Talk about a hidden gem. Tucked away in a business park by CVG - it's easy to miss this place. I walked in with zero expectations and walked out a satisfied customer. The food was so authentic and the menu was also in Japanese. Lots of choices and many things still left to try. My favorite was the salmon rice bowl which is brothy and so fulfilling. Can't wait to go there again! The only complaint is the heavy odor of used cooking oil. Perhaps the ventilation system isn't the best, but at least it didn't leave a stench on my clothes or hair.
(4)
Kurt M.
Jo An Japanese restaurant is about as authentic as it gets in the Midwest. Originally designed to be a place the Japanese executives from nearby Toyota could eat, it has a true feel to it. It can be difficult to find, because who expects a restaurant inside an office building?! Come in the entrance to the lobby and then down the hall. You will NOT be disappointed. I am in the Florence area for work a couple of times a year, and this is always a "must stop" if I have an evening free. Perfect rice. Gorgeous seaweed salad. Fresh fish and generous portions. Truly great sushi and sashimi.
(5)
Maggie B.
This place rocks!! From the awesome and diverse menu, to the amazing sushi chefs, and the great waitress. If you go on a weekend just know that it might be slow because there is one waitress who is also the hostess but she is super nice and helpful so be patient. Also ask for suggestions. We had a huge selection of items. Standouts were the Beef Tataki. Yum!! Lightly seared and in a citrus Ponzu sauce. The Tuna tartar was amazing! The mango brought out the flavors. The veggie tempura was was perfection. There were 3 kinds of Miso. All were great but the spicy was awesome! The sushi was fresh and delish! We had an off menu roll that was awesome. My favorite was the Ahi Roll. It was fresh with a hint of wasabi flavor. We ended with a Japanese ice treat covered in Mochi. It was a perfect end to a phenomenal meal!
(5)
Henry J.
Apparently, Jo An is a legit place frequently visited by Japanese travelers who come to CVG on business. Its location is weird enough, which is inside an office building off the beaten path close to highway I-275. Be careful when you try to enter, because it's easier to find the entrance to its kitchen than the front door! Once inside, however, authenticity exudes from everything such as the tasteful decoration, hot towels to clean hands, right down to the Japanese sushi chef working behind the counter. On my visit, we had some delightful sashimi platter and yakitori skewers. In addition, the fresh uni (sea urchin) tasted creamy, briney, and salty just like the ocean. The hot sake warmed us from the inside due to the snow outside. It was the perfect birthday dinner I could've asked for after hours of delays in IAH and dashing through ORD before boarding my flight en route back to CVG.
(5)
Nunzio G.
I didn't find a hidden gem here but more of a tarnished penny. The service is very poor. You barely get a look and the waiter couldn't tell me if the tempora with the chicken would be vegetable tempura as I suggested. He didn't follow up as I asked. I took over 20 minutes to get my first app and u waited for a beer for longer. He forgot to order my tuna abaca do roll but thanks to the very nice sushi chef( I sat at the bar) he made it for me lickety split. The sushi chef saved the day and turns out the waiter was on his first week. The food was good but they also charged me for a salad which was part of the tempura/chicken order. Oh well, it's Cinci in an office park.
(2)
Chris G.
I hadn't been to Jo-An in years. A decade maybe. I was happy they were still in business. I attended a function I organized with a group of others. Man oh man did we go all out. I ordered the Shio Ramen, some sushi, a seaweed salad, an octopus donburi (rice bowl) and some red bean and green tea ice creams (I'm a sharer, of course!) I think Jo-An is the only place in the greater Cincinnati area which offers a Shio (salt) Ramen. A truly pleasant surprise. The broth was thinner than expected, but the pork meat was some of the best prepared for a ramen I've ever had. The sushi was very well made. Not the best I've had, but pretty sterling for an inland joint. The seaweed salad was delicious, hard to screw that one up. The octopus donburi was equally delicious. Both the green tea and the sweet red bean ice creams were wonderful. The group had a wonderful time, egging each other on to try new things and passing items around family style. I'll definitely be back to Jo-An. I might get sushi... but it's more likely I'll get a double helping of that Shio Ramen.
(4)
Joey O.
Hidden gem, great service, delicious food and overall best place for a romantic night out. I love going here with my wife. The service standards are high and everything I've had here from rolls to the Japanese pickles have been great.
(5)
John B.
Tried to get in here last time in cinci but was closed. Glad it was open this time as it was highly recommend by my hotel manager. I went with two others so I can report on several items. Spicy tuna roll, spider roll, goyza sauce all out of this world. Ginger salad better than most. I had yellow tail, snapper, salmon, and eel sushi we ended up eating country style as all was delicious and wanted to try what others had ordered. Very fresh! I will be back.
(5)
Ning A.
This is a review based on 5 years of sporadic dining at Jo-An. The food is always consistently good. Sushi is simple, well done and without a bunch of extraneous sauces to hide the flavors of the fish. This is a more traditional Japanese restaurant catering to the nearby Toyota workers. So ambience is what it is. Lunch service can be slow since there is only one sushi chef but I plan on it so it doesn't bother me. I'm just happy to have a honest sushi joint to enjoy in Kentucky of all places!
(4)
Drewcifer D.
This is the best sushi period. I was happy to hear that when Toyota closes, Jo An will remain to service my gourmet sushi needs. They have limited hours which I kind of like. It makes going there feel even more special because I have to plan it. I have taken many work meetings there and impressed everyone who went. Knowing about this place definitely gives you some foodie cred. Please go here and spend tons of money. They deserve every penny.
(5)
Erin K.
Came here for birthday month / bestie Wednesday after hearing rave reviews about this place for over a year now. First of all, very strangely located. It's located on the first floor of a giant building that looks to be filled with corporate offices. Although, I am sure this is a plus for the people who work here! The food is gorgeously, beautifully prepared and it's obvious that a lot of time and work goes into presentation, which is thusly reflected in the price. The food is also delicious, but so is Thai Taste (which is way cheaper). I am definitely glad I went, and if for some strange reason I was in the area again, I'd stop by for some more grub, but it's hard to feel like a diamond in the rough was found when I live five minutes away from Thai Taste, ya know?
(3)
Christopher M.
This place makes me feel like I could live in Japan. I love it that much. Green tea. I don't like tea. Any of it. I love their green tea. I've had their sushi and their bento boxes and both were high quality, fresh, and tasty. The lunch crowd is good, but not overwhelming. There's a high number of Japanese companies in the area, and apparently this is the place of choice for those employees. You'll have to enter an office building lobby to get in the restaurant, but it's a place worth finding!
(5)
Bill C.
I'm sorry. I hate giving bad reviews. But I tried calling the number to order one sushi roll. No answer. So I waked across the street to order in person. The place was empty except for one large party of 20. She said because of the large group, no to go orders could be placed. Horrible. This might be the lowest review I will ever post
(1)
Quang L.
The grilled squid was so good. Everything was great. The hostess was very nice also. Will be back when in town for sure.
(5)
John M.
Very good lunch deals. I'll eventually have to get back for a dinner. It is an unusual location on the ground floor of an office building. Almost all of the customers are Japanese, so you know it's pretty good. In the lunch rush, service can suffer a bit with only two servers covering the whole place. Green tea is complimentary and most items come with miso soup and/or salad(with ginger dressing). They have a very small lunch menu. Two deals of the day, a make your own bento, signature bento, two sushi rolls, and nigiri with a roll. Lunch options A and B are rotated and the menu shows their offerings for the rest of the week. Their oyako-don (chicken and egg with onion over rice) was a great value but I've had better. The sushi lunch was fantastic. Great cuts of tuna, squid, mackerel, salmon, and even a good spicy tuna roll. Theirs is different but i liked it better than most. There is a fantastic drink menu with sake, beer, wine, and bourbon. If you're near the airport and like Japanese food, be sure to give it a try. Look at the pictures of lunch A and B as you walk in if you don't know Japanese dishes by name.
(4)
Katie W.
This place may be in a weird location but the fish is very fresh and the prices reasonable.
(4)
H.J K.
First time and had a big disappointment from food and service.. I though this place was good because they have 4 starts from Yelp.. But it was not... First of all, please careful to eat food if anyone doesn't want to eat extra tissue paper which I found from egg rice bowl.. Too much tissue paper... Server said just sorry officially.. Also Eel nigiri was not fresh one and it was already cooked Eel like sushi at Kroger supermarket.. And charged $8 for 2 pcs. Wow.... Another part was their servers... They do not care customers and try to clean up the tale right away after finished meal.. Service was also horrible.
(1)
Eva A.
I am only giving Jo An Japanese Restaurant 3 stars, only because the food was excellent. The Jo An roll was spectacular and had a great taste, I'm just not sure if it's worth an hour and fifteen minutes to wait for. I think I honestly came on a bad night with a large private party of "30 people," as the waiter explained. The waiters were apologetic however I feel that if they knew of a large party like that was already seated or made reservations to come in, they should have been upfront about the wait or staffing, or whatever the issue was. I don't think a waiter even said anything to us after an hour of waiting. I actually had to get up and remind them that I was here. After my complaint on the kitchen my food was prompt. Once I got my boiled spinach appetizer (which is what I received last), I was enjoying the salty peanut taste with the spinach up until I found an unusual object. It was a sticker from possibly the packaging of the spinach. It's not that shocking to most, but how many dirty factories or hands moved that packaging or placed that sticker on? Which was apparently cooked with my food. The sticker was half as long as my thumb. Something that should have been caught by the kitchen. This was supposed to be a special anniversary dinner with my boyfriend on a night out of town. Out of state actually. If we had made extensive plans to see a show or something, we would have had to leave hungry! I feel the waiters should have been more vocal about my wait time. Other than that, the fish was very fresh and the flavors were wonderful. It was just a busy night that could have been handled better.
(3)
Devon C.
I went to Jo An with my parents while they were here visiting. We went on a Wednesday night and it was not too busy. The place is somewhat difficult to find since it is located in a large office building with a small sign. That being said, it was delicious authentic Japanese food. I ordered the Tempura Udon and my parents had Chicken Teriyaki and the Bento Box. Every item we ordered was delicious and authentic. We also had a few pieces of sushi since it is their specialty which was also delicious. The service was good while we were there. There are a lot of delicious Japanese restaurants in Northern Kentucky but definitely recommend Jo An to anyone in the mood for authentic Japanese food.
(4)
Angela C.
I think I was disappointed because I expected to be blown away. Jo An has good sushi and lovely presentation. It is in a random office building in one of those corporate suburbs. Staff was very nice. Overall, the experience was fine, but I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to get here often. Still nice to know it's there.
(4)
Kelly L.
Classy, quiet, yummy, affordable, pretty food that tastes amazing.
(5)
Vince A.
Went with 5 other colleagues on July 15, we are from out of town . What can I say about this place ? Horrible ! 1. Tempura was served very cold as if it was cooked and they forgot to serve to me . I returned it and told the server that a Japanese restaurant does not serve a cold tempura EVER. 2. Teriyaki steak - my colleague ordered medium rare and he got a well done steak , felt like a beef jerky . 3. Uneven service - the food ordered was uneven . It seemed like this place has only one kitchen cook . Two colleagues did not get their order until 4 of us were almost finished . Stay away from this place ! And it's weird that the bills have the tip already written by the server ! Wow , this place does not deserve the 16% that they wrote in If there's a half star , this is their rating !
(1)
Bryan S.
Stopped in here on the last night of a business trip, staying at the Marriott Courtyard (which is also very nice for a weary soul). Had an incredibly fresh and extremely well priced sushi dinner. Atmosphere and ambiance was totally relaxing. Judging by the menu and quality of food, the patrons and limited hours this is a local secret/treasure for sure. Highly recommend if you find yourself near CVG.
(5)
Nicole V.
First time I've has sushi in years that smells fishy! Spent $40 on it and didn't even eat half of it. Too nervous to continue eating it based on the smell. Also difficult to figure out which door to enter as it's an office bldg. I won't go back.
(1)
Manuel F.
Great sushi and salmon!!! Everyone in my party enjoyed their sushi and other plates as well. Great dinner!! Highly recommended!
(4)
Ryosuke U.
Came here with a coworker while traveling through to visit some customers. The location threw me off a bit as it was in the first floor of an office building but once you step inside it felt like a authentic Japanese restaurant. Heard good things from local JPN customers so tried it out and was definitely not disappointed. The sushi was very fresh and the appetizers we tried were solid. Dont recall how the service was -Not good/Not bad Location being so close to the Cincinnati airport was convenient as well. Good to take customers and coworkers who want authentic Japanese food in the area.
(4)
Jordan W.
Excellent food - nice array of rolls and nigiri, as well as great traditional Japanese food. Get the yellowtail collar appetizer - delicious!
(4)
Megan B.
This place is amazing, some of the best sushi I've ever had. They flew sushi chefs in from Japan to meet the need of Toyota employees so you know it's the real deal. Always quiet, never crowded, food and service are outstanding. Try the fatty tuna - it's expensive but so worth it! Great for lunch or dinner, business or pleasure. If you like sushi you have to check it out - definitely the best in the Cincinnati area!
(4)
Jodi W.
We went on Friday night because of Yelp recommendations. When we arrived we were told their would be about a 30 minute wait for sushi because they had just got a big order. We decided to stay. At first we were a little annoyed that the service for everything else was really slow, until we learned that both of the servers on the floor were relatively new. We got our sushi in a little under the 30 min they warned us about and it was delicious. We will definitely return, although I'm not sure if it will be a weekend!!
(4)
Alex S.
So as the legend goes, the executives at the nearby Toyota plant could not live without authentic sushi, so they flew a sushi chef from Japan in to cook for them. And when he got tired of doing that, he opened his own restaurant down the street. That is Jo An. And my god is this sushi amazing. Located in an office building behind the Marriot (there is a tiny sign for it, but just keep driving back, you'll get to it), Jo An is small but not cramped, modest but not bare, mood-lit but not tacky, and all around friendly. Go into the office building, make your first left and walk down the long hallway. There it is. We were sat almost at once by a very friendly waitress. She checked on us throughout the night and was very nice. Sometimes, almost too nice. She apologized profusely when one of our shrimp was taking longer to take and she brought out the other rolls without it. We told her it was fine. I'd much have her too nice than too mean, and she was great. The rolls. Oh my god, the rolls. This may be the best eel I've ever had in sushi, soft and savory and it melted like butter. Yes. The nagiri was fresh and delicious and even things like your basic California roll was perfect. There was a crunch from the celery inside, proving just how fresh all the ingredients are. Woah. We also got the vegetable tempora and it was a nice mix of common vegetables (onions and sweet potatoes) as well as some fun stranger ones (eggplant and two that I just couldn't identify!) They weren't deep deep fried like a lot of places do tempora but lightly battered and lightly fried. They were soft, sweet and delicious. Loved it. I could come back here in a heartbeat. Honestly, I think it's my new favorite sushi in Cincy.
(5)
Mark S.
Unexpectedly made it back for lunch the following day. Jo An had one of my favorites offered forone of the daily lunch specials; Hiyashi Chuka (listed as Cold Egg Noodles). It was a great lunch meal for a warm, sunny Summer day. Their website has a special link to the Lunch Special menu, which is posted for the upcoming week. The service at Jo An is every bit as good as the food and for me the atmosphere here has a tranquil Zen vibe to it.
(5)
Travis G.
Once you find the place - not easy - you won't forget about it. Great selection of cold sake and plum wine at really good rates, and extremely well cut fish. As an American mutt, I am always the minority when I eat here, which I take to be a good sign. Not a cheap date - but totally worth it.
(4)
Chris G.
Meh. It has been years since I have eaten here. This was the first time eating with the new owner. It was just such a let down from previous visits. Hopefully, it was just an off visit and it will be better next time.
(2)
Steve B.
Solid 3.5 stars. Found in a corporate building in the middle of nowhere near a hotel, if you are 100% lost you're there - enter through the corporate building entrance like a normal working stiff. Nice staff, with a clearly separate room for the Japenese diners and a main dining room, both of which are not high on ambiance. My girl goes to Japanese restaurants to feel whisked away, and this doesn't have that at all. The food itself was good, my teriyaki filet mignon was very tender. Her noodle dish was good too. The prices themselves though were a bit high, especially for Cincinnati. The menu itself was a bit boring, many of the standard items you'd find on a Japanese menu, which is why it got 3.5 over 4. For a place that clearly caters to Japanese expats working at Toyota and other companies nearby, I'd expect more adventurous options.
(3)
Hansel R.
The service was really slow due to a lot of customers. Several reminders to the wait staff resulted in nothing. Finally, after waiting for 1 hour all we got was a salad. We went into the kitchen and asked for the manager. My wife spoke to him in Japanese and explained him our situation. He was very apologetic and assured us he would take care of it. Within 20 minutes all the rest of our food showed up. The food was delicious. I wish I could have said that it was worth the wait, but no, I can't say that. Moreover, the manager said that the entire meal was on the house. Our food was easily worth $80 and he waived it off. Very gracious or as the Japanese call it èª å®Ÿ(seijitsu). We will be back to enjoy the good food and hopefully better service next time.
(3)
Konstantin A.
Fish is definitely first rate - fresh and tasty. However, portions are somewhat small and the place is overall a bit pricey. But if you don't mind paying a bit extra then it's worth the trip.
(4)
Tanya B.
Imagine, here I am coming to Cincy area for business from Northern California, the self-proclaimed US capital of sushi. My list of local restaurants included anything, but sushi. Then a colleague from the local office suggested that we go to Jo An, a sushi restaurant. Needless to say, my expectations were close to non-existent. Boy, was I wrong! The sushi was FANTASTIC! Great selection; especially the special rolls; some of the combinations I haven't even seen here in Cali. The fish was super fresh; the rolls were delicious. I was really impressed! The place is in a weird location; in kind of an industrial park. The last thing you expect to find there is a great sushi restaurant. I'm glad I knew some locals and was introduced to this place. I will definitely consider going back to Jo An next time I'm in the area.
(4)
S B.
Food is great... However don't ask for water... Just get up and go get it from the kitchen!
(4)
Matt G.
My favorite lunch spot. also good for a dinner meeting. Sush authentic and fresh. Great variety
(5)
gary n.
UPDATED: I recently re-visited Jo an. It was quite good. Again, the menu is not as extensive as some others (Miyoshi or Matsuka) but it has some interesting items. The sushi was top-notch. OLDER: Jo An is a fine sushi restaurant. I personally feel it is a bit over-rated and I suspect this is due to the fact that it was the first up-scale sushi joint in NKY. The American Dream Roll is a sight to be seen and is very very good. In general I find their prices a wee bit high. The menu is somewhat limited when compared to say Miyoshi and Matsuya but if you check it out closely it is not too bad. I find the physical layout less inviting than Miyoshi and there is just a sense of it getting a bit old and in need of up-dating. I'd probably give it a 3.5 star rating if that were an option. They do have a solid sake selection. In summary, if you truly enjoy sushi and Japanese cuisine and are not particularly interested in less than standard non-sushi offerings then this is certainly a restaurant to check out. However, if you are looking for the best sushi/Japanese experience in the area then try Miyoshi IMHO.
(4)
Mike O.
Bad service- waiter didn't know the menu and even said he works there part time and doesn't know the food. Sushi was subpar and nothing special. Sauces were bland for the noodles. With all these great reviews maybe we caught them on a bad night. But I won't go back.
(1)
Andrew N.
Where to start? We're not talking dragon rolls with cream cheese or any of that nonsense. The way I put it to my friends is that it would probably hold its own if in Japanese-food crazy California, but it wouldn't be the best. It definitely has me coming back often. I love Japanese food more for their small dishes and entrees over sushi and this place has lots to offer, plus a lot of other ever-changing dishes and specials on their Japanese-only menu. I've had their gyu-tan which was had some rough pieces, but I'm a sucker for beef tongue so I was happy, and their tempura was light and crisp. Fish is fresh, the sakura onigiri was comfort food done right. The agedashi tofu was great too. My parents came to visit from Asia and they were pleasantly surprised. Lunch is a steal at around 10 to 12 dollars, especially considering the quality and authenticity. If you come for dinner expect to pay more, but then you'll also have the full menu at your disposal.
(4)
Andrea R.
This is quite possibly the best sushi I've ever had in my life. Let me also note that I've had sushi in Japan just steps from the infamous fish market in Tokyo, and I'm convinced that this is better. Pricey, but well worth it for sure! I had miso soup -- sooo delicious. Shared an order of gyoza with my husband -- steamed to perfection, and the dipping sauce wasn't overly salty like I've had at other restaurants. Shared a HUGE sushi platter with my husband as well. Our eyes may have been bigger than our stomachs, but we cleaned up every bite since it was so delicious. I'm one to judge a sushi place by their ability to create perfect spicy tuna rolls. Well, this place does just that. We had tuna, salmon, and fatty tuna sashimi, spicy tuna rolls, cucumber rolls, avocado rolls, and a specialty roll (shogun roll). Every single bite was divine. I only wish I would've had more room to put more fish in my belly! Also, my husband lived in Japan for a few years, and he agrees that this was the best sushi he's ever had. Off the beaten path for sure, but well worth the drive!!
(5)
Kristan H.
My boyfriend and I have only been here once, but we would really like to come back. Our visit was for lunch on a random weekday, because we were on our way to CVG airport. Strangely, we could not have sushi, because the sushi chefs were all occupied with filling a very large special order. So we both had lunch bento boxes instead. Everything was good -- obviously fresh and high-quality. Service was friendly, and the ambience reminded me of the Japanese restaurants I grew up going to in Houston. Yes, Jo An is in a strange location, and a tiny bit more expensive than other places, but I think the quality and authenticity justify that. Again, we would like to go back and try the sushi -- hopefully soon!
(4)
Suzanna D.
Very disappointing. Rice was hard, Jo an role soggy. Nice short walk to the hotel and service was good, but food disappointing.
(2)
Carol J.
Jo An has the best sushi you'll find in the area, and this is coming from me, a sushi snob who has lived in Southern California for 22 years. I don't know how the sushi chefs do it, but the sushi/sashimi/nigiri are always great. Jo An is in a random office building in a random area of Kentucky, but the food is completely worth the drive.
(5)
Matt W.
This is the best Japanese food in the area. Their very wide selection and creative specialty sushi rolls stand out. While very busy during lunch times, you can get in pretty easily in early evening. Great option for a family or large group when you don't have a reservation. Looking over the reviews I think the biggest ding on Jo An is the service. I have never had an issue but also have never had the highest expectations. Not bad -- just not on par with the food. It's a small price to pay for great food and easy access.
(5)
Dan F.
One of the best sushi places I've been to. I can't say I'm a sushi expert, but I do eat a lot of it and have tried a lot of places in the DC area. This place is very unexpected because it is at the bottom of an office building in an area of Kentucky that's not very populated. Their sake was very smooth. I got the basic sushi combo, and all the pieces were very obviously fresh and great quality. I would highly recommend this place. I wish I was in KY longer, so I could try more.
(5)
Christine C.
They will make custom order rolls and always friendly. Well worth finding this hidden gem.
(4)
Leighton P.
I will concur with a previous reviewer: As good as any sushi bar in LA/NYC/San Francisco. The fish is always extraordinarily fresh, and if it's not, the proprietor will tell you, as she did me when the toro wasn't up to snuff that day. The red miso soup w/shitaki is highly recommended. And it's in Kentucky (long story)! I try to go whenever an airport run to CVG is in the cards. And the many Japanese workers/consultants to Toyota in the area can always be seen there. Need a better rec?
(4)
Glenna M.
My new favorite sushi place! Starting with the adventure it was to find in the dark. We were warmly welcomed. I noticed the simple clean modern decor and tables.The lighting was just dim enough that the setting was suitable for either a dinner with friends or a romantic evening for two. We were seated and promptly brought warm moist towels to clean our hands (fancy). The menu was expansive and confusing because there were 3 different ones. But our server was quick to explain it all to us and offer suggestions and help. I ordered the Maguro Tartar appetizer and the spicy baked salmon roll. My appetizer arrived and I was in heaven. Huge chunks of beautiful tuna , perfectly fresh mango and avocado were tossed in a lightly seasoned mayonnaise-like dressing and in a bowl of crisp lettuce. It was everything I love and each mouthful was a party. There was just the right amount of dressing to lightly coat each piece without being overpowering .The sushi roll didn't let me down either. It was flavorful, plentiful and beautifully presented. My companions were equally pleased with both the presentation and taste of their choices. I was also offered hot tea, which I gladly accepted and it was delicious and perfect. I know I will be coming here again and again because the entire experience was completely lovely. I really recommend you give it a try. I doubt you will be disappointed.
(5)
Gene S.
Pretty f'ing amazing sushi pretty far from the sea. I don't know how they do it. It feels very traditional to me. I had an incredible chorachi jo. The "full bar" indicated on yelp is just beer, wine, saki, shochu, and about 4 other spirit selections, not including gin.
(5)
MEdlinda C.
This place is a hidden gem in KY. It's tucked away towards the back of a parking lot near the Toyota plant in Kentucky. The ambiance is cozy, with Japanese chefs and waiters. The restaurant itself isn't huge, but it is comfortably sized with a sushi bar and a decent wine, sake and plum wine selection. Now on to the food! We tried the Joan roll, thinking it was the house specialty. It was fine, but I've had better. The roll contained Salmon, Tuna, Yellowtail, Avocado, Tobiko, & Spicy Mayonnaise in Soy Paper. Soy paper is thinner than seaweed, and has a very mild flavor. Usually this allows the taste of the fish to shine, but in this case, there was hardly any fish in the roll to speak of. The rice to fish ratio was 2 or 3:1. I would not recommend this particular roll, but the roll selection is extensive so perhaps that was just not the best choice. We also ordered the vegetable udon, which was fine, but nothing memorable. However, the sashimi was fresh and beautifully presented. By far, the highlight of the dinner was the seafood and lobster curry. Succulent scallops, jumbo shrimp and large chunks of lobster floated in a rich, creamy complex yellow curry. The curry also had carrots and green beans. The flavor of the curry was mild, no spice, but it was infused with the delicate flavor of the seafood. Delish!
(4)
J W.
This restaurant is in the middle of an industrial park, in one of two office buildings between 2 hotels. I decided to try it out, because I was staying at one of the nearby hotels and did not have access to transportation or have any other options other than very expensive room service or trying to find nearby restaurants that deliver. As a vegetarian, I know that most Japanese restaurants are not typically vegetarian friendly, but I thought that they may have some types of vegetable sushi, which was fine with me, so I figured "why not give it a try". Upon arriving, I was greeted by a very friendly staff and was seated quickly in one of the 3 dining rooms. I though the layout and decor was very impressive. Immediately after being seated, I was brought a hot towel (which I thought was a very nice touch) along with the menu and drink list. From the drink list, I decided to try the plum martini from the martini menu, which consists of Saki, Vodka and Plum Wine. The martini was really good and even came with a marinated Plum garnish. While looking over the menu, I noticed that they have 3 different types of miso soups. After asking my server if there is any seafood or meat base, the server quickly noted that they use fish stock in all of the soups - Miso soup was "out" for me here, but not a deal breaker. If you don't mind fish stock in miso soup, then you're in luck. There were a few appetizers that I could have selected from, but I decided to just have a salad and save room for some sushi. I selected the regular (or house) salad. Their house salad arrived containing very fresh vegetables and a really delicious ginger dressing on the side. The sushi selection was not too bad from a vegetarian perspective. I noticed at least 5 kinds, including one egg option. I decided on the vegetable, avocado and a dried type of squash option (which I cannot remember the name of). Each of their rolls has 6 pieces, so it was plenty. All of the sushi arrived very fresh and it was really good. The service here was excellent, my server was extremely helpful, well timed with the meal and made sure that I was well looked after. After my meal, I was offered a cup of green tea, which I accepted. The server made sure to let me know that the clay cup it is served in was very hot and to be careful when picking it up. The tea was a nice touch to a fantastic meal. If you work nearby or are staying at one of the hotels in the area, check this place out. I would have given it a 5-star, if they had some type of tofu options with the noodle or rice dishes available. It does get 5-stars for the service and atmosphere. Enjoy!
(4)
Ryan B.
Right on: Clean, attractive restaurant with friendly and efficient service. The food is addictive--I wanna go there every other day for lunch. Try the lunch options A or B and read this week's schedule online. The pork and teriyaki choices can't be beat. The sushi is great as well. The location isn't ideal, but it's worth the search for this authentic, ever-so-tasty experience.
(5)
Bea D.
I was impressed by the number of items on the menu. This place is not just another sushi joint. This is Japanese - for Cincinnati anyway. We had miso soup with clams, a wonderful sashimi seaweed salad, and a couple rolls. All the food was great. They have an extensive list of wines and sakes. The service was so-so. Our waitress' first language was Spanish. She spoke some English and a little Japanese. I don't speak Japanese, nor could I pronounce almost all of the menu items. I just ended up pointing or using English to place my order. The atmosphere is casual and quiet. This is a place to enjoy a leisurely meal.
(4)
Saki A.
Only been here twice for lunch - but I plan to be a regular! First time, ordered Kitsune Udon from one of their two lunch entree choices. It was flavored perfectly, a little bit on the stronger side for a Kansai native like myself. The side of oshinko maki (pickle roll) was a nice touch too. Second visit, I had the Shoukado Bento, which consisted of rice, miso soup, salad, tempura, sashimi, chicken teriyaki, and nimono (simmered veggies). Not so much a fan of the nimono using baby carrots (I've only seen carrots cut like a flower for the nimono). The tempura was also quite dishevelled. Other than that, I was satisfied. I gave 4 stars for the reason of their considerate attempt to present non-sushi Japanese food to their regular customers which consist of many Japanese businessmen visiting TEMA (Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing) right across the street from their location. I know American food can be a bit intense and different for Japanese people so their menus are very much appreciated. -1 star for the lack of cooking skills and the not so attentive service. Next time, I'll try some sushi for sure! Hoping for some authenticity as I heard the chef speaking Japanese.
(4)
Amy L.
FINALLY! We moved here from DC seven months ago and have been so disappointed in the sushi offerings. I am so happy that we found Jo An because the sushi was really good. Hands down the best in Cincinnati by a very, very large margin. The sushi in Hyde Park & Mt. Lookout isn't even in the same realm. It's definitely worth the trip. The service was only ok but frankly I could care less. I'll go again and again for good sushi.
(5)
Elizabeth W.
Like Captain Ahab's white while, the legend of exceptional sushi in Cincinnati remains an elusive target. Tucked into an office building behind the Courtyard Marriot by the airport, this local legend restaurant represents one of the most authentic sushi experiences I have had in this city. We started with warm washcloths on a half-price wine bottle Monday and perused the menu, which includes an extensive selection of cooked selections as well as the typical sushi offerings. Although Jo An's has some fancier rolls, their claim to fame is the quality of the fish, both raw and cooked. We had several rolls, which were all excellent. The uni (sea urchin) was absolutely fresh and delicious; even the salmon teriaki was exceptional - firm and flavorful. The only limitations on a 5 star rating are that the service was a little slow and our water glasses sat empty several times (not a good situation with spicy miso soup and spicy tuna rolls!). A massive party of Asian business men occupied the back room and kept the waitstaff busy, which really only makes this place better in my mind. Bottom line: worth the drive, the service, and the price for exceptional sushi in Cincinnati
(4)
Chris R.
No expectations. None. This restaurant had one key ingredient - it was across the parking lot from my hotel at the end of a long, tiring day. I'm not a big sushi fan, and was not in the mood to be adventuresome - but this place wowed me. Spare, simple decor. Attentive service. And dynamite, interesting sushi that made fo a fantastic meal. I had the salmon, tempura avocado roll, and an Alaskan snow crab and avocado roll, both stunning in their freshness and interesting flavors combinations. Also tried their steamed shrimp dumplings, which were fabulous. I'm no sushi guru, but I know good food, as well as quality service and a pleasant atmosphere. This place has it all.
(4)
Mark A.
I had a $25 gift certificate from halfpricecincy.com so I wanted to give this place a try. I'm a big fan of anyplace in the NKY area that isn't another in the long line of cookie cutter chains that seem to dominate this region. I enjoy trying new foods and this seemed like the perfect place to stretch my sushi experiences a bit. First of all the atmosphere was wonderful. It's not extremely fancy or kitschy Japanese like a lot of places. It's nice understated elegance was a plus in my book. It's tucked back in a business complex so it's a little off the beaten path. Worth telling your friends about and trying to drag them there. The food was excellent. We had a key lime martini (excellent and very tart...like good key limes!); the tomago (egg), tuna, salmon, godzilla roll (cream cheese, spicy mayo, baked salmon with the whole deal being tempura fried), scallop sashimi (pricey but excellent), shrimp tempura roll, avocado roll and the tempura appetizer. WAY too much but we were both feeling adventurous! They have a wide variety of small place appetizers, three varieties of miso soup and a number of entree dishes. Lots of specials and I liked the added touch of a warm cloth to clean your hands at the start of the meal. I'm by no means a sushi expert but I know what I like and I like this place...for those out of towners or hard core sushi aficionados I DON'T think this place will disappoint! If you are just giving it a try I would suggest trying to head over there for lunch. It's a little cheaper and you can see if it's worth the price to you.
(4)
Melinda B.
It's a small place, hidden in the middle of nowhere, but the food, service and atmosphere were all fantastic. I would highly recommend their sushi, and their alcohol menu perfectly complements any meal.
(4)
Rob N.
I tried this restraunt after reading reviews from my fellow yelpers. It was so good, I went back a second night. The red Miso soup was a nice change from the usual Miso. The Sushi was fantastic, they had some good house rolls too.
(4)
Ayona D.
I REALLY enjoy Jo An's selection. A co-worker of mine learned that I am from the bay area and liked to dabble in sushi. He began to spin dreamy tales of salmon rolls and the Jo An roll and by that afternoon I had placed my order for pick up. I ordered with other friends in the office so we made sure we had plenty to select from ordering the Jo An rolls, california rolls ( for the sushi n00b), and Godzilla rolls. Sooooo good! The rice was perfect and not gummy. The fish was the perfect temperature and made me miss home. I recommend JoAn's for anyone that is in need for authentic sushi.
(4)
Mali B.
Wow tough to find. I'm a sashimi fan but had to ask for it. Little pricey but nice. Toyota plant has Huge influence here
(3)
J W.
Second time I've been in this place. The first time, I found it thanks to yelp. Arrived in CVG and this had good reviews. The rumor that Toyota executives eat here sealed the deal. I was weary at first due to the fact that I am in Kentucky. Good fresh sushi. The rolls are tasty and well made. I love the fact that they have a lot items that you don't see on a lot of sushi menus. For example, sea urchin, sea eel, amber jack fish, and they actually have fatty tuna. A lot of places have fatty tuna on the menu, but they are always "out of stock." It was a truly unique experience. The restaurant is in an office building. you would think there would be a satellite office for some software company there instead of a restaurant. Also, it was the first time I had sushi made by a white guy. With blonde dreadlocks...
(3)
Christi P.
Very consistent food quality with a very nice lunch selection. The service is usually fast and friendly.
(4)
Manveer S.
I really wanted to like Jo An... since moving from southern CA I haven't had decent sushi except on trips home. I know Erlanger is far from the ocean, but was hoping there was some kind of magic that Jo An had pulled off to keep their fish fresh. Alas, this was not the case. The restaurant did have a number of Japanese patrons (one nearby was visiting from Japan) which gave me confidence that we were in the right place. Our service was slow. We arrived at 7:30 pm on a Wednesday (not that busy) and didn't get our sushi until 8:20. Thankfully the appetizer came out within 30 minutes, but that's still too long since we arrived hungry. We started with gyoza, which was decent but average. The wife ordered a Philadelphia roll, I had a spicy tuna roll and we split a Shogun roll. The spicy tuna was not spicy at all, and each piece of the roll got smaller from the front of the plate to the back...like a sliced up hand roll rather than a cut roll. The Shogun roll was pretty boring as well. They don't have low sodium soy sauce on the table (maybe it's in the back?) which made everything taste too salty. We would've asked for low sodium if our waitress had come around more often, but she wasn't there and we were too hungry to wait. Now that I've tried what's considered the best around, I've accepted the fact that there's no good sushi in Cincy. Don't believe the hype surrounding Jo An. If you're expecting anything you would find at a decent place on the west coast, you'll be disappointed.
(3)
eddie m.
Quality of fish was good. Portions were good for the price. 3.9 stars here.
(4)
Melanie M.
Best sushi in cincy area by far!!!
(5)
Michael F.
Hidden in an office building, but I was pleasantly surprised when i found this place while staying at a nearby hotel. Fresh fish, and a great sake selection. This is as good as sushi gets in the Midwest.
(4)
Kevin C.
Wonderful and authentic dishes. Incredible Japanese cuisine found in the most unusual of places, just outside of Cincinnati airport. If I ever have a layover I recommend cabbing over just to have their food.
(5)
Mike N.
Situated close to the airport I was surprised to find it in a business building next to some hotels. But then again it 's nearby the Toyota buildings so it kind of makes sense. I came with a group of 5 on Saturday night. We had no reservation for 7:15 and we waited about 15 minutes before getting a table. You definitely want to make reservations because there were multiple tables with the reserved sign on top. Being in a business upscale setting they were playing a mix flutey versions of classic songs and elevator music. I enjoyed the proper lighting since a lot of restaurants tend dim the lights excessively. The menu revealed that this restaurant is a mix of the more traditional Japanese in addition to the specialty sushi rolls. It took FOREVER to get a waitress to get our order. People on the other side of my table said there were only three staff trying to accommodate everyone. Our waitress was an older Japanese lady (though could be Korean, although she spoke Japanese) and she was definitely rushed. She explained that service is slow and she couldn't split the check (although she did split it b/c we were the last customers left) I ordered the Katsu Ju (bread pork cutlet with egg on top) and 2 piece Hamachi Nigiri. Quite pricey for the Nigiri ( 2 pieces for $6.50). My friends got teriyaki dinner plates. Food came with Miso soup (good) and some included a side salad. Plating was superb especially for the teriyaki. My order of Hamachi was the very good melt in your mouth texture and with clean taste, but the slices were on the thin side, so for $6.50 it is very pricey. The Katsu Ju was served in a rectangular bowl- taste was very good but the breaded pork cutlet was soggy from sitting too long from the slow service. I didn't try any of the teriyaki but my friends were raving about it. Overall this restaurant errs on the pricey $$ side and is geared for the more traditional Japanese fanfare (noodles, bento box). Service was amazingly slow but the quality of the food = 4 stars. You should dress at least moderately nicely (lots of dates). Reservation are a recommended. Oh as a side note don't be pissed off if the waitress is racist in terms of recommending food to non-asians. lol
(4)
Ben S.
My office is directly above Jo-An, so we eat there at least a few times a month. A can't miss for lunch spot for local Japanese, especially from Toyota & Toyota Boshoku just down the street, Jo-An is defo the real deal and pretty much the cream of the crop as far as Japanese food goes in the Cincy / NKY area. Lunches are fairly priced, at around $9 for one of the 2 daily specials (A Set or B Set). They also offer a sush lunch w/ all the standards (tamago, maguro, sake, ika, ebi, tako) and a "pick 3" makunouchi bento box. All this said though, Jo-An does have its issues. First off is the fact that while good for a Japanese place in the US, it's pretty run-of-the-mill compared to what would be it's competition back home. Think of it this way: Imagine you lived in BFE China and they opened up a local Denny's. You'd be pretty stoked, right? Well, it's the exact same thing w/ Jo-An, and that's about the level it's on in my opinion. Secondly, while the lunch menu is fairly reasonably priced, the dinner menu can get really friggin' expensive really quick. A night out w/ my wife a while back set us back close to $90, and we really weren't ordering sushi or any thing fancy. I realize that Jo-An isn't the only Japanese restaurant guilty of this (nearby Miyoshi comes to mind, for example), but still...this is Northern Kentucky, not Nagoya. Finally, and this may be a minor point, but it seems like the only Japanese speaking staff are the Mama-san manager and the chef. Other nearby Japanese restaurants all have Japanese staff (Matsuya, Miyoshi, Aoi, Ando), so why not here as well? In summary, defo a nice place to have lunch, but really not all that and a bag o' chips as some seem to think.
(3)
Daniel C.
Great sushi but kind of overpriced. It is located in an office building and it can be a bit tough to find the entrance. The interior and ambiance is not what I would have expected for what they charge. The food is great, but thats about it.
(4)
S W.
Great lunch or dinner place. Sushi is above average, service is always good.
(4)
Dan J.
Rated consistently in the top ten restaurants in Cincinnati, Jo An is the best Japanese restaurant in town. Upon going there for the first time, I saw that it was filled with all kinds of people speaking Japanese and looking important. I soon found out that it was a regular watering hole for all the big Japanese car executives that come through town. It's always a good sign when you see people of the same ethnicity as the food you are eating (I know that sounds awful but I couldn't figure out a better way to say it). The menu was huge and had much more than the regular Udon and Sushi found at American Japanese restaurants. I opted for the Bento Box (meaning lunch box in Japanese) and it offered all sorts of different things for me to try out, including delicious eggs and a delicious noodle dish. The table also shared edamame and sushi and it was all incredibly good and incredibly fresh. If there was anywhere to go in Cincinnati for authentic Japanese, it would be Jo An.
(5)
Ryan B.
Surprisingly great sushi where you'd least expect it (no offense KY; just sayin'). Definitely worth a look, especially for the Travelers looking for a quality bite and some reprieve from the chains.
(5)
Gavin D.
Most times, you go to a restaurant and find that some of what others have said jives with your experience, and other times not so much. In the case of our trip to Jo An Japanese, it was exactly what we'd been told to expect. Yes, it's smack dab in the middle of an office park. And yes, it very likely has the best sushi in Cincinnati (well, Erlanger, Kentucky actually). (This review is made smaller so it'll fit in Yelp - the whole thing, including links, info about the ingredients, setting, service, and story, is at our blog, Amateur Foodies) The Food: I should say from the start the we barely even looked at the non-sushi menu. A quick order of sashimi salad (small bits of tuna, salmon, shrimp, and yellowtail mixed in with wakame) tided over our hunger, and it was fantastic. At most places, less wakame with no fish is about the same cost ($6). But we were here on a mission: sushi. Choices are made from a paper sheet where you mark what you want (is this really necessary - why don't they just ask you what'd like and save the paper?) as well as another menu with a front and back for specialty rolls. Here's what we ordered, and what we thought of it. With so many items, a bulleted list seems sensible: Salmon nigiri sushi - As you may recall from our last post about sushi, I've been trending toward the "less is more" approach on sushi. It's hard to pass up all the fancy and colorful combinations that are available, but every time I take a bite where I can't taste the fish, I move one step closer to being an all nigiri/sashimi guy. This salmon was colorful, and had none of the mealiness to the meat that you sometimes get - these were smooth bites, with no tearing through anything needed. Spicy tuna roll - Scallions added a crunch, and overall this roll had a nice texture. It was not too spicy, which is in part why it may be Sarahs new favorite spicy tuna roll in town (it used to be Bangkok Bistro). Spicy shrimp roll - A clean, crisp snap from the cucumber, went well with the spicy mayo that adds a kick. This was the roll that led me to thinking how strikingly well put together Jo An's rolls were, after just eating Bangkok Bistro's sushi. Salmon crunch roll - Texture in food can be so underutilized. From the crunch in our wedding cake to the tempura crunch in this roll - we are really enjoying what crunch can add to just about anything. This roll also had a lot of sesame seeds on the outside, which were very tasty. But, this was one roll where a bit too much rice made it hard for me to taste the fish on a couple bites. That said, the salmon, crunch, and avocado paired so well together - this was my favorite choice of the night. Spicy baked slamon roll - I just mentioned the avacado, and on this roll - where it is sliced thin and laid on top of each piece, it became clear that this tropical vegetable really was delicious. The masago (capelin roe) also added a different texture to this roll. Jo An roll - This was one of those double-wide size rolls where you're not sure if you should (or even could) eat it all in one bite. It was very tasty, and we liked that soybean paper - which held the roll together, but also was barely distinguishable in taste and broke easily as we chose the multiple bite method. With salmon, tuna, yellowtail, avocado, and tobiko (flying fish roe) on top, there is a lot going on here. The plate is then covered with a pattern of spicy mayonnaise and a hoisin-esque brown sauce, and the total package is something you'll want to taste. In general, we thought all of the rolls had a buttery taste and mouth feel that was quite enjoyable. A couple of small additional notes. First, they use ginger that is ginger colored, not pink. I always like that, makes me feel like I'm ingesting one less unnecessary substance. Second, I was surprised to learn that the salmon was from Norway. I assumed a top place would use something Pacific. The refrain again: lots yet to learn about sushi. The Ingredients: No mention of any local or organic ingredients on the menu. I will say that there were some types of fish and roe that I hadn't noticed on a menu before. That's not saying too much, because I still have a lot of learning to do about sushi (in fact, I just ordered this book today), but it is to say that the menu at Jo An is substantial. I doubt we'll go back to Jo An's often. If we're going out only for the sushi, then we will. But most times, we like the full package, and Jo An's offers so little in the way of ambiance that it's probably not ever going to get a lot of traffic - especially being in Erlanger. Hopefully the city sushi places will step up their game to make the drive totally unnecessary, but for now you should at least go once. If you enjoyed this review, there's more at Amateur Foodies.
(4)
Jeff W.
what is a place like this doing in this part of the country? first let me explain. Jo An is an authentic Japanese sushi bar and restaurant. Food quality is wonderful and dishes are artfully presented on small Japanese ceramic plates. Very pleasant servers and a simple Japanese minimalistic decor. A very big part of the clientele here is the locally based Japanese management and the visiting executives of nearby Toyota auto plant. You could easily be dining in a SF Bay Area or So Cal Japanese restaurant until you notice the prices. most items are under $10; with a few items tipping the scales at $11 and $12. Jo An also has a nice selection of sake. Simultaneously catering to traveling Japanese clientele and adventurous middle American gourmands in Kentucky. KENTUCKY! You have got to dine here to believe it!
(4)
Adam S.
Sushi was mediocre at best. Service was excellent and prices were reasonable. Shrimp temp. Roll was very bland and sunset roll had a chemical taste. Maybe I didn't order the right things but I eat a lot of sushi all over the country and I don't recommend this place.
(2)
Colette L.
Fantastic sushi in northern Kentucky? Absolutely! If you're looking for authentic Japanese sushi, Jo An will definitely scratch that itch. It's in an odd location (ground floor on the back side of an office building), but it's worth finding. The only caveat I would give is that service can be really spotty at times. Sometimes they're really fast and accurate, sometimes... not so much. But you're almost guaranteed to get food that you're going to love: fresh, delicious, well-made sushi for a reasonable price.
(4)
Jay F.
My travels take me all over the Country and usually I enjoy cuisine that is indicative of the area, which not only makes it fun, but very interesting. However, tonight was different. Toyota is a big employer here so it is no surprise that good sushi is here also. Japanese executives have to eat somewhere, right? I heard that it was those executives that backed the opening of this place so that they would have somewhere to eat. The restaurant is in the lobby of an office building in a industrial park and very hard to find if you don't know its there. Great sushi, really as good. As the good sushi bars back home in LA, maybe even better that most. So if you are ever in Erlanger, Kentucky and have a craving for sushi, you are covered. Highly recommended.
(5)
Jerry E.
Always ask what is on the Japanese Menu
(4)
Mary M.
This was an awesome sushi place. It is in a league of it's own. I have no idea what gourmet sushi is, but this has to be it.
(5)
Jonathan E.
Best Sushi I ever had and I live in DC and am from NYC. All I can say is apparently Toyota is based here and they imported chefs and invested in this place (something like that), but the Sushi is AMAZING. In the middle of no-where, in a small office building, 5 miles from the airport is the best Sushi I have ever had. You have to go to believe it, but go hungry because it's outstanding.
(5)
Michele D.
Don't kill the messenger, but I just can't give more than three stars. A friend and I came in for dinner around 6:45 and was surprised that it's in an office building. In all the times I've been in a sushi bar, I've never seen a Caucasian behind the counter. Ever. This brought out a hint of hesitation, but I kept an open mind. We perused the menu and I was looking for chicken options for my dining companion. He said he wanted me to give him an introduction to the sushi world, so I got a feel for what he likes and went from there. I started with a hot sake ($4.00, which is about right). For him, I ordered the Futomaki, a tuna roll, and a vegetable roll (asparagus, avocado and something else...can't remember now). I ordered salmon sashimi, a natto roll and a special roll with yellow tail, green onions, spicy mayo, and the tempura "crunchies". When my platter came out I knew that my "special roll" wasn't so special. I flagged the server down and let him know I didn't get the right roll. He said I did, and I politely explained that the roll I ordered said it had green onion and spicy mayo. He said that the chef would make the correct roll for me. A minute later, a woman comes to my table to ask if there was something wrong with my order. I explained what happened and she said she would take my plate back to the kitchen and bring it when the correct roll had been prepared. I looked at her and said, "I'm eating right now. Why don't you go get a plate, take this roll with you since it's not the one I wanted, and bring the right roll when it's done?" Bitch, please. I'm not giving up my food. The guy (our server) came back a few minutes later and voila, new roll correctly done. I asked if he wanted to take the one on my plate (I hadn't touched it). He said no, and that I could eat it if I wanted. The quality of the salmon sashimi was meh. I've had much better quality and this one was not as fresh as it could have been. The slices were a good size, but the quality could have been a bit better. The natto roll was great; I was pleased with it. The "special roll" in it's right form was better than good, but less than excellent. I tried a piece of the one that was incorrectly prepared, and it paled in comparison to the correct one. The incorrect one was missing green onion and spicy mayo, so what a difference two ingredients make! My friend, by the way, ate everything, so I guess I made some good choices for him. I applaud them for letting us hang out and chat well after we finished our dinners. We hung out and talked til 9pm, so lucky for us they didn't ask us to leave. I'd return (and may even do so again this week), but I just couldn't see it garnering more than 3.5 stars. Parking is in the office building's parking lot.
(3)
Ashley B.
Placed a carry out lunch order today and it was amazing! The fish was fresh and everything was delicious. It's a little tough to find, but well worth the hunt.
(4)
Jane H.
I am usually supicious of places that only have a few reviews but this place was good. They have great assortment of sake. The red miso with the small mushroom, the fried squid, and the overall quality of the sushi is good.
(4)
Doug S.
It wasn't quite as hard to find as I had been led to believe. It's on the first floor of one of those office buildings behind the Courtyard, and it has a neon sign on the outside so we pulled right up to it. We were told right away before we ordered that there were a couple large groups there and that it would be 30 to 40 minutes to get our sushi. Having looked forward to it for a while and the fact it wasn't exactly close to us, we said that was fine. After we put in our order, about 20 minutes later, the waiter said it was still going to be a bit and asked if we'd like anything from the kitchen as an appetizer. We said we'd get some edamame. Now, here lies my problem...obviously having to wait 40 minutes to get your meal is a long time; I would think that any decent restaurant that wasn't a fast food joint would offer something complimentary to make up for the inconvenience. I mean, that's just good business, right? We assumed that the edamame would be "on the house", that's the least they could do. Moving on...we received our sashimi salads and sushi about an hour after we ordered them. By the time we got our food, we had drank about seven diet pepsi's each and were ravenous. The sahsimi salad was a seaweed salad served with assorted sashimi. Let me say that this was fantastic. The amount of seaweed was disappointing as there wasn't much at all, but this was more than made up for by the amount of delicious pieces of tuna, salmon, and a white fish (maybe albacore, couldn't decide). We both ordered this and both commented on the quality and quantity of the fish included. At $6, this was a steal. The sushi was also very good. My guest got the rainbow roll and the spicy scallop roll. Both were excellent, especially the scallop. I ordered the spicy salmon roll, the yellowtail crunch roll, and bonito nigiri. The salmon roll and yellowtail rolls were delicious. The bonito was okay, but I expected a bit more since that is what our waiter recommended when I asked if anything looked especially fresh this evening. When we got the bill, I saw that I had been charged for the edamame. Granted, it was only $5, but it was the fact of being charged for it that really got to me. You can't ask patrons to wait AN HOUR (I'm not exaggerating, it was every bit of an hour) to get their food from the time they ordered it and not offer SOMETHING to try and make it right. Hey, I have an idea: tell everybody who comes in that it's going to be an hour for their orders and watch them order appetizers as they sit and starve while waiting for their food. I'm sure that would be a good way to boost sales!! I was just really disappointed by this. That being said, the sushi was very good, the sashimi salads were excellent, and the service was attentive and polite.
(3)
M K.
We eat here every year we are back in town during the holidays. This is a very authentic Japanese Restaurant in a nice setting at the ground floor of a small office building. The sushi is excellent; however, on our last trip we were left a bit disappointed in the service. The non-Asian wait staff is not as efficient as the Asians. One of them often ignored the empty plates on our table and never refilled our tea, while the other one, after asking for more tea gave us the entire pot! I could tell that they did this so that they didn't have to service our table and the restaurant was not crowded. Also on this trip, the sushi rolls I ordered were very large and made up of primarily rice. In the past they have been a bit smaller, but made mainly of fish and were much better. I was too full after eating these on this most recent trip. Hopefully this was just an off-night, although I think the non-Asian wait staff will continue to have a poor level of service.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Yvonne H.
Talk about a hidden gem. Tucked away in a business park by CVG - it's easy to miss this place. I walked in with zero expectations and walked out a satisfied customer. The food was so authentic and the menu was also in Japanese. Lots of choices and many things still left to try. My favorite was the salmon rice bowl which is brothy and so fulfilling. Can't wait to go there again! The only complaint is the heavy odor of used cooking oil. Perhaps the ventilation system isn't the best, but at least it didn't leave a stench on my clothes or hair.
(4)Kurt M.
Jo An Japanese restaurant is about as authentic as it gets in the Midwest. Originally designed to be a place the Japanese executives from nearby Toyota could eat, it has a true feel to it. It can be difficult to find, because who expects a restaurant inside an office building?! Come in the entrance to the lobby and then down the hall. You will NOT be disappointed. I am in the Florence area for work a couple of times a year, and this is always a "must stop" if I have an evening free. Perfect rice. Gorgeous seaweed salad. Fresh fish and generous portions. Truly great sushi and sashimi.
(5)Maggie B.
This place rocks!! From the awesome and diverse menu, to the amazing sushi chefs, and the great waitress. If you go on a weekend just know that it might be slow because there is one waitress who is also the hostess but she is super nice and helpful so be patient. Also ask for suggestions. We had a huge selection of items. Standouts were the Beef Tataki. Yum!! Lightly seared and in a citrus Ponzu sauce. The Tuna tartar was amazing! The mango brought out the flavors. The veggie tempura was was perfection. There were 3 kinds of Miso. All were great but the spicy was awesome! The sushi was fresh and delish! We had an off menu roll that was awesome. My favorite was the Ahi Roll. It was fresh with a hint of wasabi flavor. We ended with a Japanese ice treat covered in Mochi. It was a perfect end to a phenomenal meal!
(5)Henry J.
Apparently, Jo An is a legit place frequently visited by Japanese travelers who come to CVG on business. Its location is weird enough, which is inside an office building off the beaten path close to highway I-275. Be careful when you try to enter, because it's easier to find the entrance to its kitchen than the front door! Once inside, however, authenticity exudes from everything such as the tasteful decoration, hot towels to clean hands, right down to the Japanese sushi chef working behind the counter. On my visit, we had some delightful sashimi platter and yakitori skewers. In addition, the fresh uni (sea urchin) tasted creamy, briney, and salty just like the ocean. The hot sake warmed us from the inside due to the snow outside. It was the perfect birthday dinner I could've asked for after hours of delays in IAH and dashing through ORD before boarding my flight en route back to CVG.
(5)Nunzio G.
I didn't find a hidden gem here but more of a tarnished penny. The service is very poor. You barely get a look and the waiter couldn't tell me if the tempora with the chicken would be vegetable tempura as I suggested. He didn't follow up as I asked. I took over 20 minutes to get my first app and u waited for a beer for longer. He forgot to order my tuna abaca do roll but thanks to the very nice sushi chef( I sat at the bar) he made it for me lickety split. The sushi chef saved the day and turns out the waiter was on his first week. The food was good but they also charged me for a salad which was part of the tempura/chicken order. Oh well, it's Cinci in an office park.
(2)Chris G.
I hadn't been to Jo-An in years. A decade maybe. I was happy they were still in business. I attended a function I organized with a group of others. Man oh man did we go all out. I ordered the Shio Ramen, some sushi, a seaweed salad, an octopus donburi (rice bowl) and some red bean and green tea ice creams (I'm a sharer, of course!) I think Jo-An is the only place in the greater Cincinnati area which offers a Shio (salt) Ramen. A truly pleasant surprise. The broth was thinner than expected, but the pork meat was some of the best prepared for a ramen I've ever had. The sushi was very well made. Not the best I've had, but pretty sterling for an inland joint. The seaweed salad was delicious, hard to screw that one up. The octopus donburi was equally delicious. Both the green tea and the sweet red bean ice creams were wonderful. The group had a wonderful time, egging each other on to try new things and passing items around family style. I'll definitely be back to Jo-An. I might get sushi... but it's more likely I'll get a double helping of that Shio Ramen.
(4)Joey O.
Hidden gem, great service, delicious food and overall best place for a romantic night out. I love going here with my wife. The service standards are high and everything I've had here from rolls to the Japanese pickles have been great.
(5)John B.
Tried to get in here last time in cinci but was closed. Glad it was open this time as it was highly recommend by my hotel manager. I went with two others so I can report on several items. Spicy tuna roll, spider roll, goyza sauce all out of this world. Ginger salad better than most. I had yellow tail, snapper, salmon, and eel sushi we ended up eating country style as all was delicious and wanted to try what others had ordered. Very fresh! I will be back.
(5)Ning A.
This is a review based on 5 years of sporadic dining at Jo-An. The food is always consistently good. Sushi is simple, well done and without a bunch of extraneous sauces to hide the flavors of the fish. This is a more traditional Japanese restaurant catering to the nearby Toyota workers. So ambience is what it is. Lunch service can be slow since there is only one sushi chef but I plan on it so it doesn't bother me. I'm just happy to have a honest sushi joint to enjoy in Kentucky of all places!
(4)Drewcifer D.
This is the best sushi period. I was happy to hear that when Toyota closes, Jo An will remain to service my gourmet sushi needs. They have limited hours which I kind of like. It makes going there feel even more special because I have to plan it. I have taken many work meetings there and impressed everyone who went. Knowing about this place definitely gives you some foodie cred. Please go here and spend tons of money. They deserve every penny.
(5)Erin K.
Came here for birthday month / bestie Wednesday after hearing rave reviews about this place for over a year now. First of all, very strangely located. It's located on the first floor of a giant building that looks to be filled with corporate offices. Although, I am sure this is a plus for the people who work here! The food is gorgeously, beautifully prepared and it's obvious that a lot of time and work goes into presentation, which is thusly reflected in the price. The food is also delicious, but so is Thai Taste (which is way cheaper). I am definitely glad I went, and if for some strange reason I was in the area again, I'd stop by for some more grub, but it's hard to feel like a diamond in the rough was found when I live five minutes away from Thai Taste, ya know?
(3)Christopher M.
This place makes me feel like I could live in Japan. I love it that much. Green tea. I don't like tea. Any of it. I love their green tea. I've had their sushi and their bento boxes and both were high quality, fresh, and tasty. The lunch crowd is good, but not overwhelming. There's a high number of Japanese companies in the area, and apparently this is the place of choice for those employees. You'll have to enter an office building lobby to get in the restaurant, but it's a place worth finding!
(5)Bill C.
I'm sorry. I hate giving bad reviews. But I tried calling the number to order one sushi roll. No answer. So I waked across the street to order in person. The place was empty except for one large party of 20. She said because of the large group, no to go orders could be placed. Horrible. This might be the lowest review I will ever post
(1)Quang L.
The grilled squid was so good. Everything was great. The hostess was very nice also. Will be back when in town for sure.
(5)John M.
Very good lunch deals. I'll eventually have to get back for a dinner. It is an unusual location on the ground floor of an office building. Almost all of the customers are Japanese, so you know it's pretty good. In the lunch rush, service can suffer a bit with only two servers covering the whole place. Green tea is complimentary and most items come with miso soup and/or salad(with ginger dressing). They have a very small lunch menu. Two deals of the day, a make your own bento, signature bento, two sushi rolls, and nigiri with a roll. Lunch options A and B are rotated and the menu shows their offerings for the rest of the week. Their oyako-don (chicken and egg with onion over rice) was a great value but I've had better. The sushi lunch was fantastic. Great cuts of tuna, squid, mackerel, salmon, and even a good spicy tuna roll. Theirs is different but i liked it better than most. There is a fantastic drink menu with sake, beer, wine, and bourbon. If you're near the airport and like Japanese food, be sure to give it a try. Look at the pictures of lunch A and B as you walk in if you don't know Japanese dishes by name.
(4)Katie W.
This place may be in a weird location but the fish is very fresh and the prices reasonable.
(4)H.J K.
First time and had a big disappointment from food and service.. I though this place was good because they have 4 starts from Yelp.. But it was not... First of all, please careful to eat food if anyone doesn't want to eat extra tissue paper which I found from egg rice bowl.. Too much tissue paper... Server said just sorry officially.. Also Eel nigiri was not fresh one and it was already cooked Eel like sushi at Kroger supermarket.. And charged $8 for 2 pcs. Wow.... Another part was their servers... They do not care customers and try to clean up the tale right away after finished meal.. Service was also horrible.
(1)Eva A.
I am only giving Jo An Japanese Restaurant 3 stars, only because the food was excellent. The Jo An roll was spectacular and had a great taste, I'm just not sure if it's worth an hour and fifteen minutes to wait for. I think I honestly came on a bad night with a large private party of "30 people," as the waiter explained. The waiters were apologetic however I feel that if they knew of a large party like that was already seated or made reservations to come in, they should have been upfront about the wait or staffing, or whatever the issue was. I don't think a waiter even said anything to us after an hour of waiting. I actually had to get up and remind them that I was here. After my complaint on the kitchen my food was prompt. Once I got my boiled spinach appetizer (which is what I received last), I was enjoying the salty peanut taste with the spinach up until I found an unusual object. It was a sticker from possibly the packaging of the spinach. It's not that shocking to most, but how many dirty factories or hands moved that packaging or placed that sticker on? Which was apparently cooked with my food. The sticker was half as long as my thumb. Something that should have been caught by the kitchen. This was supposed to be a special anniversary dinner with my boyfriend on a night out of town. Out of state actually. If we had made extensive plans to see a show or something, we would have had to leave hungry! I feel the waiters should have been more vocal about my wait time. Other than that, the fish was very fresh and the flavors were wonderful. It was just a busy night that could have been handled better.
(3)Devon C.
I went to Jo An with my parents while they were here visiting. We went on a Wednesday night and it was not too busy. The place is somewhat difficult to find since it is located in a large office building with a small sign. That being said, it was delicious authentic Japanese food. I ordered the Tempura Udon and my parents had Chicken Teriyaki and the Bento Box. Every item we ordered was delicious and authentic. We also had a few pieces of sushi since it is their specialty which was also delicious. The service was good while we were there. There are a lot of delicious Japanese restaurants in Northern Kentucky but definitely recommend Jo An to anyone in the mood for authentic Japanese food.
(4)Angela C.
I think I was disappointed because I expected to be blown away. Jo An has good sushi and lovely presentation. It is in a random office building in one of those corporate suburbs. Staff was very nice. Overall, the experience was fine, but I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to get here often. Still nice to know it's there.
(4)Kelly L.
Classy, quiet, yummy, affordable, pretty food that tastes amazing.
(5)Vince A.
Went with 5 other colleagues on July 15, we are from out of town . What can I say about this place ? Horrible ! 1. Tempura was served very cold as if it was cooked and they forgot to serve to me . I returned it and told the server that a Japanese restaurant does not serve a cold tempura EVER. 2. Teriyaki steak - my colleague ordered medium rare and he got a well done steak , felt like a beef jerky . 3. Uneven service - the food ordered was uneven . It seemed like this place has only one kitchen cook . Two colleagues did not get their order until 4 of us were almost finished . Stay away from this place ! And it's weird that the bills have the tip already written by the server ! Wow , this place does not deserve the 16% that they wrote in If there's a half star , this is their rating !
(1)Bryan S.
Stopped in here on the last night of a business trip, staying at the Marriott Courtyard (which is also very nice for a weary soul). Had an incredibly fresh and extremely well priced sushi dinner. Atmosphere and ambiance was totally relaxing. Judging by the menu and quality of food, the patrons and limited hours this is a local secret/treasure for sure. Highly recommend if you find yourself near CVG.
(5)Nicole V.
First time I've has sushi in years that smells fishy! Spent $40 on it and didn't even eat half of it. Too nervous to continue eating it based on the smell. Also difficult to figure out which door to enter as it's an office bldg. I won't go back.
(1)Manuel F.
Great sushi and salmon!!! Everyone in my party enjoyed their sushi and other plates as well. Great dinner!! Highly recommended!
(4)Ryosuke U.
Came here with a coworker while traveling through to visit some customers. The location threw me off a bit as it was in the first floor of an office building but once you step inside it felt like a authentic Japanese restaurant. Heard good things from local JPN customers so tried it out and was definitely not disappointed. The sushi was very fresh and the appetizers we tried were solid. Dont recall how the service was -Not good/Not bad Location being so close to the Cincinnati airport was convenient as well. Good to take customers and coworkers who want authentic Japanese food in the area.
(4)Jordan W.
Excellent food - nice array of rolls and nigiri, as well as great traditional Japanese food. Get the yellowtail collar appetizer - delicious!
(4)Megan B.
This place is amazing, some of the best sushi I've ever had. They flew sushi chefs in from Japan to meet the need of Toyota employees so you know it's the real deal. Always quiet, never crowded, food and service are outstanding. Try the fatty tuna - it's expensive but so worth it! Great for lunch or dinner, business or pleasure. If you like sushi you have to check it out - definitely the best in the Cincinnati area!
(4)Jodi W.
We went on Friday night because of Yelp recommendations. When we arrived we were told their would be about a 30 minute wait for sushi because they had just got a big order. We decided to stay. At first we were a little annoyed that the service for everything else was really slow, until we learned that both of the servers on the floor were relatively new. We got our sushi in a little under the 30 min they warned us about and it was delicious. We will definitely return, although I'm not sure if it will be a weekend!!
(4)Alex S.
So as the legend goes, the executives at the nearby Toyota plant could not live without authentic sushi, so they flew a sushi chef from Japan in to cook for them. And when he got tired of doing that, he opened his own restaurant down the street. That is Jo An. And my god is this sushi amazing. Located in an office building behind the Marriot (there is a tiny sign for it, but just keep driving back, you'll get to it), Jo An is small but not cramped, modest but not bare, mood-lit but not tacky, and all around friendly. Go into the office building, make your first left and walk down the long hallway. There it is. We were sat almost at once by a very friendly waitress. She checked on us throughout the night and was very nice. Sometimes, almost too nice. She apologized profusely when one of our shrimp was taking longer to take and she brought out the other rolls without it. We told her it was fine. I'd much have her too nice than too mean, and she was great. The rolls. Oh my god, the rolls. This may be the best eel I've ever had in sushi, soft and savory and it melted like butter. Yes. The nagiri was fresh and delicious and even things like your basic California roll was perfect. There was a crunch from the celery inside, proving just how fresh all the ingredients are. Woah. We also got the vegetable tempora and it was a nice mix of common vegetables (onions and sweet potatoes) as well as some fun stranger ones (eggplant and two that I just couldn't identify!) They weren't deep deep fried like a lot of places do tempora but lightly battered and lightly fried. They were soft, sweet and delicious. Loved it. I could come back here in a heartbeat. Honestly, I think it's my new favorite sushi in Cincy.
(5)Mark S.
Unexpectedly made it back for lunch the following day. Jo An had one of my favorites offered forone of the daily lunch specials; Hiyashi Chuka (listed as Cold Egg Noodles). It was a great lunch meal for a warm, sunny Summer day. Their website has a special link to the Lunch Special menu, which is posted for the upcoming week. The service at Jo An is every bit as good as the food and for me the atmosphere here has a tranquil Zen vibe to it.
(5)Travis G.
Once you find the place - not easy - you won't forget about it. Great selection of cold sake and plum wine at really good rates, and extremely well cut fish. As an American mutt, I am always the minority when I eat here, which I take to be a good sign. Not a cheap date - but totally worth it.
(4)Chris G.
Meh. It has been years since I have eaten here. This was the first time eating with the new owner. It was just such a let down from previous visits. Hopefully, it was just an off visit and it will be better next time.
(2)Steve B.
Solid 3.5 stars. Found in a corporate building in the middle of nowhere near a hotel, if you are 100% lost you're there - enter through the corporate building entrance like a normal working stiff. Nice staff, with a clearly separate room for the Japenese diners and a main dining room, both of which are not high on ambiance. My girl goes to Japanese restaurants to feel whisked away, and this doesn't have that at all. The food itself was good, my teriyaki filet mignon was very tender. Her noodle dish was good too. The prices themselves though were a bit high, especially for Cincinnati. The menu itself was a bit boring, many of the standard items you'd find on a Japanese menu, which is why it got 3.5 over 4. For a place that clearly caters to Japanese expats working at Toyota and other companies nearby, I'd expect more adventurous options.
(3)Hansel R.
The service was really slow due to a lot of customers. Several reminders to the wait staff resulted in nothing. Finally, after waiting for 1 hour all we got was a salad. We went into the kitchen and asked for the manager. My wife spoke to him in Japanese and explained him our situation. He was very apologetic and assured us he would take care of it. Within 20 minutes all the rest of our food showed up. The food was delicious. I wish I could have said that it was worth the wait, but no, I can't say that. Moreover, the manager said that the entire meal was on the house. Our food was easily worth $80 and he waived it off. Very gracious or as the Japanese call it èª å®Ÿ(seijitsu). We will be back to enjoy the good food and hopefully better service next time.
(3)Konstantin A.
Fish is definitely first rate - fresh and tasty. However, portions are somewhat small and the place is overall a bit pricey. But if you don't mind paying a bit extra then it's worth the trip.
(4)Tanya B.
Imagine, here I am coming to Cincy area for business from Northern California, the self-proclaimed US capital of sushi. My list of local restaurants included anything, but sushi. Then a colleague from the local office suggested that we go to Jo An, a sushi restaurant. Needless to say, my expectations were close to non-existent. Boy, was I wrong! The sushi was FANTASTIC! Great selection; especially the special rolls; some of the combinations I haven't even seen here in Cali. The fish was super fresh; the rolls were delicious. I was really impressed! The place is in a weird location; in kind of an industrial park. The last thing you expect to find there is a great sushi restaurant. I'm glad I knew some locals and was introduced to this place. I will definitely consider going back to Jo An next time I'm in the area.
(4)S B.
Food is great... However don't ask for water... Just get up and go get it from the kitchen!
(4)Matt G.
My favorite lunch spot. also good for a dinner meeting. Sush authentic and fresh. Great variety
(5)gary n.
UPDATED: I recently re-visited Jo an. It was quite good. Again, the menu is not as extensive as some others (Miyoshi or Matsuka) but it has some interesting items. The sushi was top-notch. OLDER: Jo An is a fine sushi restaurant. I personally feel it is a bit over-rated and I suspect this is due to the fact that it was the first up-scale sushi joint in NKY. The American Dream Roll is a sight to be seen and is very very good. In general I find their prices a wee bit high. The menu is somewhat limited when compared to say Miyoshi and Matsuya but if you check it out closely it is not too bad. I find the physical layout less inviting than Miyoshi and there is just a sense of it getting a bit old and in need of up-dating. I'd probably give it a 3.5 star rating if that were an option. They do have a solid sake selection. In summary, if you truly enjoy sushi and Japanese cuisine and are not particularly interested in less than standard non-sushi offerings then this is certainly a restaurant to check out. However, if you are looking for the best sushi/Japanese experience in the area then try Miyoshi IMHO.
(4)Mike O.
Bad service- waiter didn't know the menu and even said he works there part time and doesn't know the food. Sushi was subpar and nothing special. Sauces were bland for the noodles. With all these great reviews maybe we caught them on a bad night. But I won't go back.
(1)Andrew N.
Where to start? We're not talking dragon rolls with cream cheese or any of that nonsense. The way I put it to my friends is that it would probably hold its own if in Japanese-food crazy California, but it wouldn't be the best. It definitely has me coming back often. I love Japanese food more for their small dishes and entrees over sushi and this place has lots to offer, plus a lot of other ever-changing dishes and specials on their Japanese-only menu. I've had their gyu-tan which was had some rough pieces, but I'm a sucker for beef tongue so I was happy, and their tempura was light and crisp. Fish is fresh, the sakura onigiri was comfort food done right. The agedashi tofu was great too. My parents came to visit from Asia and they were pleasantly surprised. Lunch is a steal at around 10 to 12 dollars, especially considering the quality and authenticity. If you come for dinner expect to pay more, but then you'll also have the full menu at your disposal.
(4)Andrea R.
This is quite possibly the best sushi I've ever had in my life. Let me also note that I've had sushi in Japan just steps from the infamous fish market in Tokyo, and I'm convinced that this is better. Pricey, but well worth it for sure! I had miso soup -- sooo delicious. Shared an order of gyoza with my husband -- steamed to perfection, and the dipping sauce wasn't overly salty like I've had at other restaurants. Shared a HUGE sushi platter with my husband as well. Our eyes may have been bigger than our stomachs, but we cleaned up every bite since it was so delicious. I'm one to judge a sushi place by their ability to create perfect spicy tuna rolls. Well, this place does just that. We had tuna, salmon, and fatty tuna sashimi, spicy tuna rolls, cucumber rolls, avocado rolls, and a specialty roll (shogun roll). Every single bite was divine. I only wish I would've had more room to put more fish in my belly! Also, my husband lived in Japan for a few years, and he agrees that this was the best sushi he's ever had. Off the beaten path for sure, but well worth the drive!!
(5)Kristan H.
My boyfriend and I have only been here once, but we would really like to come back. Our visit was for lunch on a random weekday, because we were on our way to CVG airport. Strangely, we could not have sushi, because the sushi chefs were all occupied with filling a very large special order. So we both had lunch bento boxes instead. Everything was good -- obviously fresh and high-quality. Service was friendly, and the ambience reminded me of the Japanese restaurants I grew up going to in Houston. Yes, Jo An is in a strange location, and a tiny bit more expensive than other places, but I think the quality and authenticity justify that. Again, we would like to go back and try the sushi -- hopefully soon!
(4)Suzanna D.
Very disappointing. Rice was hard, Jo an role soggy. Nice short walk to the hotel and service was good, but food disappointing.
(2)Carol J.
Jo An has the best sushi you'll find in the area, and this is coming from me, a sushi snob who has lived in Southern California for 22 years. I don't know how the sushi chefs do it, but the sushi/sashimi/nigiri are always great. Jo An is in a random office building in a random area of Kentucky, but the food is completely worth the drive.
(5)Matt W.
This is the best Japanese food in the area. Their very wide selection and creative specialty sushi rolls stand out. While very busy during lunch times, you can get in pretty easily in early evening. Great option for a family or large group when you don't have a reservation. Looking over the reviews I think the biggest ding on Jo An is the service. I have never had an issue but also have never had the highest expectations. Not bad -- just not on par with the food. It's a small price to pay for great food and easy access.
(5)Dan F.
One of the best sushi places I've been to. I can't say I'm a sushi expert, but I do eat a lot of it and have tried a lot of places in the DC area. This place is very unexpected because it is at the bottom of an office building in an area of Kentucky that's not very populated. Their sake was very smooth. I got the basic sushi combo, and all the pieces were very obviously fresh and great quality. I would highly recommend this place. I wish I was in KY longer, so I could try more.
(5)Christine C.
They will make custom order rolls and always friendly. Well worth finding this hidden gem.
(4)Leighton P.
I will concur with a previous reviewer: As good as any sushi bar in LA/NYC/San Francisco. The fish is always extraordinarily fresh, and if it's not, the proprietor will tell you, as she did me when the toro wasn't up to snuff that day. The red miso soup w/shitaki is highly recommended. And it's in Kentucky (long story)! I try to go whenever an airport run to CVG is in the cards. And the many Japanese workers/consultants to Toyota in the area can always be seen there. Need a better rec?
(4)Glenna M.
My new favorite sushi place! Starting with the adventure it was to find in the dark. We were warmly welcomed. I noticed the simple clean modern decor and tables.The lighting was just dim enough that the setting was suitable for either a dinner with friends or a romantic evening for two. We were seated and promptly brought warm moist towels to clean our hands (fancy). The menu was expansive and confusing because there were 3 different ones. But our server was quick to explain it all to us and offer suggestions and help. I ordered the Maguro Tartar appetizer and the spicy baked salmon roll. My appetizer arrived and I was in heaven. Huge chunks of beautiful tuna , perfectly fresh mango and avocado were tossed in a lightly seasoned mayonnaise-like dressing and in a bowl of crisp lettuce. It was everything I love and each mouthful was a party. There was just the right amount of dressing to lightly coat each piece without being overpowering .The sushi roll didn't let me down either. It was flavorful, plentiful and beautifully presented. My companions were equally pleased with both the presentation and taste of their choices. I was also offered hot tea, which I gladly accepted and it was delicious and perfect. I know I will be coming here again and again because the entire experience was completely lovely. I really recommend you give it a try. I doubt you will be disappointed.
(5)Gene S.
Pretty f'ing amazing sushi pretty far from the sea. I don't know how they do it. It feels very traditional to me. I had an incredible chorachi jo. The "full bar" indicated on yelp is just beer, wine, saki, shochu, and about 4 other spirit selections, not including gin.
(5)MEdlinda C.
This place is a hidden gem in KY. It's tucked away towards the back of a parking lot near the Toyota plant in Kentucky. The ambiance is cozy, with Japanese chefs and waiters. The restaurant itself isn't huge, but it is comfortably sized with a sushi bar and a decent wine, sake and plum wine selection. Now on to the food! We tried the Joan roll, thinking it was the house specialty. It was fine, but I've had better. The roll contained Salmon, Tuna, Yellowtail, Avocado, Tobiko, & Spicy Mayonnaise in Soy Paper. Soy paper is thinner than seaweed, and has a very mild flavor. Usually this allows the taste of the fish to shine, but in this case, there was hardly any fish in the roll to speak of. The rice to fish ratio was 2 or 3:1. I would not recommend this particular roll, but the roll selection is extensive so perhaps that was just not the best choice. We also ordered the vegetable udon, which was fine, but nothing memorable. However, the sashimi was fresh and beautifully presented. By far, the highlight of the dinner was the seafood and lobster curry. Succulent scallops, jumbo shrimp and large chunks of lobster floated in a rich, creamy complex yellow curry. The curry also had carrots and green beans. The flavor of the curry was mild, no spice, but it was infused with the delicate flavor of the seafood. Delish!
(4)J W.
This restaurant is in the middle of an industrial park, in one of two office buildings between 2 hotels. I decided to try it out, because I was staying at one of the nearby hotels and did not have access to transportation or have any other options other than very expensive room service or trying to find nearby restaurants that deliver. As a vegetarian, I know that most Japanese restaurants are not typically vegetarian friendly, but I thought that they may have some types of vegetable sushi, which was fine with me, so I figured "why not give it a try". Upon arriving, I was greeted by a very friendly staff and was seated quickly in one of the 3 dining rooms. I though the layout and decor was very impressive. Immediately after being seated, I was brought a hot towel (which I thought was a very nice touch) along with the menu and drink list. From the drink list, I decided to try the plum martini from the martini menu, which consists of Saki, Vodka and Plum Wine. The martini was really good and even came with a marinated Plum garnish. While looking over the menu, I noticed that they have 3 different types of miso soups. After asking my server if there is any seafood or meat base, the server quickly noted that they use fish stock in all of the soups - Miso soup was "out" for me here, but not a deal breaker. If you don't mind fish stock in miso soup, then you're in luck. There were a few appetizers that I could have selected from, but I decided to just have a salad and save room for some sushi. I selected the regular (or house) salad. Their house salad arrived containing very fresh vegetables and a really delicious ginger dressing on the side. The sushi selection was not too bad from a vegetarian perspective. I noticed at least 5 kinds, including one egg option. I decided on the vegetable, avocado and a dried type of squash option (which I cannot remember the name of). Each of their rolls has 6 pieces, so it was plenty. All of the sushi arrived very fresh and it was really good. The service here was excellent, my server was extremely helpful, well timed with the meal and made sure that I was well looked after. After my meal, I was offered a cup of green tea, which I accepted. The server made sure to let me know that the clay cup it is served in was very hot and to be careful when picking it up. The tea was a nice touch to a fantastic meal. If you work nearby or are staying at one of the hotels in the area, check this place out. I would have given it a 5-star, if they had some type of tofu options with the noodle or rice dishes available. It does get 5-stars for the service and atmosphere. Enjoy!
(4)Ryan B.
Right on: Clean, attractive restaurant with friendly and efficient service. The food is addictive--I wanna go there every other day for lunch. Try the lunch options A or B and read this week's schedule online. The pork and teriyaki choices can't be beat. The sushi is great as well. The location isn't ideal, but it's worth the search for this authentic, ever-so-tasty experience.
(5)Bea D.
I was impressed by the number of items on the menu. This place is not just another sushi joint. This is Japanese - for Cincinnati anyway. We had miso soup with clams, a wonderful sashimi seaweed salad, and a couple rolls. All the food was great. They have an extensive list of wines and sakes. The service was so-so. Our waitress' first language was Spanish. She spoke some English and a little Japanese. I don't speak Japanese, nor could I pronounce almost all of the menu items. I just ended up pointing or using English to place my order. The atmosphere is casual and quiet. This is a place to enjoy a leisurely meal.
(4)Saki A.
Only been here twice for lunch - but I plan to be a regular! First time, ordered Kitsune Udon from one of their two lunch entree choices. It was flavored perfectly, a little bit on the stronger side for a Kansai native like myself. The side of oshinko maki (pickle roll) was a nice touch too. Second visit, I had the Shoukado Bento, which consisted of rice, miso soup, salad, tempura, sashimi, chicken teriyaki, and nimono (simmered veggies). Not so much a fan of the nimono using baby carrots (I've only seen carrots cut like a flower for the nimono). The tempura was also quite dishevelled. Other than that, I was satisfied. I gave 4 stars for the reason of their considerate attempt to present non-sushi Japanese food to their regular customers which consist of many Japanese businessmen visiting TEMA (Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing) right across the street from their location. I know American food can be a bit intense and different for Japanese people so their menus are very much appreciated. -1 star for the lack of cooking skills and the not so attentive service. Next time, I'll try some sushi for sure! Hoping for some authenticity as I heard the chef speaking Japanese.
(4)Amy L.
FINALLY! We moved here from DC seven months ago and have been so disappointed in the sushi offerings. I am so happy that we found Jo An because the sushi was really good. Hands down the best in Cincinnati by a very, very large margin. The sushi in Hyde Park & Mt. Lookout isn't even in the same realm. It's definitely worth the trip. The service was only ok but frankly I could care less. I'll go again and again for good sushi.
(5)Elizabeth W.
Like Captain Ahab's white while, the legend of exceptional sushi in Cincinnati remains an elusive target. Tucked into an office building behind the Courtyard Marriot by the airport, this local legend restaurant represents one of the most authentic sushi experiences I have had in this city. We started with warm washcloths on a half-price wine bottle Monday and perused the menu, which includes an extensive selection of cooked selections as well as the typical sushi offerings. Although Jo An's has some fancier rolls, their claim to fame is the quality of the fish, both raw and cooked. We had several rolls, which were all excellent. The uni (sea urchin) was absolutely fresh and delicious; even the salmon teriaki was exceptional - firm and flavorful. The only limitations on a 5 star rating are that the service was a little slow and our water glasses sat empty several times (not a good situation with spicy miso soup and spicy tuna rolls!). A massive party of Asian business men occupied the back room and kept the waitstaff busy, which really only makes this place better in my mind. Bottom line: worth the drive, the service, and the price for exceptional sushi in Cincinnati
(4)Chris R.
No expectations. None. This restaurant had one key ingredient - it was across the parking lot from my hotel at the end of a long, tiring day. I'm not a big sushi fan, and was not in the mood to be adventuresome - but this place wowed me. Spare, simple decor. Attentive service. And dynamite, interesting sushi that made fo a fantastic meal. I had the salmon, tempura avocado roll, and an Alaskan snow crab and avocado roll, both stunning in their freshness and interesting flavors combinations. Also tried their steamed shrimp dumplings, which were fabulous. I'm no sushi guru, but I know good food, as well as quality service and a pleasant atmosphere. This place has it all.
(4)Mark A.
I had a $25 gift certificate from halfpricecincy.com so I wanted to give this place a try. I'm a big fan of anyplace in the NKY area that isn't another in the long line of cookie cutter chains that seem to dominate this region. I enjoy trying new foods and this seemed like the perfect place to stretch my sushi experiences a bit. First of all the atmosphere was wonderful. It's not extremely fancy or kitschy Japanese like a lot of places. It's nice understated elegance was a plus in my book. It's tucked back in a business complex so it's a little off the beaten path. Worth telling your friends about and trying to drag them there. The food was excellent. We had a key lime martini (excellent and very tart...like good key limes!); the tomago (egg), tuna, salmon, godzilla roll (cream cheese, spicy mayo, baked salmon with the whole deal being tempura fried), scallop sashimi (pricey but excellent), shrimp tempura roll, avocado roll and the tempura appetizer. WAY too much but we were both feeling adventurous! They have a wide variety of small place appetizers, three varieties of miso soup and a number of entree dishes. Lots of specials and I liked the added touch of a warm cloth to clean your hands at the start of the meal. I'm by no means a sushi expert but I know what I like and I like this place...for those out of towners or hard core sushi aficionados I DON'T think this place will disappoint! If you are just giving it a try I would suggest trying to head over there for lunch. It's a little cheaper and you can see if it's worth the price to you.
(4)Melinda B.
It's a small place, hidden in the middle of nowhere, but the food, service and atmosphere were all fantastic. I would highly recommend their sushi, and their alcohol menu perfectly complements any meal.
(4)Rob N.
I tried this restraunt after reading reviews from my fellow yelpers. It was so good, I went back a second night. The red Miso soup was a nice change from the usual Miso. The Sushi was fantastic, they had some good house rolls too.
(4)Ayona D.
I REALLY enjoy Jo An's selection. A co-worker of mine learned that I am from the bay area and liked to dabble in sushi. He began to spin dreamy tales of salmon rolls and the Jo An roll and by that afternoon I had placed my order for pick up. I ordered with other friends in the office so we made sure we had plenty to select from ordering the Jo An rolls, california rolls ( for the sushi n00b), and Godzilla rolls. Sooooo good! The rice was perfect and not gummy. The fish was the perfect temperature and made me miss home. I recommend JoAn's for anyone that is in need for authentic sushi.
(4)Mali B.
Wow tough to find. I'm a sashimi fan but had to ask for it. Little pricey but nice. Toyota plant has Huge influence here
(3)J W.
Second time I've been in this place. The first time, I found it thanks to yelp. Arrived in CVG and this had good reviews. The rumor that Toyota executives eat here sealed the deal. I was weary at first due to the fact that I am in Kentucky. Good fresh sushi. The rolls are tasty and well made. I love the fact that they have a lot items that you don't see on a lot of sushi menus. For example, sea urchin, sea eel, amber jack fish, and they actually have fatty tuna. A lot of places have fatty tuna on the menu, but they are always "out of stock." It was a truly unique experience. The restaurant is in an office building. you would think there would be a satellite office for some software company there instead of a restaurant. Also, it was the first time I had sushi made by a white guy. With blonde dreadlocks...
(3)Christi P.
Very consistent food quality with a very nice lunch selection. The service is usually fast and friendly.
(4)Manveer S.
I really wanted to like Jo An... since moving from southern CA I haven't had decent sushi except on trips home. I know Erlanger is far from the ocean, but was hoping there was some kind of magic that Jo An had pulled off to keep their fish fresh. Alas, this was not the case. The restaurant did have a number of Japanese patrons (one nearby was visiting from Japan) which gave me confidence that we were in the right place. Our service was slow. We arrived at 7:30 pm on a Wednesday (not that busy) and didn't get our sushi until 8:20. Thankfully the appetizer came out within 30 minutes, but that's still too long since we arrived hungry. We started with gyoza, which was decent but average. The wife ordered a Philadelphia roll, I had a spicy tuna roll and we split a Shogun roll. The spicy tuna was not spicy at all, and each piece of the roll got smaller from the front of the plate to the back...like a sliced up hand roll rather than a cut roll. The Shogun roll was pretty boring as well. They don't have low sodium soy sauce on the table (maybe it's in the back?) which made everything taste too salty. We would've asked for low sodium if our waitress had come around more often, but she wasn't there and we were too hungry to wait. Now that I've tried what's considered the best around, I've accepted the fact that there's no good sushi in Cincy. Don't believe the hype surrounding Jo An. If you're expecting anything you would find at a decent place on the west coast, you'll be disappointed.
(3)eddie m.
Quality of fish was good. Portions were good for the price. 3.9 stars here.
(4)Melanie M.
Best sushi in cincy area by far!!!
(5)Michael F.
Hidden in an office building, but I was pleasantly surprised when i found this place while staying at a nearby hotel. Fresh fish, and a great sake selection. This is as good as sushi gets in the Midwest.
(4)Kevin C.
Wonderful and authentic dishes. Incredible Japanese cuisine found in the most unusual of places, just outside of Cincinnati airport. If I ever have a layover I recommend cabbing over just to have their food.
(5)Mike N.
Situated close to the airport I was surprised to find it in a business building next to some hotels. But then again it 's nearby the Toyota buildings so it kind of makes sense. I came with a group of 5 on Saturday night. We had no reservation for 7:15 and we waited about 15 minutes before getting a table. You definitely want to make reservations because there were multiple tables with the reserved sign on top. Being in a business upscale setting they were playing a mix flutey versions of classic songs and elevator music. I enjoyed the proper lighting since a lot of restaurants tend dim the lights excessively. The menu revealed that this restaurant is a mix of the more traditional Japanese in addition to the specialty sushi rolls. It took FOREVER to get a waitress to get our order. People on the other side of my table said there were only three staff trying to accommodate everyone. Our waitress was an older Japanese lady (though could be Korean, although she spoke Japanese) and she was definitely rushed. She explained that service is slow and she couldn't split the check (although she did split it b/c we were the last customers left) I ordered the Katsu Ju (bread pork cutlet with egg on top) and 2 piece Hamachi Nigiri. Quite pricey for the Nigiri ( 2 pieces for $6.50). My friends got teriyaki dinner plates. Food came with Miso soup (good) and some included a side salad. Plating was superb especially for the teriyaki. My order of Hamachi was the very good melt in your mouth texture and with clean taste, but the slices were on the thin side, so for $6.50 it is very pricey. The Katsu Ju was served in a rectangular bowl- taste was very good but the breaded pork cutlet was soggy from sitting too long from the slow service. I didn't try any of the teriyaki but my friends were raving about it. Overall this restaurant errs on the pricey $$ side and is geared for the more traditional Japanese fanfare (noodles, bento box). Service was amazingly slow but the quality of the food = 4 stars. You should dress at least moderately nicely (lots of dates). Reservation are a recommended. Oh as a side note don't be pissed off if the waitress is racist in terms of recommending food to non-asians. lol
(4)Ben S.
My office is directly above Jo-An, so we eat there at least a few times a month. A can't miss for lunch spot for local Japanese, especially from Toyota & Toyota Boshoku just down the street, Jo-An is defo the real deal and pretty much the cream of the crop as far as Japanese food goes in the Cincy / NKY area. Lunches are fairly priced, at around $9 for one of the 2 daily specials (A Set or B Set). They also offer a sush lunch w/ all the standards (tamago, maguro, sake, ika, ebi, tako) and a "pick 3" makunouchi bento box. All this said though, Jo-An does have its issues. First off is the fact that while good for a Japanese place in the US, it's pretty run-of-the-mill compared to what would be it's competition back home. Think of it this way: Imagine you lived in BFE China and they opened up a local Denny's. You'd be pretty stoked, right? Well, it's the exact same thing w/ Jo-An, and that's about the level it's on in my opinion. Secondly, while the lunch menu is fairly reasonably priced, the dinner menu can get really friggin' expensive really quick. A night out w/ my wife a while back set us back close to $90, and we really weren't ordering sushi or any thing fancy. I realize that Jo-An isn't the only Japanese restaurant guilty of this (nearby Miyoshi comes to mind, for example), but still...this is Northern Kentucky, not Nagoya. Finally, and this may be a minor point, but it seems like the only Japanese speaking staff are the Mama-san manager and the chef. Other nearby Japanese restaurants all have Japanese staff (Matsuya, Miyoshi, Aoi, Ando), so why not here as well? In summary, defo a nice place to have lunch, but really not all that and a bag o' chips as some seem to think.
(3)Daniel C.
Great sushi but kind of overpriced. It is located in an office building and it can be a bit tough to find the entrance. The interior and ambiance is not what I would have expected for what they charge. The food is great, but thats about it.
(4)S W.
Great lunch or dinner place. Sushi is above average, service is always good.
(4)Dan J.
Rated consistently in the top ten restaurants in Cincinnati, Jo An is the best Japanese restaurant in town. Upon going there for the first time, I saw that it was filled with all kinds of people speaking Japanese and looking important. I soon found out that it was a regular watering hole for all the big Japanese car executives that come through town. It's always a good sign when you see people of the same ethnicity as the food you are eating (I know that sounds awful but I couldn't figure out a better way to say it). The menu was huge and had much more than the regular Udon and Sushi found at American Japanese restaurants. I opted for the Bento Box (meaning lunch box in Japanese) and it offered all sorts of different things for me to try out, including delicious eggs and a delicious noodle dish. The table also shared edamame and sushi and it was all incredibly good and incredibly fresh. If there was anywhere to go in Cincinnati for authentic Japanese, it would be Jo An.
(5)Ryan B.
Surprisingly great sushi where you'd least expect it (no offense KY; just sayin'). Definitely worth a look, especially for the Travelers looking for a quality bite and some reprieve from the chains.
(5)Gavin D.
Most times, you go to a restaurant and find that some of what others have said jives with your experience, and other times not so much. In the case of our trip to Jo An Japanese, it was exactly what we'd been told to expect. Yes, it's smack dab in the middle of an office park. And yes, it very likely has the best sushi in Cincinnati (well, Erlanger, Kentucky actually). (This review is made smaller so it'll fit in Yelp - the whole thing, including links, info about the ingredients, setting, service, and story, is at our blog, Amateur Foodies) The Food: I should say from the start the we barely even looked at the non-sushi menu. A quick order of sashimi salad (small bits of tuna, salmon, shrimp, and yellowtail mixed in with wakame) tided over our hunger, and it was fantastic. At most places, less wakame with no fish is about the same cost ($6). But we were here on a mission: sushi. Choices are made from a paper sheet where you mark what you want (is this really necessary - why don't they just ask you what'd like and save the paper?) as well as another menu with a front and back for specialty rolls. Here's what we ordered, and what we thought of it. With so many items, a bulleted list seems sensible: Salmon nigiri sushi - As you may recall from our last post about sushi, I've been trending toward the "less is more" approach on sushi. It's hard to pass up all the fancy and colorful combinations that are available, but every time I take a bite where I can't taste the fish, I move one step closer to being an all nigiri/sashimi guy. This salmon was colorful, and had none of the mealiness to the meat that you sometimes get - these were smooth bites, with no tearing through anything needed. Spicy tuna roll - Scallions added a crunch, and overall this roll had a nice texture. It was not too spicy, which is in part why it may be Sarahs new favorite spicy tuna roll in town (it used to be Bangkok Bistro). Spicy shrimp roll - A clean, crisp snap from the cucumber, went well with the spicy mayo that adds a kick. This was the roll that led me to thinking how strikingly well put together Jo An's rolls were, after just eating Bangkok Bistro's sushi. Salmon crunch roll - Texture in food can be so underutilized. From the crunch in our wedding cake to the tempura crunch in this roll - we are really enjoying what crunch can add to just about anything. This roll also had a lot of sesame seeds on the outside, which were very tasty. But, this was one roll where a bit too much rice made it hard for me to taste the fish on a couple bites. That said, the salmon, crunch, and avocado paired so well together - this was my favorite choice of the night. Spicy baked slamon roll - I just mentioned the avacado, and on this roll - where it is sliced thin and laid on top of each piece, it became clear that this tropical vegetable really was delicious. The masago (capelin roe) also added a different texture to this roll. Jo An roll - This was one of those double-wide size rolls where you're not sure if you should (or even could) eat it all in one bite. It was very tasty, and we liked that soybean paper - which held the roll together, but also was barely distinguishable in taste and broke easily as we chose the multiple bite method. With salmon, tuna, yellowtail, avocado, and tobiko (flying fish roe) on top, there is a lot going on here. The plate is then covered with a pattern of spicy mayonnaise and a hoisin-esque brown sauce, and the total package is something you'll want to taste. In general, we thought all of the rolls had a buttery taste and mouth feel that was quite enjoyable. A couple of small additional notes. First, they use ginger that is ginger colored, not pink. I always like that, makes me feel like I'm ingesting one less unnecessary substance. Second, I was surprised to learn that the salmon was from Norway. I assumed a top place would use something Pacific. The refrain again: lots yet to learn about sushi. The Ingredients: No mention of any local or organic ingredients on the menu. I will say that there were some types of fish and roe that I hadn't noticed on a menu before. That's not saying too much, because I still have a lot of learning to do about sushi (in fact, I just ordered this book today), but it is to say that the menu at Jo An is substantial. I doubt we'll go back to Jo An's often. If we're going out only for the sushi, then we will. But most times, we like the full package, and Jo An's offers so little in the way of ambiance that it's probably not ever going to get a lot of traffic - especially being in Erlanger. Hopefully the city sushi places will step up their game to make the drive totally unnecessary, but for now you should at least go once. If you enjoyed this review, there's more at Amateur Foodies.
(4)Jeff W.
what is a place like this doing in this part of the country? first let me explain. Jo An is an authentic Japanese sushi bar and restaurant. Food quality is wonderful and dishes are artfully presented on small Japanese ceramic plates. Very pleasant servers and a simple Japanese minimalistic decor. A very big part of the clientele here is the locally based Japanese management and the visiting executives of nearby Toyota auto plant. You could easily be dining in a SF Bay Area or So Cal Japanese restaurant until you notice the prices. most items are under $10; with a few items tipping the scales at $11 and $12. Jo An also has a nice selection of sake. Simultaneously catering to traveling Japanese clientele and adventurous middle American gourmands in Kentucky. KENTUCKY! You have got to dine here to believe it!
(4)Adam S.
Sushi was mediocre at best. Service was excellent and prices were reasonable. Shrimp temp. Roll was very bland and sunset roll had a chemical taste. Maybe I didn't order the right things but I eat a lot of sushi all over the country and I don't recommend this place.
(2)Colette L.
Fantastic sushi in northern Kentucky? Absolutely! If you're looking for authentic Japanese sushi, Jo An will definitely scratch that itch. It's in an odd location (ground floor on the back side of an office building), but it's worth finding. The only caveat I would give is that service can be really spotty at times. Sometimes they're really fast and accurate, sometimes... not so much. But you're almost guaranteed to get food that you're going to love: fresh, delicious, well-made sushi for a reasonable price.
(4)Jay F.
My travels take me all over the Country and usually I enjoy cuisine that is indicative of the area, which not only makes it fun, but very interesting. However, tonight was different. Toyota is a big employer here so it is no surprise that good sushi is here also. Japanese executives have to eat somewhere, right? I heard that it was those executives that backed the opening of this place so that they would have somewhere to eat. The restaurant is in the lobby of an office building in a industrial park and very hard to find if you don't know its there. Great sushi, really as good. As the good sushi bars back home in LA, maybe even better that most. So if you are ever in Erlanger, Kentucky and have a craving for sushi, you are covered. Highly recommended.
(5)Jerry E.
Always ask what is on the Japanese Menu
(4)Mary M.
This was an awesome sushi place. It is in a league of it's own. I have no idea what gourmet sushi is, but this has to be it.
(5)Jonathan E.
Best Sushi I ever had and I live in DC and am from NYC. All I can say is apparently Toyota is based here and they imported chefs and invested in this place (something like that), but the Sushi is AMAZING. In the middle of no-where, in a small office building, 5 miles from the airport is the best Sushi I have ever had. You have to go to believe it, but go hungry because it's outstanding.
(5)Michele D.
Don't kill the messenger, but I just can't give more than three stars. A friend and I came in for dinner around 6:45 and was surprised that it's in an office building. In all the times I've been in a sushi bar, I've never seen a Caucasian behind the counter. Ever. This brought out a hint of hesitation, but I kept an open mind. We perused the menu and I was looking for chicken options for my dining companion. He said he wanted me to give him an introduction to the sushi world, so I got a feel for what he likes and went from there. I started with a hot sake ($4.00, which is about right). For him, I ordered the Futomaki, a tuna roll, and a vegetable roll (asparagus, avocado and something else...can't remember now). I ordered salmon sashimi, a natto roll and a special roll with yellow tail, green onions, spicy mayo, and the tempura "crunchies". When my platter came out I knew that my "special roll" wasn't so special. I flagged the server down and let him know I didn't get the right roll. He said I did, and I politely explained that the roll I ordered said it had green onion and spicy mayo. He said that the chef would make the correct roll for me. A minute later, a woman comes to my table to ask if there was something wrong with my order. I explained what happened and she said she would take my plate back to the kitchen and bring it when the correct roll had been prepared. I looked at her and said, "I'm eating right now. Why don't you go get a plate, take this roll with you since it's not the one I wanted, and bring the right roll when it's done?" Bitch, please. I'm not giving up my food. The guy (our server) came back a few minutes later and voila, new roll correctly done. I asked if he wanted to take the one on my plate (I hadn't touched it). He said no, and that I could eat it if I wanted. The quality of the salmon sashimi was meh. I've had much better quality and this one was not as fresh as it could have been. The slices were a good size, but the quality could have been a bit better. The natto roll was great; I was pleased with it. The "special roll" in it's right form was better than good, but less than excellent. I tried a piece of the one that was incorrectly prepared, and it paled in comparison to the correct one. The incorrect one was missing green onion and spicy mayo, so what a difference two ingredients make! My friend, by the way, ate everything, so I guess I made some good choices for him. I applaud them for letting us hang out and chat well after we finished our dinners. We hung out and talked til 9pm, so lucky for us they didn't ask us to leave. I'd return (and may even do so again this week), but I just couldn't see it garnering more than 3.5 stars. Parking is in the office building's parking lot.
(3)Ashley B.
Placed a carry out lunch order today and it was amazing! The fish was fresh and everything was delicious. It's a little tough to find, but well worth the hunt.
(4)Jane H.
I am usually supicious of places that only have a few reviews but this place was good. They have great assortment of sake. The red miso with the small mushroom, the fried squid, and the overall quality of the sushi is good.
(4)Doug S.
It wasn't quite as hard to find as I had been led to believe. It's on the first floor of one of those office buildings behind the Courtyard, and it has a neon sign on the outside so we pulled right up to it. We were told right away before we ordered that there were a couple large groups there and that it would be 30 to 40 minutes to get our sushi. Having looked forward to it for a while and the fact it wasn't exactly close to us, we said that was fine. After we put in our order, about 20 minutes later, the waiter said it was still going to be a bit and asked if we'd like anything from the kitchen as an appetizer. We said we'd get some edamame. Now, here lies my problem...obviously having to wait 40 minutes to get your meal is a long time; I would think that any decent restaurant that wasn't a fast food joint would offer something complimentary to make up for the inconvenience. I mean, that's just good business, right? We assumed that the edamame would be "on the house", that's the least they could do. Moving on...we received our sashimi salads and sushi about an hour after we ordered them. By the time we got our food, we had drank about seven diet pepsi's each and were ravenous. The sahsimi salad was a seaweed salad served with assorted sashimi. Let me say that this was fantastic. The amount of seaweed was disappointing as there wasn't much at all, but this was more than made up for by the amount of delicious pieces of tuna, salmon, and a white fish (maybe albacore, couldn't decide). We both ordered this and both commented on the quality and quantity of the fish included. At $6, this was a steal. The sushi was also very good. My guest got the rainbow roll and the spicy scallop roll. Both were excellent, especially the scallop. I ordered the spicy salmon roll, the yellowtail crunch roll, and bonito nigiri. The salmon roll and yellowtail rolls were delicious. The bonito was okay, but I expected a bit more since that is what our waiter recommended when I asked if anything looked especially fresh this evening. When we got the bill, I saw that I had been charged for the edamame. Granted, it was only $5, but it was the fact of being charged for it that really got to me. You can't ask patrons to wait AN HOUR (I'm not exaggerating, it was every bit of an hour) to get their food from the time they ordered it and not offer SOMETHING to try and make it right. Hey, I have an idea: tell everybody who comes in that it's going to be an hour for their orders and watch them order appetizers as they sit and starve while waiting for their food. I'm sure that would be a good way to boost sales!! I was just really disappointed by this. That being said, the sushi was very good, the sashimi salads were excellent, and the service was attentive and polite.
(3)M K.
We eat here every year we are back in town during the holidays. This is a very authentic Japanese Restaurant in a nice setting at the ground floor of a small office building. The sushi is excellent; however, on our last trip we were left a bit disappointed in the service. The non-Asian wait staff is not as efficient as the Asians. One of them often ignored the empty plates on our table and never refilled our tea, while the other one, after asking for more tea gave us the entire pot! I could tell that they did this so that they didn't have to service our table and the restaurant was not crowded. Also on this trip, the sushi rolls I ordered were very large and made up of primarily rice. In the past they have been a bit smaller, but made mainly of fish and were much better. I was too full after eating these on this most recent trip. Hopefully this was just an off-night, although I think the non-Asian wait staff will continue to have a poor level of service.
(3)