I say, they were busy, but JOR is very small, meaning that each waiter had at most 4 tables, but probably less. He walked by our table a good 6 times but we never got our drinks, not even water. The one thing we did get (my husband's appetizer) was brought by someone else. I also got an appetizer, which never made it to the table. Eventually, tired of waiting, I went to the counter to pay so we could just leave. There, I was again ignored until I flagged someone down and explained the situation. She said she would speak to a manager... And never came back. Luckily, the manager happened by and asked if there was anything he could help with. We got the rest of our order to go and the manager apologized but it was not enough to make the evening better. To top it off, the food when we got home was underwhelming. In particular, the seaweed salad in my octopus salad was not fresh, giving it a boogery consistency. My husband and I were extremely disappointed and will not be returning. My advice: drive the extra 10 minutes and go to Akai Hana instead for better food and infinitely better service.
(2)Alana H.
I have to start by saying that this place is so good that I have been returning for seven years. And I also want to say that I only ever get sushi, because it's so good. This is THE BEST sushi restaurant I have ever been to. I can't even describe it, but you NEED to check it out. The sushi is phenomenal. I have had many different rolls and have never been upset. Their prices have gone up a bit and their rolls have gotten smaller over the years, but the quality has suffered none. The only bag thing about this place is how cramped and awkward the 'house' really is. But if you're cool with a unique venue then the sushi is totally worth it.
(5)Liz C.
Been to this place a couple of times, most recently wanted a bite to eat and started off in the Short North but due to me forgetting it was Gallery Hop night I kept on driving and ended up at Japanese Oriental which is located just north of campus. The actual restaurant is pretty small with only a few tables but it has never been overly crowded the times I have been here. I also was just recently informed that there is a small (like two spots small) parking lot in the rear of the restaurant if you cannot find street parking. As for the food, I usually order sushi rolls and everything I've ever ordered has been fresh and delicious (love the Spicy Salmon and Philly Rolls). I also enjoy their Miso soup and edamame. Their other entrees look appetizing as well, my dining partner tried the Fried Dumplings and they were very tasty. The next time I go I want to try the Kal Beef as another of of my dining companions considers it a favorite and it looked delicious.
(4)David F.
The combination of Korean and Japanese food is one that I've always found curious and it never turns out well. Its like a fusion English/French food place. Every few decades the countries invaded each other and there is some cross pollination of culture, but combining the two means that you'll neither have a decent fish and chips, nor a decent pate. I sat at the sushi bar alone. Ordered a bit of sashimi. Service from the waiters was spotty. Didn't have my chopsticks until I asked after receiving my food. The sashimi was pretty poor. The tamago was meh and they seemed shocked that I ordered it. I had asked the chef what was best that night, and went with his recommendations of tuna, yellowtail and salmon. All of them had a strong taste of fish and the ocean with little other flavor. The eel rolls I got were pretty forgettable. Yet another sushi experience in Columbus gone wrong and a waste of money and my time. Maybe its just being so far from the ocean, but Columbus has yet to impress me with sushi.
(1)Sally W.
They're trying to do too much with this menu. It's ok. I'll probably be back, but only because of the convenient location.
(2)Katie Z.
I love this place! Some of the best sushi I've had in Columbus, actually, and a great value, too. The restaurant, oddly named as it is, has a nice vibe-- cheerful and low-key. And they give you little hot towels when you sit down, so that's nice. The menu is huge-- I've actually only had the sushi-- but I have heard that the udon is good as well.
(4)Mindy W.
Three and a half, please!! The service was hit and miss. We had two women who would assist, one was younger and one was older. The younger girl was a lot of fun, the older lady was terrifying. Anyone who frequents ethnic food restaurants knows that this is not something to base your decisions on when it comes to judging an establishment. Different cultures have different ideas of what good service is and what isn't offensive. I guess I can't knock the lady for wanting us gone, there were two loud groups in our room, and once the other loud group, it just left my loud group. We were in the small room to the right when you walk in with four tables. I thought it was almost comical how small this place was. It has a pretty cool location, for some reason i always love going to the places ranging from Cazuela's to Alana's...maybe it reminds me of college even though I didn't go to OSU. I had three types of sushi. I don't normally stick to rolls because I love sashimi and nigiri so much, but it seemed like the best bang for my buck at the time. I also ordered miso soup, a staple for me when eating at a Japanese place. Their miso was DELICIOUS. It was some of the best miso I have ever had. I had a tuna roll ($4 or $4.50- six typical pieces), Ichiban Roll (Tuna, salmon, yellow tail, red snapper,and masago in a soy bean and veg toro ashima wrap (6 big pieces, around $11 or $12)) and then I had one other roll that must not have been that exciting because I don't remember what it is. The Bulgoki marinated beef sushi sounded really interesting, but I was in the mood for seafood-- next time, though! I would come back here for miso soup if nothing else. The rest of their menu looked pretty interesting as well. I tried a Kirin light, which was really good as far as light beer goes. I also got some free sake out of the situation, so I really can't complain about this trip!
(3)Lisa S.
I've been a fan of this intimate all-in-one Asian Restaurant since I moved to campus. I even celebrated my 21st Birthday and let my mom buy me my first drink there. Japanese Oriental has some really unique characteristics which makes it a neat place to eat. The name "Japanese Oriental" is a little misleading, since the menu encompasses a large Korean and Chinese menu as well. I would actually go so far as to say that a larger percentage of the menu, minus the sushi, is composed of Korean dishes. Dishes such as Seafood Pancakes and Bulgogi. Almost any entree that you order comes with small side dishes of Korean cuisine to enjoy including Kimchi and this fantastic potato dish with a sweet brown sauce. Fantastic Japanese appetizers include Edamame, Negimaki, and various sushi and sashimi appetizers. Various noodle and soup based Japanese dishes are on the menu, but if that's what you are craving may I suggest the Nabeyaki Udon, the King of all Udon dishes. A steaming pot (not bowl) full of thick udon noodles, shrimp tempura and veggie tempura, crab, egg, scallions and I'm sure other ingredients found in the kitchen. Be prepared for some hot slurping action! I hear it is considered polite (or at least not rude) to slurp your noodles. Did I mention the charm of the building? Besides being probably the worst location and design for someone reliant on a wheelchair, the restaurant is located inside an old house North of campus on High. There are two main dining rooms and a large table by the sushi bar. I realized the last time I dined there, that the lighting is really nice and adds to the ambiance and intimacy. The only thing keeping me from giving Japanese Oriental 5 stars is the service. I have no problem with the waiters being impersonal, it allows me to get lost in conversation with my friends. But on occasion the staff has gone out of their way to ignore our requests. If you have room in your belly after feasting, end your meal with an order of Green Tea Ice Cream!
(4)Brian K.
Pretty darn good... I highly recommend the sunday morning roll or whatever it is called. very tasty. Like others have said the size of the rolls are small... quite a bit smaller in diameter than the typical roll.
(3)Jillian W.
Very tasty! I ordered the Kimchi Pork Belly Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap, which is a big, (very) hot stone bowl full of sprouts, zucchini, lettuce, kimchi, and pork belly on top of rice that gets all nice and crusty on the bottom of the bowl. Perfectly spicy, very satisfying without being crazy heavy. The panchan was also really good, if not particularly creative. Sushi rolls were perfectly average. Nothing fancy, service was absolutely adequate (water refilled when needed, etc-- although the pre-meal hot towels are a nice touch) and I'd happily go back!
(4)Charles J.
Not worth for the money. I have been there many times for having Japanese and Korean food. The menu they have is so indistinctive with other oriental restaurant. The taste of foods are just acceptable, not worth for the price. Last time I visit, I had 'YooKye Jang' which is spicy korean stew with full of beef and vegetable. When I got the food, there wasnt much beef in the stew. It seems like they tried not to use much ingredient for the food. I disappointed so much. I will not expect anything fun to visit there anymore.
(3)Jacob E.
great little place!
(4)George Y.
It's been a while and maybe JOR has changed management. But I've had good and very bad experiences here. When it comes to food, I can honestly say that I've enjoyed the food here. It's generally been above average whether it be Korea or Japanese. So based on the food, I would have given JOR 4 stars. Now onto the very bad experience. For those who don't know the layout of JOR, when you enter, there is the large main dining room on the left (with cashier and bar) and a small room to the right with 2 small tables and a long table that would fit about 8. So my friends and I (counting roughly 8) were seated in the smaller room on the long 8 person table. We all enjoyed our food. When the bill came, we had asked if we could have separate checks like we originally stated when we ordered our food (and like we've had on the multitude of times we dined there). The server went back to the owner, then returned to tell us that it is not there policy to split the check. Nope, nada, nil, no way. (the server didn't say this, but that's how it came out) So we then looked around the empty dining room and asked "what if we were spread out across all these empty tables, like we were separate customers, would we then get our check split?" A stern "No" was the answer to that hypothetical question as well. So one of my friends proceeded to talk with the owner. Here's roughly what went down: FRIEND: Can we split our checks? OWNER: No. FRIEND: Why not? OWNER: It's our policy to not split the check. FRIEND: We come here all the time, when did this policy take place. OWNER: It's our policy. FRIEND: Well I guess we won't be able to come here as often as we like. OWNER: Fine, we don't want your business. FRIEND: ???? FRIEND: Fine, I guess we won't be back. Now I realize that some restaurants have a policy where they do not split checks and some do. But before this incident, I had been there dozens of times, generally with large groups of friends, and there has been no issues with us splitting checks. I've only been dragged back twice since (where I didn't need to split the check) and haven't had any issues. But that kind of customer service is just ridiculous. -2 stars. Maybe they've changed their policy, but what's most important is whether their staff and owner have taken on a better attitude towards customer service/loyalty.
(2)Craig W.
Pretty decent sushi and a pretty decent price. Good portions too. I got the Miso soup appetizer, along with Spicy Tuna roll, New York Maki, Philly Roll, and Teryaki Salmon roll. All of them were pretty good with the exception of the Teryaki Salmon roll. It's not that it was bad or anything, it just didn't have much flavor. My girlfriend got the Una Avo roll, and the Vegi Futo Maki roll. She liked them both. Excellent iced green tea. There are other Sushi bars in Columbus that I would put above this one, but I would still come back to Japanese Oriental to change it up every once in a while. I'd give them a 3 1/2.
(4)James B.
Favorite sushi in all c-bus. Quiet and intimate, great service and fair prices! Excellent saki selections. All the special rolls are killer and sashimi pieces are huge. Try it!
(4)Weifei Z.
Expensive but so good! I would go there for the noodle dishes, soups, and Korean food. I think the sushi is only OK and not fresh enough, but their other dishes make up for that.
(4)Moriah P.
I really like this place. The atmosphere is surprisingly comfortable and the food is great and pretty affordable for what you get. I ordered the Jam Bog, a spicy seafood soup with noodles. For 9.95 you get a huge bowl of it (enough to feed two people!) and it is absolutely delicious. Spicy with tons of different types of seafood and veggies. I've also tried some sushi from there and I was just as pleased with it as I was with my huge bowl of soup. My favorite of the sushi which was ordered was the Bulgoki Roll but, really, everything I've had there has been pretty good. The service was fairly decent as well, nothing super friendly or amazing but, we never have went without drink re-fills or anything else we have needed. I'll definitely be going back.
(4)Jessica D.
This place is the serious bomb. If you like sushi and are on a budget, check this mother out. Located close to the OSU campus, its only degrading quality is the lack of parking. Howevs, the food, the service and the price are swell. I am a militant vegan as the saying goes with a taste for miso soup so we're here once a week to swill on the soy. I elect to refrain from asking if fish is involved in the making of my favorite dish. Sometimes it's best to just "not know" when it tastes that good. The sushi is awesome, per my dude's report. He slams down a few colorful trays while I tuck away tea and salad with that awesome japanese ginger dressing that Moretti's has been trying to bottle for years and failing miserably. They're also kid friendly, which is good to know. Great for large parties-- you can actually take over a small room that is adjacent to the main dining hall with your bad-a** parties of 10 or more. Japanese Oriental is also great for sushi virgins as they serve Korean food as well. Get them the cooked stuff while you enjoy the raw.
(5)Shannon R.
Other than an awful name, Japanese Oriental Restaurant is perfect. The staff are very courteous, the food is excellent, and the atmosphere is comfortable and welcoming. They serve a large variety of food and are quite adept at all of it. I've found all of the prices extremely reasonable when compared to the service and food at comparable restaurants. You'll love your visit to this diamond in the rough.
(5)Maximillian W.
Do not come here for the sushi. Rolls are anemically small and incredibly sloppy. I've eaten sushi at probably 50 different places over my life, and I've never seen anything like this. I really was in shock particularly at my order of spicy tuna rolls. Each roll was cut to a different height, all rolled incredibly poorly, falling apart and different shapes... I imagine the entrees here are pretty good, as it seems that's what most people were having...
(1)Paul F.
I came down here today not for sushi but to try their Jam Bong, which I understood to be a seafood stew. The waitress brought out a very large bow, and four smaller ones filled with kimchee, radish, pickled cabbage, and potatoes. The Jam Bong had some seafood in it, mostly a little shrimp and a scallop but otherwise was mostly noodles and veggies in a very spicy red broth. (I'm not sure how much seafood I should have been expecting when they only charged $10 for the dish.) Anyway, the dish was very filling and along with the side dishes, I was stuffed. Good meal!
(4)Matthew B.
Japanese Oriental is a little cubby hole of a place, almost too small to be coazy but not quite- and it's a great little restaurant. Despite it's name this is, as other reviewers have noted, a Korean restaurant that offers Japanese and Chinese cuisine as well. The practical upshot of this is that whenever you order anything, it comes with something like six little bowls of Korean appetizers and pickled foods, all of which are delicious and give a great variety of flavors before your meal without filling you up at all. The menu is impressively large and has a lot to offer from all three countries represented. Their sushi is pretty good though not quite sublime, but plenty of other items on the menu are really quite good. You may have passed this place a million times without even seeing it or knowing what it was. It doesn't look very inviting on the outside, but it's really quite worth it to stop in. Try the vegetable tempura platter- yum!
(3)Scott B.
everybody deserves a second chance? BULL SHAT! raymond what were you thinking giving this place a second chance!?! i shall post up a photo because you know how the saying goes a picture is worth more than a thousand words!!! one last additional comment, small measly rolls containing little slivers of salmon with a shat load spicy mayo drizzled on top only reflects upon the lack of knowledge or laziness of making real spicy salmon by the sushi chef
(1)Melanie B.
Well, other than the strange (and slightly outdated??) name, this place is pretty awesome. My friends and I recently enjoyed some amazing sushi and entrees here, and I am so glad to have done so because although I like Haiku down in the short north, that place is way over-priced and tries to be fancy-fancy... I prefer good food and cozy atmosphere. The six little appetizers aforementioned in other reviews were really cool, especially the kimshi - all were really good. I had a couple rolls and some edamame and miso soup yummmm. One of my friends tried an amazing entree of cod and tofu - I got to have a bite and it was pretty amazing. The others got rolls - rave reviews. Horray! I'm definitely a fan of Japanese Oriental (although I think it should be called Korean Japanese). I'll be back for more sushi, and I'd like to try some of the Korean entrees as well.
(4)Zachary P.
Located just north of campus, but south of clintonville, Japanese Oriental is in a house that has been converted to a restaurant. There are a couple small dining rooms so that the experience is always intimate. The nigiri was pretty decent actually, good flavor and good presentation. The maki was slipping towards the mediocre side of the spectrum. The campus roll was basically a bunch of junk crammed into some rice without much thought and the avocado on the caterpillar was none too fresh. My dining companion said the happy family was delicious and they serve all their bottled beers in 22oz bottles. Who wouldn't love that?
(3)Emily S.
My old roommate and I refer to this place fondly as the Japanese Restaurante. They have a big menu with a lot of variety. A good place to go with friends. The sushi is not life changing but it's good and it's not too expensive.
(3)Matthew M.
As other reviewers have noted, this restaurant has a varied pedigree in that it serves Japanese, Korean, and Chinese fare. The dining room and sushi bar area together accomplish an extraordinarily cozy and warm feel. i love finding places to go that feel like a home away from home, and this place falls into that category admirably. The sushi is damn good, prepared by an earnest looking older Asian man each time i've visited. On one occasion the tuna tasted so fresh and succulent that i bought a sizable chunk of it sliced sashimi style to take with me. I headed north toward where i lived at the time with the blessed little package on the passenger's seat, succumbed to temptation, and scarfed all of it like candy before i left the city limits. Pig pig pig. Recently my girlfriend and i went to JOR and sat at the sushi bar and for the first time i got an up-close look and taste of one of the hot dishes on the menu. She ordered shrimp and vegetable udon. When the entree arrived it was accompanied by perhaps 6 little side bowls each containing what i learned were various Korean appetizers. I'd hate to be the dishwasher at this joint. But those kind of extra touches make for a varied experience for your palette and set this place apart. The prices are approximately what i've come to expect for this genre of restaurant, but they're definitely lower than fancier places where the food is of equal or lesser quality (*cough* Haiku). Overall, Japanese Oriental Restaurant (I do wish they had brainstormed some more names before settling on that generic clunker), is a superb restaurant with a welcoming atmosphere. It's a first rate destination for a date or a night out with your droogs.
(5)Jason R.
Tasty take out with friendly service!
(4)Aris Y.
Okay after multiple visits I feel that a review is long overdue. I think that this place is hidden gem, it's a little obscure (disguised as house) with crappy parking, and it's always busy with locals! Atmosphere: great! Comfy--casual and relaxed, feels like you're over at a friend's home just enjoying a great meal with friends. No one's in a hurry (but the food comes out quick!) and you're never rushed. Food: Delicious! I love the Sake Don--simple, yet done perfectly and professionally. Service: quick! Once came here with a very large group (read 20+ people), we warned them ahead of time and there was very little waiting for our food--no more than if you came by yourself. Price: totally worth it. Note: parking in the back is very limited. You've been warned: there are signs all over the lot and even at the tables warning you at what spots you can/can't park at! Carpool, it's better for the environment. Or walk, it's better for you.
(5)